Lewisham - September 2007

Hustings Sidcup

Borough Community Relations Group

Victoria Borwick, chairing Borough Community Relations Group

Annual Community Relations Forum
21st September 2006

Overview of the audience at the Council Chambers

(left to right) Chief Superintendent Dominic Clout, Borough Commander, Cllr Mrs Victoria Borwick and Cllr Warwick Lightfoot

CRS team, Cllr Mrs Victoria Borwick, the Leader of the Council, Cllr Merrick Cockell, The Mayor Cllr Tim Ahern and members of Hodan Somali Group.

Walking the streets with the Police

This morning I went out with the local police and was shown damage to Peugeot cars – thieves had gained access through the side doors. The police observed that small Peugeot cars come up more frequently on their lists – so beware – do not leave anything on view in your car that can attract theft. Has your car been vandalised recently?

There have been an increase in burglaries in this hot weather as we are leaving our windows open and making it easy for thieves to gain access to our homes.

We then continued our patrol to visit local shops and to talk to residents about the disturbance from late night street drinking, and how local shops are under threat from over vigilant traffic wardens!

Al Hasaniya Moroccan Women's Centre

Dr Dahbi Skali and I visited the Al Hasaniya Moroccan Women's Centre in Golborne Road – at the base of Trellick Tower – how that building was considered of sufficient architectural merit to be listed, is beyond me, it dominates the skyline and shades all surrounding areas. At the back of their office there is a small yard, but the Women's Centre cannot use it, as residents of Trellick tower drop things from the flats above.

However across the road from their office, next to Meanwhile Gardens, volunteers are creating a community garden for all to enjoy. This is being planted out to follow the theme of the Japanese Kyoto garden in Holland Park, but will be a Moroccan garden, with olives, bay trees, eucalyptus, and bamboo, There will be a water fountain and seating area, providing a safe oasis for families to sit and enjoy.

The Moroccan Women's centre provides advice and serves the Arabic community, and this year has focussed on integration, good citizenship and intergenerational work in addition to health awareness and reducing poverty and domestic violence.

Affordable Housing

In my view one of the serious problems for Londoners is finding somewhere to live that is safe and affordable and near transport links. I spent a long time last week, with one of my fellow Councillors Robert Freeman, talking to Dominion Housing Group, who were awarded “Affordable Housing Provider” of the year in 2005. They specialise in shared ownership schemes to help people who cannot afford to buy on the open market to get a food on the property ladder. These schemes enable people to have the opportunity of part buy/rent, and have been very successful for NHS workers and students near Charing Cross hospital and other London locations, including Hounslow, Newham, Harrow, Ealing, and Acton. Do you live in a Dominion Housing Group project and has it helped you?

Do you have a view on the housing crisis in London – we have ever increasing housing demand – but limited supply.