Successful opening of new Rhodesia Road play area and sports court - Saturday 27th June 2009

The brand new playground and ball court on Rhodesia Road in Stockwell - which residents and Larkhall councillors have been campaigning for over a period of several years - was officially opened by the Mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Christopher Wellbelove, on Saturday 27 June 2009.

As he cut a special cake and declared the new recreation area open, Mayor Wellbelove said: "Today we have evidence that with perseverance and hard work you can achieve something you can all be proud of.”

The recreation area had originally been earmarked for housing by local housing association Hyde Southbank Homes, but local residents, led by Joyce Hopper, Chair of the Grantham Residents’ Association, and helped by local Labour councillor Pete Robbins, campaigned to retain it as an open space families could use for recreation. HSH finally bowed to local pressure and stumped up more than £180,000 investment for the new ball park and playground.

Joyce Hopper said: "It’s been hard work, but we stuck together and now the whole community will benefit. I’d like to thank past and present members of the Residents’ Association and the Rhodesia Road Action Group for their commitment to this project.”

Local business, Freemans (mail order), has donated £3,500 to the Residents’ Association which will be used for a climbing frame and picnic table, and Larkhall Labour councillors spent £2000 of their ward purse on providing a new community noticeboard.

Councillor Peter Robbins said: “It’s a fantastic resource for the whole community. I am delighted to have helped win the ufnind necessary to provide this brilliant play area and games area - it's great to see so many young kids using it already.”

The rest of the afternoon was enjoyed by residents and staff alike with a football match, children’s entertainers, face painting, stalls, children’s games with prizes and free ice-cream and goodie bags.

Special discount for local residents at Lock and Leave, Wandsworth Road

If you need more space at home or work, local storage company Lock and Leave is the place to go - becasue they are offering a special discount to readers of We Love Larkhall.

Located just off the Wandsworth Road, they have 700 storage rooms in 40 different sizes. You don’t have to pay VAT, there is no minimum stay and you can move in today.


Just print out this coupon and take it to Lock and Leave:

(Please note this is not an advertisement - just an offer for local residents)

Stockwell Neighbourhood Forum - Thursday 2nd July

Stockwell Neighbourhood Forum - an event hosted by the Stockwell Partnership and funded by Lambeth Council.

Date: Thursday 2nd July, from 7pm

Venue: Springfield Methodist Church, 200 Wandsworth Road, London, SW8 2JU

Main topic: Regeneration of Vauxhall/Nine Elms and how it affects Stockwell

Contribute Your Ideas and Views!

The Current London Plan identifies Vauxhall/Nine Elms as an Opportunity Area for creating new homes and employment. Along with Stockwell being identified as an area for regeneration in the same plan this will lead to many changes to our physical and social environment over the next 15-20 years. All of which will impact positively and negatively on existing communities and businesses.

Key developments include: -

Redevelopment of Nine Elms Market site
Development of tall buildings
New American Embassy
Potential for regeneration of public realm in Vauxhall/Nine Elms and Stockwell

The London Plan is current being reviewed by Mayor Boris Johnson. The Stockwell Neighbourhood Forum has an opportunity to contribute our views to this review and also feed into Lambeth’s new planning framework for our area.

8.30 pm: Exchange news and views and about Stockwell issues and events

9.00pm: Councillors’ question time when local Councillors from Larkhall and Stockwell answer any questions from the floor.

This is an open meeting and everyone is welcome, the venue is fully accessible.

Nearest station is Vauxhall, buses 77, 87, 196 and free refreshments will be provided.

www.stockwell.org.uk

'Understanding Hinduism' course offered by Clapham and Stockwell Faith Forum

The Clapham and Stockwell Faith Forum are offering a Six Week Summer Course in Understanding Hinduism with Priest Shymal Mukherjee

Following the success of CSFF's Understanding Islam and Understanding Christianity Courses, and due to popular request, this is an opportunity to learn about one of the world’s most ancient religions, the birthing-place of Buddhism, the tradition of the guru-and-disciple and the ‘eastern spirituality’ that influences so much of the modern mind.

Tuesdays, 7th July – 11th August, 7pm – 8.30pm

(Venue to be confirmed)

CSFF Board Member Dr Smarajit Roy recommends Mr Mukherjee’s ability to inspire a deeper understanding of Hinduism to people of different faiths. He is a renowned Hindu Priest who presents at Hindu religious festivals throughout the UK. During the last fifteen years he has performed many interfaith marriage ceremonies and so has a broad understanding of other religions and the place of Hinduism in a multi-faith society.

The cost per person for the whole six weeks is £12 – or £2 a session

Please email info@csff.co.uk or call 07958 353 652 to book a place.

'Young People Matter' summer activities: 27th July to 28th August

A message from Young People Matter about their Summer Camp 2009:

Dear all,

As the school term comes to an end for the summer holidays we would like to introduce you to our summer project for children (5-13 year olds) called Fun and Physical and our project for the youth called Summer Mayhem 2009. This project promises to even more enjoyable than last year and will run from Monday 27th July to Friday 28th August concluding with our annual community event.

We have various activities and trips planned for the children and young people to take part in during the summer including sports, arts and crafts, cooking, singing, acting and dance workshops, paint balling a trip to Thorpe Park and much more.

The project for the children will be based at Stockwell primary school which will also be the meeting point for the young people and all the on-site activities for the children will be held there. Spaces for both projects are very limited and places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

Registration for the project will be held on the 20th of July between 1pm-4pm at Stockwell Primary School.

During this time parents will be able to come and sign up their children on the programme and either pay for the duration of the entire project or pay in installments. There are also opportunities for some young people to work as volunteers with some of the younger children to gain experience. The young people will need to be 18 years and over if they wish to volunteer and will receive expenses for travel and food. This is a great opportunity for them to lrearn new skills and have something productive to put on their CV.

If you are interested in your child attending all or some of our summer projects or you know someone who may be interested let us know as soon as possible so we can assign a place for them. Application forms can be obtained from our office or sent out on request. If you have any enquiries please don’t hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to working with your child this summer.

Young People Matter

The Business! free training for BME women

Always wanted to be your own boss? Got a creative great idea you want to get off the ground that you think will earn you money? Need the inspiration, motivation and practical skills to take the first step? Then this programme is for you - it’s the Business!

The Business! is free for women aged 20+ who are economically inactive and are interested in setting up their own creative businesses or social enterprises. Training will be tailored to suit your own individual needs and you could get support with travel and childcare.

During the programme you’ll receive:

Ÿ One to one information advice and guidance sessions
Ÿ Individual Action Plan
Ÿ 6 weeks personal development and wealth creation training
Ÿ Employment support including work experience opportunities
Ÿ Business start up support
Ÿ Business networking
Ÿ Mentoring

Women from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds living in Wandsworth, Lambeth, Merton and Sutton are eligible.

The Business! has start dates in April, July, October and January. To find out more and book an interview contact: Lorraine on 020 7720 7879 or email mailto:lucy@ukurbanvoice.com

Mayor of Lambeth Officially Opens Larkhall Childrens Centre

Mayor of Lambeth Cllr Christopher Wellbelove attended the official opening of Larkhall Childrens Centre recently, accompanied by Larkhall ward councillor Tina Valcarcel.

Sure Start Children’s Centres have transformed the services on offer for children and families in our area. Before the Labour government was elected there were no Children’s Centres but there are now 27 across Lambeth offering free childcare for three and four year olds.

Labour councillor Tina Valcarcel said: "Parents in Stockwell and North Clapham regularly tell me how much they value their local Sure Start centre and the real help they offer with childcare, healthcare and other services for their children. This new building will be a fantastic resource for them. I want to thank all the Sure Start staff and volunteers who have helped to make the centre such a success.

She continued: “Unfortunately the Tories are planning to cut the Sure Start budget by £200 million per year. This is the equivalent of one in five Children’s Centres – 6 of the 27 centres in our area – having to close their doors, just at the time when local families need them most.”

Changes to the one-way system in Pensbury Place and Pensbury Street

CHANGES TO THE ONE-WAY SYSTEM IN PENSBURY PLACE AND PENSBURY STREET

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth on 11th June 2009, made the Lambeth (Prescribed Route) (No. 4) Traffic Order 2009 under sections 6 and 124 of and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The Order will come into force on 25th June 2009.

2. The general effect of the Order will be to reverse the direction of the existing one-way system in Pensbury Place, Pensbury Street and the unnamed road linking Pensbury Place with Pensbury Street.

3. The changes to the one-way system are intended to improve road safety at the junction of Pensbury Street and Wandsworth Road by reducing vehicular conflict between buses standing in Wandsworth Road and vehicles emerging from Pensbury Street.

4. If you have any enquiries about this matter, please contact Lambeth Borough Council's Transport and Highways Group on 020 7926 2233.

15th June 2009

Tim Jackson
Assistant Director – Street Management

New street dance classes for young people in Stockwell

The Sports Action Zone have just set up two new STREET DANCE classes at Stockwell YMCA, 40 Stockwell Road on Friday evenings.

Boys and girls 8 -12 years: Fridays 5 -6pm

Girls only 13+ : Fridays 6 -7pm

They are free and there is no need to book - you can just turn up!

Stockwell Park High School - first phase of new building complete

Members of the community, local Labour councillors and the parents and families of pupils recently celebrated the completion of the first phase of the rebuilding of Stockwell Park High School. The new building was made possible thanks to the Labour run council and with funding from the Labour government's Building Schools for the Future programme.

The building, which cost £28 million, was the first BSF building to receive an excellent rating by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.

Stockwell Park High School was recently rated as an ‘outstanding’ school by Ofsted and is also a specialist Business and Enterprise College and Training School.

More details here:
http://www.24dash.com/news/Local_Government/2009-05-06-Lambeth-Council-celebrates-major-milestone-in-the-rebuilding-of-Stockwell-Park-High-School

Larkhall Ward Safer Neighbourhoods Panel meeting - Wednesday 17th June 2009

The next meeting of the Larkhall Ward Safer Neighbourhoods Panel will take place on Wednesday 17th June at 7pm in St Johns Church, Clapham Road SW4.

The Safer Neighbourhoods Panel, which consists of local Larkhall resident representatives, meets every three months to discuss local policing issues and to decide what priorities the local Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team are to follow for the next quarter of the year.

The Chair of the Panel, Toby Riley-Smith, is very keen to involve as many local people as possible, and is encouraging new residents to attend.

The Larkhall Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team are all based at the Clapham Police Station in Union Grove and spend all of their time tackling issues in Larkhall ward. The officer in charge of the Team is Sergeant Graham Williamson.

The Team is a permanent fixture in Larkhall, not a 'quick fix' brought in to respond to local changes in crime and disorder. They have been working in Larkhall ward since 2006. The Team’s priorities are decided by the ward’s Safer Neighbourhoods Panel, who put forward their three top local priorities for local officers to tackle.

The picture above shows the Larkhall councillors on an estate walkabout with PCSO's from the Larkhall Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

Labour Wins Rent Cut For Lambeth tenants

Good news for Larkhall council housing tenants - it has been confirmed that council rents in Lambeth will be reduced by 3.1%,backdated from the beginning of April 2009. The Government has agreed to change the rules so the council will benefit from a national subsidy scheme that the council was originally excluded from. This good news follows months of intensive lobbying by Lambeth Labour councillors and the three Labour MPs for Lambeth - Kate Hoey, Keith Hill and Tessa Jowell.

Council leader Cllr Steve Reed went to see Housing Minister Margaret Beckett a few weeks ago. He explained that Lambeth’s rents had just gone up 17% to balance the books after the Lib Dems left a monstrous financial legacy with management costs 50% above the London average, £3m lost in fraud, an £8m overspend and £11m Government subsidy that they failed to claim. This would have been more than enough to cancel out the entire rent increase.

Labour has reined in the Lib Dem overspends and cut costs down to the London average, but the Lib Dems’ financial black hole was so enormous it has still resulted in this huge rent rise just to balance the books, costing the average tenant an extra £12 a week.

Cllr Reed asked the Minister why Lambeth’s tenants should be left to pay the price for Lib Dem failure. She agreed to step in and help. As a result, £2.12 a week will be shaved off the rents, but this is only the start. The rent rise is still higher than we want to see, so we will continue to push hard alongside tenants for more action to reduce rents further.

Council rents in Lambeth will go down by 3.1% thanks to successful Labour lobbying - but there's still more to go!