Category Archives: Labour Councillors

Leigham Vale burst water main

wp_20170107_10_39_51_proThames water are relining the water main under Leigham Vale after it burst in December and January . The works are expected to be completed towards the May 2017. Road diversions will continue whilst  Leigham Vale remains closed for the next few months.

Thames Water will be working Monday to Saturday and Sunday mornings to get this major piece of work done. To find out more you can drop in to Hitherfield Baptist Church, Hitherfield Road  SW16 2LN to meet representative of Thames Water on Thursday 16th February between 12.30 to 7.30.

Or phone Thames Water on 0800 316 9800  selection 1 quoting ref: BB 210376.

Local councillors & Streatham MP Chuka Umunna took Steve Robertson, Chief Executive of Thames Water on a walkabout of the houses flooded in December and demanded action to prevent houses flooding in future.  Our local MP Helen Hayes will be meeting Thames Water next month to discuss a wide range of water-related issues and the number of serious leaks this winter.

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Filed under Environment, Labour Councillors, Traffic, West Norwood

Rail fares up 27%

Labour councillors at West Norwood station

Labour councillors at West Norwood station

To start off the new year 2017 train fares have gone up another 2.3% since last year. The total increase in rail ticket prices since 2010 is 27%  – far in excess of the inflation rate  & wage increases.

In West Norwood the train situation is made worse by very poor services  from Southern rail causing ever more misery & stress  to commuters reliant on trains to get to & from work.  For example during an hour this last Tuesday morning’s rush hour commuters said one train was cancelled and another doubly overcrowded as it had only 5 carriages instead of the normal 10 carriages.

The Southern rail situation is exacerbated by the government’s Transport Secretary cancelling plans, at the last minute,  to transfer responsibility for running London suburban train services to Transport for London (TfL)  and the Labour London Mayor.

Our MP, Helen Hayes, is a founding member of the newly formed All Party Parliamentary Group on Southern rail and campaigning for the government to remove the failing Southern rail service from Govia’s contract. You can help the campaign by recording your recent experiences of using Southern Rail in this short survey .

 

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Filed under Labour Councillors, Transport, West Norwood

Lambeth schools funding at risk

Jackie Meldrum delivering leaflets

Jackie Meldrum delivering leaflets

The Tory government is looking at reducing funding to Lambeth schools by up to 20% . They want to fund schools at the same national rate ignoring the extra costs of London schools.

Thanks to pressure from parents, teachers and councillors, the government’s 20% school funding cut has been delayed by one year – but the Tories still want to make the cuts in 2018/19.

Local families and your Labour councillors want to protect funding levels for our schools. Lambeth schools are in the top 10% of schools nationally with 90% of all our primary schools and 100% of our secondary schools getting a good or outstanding rating.

To keep up the pressure on government please support our campaign online see: http://www.lambeth-labour.org.uk/protect_lambeth_s_schools

In the government’s latest budget statement on 23/11/16 the only mention of additional funding for schools was another £240m for opening new selective (grammar) schools, funding to Independent (Public) and faith schools to open new schools. These unpopular government proposals are opposed by most people involved in education and will do nothing to address the problems of ordinary state schools and the growing teacher shortage. Consultation on the government’s proposals to re-introduce selective grammar schools ends on Monday 12th December – see : https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone/. Make sure you have your say.

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Filed under Education, Labour Councillors, Lambeth Council, Schools

New stop for 68 bus

WP_20160618_11_42_00_ProAt long last the 68 bus now stops at bus stop Y  by St Julians Farm Road.

The contract for the 68 bus was won by Go-Ahead London in 2006. As the West Norwood bus garage is run by a different company, Arriva, the  68 route did not extend to the garage but used to “turn” and stand in Hannen Road, the small road beside the train station.

Local residents successfully campaigned with councillors to remove the 68 bus from Hannen Road but it has taken a few more years to get Transport for London to extend the 68 route so it can stop at St Julians Farm Road.

For help in changing other local public transport routes contact Florence Eshalomi, our area representative on the London Assembly (   Florence.Eshalomi@london.gov.uk )

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Filed under Labour Councillors, Parking, Transport, West Norwood

A new name for Norwood Road

Cllr Fred Cowell on Norwood Rd

Cllr Fred Cowell on Norwood Rd

Norwood Road starts in Herne Hill and ends at Robson Road. Should we rename our main shopping street , the part from Tulse Hill to Knights Hill? Suggestions so far include Norwood Broadway, West Norwood Road, Norwood Boulevard, Norwood Tulse Road.

Come and discuss how you see West Norwood in 10 years time. You may not want a road name change but what sort of shops & work spaces do you want to see? Where should we build more badly needed new homes?

This month 3 consultation events are happening. For businesses Friday 19th 8.30am at Parkhall or Wednesday 25th 8.30am at The Great North Wood. For residents at the Leisure Centre there is a workshop on Tuesday 24th 6.30pm. The  drop in on Tuesday 31st 4pm to 8pm is cancelled and will be re-arranged  .

Book as places are limited: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/lambeth-council-amp-regeneris-consulting-10713114508

Or speak to Cllr Fred Cowell 07920 559 491 FCowell@lambeth.gov.uk @fredacowell

In the meantime, if you can’t make these events you can comment by website: https://westnorwoodandtulsehill.commonplace.is/

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Filed under Environment, Labour Councillors, Lambeth Council, Local Business, Parking, Planning, Shopping, Transport, West Norwood

Vote early by post!

WP_20160424_11_11_53_ProPeople who chose to vote by post are voting now  to choose the next London Mayor.

There are 3 ballot papers:  one for the Mayor; one to represent Lambeth & Southwark on the Greater London Assembly(GLA)  and one for  party representatives on the GLA.

To be counted postal ballots must be posted in time to reach the Council by the end of May 5th. Or they can be handed in at any polling station on Thursday May 5th election day.

If your postal ballot has not arrived by post by Thursday 28th April you can get another one- apply in person to Olive Morris House, 18 Brixton Hill SW2 1RD with photo-id and confirmation of your address.

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Filed under Labour Candidates, Labour Councillors, Lambeth Council, Uncategorized

A new master plan for West Norwood

If you are not keen on meetings but have things to say about the future of West Norwood – then take  a look at this new web site and its interactive map.

https://westnorwoodandtulsehill.commonplace.is/  It’s easy to mark the places you like and the places you would like to see improved. The map covers the area from Tulse Hill one-way system along Norwood Road & Knights Hill to Chapel Road.

Cllr Meldrum at a workshop at Tulse Hill

Cllr Meldrum at a workshop at Tulse Hill

Information input to the website will be part of a programme of public events, workshops and exhibitions  during the spring and summer to discuss what people want for their community and neighbourhood. The council wants to end up with a new 2017 plan for future improvements and investment in West Norwood.

The last West Norwood master plan was in 2009 – we have seen many changes and improvements since then including new schools and the Health & Leisure Centre. ( Work should be starting very soon on the library –cinema in Nettlefold Hall and upgrading of the South London Theatre. )

#HaveYourSayWNTH

@mywestnorwood

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Filed under Community / voluntary, Education, Environment, Health, Housing, Jobs, Kids, Labour Councillors, Lambeth Council, Leisure, Libraries, Local Business, Parking, Parks, Planning, Schools, Shopping, Traffic, Transport, West Norwood, Youth

Tackling Crime and Disorder meeting

Lambeth Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee is meeting at The  Old Library, 14-16 Knight’s Hill SE27 0HY on Wednesday 23rd March 2016.

The meeting starting at 7pm will focus on crime and disorder including the performance of the Safer Lambeth Partnership and the borough’s Youth Offending Service.

Police and council officers, and councillors, will be on hand to answer individual queries before the meeting from 6pm.

For detailed facts & figures see the papers at: http://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=113&MId=9676

All very welcome to attend

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Filed under Community / voluntary, Crime, Labour Councillors, Lambeth Council, Police

Library – Cinema gets the go-ahead!

Cllr Edbrooke signs the Library/Cinema decision

Cllr Edbrooke signs the Library/Cinema decision

The West Norwood joint Library Cinema project  has been finalised at last and signed off by Cllr Jane Edbrooke, councillor responsible for Culture & Libraries in Lambeth.  This partnership between the council and Picturehouse will invest over £6m into the regeneration of  West Norwood  town centre.

Building work on the Nettlefold Hall site in Norwood High Street SE27 will start soon in order for the joint library -cinema to open  in September 2017.

For details see  http://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?Id=3657

And have a look at our earlier posts dated  6/10/2015 ; 6/1/2015  and 26/6/2012

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Filed under Arts, Employment, Labour Councillors, Lambeth Council, Leisure, Libraries, Local Business, Planning, Uncategorized, West Norwood

The Housing Bill

Labour councillors oppose the Housing Bill

Labour councillors oppose the Housing Bill

In Lambeth most households are renting – only a third are owner occupiers. About 35% of Lambeth households are renting from the council or housing associations. The government’s new Housing Bill will severely reduce council housing and other forms of affordable housing and do not tackle London’s housing crisis and its ever increasing rents and house prices.

The Housing Bill  going through parliament will:

  • Charge council and housing association households in work with a new “Pay to Stay “  tax to government  if they want to stay in employment and in their home: increasing rents for some by £15,000.
  • Force the council to sell hundreds of its council homes on the open market
  • Reduce new council tenancies to 2 -5 years.
  • Developers will no longer build genuinely affordable homes for local people as part of new construction developments

Through the Town Planning process  Lambeth council has gained 2,500 homes for social and affordable rent from private developers in the last five years, including a large number of new council homes. But we still have more than 21,000 people on the waiting list and the almost 1,900 homeless families with 4,900 children in statutory  temporary accommodation.

To find out more see:

http://www.lambeth-labour.org.uk/toryhousingbill

http://www.local.gov.uk/briefings-and-responses/-/journal_content/56/10180/7529077/ARTICLE

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Filed under Housing, Labour Councillors, Lambeth Council