View this email in your browser
@BelsizeBulletin
January 2014
Reminder:
Please join Cllr Jonny Bucknell at the public meeting tonight 23rd January 2014 at 8.15pm at Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Road, NW1 (Primrose Hill) to discuss the cost of HS2 to Camden. It is a cross party initiative and, because the threat to our area from HS2 is so severe, we are all working closely to halt or mitigate the damage.
Tonight’s meeting is hosted by the Pan Camden Alliance, which is a residents’ group of no particular political affiliation, but which is supported by all political parties in Camden.
1. News from the Council
HS2
The House of Lords Standing Orders Committee recommendation that the deadline for public responses be extended has been accepted. This means that all residents and businesses now have until 27 February to respond. Details of how to respond to this Parliamentary consultation and the consultation documents are here.
You can also directly Petition the Select Committee of the House of Commons. There is a £20 charge for this and one can petition either as an individual or as a group. The time to do this will be at the 2nd reading debate of the Hybrid Bill - currently estimated to be about May. Anyone who petitions and is deemed to have shown that they are "directly and specially affected by the scheme" can appear before the Select Committee.
How young people can get involved:
- Stand as a candidate by signing up before Saturday, 1 February 2014.
- Become an election ambassador and help to organise the election.
- Vote and choose who represents you from 17 March 2014.
All young people aged 13 to 19 who are living, studying, working or attending a youth project in Camden have a chance to vote. Ensuring young people’s views are heard is vitally important for Camden Council. Voting for the borough’s Young MP is a great way of making sure this happens, and just one of the ways we seek to involve the next generation in decision-making. To find out more: email [email protected] or tel: 0207 974 7253.
Camden scraps council tax for foster carers
Foster carers living in Camden and fostering for Camden will now pay zero council tax to encourage more people to become foster carers. Foster carers do such a valuable job in making sure our most vulnerable children have the chance to succeed. To find out more about fostering or book a place at an information session call 0800 0281 436.
2. Issues of Concern
Opportunistic Theft
We have had some reports of attempted opportunistic theft in the area. Please make sure windows are closed and doors locked when you leave the house and do check that you have not left valuables in your car. We have alerted the Belsize Safer Neighbourhoods Team and they will be patrolling regularly and have said that they will arrange another public meeting next month, to update us all about issues in the area.
Flood Defences: DamNonsense Campaign
The City of London Corporation, which has responsibility for Hampstead Heath, is proposing to build new flood defences around the Heath Ponds to reduce the City’s alleged legal liability to nearby residents in the case of a “one in 400,000 year” storm and flood. Claiming that 1,400 people downstream of the Heath could drown in such a storm, the City plans to build embankments, better known as dams on or between some of the Heath ponds, the largest of which will be a new eight foot high dam on the Highgate Boating Pond and a new 18 foot high dam above the Hampstead Mixed Bathing Pond.
Planning Applications
We've been told that that there has been no contact from Essential Living about the 100 Avenue Road 24 storey tower block proposal.
3. Belsize Community Notices
Belsize Community Library raised over £1500 towards new books for the library. A big thanks from the team who said: "We couldn’t have done it without you!"
Don't forget the OPENING TIMES:
Tuesday - 10am to 6pm
Wednesday - 10am to 6pm
Saturday - 11.30am to 6pm
4. Local meetings – some dates for your diary
- LoveCamden: A guide to events, shopping, culture and going out in Camden
5. 'Have your Say'
Belsize Consultations:
Feedback from the last survey showed that of the residents who responded:
- 85% were concerned to hear about proposals to build tower blocks of up to 24 storeys in height on the edges of our Conservation Area in Belsize?
- 64% had not seen the proposal for Camden Council's 10 storey Adelaide Road Regeneration Project?
- 64% had not seen Essential Living's proposal to build a 24 storey tower block on 100 Avenue Road.
- Residents expressed concerns about the scale of some of the buildings being proposed, about the green spaces in the area and about congestion. Some were happy to have more the possibility of more high-density housing though.
- 84% had noticed a change in the overall cleanliness of our streets and pavements in Belsize and 100% thought that it is essential that Camden keep the pavements and streets clean.
- Residents were concerned about the quality of the collection, missed collections and damage to premises due to carelessness; reduction in collections; concerns about plastic bags of dog poo that people dump in the gutter/pavement; street facilities to dispose of litter on Fellows Rd; Westminster is cleaner and the council tax is half. Residents did note though that Camden responds quickly to reports of missed collections.
Camden Consultations:
- New specialist provision for young people aged 16 to 25
who have severe and complex needs. Provision of 50 further education places, offering a wide range of courses to meet the needs and aspirations of students. Also up to nine residential units, providing short breaks as well as opportunities for independent and semi-independent living as part of the curriculum. From 10 Jan 2014 to 31 Mar 2014 - Private renting in Camden - does it work for you? Nearly a third of Camden residents are now living in private rented housing. How can we work with landlords, tenants and other residents to improve standards and make sure the private rented sector works for everyone? Camden would like all Camden residents and people who work in the borough to tell us what they think are the best ways to improve the sector by taking part in the online survey. From 9 Dec 2013 to 14 Feb 2014
6. Contacting us:
Full details of Council services can be found at www.camden.gov.uk. However, if there are problems or issues you need help with in relation to Council services, we hold drop-in ‘surgeries’ (details below). Alternatively, you can contact us by telephone or email and we will be happy to pop by and meet you.
We hope that you are enjoying living in Belsize ward. There are many inspiring local community and voluntary sector organisations based here and so many opportunities for you to get involved in our community.
We would also be very pleased to hear from you if you have ideas about ways that council services could be improved, as we know that if we work closely together with local residents and local businesses, we can ensure that Belsize will continue to be such a special place to live and work in the years to come.
Cllr Claire-Louise Leyland
M: 07798846240
[email protected]
Cllr Jonny Bucknell
M: 07798845976
[email protected]
Our ‘surgeries’ offer residents the opportunity to drop by and speak to us about issues or concerns: on the first Monday of the month from 5.30-6.30pm, we will be at the Belsize Library, Antrim Road NW3 4XN; and on the first Saturday of the month from 10.30-12.00pm, we hold a street stall surgery outside 44 England's Lane, NW3 4UE.