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Author Archives: SE16.com
Rotherhithe kids welcome Queen’s Baton Relay to London
Pupils from Alfred Salter Primary School joined Mayor of London Boris Johnson at City Hall on Friday morning to welcome the Queen’s Baton Relay for the Commonwealth Games.
Glorious morning to welcome @Batonrelay2014 to City Hall as it tours the country in advance of @Glasgow2014 1/2 pic.twitter.com/ffjEuS3zRh
— Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) June 6, 2014
Is a community-owned social enterprise the answer to Rotherhithe’s broadband woes?
The Rotherhithe Broadband Group has lauched its Broadband Blueprint for Rotherhithe (PDF).
The Blueprint is the result of several months of exploration of the widespread anger and frustration at the poor broadband speeds and poor stability in the area. The document was revealed at tonight’s Canada Water Consultative Forum meeting.
The Rotherhithe Broadband Group has been looking at why the broadband service to Rotherhithe is so poor and what can be done to improve it.
They said:
We have met with BT and been in contact with Virgin Media to assess what the main providers can do and to understand better the reasons for the poor broadband speeds.
We believe the problem lies with the providers of infrastructure rather than the ISPs. BT as main provider must urgently upgrade their provision to Rotherhithe. However the Group has concluded that a community-owned and -managed broadband infrastructure could deliver a better solution faster and cheaper. Such a solution would future-proof the infrastructure by providing superfast fibre to the home rather than relying on the existing copper wire system.
The Broadband Group is currently completing a feasibility study into the details of our solution. So far it shows that local investment would be better spent on a local solution rather than paid to the major provider. Locally-owned and managed infrastructure would aid the area’s regeneration, maintain the competitiveness of the area and encourage new businesses to consider Rotherhithe a place for long-term investment.
In launching the Broadband Blueprint for Rotherhithe, the group calls on the London Borough of Southwark to support us to find the necessary investment. We call on local councillors and other politicians to come behind the plan and offer their public endorsement of our blueprint. We are looking for partners of all kinds to help us make Rotherhithe a great place to get online. We invite community members with specialist skills such as legal experience or marketing expertise to join the planning group as we develop this project further. If you want to stay in touch with developments, register your details at www.energise16.co.uk and we will send you regular updates.
Pauline Adenwalla – chair of the Canada Water Consultative Forum who chaired the working group – said: “Once again the community has shown that it has the skills and knowledge to provide community based solutions to address the issue of the local infrastructure.”
Mark Parker who convened the group said: “For years, the issue of broadband has dogged residents and small business owners in Rotherhithe.
“Now we have a chance to turn the experience round and deliver a service fit for the 21st century.”
Improving the Thames Path in Rotherhithe
A tantalising note in the council’s latest ‘forward plan’ – the register of future decisions – reveals that next month the cabinet will consider a “proposal to enable the Thames footpath to be extended at Rotherhithe“.
Presumably this refers to the missing section close to the Hilton London Docklands hotel.
More on this when we get it.
Stabbing at Canada Water Station – police appeal
British Transport Police officers are calling for witnesses following a stabbing at Canada Water London Underground station on Friday, 23 May.
The incident happened just before 9pm as the victim, a 46-year-old woman, and a group of friends were at the Jubilee Line platform at the station.
Detective Sergeant Andy Jordan said: “Whilst on the platform the victim and her friends were approached by a man who reacted angrily to songs they were singing.
“He was clearly agitated and made numerous threats to the friends who tried to move away from him.
“The man followed them and, having taken a kitchen knife from a bag he was carrying, stabbed the victim twice – once to the arm and again to her back.”
The victim was taken to Kings College Hospital where she was treated for a deep cut to her elbow and a minor cut to her shoulder blade.
DS Jordan added: “This was a particularly nasty assault and the victim is fortunate that her injuries are not more serious.
“Following the incident we have conducted a number of enquiries and spoken to several people, but the station was busy at the time of the stabbing and I am certain there will be witnesses we have yet to speak to.
“I want to hear from anyone who was at Canada Water station at the time and who might have information about the incident.”
If you can assist the investigation please call British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or ring Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. In all calls please quote log TSUB/B3 of 25/5/14.
A 27-year-old man from Camden was arrested in relation to the incident and is currently helping police with their enquiries.k
Local election results in Bermondsey & Rotherhithe
The political map of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe was redrawn this week with Labour taking a number of seats on Southwark from the Liberal Democrats.
Surrey Docks Ward
The Lib Dems hold all three seats, with newcomer James Okosun joining Lisa Rajan and David Hubber.
Rotherhithe Ward
Labour have taken all three seats from the Lib Dems. The new councillors are Bill Williams, Stephanie Cryan and Kath Whittam.
Riverside Ward
The Lib Dems hold all three seats. Hamish McCallum joins existing councillors Anood Al-Samerai and Eliza Mann.
South Bermondsey Ward
A wipeout for the Lib Dems with Graham Neale, Paul Kyriacou and Michael Bukola all losing their seats. The new Labour councillors are Sunny Lambe, Leo Pollak and Catherine Dale.
Grange Ward
This ward is now split with two Liberal Democrats (Ben Johnson and Damian O’Brien) and one Labour councillor (Lucas Green).
Livesey Ward
Labour hold this ward which spans the Old Kent Road, with Richard Livingstone and Michael Situ joined by new councillor Evelyn Akoto.
BT ‘serious’ about bringing super fast broadband to Rotherhithe, says Val Shawcross
London Assembly member Val Shawcross has posted an update on her talks with BT about action to improve the desultory broadband speeds in Rotherhithe.
She writes that “the slowness of the SE16 internet access is matched only by BT’s slow motion management”.
But it seems that there is light at the end of the [Rotherhithe] tunnel: “However slowly the ‘wiring’ inside BT seems to work, I am confident that they are serious about looking again at the economics of rolling out SF Broadband in SE16.
“A further meeting between BT and the Council is being arranged for after the elections to discuss the possible roll out.”
Blue Anchor Library reopens after refurbishment
This week Blue Anchor Library in Bermondsey reopened to the public following an 8-week refurbishment.
The library has been redesigned and library users can now return and issue books using the self service terminals.
Study space in the library has also been increased and free wifi access is now available. The new layout also provides a new and more spacious children’s area with plenty of space for events and activities.
A council spokesperson said: “Southwark continues to invest in its libraries including refurbishing existing libraries to ensure they remain a high quality resource for residents.
“Blue Anchor provides a valuable service to the local community and we are really pleased to be able to welcome residents back to their new and improved library – we hope they will enjoy all it has to offer.”
Cycle campaigners ask for ‘Space for Cycling’
Southwark Cyclists – part of the London Cycling Campaign – has called on candidates in next week’s elections to support a range of simple measures to make cycling safer and more attractive.
Check out the campaign’s requests for Surrey Docks and Rotherhithe wards.
Tea Break Theatre: new group for older Southwark locals
Rotherhithe based London Bubble Theatre has secured funding from United St Saviour’s Charity to run a free theatre group for older Southwark residents. Tea Break Theatre will run on Wednesdays from 4.30pm – 6.30pm and will gently introduce participants to the pleasures of sharing and creating stories alongside tea and cake.
The new group, formed as part of Bubble’s continuing focus on involving people of all ages in theatre making, will be led by a specialist artist, Julia Voce. Julia has been working with residents in Frank Whymark House and Ronald Buckingham Court, facilitating conversations and leading interactive workshops.
Tea Break Theatre will explore the effect gentle, creative workshops have on personal resilience and health.
For more information visit www.londonbubble.org.uk or call 020 7237 4434 to speak to Julia / Claire.