Lambeth Community Awards

2014 is the first year that Lambeth has brought together the Lambeth civic awards and Lambeth champions awards and will be running a borough wide – Lambeth Community Awards.

Nominations will be judged by a panel of councillors, the Metropolitan Police, Fire Brigade and independent members of the business and voluntary sectors of the community. The closing date for nominations is Monday 26 May 2014 at 5pm. The awards ceremony will take place in July. For more information please visit: www.lambeth.gov.uk/communityawards or if you have any questions contact communications@lambeth.gov.uk

The eight categories are:

1. Bringing your neighbourhood together award
2. Making Lambeth safer community award
3. Helping people into jobs and training community award
4. Cleaner and greener community award
5. Keeping Lambeth healthy community award
6. Young person’s community award
7. Lord Scarman award
8. Voluntary or community organisation of the year award

Pictured: Vauxhall's community in action at a dog show in the Pleasure Gardens

Primary school places for all in Lambeth

For the second year running Lambeth Council has been able to offer a primary school place in the borough to every child whose application was on time. Almost 90% received their first or second preference place.

This is despite a massive increase in demand for primary school places in the south of the borough over the past few years. Lambeth's met this increased demand by expanding schools and building new schools.

Maggie Harriott, Education Strategy Manager for Lambeth Council said:  "

'This is excellent news for every one of the 3193 children and their families who know where they'll be going to school in September. What's more, it means there are no families in Lambeth without an offer of a school place.'

There's been a small reduction of around 3% in first preference offers compared to last year's admissions but that's against a similar increase in overall applications in line with Lambeth's planned projections for school places.  There are a number of outstanding late applications yet to be processed but there is enough capacity in Lambeth schools to ensure all will receive an offer before the start of the next academic year.

Lambeth is one of the leading boroughs for online applications with nearly all applications made online  -   81% more than last year.

Bin update from the council

Since the roll-out of smaller bins and food recycling bins 99% of people are managing well under the new system and dry recycling of street properties is up by 36%.

The team at wastestrategy@lambeth.gov.uk can help if you or your residents have any technical or operational questions that aren't covered below, and of course if you need my help with anything please let me know.

Why have you taken away my bin?

As part of Lambeth’s Waste Strategy, and in line with almost all other councils, we are redesigning the way we collect rubbish. This is so that we can meet new EU laws on waste management and take better control of the huge amounts of money we spend on disposing of waste. To date, the roll-out has resulted in a 25% reduction in the amount of residual waste.

Why are the new bins smaller?

With the extensive recycling services we offer and the new food waste service, you can recycle 80 per cent, on average, of your rubbish. Therefore most residents should not need the old larger bins.

Have there been any teething problems?

The small proportion of residents who have complained have been sent a written apology. Any logistical operation on the scale of Lambeth’s new refuse and food waste bins was likely to encounter teething problems. Nevertheless our delivery programme was 98% successful and only 2% or residents contacted us to seek clarification on the bin they have received. Figures demonstrate that residents are embracing this new and essential service.

Why am I sharing a bin with my neighbour?

Everyone who lives in a house which has been converted into flats will be sharing a bin. This is because we wanted to ensure that residents did not have too many bins in their front garden and to make good use of the existing bins. Therefore instead of having six small bins for six flats, we have given residents three larger bins to share. This will help to ensure resident’s gardens are not full of bins.

If I have a problem with sharing a bin with my neighbour what do I do?

First, try to resolve any issues with your neighbour. Most problems are likely to centre around individuals producing more than their fair share of rubbish. Even if we provided individual bins it would be difficult to ensure people only used their own bin. Please provide us with as much information as possible, including whether or not they are recycling and we will review what action we can take to try and help. We did receive some complaints that bins were being stolen but this appears to have been a minor problem and has settled down.

If I cannot fit all my waste into the bin, can I get a bigger one?

Check on our website www.lambeth.gov.uk/recycling to find out everything that you can recycle and where you can recycle other items which we do not collect from homes. If you are using both the food waste and recycling service and still cannot manage then please get in touch. We can arrange for someone to visit and provide more advice on coping with the new system. Larger bins are offered to households with six or more permanent residents. If this applies to you please contact us and we can send you an application form.

Won’t this lead to an increase in fly-tipping?

Compared to last year we have seen an 8% drop in fly tipped waste and although we do not believe this is associated with the change in service, we do believe it is a strong indication that residents have not resorted to dumping their waste on the street.
Will my collection day stay the same?

Your refuse and recycling collection day will remain the same. If you were already on the food waste collection service then your food waste will be collected on the same day as your waste and recycling, once the new refuse bin arrangements are in place. If you are new to the food waste service then it will be collected on the same day as everything else. Garden waste collections will also change to the same collection day as refuse and recycling, but we will contact all service users about this separately. These changes are planned for early 2014.

Can I put recycling in my rubbish bin?

Recycling was made compulsory in Lambeth in 2011 so please do not put recycling in your rubbish. Recycling is really good for the environment as it ensures that items get a second chance at life and can be created into a new product.

I have a sticker on my bin saying I had too much waste. What do I do next?

If you had too much waste, we will have collected it for now. However in future we will not be collecting excess waste. Please ensure that you are making full use of the recycling and food waste service. For advice on how to reduce your waste, check out our website www.lambeth.gov.uk\recycling

Can I keep my old bin instead of using a new one?

Unfortunately not - We have changed everyone’s bins to help increase recycling. We are collecting everyone’s bins and sending them to be recycled. If you do keep your old bin and place it out for collection it will be removed at some point in the future.

I want to make a water butt out of my old bin, can I keep it?

Yes, this is fine. Please send us a photo to use as part of our work to encourage water saving measures!

I bought my own bin, it is a private bin, can I keep it?

Yes, if it is your own private property you are of course entitled to keep it. Please ensure you take it back in straight after collection as we will be unable to return it to you if it is removed as part of the replacement programme. Please do not place it out for collection after the changes have been made as it will be removed. We will only collect waste from your new allocated bin.

I bought a larger size bin from the council and they have taken it away, I should have my money refunded.

I am afraid we are unable to make any refunds as the service has completely changed, including the circumstances under which households are entitled to a larger bin. If there are six or more people living permanently at your address please request an application form for a larger bin. There was no guarantee provided when larger bins were purchased over how long their use would continue.

My bin is missing?

If your bin is missing:
1. Do you live in a flat? If so you may be sharing a bin with your neighbour. If you are unsure whether  you should have a slimline bin or a shared bin, then please get in touch;
2. Please ensure you check on your street, the bin crew may have misplaced your bin by accident;
3. You are welcome to put your property number or some other identity onto your bin to try and prevent this happening again.

What will happen to my old bin?

The best quality ones will be kept for reuse, otherwise they will be recycled to make new plastic products.

How much is the introduction of new slimline bins to every household going to cost?

We are only delivering new bins to 40,000 households, the remainder (converted flats) will be sharing existing bins. The bins were £14.50 each and all the costs are funded from Lambeth’s £1.474m grant from the Government’s Weekly Collection Support Fund. The changes will save the council an estimated £2million per annum.

Lambeth licensing policy consultation

The licensed trade and the night time economy plays a large part in Lambeth in bringing jobs, economic growth and visitors to the borough. Lambeth has one of the highest numbers of licensed premises in the country.

However the sale of alcohol also has negative impacts and our levels of serious violence, noise, public nuisance and sexual assault are unacceptably high. The costs associated with some nighttime town centres fall on the taxpayer which cannot be right.

Lambeth new proposed policy attempts to rebalance the borough and moves us away from a permissive regime to one where a higher level of expectation is placed on businesses and those wishing to sell alcohol, as well as a more overt desire to shape our town centres and business districts.

Some of the key changes are as follows:

- the council and partners now have more powers to reject or review a licence application or existing licence. This will mean that the bits of the council who deal with noise, nuisance or criminality will find it easier to challenge poor practice.

- WHAT the licence is and HOW it operates needs to be clear
Previously a licence was a licence was a licence. Under this new policy Lambeth will ask applicants to be clear on what they wish to operate and stick to it - a night club causes different issues to a take away and therefore the rules and expectations need to reflect that.

- WHERE a licence operates makes a huge difference
In the new policy Lambeth has been more explicit about the opening hours and types of licence which can operate in town centres, shopping parades and residential streets. Some types of venue simply aren't suitable for some places and this guidance will help applicants and residents make a judgement about what is appropriate.

- WHO runs a licensed premises has a huge impact
A poorly run pub can cause more problems than a well run nightclub, and the new policy is very clear that responsible business is what we want in Lambeth. If there is a lack of confidence in someone's ability to understand the neighbourhood in which they wish to operate, or the rules of the game, then a tougher line will be taken when considering an application or a review.

- PEOPLE'S SAFETY and WELLBEING is of paramount concern to us
Alcohol enjoyed sensibly is something we welcome but it is a powerful drug which can put people at risk of harm or as a victim of crime. Lambeth will work with licence holders and individuals to ensure that we share responsibility to create a safe environment to have a drink.

- WOMEN'S SAFETY is a serious issue for Lambeth
We have one of the highest rates of sexual assault linked to the night time economy. Lambeth has adopted recommendations from the Every Woman Safe campaign which we will expect to be implemented, things such as having staff trained in dealing with sexual assault or harassment, the use of licensed mini cabs and a safe place for women to sober up before leaving a venue if they are incapable.

- The PROTECTION OF CHILDREN is a key licensing objective
If alcohol is sold to those underage Lambeth will now be operating a ONE STRIKE POLICY. If caught a licensee will be brought in to committee for a review of their licence which may be revoked. The licensee will need to satisfy councillors that they are operating safely and not putting children at risk if they are to keep their licence. Lambeth previously operated a three strike policy.

- THE POLLUTER MUST PAY for the effects of alcohol sales
It cannot be right that businesses who make healthy profits don't pick up the tab for costs that are incurred whether that be extra street cleaning, police or council enforcement presence or the operating of the regime itself. Where businesses get together to solve these problems we will bear the costs in mind but where people attempt only to make a quick buck they will be levied over a town centre or parade area.

More details about the policy, and a survey for you to give your views are on Lambeth's website.  Let the Council know what you think.

Summer activities for young people

Yet again Lambeth Council is offering a huge range of free or cheap activities for young people over the summer.

The Summer Holiday Activity Programme: holiday activity provision for children and young people (0-19 years inclusive). There are over 100 different free or affordable activities on offer over the summer period.

The Summer University programme: a four week programme running between 5 to 31 August, which offers exciting and innovative recreational and educational accredited short courses and activities. There will be 27 courses taking place across four learning areas including sport, art, media and enterprise offering 500 places for young people.

Find out more at the Young Lambeth website or find out more this weekend at the Young Lambeth Marquee at the Country Show in Brockwell Park. 

Update on Lambeth's plans for Vauxhall Bus Station

Recently the Vauxhall Society has been trying to promote the setting up of the ‘Friends of Vauxhall Bus Station’, claiming that Lambeth Council is intent on demolishing the bus station and scattering the bus stops around the gyratory system.

Lambeth Labour councillors believe that setting up the ‘Friends of Vauxhall Bus Station’ is premature because as yet there is no finalised plan for the bus station for people to object to. Lambeth Council and Transport for London are currently working up a comprehensive plan for the remodelling of Vauxhall Cross, which should be consulted on this summer. There will be a full consultation and plenty of opportunity for all residents, businesses and travellers to express their views once there is a proposal to respond to.

Lambeth absolutely does not want to scatter bus stops around the Vauxhall Gyratory system. Any changes to the bus station need to maintain the convenience of being able to interchange between buses easily and quickly.

What Lambeth does want to do is examine whether there’s a better way of laying out the current bus station area – which maintains the convenience of the bus interchange but makes the area more pleasant for pedestrians, more economically and culturally vibrant, more green, and with more direct routes for buses to follow (so they don’t have to circle the gyratory before getting to the bus stop). We think removing the existing bus station canopy and creating a two way ‘high street’ reserved for buses might be the best way of doing this – but we are testing this in our detailed discussions with TfL before coming to any conclusions.

Lambeth Council Tax - frozen for a fifth year

100 more police

Lambeth Council has launched a campaign calling for the Mayor of London to provide an additional
100 police officers for Lambeth to make our streets safer.

The Mayor of London is responsible for policing across London. According to his own figures the number of police officers in Lambeth has fallen by 20 per cent since 2010. That’s the biggest
reduction of any London borough. Lambeth had 1,052 officers in May 2010, but just 838 by December 2012, meaning we lost 214 police officers in that time.


A fair deal for Lambeth

While Lambeth has suffered a 20 per cent reduction in police numbers, other boroughs like Hammersmith and Fulham has only seen a reduction of five per cent. Lambeth residents pay just as much for the police, through the Mayor’s portion of the council tax – we are entitled to get our fair share of police. 100 more police officers would mean Lambeth being treated like other London boroughs and will bring us in line with the London average. We think that’s a fair deal.


Five reasons why we need 100 more police officers for Lambeth

1. Local policing works for Lambeth and we know community confidence comes from good, local, visible policing. 100 more police will let us continue to combat crime at a local level.

2. We are at the forefront of tackling violence against women and girls. 100 more police will allow us to continue this vital work.

3. We have the second highest robbery rates in London and are in the top three boroughs for serious violent crime. 100 more police will mean putting resources where they are needed most.

4. Residents need to know we are serious about ending the cycle of gang crime. 100 more police will send a clear message that gang violence will be stopped.

5. The fear of crime is the top concern for our residents yet we are facing the biggest reduction in police numbers of all London boroughs. 100 more police will show residents we are on their side.


What’s the alternative?

The Mayor of London has set out his proposals on policing at www.london.gov.uk


Get involved

The Mayor of London will make a final decision on police numbers by April. You can make your voice heard by signing the petition.

Get advice on benefit cuts - now

Lots of changes are happening to benefits this year - can you explain what it’s all about?

The Government passed a law in March 2012 (the Welfare Reform Act) introducing major changes to the welfare benefits system in England. The changes include a cut to a number of benefits and changes to the way benefits are calculated and paid. It means some of the most vulnerable residents in Lambeth losing hundreds of pounds a year. Up to 1 in 6 Lambeth residents will be affected by cuts to benefits this year.


What are the main changes?

The six main changes this year are:

1. A new cap on Housing Benefit is being introduced later in the year – 667 households in Lambeth will be affected (mostly families) with an average shortfall of £94 per week.

2. Housing Benefit criteria for people living in social housing is being changed in relation to the number of bedrooms that will be paid for in a property. 4000 households in Lambeth will be affected.

3. Council Tax Benefit is being abolished and councils are taking on the job of helping residents meet their council tax costs by setting up local schemes. With substantially less funding from Government to run them the change will mean reductions in financial support for 20,758 Lambeth households.

4. Disability Living Allowance is being replaced by a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment - 9,000 people in Lambeth will be affected.

5. Community care grants and crisis loans are stopping and councils will instead have to provide emergency support for residents. A new Lambeth scheme is being set up.

6. A new monthly benefit called Universal Credit is being introduced which replaces several existing means-tested benefits.


Why are these changes happening now?

The Government’s stated ambition is to “make work pay” and create a benefits system that reflects that. But they also want to drastically reduce the cost of benefits to the public purse to tackle the deficit and these changes have taken billions out of the benefits system.


What do these changes mean for Lambeth?

They will have a significant and largely negative impact on Lambeth residents and leave some of the poorest and most vulnerable with less support. The combined cut in funding to the council and Lambeth residents due to the benefit changes is estimated at about £10 million per year. The council expects to lose between £2.5 million and £3.5 million for lost rent linked to the changes to housing benefit rules.


What is the council doing about it?

We have already put in place a package of new short term mitigation projects totalling over £1 million and expect more intervention and support will be needed in the coming months. We’ve created a fair discount system for council tax so we can continue to help pensioners, many disabled people, war widows and widowers, carers and families to pay their council tax and we are freezing council tax for the next two years to reduce the financial burden on our residents.


What should residents affected by these changes do?

That depends on their specific circumstances and which changes affect them. However there are three common messages which we want to get across to residents:
• Get to grips with your personal finances - encouraging residents to open a bank account and set up direct debits for all regular payments will help prevent debt, arrears and homelessness.
• Try and get work or increase your hours - most working age claimants will see a drop in their income so getting a job or increasing working hours is the best option to cope with a loss in income. But there are also other things to consider such as taking in a lodger to help share living costs, asking others in the household to make a bigger contribution and looking at whether it’s possible to move to a smaller or cheaper home. For more information on jobs, apprenticeships and training visit www.lambeth.gov.uk/morejobs
• Get help and advice now and make sure you are claiming all you are entitled to - it’s really important to get advice from experts who can make sure that residents are claiming everything they are entitled to and supporting people early on will prevent crisis situations such as bad debt, arrears and people losing their homes.


Is it just the council that’s helping residents?

No not at all. We are highly dependent on our voluntary sector and advice network that are out in the community helping people everyday. The range of advice available covers legal, benefits check, housing needs and employment advice. We are all working together with the same objective: to make sure residents are protected as much as we can from the Government’s benefit cuts. If you’d like more information about support and advice go to www.lambeth.gov.uk/benefitchanges


Detail on the changes

1. Benefits cap

What is the benefits cap?

The Government is placing a limit on the total amount of benefits a household can receive - £500 a week for childless couples and families and £350 a week for single adults. In Lambeth, the average loss to household benefit income is an average of £94 per week with some families losing as much as £650 per week. Those affected have been contacted directly by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the council is also making contact with them to offer help.

How many people in Lambeth will be affected by the benefit cap?

According to government data, this measure is expected to affect about 650 Lambethhouseholds, most of them families.

What happens if a family is currently getting more than this new limit?

In the short-term, if a household is above this limit, a deduction will be taken from housing benefit payments. In the longer term the limit will be enforced through the new Universal Credit system (from October 2013).

What support is available for people affected and will they have to move out of the
borough?

We’ve set up a dedicated team (call 020 7926 3191) to advise and support Lambeth families who will see their income drop because of the benefits cap. Support is available in finding alternative accommodation in London and further afield, gaining employment or taking up benefits that families are entitled to that might make them exempt from the cap.


2. Housing Benefit criteria in social housing

Is it true that Housing Benefit will be cut if you have a spare bedroom?

In most cases, yes. This change is sometimes referred to as the bedroom tax because it’s a new rule which means Housing Benefit will pay for only for the number of bedrooms a household needs. Housing Benefit will be restricted to allow for one bedroom for each person or couple living as part of the household, with the following exceptions:
• Children under 16 of the same gender will be expected to share
• Children under 10 will be expected to share regardless of gender
• A disabled tenant or partner requiring a non-resident overnight carer will be allowed an extra room for use by this carer

Who does it affect?

It affects people of working age in council (Lambeth Living) and housing association homes. If accommodation is larger than needed (as defined by these new rules) tenants will receive less money each week and will be responsible for paying the difference between their rent and the amount of housing benefit they get. Most tenants with at least one spare room will be affected.

How much will Housing Benefit be reduced by?

• 14 per cent for 1 extra bedroom
• 25 per cent for 2 or more extra bedrooms
The average reduction will be £20 per week. People of pension age will not be affected by these changes.

What can tenants do to prevent having their housing benefit reduced?

It’s worthwhile tenants looking into different housing options including downsizing, mutual exchange or getting a lodger. However the reality is there are very few suitable properties that people can move to so not everyone affected will be able to downsize to a smaller place in borough. Gaining employment or asking family members within and outside the household to help make up the shortfall are also options.

What support is available for people affected?

We’ve set up a dedicated team within Lambeth Living (call 020 7926 1952/1953) to advise and support Lambeth families who will see their income drop because of the size criteria. We’ve also funded a local provider to set up a pilot lodgings service to provide options for people with spare rooms to take in a lodger if they wish to make up the income lost as a result of the size criteria.


3. Abolishing Council Tax Benefit (CTB)

What’s happening to Council Tax Benefit?

The Government has abolished the national scheme of CTB and councils have to replace it with their own local council tax discount scheme. This is called Council Tax Support (CTS) and it will help people on low incomes to pay their council tax bills.

When will this local scheme start?

Following consultation with residents we’ve now agreed our own local scheme and it will be in place by April 2013, which means everyone will be assessed for support based on new eligibility from then onwards.

Will it essentially be the same but administered locally by the council?

No. The scheme will help less people because the money given to us by Government for council tax support has been significantly reduced. In Lambeth we have about £2.4 million per year less to help residents meet the costs of their council tax.

What does it mean?

Some people will pay more towards their council tax. The average reduction in support for those who are not protected from these changes is 16 per cent so, on a council tax bill of £900 per year, this means the person claiming council tax support would have to pay approximately £150 per year of their bill themselves.


4. Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Why is DLA changing?

DLA is being replaced by a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for people aged 16 to 64 (from June 2013). DWP have said they expect to save 20 per cent on the overall budget by making this change and this has led many organisations to believe that the main intention behind PIP is to save money. The new assessment process is stricter and more medicalised.

If you already receive DLA will you just be transferred automatically on to PIP?

No. People currently receiving DLA will not automatically be entitled to PIP. Everyone will need to make a new claim for PIP and it will be based on how your health or disability affects your ability to live independently. See the latest on the timetable for changes at www.lambeth.gov.uk/benefitchanges


5. Changes to emergency fund access

What’s happening to the social fund?

From April 2013 the DWP’s discretionary Social Fund will cease to exist. Among other support this currently provides short term crisis loans and community care grants for people moving into the community; for example, from care or prison. Funding to support crisis loans and community care grants will move to the council for us to create our own local schemes to support people who are most in need. However, the amount transferred is less than is currently spent by the DWP and we expect that demand for support will increase because of all the other benefit cuts. The DWP will still help with people who need an advance on
benefits payment and are also still offering budgeting loans until Universal Credit comes in.

How many people have received these loans and grants in Lambeth?

From DWP data for 2010-11, we know that 8,900 grants and loans were given out to residents in Lambeth at a total value of £2.1 million.

Is Lambeth Council setting up a replacement scheme?

Yes. We’ve now agreed a new local scheme called the Emergency Support Scheme and it will start from April 2013.

Will you be providing the same kind of support?

No. Because the Government has cut funding to this budget (we will have about 24 per cent less for 2013-14 compared to 2010-11) there will now only be a small facility to provide cash grants and most needs will be met by offering ‘in-kind’ support (including second hand furniture and white goods, travel tickets and direct fuel payments to suppliers) or loans offered by the Credit Union on our behalf. Access to support will be for residents on certain meanstested benefits only.

What if a resident needs an emergency loan?

Crisis loans will be part of the support available. They are to cover immediate, very short term needs only. However, we’ve decided that applicants that meet the criteria will be referred to our local credit union – London Mutual - who will administer the loan. As a condition of the loan applicants will have to open a credit union account and pay their benefits into it so that loan repayments can be taken automatically. The interest is 2 per cent per month. For example - a £150 loan paid back over 9 months will see £15 of interest payable.


6. Universal Credit

I’ve heard about Universal Credit – what is it?

It is the name given to a new benefit that is being introduced later this year (October). It replaces several existing means-tested benefits such as income support, housing benefit and tax credits and will be paid monthly, in arrears, directly into a bank account. The aim is to simplify the system, give people more responsibility for managing their money and treat the benefit payment more like a typical monthly salary.

Giving people a monthly lump sum is a big responsibility for some people, will they cope?

For some very vulnerable people the housing element of the Universal Credit can be paid directly to landlords so their rent gets paid. However the group of people eligible for this is very small and there are others who will not be used to managing their money who will have to manage monthly payments and try and find a way to budget so that they pay their rent and their bills.

Won’t this mean more people getting into debt?

This is a concern. The best options are to encourage people to set up bank accounts and direct debits for their main outgoings – especially rent - to ensure they don’t get into debt or into rent arrears.

When is it being introduced?

Gradually from October 2013 and DWP expect all working age claimants to have moved onto Universal Credit by October 2017. The Government’s aspiration is for Universal Credit to become an online claim system for all (digital by default) allowing quicker processing of payments. However, there is concern about this ambitious timescale to get the IT system working in time as well as how people without access to a computer or able to use one will cope.

Follow up Northern Line Extension meeting

Lambeth Council held a public meeting on the 10 September where residents  were invited to raise any queries or concerns they had related to the proposed extension to the Northern Line. At that meeting officers undertook to take those comments away and investigate them further and to provide answers once they had them.

Lambeth officers and the council’s technical consultant Ramboll have been working through the issues raised and are proposing a follow-up meeting to give an update on where they are and allow residents to engage in discussion on outstanding issues. The meeting will be from 6pm – 9pm on Tuesday 4 December in the South Lambeth Library, 180 South Lambeth Road, SW8 1QP. An agenda will be circulated prior to the meeting and it is likely that it will take the same format as the September meeting with each different area dealt with in turn.

You do not need to register to attend this meeting but to help estimate numbers in advance it would be useful if you could email transportplanning@lambeth.gov.uk to indicate whether you will be attending.

Ramboll's work and the meeting are focused on some of the practical issues around the construction and operation of the project. However, some residents have been questioning whether the Northern Line Extension is the best transport option to be pursuing. Lambeth officers have provided the following briefing explaining some of the reasons why TfL is pursuing the Northern Line Extension:



Reason for Choice of the Northern Line Extension

The NLE has been identified by TfL as the only viable option that will provide enough public transport capacity in the long term to accommodate the scale of development proposed for the VNEB Opportunity Area. This note explains the rationale behind this decision.

Background

Five development scenarios were initially investigated for the VNEB Opportunity Area ranging from low levels of development to significant increases in jobs and residents. A transport study was commissioned by TfL in order to identify the level of public transport provision that would be required to support the amount of development proposed for each of these scenarios.

This transport study identified a range of public transport improvements that would be required ranging from a series of bus based improvements for the low level scenarios to proposals that provided significant amounts of additional capacity for the high level scenarios.

It was eventually decided that a revision of Scenario 5 with 16,000 new dwellings and 24,000 new jobs would be pursued. The transport study had identified that the only 2 interventions that would provide enough capacity to accommodate this level of development were tube or tram-based options. These would provide direct, high speed connections to central London with much more capacity than could be accommodated by additional bus routes. Without this route the public transport system would be unlikely to cope with the additional demand.

Tube based option

The tube based option forms an extension to the Northern Line from Kennington. This is the easiest option to deliver because of the terminating tracks on the Charing Cross branch which allow an extension to be delivered without directly affecting the rest of the line.

Four initial route options were proposed. These were:

1. A direct line from Battersea to Kennington,
2. A mid-station at Vauxhall to allow interchange with the Victoria Line,
3. A station close to the proposed US Embassy, and
4. A station on Wandsworth Road (Sainsbury’s).

The first two options were discounted by TfL as not providing effective relief for Vauxhall station to accommodate significant levels of additional trips relating to developments at the northern end of the OA such as New Covent Garden Market, Sainsbury’s, CLS, etc.

In particular, although the second option would have provided interchange between the Northern and Victoria Lines TfL has always raised significant concerns that Vauxhall station would be unable to cope with additional numbers of passengers. This relates both to those entering the station to use the Northern Line at peak times leading further congestion within the station, and those interchanging onto the Victoria Line which would be likely to have implications for capacity before trains reach the more strategic part of the line at Victoria. For this reason, TfL has never supported this option.

Of the remaining options, that which provides most benefit for Lambeth residents is the 4th option with a station at Wandsworth Road (Sainsbury’s). This option provides the best improvements to public transport accessibility levels in Lambeth compared to the US Embassy option which would have been on the western side of the railway viaduct. This was also the most supported option in the public consultations that were undertaken in 2010 and 2011.

The possibility of creating a branch from the Victoria Line was considered but dismissed due to operating concerns. The Victoria Line is congested north of Vauxhall in the morning peak and the addition of additional passengers would lead to capacity problems on more strategic parts of the line further north from Vauxhall. The existing service to Brixton would have been affected by the loss of services as the trains would have had to alternate between Brixton and Battersea.

Tram based option

The tram-based option was originally devised as a connection from Battersea Power Station along Nine Elms Lane to Vauxhall, Albert Embankment and Waterloo where it would connect with the Cross River Tram (CRT). The CRT was, however, dropped from the TfL business plan following the Mayoral election in 2008.

The two main reasons why this is not supported by TfL are:

1. Impact on Vauxhall gyratory.

The tram route was proposed to run through the gyratory which is already operating close to capacity and the impact on traffic flow was deemed unacceptable by TfL. One of the Council’s key aims is the removal of the gyratory, with significant improvement to the public realm, and officers are currently in discussions regarding this. It is unlikely that a tram route could be accommodated in these proposals due to the impact on capacity. It is likely that the provision of a tram route would compromise the Council’s aim.

2. Interchange implications.

The tram was proposed to connect with the CRT at Waterloo which would have provided a direct route into central London without the need to change at Waterloo.  Without the CRT, all those using the tram would arrive at Waterloo and need to change to alternative modes of transport. Waterloo is the busiest station in London and there are already issues relating to interchange from train to tube and bus. For example, there are currently long queues for buses at peak times and it is likely that the interchange could not cope with the additional passengers.

TfL also raised concerns about potential interchange implications at Vauxhall station, with a potential increase in passengers looking to change to the Victoria Line.

Other Public Transport Improvements

The transport study identified that either a tube or tram based option would be the only solutions to provide the long term public transport capacity required to accommodate additional development trips. However, the Council has always stated that a wider transport strategy, with a significant emphasis on bus improvements, is required and that this would link the new developments to existing residents and businesses in Lambeth. Such improvements formed a key part of the Council’s initial support for the NLE.

The VNEB transport study showed that bus improvements would be required in the short to medium term, until the high capacity improvements were constructed. Given the number of developments that have now obtained planning permission TfL is currently undertaking an initial study into short term bus improvements and the Council will feed into this study to ensure that the proposals provide the required level of improvements to Lambeth residents.

Issues raised on the NLE

The Council has received a lot of correspondence from residents regarding the NLE. In order to be able to respond to these issues and ensure that TFL, as scheme promoter, takes them on board the Council has engaged consultants Ramboll to act on its behalf and provide advice. At present Ramboll are reviewing the work done to date on behalf of Treasury Holdings and latterly TfL. It is hoped that they will continue to advise the Council on the Environmental Impact Assessment that TFL is required to submit in support of the Transport and Works Act application.

Conclusion

The need for the NLE is development led, with significant additional transport capacity being required to accommodate the additional trips that will be generated by all developments in the VNEB OA. The Planning Framework concludes that in order to enable and support a revised scenario 5 development a package of strategic transport measures, supported by a series of more local transport improvements will be required to support growth and development of the OA. These include:

• An optimum package of bus service enhancements including the introduction or extension of bus routes
• An extension to the Northern -Line, from Kennington to Battersea Power Station, with an intermediate stop in the Nine Elms area
• Improvements to the National Rail, Underground stations and interchange facilities at Vauxhall and Battersea Park stations
• A step change in the walking and cycle environment both within and to/from the OA and ensuring improved legibility and connections
• An approach to development which reduces the need to travel by car/reduces the number of private vehicle trips within the OA
• Improving conditions for taxis, coaches, freight and river services within and to/from the OA
• Private investment to enable these improvements to be secured and delivered in line with the future development of the area

It can be seen, therefore, that the NLE is not the only transport improvement that will be delivered. The Council has always supported and promoted additional bus enhancements in the area that will be of benefit to Lambeth residents.

Lambeth Labour freeze council tax for another two years

Labour in Lambeth will commit to freeze local council tax for the next two years running at the Cabinet meeting on 12 November.

With living costs rising and the price hikes recently announced by the energy companies, the Labour group of councillors want to support residents. Labour has frozen Lambeth council tax levels since 2008 – in total a six year freeze.

Labour cabinet member for Finance and Resources, Councillor Paul McGlone said

'The economic failure of the Coalition Government means the cost of living is increasing and many local people are now struggling to make ends meet.

'We are doing what we can to help residents and the council tax freeze is part of that. It is a historic decision that means council tax will have been at the same level for six years running.'

Council listening to residents' Northern Line Extension concerns

Lambeth Council have appointed tunnelling experts Ramboll as independent technical consultants to examine Transport for London's plans for the Northern Line Extension, which are are progressing quickly.

At an exhaustive three hour meeting this evening, chaired by London Assembly Member Val Shawcross, experts from Ramboll listened to the detailed concerns that residents have about the construction and operation of the Northern Line Extension.

Issues included:
- the exact location of the construction shaft in Radcot Street (not yet decided)
- the effect on adjacent properties
- air quality next to the shaft
- parking during construction (the gin distillery was suggested as a possible site for parking)
- traffic circulation through 'Methravia' during construction
- size and quality of the construction vehicles
- hours of construction work
- noise - construction of tunnels and operation of the trains
- capacity of Kennington station - for additional trains and additional passenger interchange
- boundary issues - discussions with Southwark
- process for monitoring any settlement or damage caused by tunnelling
- the need for maximum noise mitigation around the 'Kennington Loop' - where the NLE will meet the existing track and be at its most shallow - and the need for the existing track on the Loop to be upgraded to reduce noise disruption.
- how to manage Kennington Park during construction, reproviding the dog exercise area and ensuring community projects aren't forced to close.
- which shaft site has been decided for Kennington Green - the distillery is preferred and residents want the trees protected
- the proposed permanent shaft at Claylands Green which is fiercely opposed by local residents there and TfL are now examining whether other options are possible.
- what noise and effect the permanent ventilation shafts will have.

There was a clear consensus from residents and councillors that
- Lambeth Council must demand the minimal construction disruption to residents possible.
- Lambeth Council must insist on the highest possible noise mitigation work for the operation of the trains.
- Lambeth Council must specify construction techniques which are least noisy and least disruptive to residents.
- Ramboll need to examine TfL's plans in great detail and not be afraid to challenge them to improve the project's effects on Lambeth's residents.

Councillor Mark Harrison said 'the meeting was a really useful and detailed airing of all the many concerns that Lambeth residents have about the Northern Line Extension. Now independent experts Ramboll can go away and examine TfL's plans in detail and get answers to the questions raised'.

Have your say on cuts to Council Tax Benefit

Next year Council Tax Benefit (CTB) will stop being a benefit which Lambeth pays out on behalf of the Government, and will become a Local Council Tax Support Scheme set up by the council.

The Government are giving councils less money to pay for the new Local Council Tax Support Scheme than they have paid out to residents in past years.

In 2013/14 Lambeth will receive £2.6 million less to give out in support to claimants. This means Lambeth must save money through the new scheme - not everyone will get as much benefit as they do at the moment. Only pensioners are guaranteed to receive the same amount (because the Government has told councils they have to protect the level of support they receive). Because pensioners are protected there will be even less money for working age people receiving the benefit.

Lambeth wants residents' views on how the new Local Council Tax Support Scheme should operate.

Visit the Council's website for details of the consultation and the online questionnaire.

Pictured: Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles is cutting Council Tax Benefit for working age people.

Northern Line Extension residents' meeting

Plans for the Northern Line Extension are progressing quickly.

In order to ensure that Lambeth Council secures the best possible outcome from the NLE and minimises any negative impact on residents and businesses both during the construction phase and once it is operational the Council has appointed technical consultants. Ramboll have extensive experience on major tunnelling projects including Crossrail and will advise on all issues related to both design and implementation.

Ramboll are undertaking a review of the design work completed up to this point by TfL and Lambeth Council has asked them to give particular consideration to some key areas such as noise and vibration, shaft locations and construction methodology.

To ensure that Ramboll are able to concentrate on the right areas the Council has organised a meeting with residents and resident groups on Monday 10 September in the Ashmole Tenant’s Hall, Meadow Road, SW8 1AA.

As the NLE route covers a large area and spans three Wards it is proposed that the agenda of the meeting would be divided geographically between Prince’s, Oval and Stockwell allowing people to come and go for the parts that concern them.  It will run from 6pm to 9pm with roughly an hour given to each Ward with Prince’s dealt with first followed by Oval and then Stockwell. Prince's ward issues will be dealt with between 6pm and 7pm. An agenda will be circulated in advance of the meeting giving the exact timings and these will be based on the relative interest shown for each area.  Please note that TfL have not been invited to this meeting.

Please bear in mind that this meeting will have a clear focus on detailed issues such as noise and vibration, shaft locations and construction methodology - not the overall principle of whether or not to go ahead with the NLE.

If you would like to attend this meeting please email William Howe.

Lambeth takes a step closer to becoming a London Living Wage council

Lambeth council is continuing to make progress in its plan to become a London Living Wage Council after agreeing a new services contract at Monday night's council cabinet meeting.

The Living Wage campaign was launched in 2001 by London Citizens. Every year an hourly rate is set by the Greater London Authority (GLA) which allows workers to earn enough to provide their families with the essentials of life. Employers then volunteer to pay their staff at this rate.  This year's rates are £8.30 an hour (London) and £7.20 (outside of London).  This compares to the legally enforced, country-wide National Minimum Wage of £6.08 an hour for those aged over 21.

The council had made payment of the London Living Wage a fundamental requirement of the services contract bidding process.  The successful bid was made by Balfour Beatty and, as a result, more than 150 staff who provide cleaining, maintenance and security services to the council will see their wages increase.  This will put them in line with the pay for all staff employed directly with the council, who have recieved the London Living Wage since 2006.

Sarfraz Jeraj, Chair of Lambeth Citizens said 'We congratulate Councillor Steve Reed and Lambeth Council for their pledge to become a fully accredited Living Wage Employer. Our member communities in Lambeth are delighted with the leadership shown by the council. This bold step will make a huge difference to the lives of hard working families in Lambeth. We look forward to seeing the Living Wage Employer Mark proudly displayed at council buildings across the borough.'

Lambeth memorial restoration to honour war dead

Lambeth Council has this week announced approval of £200,000 funding to refurbish five iconic war memorials in the borough.

They are Kennington Park War Memorial, the memorials in front of St Mark’s Church, Oval, and Holy Trinity Church, Clapham Common, Streatham memorial gardens, and Stockwell, which is the borough’s official memorial.

Councillor Paul McGlone, Lambeth council’s Finance cabinet member, said:

'Capital funding is very tight, but all Lambeth councillors agreed that the £200,000 funding had to be allocated to honour our responsibility to our war memorials in memory of those who have fallen'

'We also owe a debt of gratitude to local people like Naomi Klein, a Stockwell resident, who wrote a book, ‘These Were Our Sons’ to commemorate the memory of the 574 local men whose names are inscribed on Lambeth official War Memorial at Stockwell, as well groups like the Friends of Stockwell Memorial and Friends of Kennington Park for their important role in raising the profile of the need for investment.'

Last year local residents led by the Friends of Kennington Park launched a major fundraising drive which raised more than £2,500 to help clean the Kennington Park War memorial and paint the railings. Upcoming work will help to build on those improvements by seeing stonework expertly cleaned and loose joints fixed. The plans will also see the inscription of battle honours from the Second World War reinstated. Railings around the memorial will also be repaired.

At the Kennington Cenotaph, which is the memorial to the Queen’s London Regiment 24th Battalion, the structure will be underpinned and stonework cleaned. Missing lead letters will also be replaced.

The Stockwell War Memorial will again be cleaned and re-pointed. Using mason’s hand tools, craftsmen will redefine eroded lettering and architectural detailing on the memorial in the middle of busy traffic interchange. Local residents, including Sheila Dartnell and Naomi Klein, have been key champions and dedicated campaigners for the improvement work.

At the Clapham memorial scaffolding will be erected and the monument expertly cleaned using a high-pressure hot water system. Loose stonework will be re-pointed by expert builders. Over 10 square metres of existing concrete paving will be replaced by York stone.

Bronze including the cold cast bronze resin plaque at the Streatham War Memorial will be cleaned.

The works are due to be completed early next year.

The investment has come from the council’s capital investment fund.


Photo: R Sones, Wikimedia Commons

Additions to Lambeth's list of buildings of local architectural interest

Lambeth has a rich heritage of buildings and structures which contribute to the character and interest of our streets and neighbourhoods.  Some 2,500 of these are on the government’s national list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest; the statutory list. 

In addition, there are many buildings in Lambeth which are of local architectural or historic interest.  The Lambeth ‘local list’ was established in March 2010 in order to give recognition to these buildings and structures.  The objective of the local list is to identify and designate buildings and structures of local interest so that we can consider their significance when determining any planning proposals affecting them. 

Whilst local listing is a planning designation it does NOT impose any additional planning controls; the normal planning regulations will apply.   When considering any planning applications the Council will seek to protect locally listed buildings from inappropriate alteration or demolition; this is set out in Policy 46 of Lambeth’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP).  Property owners do NOT need to apply for listed building consent to undertake works to a locally listed building. 

The following local buildings have been added to the local list:

Alford House, Aveline Street (pictured)

Black Prince Pub, Black Prince Road

Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Kennington Lane

Pair of nineteenth century bollards outside 64 Tyers Street

Further Information on locally listed buildings

List of statutorily listed buildings in Lambeth

National Heritage List for England (maintained by English Heritage) 

Join the Young Lambeth Cooperative

Over the last year Lambeth Council has been working with a wide range of residents, service users and partners to develop a cooperative approach to running services in the following areas: Youth centres, Adventure playgrounds, and Stay and Play One O’clock clubs

The next step is to set up a Young Lambeth cooperative that will oversee some services for children including play and youth. We want young people, parents, local residents, groups and organisations to help us do this.

If you are interested in participating then please fill out this form and the council will be in touch.

Contracts exchanged on the Beaufoy site

We can today announce that Lambeth Council has exchanged contracts to sell the Beaufoy Building and surrounding land.

As you may know the council owns the car park which is being sold to Bellway Homes. The Beaufoy Building and space around it is owned by the Beaufoy Trust and that will be sold to the Tibetan Buddhist Charity, Diamond Way Buddhism.

The sale of both sites will generate around £9 million. Around £7.5m will go to the council and will contribute towards the Council's Capital Programme that is used to fund housing, roads, schools, leisure centres etc. About £1.5m will go to the Beaufoy Trust. After years of having all their money tied up in an unused building and, therefore, not actually helping anyone they will finally have the money to fulfill their objectives;

“The object of the [Beaufoy Trust] charity is the promotion of the education for the public benefit of persons under the age of 25 who are in need of financial assistance and resident in the area of benefit, with a preference for the promotion of vocational training.”

On top of this 40% of all the homes that Bellway will build on the site will be affordable.

Finally, a sum of £200,000 has been ring fenced and will be spent in Kennington on local projects. Your three councillors will be making the decision on what to spend the money on and we shall be back in touch with everyone in the near future in order to get ideas of what to spend the money on.

Buddhist Centre Scheme

The Beaufoy is an iconic local building and a lot of residents will want to know what plans there are for its future. The scheme proposes a mixed-use building which has three predominant functions:

1) Community facility
2) Place for meditation and education
3) Residential accommodation

The building would be occupied by Diamond Way Buddhism, a registered charity centred on Buddhist philosophy in the Tibetan tradition. They intend to offer a facility which would primarily be used by the Buddhist community but would also seek to engage with and benefit local communities.

At the heart of the building, largely within the historic Grade II listed section, the facility would offer a large meditation/teaching space within the existing lecture/assembly hall. There would also be a library, exhibition space, seminar room, meeting rooms, offices and a general welcome area. These areas and rooms would all be at ground and first floor levels and would form the primary location for the charity's work in terms of its public activity.

The refurbished buildings and the proposed extensions would also provide various types of residential accommodation at ground, first and second floor levels of the building which would support a community of permanent residents and guests.

Public Meetings

As you may be keen to meet the prospective new owners and find out more about who they are and what there plans are, public meetings are planned with Diamond Way Buddhism and Bellway Homes.

This will be where the planning application will be presented and discussed so that the local community will be able to give their views on what is proposed. Both Bellway and Diamond Way are introducing themselves at tonight’s KOV meeting.

Diamond Way Buddhism is holding a drop-in session 6pm-9pm, next Thursday 2 February at the Tea House Theatre, 139 Vauxhall Walk, SE11 5HL. This is in advance of their submitting their planning application as they seek your contribution and input to the renovation of the Beaufoy Institute whilst the project is still in its early stages.

The Future

At this stage we have exchanged contracts with the two groups. We will not complete the sale until they have both received planning permission for their schemes.

Everyone will have an opportunity to view the plans and comment on them when they are submitted to the planning department.

If, and when, planning permission is granted, we shall be in touch with all residents and community groups to discuss what projects you would like to spend our £200,000 windfall on.

We hope to see you at the meetings.

Help Lambeth set its Housing Standard

Lambeth Council and its management agent Lambeth Living are working with residents to set a new standard to which all council homes can be developed and maintained.

The Government is providing Lambeth with some money to invest in our homes over the coming years, though it is not nearly enough for all that we would like to do. Because of this, choices need to be made about what work residents want to prioritise.

If you are a Lambeth tenant or leaseholder please fill in the online survey.

You can also attend a meeting this Thursday at 7pm at Pedlars Acre Hall, Opal Street/ Kennington Lane.

Already, Lambeth Housing have received around 5000 responses from residents - some of the bags of mail received are pictured. We want to ensure everybody has their say.

Prince's councillors have already made the case for the following works:

- new windows for the blocks on the Cottington Close Estate which are still outstanding

- new windows for the blocks on the Vauxhall Gardens Estate which are still outstanding (Aveline Street, Brangton Road)

- new windows for Denby Court

- investment in street properties which is required

- security doors for Cottington Close and Broadgates Court

- new intercom and lifts for Cotton Gardens

- new lifts for various blocks on the Vauxhall Gardens Estate

- new kitchens and bathrooms, with those in the worst condition being prioritised

> Please let us know if there are other priorities you would like us to campaign for!