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Greenwich Council Meeting: 24th March 2010

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Last Wednesday night’s council meeting was the last full meeting before elections take place in May.

The current Leader of the Council, Chris Roberts, was not in attendance although former Council Leader and current London Assembly member for Greenwich & Lewisham, Len Duvall, was seated in the Public Gallery.

Tributes

The session began on a sombre note as tributes were paid to former Councillor, John Antcliffe, whose death Greenwich.co.uk reported on last week. Councillors from all parties paid tribute to him before a one minute silence was held in his memory.

Tributes were also paid to Councillors who are standing down at this election, with the fondest words of all probably reserved for Councillor Peter King (Con, Eltham South) who has served on the Council since 1978 and has the distinction of being the only Councillor to ever represent the now-abolished Palace ward.

Pedestrianisation

Deputy Leader of the Council, Peter Brooks (Lab, Thamesmead Moorings), was asked by Councillor Paul Webbewood  (Lib Dem, Middle Park & Sutcliffe) for an update on the town centre pedestrianisation proposals.

Cllr Brooks told the meeting that the Council is “a way off” from having a finalised scheme, and that it would most likely be a “hybrid” of the options floated in the recent consultation.

Allowances

Councillors voted to accept a freeze in their member allowances for 2010/11. The basic member allowance for Greenwich Councillors next year will continue to be £10,210.

The Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the Council Leader (£52,458) was criticised by Cllr Paul Webbewood, who said Greenwich was a “below average borough in performance” but was “above average in what we pay our leader”.

This raised the hackles of Councillor Peter King (Conservative, Eltham South) who said it was an “appalling suggestion” that the Council Leader should be paid less. “A Council Leader does a lot more than an MP”, he added.

There was howls of laughter in the chamber when Conservative group leader, Spencer Drury (Conservative, Eltham North) noted that the SRA for the leader of the second largest minority party meant that the leader of the two-man Liberal Democrat group, Councillor Brian Woodcraft (Lib Dem, Middle Park & Sutcliffe), who wasn’t present, is “paid £5,000 to lead Councillor Webbewood”.

Designated Public Place Order

Councillors voted through an urgent extension to anti social drinking controls in the borough. Designated Public Place Orders (DPPO) are already in place for Greenwich and Woolwich town centres but this will now be extended to cover the whole of the London Borough of Greenwich.

give Police and accredited community officers the power to stop people from drinking in public spaces, confiscate alcohol and issue fines to non-compliant drinkers.

This was brought before the Council as an urgent item in advance of this summer’s World Cup.

Reaction to Greenwich Park planning decision

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On Tuesday night, after a marathon session of the Planning Board, consent was given – with conditions attached – for London 2012 to use Greenwich Park as a venue for the Equestrian events and Modern Pentathlon.

Cllr Chris Roberts, Leader of Greenwich Council, said:

“This decision means we can concentrate on working with LOCOG, Royal Parks and other key stakeholders to deliver a spectacular event in 2012.

“The planning application was subject to extensive consultation and generated a large number of responses. All this feedback has been carefully considered, and a number of planning conditions have been applied to address the issues that were raised.

“We will work closely with LOCOG to ensure these conditions are met and that we safeguard the Park and surrounding area to preserve its unique and special character.”

Councillor Nigel Fletcher, Greenwich Conservatives’ Spokesman for Culture and Olympics, commented:

“Whatever your view of the plans, it was right that the views of residents were properly heard by Lord Coe and his team, and by the Council. I want to see that public engagement continuing now that the application has been approved, including as many residents as possible. After last night there can be no doubt how much people love the Park. We will continue doing everything we can to ensure there is no damage to it as a result of LOCOG’s plans, and to ensure the Games are good for Greenwich.”

Green Party council candidate for the Peninsula Ward, Darryl Chamberlain, welcomed the formation of an advisory group to oversee the implementation and restoration but added:

“It also needs to meet in public and involve local people as much as possible.

“One suggestion was that amenity groups such as the Greenwich Society should have a role – that’s fine, but other locals should be involved too. People should not have to pay membership fees to have a say in what goes on in their neighbourhoods.”

NOGOE (No to Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events), who had fought a long and high profile campaign against the proposal, said in a statement on their website:

NOGOE is disappointed because Greenwich Park itself is the loser. This is a bad day for the protection of the nation’s heritage, which will inevitably be damaged despite mitigating measures. We’ve heard what LOCOG have SAID, now let’s see what they DO. There are 42 planning conditions which must be satisfied before these events can take place, and NOGOE will be monitoring their every move.

Squeeze honoured with Greenwich plaque

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Squeeze Plaque unveiling

Squeeze went back to their Greenwich roots on Tuesday when a plaque was unveiled at the Borough Halls, the venue for one of their first concerts.

Founding duo Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook joined the rest of the band in Royal Hill, at what is now the base of the Greenwich Dance Agency.

The fledgling band played there in 1975, ahead of a career which has saw them score worldwide fame with hits such as Up The Junction, Cool For Cats and Take Me I’m Yours.

It is the fourth plaque to be erected by rights body PRS For Music at the sites of major bands’ early gigs. The first – marking a Dire Straits show in Deptford’s Crossfields Estate – was unveiled last year.

Tilbrook, who still lives in Charlton, told greenwich.co.uk how the band cut its teeth in venues around Greenwich and Deptford.

“Our first gig was at the Northover – between Catford and Downham – which is long gone.

“We used to play at Hardys Free House every week. We’d also play the Deptford Arms, the Bell – in Greenwich around the back of the church – all places were we could get residencies when we were coming up.

“After we left the Deptford Arms, that’s when we started touring and stopped doing the local things so much, and then you get propelled into a different world, that it doesn’t seem possible to come back from. Now we’re in a world where we play big places and small places and I like that – lots of mixing and matching.”

Tilbrook recently played a residency at the Anchor and Hope pub in Charlton with his other band, The Fluffers – “more anarchic and free-spirited” than his main band. He said we wanted to help new acts get the same opportunities Squeeze did.

“I’ve always stayed in this area and I love this area – I don’t think I’ll ever leave. But I’ve seen it change, and it’s now harder for bands to get started. I’m trying to get something going at the Anchor and Hope.”

Squeeze will be playing the Isle of Wight Festival in June, with a UK tour at the end of the year which will include a date at the O2’s Indigo venue on 9 December.

“I’m not interested in doing anything other than stuff that’s really fun and good – Squeeze is back to being that, and that’s such a good place for it to be,” he said.

Greenwich Council approves London 2012 Greenwich park planning application

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Greenwich Council’s planning board has backed proposals to hold Olympic equestrian events in Greenwich Park in summer 2012, together with test events in 2011.

The 12-member board voted 10-2 to back the proposal after a four-and-three-quarter-hour long meeting at Woolwich Town Hall.

Conservative councillors Geoffrey Brighty (Blackheath Westcombe) and Dermot Poston (Eltham North) objected to the scheme, however their party colleague Peter King (Eltham South) voted for organising body LOCOG’s application.

The other members backed approval of the scheme with a string of conditions attached, which include the setting up of an advisory body – including bodies such as English Heritage and Natural England – to oversee works in the park and Blackheath’s Circus Field.

Councillors also told LOCOG to seek approval from Greenwich Council for individual elements of planned construction work, together with crowd management proposals.

The board’s formal backing now paves the way for a temporary stadium to be built in front of the Queen’s House during 2012, the creation of a cross-country course through the park, and the use of the Circus Field as an operational compound.

LOCOG chairman Lord Coe told councillors that Greenwich Park had “a special place in the hearts of many”, describing it as “the beating heart of a diverse community – just ask the thousands of marathon starters who gather there each year”.

“Tonight, we ask you to trust us,” he said, claiming the Olympics would enable “a young urban audience to witness Olympic and Paralympic equestrianism first hand”.

But opposition body NOGOE claimed LOCOG’s proposals were not detailed enough, and risked damaging the park’s ecology and archaeology. There was also criticism that local roads, particularly the Blackwall Tunnel – would not cope with the demands of an Olympic Games.

NOGOE supporter Sue McNeil told the meeting: “We’re not anti-Olympics – we’re pleased Greenwich is a host borough, but using suitable arenas like the Dome.

“Greenwich Park should be the official ‘chill-out zone’ during the Olympics – otherwise we will lose tourists when construction starts.

“We could rent out our houses for a small fortune when the Games are on – but we value Greenwich more than that.”

In opposing the application, Cllr Poston said the park would be an “amazing theatre” for those watching on television.

“But they are not the ones who use the park,” he said. “I have to consider that this is a conservation area – and I’m afraid I’m not convinced that this will enhance or preserve a conservation area.”

Cllr Brighty spoke of the numbers who use the park each weekend, adding “four weeks [of closure] at the height of summer is too much”.

But members who backed the proposal sought to pacify opponents. Labour councillor Clive Mardner (Abbey Wood) said he hoped NOGOE members had “added strength” to scrutiny of the proposals, and said he hoped they would continue as construction got under way.

Denise Hyland (Labour, Shooters Hill) said: “My fears have been completely allayed tonight by what I’ve heard. Passion for the park isn’t just felt by those against the proposal.”

Members who voted for the proposal: Ray Walker (vice-chair, Labour, Eltham West), Peter Brooks (Labour, Thamesmead Moorings), Denise Hyland (Labour, Shooters Hill), Sajid Jawaid (Labour, Plumstead), Peter Kotz (Labour, Thamesmead Moorings), Clive Mardner (Labour, Abbey Wood), Steve Offord (Labour, Abbey Wood), John Wakefield (Labour, Glyndon), Peter King (Conservative, Eltham South), Paul Webbewood (Lib Dem, Middle Park & Sutcliffe).

Members who voted against: Geoffrey Brighty (Conservative, Blackheath Westcombe), Dermot Poston (Conservative, Eltham North).

Former Greenwich Councillor John Antcliffe has died

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Former Greenwich Councillor John Antcliffe has died at the age of 48.

As well as serving on Greenwich Council for the Blackheath ward, Mr Antcliffe was the Conservative candidate in the 1987 by-election for the Greenwich constituency. The by-election, prompted by the death of Labour MP Guy Barnett, was won by SDP candidate, Rosie Barnes.

Mr Antcliffe stood again in the General Election that followed later that year.

More information available from the ConservativeHome website.

Firefighters tackle Greenwich Millennium Village blaze

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Thirty firefighters were required to deal with a blaze at Metcalfe Court in Greenwich Millennium Village on Wednesday afternoon.

The fire started in a fifth floor flat and then spread to an apartment in the floor above, causing damage to both.

Six appliances were at the scene after the Fire Brigade were called at 2.30pm. Firefighters from Poplar, East Greenwich, Woolwich, Silvertown, Plumstead and surrounding fire stations had the fire under control two hours later.

Nobody was injured in the fire and the cause is currently under investigation.

Popular local newsagent passes away

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Last Evening Standard sign at Sabo Newsagents

Bette Sabo, a much loved local newsagent known to many local residents, has passed away at the age of 83.

Bette started working at the family shop in Stockwell Street seventy years ago when she was aged just 13 – a time when King George VI was on the throne and Britain was at war.

A funeral service for Bette will take place at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church on Crooms Hill on Tuesday 30th March at 1.30pm

University studies Stockwell Street land

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The University of Greenwich will soon start work on the site of the old Village Market in Stockwell Street.

Archaeological, ecological and geological surveys will take place and some of the disused buildings on the site will be pulled down.

The University plans to submit a planning application later this year for a new School of Architecture and campus on the site.

They have provided details on some of the investigations they will be carrying out on the site before any work can take place:

Before construction work begins, detailed studies are planned. Test pits will be dug to look at the archaeology of the site, which has been in use since at least the medieval period. Initial research indicates that building work over the centuries, and war-time bombs, have destroyed evidence from early periods, but the university will pay special attention to what remains of the 19th century maltings, which once supplied ale to the Spread Eagle Tavern.

Another investigation will establish whether there are still old petrol tanks beneath the forecourt of the disused petrol station on the site. If necessary, an expert team will carry out clean-up and remediation works. Greenwich Council has given permission for the removal of the petrol station, along with some other empty structures and hard landscaping. In order to preserve the streetscape for as long as possible, two large blocks on the frontage of Stockwell Street, John Humphries House and the disused storage unit at number 18-19, will remain standing for the time being.

Next weekend will mark the one year anniversary of the end of the much-loved Village Market which was held every weekend at the Stockwell Street site.

The land, which includes the John Humphries House office block, was sold to a developer who had planning permission for a mixed use development on the site but instead sold it on to the University of Greenwich.

London 2012 planning application to be decided March 23rd

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The planning application to use Greenwich Park at London 2012 will be decided by a meeting of the Council’s Planning Board on March 23rd.

Council planning officers have recommended to councillors that they support the controversial proposals.

If permission is granted, work will begin in Spring 2010 to prepare the Cross Country course. A test event will begin setting up in June 2011 and will be removed by August 2011.

Setting up of the actual event will begin in March 2012. The majority of the park will be closed for public access from 6th July to 3rd August 2012, with only the Children’s Playground and parts of the Flower Garden remaining open during that four week period.

Removal of equipment and structures associated with the games will take place between September – October 2012, with a reinstatement programme beginning in November 2012. The estimated date for the completion of the restoration/replacement of large areas of acid grassland is 2015.

The planning application has received the support – ranging from the enthusiastic to the conditional – of Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the London Borough of Lewisham, British Grooms Association, Pentathlon GB, British Equestrian Federation (BEF), Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site Executive Group, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College, Royal Parks, CABE and English Heritage.

It was opposed by the British Archaelogical Trust, the Blackheath Society and Garden History Society. The Woodland Trust and Friends of Greenwich Park were opposed to the Cross Country element of the plan.

The Greenwich Society urged the council to treat this only as outline permission. No to Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events (NOGOE) submitted a petition of 13,000 signatures opposed.

2,099 individual letters were received by the Council in response to the planning application – 36 in support and 2,063 objections.

Local campaigners, NOGOE, had hoped that the Metropolitan Commons Act 1866 would prevent the Council giving permission for the Blackheath Circus Field to be used, thus scuppering the whole proposal, but council officials have batted away this complaint, saying the restrictions cited applied only to the historic “Commissioners” of the land.

They say “the functions of the Commissioners have not devolved to the Council. Accordingly, the section imposes no restraint upon the power of the Council to determine the planning application in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.”

The meeting will take place at the Town Hall in Woolwich on March 23rd at 7pm 6.30pm and is open to members of the public.

Spencer Drury on 2012, Schooling and the General Election: Interview Pt3

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This is part three of Adam Bienkov’s interview with Spencer Drury – Conservative candidate for the Greenwich & Woolwich parliamentary seat and leader of the Conservatives on Greenwich Council. Part one and part two were published on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

Olympics

Hosting the 2012 Olympics has a been a polarising issue in the borough, but the Greenwich Conservatives have so far been relatively quiet about it. Drury himself has mixed feelings about the Games.

He tells me that while the cross country equestrian events will be “fabulous for the park” and an “amazing event” he admits that “this is not the line that NOGOE would like to hear.”

However, he also thinks that the temporary stadium is a “sticking point”:

“The 20,000 seat stadium I have got serious questions about. I mean the fact that it’s a temporary stadium, I’m already thinking is that worthwhile? But where they’re planning on putting it will actually ruin the views down the park to Maritime Greenwich. I mean if you put a great big stadium in front of that then you’re ruining the very views that they seem to want. That seems to me to be self defeating.”

He also believes the Council have missed a big opportunity to capitalise on the Games.

“The Olympics have got tonnes of money and as far as I can work out Greenwich as an area is going to have no legacy from it. Well I mean I say no legacy, but there might be trees chopped down but no legacy from it in any positive physical way.”

So will the Games be good for Greenwich overall?

“Well if you could sort out the congestion as a legacy then I think that people in Greenwich would take the rough with the smooth but at the moment we are just getting the rough.   We’re just getting problems from it and we’re getting damage to a much valued park although I don’t think it will be as bad as NOGOE are making out. I really don’t feel that.”

Are NOGOE representative?

“I think they are representative of a certain group of people in Greenwich but when you go out knocking on doors, I mean I was out in Greenwich last weekend and not one person mentioned it to me. Not one person. Schools, bins and recycling are the things that come up. People are more concerneed about other things. I think that is why you won’t see political parties focusing on it in a major way because on the doorstep it is not the major issue that people are concerned about.”


Schools

I’m speaking to Drury after the announcement that the John Roan school will no longer be moved to the Peninsula. He is relieved:

“The plans to put the John Roan school on the peninsula were always ridiculous. They were planning to put a bigger school on a smaller site, five stories tall with a playground on the roof. It was madness.”

While pleased about this, he believes that it is symptomatic of a wider problem:

“The Council’s education policy is in chaos frankly. We’ve still got the worst GCSE results in London.  They’ve improved a lot but they’re still the worst in London. So our kids are leaving education at a substantial disadvantage to most other kids across London.  And that’a huge blow to us and a massive shame”

He supports the Conservative plans to create smaller “Free Schools” run by parents:

“Parental choice is absolutely vital in this and we know parental choice is already happening in Greenwich because so many hundreds of kids at eleven go out of the borough, whether to private or to Grammar schools.  But what’s interesting when you look at the figures is that they are not just going to the Grammar schools they are also going to Welling and other schools along the border with Bexley because they are better run than Greenwich schools frankly.”

The General Election

Drury is set to stand against Nick Raynsford in Greenwich later this year. I ask him if he knows him well. He tells me that while he sees him annually at the borough’s Remembrance Sunday event, he hardly ever comes across him otherwise:

“I think Clive Efford [Labour MP for Eltham] marked himself as a local MP who didn’t care about Westminster very much. Well I think that Nick Raynsford is the opposite to that. There is a local area. He’s aware that it exists, but Westminster is where his heart is.”

Like Efford, Drury has a close attachment to the area. Raised in Woolwich and a long standing councillor in Eltham, Drury still lives within the borough.

With boundary changes giving the Conservatives a real chance of winning Eltham, I ask him why he didn’t choose to stand in his home town again:

“I did [consider it] but it was for various personal reasons. My daughter had been in hospital for two months and then my wife became ill as well. It was in the run up to the selection for the parliamentary seat and I came pretty close to just packing it all in frankly. And ironically it was a letter from Chris Roberts asking if everything was okay that changed my mind.

“It made me think think that maybe politics isn’t just about doing silly stunts and playing silly games. That maybe there is a point to it”