Sydenham Assembly meeting - 7pm Thursday 4 September

Chris Best · Post by **Chris Best** » 1 Sep 2008 16:24

Many thanks to everyone who came along to the second Sydenham Assembly meeting – we are now developing the top five priorities for Sydenham:
• Improving community safety by tackling anti-social behaviour
• More activities for children and young people including a youth centre
• Transport improvements
• Vibrant high street
• Environmental improvements to provide a cleaner and greener Sydenham

The meeting will start with six community activists giving three minute updates so that we can move onto round table themed discussion groups:
• Sydenham Arts Festival 2009 - Geraldine Cox
• Transport issues - Barry Milton
• Business and enterprise - Scott Hamilton
• Community Safety - Angela Hall
• Youth activities - Cllr Marion Nisbet
• Improving our parks - Hilary Jarrett
• Improving communication - Tim Lund
• Any other group you would like to lead in a discussion

We will also agree the Priority Plan and the £10k Locality Fund. What are your views on the priorities? What action do we – all of us in Sydenham – need to take to improve the well being of our community?

Everyone welcome on Thursday 4 September – 7pm at the Naborhood Centre next to the Post Office in Sydenham Road – papers online .
http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/CouncilAndDe ... eeting.htm

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » 2 Sep 2008 08:14

Thanks - am I right in thinking that this assembly is for Sydenham as a local authority ward, rather than covering SE26 as a whole (which includes other LA wards)?

Chris Best · Post by **Chris Best** » 3 Sep 2008 09:33

The Assembly is for anyone who lives, works, studies or shops in the Sydenham area. The SE26 postcode covers more than the Sydenham electoral ward - extending to parts of Bromley in Lower Sydenham around Kangley Bridge Road and parts of Southwark off Sydenham Hill in the west. Parts of the neighbouring wards also have an SE26 postcode in Forest Hill, Perry Vale and Bellingham. My view is that this is an inclusive Assembly and welcomes members of the community with an interest in Sydenham - before we had the boundary review we used to have the dividing line going through the middle of houses!

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » 3 Sep 2008 11:59

Thanks Chris - I was a little bit confused about that - I am in Forest Hill ward despite living in SE26. Hopefully Forest Hill councillors will post details about any Forest Hill assembly here too.

Looking at the agenda (via the link above) it seems that many of the topics of discussion have been the subject of recent debate on this forum, so this might be of interest to many forum posters. It might not be a perfect means of achieving change (and the localities fund is very small) but it might be more effective than posting comments about what shops and bars we'd like to see on the high street (however much fun that might be).

natbeuk · Post by **natbeuk** » 5 Sep 2008 08:25

I wasn't able to make it along last night as I wasn't back from work in time - can anyone give us a run-down of what was discussed and the outcomes?

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » 5 Sep 2008 09:40

I spotted Admin and several of the "great and the good" of the SydSoc at the Assembly who might chip in with more detailed and accurate reports, and a full official minute will be produce in due course, but in summary, there was good news to report on rail/ East London line services, and plenty of interesting ideas floated on a wide variety of subjects. There was also a note produced (accessed via link above) of progress since the last meeting: these seemed to be plenty of fairly small scale matters rather than a few big changes. However, there was concern that the Assembly is little more than a talking shop, with plenty of good ideas put forward which don't seem to get anywhere. So, I would think that the Council (and others) need to think a bit more about what people's expectations should be and how they can be managed, and ensuring that people can see a bit more clearly what happens to the ideas suggested.

natbeuk · Post by **natbeuk** » 5 Sep 2008 09:50

Ah, that's so often the problem with forums of any sort - the ideas discussed seem to go into a vacuum. Visibility is key really, so that if ideas don't get progressed people can understand why.

Anyway, will look forward to reading minutes, etc, and hope to be able to make it along next time.

Post by **admin** » 5 Sep 2008 09:55

Hi,

I videoed the presentations and these will show up here in an hour or so. Shakey, bad sound etc but I hope it will convey what was said to those who couldn't make it - or who want to hear it again.

Admin

bensonby · Post by **bensonby** » 5 Sep 2008 10:04

what was the news re. the ELL? Are they planning on mainting the current level of service on the other lines - with the ELL being supplementary? Or are they cutting any services?

(I was late home and couldn't make it)

Ronski · Post by **Ronski** » 5 Sep 2008 10:04

that's great thanks for putting a video up

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Admin: I have switched discussion to a new topic here: http://sydenham.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2585.

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The Community Voice for London SE26 since 2004

Sydenham Assembly meeting - 7pm Thursday 4 September

Sydenham Assembly meeting - 7pm Thursday 4 September