Minutes:
The marketplace commenced at 6.30pm with information & consultation stalls from
~ Bence Street TRA ~ Deptford Folk ~ Deptford Neighbourhood Forum
~ Evelyn Parents ~Lewisham Pensioners’ Forum ~NHS Drop-In Services
Summary of Meeting
1. Welcome from Cllr Joyce Jacca
1.1 Cllr Joyce Jacca opened the meeting, welcoming residents. She said that the Assemblies are for identifying priorities for the area and addressing them through consultation and working together.
2. Launching Evelyn200 Project
Trina Lynsky, Chair of DeptfordFolk
2.1 Trina explained that DeptfordFolk are a constituted park-user group who work with the community, the Council & their contractor for Deptford Park & Folkestone Gardens.
2.2 Evelyn ward is the ward with the worst air quality in Lewisham and it also has the lowest number of trees. Evelyn200 aims to address this.
2.3 During 2016-17 DeptfordFolk were awarded a grant from Deptford Challenge Trust to run a series of events/activities & consult with the local community on their priorities for improvements to the parks.
2.4 Evelyn ward is named after the 17th century diarist John Evelyn who lived at Sayes Court Estate. Part of this is where Sayes Court Park is today.
2.5 2018 mark the 200th Anniversary of the publishing of his diary. He wrote about many of the issues that we still talk about today such as trees, air pollution, biodiversity, urban planning & healthy eating.
2.6 DeptfordFolk is also a Chartered Branch for the Woodland Trust and on the 6th November we will be celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Charter for Trees, Woods & People by planting tree No 1 of the 200 in Deptford Park. This is an Acer Campestra ~ Evelyn.Concerns relating to perceived inaccuracies in relation to the information provided during the presentation on Section106 agreements. Concern was expressed that not all S.106 funding was spent in local communities. Specific questions included:
2.7 DeptfordFolk are working with a number of organisations such as Street Trees for Living & with Lewisham Council Teams. They have identified the available pits for street trees.
2.8 In addition the project will celebrate the trees that we have. For instance The John Evelyn Mulberry Tree has been shortlisted for Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year. If you have not voted please support this campaign as the winner gets £1,000 towards the upkeep of the tree.
2.9 Wickes have donated trees as they knocked down a street tree. Deptford Folk have worked with residents to identify where the new trees will go and 15residents have signed up to undertake the watering.
2.10 As part of the campaign, we will also be creating an orchard in Deptford Park.
Q. Will you be able to work with the TRA’s?
A. Yes we want to work with individuals and groups across the ward.
2.11 Residents can get involved in a number of ways from suggesting a spot to plant a tree, helping to plant trees, being involved in design by coming along to a meeting or by running an activity.
2.12 Cllr Jacca thanked Trina and encouraged resident to get involved with this much needed project.
3. Feedback from Assembly funded Project
Caleb Adenyeni, Inspiring Your Imagination
3.1 Cllr Jacca explained that, as part of the conditions for Assembly funding, projects are asked to feedback at the meetings. One of the project that was successful in being funded this year was a filming project for young people run by Inspiring Your Imagination.
3.2 The project is run by local resident, Caleb Adenyeni who was welcomed to the floor.
3.3 Caleb explained that he had been running the Healthy Lewisham TV project for young people for several years and all the films that the young people make can be seen on the Youtube channel. The videos that were made this year will be featured weekly for 6 weeks, allowing audiences to continually come back to the website (www.healthylewihamtv.co.uk).
3.4 This is the third project that has been run in Evelyn wards and it was delivered in partnership with Youth First across three sites (Riverside Youth Club, Woodpecker Youth Club & the Richard McVicars Adventure Playground. The session ran over the summer holidays.
3.5 Eight films were created by the 43 young people aged 10-18years who took part. 31 of these gained AQA accreditation in Film Making.
3.6 The young people learned transferable skills in video production, post-production and created videos that will benefit their community and organisations within the community.
3.7 Caleb thanked the assembly for the funding.
3.8 Moira added that one of the films was made at the Play-club and she had been impressed with the skills that the young people had demonstrated both in interviewing and the technical aspect of filming. She thanked Caleb for the opportunity to take part.
3.9 Cllr Jacca added her thanks to Caleb for undertaking the project and delivering the feedback. She then asked Sarah Lang to launch the Assembly Fund for 2017-18.
4. Evelyn Assembly Fund 2017-18 Launch
Sarah Lang, LB Lewisham
4.1 Sarah explained that there is £12,500 of funding available and the maximum amount that each project can apply for is £3,500.
4.2 Applications must be for a distinct project which benefit residents of Evelyn ward and addresses one or more of the priorities as identified by residents. For 2017-18 these are
· Provision for young people and children.
· Provision for older people, people with disabilities and intergenerational activities.
· Skills development and access to local employment opportunities.
· Community support on antisocial behaviour, crime and drug issues.
· Housing issues / developments and improving the built environment.
· Community capacity building, cohesion and events.
4.3 Applications forms and guidance is available on the Evelyn Assembly web page https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/getinvolved/localassemblies/Evelyn-Assembly/Pages/default.aspx
4.4 The deadline date for applications is Monday 4 December 2017 at 12noon.
4.5 Sarah provided an information booklet with further details.
5. Community Safety Update
Denis Savin, LB Lewisham
5.1 Cllr Jacca told the Assembly that there had been fire which destroyed the fence & play area at Clyde Nursery as a result of a dump moped that had been torched. Dennis Savin from the Community Safety Team was invited to give update and advice to the community.
5.2 Denis confirmed that he is working closely with the police and safety teams from social landlords regarding moped crime as the concern has been raised at the Community Safety Panel meetings.
5.3 In the case of the Clyde Nursery, he is working with the Officer from Lewisham homes as there was damage to the fence of one of their properties too.
5.4 In addition to working on the incident at Clyde Nursery, they are currently correlating a report to identify the hotspots of moped related crime. If you witness an incident, take the registration if you can do so without putting yourself in danger and report it as this will help.
Q. Moira asked if the Cycle Super Highway was part of Denis’ remit.
A. Denis confirmed that it was not part of his work.
6. Heritage updates
Mari Taylor, Deptford Working Histories
Roo Angell Sayes Court CIC
6.1 Cllr Jacca introduced the first of two updates on projects that are celebrating the rich heritage of the local area, which was provide by Mari Taylor from Deptford Working Histories.
6.2 Mari explained that she has been a resident of Deptford for the past 35 years and Deptford Working Histories is dedicated to celebrating the histories of the working people in the area.
6.3 Part of this history is of those who worked on the barges that carried goods along the river. Once again Mari had worked to bring the barges to Greenwich as part of Open House weekend in conjunction with the Tames Festival.
6.4 Deptford Working Histories are preparing an exhibition & slide show that highlight the importance of history of the barge.
6.5 Roo introduced the Sayes Court Garden Project which emerged from the work of the Deptford Is….. Project which took place in 2011. The site, which is a site of historic interest, includes part of the Convoys Wharf site. This has been secured as open space for Deptford.
6.6 £38,000 has been secured for consultation, £20,000 of which is from the Mayor of London and this first phase is now just getting started.
Q. Moira asked what the money is for.
A. Roo replied that half is for the park and half is for events.
Q. There was a question regarding the nature of structure that is in the specification for the project.
A. Roo confirmed that it is a portable structure that will contain a display.
6.7 Some residents expressed concerns regarding the structure being in the park. It was suggested that the John Evelyn Garden could be a better place to site this.
6.8 Other resident expressed concerns about not being consulted. Roo re-iterated that they are just starting the consultation period. The Sayes Court TRA said that they wished to be actively involved in any consultation & agreed with the suggestion that the John Evelyn Garden would be a good base.
6.9 Roo said that Sayes Court CIC would be in touch with groups so that local residents views would be included in the consultations.
6.10 Cllr Jacca thanked Roo & Mari for their updates and introduced Sarah to tell residents about Lewisham’s bid to be London Borough of Culture
7. London Borough of Culture 2019
7.1 Sarah told the Assembly that the Mayor of London had launched the London Borough of Culture programme where two London Boroughs (one for 2019 & one for 2020) will be selected to receive a package of funding of £1.6 million for cultural & heritage projects.
7.2 Lewisham is running a campaign to be the first Borough of Culture in 2019. The funding would be for community activities that focus on the well-being that culture can bring though community based activities.
7.3 We need the help of the community as the bid team will also be looking at the engagement & consultation with residents. You can do this by;
· contibuting bid ideas www.loveitlewisham.co.uk
· telling us your secret places & projects or what is unique to Lewisham
· following @loveitlewisham on twitter, instagram & facebook
please use #LoveItLewisham to let us know and #mylocalculture which is the hashtag that the Mayor of London’s team will be monitoring.
8. Q&A and Community Updates
8.1 DeptfordFolk work with Lewisham Cyclists to deliver free bike maintenance events every month on the second Sunday of the month. These take place 10.00am-12.00 noon at the Ron Hoskins Hall on Childers Street.
8.2 London Cyclists also reminded attendees that the consultation on the Cycle Super Highway was still open.
8.3 Dorothy Muir introduced herself, Ashley & Faruk who are from the NHS Clinical Commissioning Team. She encouraged anyone who had not already spoken to them to come and fill in the consultation on proposed changes to delivery of Walk-in Service at the Waldron Centre.
8.4 Luciana from Co-oPepys asked to assembly to support her to lobby Lewisham Homes to keep the project in its current premises and get the S106 money that was agreed as this has not been forthcoming. Sarah assured Luciana again that the money was still allocated to Co-oPepys but cannot be release until a lease agreement has been signed on the current, or an alternative, property.
8.5. Moira informed the Assembly that she had recently taken over as Chair for 2000 Community Action Centre. The centre is available for hire for meeting and events. It needs the community to get involved and any ideas are also welcomed. Moira is also Vice-Chair of Bence House TRA and helps to run the Play-club.
8.6 Lori introduced herself to the Assembly, she is Chair of Bence House TRA which was created in March 2017. They have consulted with residents and are working with Lewisham Homes towards integrated infrastructure with new developments. Cllr Jacca thanked the TRA for their work
8.7. A resident called for more money in the developers to come into the communityand raised a complaint regarding the state of the building works. Officers agreed to speak about this outside of the meeting.
Q. A resident asked what could be done about verbally threatening behaviour.
A. Denis said that threats of violence are a criminal act and that you do not have to put up with this behaviour. He agreed to speak to the resident after the meeting.
9.Summary and close
9.1 Cllr Jacca thanked the community for attending and the stall holders for participating in the Assembly. There being no other business, she closed the meeting no declarations of interest.
Note: These are not verbatim minutes therefore questions and answers have been summarised.