It has been an extremely busy few days for me with T&RA AGM and Meetings, OSC and CCC Meetings not to mention a week of deadlines in the day job!I attended T@RA meetings at Poets Corner, D'Eynesford and Castlemead in the week and am really pleased to be involved with three very active and engaged tenants groups!
The real tragedy in the week was the very sad death of long time Castlemead T&RA Member and unofficial Estates gardener Len Walker, who died of his injuries on Monday night after being hit by a vehicle on Camberwell Road just in front of the Estate. I had to walk around the cordoned off area to get to the meeting in Monday unaware that Len had been the victim. He will be sadly missed and I intend to nominate him for a posthumous award at next year's Southwark Council Civic Awards.
OSC on Monday discussed the 2 key Camberwell Reports going to Exec next week on the future of the Camberwell Leisure Centre and the future of the Southwark Town Hall.
Despite Lewis Robinson's assurances the tone of the report was lukewarm with apparently all riding on a Government bid for upto £2M pounds from a £50M pot where already 200 local authorities have expressed an interest! If unsuccessful all options are back on the table including closure, an argument that I have thought we had won long time ago! Interesting after being told that the capital "cupboard was bare" the very next item committed to spending more on the three Town Halls than would be required to completely refurbish the Centre and I reminded them that this is a mater of political priorities and these can change! All in all a disappointing report and it brought us back to earth with a bump that the future survival of the Leisure Centre in Camberwell is along way from certain and I still feel that the support from the Lib Dem/Tory Executive (accepting Lewis Robinson's sincerity in it all) is lukewarm to say the least!
The next report on the 3 Town Hall's promised to keep them all, Walworth Town Hall as the new Civic Centre, Southwark Town Hall as the Democratic Centre and Bermondsey Town Hall as ...er..er... cos it's in Bermondsey! Interestingly the only building to have any sort of use review is surprise surprise the Southwark Town Hall so dont be surprised to see it sold off if the Lib Dems and Tories run the council after 2010, I am sure that it will be top of their list, with Camberwell Leisure Centre second top no doubt!
All in all very disappointing with a lot of reading between the lines required and clearly a fight on our hands to retain any of Camberwell's and Southwark's heritage!!!
I just got out of CCC Planning Meeting at the Town Hall last night to get to the tail end of another successful Camberwell & Peckahm CLP Fundraising Night with Alan Johnston MP as the Guest of Honour.
I did miss the dinner and the speeches but just made it to buy some raffle tickts and see Peter and Alison make the draw! Guess what I won a bottle of Champers!"!!
Big match for Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday with Hearts coming to us for the first derby of the season! Dad will be there and I will be watching on Setanta so we are hoping for a good Hibs win! Hibs current form is good with Hearts struggling after a good start (also struggling to pay the players apparently!! Wonder if the Kaunas bank of Lithuania is struggling? If so Hearts very survival may be at risk! Shame!!)Hibs need to put them to the sword and make it clear who is boss this season! Come on Hibs!
I am also off to see Arsenal versus Spurs in a few weeks with Tsui, never been to a North London Derby so looking for a nice Hibs/Arsenal Win Double (not as if I bet of course!!)
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