Author Archives: cllrpaulgadsby

A Choral Christmas at Longfield Hall

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Longfield Hall has announced details of its festive celebration which this year will take place on Saturday 16 December.

The community run hall announced that:

Bringing together four choirs from all over South London for a night of Festive Fun. Come along to Longfield Hall on Saturday 16th December at 7pm for an evening of choral Christmas music sung by 4 wonderful choirs from all around South London. Bringing together Longfield Hall’s very own Longfield Voices, Vocal Chords from Sydenham, Wimbledon Music Hub A Cappella, and The Solis Choir, this fun, Christmassy concert will feature musicians of all ages (spanning 8 decades!) and a whole lot of festive cheer!! Featuring carols both traditional and contemporary, alongside more popular Christmas hits.

We can’t wait to come together and sing as one at the most wonderful time of the year! There’ll even be mulled wine and mince pies too! The concert is free entry and un-ticketed, but any donations to support the work of Longfield Hall will be warmly welcomed. We hope to see you there!

You can reserve your ticket for the event here.

Local councillors urge Lothian estate residents to reject plans by for-profit, private company to take control of local homes

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Local Myatt’s Fields councillors have urged residents on the Lothian estate to reject plans by a for-profit, private company to take over control of local homes as a new consultation kicks off on the proposals.

After a year of what has been described as “baffling” delays from Vision Homes (Lambeth) Ltd and PACCA TMO, Lambeth council tenants and leaseholders on the Lothian estate will finally get their say on these troubling proposals. A consultation about the plans will start on 13 November and run until 18 December with residents set to receive information about the plans from an independent electoral organisation that will be running the exercise.

The proposals, which are the first time a for-profit company has attempted this kind of council home takeover in the UK, have drawn considerable fire from the local community and councillors. Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop are warning residents that these proposals could result in:

  • New bills for residents: Vision Homes are proposing a new ‘Sink Fund’ charged to tenants, but they haven’t said much the charge will be, if there is any cap on how much it will be and what the fund will be used for. Vision Homes could also increase other bills like service charges during the year and ask you to pay VAT on services like repairs.
  • Concerns over the future of local homes: If Vision Homes were to sell homes on the estate to another company in the future, like a private developer, they will not be obligated to ballot residents to ask if they are happy with this sell off. Residents will also not be able to elect people to represent them on the “new board” that will be set up to run your estate: members of the board will be chosen by Vision Homes.
  • An organisation with no track record of running homes taking control of housing services: This for-profit company has no track record of running social housing. If this transfer goes ahead it would be the first of its kind anywhere in the UK.

Cllr Gadsby and Cllr Gallop are urging residents to express their concerns about these plans in the consultation: if residents indicate they are favour of this for-profit takeover, a ballot of council tenants will happen in early 2024.

Cllr Gadsby and Cllr Gallop said:

“We have heard from many residents on the Lothian estate who are worried sick about these proposals. We would strongly urge residents to reject these proposals.”

“We want to thank the many residents who have spoken to us about these worrying plans: please get in touch if you want to speak to us further. “

Further reading on these proposals

Local housing boss warns residents could be left worse off by for-profit private company takeover plan

For-profit outfit unable to provide basic information about their proposals

Leaseholders will lose out under local home takeover plan

Local communities asked for views on borough’s critical new housing strategy

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Myatt’s Fields residents are being urged to have a say in plans for a far-reaching housing strategy designed to change the way people live in Lambeth for the better.

Lambeth Council has unveiled the proposals which focus on how the authority might improve the way housing services are run, particularly to its thousands of tenants and leaseholders, and how more genuinely affordable homes can be built across the borough..

Lambeth residents can find out more here and are encouraged to respond to the plans here.

Myatt’s Fields Labour councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop welcomed the initiative and have urged residents to give their views.

Councillor Maria Kay, Cabinet Member for Better Homes and Reducing Homelessness, has published a video explaining the council’s proposals.

Lothian estate coffee morning – come along and meet your local councillors!

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Local Myatt’s Fields councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop are hosting a coffee morning for local residents on the Lothian estate this coming Saturday.

This drop-in event is open to all residents to pop along and discuss any local issues with Annie and Paul, whether it’s ideas for improving our community, or a personal matter that may require a helping hand from councillors.

The coffee morning will be held at St John the Divine Community Centre, 21 Frederick Crescent (SW9 6XN), on Saturday 28 October, 11am-1.30pm.

Many residents have been concerned about the proposed take over of council homes on the Lothian estate by a private company. This has now been dragging on for almost a year, with Lambeth Council saying it is “baffling” that the for-profit outfit behind the proposed privatisation of local homes has failed to provide basic financial information on how they would run essential services, including repairs, for residents.

If you are concerned about these proposals, please contact councillors here.

Seven new Electrical Vehicle Charging Points unveiled for Myatt’s Fields

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Lambeth Council have begun installing seven new electrical vehicle charging points (EVCPs) across Myatt’s Fields as part of a programme that will see 116 installed throughout the borough.

The new charging points will come with a dedicated parking space. Five EVCPs were installed in our community last year. This new programme will result in more than 300 EVCPs being operational throughout Lambeth.

Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop, local Myatt’s Fields Councillors, said:

“We are delighted that more EVCPs are being installed in Myatt’s Fields, and more widely in the borough, as there is clearly rising demand for these charging points as more residents switch to electric vehicles. This also forms part of a growing, greener form of transport infrastructure in our area; following our lobbying, increasing numbers of cycle storage units are being installed.

“While these new installations are good news, we will continue to push for even more in the years ahead.”

The new points are being installed at these locations:

Vassall Road, outside number 102

Paulet Road, outside number 210

Akerman Road, outside number 48

Mostyn Road, outside number 7

Upstall Street, outside number 16

Burton Road, outside number 15

Normandy Road, near the blue plaque to Cherry Groce

New move to ensure childrens’ road safety close to a Myatt’s Fields school

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Local children will be protected from speeding vehicles near a local school under plans tabled by Lambeth Council.

The “school street” initiative for Christ Church school is part of a borough wide programme that has been in operation for a number of years. Your local Labour team has been pressing for the inclusion of the school following representations from parents and residents.

Under the scheme, some nearby streets are temporarily closed at times when pupils are arriving or leaving schools — the beginning and the end of the academic day. The details are to be confirmed, but the council has set a likely starting date for Christ Church of May next year, probably briefly shutting Cancell Road between Elliot Road and Eythorne Road.

Myatt’s Fields councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop said:

“This is a good step by Lambeth Council which we do welcome: residents have been pressing for sometime for the area around Christ Church to be made safer for children during peak times for the school. We would like to thank everyone who has been in touch with us about this issue.”

Councillor Rezina Choudhary, Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, commented:

“Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop have made it very clear to the council that more needs to be done to tackle the traffic problems around Christ Church School which have been a cause of real concern for local parents.

“We have listened to their lobbying, and believe a school street will be a significant step towards protecting local children and reducing traffic around the school at peak times. We do realise there is a lot still to be done across Myatt’s Fields, including addressing the congestion issues on Loughborough Road and dangerous driving around Myatt’s Park, the Myatts North and South estates. We’ll continue to work with councillors and residents on all of these challenges, especially as the borough has announced a substantial package of funding for the area.”

More delays hit private company’s attempted take over of council homes on the Lothian Estate

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Lambeth Council have confirmed that there is still no end in sight to the year long saga of an attempt by a private, for-profit company to take over council homes on the Lothian estate in Myatt’s Fields.

In April, Lambeth wrote to residents telling them that Vision Homes (Lambeth) LTD and PACCA TMO LTD, had not produced key details of their plans that would allow a consultation and then ballot to take place on their proposals to grab the ownership of more than 200 council tenant properties on the Lothian estate.

In November last year, Cllr Maria Kay (Cabinet member for Better Homes and Reducing Homelessness in Lambeth) wrote a similarly strongly worded letter to tenants warning these plans could leave them worse off financially. Local councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop also have raised concerns that leaseholders, owing to national legislation, will be excluded from the ballot, but will have their leases transferred to this private company should tenants vote “yes” to the proposals in a ballot.

Lambeth Council say that, as the summer draws to a close, key details have still not been provided that would allow a ballot to take place. Cllr Kay said:

“It is incredibly disappointing that residents around the Lothian estate have now been waiting for almost a year for this situation to be clarified. I am baffled as to why it has taken the private company so long to clarify basic information about how their financial plans stack up. We will continue as a council to raise our concerns about these dangerous and potentially disasterous plans.”

Below: a copy of the letter written to tenants in April.

Local councillors and MP call for crackdown on anti-social behaviour around Myatt’s Fields Park

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Local Myatt’s Fields councillors and Vauxhall’s MP Flo Eshalomi have called for a crackdown on a recent spate of anti-social behaviour around Myatt’s Fields Park.

Residents have been in contact with their local representatives following disturbances during the summer in which a small group of people harassing passers-by, allegedly causing criminal damage and intimidating residents. Local businesses have also complained that their livelihoods were being put at risk.

Cllr Paul Gadsby, Cllr Annie Gallop and local Vauxhall MP Flo Eshalomi, said in a joint statement:

“The recent reports from the streets around Myatt’s Fields Park are completely unacceptable Everyone has a right to feel safe and secure on our streets.

“In response to these reports, we have:

  • Received a commitment from local police that they will be stepping up patrols and carrying out other activity in the area aimed at protecting the community. The local police team say they have spoken to those involved and are using local CCTV to identify any unacceptable behaviour.
  • Raised our concerns with Lambeth’s top police officer – the Borough Commander – and pressed for this issue to be a priority.
  • Attended meetings with residents and the police to  listen first-hand to the concerns of local people.

“We find it encouraging that this action appears to have resulted in a decline in anti-social behaviour during the latter part of August, but we will continue to press for local residents to be protected from any criminal activity.”

The local representatives urged residents to report any criminal behaviour to the police via 999 or 101: the neighbourhood police team can also be contacted here.

New council rent homes near the old Patmos Lodge site “to be completed in less than a year”

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Nineteen new council rent homes on the site of a former care home in Myatt’s Fields will be completed in the Spring, according to Lambeth Council.

The development on Cancell Road will include two four-storey buildings and five terraced two-storey houses, together with associated cycle parking and green landscaping. Besides the 19 new council homes for families on the borough’s housing waiting list, 12 homes are being built for private sale.

The Council will consult with the community about the names for the new blocks, which take the place of the vacant Patmos Lodge care home, shortly.

In addition, the contractor building the homes for Lambeth, Stack London, has teamed up with a training provider which offers employment courses, employment opportunities and careers advice to unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds. This is aimed at anyone who wants a career in the construction industry. If any resident would like any more information regarding this, please email rlo@stacklondon.co.uk