WALWORTH SOCIETY MEETING

7.30pm – 3 March 2016: St Peter’s Church, Walworth, SE17.

ITEM / COMMENTS
WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS. / Jeremy welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Attendees: Jeremy Leach (Chair); Marek Drewicz (Secretary); Jenny Jefferis; John Whelan; Jim Beedell; Peter Chadwick; Cllr Martin Seaton; Toby Eckersley; Cllr Maisie Anderson; Peta Steel; Shelagh Farren; Liba Hoskin; Christine Tan; Jerry Flynn; Augustine Nyemah; Lincoln Hill; Norma Lawrence; Pooja Ajrawal (We Made That); Alan Crookham; Andrew Bell; Bill Wright; Mycroft Pembroke; James Conway; Kenon Igrek; Emily Allen; Freddie Dickson; Lorraine Hilton; Peter Wright.
Apologies: Apologies were received from Charles Harvey; Celia Harvey; Cllr Eleanor Kerslake; Diana Cochrane; Cllr Paul Fleming.
1.  We Made That Presentation / There was a presentation from Pooja Ajrawal about proposals for a number of regeneration projects in the East Street and Old Kent Road areas.
JB raised concerns over the number of projects being looked at. Suggested a tighter focus to concentrate the resources on.
PA explained that the £1m total that was currently available would not to be to deliver all of the projects. There is some funding to push forward a select number of the catalyst projects. There is a short timescale within which to deliver the projects. There have been steering group meetings including representations from the local community and traders. There will be presentations at the next Community Council and further/wider consultation on the suggested projects.
TE mentioned it would be useful to have a summary of the remit the Council had given to the architects.
PA explained funding was jointly coming from the GLA and Southwark Council.
PC asked about the impetus for the project and the expected economic outputs. PA mentioned the market team will be looking at ways of attracting new traders and seeking to activate empty shopping units.
NL asked about the consultation with the market traders. PA explained it was with the various groups representing both the traders and SAST.
Cllr MS welcomed the presentation. Mentioned there would be consultation booths at Community Council to discuss ideas from attendees. Monday 14th March at Walworth Academy at 7pm.
2.  Housing & Planning Bill 2016 / JF gave a presentation to the meeting over potential implications of the Housing & Planning Bill 2016. Key concerns include changes to social housing provision and planning powers including increased powers to the Secretary of State.
Liba mentioned a meeting about the Bill that her T&RA were organising at 6pm at Pembroke House, Sat 5t March.
Cllr MA mentioned concerns about the implications of the Bill for Southwark Council. She asked residents to join the campaigns against the Bill and would talk to Richard Livingstone regarding the campaign.
3.  Walworth Town Hall / JL gave an update on the Town Hall consultation. We understand from the leader of the Council, that the costs will now be nearly double that originally anticipated and he has therefore launched a consultation with three options: to dispose of the site; to more comprehensively redevelop the site behind a retained façade or to mothball the site until sufficient funding can be raised. A link to the consultation was sent out via the email. The topic will be discussed at the Community Council.
There will be a public meeting on Thursday 24th of March at 7pm, venue TBC.
JB questioned the date given it heralded the start of the Easter weekend.
MP suggested it already seemed to be a very intensive scheme and he didn’t see how a much more intrusive scheme could come forward. Suggested it would be worth holding out for the original scheme which seemed like a good design.
AC asked why the forecasts went up so dramatically and were so wrong.
AB said that he would prefer a ‘Reichstag’ approach rather than nothing.
TE noted the potential costs that would be incurred by further delay and risk of disposal. Concerned over risks to facades.
Cllr MS mentioned it was important to get this right and agreed the increase in figures were dramatic. Also he was concerned that costs will only go up over time. He encouraged people to engage and respond to the consultation. The Council needs to understand the community’s vision and expectations.
MP felt the expensive parts of the scheme were the grand atrium and new registry office. Suggested that the library could be reinstated much sooner.
4. Walworth Road Post Office / JL updated the group on the proposed franchising of the Walworth Road Post Office. The Society has written a letter about the importance of the Crown Office to the PO Chief Executive but has received no response. There will be a meeting at 10am, Sat 12th March – speakers to include Neil Coyle MP, Ian Ward (CWU) and local councillors. A representative from the Post Office has been invited.
Cllr MS understands the Post Office has already been put out to tender for franchising and is looking at the bidders. Once a preferred bidder chosen they will then go out to consultation. Important that the new franchisee is aware of the priorities and expectations of local residents.
NL mentioned the former franchised PO at the Elephant & Castle which was then closed.
MP mentioned the proposed closure and selling off of the sorting office.
TE queried the durability of the franchise system and the powers the Post Office has to insist that a franchisee offers a pick-up facility for parcels.
JL mentioned more investigation needs to be done regarding the situation with the Sorting Office.
PW mentioned the value of multiple parcel collection points across the Walworth area as a whole.
5. Manor Place Terrace / JL updated on progress. There is an online consultation before the planning phase. JL has sent out a link. Cllr MA encouraged all with an interest to engage with the consultation as soon as possible.
AB raised the lack of clarity as to how the Garden Farm might be involved in the project. PS mentioned some of the pavement area might be brought into their territory (where the big ‘pineapple’ planter is currently).
PS mentioned broad support for the scheme from the Friends of Pasley Park.
BW lives locally on the Doddington Grove estate. He mentioned disappointment over members of the estate not seeing the consultation on the proposals. He noted his dislike of the original building and the proposed approach to the new design. Cllr MA encouraged any views to be put forward as part of the consultation process. JC mentioned consultation events he had attended. Suggested signs need to be put up on the boards to promote the consultation.
6. Ward Boundary Changes / JL mentioned the proposed ward boundary changes, which have been emailed to members.
A North Walworth and South Walworth wards are proposed. The boundary will not be on the Walworth Road. LH mentioned her wish to retain the Faraday ward. LH mentioned concerns over size of wards, which would explain the need to redraw and reshape the boundaries.
Cllr MS mentioned that observations can be made, for example over the name of wards, if wished. Confirmed the idea is to address and even out numbers across the wards. JB mentioned the opportunity to name wards after historic associations with Walworth.
7. Governance / JL mentioned proposals for a new arrangement which has been discussed with the WS Committee to have a system of two Co-Chairs, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. He mooted the idea of a co-chair system to provide an equal focus on the two stands of heritage/conservation and cultural/community activity.
Cllr TE proposed that the committee could present some further detail for discussion at next meeting and table proposed changes to constitution.
Cllr MS mentioned correct process needs to be followed including sufficient time for it.
AOB / JB mentioned the latest planning application for the Masons Arms. Understands there shouldn’t have been a new application until the Inspector has ruled on the previous scheme. He also noted concerns with the consultation and asked members to be vigilant over proposals for the site. JL confirmed the latest application hasn’t been validated.
Date of next meeting: 7pm, Thursday 7th April. St Peter’s Church

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