Author: Copers Cope Area Residents' Association (CCARA)

Residents Association covering central and northern Beckenham. Founded in 1939 to protect and promote the interests of residents in matters of local concern

Planning application for flats above Barclays Bank

A planning application to build  a two storey extension to provide 8 self contained flats (6 x 2 bedroom and 2 x 1 bedroom) above the Barclays Bank has been submitted.  The previous application to build flats above the bank was refused. 

Details can be found on Bromley Councils website at the link below:

3 Beckenham Road Beckenham BR3 4ES

Any residents who wish to comment on the planning application must do so before Thursday 7 March 2012.  You can comment by email to planning@bromley.gov.uk  (Reference: 13/00407/FULL), however you must ensure that you provide your full name and address including your post code.  Failure to provide these details will mean your comments will not be not accepted.

 

SCAM – Caller advises they are from BT

You receive a call, claiming to be from BT, saying you are being disconnected due to an unpaid bill.  Payment of around £30 (by credit card) is demanded and you are reminded it will cost £118.00 to reconnect at a later date.  The caller isn’t fazed if you say you are with Virgin Media (VM has to pay BT for line rental).  If asked for a name and number, the name will likely be very English but with a distinctly foreign accent and the number given is 0800 0800 152 (BT’s number is actually 0800 800 152)
The caller will “prove” he/she is from BT by suggesting you hang up and try calling someone else.  Your telephone will appear “dead”.  This is not that clever; the caller simply stays on the line with the mute button on so you can’t dial out (only the initiator can terminate a call). When you stop trying, the caller hangs up and immediately rings back.
This scam could easily fool the vulnerable and it’s not about the £30 – this would be blocked by Merchant Services – it’s all about accessing your credit card details including the Security Number so it can be used for far larger purchases!  Please pass on this warning.

The Virtuoso Bassoon Concert – 7.45pm Sat 2 Mar 2013, St George’s Church Beckenham

The Virtuoso Bassoon – Saturday 2nd March 2013 7.45pm

  • Vivaldi Concerto for Strings in D RV121
  • Vivaldi Bassoon Concerto in C RV471
  • Telemann Overture ‘La Lyra’
  • Vivaldi Flute concerto in G minor ‘La Notte’ RV439
  • Handel Concerto Grosso in D minor op.6 no.10
  • Telemann Concerto for flute and bassoon

Emma Harding – Bassoon – SGCO principal, guest co-principal LSO, LPO, RPO.
Stewart McIlwham – Flute – SGCO/LPO principal and President London Philharmonic
Dominic Moore – Director

Tickets £12 / £10 concessions / £5 under 25s.

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

 

Beckenham’s famous Blytons exhibition at Central Library until 8 Feb 2013

An exhibition showcasing Beckenham’s beloved children’s author Enid Blyton and her composer nephew Carey Blyton is now open and runs until 8 February 2013.

The ‘Carey’s Aunt and Enid’s Nephew’ exhibition will be displayed at Bromley Local Studies and Archives on the second floor of the Central Library, with highlights including some of Enid’s published works and Carey’s musical scores. Beckenham historian, Cliff Watkins, compares the lives of, and traces the links between, the famous Blytons of Beckenham and the ongoing legacy left by them.

“Our towns have been inventive and creative hotbeds over the years and have produced many famous faces, including the much loved author Enid Blyton and her talented nephew. This exhibition will reveal the links in their lives and facts about their works. To find out more about these household names for yourself, why not come along to the Central Library” said Catrin Holland, Archivist at Bromley Local Studies and Archives.

Much-loved children’s author Enid Blyton lived in Beckenham from 1897 to 1929 and had more than 7,000 works published, which include the Famous Five, Noddy, the Secret Seven and the Faraway Tree. Come along to the exhibition and see some of the 7,000 works published by Enid as novels, poems and short stories in magazines
and periodicals.

Her nephew, the composer Carey Blyton, lived in Beckenham from 1932 to 1962 and composed more than 150 works, including the first ever music for Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Carey Blyton worked for 5 years with Britain’s most famous 20th century composer, Benjamin Britten. Some of his most evocative works were written during the 1950s when he and friends created The Beckenham Salon. Examples of some of Carey’s works will also be on display, including the scores of his Victorian Melodramas and his book of nonsense poems.

Bromley Local Studies and Archives is located at the Central Library in Bromley town centre. It is open Monday to Saturday and offers resources going back hundreds of years, on topics related to the local area. It has specialist collections on The Crystal Palace, Walter de la Mare and H.G. Wells and works closely with the Bromley
Museum based at The Priory, Orpington. It also houses the archives for the borough and has extensive family history resources. A range of local history publications for sale are available from the local studies library.

Public Meeting regarding services provided at Beckenham Beacon – 2pm 7 February 2013, Harry Lyne Room, Beckenham Beacon

Public Meeting: 2pm, Thursday 7 February 2013, in the Harry Lyne Room at the Beckenham Beacon, 379 Croydon Road, Beckenham.

A statement about the future of Beckenham Beacon from Dr Andrew Parson

Dear patients and residents

As you know, since 2007 Beckenham Beacon has provided a range of well-used and much-valued NHS healthcare services for people in the north of Bromley.

In recent weeks I’ve become aware of uncertainty among some patients and residents about its future, and of claims that it will close as a result of the work being done by the Trust Special Administrator for South London Healthcare NHS Trust.

I would like to assure you that Beckenham Beacon will not close. It will continue to be a site where NHS healthcare services will be provided.

South London Healthcare NHS Trust currently occupies about 45 percent of the space. If the TSA’s recommendations for healthcare in south east London are agreed by the Government, the main change will be that South London Healthcare NHS Trust will probably no longer provide services at Beckenham Beacon.

Instead, services will be put in place by the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group and we still plan to use Beckenham Beacon for general practice and other health services.

Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group is a group of Bromley GPs and other NHS healthcare professionals who are responsible for planning and buying services for people across Bromley.

We operate in ‘shadow’ form at the moment, but will be a statutory body from April 2013 when Bromley PCT will cease to exist.

Our plans are at an early stage, but we know that we still want to have GP and practice nurse services, access to a service dealing with minor injuries, and a range of outpatient and diagnostic services and tests such as blood tests and X-rays, delivered at Beckenham Beacon. We are also looking at options around other primary and community care services.

Our aim is to make sure that Beckenham Beacon continues to provide the kinds of services that you, your family and other residents of Bromley need: both now and in the future.

As our plans develop, we will make sure that we tell you about them. The Bromley Clinical Commissioning Committee has regular meetings in public which everyone is welcome to attend. Our next meeting will be on Thursday 7 February 2013, in the Harry Lyne Room at the Beckenham Beacon, 379 Croydon Road, Beckenham. It will start at 2pm. For more information, please visit the NHS South East London website.

Many thanks

Dr Andrew Parson
Clinical Chair
Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group

Council Proposal to restructure Bromley Road Infant School – have your say by 15 Feb 2013

This information outlines Bromley Council’s case for the change of age-range at Bromley Road Infant School and how you can respond to the consultation. The deadline for responses is Friday, 15 February 2013.

The Governors of Bromley Road have stated that they wish to review the future organisation of the School. In addition to this, Bromley Council has a duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places available for all children.  The Council must also ensure that the size, location, organisation and number of pupil places deliver best value in the use of public funding.  You can view the relevant Report ‘Review of Primary School Development Plan: Outcomes’ on Bromley Council’s website at:  www.bromley.gov.uk/consultation.

Following discussion with the Governing Bodies of Bromley Road Infant and Worsley Bridge Junior the Council is consulting on changing these linked Infant/Junior Schools to two separate all‑through Primary Schools.  The potential advantages of an all through primary school include:

  • strengthened leadership and management across key stages;
  • consistency of policy and planning;
  • continuity of curriculum organisation and teaching and learning across key stages;
  • continuity in pupil assessment and pupil tracking;
  • staffing, the efficient deployment of expertise and curriculum range, enhanced opportunities for professional development;
  • consistent governance.

A review of the School site and an initial assessment of essential works has indicated that there would be the potential for:

  • A modified School access
  • Multi-use games area
  • Minor decoration and necessary adaptations to ensure facilities are appropriate for junior age children

The proposal for Bromley Road Infant School is to restructure the school from a 3 Forms of Entry Infant to a 1 Form of Entry Primary School from September 2014.

A form of entry is equal to a class of 30 pupils in each year group, so 1 form of entry is equal to 30 pupils in each year group. A Primary School has 7 year groups, running from Reception for the youngest children to Year 6 for the oldest children. Bromley Road already has Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes. Under this proposal, the School would grow year to year, rather than all in one go, so that a Year 3 class would be added in September 2014, a Year 4 class in Sept 2015, a Year 5 class in 2016 and finally a Year 6 class in September 2017.

A change to the age range of a school is a prescribed alteration and therefore there is a required consultation and decision making process:

6 November 2012: Report to Education Portfolio Holder (PH) requesting authorisation to consult
11 January – 15 February 2013: Consultation with all interested parties
19 March 2013: Outcomes form Consultation considered by Education PH and decision on proposal made
If proposal approved:  
Late Spring 2013: Publication of Notice and Statement of Case
Summer 2013: Education PH Meeting to consider any objections
Summer 2013: Any objections to be considered by the School Adjudicator
September 2014: Implement Proposal

 

The outcomes from consultation will be reported to the Education Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee on 19 March 2013 – this is a public meeting which starts at 7pm.

We would welcome your views and comments on our proposal.  You can respond to this consultation in the following ways:

When responding please give your name and address and clarify in what capacity you are responding, e.g. Head Teacher – this will help with the analysis of responses.

A telephone helpline has been set up on 020 8313 4088 and is staffed between 8:30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Telephone the helpline if you require large print, audio or Braille versions of this letter, or you require language translation services.

While all responses will be acknowledged, it will not be possible for us to enter into correspondence with individual respondents.  However, Bromley Council’s website will be updated with information as the consultation progresses.

Views and comments received will be summarised in the consultation outcomes report to the Education Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee on 19 March 2013.  This will be available to view on the Council’s website a week before the meeting.  Information provided in response to this consultation will be published in accordance with access to information regimes including the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

We look forward to receiving your views and comments.  The closing date for receipt of responses is Friday, 15 February 2013.

Please note that at the same time as this consultation, Bromley Council will be consulting on a proposal to restructure Worsley Bridge Junior School from a 3 forms of entry Junior School to a 2 forms of entry Primary School. Details of this consultation can be found on here

Council Proposal to Restructure Worsley Bridge Junior School – have your say by 15 Feb 2013

This information outlines Bromley Council’s case for the change of age-range at Worsley Bridge Junior School and how you can respond to the consultation.  The deadline for responses is Friday, 15 February 2013.

The Governors of Worsley Bridge have stated that they wish to review the future organisation of the School. In addition to this, Bromley Council has a duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places available for all children.  The Council must also ensure that the size, location, organisation and number of pupil places deliver best value in the use of public funding.  You can view the relevant Report ‘Review of Primary School Development Plan: Outcomes’ on Bromley Council’s website at:  www.bromley.gov.uk/consultation.

Following discussion with the Governing Bodies of Worsley Bridge Junior and Bromley Road Infant, the Council is consulting on changing these linked Infant/Junior Schools to two separate all‑through Primary Schools.  The potential advantages of an all through primary school include:

  • strengthened leadership and management across key stages;
  • consistency of policy and planning;
  • continuity of curriculum organisation and teaching and learning across key stages;
  • continuity in pupil assessment and pupil tracking;
  • staffing, the efficient deployment of expertise and curriculum range, enhanced opportunities for professional development;
  • consistent governance.

A review of the School site and an initial assessment of essential works has indicated that there would be a need for the replacement/modification of out-buildings and/or modular build to create the necessary accommodation for infant aged children.

The proposal for Worsley Bridge Junior School is to restructure the school from a 3 Forms of Entry Junior to a 2 Forms of Entry Primary School from September 2014.

A form of entry is equal to a class of 30 pupils in each year group, so 2 forms of entry are equal to 60 pupils in each year group. A Primary School has 7 year groups, running from Reception for the youngest children to Year 6 for the oldest children. Worsley Bridge already has Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 classes.  Under this proposal, the School would grow year to year, rather than all in one go, so that two Reception classes would be added in September 2014, two Year 1 classes in September 2015 and two Year 2 classes in September 2016.

A change to the age range of a school is a prescribed alteration and therefore there is a required consultation and decision making process:

6 November 2012: Report to Education Portfolio Holder (PH) requesting authorisation to consult
11 January – 15 February 2013: Consultation with all interested parties
19 March 2013: Outcomes form Consultation considered by Education PH and decision on proposal made
If proposal approved:  
Late Spring 2013: Publication of Notice and Statement of Case
Summer 2013: Education PH Meeting to consider any objections
Summer 2013: Any objections to be considered by the School Adjudicator
September 2014: Implement Proposal

The outcomes from consultation will be reported to the Education Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee on 19 March 2013 – this is a public meeting which starts at 7pm.

We would welcome your eviews and comments on our proposal.  You can respond to this consultation in the following ways:

When responding please give your name and address and clarify in what capacity you are responding, e.g. Head Teacher – this will help with the analysis of responses.

A telephone helpline has been set up on 020 8313 4088 and is staffed between 8.30am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. Telephone the helpline if you require large print, audio or Braille versions of this letter, or you require language translation services.

While all responses will be acknowledged, it will not be possible for us to enter into correspondence with individual respondents.  However, Bromley Council’s website will be updated with information as the consultation progresses.

Views and comments received will be summarised in the consultation outcomes report to the Education Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee on 19 March 2013.  This will be available to view on the Council’s website a week before the meeting.  Information provided in response to this consultation will be published in accordance with access to information regimes including the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

We look forward to receiving your views and comments.  The closing date for receipt of responses is Friday, 15 February 2013.

Please note that at the same time as this consultation, Bromley Council will be consulting on a proposal to restructure Bromley Road Infant School from a 3 forms of entry Infant School to a 1 form of entry Primary School. Details of this consultation can be found here.

Bromley Police and Crime Plan Event – 28 January 2013

As you may be aware, Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, became Police and Crime Commissioner for the capital in May 2012.

A key part of the Mayor’s role is to produce a Police and Crime Plan, which sets out the crime reduction strategy for London for the next four years, and explains what the Metropolitan Police Service and other agencies should be doing to tackle crime in the capital.

From 7 January 2013, MOPAC will be consulting with anyone who lives, travels or works in London. The final Police and Crime Plan will be published by April 2013.

With your help, we want to produce a plan that will:

– Improve crime prevention in neighbourhoods;
– Hold the police to account for cutting crime and boosting public confidence, whilst giving Londoners better value for money;
– Ensure other agencies work better to deliver effective justice, better service for victims and improved resettlement to cut re-offending.

The consultation runs from 7 January 2013 – 4 March 2013, and we are hosting town hall meetings in every London borough throughout January and February. The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Stephen Greenhalgh, and senior Metropolitan Police officers will be sharing a platform at each event to answer questions and discuss the issues.

The Bromley borough event is being held on 28 January 2013 at 8pm at the Great Hall, Bromley Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley, Kent BR1 3UH.

The public and other stakeholders can pre-register for events from at www.london.gov.uk.

From 7 January you can also take part in the consultation by viewing the draft plan online and completing a questionnaire at www.london.gov.uk , by emailing policeandcrimeplan@mopac.london.gov.uk or by speaking to a MOPAC colleague.

Beckenham’s Bid for TfL Funds Unsuccessful

Unfortunately  the bid submitted by Bromley Council and their appointed design consultants (East) for funds from Transport for London’s (TfL) Local Implementation Plan Major Schemes programme has been unsuccessful. Beckenham will not be awarded any funding for major town centre improvements.  We understand that the scheme design submitted to TfL was acceptable, however TfL felt that given how many bids there were and the fact the London Borough of Bromley already has a major scheme funded by TfL in progress (BromleyNorthVillage) other boroughs should be looked at first. Beckenham can resubmit its bid for 2014/15 as TfL’s funding ofBromleyNorthVillage will have finished by then.

There is some good news, TfL have awarded some funds towards realigning the junction at Southend Road/Rectory Road/Albemarle Road/High Street. Plus there is still £200,000 from Bromely Council to do some smaller scale town centre improvements in Beckenham.

We will keep you updated as we find out more.

Bromley Police Scam Warning – Bogus Waterboard officials

Bromley Police are reminding residents to be on the lookout for distraction burglars posing as officials who are tricking their way into people’s homes, following a number of recent incidents across the borough (ten in November alone).

Common ruses used by bogus officials include dressing smartly or wearing what might look like an official uniform. They might claim to be water board officials (as in the recent cases), meter readers, or any other official sounding occupation. They will often prey on a victim’s fear – for example claiming that if they are not let in to check the water supply, the victim will be responsible for any damage. If posing as a meter reader, they will often claim they have a right to enter a property. Alternatively, offenders operate as bogus workmen, claiming that essential work needs doing. For example, they might say that they need to turn off the water supply via a stop cock as there’s a leak or claim that a leaking roof needs to be fixed.

Detective Sergeant Miles Fuller from Bromley Police said “This is an evil crime. Cowardly and dishonest criminals deliberately ruin the lives of decent, honest and vulnerable people – people who have worked hard for what little they have and who are in every sense the most undeserving of victims.

Pretending to be from a utility like ‘the Water Board’ or ‘the Gas Company’ is the most common technique that these callous thieves use to trick their way into peoples homes. We really need to get the message home to people, particularly the elderly who are the most likely targets, that they should never let anyone into their homes without being shown the correct identification. By following a few simple steps this despicable crime could so easily be avoided.

I would also ask people to keep an eye out for vulnerable neighbours and if you see anything suspicious or if you have had a dubious caller at your door, please report it to the police immediately. We need your help to ensure these criminals are brought to justice.”

Police are reminding residents:

Before opening your door, check who’s calling and if someone calls who you do not recognise keep the door chain on. Remember that you are under no obligation to speak with any cold callers. If you are not happy, you do not need to open your door. “If in doubt, keep them out.” Turn them away. That is your right. If you are at all suspicious of anyone, do not hesitate to call us via 999.

Check the caller’s appearance and ask for identification, which should include a photo. Genuine utility workers will wear a uniform and drive a company-signed vehicle. These burglars will often say that they are from the “water board”, “gas board” or “electricity board.” A genuine caller would never use such terms because “boards” ceased to exist when those industries were privatised. The burglars use phrases like this because they think that elderly residents will be familiar with them. If genuine, they will be from one of the privatised companies and will have photo identification to prove it. There should be a number to call so that you can confirm the caller is genuine. Any legitimate caller or official will not mind waiting outside while you ring the number to check.

Many utility companies will have a verified password scheme. If you have registered for this scheme and the caller cannot give the password, do not let them in.

The safest place for your money is in the bank. It’s best not to keep large amounts of cash at home.