New library opens in Ferndale ward!

The first new library in Lambeth for over forty years was official opened on Friday 20^th July 2012 in Ferndale ward.  The new Clapham Library is in the renamed Mary Seacole House, built on the site of the old Lambeth Council social services building, at 91 Clapham High Street, SW4 7DB. 

The library was opened by Councillor Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council, local author and broadcaster John O’Farrell.

From left: Lambeth Council leader Steve Reed,
John O'Farrell and  Ferndale councillor Sally Prentice

Your local Ferndale ward councillors Paul McGlone, Sally Prentice and Neil Sabharwal celebrated this achievement along with a large gathering of local guests.

This event was an opportunity to celebrate Labour’s commitment to Lambeth’s library service, providing local residents with an innovative new library which is modern, light and airy, with over 20,000 books, café space, performance space, free wi-fi and internet access.  It features a distinctive spiral design that draws inspiration from Manhattan’s famous Guggenheim Museum.

Designed by world famous London based architects Studio Egret West, the library is part of an innovative public private partnership between the council, primary care trust(PCT), Cathedral Group and United House Group to rebuild Mary Seacole House, making it home to not only Clapham Library but a medical centre and 136 residential flats as well. 

Vauxhall councillors at the opening of the Clapham Library

Ferndale ward councillors outside the Clapham Library

Future Brixton - find out more and have your say

Brixton tube station
by Richard George

What is 'Future Brixton'?

The Future Brixton programme is a 15-20 year regeneration programme that started with the Future Brixton Masterplan, approved by Lambeth in 2009.  

It aims to pool the council’s assets, along with the energy and enterprise of local people, to get the best deal for Brixton and lead to a number of transformational projects to improve the fabric of the town centre and the lives of residents and businesses – such as better homes, employment, training, leisure facilities and public realm improvements.

How can I give my views about the Future Brixton plans?

In the next couple of weeks there will be a number of opportunities to feed into the drafting of the Brixton supplementary planning document (SPD).  

Pop-up market stalls will be set up in Brixton town centre on the following dates so that you can find out more and have your say:

• Thursday 19 July – Tunstall Road, 2pm - 8pm  
• Saturday 21 July – Windrush Square, 11am - 3pm
• Tuesday 24 July – Electric Avenue, 12 noon - 4pm.

What next for Future Brixton?

The next stage of the process will take place in September 2012 where there will be public workshops to discuss the Brixton SPD in much more detail. A statutory consultation phase is scheduled for early 2013

For more infomation

Website - www.lambeth.gov.uk/futurebritxon

Telephone - 0800 052 633

Email - futurebrixton@lambeth.gov.uk

Stockwell Park 'Fun Day' - Saturday, 14th July 2012

Community Trust Housing, landlords of Stockwell Park and Robsart Estates, held their annual residents 'Fun Day' in Slade Gardens, Robsart Street, SW9 on Saturday 14th July 2012. Despite the erratic weather and rain, a large number of residents enjoyed themselves with a variety of activities from football matches, circus rides and clowns, information stalls and lots of delicious food!  Community Trust Housing used the day to consult residents on their plans for the next phase of the regeneration of the estates, including demolishing and rebuilding a taller Wayland House. 

Local Ferndale Councillors Paul McGlone, Sally Prentice and Neil Sabharwal had a "Meet your local Labour Councillors" stall. We were joined by fellow Labour Councillor Adrian Garden, as Slade Gardens is just inside Vassell ward which he represents. This allowed us to meet and talk with local residents about the regeneration plans, carry out a survey on residents views on local leisure facilities provided in Brixton, and pick up individual problems that we will help them with.

The cake Sally made as a prize for filling in our leisure questionnaire was won by a local resident who donated it to the Community Trust Housing staff for their Monday morning tea break!

Councillor Paul McGlone commented, "The rain did not dampen the fun people had! These events are important to generate community cohesion and I know we councillors enjoyed the day immensely."