The transfer had been some time in the making, with residents working with the Council for over three years to get the right deal for their estates.  As local councillors, we were strongly supportive of the transfer.  We knew residents were fed up with years of poor maintenance of their estates, and wanted a real change.  Residents worked extremely hard, first to find the right landlord for them, and then to make sure Broomleigh’s offer contained everything they wanted.

I’m proud to have played a small part campaigning for the transfer, and spoke at the Full Council meeting where we approved the transfer.  In particular, I wanted to thank a number of people – residents and staff at the Council and Broomleigh – who’ve worked really hard to make this happen.  They know who they are.

Though I wasn’t able to make it, my colleagues Paul and Pete were there, and are pictured with one of the new signs Broomleigh have already erected at Leybridge.

Of course, the transfer doesn’t stop residents approaching their councillors if they do have any problems with their housing, and I’ll continue to hold my monthly advice surgery at Leybridge Court.  Next one on the 21st November at 10am.

On Monday next week (17th August), there’ll be youth activities on the Newstead Road (Stoneycroft/Wildwood Close) estate (12.30 onwards)

Next Tuesday (18th August), the Rolling Sound Bus will be on the  Leybridge Court estate again – three sessions of game design and music production from 12 til 2;  2.30-4.30 and 5pm until 7pm.

Next Wednesday (19th August), there’ll be sports activities on the Newstead Road estate (12.3o  onwards)

There’ll also be a day trip on Thursday 20th – turn up to one of the sessions earlier in the week for details.

There’ll be further activities the week after (w/b 24th August) – Rolling Sound will be on Leybridge on Tuesday 25th running the same sessions as on the 18th.  

Finally – a quick request – we’re looking for volunteers from the community to serve on the management committee of the new youth club.  Anyone can help, but we’re particularly after people with a passion for youth work, a potential treasurer, or someone with charity experience.  Let me know if you’re interested.

The last visit was a big success, so do get along.

On Wednesday, I attended a meeting of Mayor and Cabinet. I don’t make a habit of going to these, but there were three things I was interested in on the agenda.

Firstly, the Mayor was (finally!) agreeing the rent increase for 2009/10. This was delayed as the Government announced – very late in the day – some extra money for rents. This has caused chaos as Lewisham had already announced the rent rise, and so has had to freeze rents til July while they work out what to do. The Government has also managed to exclude thousands of tenants across the borough, who won’t benefit from this cash at all. Not their finest hour. Anyway, the final increase is 3.84% and should come in from July 6th.

Secondly, the Mayor agreed the waste strategy, which (amongst other things) will see a garden waste drop-off point set up during weekends, probably in the Blackheath Station Car Park. A bit nearer than the Landmann Way site for people in Lee Green, but still no good if you haven’t got a car (can’t see many people pushing a wheelbarrow that far!).

Thirdly, the Mayor rubber-stamped the £5,000 the local assembly allocated for community consultation and activities at the Leegate Centre. Excellent news.

After work on Thursday, I met with the Executive Director for Customer Services to discuss various housing issues. The good news is, the Lee stock transfer is still on-track for approval in June/July – can’t come a moment too soon for me or the residents on the stock transfer estates.

Then I was off to housing committee, which was considering the draft homelessness prevention strategy. I was pleased to get the document amended so that councillors will get regular reports on how the strategy’s progressing. It’s one thing having a good strategy (which I think we now have) but it’s another thing making sure it’s implemented.

Once housing committee concluded, I was straight into the Sustainable Development Committee, where they were already half way through taking evidence from Sutton, Islington and Greenwich Councils on home insulation. Always good to hear what some Lib Dem-run councils are up to – and Islington and Sutton do seem to be setting the pace. After that we discussed the new parks management contract (currently held by Glendale). This gave me a chance to put in another plea for a park keeper for Manor Park. I was also pleased to learn that some of the investment cash for this contract will be targeted at smaller parks – so there’s a chance we could get some improvements to the little-known Edith Nesbitt Gardens, Lee Green’s third park.

Thankfully the weekend’s a bit more Lee Green focussed – I’ve got my monthly advice surgery at Leybridge Court, and am planning to drop into the Lee Manor Society Plant Mart and the St. Margaret’s Victorian Fair. Late on, I’m attending a meeting with residents regarding 87 Old Road, and then I’m sitting back to watch Eurovision.

It’s the first time I’ve been on the bus, and the transformation from London bus to state-of-the-art studio is amazing.

The bus is back at Leybridge tomorrow and then hits Manor House Gardens on Saturday.  Full details of the sessions in Lee Green here.

Working with the Youth Service, we’ve also managed to arrange for the Rolling Sound bus to visit Lee Green over the next three weeks.  The Lab is a state of the art music, photography and design suite installed on a fully customised bus. Young people can use professional multimedia equipment on their doorstep for free.

We’re hoping The Lab’s visit will give young people in Lee Green a flavour of the sort of thing that can be offered, and also give them the opportunity to complete a youth survey.

The bus will be visiting two locations over the three weeks:

Leybridge Court Estate (just off Eltham Road, behind the Leegate Centre):

• Wednesday 15th, Thursday 16th and Friday 17th April
• Wednesday 22nd, Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th April
• Wednesday 29th, Thursday 30th April, and Friday 1st May

Manor House Gardens:

• Saturday 18th April
• Saturday 25th April
• Saturday 2nd May

The team will run three sessions each day – from 12-2pm, 2.30-4.30pm and 5pm- 7pm.

It’s all absolutely FREE – so do head along!

Broomleigh and the Council are currently discussing the fine details of the transfer.  If all goes according to plan, hopefully the transfer will take place at the end of June this year.  Obviously there’s a chance this could take longer, but I know staff at Broomleigh and the Council are working hard to keep things on track.

Village Court in Blackheath and the Orchard Estate (soon to be Orchard Gardens) near Tesco have already transferred to Broomleigh.

Just a quick note to say that it’s my surgery this Saturday (20th) from 10am until 11am at the McEwan Centre on Leybridge Court.

I’m expecting to be joined by a member of our local Police Safer Neighbourhood Team, so if you have any concerns you’d like to raise with me, or the police team, then do pop along.

Residents on the Leybridge Court and Newstead Road estates in Lee Green have been working with Broomleigh Housing Association on plans to improve their homes and regenerate their estates. The plans to transfer the homes to the not-for-profit landlord have been put to the vote and the result was an 86% vote in favour by tenants on the estates.

This is an overwhelming vote in favour of change.  The Mayor noted the results of the ballot at a meeting last Wednesday night and has asked council officials to begin negotiations with Broomleigh. If all goes to plan, the transfer should take place in June next year.

The transfer will result in new kitchens and bathrooms for tenants and bring to an end years of neglect of these estates.  There’ll also be new services like anti-social behaviour wardens.   This is really good news and great credit must go to the Tenant & Resident Associations on both estates who kicked off this process and kept pushing for these improvements.  I’m really pleased that residents have backed these positive proposals, and we’re really looking forward to working with residents and Broomleigh to make them a reality.