Penge and Cator Councillors

Peacock’s in Penge is saved

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:34:25 +0000

Our Peacocks has escaped the list of stores to be closed so for now its future seems assured. One of our residents has told us that the staff who work there said that, if people locally supported the store while it was in administration, they would stand a good chance of staying open, and so it has proved. Well done to them. He syas “I am wearing my new black jumper with pride!” Let’s all go round and congratulate them.

Broken roads or broken children – Bromley Tories make wrong budget call

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:23:55 +0000

When setting their budget on Monday, Bromley Tories were faced with a choice. In the previous weeks, council finance officers had worked the figures to find another £1.7mn while still keeping to a nil budget increase. What an opportunity. Amongst all the gloom of the cuts imposed by the coalition government, here was a chance to protect services to the vulnerable.

The Labour group welcomed a change of heart over reducing spending on mental health services and support for Carers. And that still left a further 1.3mn.

Despite there being clear evidence that children’s services had been unfairly hit by previous cuts, Bromley Tories decided to use the money to reverse proposed cuts in highways and refuse.

The Labour alternative proposal was to make the remaining £1.3mn in the annual budget available to support children aged 0-5 and to support school improvement. The progress of Bromley children in the early years had been raised as a cause for concern in a recent Ofsted report on the council.

We did not abandon roads and the other environmental spending. With the council reserves climbing to around £70mn, there was plenty of leeway to make sure our roads and verges were well looked after out of money available for one-off spending.

We believe our budget proposal would have protected Bromley’s highways and greenery while at the same time reducing the risk to our youngest and most needy residents.

Opening date for new Aldi store

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:16:10 +0000

Looks like its to be 19th July. A lot of building work still to be finished. (For those who don’t know, it’s by the traffic lights on Croydon Rd on the old Robin Hood site.) Still worried about possible traffic congestion on that corner but Bromley traffic planners said it would be ok ………

Car Club parking bays proposed for Penge streets.

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:36:46 +0000

Car clubs have grown significantly across London in the last five years. The number of members had risen to 132,000 in January 2011. The number of car club vehicles now totals over 2,500.

A car club provides its members with quick and easy access to a car for short term (from ½ hour) hire. Members pick cars up from on-street locations and pay on a pay as you go basis. Members can make use of car club vehicles as and when they need them. This has led to reduced dependency on car ownership and has environmental advantages.

In Bromley around 500 residents are signed up to a car club but only two cars are currently available within the Borough. Bromley is lagging behind other boroughs in supporting car club facilities. The council is now looking for a further 10 – 15 road side parking spaces for car club cars.

In Penge & Cator ward, the council will be consulting residents in Franklin Road, Oakfield Road and Howard Road. They have identified these roads as locations which will not add to local parking pressure.

Planning Consent given for extra flat at 149 Maple Rd

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:56:05 +0000

Planning permission was given last night for the conversion of the existing two bedroom ground floor flat and basement into 2 one bedroom maisonettes. No objections from local residents were received. The existing six two bedroom flats were recently built on the site of the former London Tavern/Hop Exchange pub.

Parking scheme proposed for Penge East, Sydenham side.

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:58:50 +0000

Generally, local residents have resisted controlled parking schemes, where, after paying a fee, residents can have sole use of parking bays at certain hours. However, residents in Linden Grove on the Sydenham side of Penge East Station, have recently responded that the majority were in favour of such a scheme. Linden Grove suffers from large amounts of commuter parking.

Shops in Newlands Park could benefit from a new parking scheme

A parking scheme has now been proposed that covers Linden Grove and the area of Newlands Park outside the shops. We can provide more detail on request but largely the spaces in Linden Grove would be reserved for residents only between 12 and 2 pm. Spaces in Newlands Park would become shared use between permit holders or short term pay and display, to help free spaces for shoppers.

Residents in Linden Grove and NewlandsPark are being consulted on the scheme now. If you have any comments you would like the council to consider, you can email them to Leon.Darrell@bromley.gov.uk or get in touch with us. The closing date for comments is February 21st.

The Queen to Visit Bromley for Diamond Jubilee celebrations

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:59:27 +0000

The Queen is set to visit the borough for an event to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee in May.

The London Borough of Bromley has been selected to host an event as part of South London ‘s Jubilee celebrations. Residents and visitors will be able to see Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh as they visit the borough for a special event to commemorate the Queen’s 60 years on the throne. The visit will take place on Tuesday 15 May 2012 as part of a regional tour when the Queen will visit just 3 south London boroughs.

The Queen has visited the borough in 1986 to open Bromley Civic Centre and to visit Crystal Palace during her Golden Jubilee celebrations.

More details about the event will be released over the coming months.

Award for local vicar

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:52:29 +0000

Holy Trinity Church in Lennard Road

Nick Read, the Vicar at Holy Trinity Church, Lennard Road, has won a Bromley Safer Neighbourhood Award for all his hard work and commitment to the Homeless drop in centre he started up.

Nick won the Community Champion Award. His project is called ‘Living Well’ . It takes place every Friday afternoon.

People who turn up are given clothes, food parcels even a mobile phone and bus fares if appropriate. Some of the individuals will also be able to see other partner groups who come to the project to help with substance misuse on a one to one basis.

But this is just one aspect of the work. There is a community garden, set up by volunteers, including youngsters coming from the Prince’s Trust. And there are plans to start a community café run by members of the group.

The Penge & Cator Community Safer Neighbourhood Panel panel had backed Nick’s bid for funding from Bromley to continue this worthwhile project. A large container is expected to arrive this week to help store supplies. This puts Holy Trinity Church at the heart of our community. Congratulations to all involved.

Friends of Crystal Palace Park AGM

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:14:53 +0000

Crystal Palace Park

The Friends of Crystal Palace Park AGM will take place on Sunday 19th February at 2-00pm at the Paxton Suite (Next to Crystal Palace National Sports Centre) in the park. All are welcome.

Roadworks in Penge High Street

pengeandcatorcouncillors — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:24:45 +0000

The roadworks by Homebase on the High Street are the last phase of the new gas main installation at the top of the High Street.. The works were postponed so that the disruption occurred during the school holiday. They should be completed in the week. Further work is expected at the Southey Street junction next month.