Agenda item

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.

The following public questions/comments were raised:

1. What are the criteria according to which officers had decided the viability of the proposed devolved highways budget schemes?

2. Public realm improvements need to be done to accommodate the new cancer centre.  - Councillors will ask officers to take this proposal into account.

3. What can be done about the pedestrianised areas of Tabbard Street which regularly flood making the pavement inaccessible? – The Chair said the scheme was disappointing and that a new survey of the drainage had been undertaken. This was still in the initial stage and funding would have to be found. A residents’ meeting may be needed. It would depend what all councillors in the merged community council felt.

4. Is there a date and venue for the first meeting of the merged community council? – The chair said that this would be decided at the Council Assembly meeting on 23 May 2012. Pauline Bonner, Neighbourhood Coordinator, explained that residents who were currently on the mailing list would be sent notification of the date and venue of the new, merged community council.

5. When will the Community Council Fund monies become available to success projects? – Pauline Bonner responded that the decision on the spend would be taken by the merged community council in June or July. Applicants should therefore plan for their events not to take place before the end of July/August. The process of assessing the bids would be determined by the new chairs of the merged community councils.

The meeting heard that the Tate Modern film club had shown a film adaptation of the Dickens novel “Little Dorrit”. It was suggested to show this film again at a local venue, like the Shortwave Cinema, and that as the company who had made the film was based in Rotherhithe this may be done at little or no cost. Councillors would take this on board.

Councillor Adele Morris informed the meeting that she had started a petition to create a parish council with devolved powers for Chaucer and Cathedrals wards. She encouraged people to contact her if they were interested in joining in with this, and explained that to trigger a referendum on this matter 2,500 signatures by residents in the two wards were needed. There was a discussion about what such a parish council would be called, and that other community council areas which were to be merged, also considered this.

Councillor Tim McNally informed the meeting that he had 14 nominations for people to gain access to London Bridge for the Jubilee Pageant. He encouraged residents who wished to attend this event to approach him after the meeting. The chair informed the meeting that she had passed her nominations on to local schools. Councillor Morris said that she, too, was happy for people to contact her about these nominations, and that she was going to enquire with local businesses whether residents would be able to use their premises to view the procession. Councillor Hickson said she was keen to pass her nominations on to organisations for older and younger people. 

ACTION: Officers to provide a list of criteria which they had used to determine the viability of the proposed devolved highways budget schemes

Councillors thanked the chair for chairing the meetings over the last year.