Planning refusal for new Elmington/D'Eynesford Tenants Hall, Pest control comes back in House, Death of Keib Thomas and Nephew Joe graduates!

I went along to the Planning Committe on Tuesday trying to pursuade the members to go against the Officers recommendations and give planning permission for the new Tenants Hall on the site of the Benhill Road Nature Garden (pictured)
The application was unanimously refused and I left feeling very frustarated, not at the planning commitee members, who gave us a very full and fair hearing, but at the delay in geting to Committee and the lack of any progress made between Housing and Planning Officers to reach a compromise. We will be meeting up soon to discuss the two options available to us, either do some mnore work with planning and resubmit or look for an alternative location, both difficult and time consuming and therefore likely to cause considerable delay!! Anyway we have no option so we will continue to work for this badly needed community facility in the are




Southwark News reported the bringing back of Pest Control within the Council which is good news and a briefing given at a recent East Camberwell Housing Forum suggests significant improvements probalably after a difficult transition period. When I saw a picture of Kim next to a large rat I thought that he had recruited a new member to his party but all in all good news I think!!



I hope to see some of the Tour de France in London this wekend, perhaps when I go to the Southwark park Show but I also have some campaigning and a Labour Group Away Day to fit in so it may be tight!

Southwark News printed my letter in tribute to Sheila Carmen who died last week and also reported the death of another old friend Keib Thomas. I last spoke to him very recently and he was still as motivated as he first was when I first met him as a new Councillor 13 years ago.Keib was a very dedicated and focussed individual on community safety and community cohesion issues and was equally comfortable working at both a strategic level and on the estates with young people. His death is a real loss for Southwark and my thoughts are with his wife Tinku and family.

Finally congratulations to my youngest nephew Joe who graduated this week and below are some pics of his day with his mum, brothers and girlfriend! Well Done Joe!!!!