Agenda and minutes

Welcome and Introductions from the chair, Cllr Sophie McGeevor

Barry O’Donovan explained that Play streets is when a road is temporarily closed to through traffic to allow children to play in the street.

It’s a resident led initiative where neighbours decide that they’d like their road to be a Play street. They speak to other neighbours on the street and get agreement.  Residents of the street will have access to the road but not general traffic.

What are the benefits of play streets?

It creates an opportunity for neighbours to work together to get the event to work. Maybe turning a street into a community. 

It enables children on the street to meet each other to play, for some families with one child this can be a particularly nice opportunity.

It allows children to have fun and run around, outdoors, not too far away, saving a bit of time and reassuring parents that their children are nearby.

It also offers a temporary reduction in traffic noise and pollution for other residents.

The assembly suggested St Donatts Road and, more broadly, a street in the St Johns area where the Play street would co-inside with the implementation of the CPZ, as a sort of celebration.

For more information go to

http://www.londonplay.org.uk/content/30290/our_work/recent_work/play_streets/play_streets

or general information on London Play:

http://www.londonplay.org.uk

If you would like to find out whether Play Streets could take place in your street, contactBarry@londonplay.org.uk

Cllr McGeevor explained that the government has set up a Boundary Commission to look into how they can reduce the number of Parliamentary constituencies from 650 to 600. The Boundary Commission’s recommendations are largely based on the number of ‘electors’ (residents registered to vote) in each ward. In a borough like Lewisham, and particularly in a ward like Brockley where we have a high

proportion of under 18s who cannot register to vote, and high number of residents who are not registered to vote (which is often the case in areas with high numbers of students and renters), we run the risk of being under-represented in Parliament. Under current proposals Brockley ward will be incorporated into a new larger Constituency called ‘Greenwich and Deptford.’

Cllr McGeevor asked the assembly to share this information with friends and neighbours to raise concerns over the fairness and workability of the changes. For further information you can look at the Boundary Commissions website www.bce2018.org.uk and Lewisham Councils counter proposals online in the minutes for the Full Council Meeting on the 23rd November 2016.

Roger Lewis explained that the St. John's Society have been working very hard for some time to effect improvement to St. John's Station and its surrounds. This has been a gruelling three-year progress, but the Society's efforts are beginning to bear fruit.

In November 2016 a brand new station sign was installed - the one it replaced was thirty years old, and an eye-sore - whilst in December Network Rail agreed to clear the plot of land adjacent to the station car park. This area has been neglected for many years, and the clearing is just the start of the St. John's Society's work.

Network Rail has agreed to grant a licence to the Society to manage the land on the railway's behalf, and it is hoped the land itself will be clear to soil-level, clearing the roots that remain, so that the area can be planted. Ideas are welcome from all residents.

Longer term the Society still intend to secure the re-opening of the station waiting room; more benches on the platform; and disabled access. However, these are ambitious goals which will continue to take time and effort to achieve. With the progress it is making, however, the St. John's Society is hopeful. Any ideas or contributions on the Society's work on the station are welcome to the Chairman, rogeroliverlewis@gmail.com.

1.    What do you think is good about the Brockley assembly?

2.    How can we make it better?

3.    Why do you attend the local assembly? 

4.    What do you think would bring along more of your neighbours? 

5.    What do you think stops people getting involved in the Brockley assembly?

6.    How can we change this?

7.    Do you have any suggestions for roads in need of resurfacing in Brockley?

The following questions were discussed:

1.    What do you think is good about the Brockley assembly?

There was acknowledgement that engaged people tend to feel quite tired with the amount of meetings, as well as working, that they find themselves involved in but think the assembly is a great forum for discussions and local information.

2.    How can we make it better?

Suggestions included improved website/ communications. Also, perhaps there could be events like party in the park, or picnic in the park which could include assembly items. A question was raised on what power the assembly has in these current times? Cllr McGeevor explained that Lewisham Council is statutorily obligated to give consultations and the assembly can be used to give key information and updates on important matters like the boundary alterations. 

3.    Why do you attend the local assembly? 

Reasons given included; incredible local resource that shares interests, allows meeting of neighbours, and public forum that is needed and promotes community cohesion.

4.    What do you think would bring along more of your neighbours? 

Suggestions included:

• Perhaps a Saturday, family friendly meeting.
• Change venue? However it was noted that the Leander Centre was probably the best venue especially as there is a shortage of viable places to use in Brockley and many venues are expensive to hire.

5.    What do you think stops people getting involved in the Brockley assembly?

It was noted that some agenda items are dry and take too long to deliver and this could put people off from coming again.

6.    How can we change this?

Suggestions included:

• Bringing in local activities like a dance group
• Local youth clubs perhaps to bring in young people
• Posters in the area
• Updates from the local SNT
• Database of attendees, if you would like to be added to this, please contact maya.onyett@lewisham.gov.uk
• Change the seating arrangement in the Leander Centre

7.    Do you have any suggestions for roads in need of resurfacing in Brockley?

Cllr McGeevor suggested the assembly come up with 3 potential roads in Brockley to be put forward for resurfacing in the event that future funding opportunities arise. The following were suggested:

• Brockley Road
• Bottom of Breakspears Road
• Tanners Hill

Reference was made to http://www.arup.com/cities_alive for those who are interested in shaping cities. Cities Alive takes a human-centred approach to rethinking how we should design and manage cities in the future.

• Save Lewisham Hospital SLHC

http://www.savelewishamhospital.com/ Gillian Lewis (SLHC steering Group) explained that this local campaign is working together with KONP, The NHS Reinstatement Bill Campaign and many others – also briefing Councillors, attending Local Authority Health Scrutiny Meetings, Trust and CCG Board meetings.

She talked about the following:

CHPI – Centre for Health and the Public Interest - an independent non-party think tank https://chpi.org.uk/  including:

• the Sustainability and Transformation Plans - a critical assessment of the Government's current plan to reorganise the NHS: reduce funding by £22b by 2020, create 44 areas in England with no regard for how existing organisations work together ie hospitals, clinics etc and the enforced sell off of NHS buildings and land  
• Patient Safety in Private Hospitals – with the underfunding/ overcrowding of NHS hospitals, business is booming for Private Hospitals. The NHS pays a premium for each patient sent, 28% of patients in private hospitals are now NHS, but 6000 patients a year are admitted to NHS hospitals from private hospitals. Data on patient care is not collected by an independent body and is officially rated 'poor' by the CQC.  Private hospitals don't employ medical staff, but use Bank staff so post-operative care is left to a Resident Medical Officer, typically a Junior Dr, who will usually be monitoring over 40 beds, with no on site Specialist to turn to, and usually no access to intensive care beds if a patient's condition deteriorates

If you would like more information contact gillianlewis@ntlworld.com  

• The Lewisham public LGBT Forum’s next meeting is on 16^th February, 7-9pm at the Civic Suite. Meetings are held monthly , for more information contact LewishamLGBT@met.pnn.police.uk or Susan.hailes@met.pnn.police.uk
• Breakspears Mews Community Garden are holding their AGM on 1^st April
• There are currently 2 Consultations relating to Brockley - Statutory proposal for a prescribed alteration - Proposal to expand Addey and Stanhope School and Proposed Expansion of Ashmead Primary School. Details can be found here: https://lewisham-consult.objective.co.uk/portal
• Brockley Society and others warmly invite all seniors — from Brockley and beyond to the MidWinter Warmer 2017, Saturday 11 February, 2pm-5pm, Brockley Social Club, 240 Brockley Road, SE4 2SU ( corner of Foxberry Road opposite the Esso garage) – A free afternoon of refreshments, music, entertainment and raffle prizes, now in its ninth year.

                        - Join the Brockley Assembly Coordinating Group       

- Feedback forms 

- Date and agenda items for next meeting:

                        To be confirmed

- Join the Brockley Assembly Coordinating Group       

- Feedback forms 

Cllr McGeevor highlighted the importance of completing the feedback forms and invited members to join the coordinating group which plans the assembly and discusses local issues and updates. If you would like to join contact maya.onyett@lewisham.gov.uk for further information.

Close

Cllr McGeevor thanked everyone for attending the assembly