Minutes 13th November 2001

Present: Anne Orange (Chair), Michael Grimwood (Secretary, note taker), Helen O'Brien, Richard Moore, Gabrielle Garton Grimwood, Simon Berlyn, John MacDonald, Paul Tobin, Councillor Robert McConnell, Councillor John Whelan, Paul Burrell, Ronald Holder (WNCD), Jim Williams, Anthony Brown, Rod Brown, James Slattery-Kavanagh, John Chandler, Doreen Chandler, R Roots, Joe Ward, Councillor Tony Grayling, Luke Wickings, Jeff Avis, Bill Watling, Jane Pickard, Linda White
Apologies: Councillor Gray, Councillor Brodie, Councillor Clare Whelan, Pat Fisher, Jeremy Galloway, Gerry and Daphne Slaughter, Marvin Hanson, Jack Hancock, Bernie Bullbrook

2. Anne Orange explained that item 3 on the agenda would be taken before the Minutes of the previous meeting.

St Luke's Gardens
3. Anne Orange summarised the history of attempts to improve the gardens. Several years previously one of the then owners of Hollyhocks Café had initiated a group to try to improve the gardens. This had been subsumed into the Council's Gateway Project. The original vision had been lost and the Council scheme came to nothing when resources earmarked for one year, but unspent, could not be carried over to the next year. A meeting on 29/10/01 had attempted to revive the idea of improving the gardens. It had been decided to establish a Steering Group comprising 4 members of NAG and 4 from St Luke's church. The Steering Group, as it was not a council body, would be able to apply for lottery and other funding. In answer to a question from Linda White, Anne said plans from the previous attempts were available to be drawn on, but a completely fresh approach was also possible. Anne said that it would be crucial this time to make real progress.
4. Councillor Grayling said that he was very supportive of this initiative. Council officers were very supportive and details were available of what sources of funding had been tapped by other schemes. John MacDonald said that the council leader had told him that the Gateway project would not happen, that he supported the new initiative and that the council would offer support to help the Steering Group make progress. Gabrielle Garton Grimwood said that she had identified a contact at the University of Greenwich School of Landscape which might be able to help. Richard Moore said that although the undertaking might look daunting it should not. He said he was grateful for the comments by Tony Grayling and the council offer of support was important because time devoted to the project could be counted as a resource when seeking match funding. It should be noted that some listed structures were involved. Their presence meant the Council had a duty to help the Steering Group through the process. The project would also be crucial for the future of NAG.
5. Luke Wickings (St Luke's vicar) said that he felt very committed to the building and its grounds. He was determined to get to a position where the building was being maintained, not simply repaired. The gardens were a resource for the Community, also a memorial garden (which must be maintained) but, at present, rather sad. Improvement was important to offer something positive to the community and to improve the environment. Richard Moore asked if the church would consider taking back control of an area leased to the council - that might make funding more accessible. Further, while the land was leased by the Council there would always be concern about future maintenance. Anne Orange said that the previous design for the garden had been low maintenance. Luke could not answer Richard's question but he thought the land was owned by the Church Commissioners who could be approached.
6. Anne Orange led a discussion about membership of the proposed Steering Group suggesting that it should be kept small but able to co-opt expertise. Jane Pickard thought there should be flexibility about size if there were only a small number of interested volunteers. John MacDonald said Steering Group members would need to bring commitment to the project. John Chandler, though not a NAG member expressed interest in joining the Steering Group. Ronald Holder thought that keeping the Steering Group small might reduce its inclusiveness.
7. The NAG members interested in joining were Jim Williams, Jane Pickard, Richard Moore, Simon Berlyn, Pat Fisher and John MacDonald. Steering Group members for St Luke's church would be Luke Wickings, Anne Orange, Pam Tyrell and John Chandler, co-opted as a member of the community. The first meeting of the Steering Group would be on 12 December at 8 pm at St Luke's.

Minutes and Matters Arising from Previous Meeting
8. No amendments were proposed. The minutes were accepted. Anne Orange had written as agreed about the second hand Volvo trading on Auckland Hill and the problems it was causing. Rod Brown commented that the references at para 6 of the previous minutes to the East London Line and bus priority routes covered long established schemes and added that the cross-river transit scheme would end at Brixton. Richard Moore said that policing was an important issue so far as NAG's future strategy was concerned.

Gardens competition
9. Gabrielle Garton Grimwood said that the grant approved by the council was for £150 and would be paid once documentation had been returned to the Council. Anne Orange agreed to do this. James Slattery Kavanagh asked what was the position on prizes. Gabrielle said that thanks to John MacDonald three prizes had been promised and added that winners could be invited to the next NAG meeting in December for a presentation. If the Mayor was unavailable to present the prizes, alternative suggestions were the Deputy Mayor and the Deputy Lieutenant for the Borough.

Neighbourhood Renewal Update
10. This item had been carried over from the previous meeting. Jane Pickard explained that the Norwood Board had been part of the administrative machinery for distributing the first allocation of money from a Government grant for tackling deprivation. The process for 2000/01 had been quite rushed butprojects for next year could now be assessed. Jane encouraged NAG members to encourage community groups with which they were in contact to apply for grants. Jane added that the Board had established a Regeneration sub-group which would be conducting a survey of what people would like in the town centre. She hoped it would be the first of a series of surveys. Ronald Holder wondered if surveys carried out by community groups would be given the same weight as those by the Council (eg the one being conducted on youth). Jane said the Council's view was that professional survey's were needed, but she thought much could be achieved by a series of small surveys. Linda White said that the success of NAG's Thameslink survey proved the point. Richard Moore said well designed good quality surveys could have weight.
11. Joe Ward said the availability of regeneration funding was good news and asked if the Board made final decisions on allocation. Councillor Grayling said that for 2000/01 the final decision had been made by the Government Office for London on the Board's recommendation. In following years the local Strategic Partnership (of which all the Town Centre Board chairs were members) would decide. Richard Moore asked if the Council would indemnify the Partnership against legal challenge. legally. Councillor Grayling said that this was a central Government, not Council, initiative. Ronald Holder said that, as a member of the Partnership, he was seeking to get a mediation process built into to the decision making. He also asked if membership of the Norwood Board regeneration sub-group was open. Jane Pickard said people were being invited to become members.

Other Ideas for Funding
12. Michael Grimwood suggested that this should wait until there was a clear idea of the response to the invitation in the last minutes for members to prioritise issues. Gabrielle Garton Grimwood said that Ian Bolton, a council officer with whom she had dealt over the gardens competition grant, was enthusiastic about NAG seeking funding for other projects, but coherent plans were needed. Richard Moore said NAG should not depend on one source of funding. A "fundfinder" CD was available through the Council. Rod Brown repeated a previous suggestion that Beverley Burton be invited to come and talk to NAG about funding sources. Ronald Holder suggested Crystal Palace Community Forum might be a source of funding.
13. Anne Orange said it would be best to first decide what NAG's focus should be. Linda White suggested that boosting membership should be one priority and said that she had missed having the NAG newsletter. Jane Pickard agreed that a newsletter was needed but wondered what the financial position was. Gabrielle Garton Grimwood said that one of the conditions of the grant for the Gardens Competition was that the provision of a grant by the council should be mentioned in any publicity NAG produced. She suggested some of the grant might be used for a newsletter which could publicise the competition result and the Council's grant support. Richard Moore suggested issuing a press release about the St Luke's Gardens project, but it was agreed not to do so until the Steering Group had met.

Any Other Business
14. John MacDonald mentioned that Elmcourt school for the disabled needed a playground. A "race night" to raise money would be held at West Norwood Snooker Hall on 1st December from 8.00pm. Many businesses were involved and all would be welcome.
15. Richard Moore expressed concern about roadworks at Tulse Hill that were part of the bus priority scheme. He had been contacted by concerned businesses. He thought the matter should be raised with Transport for London and it was agreed that Rod Brown would write.
16. Bernie Bullbrook reported that the Knight's Hill sector working party had been re-established. He offered a warning about deception burglary - offences had been committed by people claiming to have called at houses to fix pipes or wiring. The most recent crime figures showed Thurlow Park and Knights Hill as the two wards with lowest figures. A crime prevention roadshow would be at Sainsbury's Streatham Common the following Thursday and Friday. He also mentioned the importance of recording the IME number of mobile phones. In response to a question from John MacDonald about the impact of CCTV, Bernie said he thought it had displaced crime a bit up the hill toward Crown Point. Ronald Holder asked if it was possible to find out more about how the CCTV was operating. Jane Pickard said it was possible to visit the control room - the board had.
17. Paul Tobin mentioned that he had a copy of a petition about a property in Carson Road from which Lambeth had previously evicted tenants but now planned to refurbish at substantial cost as a home for one family. The petition highlighted other potential uses of the resources. Simon Berlyn said the planning sub-committee of the Board had opposed the council plans. Councillor Grayling said he would investigate. Councillor Whelan said he thought the mater had been much considered by the council. Ronald Holder cautioned against jumping to conclusions about the proposal without knowing full details - for example the property might be being made suitable for a disabled tenant.
18. Linda White drew attention to the poor state of local roads and, in particular to the very poor quality of repairs. NAG should press the Board and the council to try to get this problem addressed. Jane Pickard said that the Board had reported a list of potholes to the council. Some had been repaired and the Board was pursuing the matter.
19. Councillor grayling mentioned that a further planning application had been received from the company Christopher St James for the site by the bus station. There would be a public meeting on 13 December - all previous objectors would be notified.
20. Richard Moore had recently attended a Borough wide police/community forum. The Borough Commander had expressed concern about the Met Police proposal for a new Resource Allocation Formula that might reduce the number of police posts in Lambeth. Richard suggested writing to the MPA representative for Lambeth and to the Mayor to ask about Lambeth's share of the extra 1,000 police officers the Mayor intended to fund. Richard and Ronald Holder said they were members of the Community Police Consultative Group. Linda White thought NAG should be represented on the group. Bernie Bullbrook said he would not wish to be associated with it. Ronald said he thought it a valuable Group.
21. Gabrielle Garton Grimwood said West Norwood's Christmas lights were to be switched on on 22 November.
22. Richard Moore said the Council were planning to replace 85% of the Borough's lamp posts - but the work would start at Waterloo and carry on southward, West Norwood would be last.