Agenda and draft minutes

1.      Welcome to the Sydenham Assembly ~ Cllr Liam Curran

1.1    Cllr Liam Curran Chair of the Sydenham Assembly welcomed everyone to the meeting, introduced Cllr Chris Best and Cllr Rachel Onikosi.

1.2    Cllr Curran detailed the timetable for the Assembly and the entertainments leading up to the switching on of the Christmas lights in the Literary Piazza.

2. Sydenham Assembly Fund 2015-16

2.1    Cllr Curran said that Assembly Fund for 2015-16 is £12,500 and that organisations who had been shortlisted would be giving a short presentation describing their projects. After each presentation they Assembly would have the opportunity for to ask any questions.

2.2    Sarah Lang briefly outlined the selection process against the ward priorities and explained that the projects were not competing against each other as the total of the fund available was greater than the total of the value of the projects.

2.3    A summary booklet of the projects is attached to these minutes.

2.4    Music and rhyme for under fives ~ Friends of Sydenham Library

Ilsa Towler introduced the project which is a weekly music session for under 5’s and their parents. The current service attracts a group of father who have found it useful for supporting each other. There are also a number of speaker of other languages who bring their children to improve vocabulary for both parent and child. The sessions also improve confidence and develop social skills.

Q.     Cllr Onikosi asked how the sessions were advertised.

A.     Poster in the library and shops in the High Street, social media and word of mouth.

2.4    Film Club at TNG ~ Community Connections & TNG Centre

Denis Amoah said that the bid was a partnership between TNG and Community Connections. Although the TNG is a youth centre, they want to do something for the more mature members of the community so started a weekly film afternoon on a Friday. This started with 5-6 people and has now grown to 12-15 per week and provides the opportunity for  social contact too. The funding would support further growth as well intergenerational events during the school holidays.

Q.     How do you advertise?

A.     On our website, twitter, but mainly word of mouth.

Q.     How are the films chosen?

A.     The group select the films.

2.5    Sydenham events and entertainment ~ SEE3

Cllr Best explained that this bid is for events and entertainment for Sydenham High Street. The Easter event is growing and the Halloween Trail which involved about 40 traders attracted around 700 people this year together with the High Street Happenings at the monthly markets. The Halloween event is also running now in Forest Hill and Penge.

The Christmas event next Saturday 12^th December will be and Old Time Music Hall in the Sydenham Centre followed by the lighting up of the Christmas tree.

2.6    Sydenham becomes a Poetry Town ~ Sydenham Arts

         Helen Goward told the Assembly that the idea for this bid came from consultation for The Word on the Street event. It is a partnership with Kirkdale bookshop extending their poem of the week across the ward and introducing a children’s poem of the week. There are also plans for the celebration of the 500^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. Helen invited ideas for event and projects from attendees.

2.7    Sydenham Hearing Aid Support Service ~ Action on Hearing Loss

Beverley  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3. SEE3 update

3.1    Cllr Best explained that SEE3 received funding from the Mayors office and the Mary Portas Pilots. This was to develop the high streets in Forest Hill and Sydenham, minimising the number of empty shops. 

3.2    In Sydenham there is the street market that runs every month with entertainment and High Street Happenings events such as The Halloween Trail and Easter Bonnet Making to bring people in. Please let us know if there are any events that you would like to see.

3.3    Recently we have ordered new banners for the lamp posts.

3.4    There have been pop-up shops too. Some of the trader are now permanently trading.

Q.     Do you give the pop-up shops financial subsidies?

A.     As part of the Portas Pilot £60, 000 was allocated for development of this opportunity. Some of this paid for the a worker’s time to support the set up including the legal side of things.

3.5    The pop-up shops allow businesses to test trade to see if their ideas are viable. Most of the traders have been sustainable, but not all. This is the reason that the opportunity is important part of the strategy.

3.6    Beer Rebellion was one such example. They have been so successful that they recently signed a 10 year lease for their new shop.

4. Written updates

Transport

4.1    Bakerloo Line Extension

 
The most recent update on the proposals from TfL was issued on 7th September  2015 and was included in the papers for the Sydenham Assembly papers for the meeting that took place on 17^th September

To see the details of this update please go to the TfL website at:
 

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/tube/bakerloo-extension?cid=bakerloo-extension 

The update covers details of the consultation which was held on extending the Bakerloo line from Elephant & Castle station through Southwark towards Lewisham, Bromley and Hayes together with details of issues and questions that were raised.

What Happens Next

Following on publication of the report which addresses the main issues raised during the 2014 consultation, TfL are now reviewing the large number of alternative destinations people suggested the extension could serve.  In addition, TfL are also further assessing the options put forward in the 2014 consultation.

Once the options have been fully explored a further public consultation is anticipated in 2016. This consultation will present the extension proposals in more detail.

If a decision is made to progress the scheme, and the necessary funding is secured, it is anticipated that construction could commence in around 2023.  Completion would be in approximately 2030.

Additional information

A southern extension of the Bakerloo line has been under consideration from the time the line was first opened in 1906. We have reviewed other options for improving transport in southeast London over the last few years.

A summary of this work is available in our Background report.

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/tube/bakerloo-extension/user_uploads/bakerloo-line-extension---background-to-consultation---amended.pdf

4.2    Cllr Curran told the Assembly that, as part of this work, TfL would look to relocate Lower Sydenham to Southend Lane

4.3    Sydenham Road

Since the traffic lights on Sydenham Road by Station Approach were UTC commissioned in August, further work has taken throughout October and November on the lights atSydenham Road by Spring Hill, Sydenham Road / Newlands Park, Sydenham Road / Mayow Road and Queensthorpe Road and was completed by TfL on 20^th November as scheduled.

On completion of this work the SCOOT system that optimises the lights then became operational.

4.4    Barry informed the Assembly that there has been the addition of two extra trains per hour to the East London Line. This is very welcome but, in two years time will still not be enough to keep up with growing demand.

4.5    There is a need for upgrades to the electrics further down the line and the Cllrs were asked to lobbying for more improvements.

4.6    Cllrs were also asked to press for improvements to the interchange at Canada Water station which is woefully inadequate.

4.7    Cllr Curran said that there are plans to add another escalator to the station. This is limited to one due space available.

4.8    The Greyhound Update

As you will probably have seen, The Greyhound Public house has finally, after several false starts and nearly two years, emerged from behind the hoardings. Councillors and local residents have been monitoring the work of the developers Purelake  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5. Community updates, questions and answers

5.1    Pat asked that the replacement of the tree in Venner Square be added to the list of actions that need to be addressed.

5.2    The impact of commuter parking on road around the station was raised.

5.3    Cllr Onikosi said that there had been a CPZ consultation some years ago and the answer from the residents was No, however things may have change since then so she will request a meeting with council officer to discuss this.

Q.    Annabel asked if there was any indictor as to the current consultation regarding the CPZ in Forest Hill and Upper Sydenham.

A.     Cllr Onikosi replied the this was still in the consultation period so there is currently no information.

6. Results of the voting

6.1    All of the projects received over 51% of the Assembly vote and therefore will be awarded the funding as detailed below.

7. Feedback sheets

7.1    Cllr Curran reminded everyone to complete their feedback sheets as these are used by the Co-ordinating Group to ensure that the Assembly responds to what the community wants.

8. Dates for the next Assembly meetings

8.1    The date of the next Assembly is Tuesday 1^st March at the Sydenham Centre from 7.00-9.00pm.

8.2    Cllr Onikosi told the Assembly that she would be taking over as Chair from the next meeting and invited anyone to contact her with any ideas on improving the Assemblies.

9. Thanks and Close

9.1    Cllr Curran then thanked everyone for coming along to the assembly meeting.

He then told the meeting that that the next assembly will be on Tuesday 1st March from 7.00pm at the Sydenham Centre (formerly the Narborhood Centre).

There being no further questions and no expressions of interest, the meeting closed at 3.40pm

Note: These are not verbatim minutes so questions and answers have been summarised.