It's official - police stay in Streatham 'til 2024, but front counter to close

Campaigning: Jonathan Bartley, Sian Berry and  Cllr Scott Ainslie

The Greens have secured the commitment of the London Mayor that Streatham's police base will stay open - although Sadiq Khan intends to still close its front counter service to the public on December 14th.

In a written answer to a question from Green Party London Assembly Member Sian Berry, who is deputy chair of the Mayor's police and crime committee, the mayor states: "I can confirm that while the front counter at Streatham police station will be closed - in order to reduce running costs - the building will retain a police presence until 2024."

How would you spend £200k on Streatham Hill?

Streatham Hill is in line for a face-lift, with £200,000 due to be spent making improvements to local streets.

Money from Transport for London and a levy paid by property developers will be spent on 'greening' streets with trees and planters, traffic calming and upgrades of roads, pavements and cycle facilities.

The council wants to hear local ideas and views on exactly where and how the money could be spent. There will be two consultation events: Weds 22nd November and Weds 13th December 6-8pm at St Simon & St Jude’s Church Hall, 5 Hillside Road SW2 3HL.

You can also take part in an online survey here.

The consultation ends on 5th January.

Have your say on plans to change parking bays on Streatham High Road

Earlier this year TfL consultated on proposals to extend northbound bus lanes on Streatham High Road between Becmead Avenue and Drewstead Road. This scheme also included a proposal to inset a loading and disabled parking bay one metre into the footway between Becmead Avenue and Woodbourne Avenue.

Having received 450 responses to the consultation, with 71% in favour of the proposals, they nnow plan to go ahead - but with slightly different treatment of parking bays.

They are asking to hear views on their new proposals for the parking bays by 13th December 2017.

Council fails to tackle flytipping in Streatham

Nicole Griffiths: championing cleaner streets

Only four people have been fined for fly-tipping in Streatham, since the council gained powers to issue fines, Green party campaigner Nicole Griffiths has discovered.

Nicole found that Lambeth has the worst record among south London boroughs for fining fly-tippers, with only 35 offenders fined in 16 months - compared to 36 in Merton, 41 in Bromley, 58 in Lewisham, 268 in Croydon, and 117 in just 8 months in Wandsworth. Southwark did not provide figures.

Nicole said: "Flytipping is a blight on our community and these figures show that Lambeth Council is not yet taking it seriously in Streatham. Greens will do all we can to keep our streets clean."

The Green Party has set up a shortcode to make it easier to report flytipping to Lambeth Council: http://bit.do/flytipping (This link is now correct - apologies, previous version didn't).

Lambeth's full response, ward by ward, can be seen here.

Greens call on Mayor to rethink police station closures

Streatham dad - and co-leader of the Green Party - Jonathan Bartley is calling on the Mayor of London to stop overriding the wishes of Londoners and rethink the closure of police front counters and stations across the capital.

Jonathan Bartley made the call as he handed in a 1300-strong petition to save Streatham police base at City Hall as the Mayor announced that more than half of London’s remaining front counters will be closed.

Jonathan Bartley said: “The Mayor has the chance to show Londoners he cares about their safety by reversing the decision to close police stations and front counters. 

“This consultation has clearly been a short, shallow and inadequate process. It is clear Londoners' concerns have been side lined, with so few changes made to the Mayor’s plans following consultation it raises serious questions about the adequacy and depth of the consultation. Even more concerning is the fact London’s most vulnerable residents, who will be affected most by these decisions, were given so little time to respond.”

TfL listens to Streatham on St Leonard's Junction

Transport for London wants to hear your views on its latest proposals to improve safety for pedestrians and other road users at St Leonard's Junction.

Its is proposing to remove the pedestrian crossing located between St Leonard's churchyard and the north side of Gleneldon Road, which is not currently heavily used.

Instead a modern, count-down crossing with a 'green man' will be created on the southern arm of the junction - where there is very high demand from pedestrians, but currently no actual pedestrian crossing. 

A new bus lane is also proposed to ease the flow of buses approaching the junction from Tooting Bec Gardens.

Its consultation on these proposals can be viewed here and runs until 29 October.

New community garden gets the go-ahead

Residents meet Network Rail

Land next to the railway between Gleneldon Road and Wellfield Rd that has lain derelict for more than a decade is to be turned into a community garden, thanks to the determination of local residents.

A group of local people have got the go-ahead to lease the land from Network Rail and will form a trust to manage the land for the community.

Site that has been a long time vacant

They plan to transform what is currently a windswept eyesore that attracts fly-tipping into a beautiful oasis, growing organic fruit and vegatables, and encouraging participation from local schools, youth groups and the wider community.

Initially Network Rail had earmarked the land for commercial development, but negotations over the last two years have paid off.