Residents’ Association January 2008 Newsletter

Chairman: Gordon Johnston CB 5 Methley Street, London SE I I 4AL

email: johnston.methley@nujj.com

Dear Resident,

This is to update you with developments since my letter of October 2007. I thought I should wait until you had your 2008 diaries. A happy New Year to you all!

The AGM. This will be held in the Durning Library on TUESDAY 18 March. As usual, the committee will offer refreshments from 7 pm to residents attending before the formal meeting starts at 7.30 pm. Please note your diary and come and join us. I will circulate more details nearer the date.

Trees. In January 2007 1 said I had been pursuing with Lambeth the replacement of the trees felled by Lamb eith in 2006 and subsequently. Lambeth have promised to plant the trees this spring, but no firm date has yet been given.

P/C Jane Brown. Jane has been our beat officer for over 5 years. She is leaving us to be the police Missing Person Officer for Lambeth. She takes up her new post on 4 February. I have conveyed to her the committee’s thanks for all her work for our area.

Parking Controls. I have taken up with Councillor Steve Morgan, one of our Ward Councillors, all examples of unreasonable behaviour by wardens over such issues as unloading/loading, deliveries and general application of the rules. He has told me that Lambeth are undertaking a Review of parking. Already clamping in the streets had been stopped. Please let me know if you are the victim of parking controls applied unreasonably.

Rifle Court. This is still a favourite dumping ground, although it had been blocked at the Eastern end. I have asked Lambeth to look for ways of closing it completely

Legal Services. Fisher Meredith, the solicitors whose office is at the end of Stannary St (facing the Post Office), have told me that they now have a specialist in inheritance tax and wills. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Saru Balakrishan, the business manager of the practice, on 0207 0912850.

Planning. Your committee comment on all relevant planning applications, but if you feel you are directly affected by one, please let me know. The association alms to put the viewpoint of residents generally, and if necessary I will attend the Planning Committee to present our case.

Lambeth Council. The association has many informal contacts with councillors and senior officers of Lambeth; this means that we can often get action without a formal approach. There is however one formal body – the Kennington Oval Vauxhall Forum – which represents residents, tenants, business interests and amenity groups to press views on the Council. Notices about it appear on the community notice board outside St Anselm’s church. Kennington Park The next meeting of the Friends is on 3 March.

Durning Library. The next meeting of the Friends is on 18 February. Details in the Durning

Library.

 

Gardens Society. The Spring Show is on 15 March.

Yours sincerely

GORDON JOHNSTON