Late night noise can be a real, real pain for all residents and its important that any issues are dealt with quickly. However, before taking the issue further, the councillors are keen to get some wider views on whether there is a problem and what should be done about it. So, if you have an opinion then feel free to either send us a comment on this blog or email Cllr Christopher Wellbelove on cwellbelove@lambeth.gov.uk

This survey is about what we can do about it – how community groups, voluntary organisations and their members can have their say about reducing crime, improving policing and increasing safety.

The Safer Lambeth Partnership (Lambeth Police, Lambeth Council and others) has asked the Lambeth Community Police Consultative Group to look at how people would like to have their say and to be involved in improving community safety in Lambeth.

If you would like to complete the survey, please complete the community safety survey on-line.

As the Lambeth website outlines, excessive noise is defined as a disturbance that impacts on any resident’s quality of life. Specifically this can be:

If you’re being upset by any of these problems, then you can call the 9am to 5pm service on 020 7926 6111 or the rapid response service which is open at the below times:

Following the closure of Riley’s Snooker Club on Wandsworth Road local councillors received several complaints regarding the activites of  the squatters who had occupied the building.

 To ensure action was taken your local councillors

• Wrote to the Police highlighting the issue and asking for them to take urgent action.
• Wrote to Rileys demanding that they take action to secure the building.
• Contacted Lambeth council calling on them to take action against the owner of the building.

After extensive work by the council and local police the solicitors of the freeholder finally accepted their responsibility and they agreed to take the case to the High Court to proceed with eviction notice, the case was upheld and the squatters were succesfully evicted.

This is excellent news for local people and now our attention needs to turn to the long term future of the building and stopping it turning into a large night club or something similar that could disturb local people.

• Preventing Crime & Disorder
• Public Safety
• Preventing Public Nuisance
• Protecting Children from Harm

An application for the review of a premises licence or club premises certificate must be given in writing and be in the prescribed form.

Premises Review Application Form

Clapham councillors have reported the damage to the council and the police and are asking for urgent removal. Following earlier damage  to the bandstand and other buildings on Clapham Common clearing off this graffiti sadly diverts resources which could easily be put to better use.

If you have any information regarding whom did this please contact Clapham Town safer neighbourhood team in confidence either by email ClaphamTown.snt@met.police.uk or call 020 8721 2825.

Additionally the issue of aggressive begging was discussed, with Sgt Nicola Duffy from the Clapham Town Safer Neighbourhood team assuring us that action is being taken to deal with the problem and that they are working with teams in Ferndale Ward and Clapham Common who all share responsibility for parts of the high street. If you have experienced agressive begging yourself you should contact Clapham Town Safer Neighbourhood team to give details as this will help the case against the worse offenders.

We promptly moved on to the Clapham Community Project AGM at St Anne’s Hall in Venn Street.  The project has provided advice for people who live in Lambeth for over twenty years. They are funded by the council as part of the Lambeth Advice Network and are a member of Advice UK. The valuable advice they provide is free of charge, confidential and independent.

They provide advice on consumer, employment and debt matters giving general information and advice to enable clients to take action themselves or by signposting them to the appropriate agencies. They also provide advice on welfare benefits and housing law.

The project last year dealt with over 3,300 enquiries and provides invaluable support to people who otherwise would not know where to turn. The building is also used by a variety of community organisations and I was very interested in a letter of thanks which had been received from Kevin Spacey, artistic director from the Old Vic Theater, thanking them for their support for a education and community project which used their hall for rehersalls.

I was joined by Councillor Haselden tonight at a meeting of the Willard Estate residents association. One of the key topics discussed were plans by police in Wandsworth to introduce an Anti Social Behaviour Order which would ban large groups gathering. This follows problems caused by youths in nearby Queenstown Road and an estate on the Wandsworth side of the road. Residents were clearly concerned that the problems would be simply moved to Willard Estate.

Safer neighbourhood teams are on the case though, and are looking to introduce a similar ban. They are also looking at options such as out-reach workers to try and point the youths towards more positive activities.

I heard of how local businesses were being terrorised by the youths, with a local stores security guard recently assulted. Residents spoke of the noise that they caused and whilst we were at the meeting we heard the noise for ourselves which was extremely loud and must be very frightening for both the elderly residents living in the sheltered housing and other people who have to pass them when they are coming home.

Following the meeting Coucillor Haselden and I spent some time on the estate and in the local area witnesing some of the issues first hand for ourselves. Cllr Haselden took note of this broken window which is evidence of some of the vandalism that is taking place in the area.

I took note of a problem with a local business leaving rubbish in a narrow alley which runs between the Willard Estate and Queenstown Road.  Rats have been reported in the area and it adds to the feeling of the area being run down and uncared for. Together Councillor Haselden and I will be looking into how these issues can be addressed.