Minutes:
Community Safety update
PS Gage representing Faraday and Newington Safer Neighbourhoods Teams (SNTs) informed the meeting that while he was responsible for both wards now, the number of constables (PCs) and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) had not changed. Recent activities of Faraday SNT had included action on rough sleepers at the four towers estate, action on knife offences, and school visits on fireworks safety. Those in Newington had included action on dangerous dogs on the Penrose Estate, on drug offences and around firework safety. In terms of the issue of stop and search figures which had been raised at the previous meeting, there was a limit on what could be released in a public forum. There were more than a thousand “stop and searches” every month, which meant a closer analysis was not possible. The majority occurred in busy areas such as Elephant and Castle, and Walworth Road. In terms of the disorder in the Walworth area in August, PS Gage fed back that, the perpetrators of this had not been solely from the Walworth area. Some had come from Lambeth, Peckham or even outside London.
PS Daly fed back that for East Walworth SNT’s priorities were youth anti-social behaviour, and drinking and drug use in Nursery Row Park. A recent operation to get uninsured, improperly taxed vehicles off the road had resulted in more than £150,000 being recovered. The next ward panel was on 30 November in 52-59 Browning Street, at the nursery building.
Responding to questions from the floor the SNT officers explained that residents should only call 999 when there was imminent or immediate danger. In all other cases they should ring 101, or contact their local Safer Neighbourhoods Team directly. They also confirmed that burglaries on the Pullens Estate were among the local SNT priorities.
Northern Line Exension
Tony Whitehead, from the Northern Line Extension team, informed the meeting of the temporary works which were scheduled to take place within the next 2 to 3 years. He invited people to give their views on the options listed in the consultation material. For further information, please see http://northernlineextension.com/
Southwark Law Centre
Catherine Evans, Director of the Southwark Law Centre, outlined the services offered by the centre which was founded in 1976 and is based in Peckham. Its services include legal advice on family, private, immigration and asylum law, as well as advice on financial, disability and housing/homelessness related law. She informed the meeting that the organisation’s AGM was going to be held on 14 November 2011 at London South Bank University. For further information, please see www.southwarklawcentre.org.uk
There was a discussion about the fact that Southwark Law Centre was going to lose a significant amount of funding due to the cuts in Legal Aid.
Elephant and Castle regeneration update
Rob Heasman from LendLease informed the meeting about the recent masterplan exhibition and the consultation hub. 300 people had attended the meeting, and 75 response forms had been received. The next consultation forum would meet on 10 November, while the three liaison groups would meet on 14 November 2011. For further information, please see www.elephantandcastle.org.uk
CCF Revealed Certificates
Fitzroy Lewis, Community Council Development Officer, introduced this item, and the chair presented the events management certificates to:Martin Heider (Walworth YCC) and Andrew Amuwat (Creative Innovation).