Colliers Wood Residents´ Association

Minutes of the meeting on Tuesday 5^th July 2011

Held at the Colliers Wood Community Centre.

Present

• Representatives of Merton Council and Thames21
• Residents of Colliers Wood

Introductions

Minutes of the Last Meeting

Taken as accurate.

Matters Arising

• Taylor Road Day Centre: Asian group has withdrawn. Centre will be run by Positive Networks in conjunction with the Council.
• Trellis House: Positive response from volunteers; CRB checks being carried out.
• Nursery in Colliers Wood Rec: "Willows Nursery" is currently being renovated.

Singlegate Expansion – Cllr Peter Walker and Tom Proctor, manager of contracts and school organisation at Merton Council

• The Council aims to provide local schools for local children and reduce the distance primary school pupils have to travel to school. Schools to be expanded across Merton, including Singlegate, All Saints and Liberty.
• Approx 600 more pupils in Sept 11, plus 100 more each year for the following two years
• Merton Council to expand ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ schools
• Presently catchment radius for Singlegate is 500-600m. Expansion should increase this and PW agreed to look at this issue.
• Building application has been submitted for 2 classrooms, with building to start in Autumn. Could be converted for alternative use in the future if no longer needed.
• Further consultations Sept/Oct to look at details, including improving facilities for pupils by e.g. dual use of part of Colliers Wood Recreation Ground (i.e. school and public)

Issues/comments raised:

• How can dual-use area of the Rec be kept clean on a daily basis? Possible shared management. Will be discussed in more detail during next consultation phase.
• Would it be better if it was used exclusively for Singlegate? This could be a cheaper and safer option.
• Park in Dundonald is already dual use and works well so could work here too.

Local Parks – Cllr Andrew Judge and Doug Napier, Head of Parks Services at Merton Council

• Funding for parks from the Government will be decreased by £30 million over 4 years. Annual decrease of £400,000 for parks and open spaces in Merton.
• Out of more than 100 sites, 25 parks across Merton will be maintained to current standards including Colliers Wood Rec. Services will be focussed on key times and key areas e.g. grass cutting and horticulture.
• New development – Wandle Valley Park. Collaboration between Merton, Sutton, Croydon and Wandsworth. Plan to repatriate money given annually for Lee Valley development (East London for the Olympics). £1.2 million/year between the four councils. Councils plan to set up a trust to manage the project.
• Morden Park – expanded area of meadow is working well.
• Wandle Park – reduced grass cutting area to provide a mix of long and short grass.
• CW Rec has been nominated for Green Flag award again this year – does not need to be reinspected. Paddling pool and toilets will be open at the start of the summer holidays.Paddling pool will be supervised.

Questions and concerns:

• Areas where grass is long in Wandle Park was regularly used for football, so now everyone is restricted to a very small area for multiple uses and has increased pressure on usage of CW Rec
• Where will the income raised from Willows Nursery in CW Rec go? General income for the Council. This money will not be used solely for CW.
• Levels of antisocial behaviour will increase if park gates are unlocked. Gate locking is still under review: this service is very costly. Locking could be seasonal or weekends only.
• Suggestion that Council enlist volunteers to help maintain parks.
• Could Community Payback (community service) teams be used? This is happening already.
• Some land could be converted into allotments or used for tree planting.
• Are there plans to sell any of the parks/land? An area of land near Raynes Park is being sold as green space – cannot be used for development.

Thames21 – Judith Ressler, River Programmes Coordinator

Thames21 is an environmental charity set up 16 years ago to remove rubbish from the Thames and tributaries including the Wandle. Would be able to provide advice, equipment and materials to clear the creek in Wandle Park. Action:Volunteers are needed. See www.thames21.org.uk, email judith.ressler@thames21.org.uk or ring 07500 842283.

Update on Local Developments – Sam Amoako-Adofo, planning enforcement manager at Merton Council

Unfinished Bridge

• Council investigated enforcement route, but the legal costs would be too high and there was too high a risk of failure.
• Looking to other agencies to help finish the bridge, with the Council supplying materials. Unable to provide details at this point in time.

Cavendish House (containing the library)

• Application for a Health Centre was approved in February 2011, to include a 2-storey extension with lift shaft. Timescale currently unknown.

Royal Six Bells

• Application for a market was turned down in 2010.
• Residents pointed out that a sign for a restaurant is on display. Response: No planning permission is needed as the use of the building has not changed.

CPZ extension

• Consultations have finished but the results not yet analysed; report to be completed by September.
• Will residents get a share of the profits? Sam will get back to Keith S about this.
• Under AOB a resident raised the issue of the time periods for the CPZ.
• Residents said they wanted to change the times - but because they didn’t specify what time they wanted, the Council will maintain as it is.

The Tower

• Cladding trial has started. Cladding on each side is different. The cladding will cost £2 million and Mr Aziz wants to recover Section 106 money to cover this cost. Observations – the windows behind the cladding cannot be opened on one side, and there are no plans for air-conditioning in the building. There are gaps between the panelling and the building
• Is the structure under the cladding safe?
• Valuation of the building is in dispute between Mr Aziz and the Council – determines how much Section 106 money will be given to the Council. Is being valued by independent valuers.
• Mr Aziz plans to pay Section 106 money AFTER the building is finished.
• Possibility that the building will be populated BEFORE the building is finished.
• New planning application is expected from Mr Aziz. Higher quality of building is now required to meet new environmental standards.

Safer Neighbourhoods – Ken and Dave, members of Safer Neighbourhoods Team

• Crime figures were distributed. Decrease of 8% in total notifiable offences in June across the Colliers Wood Ward.
• 14 out of 18 burglaries occurred where the Yale lock has been slipped.
• Plain clothes officers are patrolling the area.
• Concerns over 4 sexual assaults in the Cavendish/Malborough/Norfolk Road area. Occur around 4pm. Descriptions are similar - young teenager 12-14 years old, mediterranean/mixed race, short.
• Residents raised concerns about footbridge leading from Lyveden Road to Tooting. Drugs and dog mess. Response: area is patrolled 2-3 times per shift. Police have never caught anyone taking drugs on the bridge. Lights are fixed quickly if broken – better safety. Housing association has fixed the gates – no longer a cut-through. Drinking is sometimes a problem – offenders are asked to move on.
• Fly-tipping: police notify Council of fly tips. Residents have been caught and prosecuted.
• Advice: be aware – not wise to use mobiles etc while coming out of Tube; very high hedges discouraged

Community Gardening

• Report will be given at the next Parks and Open Spaces meeting.

Friends of Donald Hope Library

• Open Day on July 21^st. Exhibition 9.30am – 7pm. Includes a kids' party in the afternoon. Opportunity to display what the library does and for community input. The library needs more members and users to ensure it remains open.
• The library will be closed on Fridays (in addition to Wednesdays) from Friday 8^th July.

Youth and Play activities

• There is funding for tennis (Saturday mornings) and basketball (Saturday afternoons) in the park.
• Little League Football is on hold for 1 year – not meeting requirements to be a Little League.
• Proposal to resurrect Youth and Play group and aim to get Little League Football going again next year.

Community Newsletter

• Residents to contact Keith S if interested in contributing to or helping with the newsletter.

Information Sharing

• Abbeyfest is from Friday 8^th July to the end of August. Events are free but donations will be collected. Not certain that this event will run again next year due to funding cuts.

Date of next meeting

• September 6^th @ 7.30pm. Let Keith S know if anyone in particular should be invited.