Agenda item

Sydenham Arts - Street Smart

James Hodgson provided an update on the Street Smart project, supporting women’s safety. He informed the meeting that a survey is currently being undertaken to obtain the views of women in the ward, followed by a consultation exercise early in the New Year. He drew attendees’ attention to a leaflet which was being made available at the meeting for further information.

JRHYS

Nina, a volunteer with James Ross Hunter Youth Support, provided an update on the youth support project being funded by NCIL. She stated that the project had been operating since the summer and had made contact with nearly 4,000 young people, delivering a range of workshops. Feedback from schools and youth workers has been very positive.

SEE3

Alexander Bourden and Cllr Best provided an update on the SEE3 project. Important developments include:

·       Keeping the website updated and providing information on What’s On in Sydenham

·       Providing information on Christmas activities

·       Organising Halloween event, which attracted over 100 participants

·       Working with the Grove Centre to develop Winter Welcome activities

·       Promoting Local Assembly meetings and producing a newsletter

Sydenham Library

Else Towler provided an update on the two NCIL projects funded at the library. Both the children’s project, Rhyme Times, and the adults’ craft project had been well-supported, with many participants visiting the library for the first time and using other library facilities.

Both groups have been attended by up to 18 people – well above the planned 12 spaces per group.

Legendary

Cllr Curran read a short report from the Legendary Community Project. The project is a food project for young people and provides hot meals for young people attending the TNG Youth Centre.

Air Monitors

Julia Webb provided an update on the air monitoring project in Bell Green. She stated that there had been a six month delay in the project starting due to a worldwide shortage of monitors. These are now due to be installed in January. A request was made about whether additional monitors could be installed by extending monitors down Sydenham High Street due to increased traffic volumes. Cllr Curran agreed to explore the possibility of this. 

Community Updates

Cllr Curran drew the meeting’s attention to the printed Community Updates which had been circulated at the start of the meeting.

The following additional points were raised regarding the Community Updates:

Modal Filters

Q. Had Active Travel England been involved in designing the proposed consultation?

A. Cllr Curran stated that Council officers had consulted widely in developing the consultation.

Girton Road Car Park

It was noted that parking vouchers can be obtained from a number of local shops, as listed on the Community Update document.

A view was shared that, although signs to the car park were now in place, it was felt that they could still be more prominent.

Blocked Drains – traffic

It was noted that Sydenham councillors had raised this matter at the full Council meeting and Cllr Curran explained that officers were looking at additional resources to investigate the cause of the problem.

Sydenham Footbridge

Cllr Best introduced this item, stating that it was encouraging that the work had finally been done after several years. However, it was regrettable that an established tree had been removed. She reported that a resident petition had been presented to Network Rail expressing concern that there had been no consultation in advance of the tree felling.

A resident also expressed regret that the design for the new bridge had resulted in views of passing trains for small children being blocked due to increased railing height. It was explained that this was for safety reasons.

Public Transport

The change in train timetables was noted.

Housing

In relation to this item, it was noted that there were currently in excess of 3,000 families in temporary accommodation in the borough and all efforts were being made to increase the availability of housing.

Regarding Markwell Close, it was stated that a decision on proposed plans was imminent and that information will be communicated to residents early in the New Year.

Questions were raised about whether other sites for housing development were being considered in the ward. Cllr Curran agreed to provide feedback as information becomes available.

Planning

Bell Green – Julia Webb highlighted the forthcoming Mayor and Cabinet meeting where the motion passed at the last Assembly meeting would be discussed. She also highlighted the information from the Lewisham Local Plan and informed attendees that she would be able to provide further information on the proposals on request.

Spontaneous Productions – St Bartholomew’s Church

Jonathan Kaufman informed the meeting of Spontaneous Productions’s Christmas show, called the Blues Brothers Grimm, which was being performed at St Bartholomew’s Church.

Additional comments

It was highlighted that the Winter Welcome events at Sydenham Library was only running until 10 December.

Dragonfly Yoga were having a Santa’s Grotto on 17 December