Minutes:
A question was raised on whether Adamsrill School will be moved to a temporary site at Home Park.
Cllr Best explained that Cllr Nisbet, Cllr Curran and herself have attended a number of meetings with colleagues in Education, following up on the issue that Home Park is not the best site as it is on metropolitan open land. Other sites have been put forward as possibilities, nothing has been decided as yet but there is a pressure regarding a lack of primary school places across Lewisham.
Cllr Curran added that they have been pushing against the idea of putting buildings into parks and that they are trying to find a semi- permanent site so they can accommodate a lot of schools. One such site could be the old Willow Way Housing office, once the Japanese Knot weed is removed, but there are other alternatives that are currently being considered.
Rushey Green Timebank updated on their ‘Bring and Fix event’ running today at the Sydenham Community library and encouraged people to attend. They also meet every Thursday afternoon at the Library, and encouraged people to attend and find out more about Timebanking.
The Sydenham Community Library updated on the Pocket Park Piazza . This is out to tender for an architect to produce a specific design. Following this there will be a stakeholders meeting some time in January 2014 to develop the project. An update can be given at the next assembly.
The Pavilion in Mayow Park had ground to a halt due to a broken sewage pipe, however funding has been allocated to ensure the programme is completed. Following this the tender of the community café is due to take place next year.
Barry Milton asked for an update on the Dacres Road Footbridge. In terms of the design Cllr Best stated that they had asked Lewisham officers for it to be cycle friendly and will ask for the final design. In terms of timescale it is dependent on a slot from Network Rail when trains can be suspended to allow the work to take place.
Annabel McLaren updated on the Save the Windmill Pub campaign. There is now an online petition to keep it a pub and not another supermarket that can be found on the Sydenham Society website, www.sydenhamsociety.com and the Sydenham Town Forum. She urged people to sign the petition and help the cause.
Annabel McLaren also updated on the SEE3 Neighbourhood Planning Action Group. A plan has been created to look at the Kirkdale area - east side of Kirkdale, from Dartmouth Road, the police station (closed) around to Willow Way and into the Willow Way Depot area. They are working with a local resident who is a practising architect and an academic at Kingston University, and is working with his post graduate students to look at the area and come up with ideas which will then be presented to the SEE3 neighbourhood planning group some time in March 2014. The other project the group will be looking at is the Forest Hill Town Centre, updates will be given in the Sydenham Society newsletters and at the assemblies.
Cllr Best added that there are 3 other SEE3 Action groups-
Cllr Best highlighted that volunteers and anyone who wanted to get involved in any of the groups are most welcome and this is covered in the SEE3 Christmas Calendar. Copies were handed round and as this provides a fantastic guide to the festive events taking place in Forest Hill, Kirkdale and Sydenham. The Sydenham events include:
· Christmas Fayre at Sydenham Garden- 3 days, 10 – 12 December.
· Elm singers, Friday 13 December at St Michaels.
· Christmas Carol at St Bartholomew’s on Saturday 14 December
· Christmas Market and extravaganza on Sunday 15th December.
A resident highlighted the dangers with overgrown foliage that is blocking the pedestrian path around 127 Mayow Road, the bungalow on the corner and the speeding cars. Lewisham Homes own the site, they would ideally like to redevelop the whole corner but are short on capital funding. Cllr Best said she will look into getting the foliage cut back.
Action: MO to follow up with Lewisham Homes
Another resident highlighted the dangers from speeding cars driving up Berrymans Lane . Cllr Best explained that it is a road that doesn’t meet current standards as it is not wide enough and has been made one way. As the road cannot be made any wider Cllr Best said she would take the issue back to the Council to look at the possibility of closing it.
Action: MO to follow up with Lewisham Highways
As now one had raised the issue Cllr Best reported back on the travellers who had been trespassing in the rear of Girton Road car park. Following their arrival on Sunday 20 October they left on Sunday 10 November following swift intervention by the Council on public land. The travellers were immediately asked to leave, a notice was served with an application for a hearing in the County Court. Within 3 weeks a possession order has been granted. The cost to the Council was nearly £10,000 and it took over 2 weeks to clear the area following their departure (approximately 70 tonnes). Cllr Best thanked the officers who worked hard to sort the issue out and highlighted the need for preventing future occurrences such as getting a more solid restrictor on the rear car park to prevent the access by large vehicles. The possession order will remain in force for a few months. Cllrs will continue to keep Girton Road car park free for residents thanks to the subsidy from Lidl and the Coop.