Friday, 29 January 2010
Mayors for Peace
I mentioned the Mayors for Peace presentation the other day and thought I'd post up a pic of Lewisham CND presenting Mayor Bullock with a very delicate thin clay sculpture.
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Crofton Park Ward Assembly this Saturday
Crofton Park Assembly,
Saturday January 30th,
2pm - 4pm
St Saviours Church Hall
Brockley Rise, SE23 1JB
Priorities for Crofton Park are: improving streetscape, youth provision, improving open spaces, access for all in the ward and community cohesion
The meeting will include:
- a presentation and film by the Crofton Park Youth Forum
- information about Crofton Park’s new Town Centre Manager
- community notice board consultation
- updates from your Safer Neighbourhoods Team
Come along and give us your views… refreshments and crèche provided please notify Sarah in advance if you would like to use the crèche For more information call 07525 401245, or email Sarah Cooper.
Saturday January 30th,
2pm - 4pm
St Saviours Church Hall
Brockley Rise, SE23 1JB
Priorities for Crofton Park are: improving streetscape, youth provision, improving open spaces, access for all in the ward and community cohesion
The meeting will include:
- a presentation and film by the Crofton Park Youth Forum
- information about Crofton Park’s new Town Centre Manager
- community notice board consultation
- updates from your Safer Neighbourhoods Team
Come along and give us your views… refreshments and crèche provided please notify Sarah in advance if you would like to use the crèche For more information call 07525 401245, or email Sarah Cooper.
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Web Casting Council Meetings
Back from the last full council meeting of this four year period (only a budget meeting to go) and it was an interesting experience. There's lots of unrelated things going on so, for instance, I took part in a presentation with Lewisham CND to the Mayor for being part of the Mayors for Peace movement where the Mayor graciously thanked Darren Johnson for helping make this happen.
Then you have a whole heap of correspondence some of which seems utterly unintelligible or irrelevant and others of which seems extremely important and are passed over in far too little detail. Then there was a closed session on the Catford Centre where we were all kicked out for half an hour then invited back in.
And so it goes on. But despite the fact that council proceedings are probably rather difficult to follow I still think it's a great thing that the council agreed to begin web-casting their meetings to allow accessibility for those who can't make the meetings, or have issues with disability.
We could also hope that it might improve the way councillors relate to each other, although it should be sad it was all very polite and businesslike tonight. Having councillors on record in this way would help electors and the press hold them to account for their actions at meetings that few of them would have otherwise attended.
The Greens moved the motion, having accepted a sensible amendment from the Lib Dems, and the motion slipped through uncontroversially - which just goes to show the parties can work together when they try.
Then you have a whole heap of correspondence some of which seems utterly unintelligible or irrelevant and others of which seems extremely important and are passed over in far too little detail. Then there was a closed session on the Catford Centre where we were all kicked out for half an hour then invited back in.
And so it goes on. But despite the fact that council proceedings are probably rather difficult to follow I still think it's a great thing that the council agreed to begin web-casting their meetings to allow accessibility for those who can't make the meetings, or have issues with disability.
We could also hope that it might improve the way councillors relate to each other, although it should be sad it was all very polite and businesslike tonight. Having councillors on record in this way would help electors and the press hold them to account for their actions at meetings that few of them would have otherwise attended.
The Greens moved the motion, having accepted a sensible amendment from the Lib Dems, and the motion slipped through uncontroversially - which just goes to show the parties can work together when they try.
Appeal for Simon Nundy?
Over the next few months you'll hear a number of people tell you this election is all about the Tories vs Labour. To think you have any other kinds of choices in front of you is just messy thinking (also known as political choices). Just to hammer home this point I thought I'd flag up the campaign for Simon Nundy, Tory candidate for Mayor of Lewisham.
As you can see from this screen shot from MyConservatives he definitely feels he's the man for the job and who am I to disagree? He's got the kind of business brain that will get Lewisham moving it appears if only he'd apply that brain to his campaign which has been taking a bit of time to get off the ground.
He's just three pounds fifty more away from printing a few leaflets. Who knows what he might do if you donate a tenner! Proof read his statement perhaps.
Remember donating "is simple, speedy and secure". Well, it's simple and secure anyway... maybe some of the bigger donations have got backed up in the pipeline.
As you can see from this screen shot from MyConservatives he definitely feels he's the man for the job and who am I to disagree? He's got the kind of business brain that will get Lewisham moving it appears if only he'd apply that brain to his campaign which has been taking a bit of time to get off the ground.
He's just three pounds fifty more away from printing a few leaflets. Who knows what he might do if you donate a tenner! Proof read his statement perhaps.Remember donating "is simple, speedy and secure". Well, it's simple and secure anyway... maybe some of the bigger donations have got backed up in the pipeline.
Saturday, 23 January 2010
School places
As I mentioned yesterday I wanted to say a few words about this post on Brockley Central about school places in Lewisham.
For some time now there has been a real problem with school places in the borough. This goes right through from nursery places, primary and secondary school places.
BC highlights how more than one in four kids are being sent to school outside of the borough and I know from personal acquaintances that getting a nursery school place can be a real nightmare.
Personally I think it's really important for kids to be able to go to a school as near to their home as possible, which ideally means a network of smaller, community schools rather than some of the mega-schools that cater to children from miles around.
I'd add that this needs to be publicly owned and run, without the experiments of private companies 'delivering' maintenance and repairs for instance.
It's difficult, of course, in an area like Lewisham where new buildings are difficult to create when there's a lack of appropriate spaces and developing existing sites can be fraught with difficulties.
However, no matter how difficult or knotty the problem we need to address this because it really is not good enough that hundreds of kids are spending their entire school career travelling large distances going to schools that have little connection with their community.
For some time now there has been a real problem with school places in the borough. This goes right through from nursery places, primary and secondary school places.BC highlights how more than one in four kids are being sent to school outside of the borough and I know from personal acquaintances that getting a nursery school place can be a real nightmare.
Personally I think it's really important for kids to be able to go to a school as near to their home as possible, which ideally means a network of smaller, community schools rather than some of the mega-schools that cater to children from miles around.
I'd add that this needs to be publicly owned and run, without the experiments of private companies 'delivering' maintenance and repairs for instance.
It's difficult, of course, in an area like Lewisham where new buildings are difficult to create when there's a lack of appropriate spaces and developing existing sites can be fraught with difficulties.
However, no matter how difficult or knotty the problem we need to address this because it really is not good enough that hundreds of kids are spending their entire school career travelling large distances going to schools that have little connection with their community.
Friday, 22 January 2010
Fear of crime is a real problem
At the risk of looking as if I'm sucking up there are two really excellent posts on Brockley Central today. I'll talk about schools tomorrow.
The other article is where they point to the reduction in the crime rate in Lewisham. This is something that is well worth highlighting to counteract some sections of the press and political parties who try to whip up fear of crime for their own short term gain (readers or voters respectively).
Lewisham (and Crofton Park specifically) is not a high crime area. There are problems, of course there are, mainly low level anti-social behaviour but more serious crimes too. It's important that we don't try to make political capital out of these events which are thankfully, still, rare.
There's nothing more nauseating than a would be politician excitedly salivating at a local incident, using somebodies personal tragedy to try to paint an unrealistic picture of what society looks like.
Last month I had someone on the doorstep who said to me "Was it the Greens or the Lib Dems who put out that leaflet that really annoyed me?" I knew the answer to that one, looked him straight in the eye, and said "Sir, that was the Liberal Democrats."
It turned out it was (whew!) as they've been pumping out literature that really focuses on crime, making people feel there's a crime wave going on. There isn't, and thankfully many residents can see that.
It's serious because the solution to crime is a strong community that looks after each other. The fear of crime, where people look on each other with suspicion, undermines that leaving everyone more vulnerable. The only long term solution to social problems is a more social society. A sensationalist approach turns every group of lads chatting on the corner into potential muggers when really they are far more likely to be potential neighbours.
The other article is where they point to the reduction in the crime rate in Lewisham. This is something that is well worth highlighting to counteract some sections of the press and political parties who try to whip up fear of crime for their own short term gain (readers or voters respectively).Lewisham (and Crofton Park specifically) is not a high crime area. There are problems, of course there are, mainly low level anti-social behaviour but more serious crimes too. It's important that we don't try to make political capital out of these events which are thankfully, still, rare.
There's nothing more nauseating than a would be politician excitedly salivating at a local incident, using somebodies personal tragedy to try to paint an unrealistic picture of what society looks like.
Last month I had someone on the doorstep who said to me "Was it the Greens or the Lib Dems who put out that leaflet that really annoyed me?" I knew the answer to that one, looked him straight in the eye, and said "Sir, that was the Liberal Democrats."
It turned out it was (whew!) as they've been pumping out literature that really focuses on crime, making people feel there's a crime wave going on. There isn't, and thankfully many residents can see that.
It's serious because the solution to crime is a strong community that looks after each other. The fear of crime, where people look on each other with suspicion, undermines that leaving everyone more vulnerable. The only long term solution to social problems is a more social society. A sensationalist approach turns every group of lads chatting on the corner into potential muggers when really they are far more likely to be potential neighbours.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Making the Transition
The Transition Town movement hopes to help move us to a low carbon economy. It has gained a lot of strength over the last few years, starting in Totnes it has spread out across the country with people ganging together to take practical steps, no matter how small, to achieving a more sustainable society.
Lewisham is no exception to this movement and I attended my first Transition Brockley meeting tonight which was really excellent. A great hub of different initiatives and ideas that people can get involved with in the area.
One example was the 9 carrot scheme (I stil have no idea why it's called that) where local businesses have made a commitment to spend a portion of their profits on making ecological improvements. Customers go into participating shops/cafes/bars and ask for a green receipt when you pay as normal. The business then invests 10% of that payment making eco-changes.
It's a neat idea where you lose nothing and they spend what you pay on making themselves more energy efficient. Mr Lawrence wine bar, Royal Tandoori and EXP Chinese, all in the same patch of Brockley Road, are participating. Try it out for yourself!
There were other discussions about community orchards, spreading info about grants available for insulation and solar panels, permaculture course and all sorts of other lovely things. Something for everyone in fact whether you're a fully paid up eco-warrior or just want to do a little something.
these kinds of 'hubs' where activists get together and share what they're doing are really inspiring because it reminds you how many people care about their community and are willing to do something to make it better. Sometimes people can feel a bit isolated, like it's only them, and to be reminded that you're part of a movement can be a real boost!
Lewisham is no exception to this movement and I attended my first Transition Brockley meeting tonight which was really excellent. A great hub of different initiatives and ideas that people can get involved with in the area.
One example was the 9 carrot scheme (I stil have no idea why it's called that) where local businesses have made a commitment to spend a portion of their profits on making ecological improvements. Customers go into participating shops/cafes/bars and ask for a green receipt when you pay as normal. The business then invests 10% of that payment making eco-changes.
It's a neat idea where you lose nothing and they spend what you pay on making themselves more energy efficient. Mr Lawrence wine bar, Royal Tandoori and EXP Chinese, all in the same patch of Brockley Road, are participating. Try it out for yourself!
There were other discussions about community orchards, spreading info about grants available for insulation and solar panels, permaculture course and all sorts of other lovely things. Something for everyone in fact whether you're a fully paid up eco-warrior or just want to do a little something.
these kinds of 'hubs' where activists get together and share what they're doing are really inspiring because it reminds you how many people care about their community and are willing to do something to make it better. Sometimes people can feel a bit isolated, like it's only them, and to be reminded that you're part of a movement can be a real boost!
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