Agenda item

Public Question Time

Responses to questions raised at the previous meeting attached.

 

Please submit you written questions to the Neighbourhood Co-ordinator or Constitutional Officer.

Minutes:

The following public questions were submitted, the chair advised that written responses would be provided at the next meeting.

 

 

  1. It has been brought to my attention that there may be plans, within the Elephant & Castle Regeneration Plan, to extend Wansey Street to make it into a through road.  Could this be a possibility?

 

  1. Residents of Garland Court are very concerned and would like to see Wansey Street stay as the quiet cul-de-sac it is, free of all through traffic.

 

  • Why have the owners and residents of flats in Garland Court not been directly consulted about proposals for altering the access and layout of Wansey Street?  We have not received any communication from Southwark Council nor from Southern Housing regarding the possible alterations to the access or character of our road, which at present is a quiet cul-de-sac.

 

  • What are the design proposals for the new housing fronting onto Wansey Street.  Again, why have the owners and residents of Garland Court not been consulted about these issues, which will have a great affect on our properties and immediate environment?

 

  1. Regarding the Elephant & Castle Master Regeneration Plan (version 16):
    • Page 16 displays a map of the regeneration.  This indicates a 'mid-high' block will be built exactly opposite Garland Court.  How high is this exactly?  When I bought my flat in 2006, the plans indicated that Garland Court would not be overlooked by a tall building.

 

  • Can Southwark confirm that the trees lining Wansey Street will remain.  These are central to the appearance of the street and the well-being of residents of Wansey Street.

 

  • The plans also indicate that Wansey Street will be opened up at its Eastern end, but closed at its Western end to traffic.  Can you confirm that Wansey Street will not become a through-road.  This is a hugely important issue to residents living on Wansey Street.

 

  1. I noticed Strategic director of Major Projects position is Vacant.

When will this post be filled and who’s overlooking / synchronising various regeneration projects meanwhile?

 

 

  1. I’m very concerned as a resident of Garland Court , Wansey St about the proposed plan to end the streets cul -de -sac status in the regeneration plans. Can the council assure me and fellow residents this will be re thought and the street kept as a cul-de–sac ?

 

  1. Will there definitely be a guaranteed new leisure centre at the Elephant or is this consultation exercise a bit misleading? When will it be opened?

The elephant and castle leisure centre consultation was very well advertised, but very limited. I received a letter by post and saw the advert in Southwark news yet the consultation was only to ask what services we wanted. Why was the consultation so basic? How much money was spent posting letters to residents, for the newspaper advert and at the public meeting?

 

  1. Why is the bus lane on rodney place enforced 12 hours a day 7 days a week for one bus? Other bus lanes e.g. Old Kent Road are from 7-10 am and 4-7pm only 5-6 days a week.

 

  1. Why has the council without warning removed our allocated 30 minute free parking bay outside our shops that has been in force since 2000? When we complained the council argued that they had no record of a traffic management order for this bay. The council has recently allocated 40 minute free parking bay for the Tesco store in Southampton Way. We are urging councillors to stop these injustices and discrimination and help to reinstate our parking bay our trade has plummeted and cannot services our shops.

 

Residents also commented on the use of One Stop Shops to provide information and consultations and commented that local libraries may be more appropriate venues due to more flexible opening times.

 

 

Supporting documents: