The Public Meeting of the Swiss Cottage Safer Neighbourhood Team took place last Tuesday the 24th. Cllr Roger Freeman was there.
Once again the focus was on burglaries.A hotspot map shows that the Gardens area is one of the worst in Camden for burglaries; within the Gardens area, the worst areas are Acol Road/Wavel mews; the Priory end of Greencroft and Greencroft between Fairhazel and Finchley Road.
The Police have been and are concentrating resources into this area and this subject regularly comes up in these meetings.The most common time for burglaries is between 8 and 11am. Very few burglaries happen at night.
In some ways the Gardens area is a perfect area for burglaries.There are many houses in multiple occupation, where it is often easy to gain access through the front communal door; there are many houses with a rapid turnover of people who have little incentive to invest in security and who do not know their neighbours and also many young professionals who are out for much of the day. The situation is worse in those houses who share communal gardens, given that anyone who can gain access to the gardens finds it easier to enter houses by the back. Basements especially those with secluded entrances are another issue.
The Police are taking a twin track solution; target hardening ie encouraging residents to improve their security and information sharing. An email burglary alert system is being set up,alerting residents to where burglaries are happening, modus operandi being used and new security tips.
To sign up give your details to SwissCottage.SNT@met.police.uk.
On a more positive note, good to see continued decline in vehicle crime and robbery/snatches and perhaps most important the Swiss Cottage team is fully up to strength under the continued lead of Sgt Parry.
Monday, 30 May 2011
Adelaide Rd Schools development - construction liaison meeting
Roger Freeman attended this week's community liaison group for the construction of the new Academy building. This was a positive meeting; relations between the contractors and the local community continue to be good and construction is currently on schedule. Feel free to contact Roger Freeman for any issues on this.
Community Investment Programme: Camden consulting on possible development of site on Broadhurst Gardens
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We have mentioned in past months Camden's Community Investment Programme, identifying under used land in the Council's portfolio which can be developed to provide funding for new Council homes and to repair the existing stock.
Various sites have been identified in Swiss Cottage Ward; the first site Camden is looking at is the open space on the south side of Broadhurst Gardens, just east of the intersection with Fairhazel Gardens between Broadhurst Mansions and 109-140 Broadfield (see photo above).
Before Camden decides whether or not to sell this site and/or to develop it, they have started a local consultation and have sent letters to nearby residents. Note that this consultation is quite separate to the planning application with associated consultation that would take place were Camden to sell the site and a developer to seek to build there.
We three Councillors are very keen that this consultation be fully effective and if you have not received the papers and want to comment, email ian.sumner@camden.gov.uk for the consultation documents. Local residents must be heard!
Feel free to contact us with any queries and your concerns.
Long-awaited libraries cuts proposals now out - Swiss Cottage library implications
On 8th June Camden’s council cabinet will be taking the long awaited decision on the future of the library service. The report is now available here.
The report concludes with the options the cabinet may make to secure a £1.6m savings in the libraries budget. This includes £521,000 from a number of core savings including a reduction in book stock, the closure of the mobile library, a slight reduction in computers and a further cut in management costs. But the bulk of the savings - £1.079m – will come from one of three options the cabinet is asked to choose from:
Proposal A – Chalk Farm, Belsize and Heath libraries to close unless a non-council ‘delivery model’ (eg. volunteers/community trust) can be agreed, plus reductions at Highgate and Regents Park. All other libraries to see 10% reduction in opening hours. This ‘mixed model’ spreads the impact of the reductions between reductions in opening hours and fewer libraries.
Proposal B – Most impact on opening hours: a reduction in opening hours of 35% across all sites, and alternative delivery of service sought for Belsize and Chalk Farm libraries. Most of the saving in this proposal comes from reduction in staffing costs, whilst 11 of the 13 library buildings are retained in Council ownership and management
Proposal C – No change in opening hours but with seven libraries -Belsize, Camden Town, Chalk Farm, Heath, Highgate, Regents Park, West Hampstead – to close unless non-council delivery can be secured.
The cabinet is being asked by officers to approve proposal A, which suggests that the political decision has been made to go this route.
There is of course a lively debate about whether there are not other budget options available to the council which would mean cuts of this kind to front-line services could be avoided (see the alternative budget proposals put forward by Cllr Don Williams on behalf of the Conservative Group in March). For libraries, this could include shared back office services with neighbouring authorities.
From a Swiss Cottage perspective, a key issue is undoubtedly the difference between a 35% and a 10% reduction in opening hours at Swiss Cottage library, which is the borough’s central library. A massive reduction in opening hours in a library like this would really have been a tragedy. In the survey results, which have informed the report going to the cabinet, there is a clear tension between older users, for whom the number of libraries is perhaps more important than opening hours, and younger users, for whom longer opening hours in the evening and weekends are more important. There is also a difference between users who see libraries mainly in terms of book borrowing and others who use the IT facilities and see them more in terms of information centres etc.
A final point in the report on Swiss Cottage library is that the three storey building has a great deal of space that is not adequately used and therefore some work on potentially letting out some areas is to take place. The listed status of the building does limit what can be done of course, but it does seem to me from my knowledge of the building that there might be scope to rent out some space without any effect on the library provision.
The report concludes with the options the cabinet may make to secure a £1.6m savings in the libraries budget. This includes £521,000 from a number of core savings including a reduction in book stock, the closure of the mobile library, a slight reduction in computers and a further cut in management costs. But the bulk of the savings - £1.079m – will come from one of three options the cabinet is asked to choose from:
Proposal A – Chalk Farm, Belsize and Heath libraries to close unless a non-council ‘delivery model’ (eg. volunteers/community trust) can be agreed, plus reductions at Highgate and Regents Park. All other libraries to see 10% reduction in opening hours. This ‘mixed model’ spreads the impact of the reductions between reductions in opening hours and fewer libraries.
Proposal B – Most impact on opening hours: a reduction in opening hours of 35% across all sites, and alternative delivery of service sought for Belsize and Chalk Farm libraries. Most of the saving in this proposal comes from reduction in staffing costs, whilst 11 of the 13 library buildings are retained in Council ownership and management
Proposal C – No change in opening hours but with seven libraries -Belsize, Camden Town, Chalk Farm, Heath, Highgate, Regents Park, West Hampstead – to close unless non-council delivery can be secured.
The cabinet is being asked by officers to approve proposal A, which suggests that the political decision has been made to go this route.
There is of course a lively debate about whether there are not other budget options available to the council which would mean cuts of this kind to front-line services could be avoided (see the alternative budget proposals put forward by Cllr Don Williams on behalf of the Conservative Group in March). For libraries, this could include shared back office services with neighbouring authorities.
From a Swiss Cottage perspective, a key issue is undoubtedly the difference between a 35% and a 10% reduction in opening hours at Swiss Cottage library, which is the borough’s central library. A massive reduction in opening hours in a library like this would really have been a tragedy. In the survey results, which have informed the report going to the cabinet, there is a clear tension between older users, for whom the number of libraries is perhaps more important than opening hours, and younger users, for whom longer opening hours in the evening and weekends are more important. There is also a difference between users who see libraries mainly in terms of book borrowing and others who use the IT facilities and see them more in terms of information centres etc.
A final point in the report on Swiss Cottage library is that the three storey building has a great deal of space that is not adequately used and therefore some work on potentially letting out some areas is to take place. The listed status of the building does limit what can be done of course, but it does seem to me from my knowledge of the building that there might be scope to rent out some space without any effect on the library provision.
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Swiss Cottage/Kilburn dispersal zone extended for six months
As notified on this blog, last Tuesday there was the Community Meeting to discuss extending for six more months the Swiss Cottage/Kilburn dispersal zone. As per our May 9 entry, this was introduced as a temporary measure following the murder of a Swiss Cottage ward resident in Kilburn's Mortimer estate.
Roger Freeman was at the meeting, which unanimously supported this extension, something that comes with the Police recommendation.
Readers may recall that from 2008 there has been a dispersal zone, covering initially the Swiss Cottage open space and later extending into parts of Kilburn Ward. The legislation is that they can only be for six months, but can be extended for a further six months following a public consultation and sign off from the Council and the Police. The dispersal zone was last extended for a six month period in June 2010.
Roger Freeman was at the meeting, which unanimously supported this extension, something that comes with the Police recommendation.
Readers may recall that from 2008 there has been a dispersal zone, covering initially the Swiss Cottage open space and later extending into parts of Kilburn Ward. The legislation is that they can only be for six months, but can be extended for a further six months following a public consultation and sign off from the Council and the Police. The dispersal zone was last extended for a six month period in June 2010.
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Community meeting on extension of Swiss Cottage/Kilburn Youth Dispersal Zone
A 28 day Youth dispersal zone has come into force in Swiss Cottage/Kilburn, following a number of serious youth violence incidents. It will initially run until 2nd June and the police are stressing it is to tackle serious youth violence, not lower level youth disorder. The boundaries are the same as the previous dispersal zone which was in place for well over a year.
In line with agreed procedures on dispersal zones a community meeting has been organised on the proposed continuation of this dispersal zone over the summer and autumn. The meeting will take place at Swiss Cottage Community Centre (Room 3) 19 Winchester Road,NW3 3NR at 1.00pm Tuesday 24th May. Please contact Roger Freeman for further information.
In line with agreed procedures on dispersal zones a community meeting has been organised on the proposed continuation of this dispersal zone over the summer and autumn. The meeting will take place at Swiss Cottage Community Centre (Room 3) 19 Winchester Road,NW3 3NR at 1.00pm Tuesday 24th May. Please contact Roger Freeman for further information.
Friday, 20 May 2011
More details on next phase of roadworks for National Grid Gas on Finchley Rd
Further to previous post on these works, which will extend over two years, National Grid Gas has just provided an update which is worth quoting from below, as the next phase begins:
"Various preparatory works have now been undertaken to prove the route of the new main, and work was brought forward to install a new section of main across the bellmouth of Platts Lane, to take advantage of a road closure already in place for other works in Platts Lane. This was completed last weekend.
".. the first main stage of the gas works will commence at the Cannon Hill junction on 23 May 2011, and continue until August. During the initial phase of this works stage, while NGG install their main across the Cannon Hill junction, Cannon Hill will be made one way northbound, with local diversions for traffic wishing to access Cannon Hill from Finchley Road.
Thereafter, NGG will be working on both sides of Finchley Road, between Cannon Hill and Hendon Way. They expect to complete this northern section of Finchley Road, up to the Hendon Way junction, by the end of March 2012. Although much of their work will be limited to the bus lanes, it is clear that certain stages, in particular their crossing of the Fortune Green Road junction later in the year and the Hendon Way junction in the new year, will be more difficult in terms of impact on traffic. We will provide updates to you as the works progress.
TfL has been working hard with NGG to minimise disruption arising from the works, for example by ensuring as far as possible that two running lanes are maintained in both directions, and to schedule more disruptive elements of work where possible to be carried out at the least disruptive times and periods of the year. Wherever it is feasible and safe to do so, NGG will be working extended 12 hour shifts from 08:00 – 20:00 Monday to Friday, to complete the works in the shortest possible time. NGG will also work 08:00 – 13:00 on Saturdays.
"Various preparatory works have now been undertaken to prove the route of the new main, and work was brought forward to install a new section of main across the bellmouth of Platts Lane, to take advantage of a road closure already in place for other works in Platts Lane. This was completed last weekend.
".. the first main stage of the gas works will commence at the Cannon Hill junction on 23 May 2011, and continue until August. During the initial phase of this works stage, while NGG install their main across the Cannon Hill junction, Cannon Hill will be made one way northbound, with local diversions for traffic wishing to access Cannon Hill from Finchley Road.
Thereafter, NGG will be working on both sides of Finchley Road, between Cannon Hill and Hendon Way. They expect to complete this northern section of Finchley Road, up to the Hendon Way junction, by the end of March 2012. Although much of their work will be limited to the bus lanes, it is clear that certain stages, in particular their crossing of the Fortune Green Road junction later in the year and the Hendon Way junction in the new year, will be more difficult in terms of impact on traffic. We will provide updates to you as the works progress.
TfL has been working hard with NGG to minimise disruption arising from the works, for example by ensuring as far as possible that two running lanes are maintained in both directions, and to schedule more disruptive elements of work where possible to be carried out at the least disruptive times and periods of the year. Wherever it is feasible and safe to do so, NGG will be working extended 12 hour shifts from 08:00 – 20:00 Monday to Friday, to complete the works in the shortest possible time. NGG will also work 08:00 – 13:00 on Saturdays.
Monday, 9 May 2011
Emergency Youth Dispersal Zone in Swiss Cottage/Kilburn
A 28 day Youth dispersal zone has just come into force in Swiss Cottage/Kilburn, following a number of serious incidents. It will run until 2nd June and the police are stressing it is to tackle serious youth violence not lower level youth disorder.
The boundaries are the same as the previous dispersal zone which was in place for well over a year.
The boundaries are the same as the previous dispersal zone which was in place for well over a year.
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Gastronomia La Delizia, 51-53 Fairfax: Licensing granted with shortened hours, but planning application to be determined
The Licensing application for the proposed Gastronomia La Delizia, 51-53 Fairfax Rd was granted last Thursday April 28th. Following concerns from local residents, the Applicants shortened the hours they were seeking. The sale of alcohol will now end at 23.30 Monday/Saturday and 2230 on Sundays. This site is where the Interni furniture shop used to be.
Note that a planning application for a change of use has been submitted. As it has been a furniture shop, its planning classification is as a shop and permission is needed for it to become a restaurant; the reference number is 2011/0962. Details of this can be found on the web at http://planningrecords.camden.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/Generic/StdDetails.aspx?PT=Planning%20Applications%20On-Line&TYPE=PL/PlanningPK.xml&PARAM0=261523&XSLT=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/SiteFiles/Skins/camden/xslt/PL/PLDetails.xslt&FT=Planning%20Application%20Details&PUBLIC=Y&XMLSIDE=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/SiteFiles/Skins/camden/Menus/PL.xml&DAURI=PLANNING.
If recommended by the Officers, this will be heard at the full Development Control Committee.If you need clarification of the differences between licensing application and planning permission, feel free to contact Roger Freeman, though as he is Vice Chairman of the Development Control Committee he will not be able to express an opinion on the Planning application.
Also note that comments are due in by Wednesday May 4th, although we are sure that given all the holidays there will be some flexibility.
Note that a planning application for a change of use has been submitted. As it has been a furniture shop, its planning classification is as a shop and permission is needed for it to become a restaurant; the reference number is 2011/0962. Details of this can be found on the web at http://planningrecords.camden.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/Generic/StdDetails.aspx?PT=Planning%20Applications%20On-Line&TYPE=PL/PlanningPK.xml&PARAM0=261523&XSLT=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/SiteFiles/Skins/camden/xslt/PL/PLDetails.xslt&FT=Planning%20Application%20Details&PUBLIC=Y&XMLSIDE=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/SiteFiles/Skins/camden/Menus/PL.xml&DAURI=PLANNING.
If recommended by the Officers, this will be heard at the full Development Control Committee.If you need clarification of the differences between licensing application and planning permission, feel free to contact Roger Freeman, though as he is Vice Chairman of the Development Control Committee he will not be able to express an opinion on the Planning application.
Also note that comments are due in by Wednesday May 4th, although we are sure that given all the holidays there will be some flexibility.
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