Encouraging response from Belsize conservation special measures meeting

A good consultation meeting tonight for Belsize conservation area at Hampstead Town Hall tonight on the proposed introduction of Article Four directions - special conservation measures to help maintain what keeps Belsize special, in terms of smaller changes that are currently "permitted development rights".

We had about 35 people and a lively debate, with a broad consensus in favour of the proposed measures, but a lot of questions on the detail, and big concerns about broader planning policy. Very informative presentation by conservation officers; we've learned some lessons about how best to explain and communicate what we are proposing, which will be useful for the Hampstead and Swiss Cottage areas.

Obviously what's critical is that we get a lot of good feedback from the 7-8,000 people living in the conservation area, and so far despite postal strikes there is a strong flow of responses by email and post.

Camden commits £1.15m in insulation grants for private sector homes

A big and very welcome announcement on a key priority from my colleague Cllr Chris Knight, worth repeating in full:


Residents in Camden could save hundreds of pounds a year after Camden Council has committed an extra £1.15m for a private sector home insulation programme. This funding will aim to deliver up to 100 per cent grants to freeholders and leaseholders in blocks of flats for cavity wall and loft insulation.

This is in addition to the Council’s warmer, cheaper, greener programme, which is available to all Camden residents and provides a wide range of grants to help make homes more energy efficient and cut tonnes of CO2. Many grants will cover the full cost of home insulation.

Insulating a loft can save residents as much as £205 a year and a tonne of CO2 per household. Cavity wall insulation can also reduce the amount of energy used for heating and could save as much as £160 per year in bills.

Cllr Chris Knight, Executive Member for Environment, Camden Council said:
"Camden is committed to tackling climate change at a local level. As part of this we’re making it as easy and affordable as possible for residents across the borough to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
"Simple changes like home insulation can play a huge role in protecting the environment, as well as saving money on energy bills. We encourage everyone to get in touch and we’ll help make sure they are getting all the support they need to go green at home."

164 separate energy efficiency improvements in the private sector were carried out by the Council last year alone worth £138,559 – along with an additional 46 in social housing, through the council tenant energy efficiency grant.
To find out more about Camden Council’s warmer, cheaper, greener programme visit http://www.camden.gov.uk/energygrants or call Camden’s freephone small steps helpline on 0800 801738 (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday).

Calls are answered by specially trained energy advisors who can provide a range of advice on energy saving tips, grants and discounts for energy saving measures such as heating systems and loft and cavity wall insulation. The helpline can also provide advice on choosing the best electricity and gas suppliers, preventing damp and mould and money advice for people on a low income.

Swiss Cottage or South Hampstead?

One issue that came up at the recent Swiss Cottage area forum (more soon on the decisions about local spending) was the name of the ward. Now council wards by their nature are somewhat artificial - they don't represent natural communities, since the need for equally sized wards takes precedence over natural communities.

Swiss Cottage has been the name of the ward, with slightly altering boundaries over the years, since at least the 1980s. Yet the view was made very forcefully to us that people don't think they live in Swiss Cottage, they think they live in South Hampstead. (Actually within the ward there are also people who consider they live in St John's Wood, and in Primrose Hill). One comment was "no-one lives in Swiss Cottage, it's simply a tube station and pub."

We're keen to hear views on this. Certainly estate agents often use the term South Hampstead, and our main residents group is called the Combined Residents Association of South Hampstead. It's also true that the Swiss Cottage conservation area is at a little distance from the tube station. Might it be the case that those more involved with Council services and council activities are more used to the term Swiss Cottage, while people without strong connections to the council are less focused on the term? Are there differences between newer and longer established residents.

The ward name probably can't be changed until the next time that ward boundaries are changed. What is more possible in the next year might be to change the name of the conservation area when we update the conservation area statement, and I will ask council officers to include this question in the consultation.

We're also keen to hear views on whether this nomenclature matters very much! But given the difficulty of getting people involved in the local community, it is certainly arguable that if local authorities use the name most people use, you're more likely to get them involved.

Bargain recycled furniture available this week

Local residents can bag a bargain on household goods this week. ReStore Community Projects, a charity which recycles and reuses domestic furniture and appliances for local people, will be moving into Camden Council’s Pop-Up Shop on 54 Tavistock Place.

The ReStore Pop- Up shop will be available for those in need of low cost household items. These people include students, pensioners and people who can give evidence of their proof of benefits. ReStore have also provided retro pieces of furniture to the set of Casino Royale and the new Harry Potter film.

This is a great opportunity to pick up good quality, low cost furniture and appliances, whilst also helping the environment through the recycling of furniture collected and sold.

Visitors to the shop during the 22-30 October can ask about a 10% discount on stock at ReStore's warehouse. ReStore will collect good quality furniture and appliances and deliver items to clients. Restore also provide training and volunteering opportunities. Those wishing to learn more about donating unwanted furniture to ReStore, or using their services are invited to visit the shop from 10am–4pm daily.

Freedom Passes are changing

This council press release on changes to the Freedom Pass (which Camden Council pays for) is worth sharing in full (not least as over 40% of over-65s in Camden now have internet access!)


Freedom passes are changing. From next year all freedom passes will be personalised with pass-holders’ photograph on the front. So to make things easier for residents, Camden Council will be processing all Freedom Pass applications and renewals for 2010. Before the end of November we will be sending out forms to all freedom pass holders so they can renew their pass in the new photo-card format. We have simplified the process so that all residents need to do when they receive their form is check their printed details are correct, add one recent photo and proof of residence, and send it back to us.

We will send a letter confirming we have received it. From the end of January 2010, we will write to residents, saying exactly when their pass will be sent in the post. Councillor Martin Davies, Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health, Camden Council, said: “We know that some residents might be concerned about the changes to Freedom Passes. That’s why we have simplified the application process to make things easier. We’re here to help residents with the changes every step of the way.”

Notes for editors:
1.For more information about Freedom Passes, please visit camden.gov.uk/ats or myjourney.org.uk or call 020 7974 6435

2.For residents who need extra assistance in completing the renewal form, an officer will be available to check your form and proof of residence at the Cashiers office at the Town Hall.

3.For wheelchair users or for residents who cannot get access to a photo booth, we can arrange to take your photo at 79 Camden Road, NW1 9ES, by prior appointment only. This service is only available until 6th November 2009.

4.Existing disabled Freedom Pass holders will not need to re-provide any medical information or have another assessment.

5.Please note that, because passes will be posted out, it is not possible to issue Freedom Passes (including lost and stolen passes) on the same day

Cyclists on pavements update

We've been investigating further.

Unfortunately, Camden officers do not have the power to issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for the offence of cycling on the pavement or for going through red lights (£30). This is covered by the S72 Highways Act 1980 and currently in Camden only police officers and Safer Neighbourhood Team Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have the power to issue FPNs.

In the last year, Camden police have issued 219 FPNs to cyclists (mainly for cycling on the pavement), compared with just 180 in Islington but 420 in Westminster. This suggests that there is more that our borough police could be doing. We know the Swiss Cottage police team has issued some FPNs, which is great, but we will be asking the council and the borough police for a greater focus on this.

The council does stress it has got a strong emphasis on using other measures with the Police and Safer Neighbourhood Teams to discourage cycling on the footway, such public leaflets and police led prevention operations. Last year, in some hotspots in Camden, Police led 9 operations combined with the Council’s Street Warden Service, warning a lot of cyclists as well as issuing FPNs. This campaign took a balanced view and also stopped vehicle drivers who stopped in Advanced Cycle Stop lines, and gave advice to cyclists regarding the dangers of HGVs. We need some of this in Swiss Cottage!

We are pursuing this issue further, we feel we are representing a silent majority on this. Please let us know what you think.

Tavistock and Portman performs strongly in mental health services

It was great to see that our neighbour the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, who of course have a well deserved national and international reputation in mental health, has just been named and famed as one of those NHS Foundation Trusts that have performed strongly in the NHS performance ratings. Roger Freeman, one of the Trust's Governors, reports this is a just reflection of the excellent work being done by the new CEO and his colleagues.

The new Family, Drug and Alcohol Court at the Tavistock & Portman has got off to an excellent start, improving outcomes for children by tackling the substance misuse of parents at an early stage of care proceedings.

Roger feeds back on Kilburn/Swiss Cottage polyclinic meeting

Roger Freeman was at the Wednesday October 7th Camden NHS consultation on future services. The most relevant item for those living west of the Finchley Road area are the proposals to build a 60,000 patient polyclinic in the Kilburn area; this will complement the one to go at the Royal Free hospital. These proposals are at an early stage and no site has been identified. As currently envisaged it would house a GP surgery, diagnostics and also specialized services such as for example chiropody. It was emphasized that there was no plan for any GP surgeries to close and the Swiss Cottage Surgery in Winchester Mews would continue to operate largely as now; however it was recognized that one eventual effect will be the closure of smaller practices, where for example the GP's retire.

Clearly there will be advantages for local residents such as much reduced trips to hospitals for diagnostics. On the other hand many residents value their small GP practices. It is a pity that there are no plans to meet the important local need-to have a walk in service at the weekend and in the evening after 6.30pm. To repeat these are early days. Roger Freeman will continue to follow developments and more concrete financial proposals are due to be consider by Camden NHS at the turn of the year.

There is good potential news on other fronts. The urgent care facility in the Royal Free makes sense, as it will alleviate pressure on the Royal Free A & E and allow them to focus on their priorities and there is a recognition of a need to invest more in NHS dental services, though none are planned for our area.The closing date for the consultation has been extended till this Friday October 16; go to http://www.camden.nhs.uk/current-consultations.htm

A small minority of anti-social cyclists

Roger Freeman attended Monday's Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) public meeting. A key part of these meetings is for the public there to agree the priorities for the Police SNT in the next quarter. It was agreed that these should continue to be burglary, vehicle crime and anti social behaviour. Incidents of robbery continue (thankfully) to be very low. It was agreed that anti social behaviour should cover cycling on the pavement. The risks posed to pedestrians by cyclists flouting the law were highlighted by many, and this chimes with our experience as councillors. This particularly concentrated on pavement cycling, where the SNT are giving out tickets (£30), but also cyclists ignoring pedestrians' right of way crossing the road ie at Zebra crossings. Roger Freeman would welcome hearing your views on this, and we are investigating this problem further.

The meeting was constructive and reasonably well attended, but we can always do with more residents attending - please spread the word if you can.

A Good Read: Camden's Third Annual Parking Report

I do recommend Camden's Third Annual Parking Report, which was passed by the Environment Committee this week and outlining the continuing progress in making parking more resident-friendly since Conservative councillors joined the Council's Executive in 2006.

There is too much to summarise fully here, but a couple of highlights:

- Traffic movements in Camden in 2008 were 2.8% up on the previous year, but still 14.6% down on 2001
- Road deaths/seriously injured were 123 in 2008, up from 105 the previous year but noticeably down on 192 in 2003
- Parking tickets have dropped from 463,944 in 2004/5 to 320,304 in 2008/9
- vehicles clamped have reduced from 26,070 in 2004/5 to just SEVEN in 2008/9, following our change of policy
- Car club members have doubled in two years to 4,050, with a target of 6,500 by 2010/11
- On motorcycles in bus lanes we are waiting for the results of a TfL study into this before considering whether to introduce in Camden roads, which would need a decision by all inner London boroughs for consistency
- Coming up we have more progress on on-street electric charging bays, pay by phone parking, waiting and loading reviews and a rolling programme of review of Controlled Parking Zones in response to residents' views (Primrose Hill, Highgate, Redington-Frognal, Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia coming up)
- We are reducing cost in the parking service while continuing to enhance the offer to residents, such as website information and text alerts on suspensions etc
- Surplus income in the the parking account has dropped from £21m in 2007/8 to just £14m in 2008/9
- While commonly thought of as "profit", this income in fact funds the Freedom Pass for older people and the Taxicard scheme for the disabled, plus highway improvements and safety schemes. It's all used well.

I continue to get a lot of comments about parking, and my colleagues and I are keen to hear about what can be improved. We cannot please everyone all the time on parking - residents parking is essential and welcomed by residents and then needs to be fairly enforced. There is also a tension between controls that are attuned to every street's different needs and thus become complex and expensive, and thus difficult to communicate and understand, and more simplified controls.

Swiss Cottage Conservation Area to be revised in April next year

The Environment Sub Committee on which I sit agreed tonight the schedule of work on conservation areas over the next year. You can find the report here - essentially the council is going to revise and update conservation areas where the statements are 10-15 years old. Swiss Cottage is one of these and the new statement/apppraisal plus management strategy will be finalised in April 2010, following consultation and local involvement. Other conservation areas in the borough that will also be updated in the coming year will include West End Green (also in April next year), Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, Holly Lodge, Regents Park, Kelly Street, Parkhill/Upper Park and Kentish Town. More up to date conservation area appraisals carry more weight in planning terms, so this is overdue and good news. If you want to know more, let me know.

The consultation on the Special Conservation Measures in the next couple of months will thus in many ways form the introduction for this updating of the conservation area appraisal.

Licensing application by Adil Food & Dry Cleaner, 121 Finchley Rd

There's a new alcohol licensing application gone in from Adil Food and Dry Cleaner of 121 Finchley Rd, just next to KFC. We are aware of residents' concerns about this, given the problems on that stretch of Finchley Rd with street drinking and nighttime antisocial behaviour. The hours applied for - up to midnight seven days a week - seem excessive and I have objected to them.

Chris Philp and I had a look around the immediate surroundings yesterday to understand the concerns.

If anyone wishes to object, the deadline is 20th October, and you can either:

email ppp@camden.gov.uk

go to www.camden.gov.uk/elicensing and follow the links

write to Licensing, Camden Town Hall, Argyle St WC1H 8EQ