Notes of the Stockwell Community Forum held in the SCRC, 1 Studley Road at 7.00pm on 1st March 2011.

Those present:- Lucy Annan, David Prichard Jones, David Clarke, Beneditta Whitehouse, Ian Beever, Victor Glaser, Tom Fish, Helen Fish, Judy Fovargue, Christina Posner, Wai Ha Lam, Anthony Bottrall, David Clarke, Adelina Pereira, Helen Redd, Jose Silva Pereira, Francisco daLibor, Anna Hirschfield, Douglas Pinheiro, Robert S McConnell, Belinda Anderson, Lino Diogo, Antonio Cunha, Monica Belchior, Ana Christina Santos, Natercia Cunha, Luis Barros, Audrey Helps.

In attendance:- Cllr Sally Prentice, Cllr Alex Bigham, Charlotte Evans, {Lambeth Council}, Angela Coley, Marie Clough {SLAM}, Luis Ventura {Portuguese Community Centre}, Steve Griffin(Chair), Radia Ahmed, Maria Marques, John McCay (minutes) {Stockwell Partnership}(SP)

Apologies were received from Gerry Evans, Julie Sullock, Jill Gregson.

1. Steve Griffin welcomed the attendees

1.1 The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true record.

1.2 There were no matters arising from the minutes.

2. Vauxhall Nine Elms and Battersea Area of Opportunity

2.1 Cllr Sally Prentice, Lambeth Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategic Planning, stated that she had come from a meeting of the VNEB Board where she had opposed the proposition that the Tube extension would be funded by the Community Infrastructure Levy. The Board agreed to meet quarterly with the funding the extension would be the focus. Cllr Prentice added that, following the community engagement meeting at the Lost Theatre, there were plans to hold further consultations to include Clapham residents, local housing association residents and the Portuguese community.

2.2 In response to questions SP stated that Lambeth officers were consulting with Mayoral officers on the skywalk and the whole gyratory system and that Lambeth wanted the extant green corridor in their borough to remain intact; that tall buildings and subsequent population density increases were in the London Plan but that Lambeth had challenged the school provision which Treasury Holdings were looking at; that the rush of planning applications might indeed be due to the impending changes to planning law: that the Portuguese community were invited to join Vauxhall Business Improvement Forum where 1% of the rates income goes into a pot for projects that they choose and that New Covent Garden development may offer facilities to the Portuguese local traders; and that the GLA Opportunity Framework document and the Vauxhall Supplementary Planning document would be consulted on in the coming months.

2.3 For any further details or questions on the VNEB, contact

3. The Lambeth Budget – impact on services

3.1 Cllr Alex Bigham stated that Lambeth council had set a budget that cut £37M this year and had to make total cuts of £79M over the next 3 years that equated to 30%.

4. Get to Know Your Community – The Somali Community

4.1 Samia Shire and Farhia Mohamed, both modelling traditional Somali robes, demonstrated examples of Somali goods and artefacts naming them and demonstrating their function, and read Somali poetry in translation.

4.2. During the break a delicious selection of Somali food cooked by group members was shared by the attendees.

5. Lost Theatre

5.1 Lee Ranns spoke about the past and present programmes of the Lost Theatre: working with the National Theatre to deliver one of ten commissioned plays under the Connexions Project, 30year history of working with younger people in the theatre, their employment of new graduates and their apprenticeships in theatre arts scheme.

5.2 Nine local schools participated in their interactive work on knife crime and Lambeth NHS have commissioned them to do a six week writing course with lone parents. Contact: www.losttheatre.co.uk

6. Neighbourhood Planning

6.1 Ian Beever delivered a Local Planning Update highlighting plans for a twin tower development (41 and 32 storeys) on Vauxhall Island with mixed hotel and residential use and some community space; a 40 storey building next to the Bondway hostel; the revised LIDL application with 65 residential units in part 4, part 5 storey elements; plans to convert 65 Stockwell Park Road into 8 s/c flats; and a TravelLodge Hotel with 148 bedrooms (details attached).

6.2 IB stated that the current count of skyscrapers in the area between Sainsburys and MI6 has risen to nine. A coordinated local response was being developed and a further public meeting will happen in January.

6.3 DPJ stated that the major planning decisions were now taken by LB Lambeth Cabinet and not the planning committee. IB reminded the meeting that, all appeals against Lambeth decisions cite the London Plan which has zoned the area for tall buildings.

6.4 Contact SG with any input on planning issues and he will ensure that you are informed of future meetings on the subject.

7. The meeting ended at 9.00pm.

Future dates for forums: 1st March 2011 (provisional – check closer to the date www.stockwell.org.uk meetings)