Station approach - new toilet

[leenewham]

If we want to do it, contact our local cllrs and get them to pressure the council.

Cllrs are there to represent the people, not the council or the party they are members of.

[Maria]

If we want to do it

If we want to make a case we need strength in numbers; so, without wasting any more time speculating, how many of us want to do it?

I do, please. ... anyone else?

[owlwise]

What about crowd funding it to get it done? OR petition the government to get it done.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/check

[Nigel]

Maria
Definite yes from me
A very good evening
Nigel

[Tim Lund]

What about crown funding it to get it done? OR petition the government to get it done.

In a monarchy, aren't these the same?

[mosy]

owlwise got me thinking. *everyone groan*
I'm not sure if crowd funding would be successful as there'd have to be a lot of people willing to give a significant amount, i.e.for £5,000, more than a tenner each or it'd need 500 people, which is a lot if people think the council should have done a better job in the first place.

If the government gave money, it'd have to give some for all such or similar monstrosities so seems a bit unikely, but you never know. if there's an arts or lottery fund somewhere...

What might work is if Chris Best could tell us what the budget amount is that's being allocated together with the plan - she mentioned the possibility of getting local artists. Then if one of us (sorry leenewham, probably means you) could come up with something better, then getting crowd funding only for any excess might be more achievable.

In theory, it should be possible since the council works with "partners", although the "Lee person" would have to expend time and energy no doubt designing, sourcing and co-ordinating the project. There are two ways such person might get paid, one is building a fee into the crowd funding, but it would materialise only if the target is met but, if not, no fee to cover effort already undertaken; or alternatively, regard/pay as fee any amount pledged over a lower target amount.

Just thinking out loud.

[leenewham]

Oh, not me.

I don't want to work with Lewisham Council again, I refuse to have anything to do with them, especially their highways and procurement departments. They were a ridiculous nightmare to work with, never again after the last time (they have some excellent officers, the ones we were involved with in Catford Broadway were amazing, but the last project was a nightmare of utter stupidity and red tape).

There are lots of people LB Lewisham could engage, but count me out for this project. The Kirkdale branding and sign was fine as I only dealt with Tony Buckley, Kirkdale traders group and the shops who were all excellent (especially Tony).

Regards

'That Lee person'.

[Pally]

Excellent ideas. To be honest even some additional planters around the area would help but panels idea is great

[mosy]

Hi leenewham,. I'm sorry to read that you personally wouldn't be interested. I'd still value any opinion you might have as to the feasibility in principle of a partner+crowd funding scheme since you know about these things, or am I being thick and you're saying that no-one is likely to be interested in such a role? If the latter is so, then the remaining option I presume is to continue lobbying the council for a decent outcome and leave it to them.

Any comments please?

[mosy]

Excellent ideas. To be honest even some additional planters around the area would help but panels idea is great

Hmm. I'm trying to avoid falling into the "giving up" desperation trap of saying that anything is better than it (turdis) is now. We should at least hold out or lobby for a good outcome (forgive me, but not just planters which are rarely maintained well and some just become litter bins, tsk).

The biggest (council) incentive I suspect is the complete incongruity with the nice newly renovated high street, which even Google streetmap has been updated to show. It continues to be bonkers to spoil the ship for a ha'peth of tar.

[leenewham]

There are lots of creatives around here including architects that would do a great job.

I'd be interested if I worked with some officers in Lewisham like Gavin Plaskett, who is excellent and was great to work with in Catford Broadway.

But in general it's a rather dysfunctional council regarding high street regeneration, especially compared to others I've worked with.

To start with people need to meet off line and start a campaign to say this isn't good enough. Get some publicity. Contact the press perhaps. Then get a cllr to back then group (but NOT lead it). Then pressure the council to do something of value to the local community, that involves it so get a bespoke, interesting solution to the problem.

The council will try to get away with doing very little on this. It's a shame we don't have a strong traders group, they should be all over something like this.

If Gavin was the officer on this, he's be all over it and be pushing for innovative solutions to the turdis.

[Maria]

I have just emailed the fabulous Cllr Rachel Onikosi to ask for any advice on how we could proceed on this. She is highly intelligent, effective and ambitious when it comes to the well being as well as "look" of Sydenham. I have also asked if she would be able to gather the help & support of Gavin Plaskitt (Regeneration Programme Manager in Lewisham) whom Lee also rates so highly.

At this stage I was not suggesting mass funding, only group support followed by a meeting with people who ultimately will decide - and then see/think. At one of the last Assembly meetings I attended I heard the Chair, Annabel McLaren, make a strong case for a garden type surrounding in that area; it was overruled by people who preferred street art - but this, I believe, is no longer a plan after all. Perhaps the "garden" project could be resurrected?

Response to my messages will determine any hope I have that this can progress further. But continuing to moan further seems to me a ghastly and time consuming waste of energy, I have to confess.

[mosy]

Thanks leenewham for further views/suggestions.

Good Ho Maria. Getting decision makers on side has to be key. Standing by to hear response.

[Pat Trembath]

I understand the Turdis/toilet is on the agenda for the Sydenham Assembly meeting planned for Thursday 17 September to be held in the TNG building in Wells Park Road at 7.30pm - look out for full details in the quarterly Assembly Newsletter due to be delivered through every door in the Sydenham Ward about 2 weeks before the Assembly.

Come along - express your concerns and suggestions about how to improve of the beast, Listen to what our councillors have to say, I know they read the comments on this Forum. They are working in the background and if the situation has not been resolved your support for further action will be welcomed.

It was through a motion at Sydenham Assembly last autumn that we got The Greyhound back on the council's agenda. Turn up on 17 September and ensure the Turdis part of the discussion.

[Maria]

That's great news - thanks Pat.

It does make sense to wait now till we come and contribute to the discussion on the 17th: I'll be there! Thanks again

[Pally]

Excellent ideas. To be honest even some additional planters around the area would help but panels idea is great

Hmm. I'm trying to avoid falling into the "giving up" desperation trap of saying that anything is better than it (turdis) is now. We should at least hold out or lobby for a good outcome (forgive me, but not just planters which are rarely maintained well and some just become litter bins, tsk).

The biggest (council) incentive I suspect is the complete incongruity with the nice newly renovated high street, which even Google streetmap has been updated to show. It continues to be bonkers to spoil the ship for a ha'peth of tar.

Good points! I stand corrected!

[Steveofsyd]

I understand the Turdis/toilet is on the agenda for the Sydenham Assembly meeting planned for Thursday 17 th

It was through a motion at Sydenham Assembly last autumn that we got The Greyhound back on the council's agenda. Turn up on 17 September and ensure the Turdis part of the discussion.

Pat, I think that you may have been misinformed.....I can say without a doubt that NO MOTION (at least no 2) has been passed yet as the Turdis is still not open

[mosy]

I've been away for a few days and thought I'd missed 17th, but now realise the meeting's on 17 Sept so a whole nuther month.yet. That's months and months and still not open and as far as I know only the council is involved if the service utilities are in place. Grand opening by Christmas?

[Steveofsyd]

I really cannot take it seriously that people are suggesting that we fund even a bit of this. It's the bloody Councils job to get this right and correct their incompetence.
How do the other Councils get it right? Do we just pay for the privilege of having a bunch of incompetents in charge?
Notwithstanding the above it seems someone took my warning about it being a muggers hideyhole seriously and put up iron gates on both sides....wonder what the extra cost of that was?
Should have gotten it right in first place!

[owlwise]

They should have bricked up the gap, not put a couple of iron gates there! Rubbish will only accumulate within it from in between the rails and under the gap and then it will be even less accessible for the road sweeper to clear. What idiot authorised this???