Agenda and minutes

Councillor Muldoon welcomed everyone.  Apologies were received from Philippe Grainger, Rushey Green Timebank.

Cllr Muldoon explained that high standards were expected for funding applications and not all of those the Assembly have received had met those yet. Therefore, three projects had been invited to the market place, and others would be invited to re-submit, taking in account feedback from the Co-ordinating Group in the New Year.   

The first half hour of this meeting was a marketplace, where local residents were able to visit stalls from those bidding for funds and talk with volunteers about their projects.  Voting was by token, with each person eligible to vote being handed their tokens at sign in. Three projects were up for funding totalling £3,491, leaving £9,009 to be allocated at a later date.

Team Catford with latest news and updates

Table discussions were held with questions on what being the civic heart of the borough meant to people and how this should shape the Catford town centre.  Notes of these discussions have been typed up and will feed into the ongoing engagement and development of the master plan.  See Appendix A.

Councillor Sakina Sheikh gave the presentation on the Local Democracy Review.  The council is seeking residents views on the best ways to involve you in decision-making. The presentation explains how information is shared and decisions made by the council.

The key issues received in feedback were:

·         A need for the language used in communications to be more accessible

·         To include more ordinary people on the working group

·         For documents to be made shorter to improve accessibility

Cllr Louise Krupski

Councillor Louise Krupski gave a presentation on the problems with air quality in Lewisham which is part of a bigger problem across London.  It was agreed that this needed to get out to a wider audience.  People were asked to sign up to the Clean Aid pledge.

It was agreed to post the presentation including video link on the Lewisham website and promote via social media.

Let us know your views on roads that especially require resurfacing this winter

The council is putting together a programme of resurfacing those roads most in need of repair and has asked for residents views

Suggestions were:

·         Lewisham Park

·         Stainton road

These have been fed back to the programme.  A range of other ways of reaching out to the community were suggested and people were encouraged to use social media and other outlets to make their suggestions.  Lewisham Pensioners Forum offered to work with older people using offline methods

Notified to Chair by slip by 3.00 pm

Rushey Green Timebank announced their 20th anniversary event taking place at St Laurence Centre, Weds 12 December; also they were starting a cancer drop in with MacMillan.

Friends of Mountsfield Park community garden were hosting visits to gardens of interest and announced their 16 December Xmas event

2nd Catford crumble competition was scheduled for Sat 19 January at Catford Bridge Tavern, all invited to participate.

Catford Food Market was 25 November, last one of the year and an opportunity to stock up on Xmas treats. The next market was due on last Sunday of February.

It was confirmed that all three projects presenting at the meeting had received sufficient votes to be funded. These were:

·         Friends of Mountsfield Park, Community Orchard Planting £591

·         Lewisham Youth Theatre, Afternoon and Weekend theatre £1,400

·         Friends of Holbeach School, Playground Sensory Project, £1,500

It was agreed that the remaining funds would become a councillors discretionary fund, for allocation to those projects which submitted revised bids which met the criteria.  A £500 donation to the Mayor’s Fund – 999 Club homelessness charity – was approved from Assembly funds.

Organisers were requested to train speakers in the use of the microphone before meetings and to ensure the PA system is correctly adjusted to enable everyone to hear. Those present were reminded of the Rushey Green Christmas Tree switch-on which was taking place on Sunday 25 November at Catford Broadway at 4.00 pm. The meeting closed at 2.00 pm.

Appendix A

·         Better library – more books, availability of parking permits, access to all council services in one place

·         Good face to face service with information service to give correct (not wrong) information

·         Staff to demonstrate a good attitude. At present some front desk staff show an indifference, look at their phones and talk to each other. Not focussing on customers and give wrong advice. It’s different in Bromley.

·         Better range of books for young people, to attract young people

·         Traffic in Doggett road is inappropriate

·         Offices should be open when advertised

·         Just calling something 'civic suite' doesn’t make it 'civic'

·         Ensure school curriculums included civics

·         Ensure pedestrian precinct is truly for pedestrians

·         Community hall/space

Catford

·         Interactive streets

·         Outdoor fountain

·         More theatre integration i.e. school use

·         Independent shops – creative shops, crafts

·         Pedestrian space

·         Buildings should encourage transparency

·         Keep the council officers