Cllr Tina Valcarcel, Mayor of Lambeth

2012 is the thirteenth year of Lambeth’s Civic Awards. These awards are made by the Lambeth Mayor to recognise local people who are making a difference in their local community. There is one borough-wide award and one for Norwood, Streatham, Brixton, Clapham & Stockwell and North Lambeth. And a Scarman award  for promoting equality & inclusion in challenging circumstances.

If  you know someone who freely gives of their time and who deserves recognition then nominate them for an award by downloading this form and post it back to Cllr Tina Valcarcel, Mayor of Lambeth by  Monday 20 February 2012

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/554A261B-939F-4E8B-974F-94C44FB322A3/0/MayorCivicAwardNominationForm12.pdf

The award ceremony will take place on Wednesday 4^th April

Cheviot Gardens SE27 0SU (close to the tennis club on Cheviot Road)  will be open on the evening of Thursday 9^th February 7pm – 9pm.

In a few months time a planning application will be made for the rebuild of Cheviot Gardens – and then there will be an opportunity to formally comment on the plans.

Plan of the Sheltered Housing

St.Julian's Farm Field site

The Family School wants to move from its site in Brixton and has recently bought the land known as St Julian’s Farm Field to use as  an alternative school. The Family School is a small school with  just over 10 children aged under 9. The children learn through play & activities rather than conventional lessons and the school plans to  keep most of the field green and natural with areas of wilderness. A small building will be needed for indoor activities.

The school is keen to get in touch with local people in the neighbourhood of  the Field and is planning  a public meeting towards the end of February or early March to discuss the plans and how the local community can be involved.

To find out more see : https://familyschool.pbworks.com

Phone Polly on  07989 173 391  or email  familyschoolster@googlemail.com

The festival, funded by the London Mayor, will take place on Saturday 31^st March 10am to 6pm in St Luke’s Church Gardens on Knights Hill SE27 0HS.

If you are interested in taking part in the Slow Food festival or want to book a stall please contact Sarah  07414 971 758  sarah@westnorwoodslowfoodfestival.co.uk

This spring weekend is a must for  inviting friends and family to see West Norwood at its best – with the Norwood Feast also due to return on Sunday 1st April!

Ann Kingsbury outside the Snooker club

Following residents concerns about noise and trouble from  the Snooker Club in Waylett Place of Norwood Road a public meeting has been arranged at 7.30pm on  Tuesday 7th February at Chatsworth Baptist Church Hall, Chatsworth Way, SE27 9HN.

The police , local councillors and solicitors representing the club will be present. All welcome.

If you can’t make the meeting but would like to put forward your views you can  get in touch with your local Lambeth councillor or Cllr Ann Kingsbury  on akingsbury@lambeth.gov.uk

Lambeth council and NHS Lambeth have  agreed  their final detailed proposals  for the centre, on the green opposite West Norwood train station. The plans are now with NHS London and  civil servants, firstly at  the Department for Communities and Local Government – which has already approved the funding in principle, and then at  The  Treasury.

Once agreed, building work could start in the summer 2012.

Proposed Fire Station site

Lambeth council refused planning  permission  to build a new firestation for West Norwood on the site of the care home at 210 Knights Hill in January 2011. The main reason for refusal was that regular activities such as training for fire fighters would cause  too much noise in a  residential area.

The Fire Brigade then appealed to the independent Planning Inspector against the council decision. The Planning Inspector has arranged to  listen to the arguments for and against the proposals at the YMCA , 40 Stockwell Road SW9 9ES  on Wednesday 25^th January . The hearing is in public but anyone wishing to speak to the Planning  Inspector must be present  at 10am to indicate they wish to do so. For advice on planning appeal hearings see: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/pins/taking-part_planning-hearing.pdf

If you would like an more information about this hearing please contact Cllr Jane Pickard  jpickard@lambeth.gov.uk.

Details of the original planning application can be seen via  the Public Access database quoting  ref 10/02504  : http://planning.lambeth.gov.uk/publicaccess/. For detailsof the appeal quote case 2156756  at http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/appeals/online/search

Local Labour councillors were at the station this morning handing out fliers as part of the Labour Party’s Fare Deal campaign. 2012 is an election year for the Mayor of London and London Assembly members.  The cost of public transport is set to be a key election issue with The Labour Candidate, Ken Livingstone, promising to cut fares if he is elected in May.  In contrast, a single bus ticket is up 50% and a weekly zone 1 – 4 travel card is up 21% under the current Conservative Mayor.

 Oyster bus fare are now  £1.35 ( £2.30 if you pay cash) . Peak time zone-3 oyster rail ticket up 6.9% to £3.10 (£4.30 if you pay cash) . 7-day zone-3 travel card up 6.2% to £ 34.20

See for details: http://www.southlondonbusiness.co.uk/west_norwoods_favourite_business.php

Cllr Mike Smith at library closed for repairs

West Norwood Library & Nettlefold Halls remain closed since June 2011 as a consequence of damage from vandalism and theft. When repairs started, asbestos was found and this caused a long delay. The asbestos has now been removed but the building is still in a very poor condition and  will take a lot of money to fix. A condition survey is being undertaken to identify  what further work is needed. The survey should  be completed during January 2012 and it is not possible to estimate an re-opening date for the  West Norwood Library and Nettlefold Halls until this survey is done.  In the meantime the building is secured to reduce the risk of further vandalism.

Cllr Nosegbe, chair of the Lambeth Libraries Commission, says  “There  will be a fully functioning library in West Norwood. Our libraries are essential, they are open to all and benefit everyone and we are working with the community to make sure a full library service is back serving our residents as soon as possible. The temporary library service currently available at the Lambeth Resource Centre is unsatisfactory. We want to deliver more for Norwood and we are looking at alternative sites, like the Old Library, for a better library service in the meantime. “

At a meeting in November with local residents there were  lots of constructive ideas on what people wanted in their future local library in West Norwood. A consultation process about the future of the building  is underway and the council is  seeking the views of the community, residents, library users and members of the Friends groups.

The Libraries Commission looked at the future of Lambeth’s library service bearing in mind  the council has much less money to spend. For details of the work of the Library Commission see http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/CouncilDemocracy/MakingADifference/LibrariesCommission.htm

To get involved in the future of all of Lambeth’s libraries contact the council by emailing  LibrariesHaveYourSay@lambeth.gov.uk , text  07772 103 628 or phone  0800 013 1497 or 020 7926 6397.

The Friends of West Norwood Library welcome new members – email FWNL@hotmail.co.uk or see them on facebook.