Agenda item

To consider any deputation requests.

This item had not been circulated five clear days in advance of the meeting. The chair agreed to accept the item as urgent as the requests had been submitted in line with the constitutional deadline for the receipt of deputation requests and were therefore eligible for consideration by cabinet.

RESOLVED:

That the deputation requests be heard.

Summary of the deputations heard:

Pelican Plus Tenants and Residents Association

Councillor Mark Glover was also in attendance to support the deputation. The deputation reported that the residents were concerned about the loss of a community hall.  The deputation explained that their original thought was to reinstate the original tenants hall.  However the view now was that that it might not be the most feasible option.

The deputation were now asking that if the Council was going to convert the hall into flats that the council looked at the flats in the whole block, in particular the flats on the ground floor which had a long standing issue of damp and lack of ventilation.

The depuation reported that the current tenants hall (previously the laundry room) was small and would like consideration given to see if an extension to the hall was possible. The current space was viewed as restrictive in terms of any equipment that can be brought into the space, especially for the children. 

The deputy leader and cabinet member for housing management advised that the council would need to look at where the block was in terms of the ‘warm, dry and safe programme’ and see whether any works could be aligned with the work on the conversion of the community hall.  In respect of the tenants hall the deputy leader and cabinet member for housing management advised that a feasiblity study could be undertaken to see what work can be done in relation to an extension.

Decima Street Tenants and Residents Association

The tenants and residents association spokesperson addressed the meeting to request that consideration be given for funding towards the installation of a door entry system for blocks on Meakin Estate, Elim Estate and Decima Street block.

The deputation reported that they were promised security doors and entrance systems in 2008 to be funded from Section 106 monies.  The deputation reported on the problems experienced by residents due to antisocial behaviour.  They believed that the open nature of the walkways on the estates and the secluded design of the stairways made them very attractive for young people to congregate and take part in antisocial activities. 

Cabinet requested that a report be submitted to the next meeting with regard to the issues raised by the deputation, including Section 106 funding.

A Group of Residents from East Dulwich Estate

The deputation spokesperson addressed the meeting in respect of the proposals contained in item 10 of the agenda relating to East Dulwich Estate.  The deputation advised that they were broadly in support of the proposals contained in the report with the exception of the proposal for new build housing on the sites of the former Southdown and Gatebeck blocks as they did not believe it benefited the long-term health of the estate and residents.

The deputation felt that the approach being proposed for Southdown and Gateback blocks in terms of foregoing the capital receipt could be applied to Badminton House and that Badminton House could instead be refurbished.

The cabinet advised that they could not accept the deputations request in respect of Southdown and Gatebeck blocks.