The Bridge

[Nic]

The Glass Mill Leisure Centre finally re-opened today, the first of the Fusion-managed Lewisham leisure centres to-reopen since March and following the transition of their management to Better UK (a GLL brand).

According to this piece by local democracy reporter Grainne Cuffe in the News Shopper (https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/1891 ... um=twitter), it still remains unclear whether The Bridge will actually reopen at all.

"GLL... is surveying each centre to ensure they are Covid safety compliant. This includes The Bridge and Bellingham, “which require a more comprehensive assessment before they open”. According to the council it may not be possible to make all of the leisure facilities compliant if the cost is too high."

[JRW]

The fact that neither the Bridge, nor Bellingham sports centre can be brought up to COVID-19 compliant standards is quite revealing in itself. It shows that Bellingham ward has already been neglected long term, and its outdated infrastructure has not been upgraded. This suggests that Bellingham has been bottom of Lewisham’s list for some time. No surprise to anyone local, but it requires explanation from Lewisham Council. Perhaps the local councillors would care to comment?

[Sydenham]

@JRW - interesting and valid question to ask especially if one is a resident.

Bellingham is poorly served in a number of ways and is high on the deprivation index as well. No surprise that leisure facilities are correspondingly poor - though in other areas of London in the past, such as Brixton, the level of deprivation encouraged investment from local government as well as business.

http://www.lewishamjsna.org.uk/health-i ... eprivation

https://www.ilivehere.co.uk/english-ind ... 00437.html

But Bellingham is not Sydenham so not sure whether their councillors would read this forum - though Sydenham's Councillor Best is Deputy Mayor. Here's a link to Bellingham councillor contact details: https://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk ... LIST&PIC=0 for anyone to ask questions - face to face surgeries don't seem to be going ahead at the moment so it's email or phone.

[JRW]

Actually, Bellingham ward starts at Home Park, so a fair chunk of Sydenham sits in that ward. Also, Bell Green neighbourhood forum-in-development means that Bellingham, Perry Vale, and Sydenham councillors are supposed to be talking about the area. Most people think of The Bridge as Sydenham's council sports centre.

[JGD]

It shows that Bellingham ward has already been neglected long term, and its outdated infrastructure has not been upgraded. This suggests that Bellingham has been bottom of Lewisham’s list for some time. No surprise to anyone local, but it requires explanation from Lewisham Council. Perhaps the local councillors would care to comment?

Bellingham Ward councillors are very pro-active and in non-pandemic times have engaged with ward residents at the Assemblies in the fullest way possible.

Julia - you witnessed that activity. You attended the last Bellingham Ward Assembly in 2020, publicly presenting a case about the formation of a group more representative of the Ward to lead on the Bell Green Development Proposals, formerly led by SydSoc. I recall you made the case that the formation of this body would be essential for the purposes that the Council required a representative body to be constituted and have roots in the area to engage in discussions about and to make contribution and additions to the "Local Plan".

How has that gone? Neither you nor SydSoc have made any report on progress, in public, at least.

To avoid doubt, Cllr Hall has taken up the evidence presented to him on the findings and analysis of un-spent monies held by the Council that had been garnered as part of s106 contributions for the early phases of Bell Green's development. He secured firm commitment from the Council to examine this position fully.

The officer tasked to finalise the report attended that very same meeting and updated us on what actions he anticipated having to undertake to complete his work. Council focus has shifted as a result of the pandemic and there is further delay - but we have a start position that just under £3m has been identified so far. More items may be added. By the time compound interest is added (monies were first ingathered circa 1994-5) the final sum may be just under £4m. But let us wait and see.

SydSoc has made two major mis-steps on this matter of the monies. Its first stated position was that the money had been spent some time ago and would not/could not be traced. The position was superseded by public comment that, "after investigative work by Sydenham Society", £1m had been traced.

This proved to be a significant underestimate, as others, not related with the Society's attempts, worked through the contract schedules and Council Reports and came up with the more precise and greater numbers as described above.

So you may be right in part - but Bellingham Ward is not quite as neglected as you selectively portray. It does need to have improvements, particularly the widening of the bridge at Southend Lane and the introduction of improved pedestrian safety measures there. For those improvement we now may have a pot of money that can act as a funding starter at least.

Further to your invitation to local councillors might I suggest you stay focussed on your ward's elected members - I know you are one down at the moment. Raise your points with them as you will. Or to the full Council of course - as an option we can observe you have varied levels of success with that.

For Bellingham - we residents here voted our members in - not you. We will decide what questions on key matters should be put to them. That's what ward assemblies are for.

[parker]

The fact that neither the Bridge, nor Bellingham sports centre can be brought up to COVID-19 compliant standards is quite revealing in itself. It shows that Bellingham ward has already been neglected long term, and its outdated infrastructure has not been upgraded. This suggests that Bellingham has been bottom of Lewisham’s list for some time. No surprise to anyone local, but it requires explanation from Lewisham Council. Perhaps the local councillors would care to comment?

Bellingham Sports Centre is pretty new isn’t it? If it’s 15 years or younger it’s kind of new, no? Therefore Lewisham haven’t necessarily neglected that area.

As for Bellingham being underserved, The Bridge Leisure Centre is a damn sight better than what Ladywell and Forest Hill residents used to have for so long as leisure facilities.

I’m not sure that just because a facility can’t be Covid secure that it’s old or under-serving the community in non-Covid times.

[JRW]

Who is blaming the councillors? I'm not! It is a question of whether major expenditure goes first to whoever is shouting loudest at any one time. It seems to me that the Bridge has not been updated for many years, and now, covid-19 issues mean that we are further disadvantaged, as the neglect has made it hard to open at all.

As for 'your councillors are in Sydenham', I am right on the border with Bellingham, and the Bridge is my local sports centre. Please note that Sydenham Ward itself has no sports centre. Ward boundaries are constantly evolving, and the name does not necessarily define the meaningful territory. I look forward to finding whether there is trappist silence from Bellingham isolationists on that ward's concerns, after their transfer to Perry Vale ward in the boundary commission changes. Consistency is everything. Personally, I am happy to hear views from across all artificial administrative barricades.

[JRW]

JGD, as for the Bell Green neighbourhood masterplan, I have done everything in my power to move things forward, but have been excluded from discussions at every turn. A meeting scheduled before the lockdown, at my request (after constant delays by Sydsoc) was cancelled due to a family emergency of the council officer concerned. I was told I'd be told when it was rescheduled, but it went ahead as an e-meeting without my being informed. This was attended by Councillor Curran and, I believe, Councillor Jacq Paschoud, plus the Sydenham Society. None of these people informed me, or even questioned my absence.

So, if you want to know about delays to the masterplan, please contact David.Syme@lewisham.gov.uk, your own Councillor, and the Sydenham Society for their explanations.