One of the things we funded through last year’s locality fund was a bench for the Leybridge Estate.  The Tenants and Residents Association (TRA) wanted a bench so residents could take advantage of the green surroundings of the estate, and also so residents of the Woodville sheltered housing block had somewhere to take the weight off their feet on the way back from the Lee Green shops.

I went up to Leybridge tonight for the TRA’s regular meeting and was really pleased to see the bench has now been installed - and very good it looks too.  Thanks go to Lewisham Homes and Glendale for arranging the installation.

If you’ve got ideas for this year’s locality fund, then we’d like to hear from you!

A couple of other issues raised at the TRA meeting that I’m taking up:

• Residents are concerned that the estate parking scheme isn’t being enforced properly - I’m taking this up with Lewisham Homes and asking them to speak to their contractor.
• Both the gates at the entrances to the estate have faults - again, I’ve taken this up with Lewisham Homes.

If you live on one of the stock transfer estates in Lee Green then this is an important week.    The documents which give you details of the improvement programme residents have negotiated with Broomleigh Housing Association will be delivered to you at some point this week.  

I realise that residents might have questions about the proposals, so I’ve invited a representative from Broomleigh to attend my advice surgery this Saturday to answer any questions residents might have.   My advice surgery takes place on Saturday 19th July from 10am until 11am at the McEwan Centre (portakabin) on Leybridge Court.  No appointment needed - just turn up.

I think the deal residents have negotiated with Broomleigh is a really good one, but it won’t happen unless residents support it in the ballot which will happen later this year.  If you’ve got questions or want to know more, please pop in on Saturday.   It’d be great to see you!

The stock transfer estates are: 1 - 173 Leybridge Court, Merridale, Woodville Close, Rose Way, Silk Close, 96 and 100 Dorville Road, Kimbolton Close, Stoneycroft Close, Wildwood Close, Lucorn Close, 1-7 and 10-68 Birch Grove or 30-60 Burnt Ash Hill.

I popped over to Leybridge Court this afternoon for the opening of the Broomleigh show home on the estate.   Broomleigh have fitted out an empty flat so residents can get a preview of the improvements that are planned if residents say ‘yes’ to stock transfer.

The show flat looks great - really nice kitchen and bathroom, smart new front door, and plenty of choices so residents can personalise it (the photo shows Sule from Broomleigh showing me the various kitchen options available).   

Plenty of residents dropped in to have a look, and they all seemed really impressed with the deal that the resident steering group have negotiated with Broomleigh.

If you live on Leybridge, Merridale, Woodville or Rose Way or Silk Close do pop along and have a look.  The flat’s at 122 Leybridge Court (8th floor, blue block).   The opening hours confirmed so far are:

• Sat 31 May, 11 - 1pm
• Mon 2 June - Wed 4 June, 2 - 5pm
• Thu 5 June 2 - 6pm
• Sat 7 June 2 - 4pm
• Mon 9 June - Thu 12 June, 10 - 12

There’s also a show flat on the Newstead Estate - which I mentioned a few days ago.

As you may be aware, residents on two estates in Lee Green are developing proposals to transfer their homes from council ownership to Broomleigh - a not for profit housing association who have pledged to invest £28million pounds to improve the estates.

Residents on the Newstead Estate can now see how their home could look if they say “yes” in the ballot to be held later this year. Broomleigh have opened a show home to show residents the new kitchens and bathrooms they propose to install.

The show home is at 40M Burnt Ash Hill and will be open at the following times:
Tue 27 May - Thur 29 May 2-5pm
Mon 2 June - Thur 5 June, 10 - 12
Mon 9 Jun - Thur 12 June, 2-5pm
A show home on the other transfer estate - Leybridge Court - will open later this month.

Your councillors are supporting the stock transfer proposals which have been drawn up by residents working with Broomleigh. The proposals are far in excess of any investment the Council or Lewisham Homes can offer, and residents have received guarantees about rent levels and their rights as tenants.  

Just a quick reminder that my advice surgery takes place this Saturday from 10am until 11am at the McEwan Centre (portakabins) on the Leybridge Estate, off Eltham Road/Leyland Road.

You can pop along to raise any issues you think I might be able to help with.   If this Saturday isn’t good for you, you can always contact me at home or visit Paul or Sven’s surgery (details here).

The Lewisham Homes Lee Green Housing Office on Eltham Road has now closed.   As tenants in the ward will be aware, I campaigned against this closure when it was first proposed last summer.    Many residents said they didn’t receive the consultation document from Lewisham Homes, and many objected to having to travel to Catford to see their housing officer.   However, the Mayor and Cabinet approved the closure on November 14th.   It’s a real shame as it’s yet another empty unit in Leegate, and another local service lost.

Lewisham Homes originally planned to close the office at Christmas - but we were able to persuade them to keep it open until the end of the lease, which was good news.    I know residents at Leybridge and Newstead are now talking to Broomleigh about potential office arrangements after the stock transfer - and as residents will vote on these in the ballot, they’ll be keen to get things right.

To their credit, Lewisham Homes have arranged two surgery dates each week, where residents can see someone face-to-face.  These will take place on the ground floor of Merridale, Carston Close.  The surgery times are:

• Mondays from 2pm until 4pm
• Thursdays from 9.30am until 11.30am

Properties in Lee Green Ward are now managed from the Holbeach Housing Office in Catford (just round the corner from Argos).  You can call the office on 8314 7991 or email enquiries {at} lewishamhomes.org(.)uk    The office is open 9-5 every day except Wednesday, when the hours are 10-5.   

Repairs should always be reported on 8314 8314 or emailed to repairs {at} lewishamhomes.org(.)uk

Separately, all Lewisham Homes offices will be closed from 12 midday on Friday 18 April for all staff to attend their Annual Staff Conference. The out of hour emergency repairs service will continue to run during this time. The number is 8314 8314.

Lewisham Council is still landlord to properties managed by Lewisham Homes, so if you are having problems, you can still get in touch with your Councillors (as indeed you can if you’ve got problems with a housing association).   My contact details, as always, are here.

As you might have read in the last ‘hard copy’ edition of Focus, residents on the Leybridge and Newstead estates are working with Broomleigh Housing Association on regeneration proposals for their estates.    These improvements will only happen if residents vote ‘yes’ in a stock transfer ballot to take place later this year.

We think this is a great opportunity for the estates, but recognise many residents may have questions about the stock transfer process or want to know more about Broomleigh.    To assist, I’ve arranged for a member of staff from Broomleigh to attend my surgery this Saturday between 10am and 11am at the McEwan Centre (portacabins) on Leybridge Court.  If you live on one of the affected estates, please do come along and ask any questions you have - no appointment is neccessary.