Following last week’s news that Southwark Council’s legal challenge of the proposed super-sewer work site at Chambers Wharf failed for being submitted a day too late, Southwark’s opposition Lib Dem leader Anood Al-Samerai used an urgent question at Wednesday’s council assembly meeting to urge Labour council leader Peter John to apologise for the legal error.
Here’s what happened:
Earlier this month Ofsted published another report on Strawberry Babybubs Nursery in St James’s Churchyard, Bermondsey.
Once again the nursery has been given the lowest possible rating – ‘inadequate’. Inspectors found that:
- The key-person system is not effective in helping children to feel settled and secure.
- Staff who have not been cleared by the vetting system are given responsibilities to change nappies unsupervised. This means children’s welfare cannot be assured.
- Not all staff have a sound understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children. In addition, documentation lacks information about staff attendance and deployment, and policies lack required details that staff must observe to keep children safe.
- The management’s system to monitor the quality of teaching and track the progress of all children is weak, particularly with regard to completing progress checks for two- year-olds.
- Although outside play is part of the written daily routine, staff do not ensure babies have regular opportunities to spend time outdoors. There are few opportunities for babies and toddlers to engage in sensory and messy play activities to support their emotional and physical development.
From the Thames News archive …
Another vignette from the Thames News archive
The owners of the Thames News (ITV regional news) archive have published on YouTube this 30-second clip of a demonstration in Swan Road Rotherhithe in March 1985.
Locals occupied a plot of land in protest against plans by the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) to build ‘luxury housing’.
Southwark Council has come under fire after its legal challenge to plans to use Chambers Wharf as a construction site for Thames Water’s super-sewer was rejected for being a day too late.
“We are extremely disappointed by this decision and the Government’s decision to not consider alternatives to Chambers Wharf,” said Cllr Peter John, leader of the council.
“We always knew this was going to be a tough battle, but I wanted Government Ministers to have to justify to local residents why they think its acceptable that their lives should be blighted in this way. I again repeat my challenge to Eric Pickles and Liz Truss. Come to Bermondsey and speak to people about why they think seven years of 24 hour a day noise next to homes and schools is OK.
“We will now go back and look at our options, take advice from counsel and make a decision on our next steps. Meanwhile we will continue to work with residents to mitigate the harm they will suffer.
This was a complex legal case which was argued for four hours by QCs at court yesterday. Unfortunately the judge disagreed our lawyers’ interpretation of the legislation and court practice rules. This decision emphasises the challenge local communities and councils will face when objecting to major infrastructure projects.”
Liberal Democrat councillor for Riverside ward, Eliza Mann, who attended the High Court hearing, said: “This is a bitter blow for all the residents, local councillors and local MP who have been fighting Thames Water’s plans to build the super sewer at Chambers Wharf.”
Lib Dem leader Cllr Anood Al-Samerai said “We all trusted the council to represent our community in court. Now the case for a judicial review has been thrown out all because the council couldn’t manage to submit its paperwork on time
“This must rank among one of the council’s worst-ever bungles. It is totally incompetent and amateur. The leader of the council must now explain why Southwark has let its residents and our community down so badly.”
Campaign chairman Barney Holbeche said: “Save Your Riverside is very disappointed that Southwark’s legal challenge to the TTT project in respect of impacts at Chambers Wharf has been rejected by the High Court – and on a legal technicality rather than the merits of the case.”
“We will continue to press Thames Water, the Infrastructure Provider, and the contractors to minimise the impacts of this massive construction imposition on the doorsteps of thousands of Southwark residents in the years to come. We thank LB Southwark for all their efforts and will work closely with them on residents’ behalf.”
Firefighters are reminding people to cook safely and check their smoke alarms after crews rescued a woman from a flat blaze on Odessa Street this morning.
@se16 7 fire engines in Odessa Street pic.twitter.com/V6u5BNBJ8I
— John Austin (@JohnEAustin) January 14, 2015
The fire damaged part of a flat on the top floor of the seven storey block at New Caledonian Wharf and crews wearing breathing apparatus led the woman to safety down an internal staircase.
It is believed that the fire was started by cooking which had been left unattended.
New Caledonia Wharf @se16 it's a high rise building says firefighter – 9 appliances arrive speedily to emergency call pic.twitter.com/hjrQz1tQFd
— John Austin (@JohnEAustin) January 14, 2015
Station Manager Pat Utting who was at the scene said: “We believe the fire began after a rice pot was left on a stove. Over 60 per cent of London’s house fires start in the kitchen and we would urge people to never leave their cooking unattended as the consequences can be lethal.
“Unfortunately although the flat had a smoke alarm there was no battery in it. It’s essential that your home is fitted with a working smoke alarm and that you check it regularly. You should also never remove the battery. Smoke alarms can buy you vital seconds to escape in the event of a fire. In this case the woman we rescued was only alerted after the rice pot on the cooker went ‘pop’.”
All seems OK but nothing can get in or out of Odessa Street @se16 as fire engines stacked up pic.twitter.com/MDRHHQvbGw
— John Austin (@JohnEAustin) January 14, 2015
Six fire engines and around 35 firefighters and officers from Deptford, Peckham, New Cross, Old Kent Road and Greenwich fire stations attended the incident. The woman was treated for smoke inhalation.
From 12 January 2015 until August 2016, major Network Rail modernisation work will take place at London Bridge station and Southeastern rail services to and from Charing Cross will not call at London Bridge. Southeastern services from New Cross, St. Johns, Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill and Westcombe Park stations will no longer operate to and from London Charing Cross or Waterloo East, and will instead operate to and from London Cannon Street. No Bedford to Brighton Thameslink trains will call at London Bridge station until January 2018.
TfL has warned that parts of the London Overground network, especially Canada Water, Brockley and New Cross, the DLR and some bus services are also likely to be busier.
“Customers who have flexibility in their journey times are advised to avoid peak times at Canada Water if they can,” said TfL in a statement on Friday.
Don’t Drop the Coffin – the documentary series about funeral directors FA Albin and Sons first shown on ITV twelve years ago – is to be repeated on local television channel London Live.
The series starts on Wednesday 7 January at 8pm.
London Live is on Freeview channel 8 in the London region, Sky channel 117 and Virgin Media 159.
Albin’s was recently honoured with a Southwark blue plaque.
The whole series is available to view on YouTube courtesy of the production company STV.
From today until 31 January there will be be real tree collection point at Southwark Park (collection point is at the left hand side of main park entrance off Southwark Park Road).