Sale of the Beaufoy Institute

The bidding process for the sale of the Beaufoy Institute and surrounding land has now closed.

Cllr Paul McGlone said:

“Lambeth Council has marketed the Beaufoy site which has generated considerable interest and 10 formal bids. The marketing process has now closed, and the council is carrying out due diligence on the highest bid.

The outcome should be good news for everyone – local residents should see the Beaufoy building brought back into community use, while the sale of the whole site will raise funds for the Beaufoy Trust to help disadvantaged young people in Lambeth, and also vital funds for the council to invest in local schools, roads and housing at a time of such major cuts in Lambeth’s government funding.”

· The receipts raised from the buildings sale would be spilt between the council, to invest in services for local residents, and the Beaufoy Trust, a charity which seeks to support disadvantaged young people through education and training.

· The building is listed so could not be torn down. Instead it will be redeveloped, bringing back into use a building that is a local landmark and of historical significance.

· The building has been empty for around a decade.

· The decision to dispose of the building was made by cabinet in February 2011. The council’s disposal programme aims to raise £100 million over four years to invest in vital services, such as schools, roads and housing, at a time when the council’s budget has been slashed by cuts in capital grants from central government of 60%.

· There is no covenant in place that says the building must be used for educational use, but the building’s sale will raise vital funds that will help the Beaufoy Trust continue its work of helping young, disadvantaged residents.

Lambeth Library Commission visit the Durning

This afternoon the Lambeth Library Commissioners visited the Durning Library in Kennington, as part of their minibus factfinding tour of the borough.

The Libraries Commission has been set up to find a way forward for Lambeth's library service. Low usage of Lambeth Libraries has resulted in the highest cost per visit, combined with the lowest levels of user satisfaction, of any London borough. Because of reductions in Government grant, savings of £750,000 in our library service need to be made by 2014.

The Commission includes library experts, two Friends of Lambeth Libraries, and three councillors.

The commissioners seemed impressed by Durning Library's attractive building, busyness, and friendly atmosphere. They noted some of the problems with leaks and other maintenance issues. Durning Library was opened in the 1880s, and is a much loved Kennington landmark.

You can find out more about the Libraries Commission here. Its interim report will be published in July.

You can become a Friend of the Durning Library by signing up at the Library.

Pictured: local councillor Mark Harrison shows commissioners Pete Robbins and Jackie Meldrum around the Durning.

Emergency Thames Water Works – Kennington Lane

Transport for London has made us aware of emergency works by Thames Water taking place on Kennington Lane at the junction of South Lambeth Road to investigate and repair a major leak. To accommodate these works the following traffic management has been put in place:

· Southbound lane one closure at Albert Embankment at the junction of Vauxhall Cross
· Eastbound lane three closure on Kennington Lane between the junctions of South Lambeth Road and Albert Embankment
· Northbound lanes two and three closed on Harleyford Road between the junctions of Vauxhall Grove and South Lambeth Road

Works commenced yesterday, Sunday 19 June 2011 and Thames Water have committed resources to 24/7 working until the leak is repaired.

Once Thames Water have repaired their main there are also additional TfL, BT and UKPN cable damage which will be repaired within the existing traffic management.

TfL anticipate significant disruption to vehicular traffic and to mitigate this, TfL will have electronic Variable Messaging Signs (VMS) strategically placed in the area to pre-warn drivers of these works. TfL has worked closely with the London Borough of Lambeth in order to reduce the impact of these works on road users, local people and businesses as far as possible.

TfL apologises in advance for any inconvenience that may be caused because of these essential works. Should you require further information or an update during the delivery of these works please contact our Streets Customer Services department on 0845 305 1234 or via our website at www.tfl.gov.uk/contact

Vauxhall Walk waiting restrictions

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984

VARIATION OF THE WAITING RESTRICTIONS VAUXHALL WALK

(Note: This notice is about the variation of the waiting restrictions in Vauxhall Walk.)

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Lambeth Borough Council, on 15th June 2011 made the Lambeth (Waiting and Loading Restriction) (Amendment No. 199) Order 2011 under sections 6 and 124 of and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The Order will come into force on 27th June 2011.

2. The general effect of the Order will be to ban waiting at any time in that length of Vauxhall Walk which lies on the south-east side, between a point 2.9 metres north-east of the party wall of Nos. 1 and 3 Vauxhall Walk and a point 2.5 metres south-west of the party wall of Nos. 7 and 9 Vauxhall Walk.

3. If you have any enquiries, please telephone the Council's Transportation Group on 020 7926 0324.

4. The restrictions are part of a larger scheme which included the installation of road humps in Vauxhall Walk and is intended to reduce traffic speeds, prevent obstructive parking and thereby improve road safety for all road users.

5. Documents giving more detailed particulars of the Order are available for inspection between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm (excluding bank holidays) on Mondays to Fridays until the last day of a period of six weeks beginning with the date on which the Order is made at the offices of Lambeth Borough Council's Transportation Group, 3rd Floor, Blue Star House, 234-244 Stockwell Road, London SW9 9SP.

6. If any person wishes to question the validity of the Order or any of its provisions on the grounds that it or they are not within the powers conferred by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, or that any requirement of that Act or of any instrument made under that Act has not been complied with, that person may, within 6 weeks from the date on which the Order is made, apply for the purpose to the High Court.

Dated 17th June 2011
Abu Barkatoolah
Head of Transportation

Future of Lollard Street Adventure Playground

Yesterday Cllr Pete Robbins, Lambeth Cabinet Member for Children & Young People, attended a meeting at Lollard Street Adventure Playground where he heard from children and parents who rely on the service it provides.

Pete was there to explain the Council's plans for the adventure playground service. Lambeth has more adventure playgrounds than any other borough. Currently seven are run directly by the Council, and eight are run by the voluntary sector. Voluntary sector-run adventure playgrounds are much cheaper to run. The Council is proposing to transfer the management of Council-run adventure playgrounds like Lollard Street to the voluntary sector.

This means the next few months will be challenging, as the adventure playground will have to adjust to new management and reduced funding. (Current opening hours and funding are guaranteed till the end of the summer.) However, Pete is confident that a good service can be preserved after September.

It was clear from the meeting that parents and children most value the after school provision which the adventure playground provides, as it helps parents who work and aren't available to look after their children after school. The challenge is to make the new management model work and ensure we preserve the current opening hours as much as we can.

New course: Revaluing Food for the Future

Do you want to learn what a sustainable diet is and how you can inspire others in your community to embrace it?

This free course is ideal for anyone who wants to learn more about our complex food system.
Over eight hands-on workshops, you will gain a deeper understanding of the issues, including:

 Health, wellbeing and food access
 The environmental impact of food production
 Equality: what is fair food?
 Waste: domestic and international
 Food celebration and culture

When?
6.30pm – 8.30pm
Every other Wednesday from 6 July 2011

Where?
Vauxhall City Farm, 165 Tyers Street, London, SE11 5HS

Book your place now!
Email stephanie.ward@wastewatch.org.uk or call 0207 549 0305

Lambeth councillors run for charity

A team of Lambeth councillors donned their trainers on Wednesday to take part in the '5K Your Way' run. The event is an opportunity for thousands of London local authority staff and councillors to get involved in fun physical activity.

Lambeth councillors chose to raise money for a local charity, Disability Advice Service Lambeth. Over £500 has been raised so far and there is still time to sponsor us!

Lambeth was the third most active borough overall, and had the most councillors running. Prince's ward councillor Mark Harrison was pleased to finish first out of the Lambeth councillors!

Pictured: Lib Peck (Thornton), Matthew Bennett (Gipsy Hill), Florence Nosegbe (Brixton Hill), Mark Bennett (Streatham South), Ameeta Rowland (Labour Group Office), Alex Bigham (Stockwell), Mark Harrison (Prince's), Pete Robbins (Larkhall), and Dave Malley (Streatham South).

Vauxhall Five windows - project about to start!

After many years of pressure from residents, Kate Hoey MP, and councillors; work to replace the Vauxhall Five's windows is due to start at the end of this month.

Windows in Braham, Darley, Grover, Leary, and Simpson Houses are 1930s crittal windows which are in an appalling state, leaving residents with sky-high fuel bills in the winter. In addition, concrete from the balconies is failing, causing a serious safety hazard.

A 52 week major refurbishment programme will begin on 27 June. Roofs, windows, balconies, brickwork and concrete will all be brought up to a decent standard. Each individual block will take around five months to complete, depending on what concrete repairs are required.

Whilst major work like this will inevitably be disruptive, there will be Resident Liaison Officers from the contractor and Lambeth Council available for residents to speak to throughout the process. Work in flats will be done by appointment.

Many leaseholders will be concerned at the large bill they will have to pay. Lambeth Living should provide advice, support, and payment options to help leaseholders who will struggle with the bills.

Local councillors will be monitoring the project closely, and on hand to help if problems can't be resolved with Lambeth Living or the contractors.

Councillor Mark Harrison said: 'after more than a decade of pressure residents are finally close to seeing the work started which is so badly needed. We won't be celebrating until the windows are replaced and the contractors are offsite, but this month's news is really encouraging.'

Pictured: Mark Harrison with a petition for new windows he organised back in January 2009.

Council Leader walkabout in Vauxhall and Albert Embankment

On Friday afternoon, in glorious sunny weather, Leader of Lambeth Council Steve Reed was shown round the areas of Prince's ward which will be affected by the Vauxhall- Nine Elms- Battersea redevelopment project.

Steve is now chairing the Strategy Board which will guide the redevelopment of the area, so local councillors Mark Harrison and Lorna Campbell wanted to show Steve how the changes will affect things on the ground.

Important issues discussed included ensuring local parks are improved - particularly Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens which has a redevelopment masterplan which needs funding fully. Supporting cultural activities and businesses will be important, as will improving Albert Embankment for pedestrians. Links and connections need to be improved through the railway viaduct, and across the gyratory system to Vauxhall station.

Most importantly the existing residents of estates bordering the area - Vauxhall Gardens, Whitgift, and Ethelred - need to see real benefits to their environment from the huge changes to the area.