John (left) and the Veolia crew doing the rounds in West Norwood

Lambeth Conservative Group Leader John Whelan “wheelie binned” it for a day on October 30 to raise money for the children’s charity Barnardo’s. He volunteered for a shift as a bin man to raise money for the charity. And Lambeth’s waste contractor Veolia fixed for him to empty his own bin and those of his neighbours. They include two other West Norwood councillors—David Malone from Labour and Irene Kimm from the Conservatives.

Cllr Whelan has already raised £700 in sponsorship from friends, colleagues, and family for doing the round and has emerged with a new respect for the “professionalism” of Lambeth’s waste collectors. “The crew (see picture) were absolutely brilliant and incredibly caring,” he says. “Apart from one load of abuse from an impatient white van driver in Avenue Park Road which is a one way street, we only had compliments from the public. Or at least those residents of West Norwood who were awake at 0600 in the morning, or later on making their way to work.”

The fund raiser is part of a “team building “ task set by Cllr Whelan’s day time employer to send a team to run the Barnardo’s charity shop in Lambeth for a day on Thursday November 5. Already in the frame to visit the shop on Bonfire Day are local MP Kate Hoey, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Glyn Chambers, Borough Commander Chief Superintendent Nick Ephgrave, and the Mayor of Lambeth Councillor Christopher Wellbelove who will preside over the drawing of a raffle.

“Building operates well as a library however its location is not ideal and suffers from low service numbers, high maintenance and high running costs. High running costs and poor location suggest this facility should be closed and relocated to Herne Hill…  This property would be ideal for sale for a private residential flat conversion.”

Labour councilors have previously proposed selling off the library-most recently in 1998-1999-but were defeated by a community campaign lead by Friends of Carnegie Library and supported by Conservative councilors.  When Labour lost office between 2002-2006 the new administration reversed Labour’s plans and improved the resources for the library.

Since gaining power in 2006 Labour has failed to fund Lambeth libraries adequately-several buildings closed last winter because of broken boilers.  A review of the libraries carried out in 2007 failed to solve any of the issues and nothing happened as a result.

Conservative Group Leader Councillor John Whelan says:  “Labour is once again considering selling off the Carnegie for yuppie flats.  This puts the future of the library in doubt and will hopefully produce an outcry in the local community as the plan to provide another library in Herne Hill is a pipedream.  Labour only cares about Brixton and Herne Hill is left off their shopping list for improvements in services.”

Local residents and ward councillors asked the Council to remove the dustcart depot from Vale Street by this September, as the council had promised.

The Council’s decision?

It has decided to keep the dustcarts in Norwood for at least four more years and increase the likely frequency of truck visits on Saturdays.

In 2007, Lambeth Council gained temporary planning permission to site dustcarts at the Vale Street Depot.

Labour-controlled Lambeth and the local MP said this was only a stop-gap solution.  Residents and ward councillors strongly opposed having dustcarts on Vale Street at all, as we didn’t trust the council to remove them as promised.

Now, at a Planning Committee, the Council has confirmed its betrayal.

Gipsy Hill councillor Andrew Gibson says:  “The best way to get rid of the dustcarts from our residential area now is to bring about a change in control at Town Hall.  We have the opportunity to do that next May at the council election.  We must never forget Labour’s betrayal of Norwood.”

Cllr Clare Whelan, who helped set up its green programme, spoke out after Labour Lambeth failed to meet its commitment to reduce energy use and cut pollution.

Clare chaired a cross-party commission which studied how the council could become greener.  The commission made 45 recommendations in a report published in 2007, including calls for the creation of a business recycling collection service and encouraging council staff to cycle or use public transport to get to work.

But it has now emerged that almost two years after the commission reported its findings, less than a third of its recommendations have been implemented.

Cllr Whelan has said it is doubtful Lambeth will meet its pledge to cut its carbon footprint unless action is quickly taken.

She said:  “Climate change is a major issue and we really don’t have time to waste in attempting to tackle it.

“Yet the council is dithering over its commitment to implement the recommendations.  It is disappointing that just 14 out of 45 recommendations have been implemented so far.”

John Whelan outside the Peabody Community Hall

Thurlow Park Conservative Councillors are working with Peabody residents and voluntary groups to ensure the continuation of the Community Hall on the Rosendale Road half of the estate.  Peabody Trust officials at a meeting last week said there were no resources immediately available for the replacement or refurbishment of the hall which is a listed building with English heritage.

Councillor John Whelan, Conservative Group Leader, says:  “It is vital for the whole community on the estate that the hall continues in use—the regular uses include a pre school group and other users include dancing as well as regular meetings of the very active residents association.”

Although Peabody officials have promised a consultation with residents and to examine various options for repairs or replacement of the leaky roof, the extent of the problems has taken residents by surprise. Councillor Whelan says:  “We have written as elected members of Lambeth Council to the Chief Executive of Peabody Steve Howlett asking him to attend a meeting with residents to address the issues.  If the hall is closed there will be no focal point for the estate and the pre-school group will have nowhere to function.”

Councillor John Whelan, Conservative Group Leader, says:  “The report finds that the overall service is now weak but by contrast it adds several times that in 2006 Lambeth Housing (as Lambeth Living was then known) was performing adequately and demonstrating improvement.

“The biggest risk now is that it will take too long for the service to recover in time to reach the standard necessary to qualify for £250 million from the Government to meet the decent home standard by 2014.”

CLICK HERE if you would like to download key extracts from the new report.

Lambeth Conservatives are calling for tough action to curb the growing menace from dangerous dogs

Lambeth Conservatives are calling on the Council to take tough action to curb the growing menace from dangerous dogs in parks and on some housing estates in the borough.

Councillor Clare Whelan, Environment Spokeswoman for the Conservative Group, says: “Some dog owners appear not to be able to control their dogs and a minority just don’t want to.

The police know it is an issue and it is their responsibility to enforce the Dangerous Dogs Act, but the Council can also do more.” The Conservatives are demanding immediate measures:

• Instead of cutting the number of Park Rangers they should be increased.
• Irresponsible dog owners should be fined and banned from keeping pets.
• Lambeth Living and other social housing providers could insist on micro-chipping as a condition of residents on their estates getting permission to keep a dog.
• The Council’s Anti Social Behaviour Unit must come down hard on irresponsible dog owners.

Councillor Whelan says: “We cannot have people being intimidated in this way. This isn’t ‘anti-dog’ and I am an animal lover myself. Most dog owners keep their dogs under control at all times and clean up after them. In fact it is often responsible dog owners who are making the complaints because they fear for their own pet’s safety.”

The owner of SD Lounge must now comply with 32 new licensing conditions

The operator of a late night music bar at Tulse Hill Station has been told by the licensing authorities that his business is now in “the last chance saloon” unless he cracks down on dodgy customers including people suspected of having firearms on his premises.

The SD Lounge at Station Rise was given a list of 32 new conditions by the Lambeth Licensing Committee and told that any breach could result in him having the operation closed down and his license withdrawn. It specialises in playing “bashment, R + B, and soul”, which the police said “attracts a minority of undesirable types intent on causing trouble.”

Police submitted evidence at the hearing of “intelligence” that they said they had received about firearms allegedly being on the premises on specific dates January 2009 and on another occasion in 2008 although no proof was available. The licence holder denied that there was any truth in the firearms’ claims and disputed the need for any further restrictions to his business. He claimed to have stopped allowing other operators to hold late night parties at the venue and that no one had complained to him about noise.

Speaking on behalf of residents who were too intimidated by a minority of the bar’s customers to give evidence in person, Councillor John Whelan, Thurlow Park Ward Member, said residents had been repeatedly disturbed in the early hours of the morning by loud music from the bar and rowdy customers massing on the pavement and urinating in the street. The operator agreed to adhere to the new conditions which the licensing committee has now officially attached to his licence.

John Whelan outside the Rainbow Pre School Group on the Peabody Estate, West Norwood

Conservative Councillors in West Norwood have used the new annual “Ward Purse” scheme to support two worthy community projects in Thurlow Park as well as a much needed pavement improvement scheme outside a shopping parade.

With only £12,000 to divide between up to three different projects and tight deadlines to meet, Councillors John Whelan, Irene Kimm, and Clare Whelan nominated the Rainbow Pre School Group, which operates on the lower Peabody Estate and offers affordable pre-school care. The pre-school group will spend the money on new fixtures and fittings.

Clare says: “We then worked with All Saints Anglican Church in Rosendale Road to provide support to equip its new Community Room which will be open to outside groups and has been worked up with help from Age Concern Lambeth.”

Finally, the remaining funds were used to top up the council budget to improve the pavement outside the Rosendale Road shopping parade opposite the Rosendale Gardens Estate.

Irene says: “This improvement project is popular with local residents and welcomed by the shopkeepers are traders who were fully consulted beforehand.”

Photo: John outside the Rainbow Pre School Group on the Peabody Estate, West Norwood

Cllr Clare Whelan talks about Labour’s plans to close the general waste depot in Vale Street, West Norwood.  The decision means that Lambeth residents will need to travel to Battersea from 1 April 2009.