Links Estate Residents Association Link: August 2015

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

HELD ON TUESDAY 19 MAY 2015 AT 7 30 PM

AT ST ANDREW’S COMMUNITY HALL, BURNT ASH LANE

1. Welcome and introduction

Peter Skipp welcomed members to the meeting. He explained that he was standing in as Chair as Iliya Ingram who had been formally elected as Chair at last year’s AGM had had to resign when she moved away from the Links Estate. He extended a special welcome to the speakers - Bob Edwards (London Borough of Bromley (LBB) Street Environment Operations and Contract Manager), Sergeant Luke Entwistle of the North East Neighbourhood Policing Team and Rob Vale of Bromley Trading Standards; and to other guests - Councillors Peter Morgan (Portfolio holder for Renewal and Recreation) and Michael Turner, Reverend Liz Davis and Tony Isbitt (Chairman of the Community Advisory Panel).

Liz Davis welcomed members to the new Community Hall which had been formally opened on 10 May. The Hall was available for hire and she invited members to view the facilities that it offered.

2. Apologies for absence

Apologies had been received from:

Betty Donoghue

Anna Martin

John Martin

Cheryl Mulryne

3. Minutes of Annual General Meeting held on 30 April 2014

The minutes were approved.

4. Matters arising

Peter said that the double yellow lines at the junction of Leamington Avenue and Oak Tree Gardens that LERA had campaigned for had been installed. This had improved considerably the sight lines for drivers turning into and out of the Avenue.

5. Committee’s report

Peter outlined the Committee’s main activities and achievements during the past year. These

included maintaining our links with our Councillors on a variety of issues; developing constructive relations with the local police team on crime and safety matters and representing LERA’s interests on the Ward’s Community Advisory Panel; maintaining engagement with the Council’s officials and contractors on street cleaning issues and holding on-site meetings with them; and participating in the Tree Friends scheme which had been recently launched by the Council. Measures have been taken to improve communications with members through a new-style Newsletter, continued up-dating of LERA’s website (www.leralink.blogspot.com) and the introduction of a Facebook group (Links Estate Residents Association Facebook Group). The Committee also co-ordinated

awareness among residents of a planning application for the development of 8 houses in Oak Tree Gardens and submitted an objection on behalf of LERA. We understand that the latest position is that the application may attract refusal and the developers are considering their options.

The meeting accepted the report.

6. Treasurer’s report

Diane Bex presented the accounts for 2014/15, copies of which had been distributed at the meeting.

LERA’s finances remained in a healthy state with income over expenditure producing a surplus for the year of £379. The main income continued to be the membership subscription which had been held at £2.00. Expenditure covered the normal administrative expenses. The assets stood at £1,322 in the current account and £8,437 in the savings account.

The meeting approved the accounts.

Diane proposed that the membership subscription for 2015/16 should remain at £2.00. The meeting approved the proposal.

Diane proposed that LERA’s donation to the new Community Hall that had been agreed in principle by members at previous AGMs should be £2,500. This would be used to largely fund the costs of the new chairs that had been purchased. Members approved the donation. Peter and Liz Davis thanked the members for their support in helping to provide vital funding for this important local amenity.

7. Election of Officers

Chair

Peter nominated Stephen Hodges and invited him to say a few words to introduce himself.

Proposed by John Crutchlow; seconded by Malcolm Goodwin; and was unanimously elected.

Treasurer

Diane Bex – proposed by Michelle Pike; seconded by Margaret Hearn; and was unanimously re-elected.

Secretary

Pat Pattenden – proposed by Pam Lucken; seconded by Margaret Hearn; and was unanimously re-elected.

Committee members

The following were re-elected/elected:

Paul Bellinfantie (Oak Tree Gardens)

John Crutchlow (Ridgeway Drive and Treewall Gardens)

Sandro Gor (Lead on Street Cleaning issues)

Margaret Hearn (Leamington Close and Milverton Place)

Pam Lucken (Leamington Avenue)

Michelle Pike (Upper Portland Road)

Clive Robeson (Website Manager)

Peter Skipp (Community Advisory Panel representative)

Peter Smith (Briary Gardens).

All the above, with the exception of Sandro Gor, Clive Robeson and Peter Skipp, also serve as Street Representatives (roads are indicated in brackets).

Theresa McWhirter of Oak Tree Gardens is also invited to attend Committee meetings.

In addition, the following serve as Street Representatives:

Betty Donoghue (Broadlands Road)

Irene Lambell (Ridgeway Drive)

Jackie Taylor (Ridgeway Drive)

Laurel and Roy Wretham (New Street Hill).

8. Appointment of Auditor

The meeting approved the re-appointment of Steve Mace as Honorary Auditor. The meeting expressed their thanks for his continued support to LERA by a round of applause.

9. Community Services Update

· Street Cleaning

Sandro Gor said that LERA had continued to develop constructive relations with the Council and its contractors (Kier) and had regular meetings with them to find ways of improving the service and identifying efficiency savings which were particularly important in view of the significant pressures on LBB’s budget over the next 4 years. This had included the introduction of the litter picking service in New Street Hill and potential changes to the frequency of street cleaning and running a pilot in Oak Tree Gardens for residents to move their cars between certain times to enable the sweepers to clean the gutters. LERA had also organised a team of volunteers in early May to clear up the litter on the green space in New Street Hill. It was intended to make this activity a regular event.

Bob Edwards explained that he was now combining his operations role with responsibility for contract management for the Borough’s street cleaning and drainage services. The street cleaning contract was losing £800,000 annually and finding efficiency savings was a major challenge to enable it to be brought within budget.

LBB was keen to work with the community to encourage voluntary initiatives such as the non-parking of cars on cleaning days. It was hoped that this approach would be more effective as enforcing such measures involved obtaining a traffic order and more time was spent on putting up and removing signs which was not efficient. Blowers are used on 400 roads throughout the Borough to clear the gutters. A map showing the street cleaning schedule is published on LBB’s website.

The Borough’s drains are cleared every 2 years and those in 27 areas prone to flooding are cleared 3 times annually. In response to a member’s question about the need for extra drains in Ridgeway Drive, Bob explained that the roads were not designed to cope with the flooding that occurs and the increased paving over of driveways and front gardens for off street parking was exacerbating the problem. LBB was developing a computer programme mapping the Borough’s 3,500 roads which would assist in prioritising where leaf clearance was needed. Members were asked to liaise with Sandro about individual cases so these could be taken up with LBB.

Peter thanked Bob for his contribution and members expressed their appreciation with a round of applause.

· Safer Neighbourhood and policing

Sergeant Entwistle introduced PC Amy Barnes and PCSO Peter Scott (Dedicated Ward Officers) who accompanied him to the meeting. He explained the structure of the local police team which formed part of the North East Neighbourhood cluster covering Chislehurst, Mottingham, Bickley, Bromley Town, and Plaistow and Sundridge. The team has 6 officers and is one of 5 teams in the Bromley which work on a shift basis.

Across London, Bromley is the safest borough and within Bromley, Plaistow and Sundridge and Bickley are the safest Wards with the lowest crime rates.

Funding is a major challenge for the Met particularly as further budget cuts are planned and the Borough Commander is constantly looking to review where efficiencies can be made.

The team work closely with the Community Advisory Panel to enable them to focus on the Ward’s policing ‘promises’ and the areas requiring priority action. The current focus is burglary. The team are dependent on receiving information from the community and being alerted to crimes and potential crimes, and members were encouraged to report any incidents where police action may be required. The Links Estate had experienced some problems with anti-social behaviour involving speeding motor bikes and mopeds which the police were now able to tackle with officers on off-street bikes.

Sergeant Entwistle then responded to members’ questions relating to driving schools’ use of the junction of New Street Hill and Oak Tree Gardens for learner drivers to practise turning on corners, and speeding vehicles in Burnt Ash Lane.

Tony Isbitt explained that the Community Advisory Panel provides a focus for discussion about the wellbeing of the Ward and agreeing with the police the issues that need to be addressed. The Panel is also proactive in getting LBB to implement improvements to safety and other issues such as the installation of measures to prevent cars parking on the forecourt of Sundridge Parade.

Peter thanked Sergeant Entwistle and Tony for their contributions and members expressed their appreciation with a round of applause.

10. Presentation on Trading Standards

Rob Vale explained that there was an increasing problem with frauds and scams which were mainly operated by organised criminal gangs. These targeted the most vulnerable members of society including the elderly and can emanate from telephone or doorstep calls, or via computers or letters. The Bromley Trading Standards team operate a rapid response service which once alerted, enables them to intervene in cases and prevent or minimise criminal activity. An example was a case reported by a neighbour where an elderly gentleman had paid out £17,000 to a rogue trader for building work on his house and was being persuaded that further (unnecessary) work was needed.

Rob urged members to report to Trading Standards any suspicious callers or other potential incidents of frauds and scams. More information was contained in leaflets and stickers that were available at the meeting.

Peter thanked Rob for his presentation and members expressed their appreciation with a round of applause.

11. Any other business

· Library services

Peter Morgan explained that the Council was having to cope with severe pressures on its budget. £50 million cuts had already been made and a further £50 million savings had to be found. In order to maintain certain services, the Council was looking to voluntary support being provided by the community. One of these services was the local libraries, including the Burnt Ash library, where the staff were no longer affordable. The Council was therefore seeking for community groups to run the libraries. He encouraged LERA members to become involved.

Peter Skipp closed the meeting by thanking the speakers and the members for their attendance. Members expressed their appreciation of his chairing the meeting with a round of applause.

The meeting formally closed at 9 15 pm.

Following the meeting, LERA members and the guests mingled informally and enjoyed refreshments.

69 members and guests attended.

The meeting of the plans sub-committee of Bromley Council on 30th July resolved to contest the appeal by the developers. The recommendation was as follows:-

RECOMMENDATION: RESOLVE TO CONTEST APPEAL

Grounds for contesting the Appeal are as follows:

1 The proposal by reason of its layout, bulk and siting in relation to neighbouring residential dwellings constitutes an unsatisfactory and cramped form of backland development, seriously detrimental to the residential amenities which the occupiers of neighbouring properties might reasonable expect to continue to enjoy, thereby contrary to Policies BE1 and H7 of the Unitary Development Plan, Policies 3.5 and 7.4 of the London Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

2 The proposal, by reason of its bulk, layout and siting, would constitute an unsatisfactory form of backland development, out of character with the pattern of development, quality and distinctiveness of the surrounding area, thereby detrimental to the visual amenities of the area and contrary to Policies BE1 and H7 of the Unitary Development Plan, Policies 3.5 and 7.4 of the London Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

The full documents can be viewed at the following link:- full document from Bromley Council

The appeal will now go forward to the Planning Inspector as detailed in our previous posting of the 24th July. Click the link to see all of that post which also says:-

If you have provided comments on the application to Bromley Council, these will be sent to the Planning Inspector. If you wish to make further comments, you must do this by TUESDAY 4 AUGUST by sending 3 copies to The Inspector, c/o The Planning Inspectorate, Room 319, Eagle Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN or online at www.planningportal.gov.uk/appeal quoting reference APP/G5180/W/15/3049339.

Links Estate Residents Association Link

Sunday, 16 August 2015

Ringway Centre Fun day 31st August 2015

Saturday, 8 August 2015

Minutes of the LERA AGM 19 May 2015

Monday, 3 August 2015

Minutes of the LERA AGM 19th May 2015

URGENT - REQUEST FROM BROMLEY TRADING STANDARDS

Saturday, 1 August 2015

APPEAL RE-DEVELOPMENT OF 87-93 OAK TREE GARDENS