Author Archives: SE16.com

Seven Islands swimming pool and gym will be free for locals, says Labour

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Southwark residents will be able to use the swimming pool and gym at a ‘refreshed’ Seven Islands Leisure Centre for free if a Labour administration is re-elected in May.

“Helping people in Southwark to lead healthy and active lives is one of Labour’s top priorities and our pledge to deliver free swimming and gym use to all Southwark residents will make it easier for people in the borough to get fit and healthy,” said Cllr Peter John, leader of Southwark Labour.

“This ground-breaking pledge will make a real difference to Southwark residents.

“I recognise that we will be implementing this proposal against a tough economic backdrop, but I believe that it must be an absolute priority of the council to help people in Southwark lead healthy lives.”

Labour says it will review how leisure is funded in Southwark, looking across the board at the structure of the council’s fees and charges, including how users from outside the borough are charged for council leisure centres.

Southwark’s leisure centres are managed and operated by Fusion whose contract is due to come to an end in 2016.

In neighbouring Lambeth the Labour Party made a similar pledge to offer free swimming at the 2010 borough elections but later backtracked on the promise, blaming central Government funding cuts.

Southwark Lib Dems recently unveiled a manifesto commitment to rebuild the Southwark Park Lido if they win back control of the borough in May.

Rotherhithe broadband problems remain on City Hall agenda

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Lib Dem London Assembly member Stephen Knight tabled this Question to the Mayor:

Following your answer to question 2013/4047, can you confirm which minister in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and which European Commissioner have been discussing the issue of market failure to deliver broadband in Rotherhithe and what is the latest outcome of those discussions?

Boris Johnson replied:

The Minister who has been discussing State Aid issues when it comes to intervention in the broadband market in cities is the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Ed Vaizey.

His department, and Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) have been in discussions with the Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner responsible for competition, Joaquín Almunia and will have the latest information.

Later this month I am rolling out, across London, the SME broadband voucher scheme. This will allow SME businesses, charities and non-profits to claim up to £3,000 for high speed broadband connections, usually of 30Mbit/s or more

Taking advantage of this voucher scheme will give businesses improved reliability of service, better communication with customers and staff, reduced costs through more efficient working, improved data storage and accessibility and higher speed upload and download for large files.

Businesses wishing to claim these vouchers should visit http://www.london.gov.uk/broadband for more information.

Visit the website of the Rotherhithe Broadband Campaign for more information on efforts to tackle the poor speed of some internet connections in SE16.

Why are there no Countdown signs at Canada Water Bus Station?

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Lib Dem London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon tabled this question to the Mayor:

Canada Water is a major transport hub in an area which will see increasing development in the coming years. However there is still no countdown information at Canada Water bus station.

Will you explore the possibility of installing bus countdown information at Canada Water?

Boris Johnson replied:

TfL has been working with its suppliers to develop a means of displaying digital sign technology in a robust, secure and weather-proofed facility that is fit for purpose in exposed environments such as bus stations and interchanges.

Three trial locations have been selected for testing purposes and TfL plans to have test signs in situ during April 2014 to assess the suitability of the technology for these locations. Based on the outcome, a business decision will be made on how to proceed with a potential rollout across bus stations, including Canada Water.

Southwark Park athletics track: council pledges £2.63m

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There’s been a lot of political argy-bargy between Labour and the Lib Dems about future plans for Southwark Park’s athletics track in recent months.

This week the (Labour) cabinet approved the borough’s updated capital programme which includes £2.63 million for works at the track.

Here’s what the report to cabinet says:

Investment is requested for the refurbishment of the existing building at Southwark Park Sports Complex to provide suitable changing and ancillary facilities to support athletics development and the needs of Southwark Park users. The facility is currently in poor condition both internally and externally, and does not deliver in terms of what would be expected of a community sports facility.

Usage figures of this facility are dropping. In the first quarter of 2013 only 95 attendances were recorded.

External funding has been secured for the refurbishment of the athletics facilities (track and field), and the building refurbishment will compliment this by providing quality supporting facilities. The site, following investment, will focus on grass- roots athletics and the development of a Southwark athletics club. Sports development activities will be led by Southwark’s Athletics Activator. There is also an aspiration for the facility to deliver a disability sports programme. Overall £3m will be required of which £370k has already been allocated as part of the OLF programme.

Funding will enable the delivery of a refurbished pavilion including changing facilities for athletics and for sport in the park, specialist athletics coaching facilities and a small gym focusing on support athletics training.

More primary school places needed in Bermondsey & Rotherhithe

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This week Southwark’s cabinet confirmed the permanent expansion of Albion Primary School to two forms of entry from September 2015.

The cabinet also received a report about the future planned demand for school places in the borough.

The report shows that there will be a shortfall of 7.5 to 9 forms of entry in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe (in other words up to 270 reception places) by September 2016.

Strong hints were dropped that we will see plans for a new primary school in SE16 emerge this summer, after the hiatus caused by the local elections.

Listen to audio of the two cabinet items relating to school places:

listen to ‘More school places needed in north-east Southwark, says council’ on Audioboo

Harmsworth Quays: we offered to match best price, says Southwark Council

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Southwark Council’s Richard Livingstone answered a public question about Harmsworth Quays from local resident Jerry Hewitt at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.

Listen to the question and answer:

listen to ‘Southwark Council: Daily Mail wouldn’t sell Harmsworth Quays leasehold to us’ on Audioboo

Meanwhile British Land’s consultation events start this week – details on the SE16 Print Works website

Boris Johnson ducks Tory question on how Canada Water residents will benefit from development

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boris johnson

Conservative Party London Assembly member Andrew Boff tabled this question to the Mayor:

What would be the main benefits to local residents of the new Opportunity Area that is proposed for Canada Water in the London Plan?

Boris Johnson replied:

Canada Water was previously an Intensification Area. Its redesignation as an Opportunity Area is to reflect the significant amount of development that has taken place there in recent years and to plan strategically for its continued growth.  As well as new residential and retail development, there is also the potential to develop a new science cluster by King’s College.  

Judge for yourself whether that response is an adequate answer to Mr Boff’s question about benefits to residents…

Blue Anchor Library closed for seven weeks

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A few weeks ago we reported on plans to refurbish Blue Anchor Library.

What the council didn’t say back then was that a seven-week shutdown would be necessary for the work to be completed.

Blue Anchor Library – Southwark Council.

Blue Anchor Library is going to be refurbished during March/April 2014 to install self service technology and to improve the layout and facilities in the library.

The library will be closed for these essential building works from 7pm on Tuesday 11 March to Sunday 27 April inclusive.

Blue Anchor Library will reopen at 9am on Monday 28 April.

The nearest library to Blue Anchor is Canada Water.

You can use your Southwark Council library card at any Southwark library and items on loan can be renewed online or by calling 020 7525 2000. You can return items to any other Southwark library or by taking them to the My Southwark Customer Service Point at 11 Market Place SE16, where there will be a returns box.

 

Thank you for your support and sorry for any inconvenience caused during the refurbishment. We look forward to bringing you your new and improved library in April.