Received from Pat Trembat (Chair of SydSoc):
Just a reminder that Sydenham Community Regeneration Group meeting is on Thursday 15 September at 7.00 pm at Naborhood Centre, Sydenham Road (next to Post Office).
The meeting, chaired by Cllr Chris Best, is open to all interested in the regeneration of Sydenham. The Agenda includes Sydenham Garden, updates on Transco roadworks, Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Bell Green and other items of general interest.
Sydenham Regeneration
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Chris Best
- Posts: 439
- Joined: 6 May 2005 11:37
- Location: Sydenham
Thursday 15 September Sydenham Meeting
We will also be discussing the £5,000 locality fund - please let me have your views on spending £5,000 in Sydenham - more trees, more bike racks, more park benches, more involvement of residents to develop our community .....
May I suggest that we spend the £5,000 tidying up what we've got before putting in new trees / benches etc. Maybe some grafitti removal, replacement / disposal of dead telephone boxes, repairing the lighting by the station (ready for winter), fixing street signs etc. Once that's done, I'd vote for some grass / bushes and a bench on the corner of Vennor Road and the high street (next to HSBC).
On a slightly 'tongue in cheek' note, perhaps the £5000 would be better spent petitioning TfL for that £1.75 million grant we really need to improve the area. Please don't get me wrong - any investment (however small) is most welcome but there is a danger that £5000 of good work will make little difference given the bigger issues that need addressing.
Finally, Chris, I'd just like to say how much I appreciate you using this forum to engage the residents in discussions about Sydenhams future. Work committments mean that I can rarely get to evening meetings but its nice to feel that we have a Cllr who is listening. Many thanks.
Matt
On a slightly 'tongue in cheek' note, perhaps the £5000 would be better spent petitioning TfL for that £1.75 million grant we really need to improve the area. Please don't get me wrong - any investment (however small) is most welcome but there is a danger that £5000 of good work will make little difference given the bigger issues that need addressing.
Finally, Chris, I'd just like to say how much I appreciate you using this forum to engage the residents in discussions about Sydenhams future. Work committments mean that I can rarely get to evening meetings but its nice to feel that we have a Cllr who is listening. Many thanks.
Matt
I also think the £5,000 should be spent on cleaning up what we have. We all moan about the look of the Greyhound but has anyone looked at the signage as you approach Sydenham from Kirkdale. Numerous signs on one site - new zebra crossing, free car parking etc., etc., and whilst I am on the subject could we please take down the dirty flags bearing the slogan 'welcome to Sydenham'. At least I think that's what they say but they are so dirty it is hard to decipher!
We are still waiting for the planting of the area at the top of station approach - don't ask what can be done - just get on with what has been promised.
We are still waiting for the planting of the area at the top of station approach - don't ask what can be done - just get on with what has been promised.
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Pat Trembath
- Posts: 613
- Joined: 2 Oct 2004 10:54
On Tuesday Matt wrote "repairing the lighting by the station (ready for winter)".
The lights in Station Approach are the responsibilirty of Network Rail - are these the ones not functioning?
I reported them to Network Rail several weeks ago and was promised that they would be repaired. Unfortunately, I have not been out after dark in Station Approach since. If these are the three you are referring to I will get straight back to Sydsoc's contact at Network Rail.
All other lighting is the responsibility of Lewisham.
The lights in Station Approach are the responsibilirty of Network Rail - are these the ones not functioning?
I reported them to Network Rail several weeks ago and was promised that they would be repaired. Unfortunately, I have not been out after dark in Station Approach since. If these are the three you are referring to I will get straight back to Sydsoc's contact at Network Rail.
All other lighting is the responsibility of Lewisham.
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Pat Trembath
- Posts: 613
- Joined: 2 Oct 2004 10:54
Just as an aside to the main thread of what to do with £5000 Locality Fund money, of which I am sure Chris Best is taking note.
I took a detour after dark last night to look at Station Approach lighting and am happy to report all 3 lights in operation and, in my opinion, Station Approach was well lit.
Any other street lights elsewhere in Sydenham that are not working are the responsibility of Lewisham Council and should be reported to Envirocall on 8314 7171
I took a detour after dark last night to look at Station Approach lighting and am happy to report all 3 lights in operation and, in my opinion, Station Approach was well lit.
Any other street lights elsewhere in Sydenham that are not working are the responsibility of Lewisham Council and should be reported to Envirocall on 8314 7171
There is a quick report at http://www.sydenham.org.uk/regeneration_q305.html. It was a difficult meeting to report fairly on the CPZ & Bell Green issues. I hope I have, at least been equally unfair to all sides. But do feel free to correct me here.Matt_G wrote:How did the meeting go last night?
Stuart
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Muddy Waters
- Posts: 137
- Joined: 2 Oct 2004 17:05
Fair reportage, Stuart.
Bell Green is and always has been a controversial subject. However asking local councillors why not one of them (9 in all) who attended a 300, standing room only, meeting at St George's Church was prepared to speak up on behalf of their constituents at the planning meeting (as Pat said last night, it probably would not have made any difference to the outcome) was a perfectly reasonable question.
If they were listening to their constituents at the St George's meeting they would have known that there was only one person present who spoke in favour (the draft Minutes of that meeting available last night report that many residents had raised strong objections and included points of concern). None of the locally elected representatives raised these concerns at the planning meeting.
As for Cllr Whiting sitting on the Strategic Planning Committee, I'm sure he could have declared an interest as a Ward Councillor and spoken up if he had chosen.
Also Cllr Whiting's odd remark about the meeting not ending in a 'shambles' leaves one wondering where he was that night? Both the News Shopper and the South London Press separately referred to the meeting ending in a shambles. My recollection, as an attendee, is that is exactly what happened. It may be that what transpired was legally correct but press, councillors, and general public stayed behind afterwards for quite sometime trying to make sense of what they had observed
Bell Green is and always has been a controversial subject. However asking local councillors why not one of them (9 in all) who attended a 300, standing room only, meeting at St George's Church was prepared to speak up on behalf of their constituents at the planning meeting (as Pat said last night, it probably would not have made any difference to the outcome) was a perfectly reasonable question.
If they were listening to their constituents at the St George's meeting they would have known that there was only one person present who spoke in favour (the draft Minutes of that meeting available last night report that many residents had raised strong objections and included points of concern). None of the locally elected representatives raised these concerns at the planning meeting.
As for Cllr Whiting sitting on the Strategic Planning Committee, I'm sure he could have declared an interest as a Ward Councillor and spoken up if he had chosen.
Also Cllr Whiting's odd remark about the meeting not ending in a 'shambles' leaves one wondering where he was that night? Both the News Shopper and the South London Press separately referred to the meeting ending in a shambles. My recollection, as an attendee, is that is exactly what happened. It may be that what transpired was legally correct but press, councillors, and general public stayed behind afterwards for quite sometime trying to make sense of what they had observed
Yes, I think Stuart has provided a fair summary of the Bell Green section of the meeting.
I have further points to make about the Bell Green discussion but I'll do so under the topic "Could the Bell Green development be good for the High Street?" - in order to maintain continuity of discussion.
I would only add here that Councillor Chris Best, as chair of the meeting, cut short the discussion on Bell Green - clearly feeling uncomfortable about the criticisms that were being levelled at her and her fellow councillors - and allotted a longer period to an agenda item on Mini Motos.
The thought occurs to me that maybe Mini Motos is not quite so important a matter to the long-term well being of Sydenham than a colossal retail park at Bell Green.
Bryan Leslie
I have further points to make about the Bell Green discussion but I'll do so under the topic "Could the Bell Green development be good for the High Street?" - in order to maintain continuity of discussion.
I would only add here that Councillor Chris Best, as chair of the meeting, cut short the discussion on Bell Green - clearly feeling uncomfortable about the criticisms that were being levelled at her and her fellow councillors - and allotted a longer period to an agenda item on Mini Motos.
The thought occurs to me that maybe Mini Motos is not quite so important a matter to the long-term well being of Sydenham than a colossal retail park at Bell Green.
Bryan Leslie
As this thread is about Sydenham Regeneration, I was wondering if Chris Best (or perhaps one of her colleagues) could tell us what is being done to push for the substantial TfL grant of £1.75 million that I mentioned earlier in this conversation.
I understand that Sydenham is 3rd in line for this money although I believe there is a convincing argument for moving us up the pecking order.
Specifically, I was hoping she could:
1) tell us what the timecale is for a decision ?
2) tell us that our councillors are actively actively pushing for Sydenham to be awarded the grant
3) reassure us that application has not been submitted and then forgotten about.
As is frequently mentioned on this site, regeneration of the area is in OUR hands but we need our elected representatives to lead from the front and fly the flag on our behalf.
I understand that Sydenham is 3rd in line for this money although I believe there is a convincing argument for moving us up the pecking order.
Specifically, I was hoping she could:
1) tell us what the timecale is for a decision ?
2) tell us that our councillors are actively actively pushing for Sydenham to be awarded the grant
3) reassure us that application has not been submitted and then forgotten about.
As is frequently mentioned on this site, regeneration of the area is in OUR hands but we need our elected representatives to lead from the front and fly the flag on our behalf.