Agenda and minutes

Cllr Liam Curran welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Previous meeting minutes approved.

This item was deferred. A comprehensive update on Main Grants funding can be found in the Agenda Reports Pack for the Mayor and Cabinet Meeting from 2 February 2022 starting on page 292, accessed via the following link: https://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/documents/g6497/Public%20reports%20pack%2002nd-Feb-2022%2018.00%20Mayor%20and%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10

A presentation was given by Sara Wickert, Community Development Officer for Sydenham and Genevie George, Third Sector Manager, explaining the NCIL funding context, application and assessment process and providing an overview of projects that are being recommended for NCIL funding, those where alternative funding sources have been sought and those projects that are not being recommended for NCIL funding. 

List of projects recommended for NCIL funding:

·   Rhyme Time / Friends of Sydenham Library £1,410

·   Adults' and children's crafts at Sydenham Library / Friends of Sydenham Community Library £1,650   

·   Ageing Well in Lewisham / Lewisham Churches Care £9,000 

·   Community Facilities Improvement / Venner Road Hall Community Association £9,700  

·   High Street Happenings / SEE3 Ltd £9,800  

·   JRHYS Community Workshop 1-2-1 / James Ross Hunter Youth Support CIC £10,000   

·   Home Park Trim Trail / Resident applicant / Lewisham Council £13,729 (Cross ward project; £14,575 NCIL funding has also been recommended from Bellingham ward)

·   Legendary Community Club/Youth First  £15,000

·   Street SmART: An Intergenerational Women's project, Safer Streets through Creative Awareness / Sydenham Arts Ltd  £17,794.50

The following projects have been identified for alternative sources of funding from Lewisham Council:

• Sustainable Christmas Trees / Sydenham Community Project £21,876 (£10,938 per ward; Cross ward project with Forest Hill)
• Bell Green Neighbourhood Forum Air monitoring network / BGNF £4,000
• Home Park Bins / Resident applicant / Lewisham Council £5,940 (£2970 per ward; Cross ward project with Bellingham)

The following projects have not been recommended for NCIL funding

Open Green Gates / Grow Mayow £9,500 (£4,750 per ward; Cross-ward project with Perry Vale)

Growing Lives / Sydenham Garden £59,540 .72 (£29,770.36 per ward; Cross-ward project with Perry Vale)

A Road to Creativity / Roadworks Media £20,000

Mental Health Drop-ins / Voluntary Services Lewisham £35,000

Permanent Cafe at Sydenham Wells Park / SWPIG / Lewisham Council £23,000

Improving signage in the high street / Resident Applicant / Lewisham Council £9,599.31

Holiday clubs for children and young people with SEND / Brent Knoll and Watergate Co-operative Trust £6,356

Information on NCIL funding available and the list of projects recommended for funding as well as a full list of project application summaries can be found at https://communityfunding.lewisham.gov.uk/sydenham the presentation will also be available online in due course. Please check the Sydenham Assembly pages for updates https://lewisham.gov.uk/mayorandcouncil/localassemblies/sydenham or email sara.wickert@lewisham.gov.uk

The Borough of Culture programme launches on Friday 28 January with events happening all across the borough. The Day One programme can be found at https://www.wearelewisham.com/event/day-one/ and local events, including those taking place in Sydenham can be found at https://www.wearelewisham.com/event/artonyourdoorstep/    

BGNF has successfully got money for its communication programme. This will allow the group to draw up a plan with aims to prioritise pedestrians above cars, improve the environment while protecting local assets. Currently BGNF is engaging groups and residents to get involved in the project and also looking for people to help leaflet. To get involved please email bellgreenforum@gmail.com

Silverdale site progressing well and due to be completed in May. Elderton Road confirmation of demolition of garages has gone out and the main works contractor for the project is now out to tender. Markwell Close and Hensford Gardens are undergoing reviews of feasibility

London Community Land Trust are still inviting applicants to apply for homes at Citizens House, Unity Way (Brasted Close), Sydenham. These homes will be sold well below the market rate and should be completed in by the summer. More details at https://www.londonclt.org/lewisham

Modal Filters on Silverdale and Bishopsthorpe Road

There has been an 18 month extension on the modal filters in Silverdale and Bishopsthorpe road and there will be a review ahead of this, within the next year.

Q: At what point will residents be invited to input their feedback?

A: Officers are currently planning out the consultation process with a commitment to a full consultation. Residents will be informed as soon as dates have been agreed.

Planning issues – Our Lady & St Philip Neri School, enforcement including flyposting

Regarding OLSPN School, all parties are committed to addressing the planning issues at the site and ensuring the continued operation of the school. See the Community update for a more detailed update.   

Flyposting from the fun fairs. Cllr Best has requested that the proprietors of the fun fair be written to by the Council asking them to remove old posters from Sydenham Road as they have been left up well beyond the date of the event and are littering the high street.

The Sydenham Centre – improvement works and hire of venue 

The Sydenham Centre is currently undergoing improvement works to improve the energy efficiency of the centre.

Q: Can we have improvements to the door entry at the Sydenham Centre?

A: Centre user meetings have resumed and this issue has been raised. Councillor surgeries are currently taking place in Ignition Brewery, meaning the brewery entrance can be used instead for this.

Sydenham Arts

What’s coming up:

-     Street smART, our creative project exploring Women’s safety and how we can make Sydenham a safer place through awareness, campaigning and innovative approaches using the arts

-    Waking The Sydenham Dragon, part of Lewisham Borough of Culture’s Day One celebrations on 28th January

-    Film Returns, our first film screening of 2022 will be The Lobster- Yorgos Lanthimos’ surreal black comedy romance, starring Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz and Olivia Coleman @ The Grove Centre (TBC), 24th February, 7.30pm

-    online film meetup, Talking Films. Playlist to watch at home is on our website, and we’ll be meeting to discuss the content on 3rd Feb, 7pm. Free

-    Moving With Parkinson’s will start again towards the end of February. Contact james.hodgson@sydenhamarts.co.uk (or contact us through the website) for more info. Classes are totally free, and drop ins are welcome.

-    more coming up throughout the year, including a pilot mentoring programme for young creatives, plenty more events, our Artists Trail and more...

See www.sydenhamarts.co.uk, and follow Sydenham Arts on Facebook, Instagram and twitter for all updates.

Spontaneous Productions

What’s on:

-    28^th Borough of Culture activities 2:15pm outside the Sydenham Centre including surprising interventions with characters from the future riding interesting vehicles. Then 3:15pm outside Sydenham Library. And joined by students again at 4:15pm

-    19^th February, 8pm at the Sydenham Centre - Scratch Night + 600 seconds: FUTURESHOCK, highlighting the impact of technology

-    5^th March – 3^rd April at the Sydenham Centre - Little Red Riding Hood: The Truth  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Q: A resident raised the issue of basic maintenance, namely tree trimming, not being addressed in a timely manner. Another resident raised the issue of flytipping, despite reporting to the Fix My Street app, particularly the corner at Venner Square.

A: Residents should continue to report issues via the FixMyStreet app. Cllr Best suggested a notice to deter fly tippers and also working with traders to get a camera up at flytipping hot spots.

Q: A resident requested meetings are face to face

A: While face to face meetings are something councillors would also prefer to get back to, the nature of the pandemic and having to plan meetings in advance means that we can only go on information or forecasts ahead of the actual meeting dates.

Q: A resident raised the issue of Royal Mail’s sporadic deliveries.

A: Ellie Reeves, MP, has written to Royal Mail about this issue.

Q: A resident asked whether CPZ’s would be discussed.

A: While there is no specific update at the moment, there is a plan for a borough-wide CPZ consultation, with a timeline for next year. Cllr Best offered to get an update, but it would not be before the upcoming elections.

UPDATE: The Meet the Mayor meeting for Sydenham will take place online at 7pm on Tuesday 8th March

The following Community Updates document was distributed to participants in advance of the meeting:

Community updates for Sydenham Assembly 22 January 2022

1          Lewisham Homes - Building for Lewisham programme in Sydenham

Silverdale is anticipated to complete in May. The scaffolding has been removed and Lewisham Homes (LH) are working on the internal fit out. Like most of the industry LH continue to be challenged by material and labour shortages so productivity on site is not always predictable, but we continue to monitor closely.

The Elderton Road scheme had an update provided to residents on 20th December to inform all that the demolition work of the garages had been completed. The newsletter is also on the commonplace site here https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/commonplace-customer-assets/eldertonroad/Elderton%20Road%20Demolition%20Letter%20December%2021-%20FINAL.pdf 

The Elderton project is out to tender for the main works contractor currently and LH will be informing residents when the contractor is appointed and construction of the new 5 homes will commence, we hope this will be within the next 3 months. Mayor and Cabinet approval was granted on the 12th January 2022 to proceed.

Markwell Close and Hensford Gardens https://hensfordgardens.commonplace.is/ are undergoing reviews of feasibility due to the increasing build costs in the construction industry and also the Building Regulations changes that will be coming in to use mid-June. LH hope to provide an update to residents once that viability work is completed.

Site on the corner of Mayow Road and Ferryman’s Lane is still being reviewed by the development team at Lewisham Homes. We have raised the issue of the rubbish dumping and overgrown brambles and suggested a meanwhile use of a community garden.

London Community Land Trust are still inviting applicants to apply for homes at Citizens House, Unity Way (Brasted Close), Sydenham. These homes will be sold well below the market rate and should be completed in by the summer.

There are 11 homes available:

• 6 x 2 bedroom 3 person homes - each being sold at £272,500
• 5 x 1 bedroom 2 person homes - each being sold at £215,000

To be eligible you need to:

• have lived in Lewisham for at least 5 years and preference is given to those in Sydenham and Forest Hill
• be able to obtain a mortgage (which entails having 10% of the asking price in savings and a steady source of income)
• be able to demonstrate housing need.

More details here https://www.londonclt.org/lewisham

Peabody Housing Association - 154-158 Sydenham Road SE26 5JZ

Work continues on the construction of a part 2/ part 3-storey building fronting Sydenham Road providing 17, one, two and three bedroom self-contained residential flats and 155sq.m ground and first floor commercial floorspace (use classes A1, A2, B1, D1, D2), with the provision of upper floor residential balconies; and the construction of a part 2/ part 3-storey building at the rear of the site comprising 10, three bedroom single dwelling-houses, 1, one bedroom self-contained flat and 1, two bedroom self-contained maisonette, together with associated landscaping.  There 14 parking bays (including 4 disabled spaces) and dry/ secure cycle  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.