Last Wednesday, I attended a political briefing led by my colleague Councillor Rachel Heywood, who leads on Community Safety, to discuss the Council's approach to violent crime, especially youth crime. This followed a meeting the week before of a newly established Lambeth 'Community Leaders Forum' made up of community and faith leaders who will work together to agree common actions.
On Thursday, I met with senior council officers from the Regeneration Team to discuss the idea of a new 'area plan' for the wider Acre Lane area. This is to help the local community shape planning policy and influence future local planning decisions.
On Friday morning, having requested a meeting with residents, council officers and representatives of Sainsbury's at their mini store on Clapham High Street, I demanded that Sainsbury’s stops storing its trolleys outside residential areas on Aristotle Road. Officers will need to reach a formal agreement with Sainsbury's, but I feel that these corporate entities can be very arrogant in believing they can do what they like and it is a shame that I had to get involved before Sainsbury’s would listen to local residents’ complaints.
I spent Saturday morning campaigning in Streatham on the issue of shortage of primary school places and the failure of the Coalition Government to give Lambeth sufficient capital funding to urgently expand our schools.
On Monday evening I attended a site visit at the old Fulham Timber Yard on Acre Lane with Genesis Housing Association and local residents. Genesis have had a year to consult the 50+ households who are directly affected and surround this site in Plato Road, Ashmere Grove and Linom Road. Genesis propose to developed 60 homes for social housing, but they have not treated existing residents interests who have a common 'boundary wall' with anything like the respect they deserve. The issue goes to Planning Committee on the 16th of August.
Riots
The biggest news story in recent days concerns the riots and disturbances which started in Tottenham on Saturday night and spread across London, including Brixton over the following two nights. Lambeth's emergency planning procedures are well rehearsed and were quickly put into action as rioting took hold in Brixton on Sunday night. On Monday, accompanied by much media attention, Lambeth Council Leader Steve Reed and the Chief Executive as well as many community leaders met in the Town Hall to discuss what had happened. The reaction of those present was a firm, united belief that community relations in Lambeth are strong and can withstand this attack on our local community.
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| Local residents showing it is 'business as usual' in Brixton. |
I have been on several walkabouts in central Brixton over the last few days and know that the local residents I meet on the street or communicate with via emails and phone calls are very concerned for their safety and are looking for assurances from the Council and police that they will be safe. However, they are also very clear that Brixton is a lovely place to live and that they want everyone to pull together to help Brixton recover quickly. Local businesses have mostly reacted with a desire to return to 'business as usual' as quickly as possible. As soon as the police removed the barriers from the cordoned off area in Brixton 5.30pm on Monday evening, Lambeth Street cleaning services quickly cleared away broken glass and rubbish and bus and traffic returned to normal.
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| The burned out 'Foot Locker' store in Brixton |
However, the images of the burned out 'Foot Locker' Store, smashed or broken shop windows and boarded up shops are a stark reminder of how easy it is to destroy what we take for granted as our local Brixton Town Centre.
Councillor Paul McGlone
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