Category Archives: Politics

St James Supermarket faces licence review

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The St James Supermarket at the corner of Southwark Park Road and St James’s Road is facing a review of its 24-hour premises licence.

Full details on the council website.

Prevention of Crime and disorder

  • The business had in possession for supply 69 bottles of alcohol where no duty had been paid and/or the product was counterfeit.
  • Failure to implement conditions of licence as outlined.

Public Safety

  • Counterfeit Smirnoff was seized. Counterfeit alcohol is usually manufactured in uncontrolled environments with minimal/no quality control and the alcohol used often of a grade that is not suitable for personal consumption.

The prevention of public nuisance

  • The provision of a bottle opener hanging on a piece of string at the counter and the offer to use it for the customer permitted alcohol to be consumed on the premise and to allow alcohol to be readily consumed on the streets was likely to lead to public nuisance
  • Failure to display a notice in a position where it can be read by customer a notice asking customers to respect neighbours by discouraging noise

The protection of children from harm

  • >Failure to adopt and implement an age verification scheme including the use of a refusal book for the purpose of recording all refused sales of alcohol and a recognised training scheme for all staff concerned with the sale or supply of intoxicating liquor, records of which shall be kept and made available for inspection.)

A new pier for Rotherhithe by 2020?

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Simon Hughes, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, has outlined his vision for a new pier in Rotherhithe to support local growth and to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower.

Simon and local Liberal Democrats have met with representatives of Transport for London to argue the case for a new river pier and commuter service in  Rotherhithe to be included in TfL’s River Action Plan.

The pier has the backing of Liberal Democrat councillors and Robert Hulse, director of the  Brunel Museum.

“I believe it is vital we encourage development right along the river – from central locations such as Westminster to areas further east such as Rotherhithe in my own constituency,” said Simon Hughes.

“In 2020 it will be 400 years since the Mayflower set sail from Rotherhithe for Plymouth and on to New England. We should mark and celebrate this occasion with the construction of a new pier in Rotherhithe, which would connect Rotherhithe’s past with its future, by supporting local growth and tourism.

“The proposal has support from Liberal Democrat councillors, local employers and residents, and the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe. I am now calling on the Mayor and Transport for London to develop detailed plans for this new pier. I am sure it can be a great success.”

 

Vitalijs Janovics murder: was he stabbed at Bermondsey Wall East?

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mdr71-11janovicspic2Detectives investigating the 2011 murder of Vitalijs Janovics in Bermondsey have issued new information concerning his last known movements.

A reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the murder also remains available.

Police and London Ambulance Service were called at around 1.10am on 22 July 2011 to reports of an injured man in Jamaica Road SE16.

Mr Janovics, aged 38 of Long Lane SE1, was taken by ambulance to King’s College Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

He had suffered a single stab wound to his heart.

On Wednesday 2 April a team of detectives from the homicide and major crime command, led by Detective Chief Inspector Nicky Wall, and the local neighbourhood policing team will be out conducting house-to-house inquiries and distributing leaflets in the hope new information/witnesses will come to light.

DCI Wall said: “We know that Mr Janovics arrived at Bermondsey underground station shortly before midnight and went into the Payless Food & Wine store on Jamaica Road where he purchased alcohol and cigarettes.

“He then waited around to use a nearby ATM machine and at about midnight walked towards Thames Path and Bermondsey Wall East – I now believe this is where he was stabbed.

“I also believe it is possible Mr Janovics did not realise he had been wounded as he returned to the Payless Food and Wine store where he attempted to purchase more alcohol before becoming unsteady on his feet and collapsing in Jamaica Road.

“My aim is that this new information will trigger someone’s memory of something they may have witnessed on Bermondsey Wall East that night and perhaps thought it was not serious enough to be connected to a murder.

“I would urge you to contact the incident room or Crimestoppers with any information you may have.”

Police are asking anyone with information to call the Incident Room on 020 8785 8963; or to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Kai Taliana, then 19, of Vauban Estate, SE16 and  Khaled Ait-Said, then 19, of Guinness Court, Mansell Street, E1 were found not guilty of murder at the Old Bailey on 17 October 2012.

Labour pledges superfast broadband for Rotherhithe

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“Unacceptably slow broadband speeds in Rotherhithe are one of the most frustrating issues faced by people in the area, so I’m delighted to announce that Southwark Labour will work with broadband providers to bring superfast broadband to Rotherhithe,” said Labour leader Cllr Peter John.

“The government has promised that 95 per cent of premises in the UK will have access to superfast broadband by 2017 and it is unacceptable that areas like Rotherhithe have so far been left out.

“I will continue to push broadband providers to take action and the next Labour administration will ensure that residents in Rotherhithe have access to superfast broadband.” 

The pledge comes as Southwark Labour announces its manifesto for the local elections to be held on 22 May.

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.

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