Thamesfield Ward E-Bulletin September 2009

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Dates for your diary, Local Issues, Events & more

Local Councillors’ Report Back meeting
We are holding a public meeting on Tuesday, 13th October at 7.30pm at London Rowing Club on the Embankment to find out what you think about life in Thamesfield. Please come and ask us about the Council’s services and let us know what you consider to be the key local issues for your community. We look forward to meeting you on 13th October. If you are unable to attend the meeting we would still like to hear from you. Questions can be submitted via www.wandsworth.gov.uk/listen.

Putney Hospital
The board of Wandsworth Primary Care Trust met on 30th September and unanimously agreed to follow the proposed option that they lease and refit an existing building in Putney Town Centre, to provide the necessary space to accommodate the three existing doctor’s practices, Putney Mead, Balmuir Gardens and Disraeli Road, that are short of space. Negotiations are ongoing and sensitive with various properties in mind, and these cannot be divulged.

The board decided to retain the existing hospital site in case the negotiations fall through and they are obliged to revert to the original proposals. Once the negotiations are complete and they have signed on the dotted line, the hospital site will be disposed of.

Replacement of Gas Mains on Upper Richmond Road
The Victorian Gas mains need to be replaced between Dryburgh Road and East Putney tube station along the Upper Richmond Road. Unfortunately, the works will result in a great deal of congestion and we have been pressing TfL and working with the Council’s highways officers to minimize congestion as much as possible. We are informed that the first phase between East Putney station and Putney Hill will start on Wednesday, 7th October and is due to finish before the run up to Christmas. During phase 1 there will be a temporary “one way” system for eastbound vehicles from Putney High Street towards East Putney station. One half of the road will be excavated to replace the gas pipes. Westbound traffic will be directed up Keswick Road via West Hill to Tibbets Corner and back down Putney Hill. There are no definite dates for phase 2 of the works yet.

Cycle Lanes on Putney Bridge
A borough cycle route runs across Putney Bridge and forms part of the Mayor of London’s London Cycle Network running from Upper Richmond Road to Fulham. Surveys showed that in a 12 hour period from 7am to 7pm two-way cycle flows totalled 1,980 cyclists. There are proposals therefore to introduce a northbound cycle lane on Putney Bridge towards Fulham and to widen the southbound bus lane which is already available to cyclists. This will include coloured surfacing for the proposed advisory lane and new signage and cycle route markings. The cost of £25,000 will be provided out of funding from TfL for its London Cycle Network schemes. Full details of the proposals can be downloaded from www.wandsworth.gov.uk/moderngov as report 09/752 for the Planning & Transport Committee on 10th September.

Lights on and under Putney Bridge
Cllr Maddan has been discussing with Council officers the issue of the lights on Putney Bridge. As a result of his intervention the Council is hiring one of only two hoist vehicles in the UK to provide access to the lights underneath the bridge which are too high to be reached from the river. Once this arrives all the floodlights under the bridge will be replaced and switched on. The street lights on the bridge (former gas lights) are the responsibility of the Council and are all now working. The red and green navigational lights under the bridge are the responsibility of the Port of London Authority.
Defective streets lights or traffic signs or signals can be reported to the on street services manager on 8871 6706.

Putney Christmas Market – 27th November (3-7.30pm)
We have worked hard to organise events like the Christmas Market and the Arts’ festival to encourage people to come to Putney and support our shops and restaurants. This year’s Christmas Market takes place on 27th November from 3-7.30pm with 30 local shops and organisations already signed up to take a stall. There will be a good mix of stalls and plenty to eat and drink. Entertainment will include a treasure hunt, Christmas carols and stalls with special activities for children, a bouncey castle, live jazz and a wide range of stalls for adults. The shops will be staying open late until 8pm.
The list of stall holders who will be at the Christmas Market included (at the time of going to press):
Buckleys, Cakes4Fun, Cards for Good Causes, Cargo, Eddie Catz, Craftworks, Ferrago, Flower Yard, Huttons, Lacy Rd Art Gallery, Millets, Moomba, Paper Mosaic, Portland Scallop, Potter Jewellery, Putney Bridge Clinic, Putney Cycles, Ritz Music, Rooms of London, Sally@St Mary’s, Shehans, Snappy Snaps, Star & Garter, The Boathouse, The Green Room, The Sewing Rooms, Valentina Foods, Van Vara, Whisk Cookshop, Wills Art Warehouse, Waitrose Christmas Wines and sharing a stall Putney Rotary Club and ProstateUK. Roving stalls: Carluccios and Pret a Manger.

Invest in Putney brochure
We are aware that Putney faces a number of handicaps such as having a busy A road running through its centre, many small shop footplates with limited parking for delivery of goods, absentee landlords in the High Street, high rents and central collection of Business rates which results in only a limited amount of the business levy subsequently returned and invested in Putney. We are working hard to counteract these handicaps as a result of which vacancy rates are less then 5% compared with some town centres where it is between 15-20%.
Using the expertise of retail professionals who live locally we have put together a marketing brochure aimed at persuading shops, restaurants, businesses and their agents to set up in Putney and we are targeting those we’d like to see bring their business here. You can view a pdf of the brochure at www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=etowncentre001.htm
The pdf will be updated to reflect the arrival of new businesses and the current version has been sent out to central London commercial agents to bring them up to date with what Putney has to offer. A launch is being organised for March using a boat trip to bring agents from central London to Putney.

Thamesfield Primary School results
Thamesfield primary schools in the state sector continue to achieve outstanding results at all levels. In recently published tables for Key Stage 1 results Our Lady of Victories in Clarendon Drive showed that all pupils attained Level 2 in all subjects. At All Saints on Putney Common all pupils attained Level 2 in reading and at St Marys CE in Felsham Road pupils attained Level 2 in Mathematics.

All of Our Lady of Victories pupils attained Level 4+ in all subjects, as did all pupils at Brandlehow School in Brandlehow Road. All pupils at All Saints pupils also achieved Level 4+ in Science, all pupils at Hotham School in Hotham Road, achieved Level 4+ in English. The full report can be found at www.wandsworth.gov.uk under the meeting of the Children and Young People Services’ Committee on 15th September, paper number 2009/797.

We are very proud of the pupils in our Primary Schools and the staff whose hard work helps them to achieve such results. There are no secondary schools in Thamesfield.
Brandlehow Primary School - Books for Schools scheme – please collect the vouchers that appear daily in The Times (T2) and Saturday Times (Books section) and Sunday Times (News Review section). These can be exchanged by the school for books and library resources. Please kindly deposit vouchers in a box in the Brandlehow reception (on Brandlehow Rd) until 18th December. Very many thanks.

Sewage in the Thames
As local councillors we are working with Richard Tracey, our London Assembly member, to press Thames Water to bring forward works to Mogden Lane Sewage Works on the Twickenham/Hounslow borders which discharge effluent into the Thames. These discharges pollute the river for rowers, yachtsmen and other recreational users and cause fish to die. Improvements to Mogden sewage works are not due to be completed until 2012. Richard Tracey would like to see warning systems in place until the problem is resolved and is meeting with rowers in November to set up a text messaging service. Thames Water is proposing a Tideway Tunnel, which will run under the river bed from above Putney to Beckton in East London but this is not due to be completed until 2020 and will make no difference to the effluent from Mogden Sewage Works. Contact details - Richard.Tracey@london.gov.uk

Charlwood Road and Lifford Street Conservation area consultation Conservation Area grants
A public meeting takes place on 28th October between 7pm and 9pm in Putney Library in Disraeli Road to consult on the character statement for Charlwood Road and Lifford Street Conservation Area. The draft conservation area appraisals, maps and management strategies are available on the Council’s website under www.wandsworth.gov.uk/planning/conservation. The consultation continues until Friday, 13th November.

Grants are available to assist with conservation and enhancement schemes and access improvements for public buildings. Priority is given to listed buildings at risk but the principal requirement is that the work will make a significant impact on the street scene. Grants are discretionary and availability depends on the number and nature of schemes competing for the available budget. The grant offered will normally be between 25 and 50% of the eligible costs. The budget for 2009/2010 includes capital provision of £140,000 for such grants. Anyone interested should contact Conservation & Design (8871 6645) to discuss their plans.

Star & Garter Mansions on Lower Richmond Road recently received £19,800 towards the removal of paint from the stonework, repairs and restoration. A grant of £3,953 was made for the reinstatement of the front windows and tiled path at 233 Lower Richmond Road. For community groups there is a “Pound for Pound” scheme allowing them to seek modest matched funding for structures not owned by them but which are important cherished townscape features. The reinstated finger post on Putney Common received the first such grant.

Units 1 to 20 Enterprise Way, Osiers Road, SW18
The Council has received a planning application to demolish the existing warehouses and redevelop the area to provide a mixed use development of up to 21 storeys comprising 275 flats of which 89 would be affordable and 3,508 square metres of commercial floor space including retail, restaurant, food and drinking establishments, offices, leisure and community use including 1,404 square metres for a PCT health/medical centre. Basement car parking is proposed for 165 vehicles including 3 car club spaces plus cycle parking. Details can be downloaded from the Council’s website under application number 2009/3017. The planning officer is Neil Shaw 8871 6632. The consultation runs until 2nd November. Please feel free to copy us into any correspondence;
elister@wandsworth.gov.uk; jmaddan@wandsworth.gov.uk and rtorrington@wandsworth.gov.uk

Wandsworth Local Development Framework - Changes to Core Strategy
The LDF sets out the Council’s vision and objectives on how the borough should develop over the next 15 years. It will replace the Unitary Development Plan. The Council is inviting comments on the policies concerning affordable housing and tall buildings. The documents being consulted upon can be downloaded from www.wandsworth.gov.uk/planning or ring the Policy Group on 8871 6649. The Core Strategy documents in question are the Sustainability Appraisal Report, Affordable Housing Economic Viability Assessment and Stage One Urban Design Study – Tall Buildings. The consultation runs until 6th November.

Crossrail
Crossrail will run from Maidenhead in the west through central London and Docklands to Shenfield in the east at a cost of £15.9 billion. To pay for it, Mayor Johnson will be asking all businesses with a rateable value of more than £50,000 to pay up to £2,000 extra a year for the next 20 years or more. Thamesfield businesses, which includes most of the town centre, will be badly hit and will not enjoy many of the benefits of Crossrail. We believe this is unfair and will undermine an already tottering economy so we are campaigning for a fairer system.
Affordable Housing

The council’s Home Ownership Team is hosting the Annual Affordable Housing Open Day on 22nd October 2009 from 2pm to 8pm in the Civic Suite in Wandsworth High Street. The Home Ownership Team will be joined by the Housing Department, local housing associations, financial advisors and solicitors to offer help and advice to people who wish to explore the possibility of taking their first steps onto the property ladder. This will be of interest to those on household incomes of £60,000 or less. The options include schemes such as shared ownership (where you can part buy/part rent) and intermediate rent (where you can rent at a discounted rent). Schemes for council tenants include right to buy, social homebuy, house purchase grants and housing moves to smaller or sheltered accommodation.

Further information is available from Sue Kelleher, Head of Professional Services Divisional Support, skelleher@wandsworth.gov.uk or telephone 020-8871-8164

Advice on preventing crime
At the SNT Street Meet in Beauchamp Terrace in September we were alerted to problems in this quiet area. Crime is exacerbated by the street’s location on the boundary with Richmond resulting in the need for policing by two different borough forces. The footbridge over the railway line results in further issues. Recent temporary CCTv resulted in reduced crime levels. We are working with Richmond SNT and Network Rail to identify a more permanent solution for this area.

The next SNT meeting will take place on 6th October at 7pm in the Brewer Building. Everyone is welcome. The SNT will also be out and about at a Street Meet in Osiers Road, Point Pleasant on Saturday 10th October between 12noon and 4pm. Cycle marking will be a priority.
There will be police surgeries in Putney Library on 30th October between 1800 and 1900 and again on 27th November between 1800 and 1900. There is an SNT Street Meet in the Exchange on 21st November between 1300 and 1600.

Cycle thefts are on the increase. Between 1st June and 31st August 2008 there were 23. In the same period this year there were 57. There is evidence that people are spending £1500 on a new bike and securing it with a lock which cost £10. If you buy a new bike, it is worth buying a decent lock, and ask the police or council to mark it with your post code. The insurance industry is beginning to reject claims if inadequate security is in place.

Trees
Thanks to the vigilance of residents in Danemere Street and the speedy intervention by the Council’s aboriculturalist he was able to direct some unauthorised work being undertaken recently by an independent tree surgeon on one of the Council’s lime trees in Balm Elms Park. The Council’s man was able to preserve the high crown of the tree to ensure that the branches will grow back and guarantee the trees’ stability. A lime tree which formerly stood next to this tree was removed a year or so ago due to severe decay at the base. It will be replaced by the Council in the next planting season.

As the stormier autumn weather approaches it is worth being vigilant about the safety of trees. The duty of care for ensuring that a tree is “safe” lies with the property owner. If anyone is hurt, or property is damaged, and it can be shown the owner had not taken reasonable care (to prevent the tree falling etc) then they can be found negligent – and therefore liable. Trees should be inspected regularly and from time to time this should be done professionally.
As regards the trees in a Conservation area homeowners have to notify the planning service if they intend to do any works to a tree. There is, however, an exemption if the work is necessary on grounds of safety (but it’s wise to contact the Tree Service first so they can quickly check).

The data base of trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders can be checked at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/trees. TPOs are used to protect selected trees and woodlands if their removal would have a significant impact on the environment and its enjoyment by the public. Trees protected by TPOs are normally visible from a public place such as a road or footpath and are usually given to trees considered to be under threat. Further information is available on the Council’s website and at www.treecouncil.org.uk.

Activities and Pursuits for October

On 8th October the Friends of Putney School of Art & Design hold their Grand Art Auction in the Star & Garter ballroom at 6.30 for a 7.30pm start. Nick Bonham will be auctioning 30 lot including work by Anthony Gormley and Maggi Hambling amongst others. Tickets £20 or £30 for two. www.psadfriends.org. If you are unable to attend it is possible to bid before or during the auction. The Friends of PSAD is a UK registered charity and proceeds will go towards the raise the roof campaign. The refurbished building on Oxford Road re-opens on 9th November. www.wandsworth.gov.uk/psad.

Wandsworth Artists’ Open House takes place on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th October and again on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th October from 11am to 6pm. Fifteen Thamesfield artists will be opening their studios to members of the public. All are welcome to view, discuss and purchase works of art direct from the artist. Works include paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, photography, jewellery, For the full programme for the whole of Wandsworth www.wandsworth.gov.uk/arts.

A new 4th edition of Putney and Roehampton – A brief History has just been published by The Putney Society. It costs £9.95 or £7.50 to members inc p&p. Copies can be obtained by sending a cheque payable to the Putney Society to Hugh Thompson, 54 Festing Road, SW15 1LP.

The Fibonacci Sequence will be performing at St Mary’s Church on Friday 2nd October beginning at 1.10pm. Well worth missing lunch for. Programme details - www.fibsonline.co.uk

Eddie Catz will be hosting Halloween fun on 28th and 29th October with Theatrebugs providing drama, dance, music and arts & crafts. To book a place call 7350 2995. www.theatrebugs.co.uk
The Putney Senior Social Group meets every Monday at All Saints’ Church, Putney Common between 10 and 11.30am. There are activities, tea and coffee, musical entertainment and homemade cakes for the over 60s. Call 07964 593879 for more details.

The Putney Theatre Company’s programme can be downloaded via www.putneyartstheatre.org.uk. October performances include Airswimming by Charlotte Jones from 8th to 17th October followed by Frederico Garcia Lorcas’ play The House of Bernarda Alba from 27th to31st October. The box office can be reached on 020 8286 0229.

Putney Music has organised two meetings in October in The Dryburgh Hall, Putney Leisure Centre starting at 8pm. On 5th October Debra Craine, Deputy Arts Editor and Chief Dance Critic of The Times and Judith Mackrell, Dance Critic of the Guardian speak about their passion for dance. On 19th October Dame Antionette Sibley, prima ballerina, in conversation with ballet critic, Clement Crisp.

The Wandsworth Symphony has two concerts programmed this autumn in St Mary’s Church on the High Street. On Saturday 21st October the finals of the WSO piano competition start at 8pm. On Saturday, 5th December there will be Christmas music and carols. Full details at www.londonswso.org.uk/concert_dates.html.

Will Ramsay of Wills Art Warehouse on Lower Richmond Road is the Founder of The Affordable Art Fair which takes place from 22nd to 25th October in Battersea Park featuring 120 galleries displaying contemporary art under £3,000. www.affordableartfair.co.uk for tickets.

Thanks to the intervention of Dick Tracey, our London Assembly member, a new customised Horse Crossing has been installed at the A3 Robin Hood roundabout to improve safety for riders crossing the A3 to access Richmond Park. Wimbledon Village Stables on Wimbledon High Street organises rides across Wimbledon Common and into Richmond Park and riding lessons for beginners. www.wvstables.com.

On 8th October the Dog Control Unit is holding chipping sessions in Wandsworth Park near the café from 10am to 6pm. Chipping is free to council tenants and leasholders. Other Wandsworth residents are welcome to get their animal chipped for a £10charge. www.wandsworth.gov.uk/dogs or 8871 7606.

There is a permanent exhibition about The Putney Debates 1647 in St Mary’s Church by Putney Bridge open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm www.putneydebates.com.

Putney Town Centre
Re-paving: The most significant piece of news is the work to finish the repaving and decluttering of Putney High Street now underway which will be a big improvement to the way that the High Street looks. It is scheduled to finish in mid-November. Next Spring all the lightwells above the shop basement areas on the High Street will receive a special treatment to streamline them into the paving scheme.
New businesses: TKMAXX is opening on the 8th October in the former Woolworth’s store on the High Street offering 10,000 sq feet packed with designer items of women’s fashion, accessories, shoes and lingerie at up to 60% off the RRP. 40 new jobs have been created as a result. www.tkmaxx.com
CURRYS DIGITAL (High Street) is returning to its former premises to reopen by the end of October.
Former NATURAL CAFÉ will open soon as a hairdresser’s salon, known as Sean Hanna www.seanhanna.co.uk
Wahoo Bar is opening soon to replace THE WALKABOUT on the High Street www.wahoobars.co.uk.
Former PARCHMENT (near the station) is to open as a grocers/coffee shop in the near future.
CARPET RIGHT has taken over Allied Carpets on Upper Richmond Road and opens next week.
MINK NAILBAR is opening in Lower Richmond Road in October
Licensing:
The application made by AGORA at 152 Putney High Street to double the number of gaming machines by splitting this single adult gaming premises into two will be heard on 6th October. We will report on the outcome.
BUFFET BRAZIL the Licensing Committee rejected the application to extend hours until 3am retaining the policy hours of closure midnight on Sunday to Thursday and 2am on Friday and Saturday
JI JI RESTAURANT at 282 Upper Richmond Rd has applied for a licence to sell alcohol between noon and 2300 every day of the week and to provide live music during the evenings. Further details from the licensing department on 8871 6160. The deadline for representations is 6th October.
Congratulations go to The Bricklayer’s Arms which has won the prestigious Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Greater London Pub of the Year award. Becky Newman, the landlady sells a wide range of beers from all over including 3 beers from micro breweries, one from a London brewer and Timothy Taylor’s from Yorkshire. The Bricklayer’s Arms now joins 15 other regional pub of the year winners in CAMRA’s national pub of the year competition.
The air monitoring unit on the High Street outside Vodaphone is a temporary installation until July 2010. We are pressing officers to find a less intrusive site for the larger, permanent unit.
Markets:

The French Market will be in Church Square from 15th-17th October and 11th-13th December
There are weekly Friday (11am – 8pm) and Saturday (9am-4pm) stalls in Church Square hosted by Portland Scallop selling fresh wet fish and shell fish.

Useful Numbers
Do help us keep Thamesfield ward in good shape by reporting instances of fly tipping and graffiti as well as broken pavements and pot holes.
Waste services – including fly tipping, street cleansing, missed collections, recycling.
Tel 020 8871 8558 Email wasteservices@wandsworth.gov.uk
Tel 020 8871 7479 for recycling hotline.
Graffiti removal
Tel 020 8871 7049 Email graffiti@wandsworth.gov.uk
Broken pavements, potholes etc
Tel 020 8871 6708 Email highways@wandsworth.gov.uk
Noise hotline Email esd@wandsworth.gov.uk
Tel 020 8871 6170 (during office hours)
Tel 020 8871 7869 (outside office hours)

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