· Cleaner Greener Safer Fund 2017/18 launch
· Neighbourhoods Fund 2017/18 Launch
· Connect UK – Sally McVicker
· Robert Browning Primary School letter
Minutes:
Connect UK
Sally McVicker and Jane Stokes from the organisation informed the meeting about Jane’s personal story and the services offered by Connect to people with communication disabilities in Southwark and beyond.In terms of transport many people with aphasia had problems with uneven pavements, escalators, crowded tubes with nowhere to sit, and with getting on and off buses.The organization is based in St Alphege Hall, King’s Bench Street, Southwark, London SE1 0QX. For further information, see: www.facebook.com/connectwithfriendsuk
Robert Browning Primary School
Pupils from Robert Browning Primary School had written an open letter to councillors complaining about pedestrian crossing times at Newington Butts. These were only 5 seconds, making it impossible for a class of 30 to cross on their way to the swimming pool. This made the crossing unsafe. The pupils said that the crossing time should be increased to 20 seconds. A teacher from the school explained that the pupils normally went to their swimming classes around 11am, so an extension of the crossing period during non-peak hours should be sufficient. The meeting heard that older people had also complained.
Tom Holmes from TfL said he would take this issue away and provide an answer for the next meeting. Generally, junctions were timed to provide a good balance between all modes of transport and pedestrians. Florence Eshalomi, the local GLA Assembly member said that she would also look into this and get in touch with a response, and would shortly be testing some of the local crossings with a group of disabled pedestrians.
42 Bus
The meeting also heard that after reporting many problems with overcrowding on the number 42 bus to Transport for London (TfL) and a motion passed by Council Assembly, the 42 bus was now operated by double-decker buses and the route had been extended to the Sainsbury’s on Dog Kennel Hill.
Cleaner Greener Safer (CGS) Fund 2017-18 launch
The chair informed the meeting that the CGS capital programme, which funds projects that help to make Southwark cleaner, greener, safer and healthier, was looking for new ideas (application deadline: Monday 31 October 2016). Successful projects would be agreed at the community council meeting in January or February 2017. The money allocated for Borough, Bankside and Walworth Community Council was approximately £450,000. For further information see:
http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200256/cleaner_greener_safer
Neighbourhoods Fund 2017-18 launch
The chair said that the Neighbourhoods Fund 2017-18 would be launched in early November and that applications would be open for a six-week period, closing before Christmas. The fund was for events and projects that brought together communities. Funding of £1,000 and £5,000 could be applied for. Contact: Pauline Bonner, Community Council Development Officer, pauline.bonner@southwark.gov.uk, 020 7525 1019.
Old Kent Road area action plan consultation
The meeting heard that the council was preparing an area action plan for the Old Kent Road which would guide and coordinate development in the area over the next 20 years. The changes to the area were driven by the expansion of central London south of the Thames and the construction of the Bakerloo Line extension with two new stations along the Old Kent Road itself. The council was consulting on the plan until 4 November 2016, for further information please see:
http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/856/planning_policy/3112/old_kent_road