In case you missed it – and you probably have – Boris Johnson delivered a wonderful Xmas present to the people of London last week.
Now, hands up if you know what it was. A competent environmental policy? An end to his proposed firebombing of London’s transport budget? The odd straight answer to the cronyism stories flying around city hall? A parade of dancing Panda’s for anyone who can figure out how to make his runway in the sea idea work?
Nope, instead his consultation around London’s budget announced that the number of police officers on London streets is to decrease across the capital by 455 over the next three years. As always, when he was asked about this plan by a member of the London Assembly – recounted on Tory Troll – he went into the bumbling clown mode and acted as if he had never actually seen the proposal before.
Unfortunately this underlines the problem with London Tories as a whole – they shout from the roof tops that they intend to ring fence key services, like money for rape centres for example, but when it comes down to the crunch, these fences appear to be about as secure as William Shatner’s hairpiece.
So as we enter election year it’s important to remember what your local Tories are offering – fewer buses, closures to tube ticket stations, cuts to services for the vulnerable and fewer policemen are your streets.
Category Boris Johnson, Tories |
This is your the update on the Future Clapham area regeneration. As you will be aware the developer Cathedral are currently continuing to fundraise for the Future Clapham scheme. While this process is ongoing preparations for the anticipated demolition works are underway. If you live in an adjacent or adjoining property to the development site Cathedral will be contacting you shortly with further details and surveying information.
Cathedral are preparing to demolish Mary Seacole House in November 2009 and we will keep you informed of progress further over the coming weeks. During this time the Leisure Centre will remain open and continue to offer a full range of services.
We are committed to keeping you updated with news as it develops and will pass on further information as soon as we have it.
The Future Clapham Team
For more information visit www.lambeth.gov.uk/futureclapham
Tags: Future Clapham
Category Uncategorized |
The hugely popular FREE fireworks event will take place on Thursday 5 November on Clapham Common – with events taking place at the same time on Brockwell Park and Streatham Common.
Below is notice of traffic restrictions however it is important to note their will be additional restrictions for tube travel with restrictive access to local tube stations.
In past years following the fireworks Clapham High Street becomes incredibly packed so it is wise to avoid the area if you are driving or add time to your journey.
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS IN CLAPHAM COMMON NORTH SIDE, DULWICH ROAD, LONG ROAD, NORWOOD ROAD, OLD TOWN, ROOKERY ROAD, STREATHAM COMMON SOUTH, THE PAVEMENT AND WINDMILL DRIVE AND TEMPORARY PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN ROOKERY ROAD, STREATHAM COMMON SOUTH AND WINDMILL DRIVE FOR FIREWORKS DISPLAYS
1 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth, subject to the agreement of the Council of the London Borough of Wandsworth and Transport for London, intend to make Orders the general effect of which would be on Thursday 5th November 2009:-
(a) to temporarily ban vehicles from entering or waiting in:-
(i) that length of Rookery Road which lies between Clapham Common South Side
and Long Road (an alternative route for vehicles would be available via Clapham
Common South Side, The Avenue, Clapham Common West Side and Clapham
Common North Side);
(ii) Streatham Common South (an alternative route for vehicles would be available via
Streatham High Road and Baldry Gardens and vice versa);
(iii) Windmill Drive (an alternative route for vehicles would be available via Clapham
Common South Side and The Avenue and vice versa);
(b) at certain times to temporarily ban vehicles from entering:-
(i) Clapham Common North Side between Cedars Road and Orlando Road (an
alternative route for vehicles would be available via Long Road, Clapham Common
South Side, Clapham High Street, Clapham Road, Union Road, Wandsworth
Road, North Street and Old Town and vice versa);
(ii) Long Road between Clapham Common South Side and Clapham Common North
Side (an alternative route for vehicles would be available via Clapham Common
North Side, Old Town, North Street, Wandsworth Road, Union Road, Clapham
Road and Clapham High Street);
(iii) Old Town between the south-eastern kerb-line of Grafton Square and its junction
with The Pavement (an alternative route for vehicles would be available via The
Polygon, Old Town, North Street, Wandsworth Road, Union Road, Clapham Road
and Clapham High Street);
(iv) The Pavement (an alternative route for vehicles would be available via Old Town,
North Street, Wandsworth Road, Union Road, Clapham Road and Clapham High
Street),
(v) The slip road fronting the Herne Hill entrance to Brockwell Park linking Norwood Road with Dulwich Road.
2 The Orders would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs. In practice it is anticipated that the bans referred to in paragraph 1(a) (i), (ii), and (iii) above would have effect from approximately 4 pm until approximately 10.00 pm and that the bans referred to in paragraph 1(b) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) above would only have effect at certain times from approximately 7.20 pm until approximately 8.15 pm and that the ban referred to in paragraph 1(b) (v) above would have effect from approximately 6pm until 10pm but if it is deemed necessary in the interest of public safety the Orders may also have effect at other times.
3 The prohibition referred to in paragraph 1(a) (iii) above in relation to vehicles entering Windmill Drive would not apply to any vehicle requiring access to or egress from properties in Windmill Drive.
4 The prohibitions are necessary because of the likelihood of danger to the public which would otherwise be caused by an increase in traffic and parked vehicles, as a consequence of fireworks displays on Clapham Common and Streatham Common.
Tags: clapham common, fireworks
Category events |
Please find below a notice from Lambeth council which includes notification about changes to parking on Clapham Old Town
PROPOSED CONVERSION OF AN EXISTING ON STREET PARKING PLACE IN OLD TOWN TO A LOADING PLACE AND THE REDUCTION OF AN EXISTING ON-STREET PARKING PLACE IN MERVAN ROAD
(NOTE:- This notice is about proposals to reduce an existing on street parking place in Mervan Road and the conversion of an existing on street parking place to a loading place in Old Town. Objections may be made – see paragraph 6.)
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Lambeth Borough Council propose to make the Lambeth (Brixton ‘B’) (Parking Places) (No. *) Order 200*, the Lambeth (Clapham) (Parking Places) (Revocation No. *) Order 200* and the Lambeth (Loading Places) (No. *) Order 200* under sections 6, 45, 46, 49 and 124 of and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended.
2. The general effect of the Orders would be to:-
(a) revoke an existing shared-use residents’/pay and display parking space in Old Town, so as to provide a new loading place in Old Town, on the north-east side between No. 59 Old Town and a point 9.4 metres north-west of the north-western kerb-line of Wingate Square which would operate at any time for the purpose of loading or unloading vehicles;
(b) reduce the length of an existing parking place on Mervan Road to accommodate the construction of a new crossover (the operational times of the remaining length of parking place, the classes of vehicles that use it and the charges for its use would be the same as those that currently apply).
3. The Orders are necessary to provide loading/unloading facilities to enable the delivery/collection of goods in the vicinity and to enable access to and egress from premises that have off street parking facilities.
4. For further information about the Orders please telephone 0207 926 8983.
5. Copies of the proposed Orders and other documents giving more detailed particulars of them are available for inspection from 9.30 am until 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays inclusive (except Bank and Public Holidays) until the last day of a period of six weeks beginning with the date on which the Orders are made or, as the case may be, the Council decides not to make the Orders, at the offices of the Transport and Highways Group, 3rd Floor, Blue Star House, 234-244 Stockwell Road, London, SW9 9SP. Please contact 020 7926 9000 and select the Transport and Highways option to arrange a viewing.
6. All objections and other representations relating to the proposed Orders must be made in writing and all objections must specify the grounds on which they are made and should be sent to Barbara Poulter, Transport and Highways Group, London Borough of Lambeth, 3rd Floor, Blue Star House, 234-244 Stockwell Road, London, SW9 9SP, by 5th November 2009. Any objection may be communicated to, or be seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.
Tags: clapham old town, parking
Category Uncategorized |
There is one week left for Lambeth residents to choose how Lambeth Council spends £250,000.
As part of the Lambeth Community Action Fund, £250,000 has been allocated to local projects and the local community will choose which ones get the money.
This is the first ever participatory budgeting scheme run by the council The scheme is called “Your borough, your budget, your choice!“
Participatory budgeting involves local people directly in making decisions on the spending priorities of the council.
“This new initiative will give citizens a greater say on how council funds are allocated to community projects,” said Councillor Jim Dickson, Lambeth cabinet member for finance and resources.
“I urge all residents to get involved in deciding which projects are funded – your choice will really make a difference”.
The council has shortlisted twelve projects, which have been divided into three bands of £125,000, £75,000 and £50,000. People can vote for one project from each of the three bands. The winning projects will be announced at the end of October 2009.
Only Lambeth residents on the electoral register are eligible to vote. Voting takes place between 14 September 2009 and 18 October 2009.
There are several ways to make your choice, including online at www.lambeth.gov.uk/yourchoice, by post using the voting card that you will have received in a previous issues of Lambeth Life or by text to 07786 206 955.
To text vote enter ‘Lambeth’ followed by the band number and letter of the project you are voting for and then your full name and postcode. For example text: Lambeth 1a, 2d, 3b Sarah Smith SW6 6HT.
Voting ends on Sunday 18 October 2009.
Tags: lambeth council, spending
Category Uncategorized |
Last week Boris Johnson took time off from lobbying Brussels on behalf of those on the margins of society – bankers and hedge funds – to spend a bit of time at the Tory conference.
And what a week he had. Disagreeing with Cameron on Europe, delivering one of those incomprehensible speeches that make your head hurt and putting in an entry for farcical interview of the year on Newsnight. It is hardly surprising that our mayor apparently received a fruity text from someone in Cameron’s inner circle that gave him some colourful advice on where he might want to put his opinions.
But beneath the fun of the Boris carnival, there was an incredibly serious announcement that could have ramifications for everyone in Clapham – sweeping transport cuts of up to £5 billion in the next three years. To be fair, Boris didn’t try and hide this, indeed he made a virtue of it, but what he didn’t do was outline real substantive ways in which this budget pole axing is going to be achieved. He also didn’t feel the need to mention that he has already had a bonfire of transport commitments in the past year that has reduced the scope and employment capabilities of London transport to the tune of nearly £3.6 billion.
Apparently these new savings are going to come out of that mystical, catch all political solution of efficiency savings – as if restricting the number of pens employees are allowed to have on their desk is somehow going to conjure up a pile of fat readies. The details that have crept out are scant, a pay freeze on some employees and cuts to IT and human resources departments. Whether or not these figures will add up without the need for yet more sweeping cuts to transport infrastructure – despite Boris’ promises to the contrary – we will have to see, especially as this mayor has a bit of a problem when it comes to marrying financial issues with the truth.
Earlier this year he went back on a pledge to fund rape support centres, shaving £500,000 off their promised budget, and this week reversed his policy on the low emission zone, blaming Europe, as if no one in the Mayor’s office had thought to have a bit of look at the law before Boris opened his substantial mouth on the subject.
What Boris also didn’t outline was the very real human cost of making these kind of cuts. If programmes are cancelled, services slashed and departments binned it means less or no work for engineers, technicians, labourers, clerks, building firms, the haulage industry, as well as the IT and human resources employees who Boris already has his eyes on. There is a wave of unemployment that hits hard working people – and their families - in both the public and private sector. And perversely it also results in more costs for us, the taxpayer, as we have to shell out more unemployment benefits and pick up the inevitable costs of social breakdown, such as crime.
This is not to say Labour is blind to the tough financial problems facing the country. But we have to be clear and honest with everyone about where the axe is going to fall and who is going to be underneath it. It wasn’t easy for the Chancellor to freeze the pay of top level government employees this week, but at least he is asking people on big incomes – judges, senior civil servants – to take a bit less next year rather than hitting ordinary people. As we have proven in Lambeth, where we have turned a Liberal/Tory deficit into a surplus, it is possible to sort financial problems out without destroying public services – but only if you’re upfront and talk to people on the ground.
So if and when the Tories turn up on your doorstep in Clapham, how about asking them exactly what they want to cut and how many people will be getting their P45s as a result? You will almost certainly get a bit of a blank expression, because Lambeth Tories like all Tories don’t seem to get the real, practical cost of what they are proposing.
Category Boris Johnson, Tories, transport |
On Friday 18 October, as part of the Future Clapham project, the thriving Clapham Pottery will celebrate its move to the attractive former chapel in Rectory Grove, previously the site of CAVE adult literacy school. The Mayor of Lambeth will officially open the site at 4pm.
Clapham Pottery is a self-funding not-for-profit community organization that has been operating at Clapham Leisure Centre for many years. The Pottery has gone from strength to strength since the long-established, professional North Street Potters took over its management two years ago. The group is committed to serving the wider community and each week this fine building will now be home to pottery classes and workshops for 150 students of all ages and all abilities.
As part of the Future Clapham scheme, the Leisure Centre is due for demolition and rebuilding. Labour councillors insisted that the future of the Pottery was made secure and we have worked with the group and with officers to ensure the pottery would find a new home.
We were impressed by the efforts that led to Lambeth Council re-housing the project at: The Old Chapel, 4A Rectory Grove, SW4 0DZ
Under the preceding Conservative /LibDem administration, the Leisure Centre and neighbouring depot would have been sold off, with no allowance made for many of the popular clubs and classes.
Cllr Haselden said ‘I am delighted that this building is going to be kept in community use and that the longer-term future of Clapham Pottery has been secured.’
‘As councillors we were determined that Clapham Pottery stayed in Clapham to provide its much-valued service to a wide range of local people.’
Tags: clapham pottery, Future Clapham, Mayor of Lambeth, North Street Potters, Rectory Grove
Category openings |
The Clapham Gateway consultation has been extended to run throughout the remainder of October.
An additional information board has been added to the display in Clapham Library and this gives more detail about initial proposals for the Station Island and Venn Street.
The four proposals by the shortlisted artists also remain on display in the library for the next few days so please make sure you get down to see them.
Tags: clapham common station, clapham gateway, venn street
Category regeneration |
A group of squatters that were making the lives of local residents hell with late night parties and other anti-social behaviour have been evicted following action by local Labour councillors.
- Councillors Haselden and Wellbelove outside Rileys Snooker Club
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.
Tags: high court, rileys snooker hall, squatters, wandsworth road
Category anti-social behaviour |
If you have concerns regarding a local venue you can apply to the licensing authority for a review of a premises licence or a club premises certificate on a ground relating to one or more of the licensing objectives:
- 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
Tags: bars, clapham high street, clapham old town, clapham town, clubs, licence, pubs, wandsworth road
Category anti-social behaviour, crime, environment |
