LISTER ON PUTNEY

Edward Lister is the Leader of Wandsworth Council and a member for Putney's Thamesfield ward. The great thing about living in Putney is that people care passionately about what goes on around them in their community. Nobody wants to see the proposed mobile phone masts go ahead at Richmond Court on the Upper Richmond Road. People are increasingly wary of the official assurances they are given on the possible health risks. Amazingly this is the one factor local planning committees are not allowed to take into account when considering applications. Indeed the Government tells councils to ignore these concerns provided the installation meets the appropriate European guidelines.

We have to get ministers to sit up and take notice of this growing issue. It really has been made too easy for the mobile phone giants. Often they can sidestep the need to even obtain planning permission - simply by reducing the height of the installation.

The planning committee has put the application on hold for the time being. Members have served notice that they will give the plans a rough ride. Leaseholders in Richmond Court can now use the time to put pressure on their landlord to say no. I have promised them my full support.

Residents in the Lower Common South and Dryburgh Road area are deeply unhappy about plans to erect a new house on land behind their properties at Egliston Lawns.

They fear that the development would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the conservation area and spoil the current open outlook from their houses.

Their concerns were backed by local councillors at the planning committee held on February 14. They succeeded in getting the application deferred for more reports.

One of the biggest issues is the risk of damage to the roots of a superb protected Poplar tree on the site. The planning committee made it clear that they would want much more detail on this and other aspects of the scheme before arriving at a final decision.

Pigeon mess under railway bridges has been the subject of a long-running row between the council and Railtrack. Having won a High Court case forcing the company to put up netting at their Balham High Road bridge we have been pressing them for a timetable for their other bridges in the borough.

This week they confirmed their intention to tackle three more bridges including the one at Earlsfield station which has been in a shocking state for many years. Putney commuters will be relieved to know that the Railtrack bridge at East Putney is also on our hit list. As soon as we have been able to tie the company down to a date we will let local people know.

Nuisance of a different kind will be captured by the CCTV camera network planned for Roehampton's Danebury Avenue area.

The ten camera system will be monitored around the clock from the council's control room. Installation works will begin in the summer.

We have heard a lot recently about the drop in police numbers in the borough and in particular the sad fact that Roehampton, which used to have five local bobbies, now only has one.

No amount of cameras will ever compensate for inadequate numbers of police on the ground but a properly designed system can play a key role in helping to prevent crime and identify offenders.

Edward Lister

You can contact Edward Lister at the Town Hall on 0208 871 6041 or by email at elister@wandsworth.gov.uk

Cllr Lister writes on Pensioners Freedom Passes, good news re Hotham School, development progress at Ashlone Wharf and aircraft noise from Heathrow Airport.

Recent visit to the Leisure Centre was less than enjoyable - see forum.

Cllr Lister writes on the new school for the area, housing development and Heathrow.

Cllr Lister writes on developments at the Putney School of Art & Design, The Leisure Centre and the excellent league results for local schools.

Tony Colman MP for Putney speaks about current local issues