Friday, 26 February 2010
Lib Dems voted for a lower council tax and a fairer Lambeth
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Caroline's Safer Stations campaign visits Vauxhall rail station
We are delighted to report that following Caroline Pidgeon and Cllr Rob Banks raising the issue with Transport for London, the rail underpass at South Lambeth Place (behind the local team in the photo) now has all its lights working properly (8 of them were out on what is a key route from Vauxhall Park to the bus, rail and tube station).
In addition to this, we have got Lambeth to replace the missing litter bins, and finally put up new street signs for South Lambeth Road, South Lambeth Place, Kennington Lane, Harleyford Road and Wandsworth Road - which we hope will help people in finding their way about. Too often residents have had to help lost visitors find their way about!
We continue to wait for the company that owns the advertising hoardings on Parry Street to fix the lights there, which should help with lighting that rail bridge underpass.
Let us know if you have concerns over safety at or around Vauxhall train station and we will take it up with the police, South Western Trains and with Transport for London.
Friday, 12 February 2010
Ishbel and Claudette join Oval Ward Lib Dem team
Friday, 5 February 2010
Helping prevent burglaries
A decision had been made to extend a scheme which would provide grants for things like window locks and night latches to all residents in Lambeth who wish to have additional security to their properties - regardless of whether you live in a council property, housing association, or your home is privately owned.
Age Concern have been commissioned to carry out this work and they are able to assess and carry out security work to properties referred to the scheme. They are able to secure 120 properties per month. Night latches, spy hole, door chains, locks to windows and patio doors and other security assessments are some of the services provided for free.
Please note that the cut off date for referrals is the 19th March 2010. More information and a form are pasted below.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
SAFE AND SECURE PROJECT
WHAT IS THIS FUNDING?
Clapham Park Project (a community regeneration project) has been awarded £99, 716 by the Home Office under the Safer Homes Fund. This funding is to be allocated across the whole of Lambeth.
WHO WILL BE INSTALLING THE SECURITY SERVICE?
Clapham Park Project is working with AGE UK (Help the Aged and Age Concern) who will provide locksmiths/handy people to install security measures to your home to make it more secure and help to prevent burglaries.
CONTACT FOR SECURITY SERVICE -0800 085 2378
If you are interested in receiving this service, please contact Clapham Park Project on the free phone number 0800 085 2378. This is an answer phone and you will be able to leave your name, address and contact details and we will call you back to give you more details. If you have any concerns, contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Teams for more information.
BE SAFE, BEAT THE BURGLARS, CALL US NOW
SAFE AND SECURE PROJECT REFERRAL FORM
CONTACT No.: 020 8678 5922/07958 337 305
FAX No.: 020 8678 5901
e-mail: cwong@claphampark.org.uk
Client details
Name: __________________________________________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________________
Post code: _______________________________________________________________________________
Contact numbers: _______________________________________________________________________
Property type (privately owned, rented, etc): _____________________________________________
Landlord’s name and contact details (if applicable):_______________________________________
Name of SNT: ____________________________________________________________________________
I agree for my name and contact details to be passed onto Clapham Park Project for referral to the Safe and Secure Project funded by the Home Office.
Client signature: _________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Northern line misery?
The Evening Standard has more details:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23801141-signals-upgrade-to-shut-northern-line-early-on-weekdays-for-up-to-18-months.do
Monday, 25 January 2010
16,000 new homes planned in Nine Elms and Vauxhall area
While much of it is in neighbouring Wandsworth, a sizeable amount of the area is in Lambeth, and the effects on things like transport will be felt throughout the northern part of Lambeth.
Local Liberal Democrats recently attended a consultation on the event organised by the Kennington, Oval and Vauxhall Forum at Montgomerey Hall opposite the Oval cricket ground.
We have already expressed concerns over transport capacity (local tubes, buses and trains are already packed to capacity) and over other essential local services that would be needed such as schools and services for young people.
The Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea Opportunity Area Planning Framework (OAPF) can be seen at the Greater London Authority's website - http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/planning/oapf-nine-elms/index.jsp. Note that there is a newly extended deadline for your comments: 5.00 pm on 28 February 2010.
The next public meeting being hosted by the Kennington Oval and Vauxhall Forum about this framework will be: 7.00 pm on 10 February 2010 at Vauxhall St Peters Church, 310 Kennington Lane, (corner of Tyers St), SE11 5HY.
Please let us know what you think of these plans as well.
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Lights, pigeons, action!
TFL have now said they will be fixing the lights, and the council will be taking more action over pigeon - proofing the South Lambeth Place underpass, jet-washing the pavements and the area of white-tiled walls, and we have also asked them to replace a missing litter bin. They will also be asking the owners of the advertising hoardings on Miles St to carry out repair work on the hoardings (otherwise rubbish just builds up behind them, looking unsightly) and fixing the lights above the hoardings - surely in their own interest as well so people can see the adverts! This will also help with casting some light onto the pavements until TFL can find the funds for better lighting.
Monday, 28 December 2009
Christmas Tree recycling
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Brrr....
We have reported some local streets and pavements for gritting but if you know of anywhere you feel needs extra attention email us - oval.news@googlemail.com
Thursday, 17 December 2009
Last Christmas...
Not only did that happen, but Lambeth Living (the council company responsible for council housing in Lambeth) refused to send notices round telling people how they could get hold of temporary heaters in the meantime. So we spent part of the last Christmas break putting round notices ourselves about this. We then battled the council to ensure people got part of their rent or service charge re-funded to compensate for the loss of heating and hot water.
We have been reminding the council about what happened last year and, following the boiler breaking down again earlier this month, have been asking for action to be taken. We hope that this Christmas break sees residents get heating and hot water without them having to phone the emergency repair line...
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Cycle superhighway to come to the Oval
It includes the Clapham Road and Kennington Park Road - both of which can be a nerve-racking experience for cyclists - and of course Clapham Road has been the site of two very sad deaths of cyclists in recent times caused by lorries turning left and not being aware of cyclists between them and the turning.
Let us know any thoughts or comments.
Monday, 14 December 2009
Say it with flowers? Not if you live in Labour-run Lambeth!
This is despite the council running an annual Lambeth in Bloom competition to give a prize to the best window box!
As local councillors, we fully support making sure corridors and stairwells on estates are free of clutter and other obstructions. But where window boxes are clearly not causing an obstruction they should be allowed to stay and we very much hope that the council will see common sense. It looks like thanks to the South London Press picking up the story (see attached coverage) the council will be backing down.
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Raising concerns over crime with the police
Concerns we raised included a recent death which many suspect was linked to drug dealing and two muggings.
There does seem to be a reduction in anti-social behaviour and gang related activity in the Dorset Road area, so we hope this will continue.
We will carry on working with local residents to raise concerns over crime. Please let us know if you have any concerns - or you can contact the Safer Neighbourhood Team on 07747790001. As always, call 999 if you think there is a crime taking place.
Also, the council's safer neighbourhood co-ordinator mentioned that there was a limited fund of £700 which can be spent on crime prevention initiatives - let us know if you have any good ideas.
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Planning committee lobbied over "Octave" Tower at Bondway
As said in the previous post, many people are worried about the impact the tower would have on neighbouring residential streets. Clear evidence was presented to the planning committee over the loss of sunlight to nearby homes and Vauxhall Park, parking pressure and extra strain on Vauxhall tube station among many other factors.
Some members of the committee expressed concern over issues like the availability of green open space for the residents in the block and the impact it would have on the surrounding area.
The plans will now come back for full consideration by the committee at a future date - when we hear anything we will post a comment here.
Friday, 20 November 2009
Bondway's "Octave Tower" - first hearing at Lambeth Town Hall, Weds 25th at 7pm

The application for the controversial 42 storey "Octave Tower" block on Bondway by Vauxhall tube will have its first hearing at Lambeth's Planning Committee next Wednesday (25th November). The area it would go is the other side of the railway line (behind where we are standing) and would dominate Vauxhall Park and the surrounding residential area of Vauxhall Grove, Bonnington Square, Langley Lane and Lawn Lane. Evidence collected by local residents shows a clear loss of sunlight to the surrounding residential area.
Over 120 people have objected to the plans.
Details of the report from Lambeth Planning Officers can be found here. As local Lib Dem Councillors, we will raise our objections over the current plans.
The hearing will not actually give permission for plans to go ahead, but instead will give councillors on the planning committee the chance to give a "steer" over the application - ie if they support the general principle of the plans.
Members of the public are welcome to attend this meeting, which takes place at 7pm at the Town Hall, Brixton Hill, SW2 1RW.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Another great Kennington Park event!
We were delighted that Simon Hughes MP was able to join us. Congratulations to all involved with the project and we look forward to supporting it as local councillors in the years to come.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Don't close our library this winter!
Last winter, the failure of the Labour council to invest in a new boiler meant the old one kept breaking down, meaning the building had to be heated by electric heaters. But again, because the wiring had not been updated it meant that a fuse was blown and the electricity supply failed.
Most recently, earlier this month, the library was again closed due to staff sickness. People often fall ill over the winter months, so we are calling on Lambeth Council to plan ahead in future and ensure arrangements are in place so staff on sick leave can be covered for and the library can remain open.
Let a thousand flowers bloom in Vauxhall Park!
Monday, 9 November 2009
Redevelopment plans launched for New Covent Garden market
Bordering onto the Oval area, plans have been launched for the re-development of the New Covent Garden Flower Market - details here. What do you think? Let us know!
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
What's your vision for Vauxhall?

1. The first was at last week's meeting of Lambeth Council when Cllr Andrew Sawdon raised concerns over the council's future plans for the area (known as a Local Development Framework). In particular, Andrew raised concerns about the need for enough local services (eg schools and decent transport links) to be in place and planned for before permission is given for more development. His proposal was voted down by Labour. You can see the council's draft planning document here - and comments need to be with the council by 14th December to
planningpolicy@lambeth.gov.uk
You can see the report from the Council's consultants here, which is critical on the current plans for Vauxhall, saying that the Labour Council's area plan is "less convincing than the Waterloo policy in terms of enabling essential infrastructure to keep pace with growth: it may improve access to jobs and housing - but there is little detail on other essential infrastructure such as schools, health facilities and services, water and sewerage. If the policy results in greater road travel, particularly private car use it could worsen existing congestion and contribute to air quality and climate change problems....it also fails to address the issue of retrofitting - how the bulk of the areas existing buildings will reduce their impact on carbon emissions".
2. The second was a report in yesterday's Evening Standard that highlighted the proposal for a new "wobbly bridge" linking Vauxhall with Pimlico, as just one of many different ideas for the area. A 12 week public consultation has now started for the Vauxhall and Nine Elms area, and you can have your say here
Keep us in touch with what you think - or comment below!