Agenda and minutes
PDF 90 KBVenue: Amigo Hall, St. George’s Cathedral, St George's Road, SE1 6HR
Contact: Gerald Gohler, Constitutional Officer
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Introduction and welcome
Minutes: The chair welcomed councillors, members of the public and officers to the meeting. |
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Apologies
Minutes: There were apologies for absence from Councillors Patrick Diamond and Abdul Mohamed; and for lateness from Councillors Neil Coyle and David Noakes.
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Disclosure of Members' interests and dispensations
Members to declare any interests and dispensation in respect of any item of business to be considered at this meeting. Minutes: There were none. |
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Items of business that the Chair deems urgent
The chair to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.
Minutes: The chair informed the meeting, that an addendum report pertaining to agenda item 13 - Community Council Highways Capital Investment 2013/14 had been circulated, and asked councillors whether they would be happy to accept the additional information contained in it, as late and urgent.
RESOLVED:
That the addendum report be accepted and considered. |
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Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 2013 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the chair.
Supporting documents: Minutes: RESOLVED:
The minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 2013 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the chair.
The following questions regarding the minutes were raised from the floor:
A resident said that the council’s contractor had been at fault regarding the resurfacing of the street, discussed at the last community council meeting. The chair said that the item could be brought back to a future meeting.
Shopkeepers encroaching on the public footpath were still a problem. The meeting heard that officers had done a swoop of the area, and were about to do another.
When would the reallocations be decided? The chair explained that the reallocations for Cleaner Greener Safer capital would be decided under agenda item 11.
A resident expressed his view that this question had not been answered comprehensively enough. The chair suggested submitting a public question to Council Assembly. |
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7.10pm |
Borough, Bankside and Walworth Youth Community Council
Members of the Youth Community Council to feed back on their recent activities and issues they have been discussing. Minutes: Representatives from the Youth Community Council informed the meeting about their recent project, which involved compiling a register of establishments on the Walworth Road, which provided facilities for younger people. The research had yielded that on Walworth Road alone, there were ten betting shops, ten pawn shops, three pubs, 26 fast food outlets and 17 vacant premises and a great number of hairdressers. However, there were no places on Walworth Road, which offered young people a safe, sociable space to meet, make new friends, learn new skills or share information. With 17 vacant premises, the Youth Community Council (YCC) asked the community council to support their suggestion to develop a friendly, inspirational and creative, young-person-friendly space on Walworth Road, and to halt the proliferation of betting shops.
The YCC also planned fact-finding missions to Southwark’s twinned cities of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Langenhagen in Germany to see what things can be learned from them. The YCC had also been involved in the Southwark Youth Service choir, who had its debut performance the previous Saturday. The YCC were also looking for new members.
In answer to questions from the floor and from councillors, the members of the YCC explained that they were not aware of the council’s mobile youth club buses. They agreed that it would be useful to conduct a similar survey in a year’s time.
The meeting also heard that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was looking at the business mix on Walworth Road. The members of the YCC said that the key priority for young people in community council area was the lack of youth provision, such as youth clubs, and the overprovision of fast food establishments.
The meeting heard that the council did not have any legal powers to vary business rates, by for example introducing a higher business rate on certain types of establishments that were not wanted by the community.
The chair thanked the members of the youth community council for attending the meeting. |
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7.25pm |
Petitions and Deputations
The chair to advise on any deputations or petitions received. Minutes: There were none. |
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7.35pm |
Elephant & Castle Regeneration update
Fiona Parry, Lend Lease Minutes: Rob Deck, Project Manager at Lend Lease, informed the meeting that the project team was moving to Hannibal House and would manage the Trafalgar Place and the One Elephant projects from there. Full construction on Phase 1 would start from Monday 1 July 2013, and would include 500 new homes, which would come on-stream at the end of 2015, while Elephant One would come on-stream at the end of 2016. For Trafalgar Place, Lend Lease had found their affordable housing partner in L&Q. There were two newsletters available, one for One Elephant (green) and one for Trafalgar Place (orange).
His team were also progressing the master-planning for the Heygate Estate, and had had feedback from Wansey Street residents, who wanted to things happen as soon as possible. 360 homes were in the process of being developed on the north side of Wansey Street and into Rodney Road, but this would need to wait until the demolition work of the first phase had been completed. This process was not due to be concluded until September. The design consultants had been appointed, and there would be further consultation on the design of the 360 homes in July. A planning application would probably be lodged in September.
As part of the above projects, £2m worth of contracts had gone to Southwark companies, and six long-term unemployed Southwark residents had been employed with the management team, or consultants. Lend Lease also had a £25,000 Community Fund to award to local community projects. The assessment panel for the next round of funding would be formed shortly. There were currently 37 live applications for the next round. Another funding round would be coming up in the autumn. The focus was on older people, young people and activities which benefit the community in the area. The art works box units were also up, and running and would provide space for local people for arts and crafts, and specialised food services.
Rob explained that he would be leaving his job, and that his colleague Pascal Mittermaier would be continuing in his role. In answer to questions from the floor, Rob explained that he did not know the exact reason behind the name of his company, but that it had been founded by a Dutch entrepreneur in Australia in the 1950s, in order to provide accommodation for workers constructing a hydro-electric plant. He went on to explain that 600 local jobs would be created across the three projects.
Note: At this point, Councillor Neil Coyle joined the meeting.
In answer to further questions from the floor, Rob explained that Lend Lease would try to preserve as many trees on Wansey Street and on the Heygate estate as possible. The construction would include planting new trees, so that there would be as many trees pre-development as post-development. To off-set the smaller stature of the new trees, additional trees would be planted in the surrounding areas. In terms of the occupancy of the box units, Rob said he did ... view the full minutes text for item 8. |
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8.05pm |
Housing Commission
Councillor Ian Wingfield, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for housing management to introduce this item.
Alice Orr-Ewing, Resident Involvement Coordinator to present.
Minutes: (formerly agenda item 10)
Following the break, the chair reminded the meeting of the code of conduct and the community council procedure rules, and warned two individuals about their disruptive conduct. All communication at the meeting had to go through the chair, and disruptions would not be tolerated.
Councillor Ian Wingfield, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for housing management, introduced the item by saying that the current housing crisis was partly historic and caused by chronic underinvestment over at the least the last 30 years. In order to change this, the council had put in place the independent housing commission in 2011, which took evidence from tenants and leaseholders, and had conducted the housing conversions. There had been a wealth of information generated, which would feed into the report to cabinet next month. The commission’s remit had been to explore options for the future financing, ownership and operation of Southwark’s council housing stock beyond 2015/16, and to examine proposals and make recommendations for an investment strategy for up to 30 years. This was done in light of the council’s difficult financial situation. The only stipulation the council had set the commission was that council housing should be preserved. Around 30% of Southwark Council’s rented properties at present did not meet the Government’s ‘Decent Homes’ standard and required large amounts of investment. The council had an investment programme planned up until 2015/16 that would make all homes warm, safe and dry. The process so far had thrown up many interesting ideas and while there was a limit on budgets, the council had a commitment to retaining council housing stock. There were, however, different options as to how the stock should be managed. He underlined the council’s commitment to council housing, and a firm financial footing for council housing.
Alice Orr-Ewing, Resident Involvement Coordinator, took the meeting through a questionnaire, which had been distributed on the seats.
Alice explained that Southwark currently had around 39,000 council rented properties and around 15,000 leasehold properties, there were also around 15,000 housing association rented properties.
In October 2012, the housing commission had published its report outlining three investment scenarios, as well as three options for how council housing could be managed. The council was now embarking on a wide ranging consultation which sought residents’ views on the following questions: “Who should council housing be for?”; “How much council housing should we have?”; “How should the council’s housing stock be managed?”
In order to canvass the opinions of the attendees, Alice asked the following questions:
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7.55pm |
Community announcements
If you have a community announcement please email details to community.councils@southwark.gov.uk before the meeting.
Minutes: (formerly agenda item 9)
PS Chris Daly informed the meeting that local policing numbers had increased, but that the number of officers which were assigned purely to community policing had decreased to one Sergeant and PCSO per ward. But there were now eight officers for the community council area, as they were cluster-based. However, the ward-based telephone numbers and email addressed could still be used to get in touch with the teams. He reminded the meeting of the 111 number for non-emergencies, and 999 for emergencies.
The chair announced that the council was consulting on a supplementary planning document (SPD) for the Blackfriars Road area until 12 September. This set out detailed guidance to coordinate future growth along and around the Blackfriars Road, and provided detailed guidance on key issues to include: building heights, built form, heritage, pubic realm and business space. More information could be found on their website at: www.southwark.gov.uk/blackfriarsroadspd
The meeting heard that Bankside Residents’ Forum was also holding a meeting about this SPD on 2 September 2013 at 6.30pm at Bankside Community Space, 18 Great Guildford Street, SE1.
Councillor Claire Hickson added TfL were planning some changes to Tower Bridge Road and its pedestrian crossings, as well as to some of its paving, and would be consulting on the plans over the next few weeks. The first meeting of the Tower Bridge Road Business Alliance had also taken place in the past week. |
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9.10pm |
Cleaner, Greener, Safer reallocations
Note: This is an executive function.
Councillors to consider the information contained in the report.
Supporting documents: Minutes: Note: This is an executive function.
Franklin Uwakaneme, Principal Projects Manager, introduced this item.
There was a discussion about the amounts of unallocated funding, some of which were due to projects falling through, and about the application and short-listing process. The meeting heard, that this re-allocation process could be improved upon in future years. The chair explained that traditionally, ward councillors suggested to the community council which projects to consider for the reallocations.
Councillors considered the information contained in the report.
RESOLVED:
That the following amounts of Cleaner, Greener, Safer Capital funding be allocated:
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9.20pm |
Community Council Highways Capital Investment 2013/14
Note: This is an executive function.
Councillors to consider the information contained in the report. Supporting documents: Minutes: Note: This is an executive function.
Franklin Uwakaneme explained that this fund was earmarked for non-TfL roads, and could be used for carriageway or footway repairs. He drew members’ attention to the addendum, which contained updated figures including unallocated funding from previous financial years.
Members considered and discussed the information contained in the report and addendum.
RESOLVED:
That the following projects be funded out of the CommunityCouncilHighwaysCapital Investment fund 2013/14:
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9.25pm |
Local Parking Amendments
Note: This is an executive function.
Councillors to consider the information contained in the report. Supporting documents: Minutes: Note: This is an executive function.
Councillors considered the information detailed in the report.
Resolved:
That the following local parking amendments be approved for implementation subject to the outcome of any necessary statutory procedures:
· Union Street - install one disabled persons’ (blue badge) parking bay.
· Turguand Street - install one disabled persons’ (blue badge) parking bay.
· Penrose Street - install double yellow lines.
· Red Lion Row - remove existing shared use parking bay, install double yellow lines.
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9.15pm |
Public Question Time
A public question form is included on page 25.
This is an opportunity for public questions to be addressed to the chair. Residents or persons working in the borough may ask questions on any matter in relation to which the council has powers or duties.
Responses may be supplied in writing following the meeting.
Supporting documents: Minutes: The following questions were raised from the floor:
1. Can details of the Sedan Way Green Link be submitted, as there is a problem with the proposed removal of four mature ash trees? The proposed new layout of Sedan Way would lead to the removal of the trees, most of which could be easily saved. Why are the proposals for this new road pedestrian unfriendly, and dangerous for children?
2. Can information about the total under spend, which the community council has at its disposal, be brought to the next meeting?
3. Can senior officers in charge of various departments, including the chief executive, be invited to address future community council meetings?
4. Victorian pubs are being bought up with a view to knocking them down, and residents are playing catch-up. How can the council and residents be proactive in protecting Victorian buildings?
5. Why has Peckham Town Hall been sold off?
6. Can the council look into putting rail stops back onto the line which runs parallel to Walworth Road?
The following questions were submitted in writing:
7. Can the following advertising boards be removed as soon as possible:
1. Nando’s – Newington Causeway. There are also a number of raised and loose paving stones paving stones along this stretch outside Alexander Fleming House. 2. The Whisky Shop – Clink Street. It was supposed to be removed before the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee. 3. The boards in and around the recently landscaped area on Tabard Street, next to St George’s Church: Barber, Gym and Cafe. The cafe has four banners/signs on each side of the church grounds as it is.
1. “If the council and the councillors are very concerned about young people, and where they can meet, why not use the empty office: e.g. at the bottom of Brandon Street and also give priority to young people when a vacancy occurs, instead of renting it to churches [...] when the hub will have been a perfect area in the centre of the Walworth Road.”
A question was raised about where on Congreve Street resurfacing work had taken place, and why the report claimed on page 32 that this had created an under spend. The chair explained that the under spend would be carried forward into this year’s budget, and that the street had been resurfaced, but the footway had not been re-laid.
The meeting heard that the question in the agenda pack about the Box Park related to the Heygate Estate, and not Marlborough Playground, and therefore the response was wrong. An updated response should be brought back to the community council.
The meeting heard that there was an issue with the coffee shops along the Old Kent Road whose patrons created a nuisance to passers-by. The chair said that this could be picked up as a question to Council Assembly in November. |
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9.30pm |
Community Council Question to Council Assembly
Each community council may submit one question to a council assembly meeting that has previously been considered and noted by the community council.
Any question to be submitted from a community council to council assembly should first be the subject of discussion at a community council meeting. The subject matter and question should be clearly noted in the community council’s minutes and thereafter the agreed question can be referred to the constitutional team.
The community council is invited to consider if it wishes to submit a question to the ordinary meeting of council assembly in October.
Minutes: Councillors discussed which question the community council should formally raise at the next appropriate Council Assembly meeting.
RESOLVED:
That the following question be put to the October meeting of council assembly:
“What can the council do to mitigate the expansion of betting shops, pawn shops and fast food outlets along the local high streets, such as the Walworth Road and the Old Kent Road?” |