Bishop's Ward Liberal Democrats

Free real Christmas tree recycling service week beginning 9 January

Lambeth Council are  offering a free real Christmas tree recycling service from week beginning 9 January 2012.

If you live in a kerbside property, leave your tree next to your refuse bin on your normal collection day and the Council will pick it up.

If you do not live in a kerbside property, you can still recycle your Christmas tree. The Council are accepting them at the sites listed below from 9 to 22 January between 9am and 3pm:

• Kennington Park, Bolton Crescent entrance SE5
• Clapham Common, Windmill Drive SW4
• Streatham Common, upper car park SW16

Christmas trees will also be accepted at Lambeth Reuse and Recycling Centre, Vale Street SE27 on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 7.30am to 4.30pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm.

Lambeth Living estates are also offering a collection service and will chip the collected trees back into mulch. Details from the North Area Housing Office, 91 Kennington Lane, London SE11 4HQ, Email: northarea@lambethliving.org.uk or contact the Lambeth Living Call Centre on 020 7926 6000 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.

Transport for London (TfL) is reviewing bus routes 139 and RV1. They are seeking our comments/suggestions on improving these services.  If you would like to comment send your observations or representations by 31st January 2012 to Councillor Diana Braithwaite. A map of the routes can be found here.

Supermarket Giant Sainsbury ’ s – sign up to licensing conditions to stop street drinking problems in Waterloo!

At a meeting with Cllr Diana Braithwaite and Mike Tuppen, Chair of the Octavia Hills Residents Association, Sainbury ’ s agreed to conditions on their license for a planned new store (subject to planning permission) for The Cut;

1. There will be no sales of single cans of beers/lagers/ciders (minimum packs of 4) other than for premium beers, lagers or ciders

2. There will be no sales of beers, lagers or ciders of 5.5% ABV or above other than premium beers, lagers or ciders

3. Sales of spirits shall be in vessels sized over 50ml

Diana says: “ We were very surprised that Sainsbury ’ s were so amenable to accepting our conditions for their planned new store. We have a major problem in the Waterloo area with regard to street drinking and the saturation of available cheap and strong alcohol. Therefore, it ’ s vital that both large and small businesses who want to trade in our patch have some of sense of their social responsibility.

This now sets a precedent in Waterloo that local people are not prepared to simply sit back and accept these problems and the associated anti-social behaviour caused by the excessive availability of cheap and strong alcohol that fuels street drinking.

Our local Police Licensing Team are rolling out similar conditions in problem areas across the Borough and with Sainsbury ’ s now signed up this should make their job a lot easier and more importantly improve matters for local residents across the Borough ” .

PERMIT HOLDERS TO LAMBETH: Move into the 21^st century!! 

If there’s one thing that bugs CPZ permit holders more than the price of parking: it’s the bureaucracy!

Lambeth expects residents to renew their permits at inconvenient times, in inconvenient places and to bring mountains of paperwork.  What a chore!

Does it have to be like this? No!

On-line service in other boroughs

Like any service these days in most other boroughs you can renew on-line. In Newham you only need to turn up in person every 3 years provided nothing has changed.    

Get Lambeth on-line

So let’s get Lambeth on-line.  Cut the hassle out of permit renewal.

We need your help

Register your support by clicking on the ‘contact’ tab at the top of this page.

If you have had a parking problem lately do let us know.

Nobody has objected to installing a raised table crossing.  That is the first step to getting a Green Man crossing.

Diana says: “Thanks to everybody who signed the petition and supported our campaign.

Lambeth have chopped our lollipop man but at least local action is making our crossing safer!”

We promised we would get out and about in the summer months and we have!

Gavin says: “It has been a great way to meet people. We have been out on the doorstep talking to people on China Walk about getting enough local school places for our five year olds.  We have campaigned about the Baylis Road crossing.  We have met with residents on the Church Commissioners estates to discuss problems with the landlord.

It’s what we like doing most.  Working in the ward all year round!”

Diana attended a rally with the Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP to encourage Londoners to vote in the Fairer Votes Referendum. Polling stations open at 7.00am and close at 10.00pm on Thursday 5th May. If you would like more information about the Alternative Vote (AV) visit  www.yestofairervotes.org

How much did empty Lambeth Council properties cost Lambeth people 2006- 2011?

Was it: (a)  £2 million?   (b)  £5 million?   (c)  £37.9 million?

How much has Lambeth paid lawyers as a result of empty properties and squatting 2006-2011?

Was it: (a)  £50,000?   (b)  £200,000?   (c)  £3.28 million?

Who has been in charge in Lambeth 2006-2011?

Was it: (a)  Conservatives?   (b)  Liberal Democrats?   (c)  Labour?

The answer to all three questions is (c)

The figures…

Total cost of empty properties since 2006

Breakdown of figures:

Lambeth’s audited figures for Void Rent Loss

Weekly cost of lost rent per tenant per week workings:

£7,427,179 / 44 (in week 44 of financial year) = £168,800 per week

£168,800 / 23,989 (tenanted stock) = £7.04 per tenant

Security costs (invoices paid to Orbis Property Protection for security screens hire)

 Legal costs on HRA void properties

NNDR paid on empty HRA properties

 Council Tax paid on empty properties

Bailiff costs on HRA void properties

Poor air quality causes almost 300 premature deaths in Lambeth each year. Lambeth Council does not measure air quality in Waterloo or North Lambeth. Residents have raised concerns with Diana about Bus drivers keeping their engines running whilst stationary (‘idling’) at the bus stand on Baylis Road, SE1. Diana has been corresponding with Transport for London (TfL) who have agreed to monitor the site and remind operators that their drivers must switch off their engines whilst using the bus stand.

All councils can issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) of £20.00 to drivers deemed as ‘idling’. However Lambeth Council has yet to decide on whether it wants to do this and how and who will do this…