Month: February 2015

TfL confirm proposals for Sunday Service on 352 and 354 from September 2015

The  Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association and West Beckenham Residents’ Association have been in contact with James Cleverly’s Office (Greater London Authority) for many months lobbying for a Sunday service on the 352 and 354.  Mr Cleverly’s Office has provided us confirmation from Peter Bradley, TfL’s Head of Consultation, that TFL “Have recently awarded new contracts for the operation of routes 352 and 354.  As part of the contract award and subject to the outcome of formal consultation (which will commence in May 2015), we are proposing that both routes will run on Sundays and Public Holidays, with a provisional start date of September 2015”.

This is great news for Beckenham bus users. We will let you know when the consultation is available for local people to comment.

 

Beckenham Toilets will close as part of £11.6m cuts – Council Tax to rise 1.2% – local people object at Council meeting on 23 Feb 2015

Despite objections from the Copers Cope Residents’ Association, West Beckenham Residents’ Association, the Beckenham Business Association, The Beckenham Society, 80 direct objections from residents and a petition of over 700 local residents, 7 out of 8 Bromley Council Executives (including one from Beckenham) voted to close the Beckenham public toilets and offer the building for sale or demolish it.

At the same meeting the Council agreed to increase Council Tax by 1.2% (£16 a year for a Band D property). The Council could have increased Council Tax by up to 2% to avoid some of the £11.6 million of cuts planned. Local people have told us they would be happy to pay increased Council Tax to retain basic services, such as public toilets.

Our members have highlighted the following areas affected by budget cuts, no doubt there are many more affecting Borough residents.

The Council also plan to increase parking charges.

London councils are able to increase Council Tax by up to 2% each year. Should Bromley Council be increasing Council Tax at 2% to retain services local people want and are willing to pay for?  If you think so contact your local Councillors. We have checked back and note that the Council applied the following increases to Council  Tax over the last 4 years; 2011/12 =0%, 2012/13 = 0%, 2013/14  1.89%, 2014/15  = 0%.
Services have been cut over this period and many more to come to balance the books.

Bromley Council will vote on the final budget at a full Council Meeting,  7pm February 23 2015, Bromley Civic Centre, Bromley BR1 3UH.  The News Shopper advises local residents will be lobbying the meeting to  protest against the cuts and call for the budget to be rejected. More information can be found below.

 

 

SGCO String Quartet – 7.45pm Sat 7 Mar 2015, St George’s Church

St George’s Chamber Orchestra (SGCO) String Quartet – Saturday 7th March 2015 7.45pm

Beethoven String Quartet Op.18 no.5 in A

Shostakovich Elegy and Polka

Schubert String Quartet No 14 in D Minor, ‘Death and the Maiden’ D 810

Find out more about the SGCO at http://sgco.co.uk/

Book in advance from The Beckenham Bookshop and St. George’s Church Office (Monday to Friday until 3.30pm). Best seats will be reserved for pre-concert sales. Tickets also available on-line at http://www.stgeorgesbeckenham.co.ukand on the door.

St. George’s Church is on the corner of High Street and Bromley Road Beckenham BR3 1AX.

200 year old London Plane Tree on The Avenue to be felled.

In September 2012 the Copers Cope Residents’ Association assisted in getting the beautiful Plane Tree on The Avenue under a Tree Protection Order. Unfortunately Bromley Council gave permission for the tree to be felled on the 5th of February 2015.

The tree is suspected of contributing to subsidence under a nearby house. Local people have fought hard to ensure that there is conclusive evidence that the tree is actually the cause of the subsidence. There have been numerous technical reports by the  house insurer’s consultants over the last few years, none of which have been conclusive. Even the Council’s own independent report does not recommend felling the tree, stating that the findings of the insurer’s consultant reports are inconclusive and incomplete.  It recommended that three courses of action are undertaken before further consideration is given to the removal of the Plane Tree:  1. Shrubbery close to the house is removed;  2. Drains are tested and repaired if found to be defective;  3. Monitoring is continued for one year.

We are gravely disappointed that the Council chose not to follow its own professional consultant’s advice, instead recommending consent to be granted for the removal of this tree based on the insurer’s reports.

Heritage trees are an intrinsic part of the character of many roads in Northern Beckenham.  Because of the detrimental effect the felling of a healthy tree has on the character of the area it should be an action of last resort.

The Council report can be found at the link below.

Consent to remove a London Plane tree on land adjacent to No.76b The Avenue, Beckenham

Beckenham’s Heritage Trees have been under threat in recent years, with a number lost due to development or subsidence claims such as this. Not all our heritage trees are under a Tree Preservation Order, whereby you must apply to the Council to fell or pollard them, and the ones that are not covered by a TPO are more at risk. If you have an old or mature tree in your road why not contact the Council to see if it is covered by a Tree Preservation Order and if not whether it should be.  You can do this online at the link below.

Tree Protection Orders

HM Government ePetition to Protect Beckenham Golf Course

Lewisham Council plan to close Beckenham’s 107 year old public 18 hole golf course as part of  £4.9 million improvements to Beckenham Place Park. An ePetition has been created on the HM Government petition site to save the golf course. The petition is open until 30 March 2015.

ePetition to Protect Beckenham Golf Course

Further information about plans for Beckenham Place Park can be found on Lewisham Council’s website via the link below.

Beckenham Place Park

 

Beckenham Public Toilets is listed as an Asset of Community Value

The Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association has been successful in its application to have the Beckenham public toilets listed as an Asset of Community Value.  This means that should the Council decide to sell the building they must offer time for the community to  time to come up with a bid for the building when it is sold.

This is a last resort, we urge the Council to continue to provide a public toilet or to retain the building for community use.

Good news – Sunday service for the 354 Bus Route being evaluated.

The Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association has been working closely with the organisers of the ‘354 on a Sunday Campaign’ as well as lobbying the London Mayor’s Office directly. Boris Johnson has responded positively  to the campaign…  “I fully appreciate there is a strong local desire to see bus route 354 operated seven days a week. Transport for London (TfL) would like to offer a Sunday service on bus route 354. As I am sure you will understand, in order to do this it has to ensure that the extra subsidy needed demonstrated good value for money.”

TfL are currently evaluating the value for money and a decision is expect by the end of February.

Our Association continues to lobby for a Sunday service on the 352 bus route.  Please sign the petition below: