Agenda item

To consider any deputation requests.

The Chair agreed to accept three late deputation requests from Fairlawn Primary School, Hillyfielders Football Club and Friends of Peckham Rye Park as the item they wished to speak on was on the cabinet agenda for that evening.

Southwark Council’s constitution requires that deputations can only be made by a group of people resident or working in the borough. However, the Chair exercised his discretion to allow some members of the deputations who were Lewisham residents to contribute and participate in the deputations. (Friends of Honor Oak Recreation Ground, Fairlawn Primary School, Hillyfielders Football Club)

RESOLVED

That the deputation requests be heard.

Friends of Honor Oak Recreation Ground

The deputation spokesperson addressed the meeting and confirmed that they recognised the challenge the council faces in relation to current and future burial policy, but felt that in view of the extent of public support for the Honor Oak Recreation Ground, that the recreation ground should be protected in perpetuity regardless of burial needs.  Schools, football clubs, children and many others had relied on and used the recreation ground for the past fifty years.  The Friends asked for a transparent consultation process and for the council to find a cross borough solution to this problem with Lewisham Council.

Fairlawn Primary School

The Headteacher of the primary school addressed the meeting to outline concerns in respect of the Honor Oak Recreation Ground. He explained that Fairlawn primary school is located within Lewisham with 33% of the children attending from Southwark. The recreation ground is used for physical education by the children throughout the year, culminating in a sports day in the summer involving all the pupils of the school. The Headteacher stressed that the current location of Honor Oak recreation ground provides an accessible and safe option (in terms of travel to the site) for the children to undertake physical education and it would be very difficult for the school to find another suitable open space for this purpose.

Hillyfielders Football Club

The deputation spokesperson addressed the meeting and highlighted the work undertaken by the football club and the vital importance of the Honor Oak Recreation Ground to the existence and continued development of the club.  The club provides sporting activities for hundreds of children from the area and the club would find it extremely difficult to find an alternative open space, identifying the problems with neighbouring open spaces. It was felt that the loss of the recreation ground for use by the club would result in the splitting up of the club which was against the community and team spirit which was fostered by the club.  Additionally, the club provides opportunities for training and development with plans to offer young people from local colleges work placements within the club.  The club also provides a healthy and positive environment for young people and children to develop their sporting and interpersonal skills.

Friends of Peckham Rye Park

A spokesperson for the Friends of Peckham Rye Park addressed the meeting and outlined concerns in respect of the potential loss of Honor Oak Recreation ground and the resulting pressure this would create for Peckham Rye Park. The deputation spokesperson informed the meeting that  Peckham Rye was a Victorian park and was not suitable for intensive use for sports activities. It was felt that the removal of any open space like Honor Oak recreation ground from an urban area would be untenable.

The leader thanked the deputations for attending cabinet and presenting their views.