Agenda item

A public question form is included on page 49.

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. Responses to queries raised at previous meetings can be found on page 50.

The following public questions were submitted in writing:

Boer War Memorial

Responding to a written question about the Boer War Memorial, the chair informed the meeting that he had been given an update by officers. The design had been agreed with stakeholders in October 2012, and an architect had been commissioned to draw up final designs for the tender and works in November 2012. Officers were currently waiting for designs, and the remainer of the project was as follows:

w/c 4 February 2013  Tender sent to contractors

w/c 25 February 2013  Deadline for tender returns, commission

contractor

March - April 2013  Off-site works (3 weeks)

May 2013  Works on site at St James Church.

Canada Water Decathlon site 

Responding to a question about a possible planning application for the Canada Water Decathlon site, the chair said that no planning application had formally been submitted, but that one was likely to be submitted imminently. He advised the resident to check the council’s planning webpage. There, interested individuals could also sign up to automatic alerts about planning applications which had been submitted in their area.

Tourist Office

In answer to a question about having a tourist office in the area, the chair explained that there had been a council funded tourist office in the London Bridge area, but there had been questions about whether it had provided value for money. The meeting heard that it would be good to signpost and enhance areas like the conservation area around Shad Thames, and that the council should look into providing tourist information in partnership with the management of the Shard, as this was predicted to attract 12 million visitors a year. The area was home to major tourist attractions such as Tate Modern and the Globe. The meeting heard that a new heritage cultural facility next to Potters Field would be created and that there may be some scope for a tourist information point as part of this facility. 

Public Toilets

In response to a question about a lack of public toilet facilities in the London Bridge and Tower Bridge areas, the chair told the meeting that the council had closed a number of public toilets in the area, because they had been difficult and expensive to maintain. Toilets in the area, and across the country, were increasingly provided by private businesses. There were public toilets at More London and in Potters Field, however, these could be sign-posted better. Councillors would raise this with the Potters Field management team. The new one-stop shop and the library in the Blue also had toilet facilities which could be made available to the public. Councillor Richard Livingstone said he was happy to follow up on this. The meeting also heard that Kingston council paid businesses a small amount of money to make their toilets available to members of the public, and that the problem was especially bad around Tower Bridge Road and Shad Thames. Councillor Richard Livingstone asked the person who had put the question to speak to him after the meeting, regarding the nuisance caused by people, due to the lack of facilities. The chair reminded the meeting that the development of 1 Tower Bridge Road would provide extra toilet facilities in the new cafes that were being built.