Just received from Lewisham Council - Admin
More public consultations on proposals for budget savings
Lewisham Council has organised more public meetings to consult on savings that need to be made as a result of expected reductions in Government funding.
The Council is facing reductions of up to £60million over the next three years and a whole range of proposals have been put to the Mayor of Lewisham. Lewisham Council has embarked on an extensive consultation with residents and has now organised some additional public meetings to enable more people to have their say.
All the feedback received from the various surveys and consultations will be reported to the Mayor and Cabinet at their meeting on 17 November. At this meeting, the Mayor is expected to make decisions on which savings to incorporate into his draft budget for 2011/12. The draft budget is scheduled to be discussed and voted on at a meeting of the full Council on 1 March 2011.
Our Lewisham Our Say
The Council’s over-arching consultation programme, “Our Lewisham Our Say”, began on 15 July. Residents are invited to give their views on what Council services they value most, what they think the Council could do less of, and where they think they can provide help or support. They can do this through online questionnaires, an online forum, local assemblies and a roadshow touring the borough.
The online questionnaire can be completed at http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/ourlewishamoursay. It invites comments on:
* cleaning the borough
* libraries
* town centres and businesses
* adult social care
* roads
* support for employment and training
* climate change
* support for children and families
* activities for young people
* dealing with crime and anti-social behaviour
* sport and leisure
The roadshow will be stopping on:
* Friday 1 October – Lewisham Town Centre
* Monday 4 October – Lewisham Town Centre
* Wednesday 6 October – Deptford Market
Local assemblies are taking place on:
* Wednesday 6 October – Grove Park
* Saturday 9 October – Crofton Park
* Saturday 9 October – Evelyn
* Monday 11 October – Downham
* Monday 11 October – Lewisham Central
* Saturday 16 October – Forest Hill
* Monday 18 October – New Cross
* Tuesday 19 October – Catford South
* Wednesday 20 October – Bellingham
* Thursday 21 October – Blackheath
* Monday 25 October – Rushey Green
Crime Reduction Services
Lewisham’s Crime Reduction Services will need to make savings of up to 25 per cent. It’s proposed that these be achieved through a reorganisation of its staff and the way it delivers its services.
The Council would like to consult with residents on how these savings could impact on local areas and has organised a series of public meetings to look at how services could be reconfigured:
* Wednesday 6 October (6-8pm): New Cross & Deptford
Deptford Green School Amersham Vale
New Cross, SE14 6LQ
* Tuesday 12 October (5.30-7.30pm): Bellingham
The Bridge Leisure Centre
Kangley Bridge Road, SE26 5AG
* Thursday 14 October (7-9pm): Downham
Downham Community Centre
2 Shroffold Rd, Downham, BR1 5EL
* Thursday 21 October (5-6.30pm): Honor Oak
St. Andrews Church,
Brockley Road, SE4 2SA
Libraries
The Council’s first round of public meetings over proposals to close five of the borough’s twelve public libraries and relocate some library services were well attended. Many people have voiced their opposition to these proposals which affect Sydenham, Blackheath, Crofton Park, New Cross and Grove Park libraries.
A second round of meetings has now been organised to explore creative ways in which some library services might be maintained in these five areas but delivered in new ways.
* Monday 11 October (7pm): Sydenham Library
Livesey Memorial Hall, Perry Hill, SE6
* Wednesday 13 October (7.30pm): Blackheath Library
Blackheath Concert Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, SE3 9RQ
* Tuesday 19 October (7pm): Crofton Park Library
St Saviours Church Hall, Brockley Rise, SE23
* Monday 25 October (7pm): New Cross Library
All Saints Church (not the Church Hall), New Cross Road, SE14
* Wednesday 27 October (7pm): Grove Park Library
WG Grace Community Centre, 1 Lions Close, SE9 4GH
Consultation on Adult Social Care charges
Proposals have also been put forward on the contributions people make towards the cost of their care and support. Lewisham Council needs to consider the potential impact this might have on service users and has already started running focus groups and other forms of consultation with those that might be directly affected.
The consultation runs until 30 November. The public are invited to complete the online survey at http://lewisham-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal. Copies of the consultation are also available in Braille, large print and audio versions on request.