Whitefoot Assembly

Wednesday 16March 2011

7pm-9pm

GreenvaleSchool

Waters RoadSE61UF

Record of the meeting

1. Introduction

Cllr Janet Daby introduced herself and Cllr Patsy Foreman explaining that they would now be taking on the role of joint chair of the Whitefoot assembly. Cllr Daby thanked Cllr Pete Pattisson for chairing the assembly up until this point and then welcomed and thanked everyone for coming along to the meeting. Cllr Daby then went through the agenda coving the items and then introduced the first speaker Sgt Matt French from the Whitefoot Safer Neighbourhoods Team

2. Whitefoot Safer Neighbourhoods Team update

Sgt French said that the main concern for the SNT was burglaries as there had been a huge increase not just within the ward but the borough as a whole. Most if not all work is around burglaries that’s not to say that officers will not deal with other reported crimes but that seems to be the trend at this time.

How the SNT will work in the future is a little difficult to say right now as the way in which it runs will be changing. The Metropolitan Police Service will be facing cuts and this will effect how the service is delivered in the future.

The Sgt then offered questions to the assembly

  1. Why could PCSO’S not have the same power as police officers?
  1. Police Officers are there to enforce the law while PCSO’S are

there to gather evidence and as an assurance to local

community. The Mayor of London has released 50 million

pounds for more Police Officers but there is no more PCSO

recruitment for 2 years unless there is more money to do so. It

looks as through it will be phased out, but those who wish to

apply to be a Police Officer can still do so.

  1. Are you taking on more volunteers and will we see more of

these?

  1. How we are doing this is changing and yes the drive now is for

‘specials’ (Special Constable)

  1. Is there anyone who mans the phones as messages are left and

no one returns the call?

  1. Apologies for that you should receive a return call for an

enquiry made, the SNT have tried both street visits where we actively ask people to come and talk with us. This is publicised through street letter drops but no one came along. We also old surgeries again with little success. We have been active in trying to engage and will continue to respond to any concerns raised.

Q. Do you envisage that the crime rate will get worse?

A. We do suspect that things will get worse as people struggle with

having less money.

  1. The £50 million which will be put into the MET will any of

this come to our area?

  1. 200 officers have been recruited and some of these should come

to our ward, although things such as the Olympics, demonstrations and the Royal Wedding will be a big drain on what we will be able to provide.

Should you wish to find out more information from your Safer Neighbourhood team they can be reached at:

Address: Whitefoot Team, Catford Police Station, 333 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2RJ
Phone: 020 8721 2487/ 07920 233872

Email:

3. Priority review & ward priorities

Cllr Daby thanked Sgt French for the update and then asked the assembly to look at the paper on the Whitefoot assembly priority review consultation which had taken place. John O’Reilly, the previous Whitefoot coordinating officer, along with Jason Fleming the current coordinator had conducted consultation with a number of groups within the Whitefoot ward to establish how people living, working and studying within the ward felt about the ward priorities and whether there were any new concerns they would like to see as a new priority for the ward. Over a hundred people contributed from various groups within the ward and as it turned out people still felt that four of the previous priorities were still relevant today. These are as follows:

Ward prioritynumber of people who had raised this as a concern

crime & anti-social behaviour122

lack of community facilities76

activities for young people69

roads and traffic50

Of the other concerns raised three really stood out, as they were so close together it was felt that the best way to choose the fifth priority would be to put it to a vote.

The choices were:

  • lack of community spirit
  • environment
  • activities for older people

The assembly had made a suggestion that some of the priorities be merged as there was some correlation with some of the issues raised. Jason said that where a concern could be linked to a number of priorities i.e. fly tipping could be linked within both crime & anti-social behaviour as well as the environment then there would be opportunity for this to be addressed within the action planning stage which is the next item.

Cllr Daby then asked the assembly to have a vote on what they would like as there fifth ward priority. The results are as follows:

lack of community spirit 9

environment6

activities for older people3

Therefore the five Whitefoot ward priorities are

crime & anti-social behaviour

lack of community facilities

activities for young people

roads and traffic

lack of community spirit

4. Action planning

Cllr Daby then asked people to look at the Whitefoot Assembly Priority Review Results, this document placed the concerns raised into groups. The actual concerns raised as well as ideas on how to address these. This is to aid people in discussions on how to address the priorities. The assembly was asked to have a discussion around these concerns and then to put these ideas down on the flip chat paper and post-it notes provided.

The was then asked to think about how we could aid in the delivery of these ideas through the Assembly Fund (what was the Mayor’s Fund) as well as any ideas which we could deliver without spending money. This information will then go towards the development of an Action Plan. This will be a draft document to include the findings of further consultation within the ward. The coordinating group will then look through all of the information gathered to put forward proposals to the assembly on how we can work towards addressing our priorities.

Jason said that should anyone have any further ideas on how a priority can be addressed with or without support from the Assembly Fund then they can contact him so that this can be included within the Action Plan.

Once the action plan has been drafted this information will also be available via the Whitefoot Assembly web page.

5. Locality Fund

Cllr Patsy Foreman said that the majority of projects who had applied for funding for the 2010/11 Locality Fund were successful and looked forward to seeing them delivered to the benefit of the ward. The following projects received funding:

  • Ageing Well in Lewisham - Lewisham Churches Care weekly Befriending Group for isolated older people - £1,400
  • Glendale Grounds Management Spot the Fun February and Easter Half Term sports programme - £2,800
  • Conisborough College Green Wardens outreach work with local Primary Schools and OAP centres - £1,500
  • Phoenix Community Housing Haskins Hall Older People Club – Out and About Safari - £870
  • Downham Nutrition Partnership Collaborative Local Urban Garden - £3,430

The Cllr thanked all of the applicants and wished them every success in the delivery of their projects. Cllr Foreman then introduced Bronwen Bakare (Area Neighbourhood Youth & Community Worker) to give a presentation on what is going on locally for young people.

6. Young people’s activities

Bronwen thanked the coordinating group for inviting her along to give a presentation on what there is available to young people living in the Whitefoot ward.

Bronwen then asked the assembly whether they had any questions for her.

  1. Where can people access this information and how can people

find out how many people attend these groups?

  1. This information is available at various places where the groups are held such as the Downham Community Notice Board. With regards to how many people attend, this does vary from group to group but there is outreach work being conducted to encourage young people to get involved and participate.
  1. There appears to be a lack of information readily available

why is this?

  1. There is no publication to advertise youth services although some information is on the Lewisham website. This is something that needs to be developed.
  1. Does any of this information go to the schools?
  1. Usually when the numbers drop within the groups then the

information does go through to the schools.

  1. Would you agree that we need more advertising?
  1. We are working to full capacity and trying to provide as

much information as possible during these difficult times.

  1. Where does the LAB bus go?
  1. The bus uses the Downham Leisure Centre as its base due

to the size of the bus and the space required.

  1. Could the bus not also use a school playground as a base

if available?

  1. This is something which could be investigated with the

schools.

  1. Why is there very little or no provision for dealing with the 8-11 age group? This is obvious with the lack of provision around the summer holidays and needs to be looked at.
  1. The Labour government said that the target group for us to look

atis 13 -19 so this is what we have to work with at this time. We

are also targeting individuals who are NEET for more than 20

weeks (Not in Employmentor Training) to support them back

into education, training and employment. Some youth clubs do

run sessions for junior members although the main focus is

13- 19yrs and up to 25yrs for young people with learning

disabilities and difficulties. However, there is a need for junior

provision 8-12yrs and the Youth Service will be looking at this.

Holiday provision has always included junior age group. However, it is expected that voluntary organisations will be able to apply for funds to deliver this and the statutory youth service will continue to run evening provision.

  1. Could notification as to what is happening locally for young people go through the libraries as well as the

schools?

  1. Sure this is something which we could liaise with the

schools as well to let them know what is happening.

7. 2011 Census

Gary Davis (Area Manager 2011 Census) was due to present on the night but unfortunately was unable to gain access to the building. The entrance was kept shut due to the cold weather. Gary has said that if anyone has any questions relating to the 2011 Census then they can pass these via Jason Fleming who will be able to find out the answers for them.

People were informed of how important it was for the Census to be completed and returned and that this would aid in providing the borough with further finance from central government.

8. ‘Our Lewisham Our Say’ consultation

Cllr Foreman then introduced Liz Dart (Interim Head of Communications & Development) who would be presenting on the ‘Our Lewisham Our Say’ consultation which took place with the Whitefoot assembly on Saturday the 25 September 2010.

Liz then offered questions to the assembly.

There was a comment from the assembly to say that the

understanding form the ‘OLOS’ people had asked for services to

children to be protected. Whereas the stats only related to the budget

cut to the looked after children team (i.e. in care) this 1% cut is not

reflected in the cuts which are being made to the children centres.

It was acknowledged and that the 1% cut relates to the looked after

children team.

Q. Comment of Chief Executive – will his salary go down?

A. yes

Q. Will the Council be publishing all salaries over £50k?

A. When we are instructed to do so – we will. We have listed

salaries in bands but not for individuals.

  1. Can there be an end to the Mayor & Cabinet meetings and

let all decisions be voted on by all Cllrs?

  1. Some decisions, including the settings of the budget are taken

by full Council. We can pass the information on recent Council decisions to the Assembly.

  1. I want to know what the wages are in the Council Tax bill + I do

not want an elected Mayor.

  1. What the Mayor is paid is public knowledge, we will suggest to

the council tax team that they may want to send it out with the council tax bill.

  1. Can we publish on the web-site where we are with collecting

council tax + business rates?

  1. We will check that with the officers who are responsible for

collection whether this is at all possible. We do have an answer

to the question which was raised at the last assembly meeting

as to what the Council are doing to recover outstanding council

tax debt. There is a full answer available on the information

table.

  1. Council tax collection should be published within Lewisham

Life.

  1. We will raise that with the Lewisham Life team.
  1. How is the campaign for particular issues represented in the

Feedback?

  1. We undertook extensive research to make sure all views are

heard and we undertook an equalities impact assessment for services that are cut.

  1. Why are smaller libraries being closed? – they are valuable
  1. All the libraries were assessed on how many users, the money

which has been invested and the money needed. Research is being undertaken into community libraries – for example community enterprises running libraries as at Pepys community library. We have made a request to organisations to take on the lease of these buildings and we would provide the books, this still maintains.

  1. How did the consultation take place?
  1. There were a number of ways we consulted, we met with

people at Local Assembly meetings; we also met with

community groups and young people; we asked people to

complete our surveys and we hosted an online discussion

forum.

9. A.O.B.

Cllr Foreman wanted to pass on a few words from Jane Hearn (project manager Goldsmiths Community Centre)

Thank you to all the people at the Whitefoot Assembly who voted for the Goldsmiths project in July 2009. If you call in to the centre, or just pass by you can see the changes that have been and continue to be made to improve the centre. Although we haven't got our new cafe just yet - although our cafe is open and welcomes all - we have come a very long way thanks to the Mayor's Fund which not only enabled us to make those improvements to information about what's on in at Goldsmiths and the local area but which helped lever in an additional £20,000 towards our aims. We now have architect's plans and a clear vision for what we want and that is thanks to all the local people, organisations and centre users who have joined us in our events and helped us shape our plans. We've made improvements to signs outside and inside the centre and have been able to make it more accessible to all and we continue to find new ways to help raise the profile of this much loved community resource and hope we can count on your continued support as we reach the final stage of this process - raising the funds for the cafe, and to make further improvements to the centre.
Please join us on 1st and 2nd April for the launch of a new community media project called Hubbub at Goldsmiths. There will be a photography exhibition, workshops, guest speakers and film shows from our budding filmmakers. Watch out for the posters and banners!

Thanks and best wishes Jane

10. Next meeting, thanks and close

Cllr Foreman then thanked everyone for coming along and wished everyone a safe journey home. Jason said that we have been granted a space at the Phoenix Housing May day event at ForsterPark on the 7May 2011. We will be able to conduct further consultation around our action plan and look to promote a clean up campaign for both Downham and Whitefoot with a lead up to a Big Lunch. The following assembly meeting will be held on the 19May date and venue to be confirmed.

No declarations of interest were made at the meeting