Copers Cope Area Residents' Association (CCARA) & West Beckenham Residents' Association (WBRA)
Two residents' associations working together across Beckenham on your behalf
Thursday 29 March 7.30 for 8pm
The Public Hall, Bromely Road, Beckenham.
This meeting is hosted by the Beckenham Civic Society and follows up their report, published in December 2011, on what should happen to our High Street.
Read the Report here.
You may have heard on the news or read in the paper that a Blue Plaque to mark David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust was unveiled today. It marks the spot where he was photographed for the cover of his album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
Did you know back in 2001 a Ziggy Stardust plaque was unveiled in Beckenham on the Three Tuns pub (now Zizzis) where Bowie’s career was launched?
You may have heard on the news or read in the paper that a Blue Plaque to mark David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust was unveiled today. It marks the spot where he was photographed for the cover of his album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
Did you know back in 2001 a Ziggy Stardust plaque was unveiled in Beckenham on the Three Tuns pub (now Zizzis) where Bowie’s career was launched?
Why not come along?
Phil Wragg is the current Governor of Belmarsh Prison (our closest prison). He speaks of prison life, and is most passionate about how to cut reoffending (specifically how communities can help). We are told he is a lively speaker and will hold an interactive Q&A session after his talk. After the riots last summer his talk will be quite topical. If you would like to stay the Copers Cope Area Residents Association AGM and open meeting will follow.
We hope to see you there.
The Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association AGM and open meeting is Wednesday 21st March at Beckenham Public Hall, Bromley Road (doors open 7.45 for an 8pm start).
Before the AGM we have a guest speaker. Phil Wragg is the current Governor of Belmarsh Prison (our closest prison). He speaks of prison life, and is most passionate about how to cut reoffending (specifically how communities can help). We are told he is a lively speaker and will hold an interactive Q&A session after his talk. After the riots last summer his talk will be quite topical.
We hope to see you there.
Bromley Council are in the process of identifying and seeking funding for a programme of improvements for our High Street. A working group of local community organisations and the Council has been created. Among many potential improvements to regenerate the High Street, one is to re-brand as ‘Beckenham Village’. The Working Group is divided on the issue, some prefer Beckenham to continue to be known as a town, others prefer it to be re-branded as a village.
We would like the opinions of our residents and local businesses to be taken into account. Which most represents Beckenham, town or village? Please vote (anonymously) below. This vote is open to all residents and businesses of Beckenham. Please pass on the web link of this poll to your neighbours, the more votes the better. The results will be passed on to the council. Before voting you may wish to read the comments at the bottom of the page. *** At our AGM (21 March 2012) we conducted a paper poll. The results were: Town (10), Village (6) and Either (1).***
VOTE HERE
The council have approved a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) for Beckenham town centre including Bevington Close, Bevington Road, Manor Road, Kelsey Park Road, Stanmore Terrace, Burnhill Road, Lea Road and Fairfield Road. Downs Road and Manor Grove will not be included in the CPZ at this time. However, this will be reviewed in six months to assess any displacement to Downs Road and Manor Grove that might have occurred along with the consideration of any need for a Beckenham Business Parking Permit.
More information can be found on the council website at link below.
Following last summers riots public interest in anti-social behavior, crime and justice is high. So far over 24 people have been sentenced (some to imprisonment) for their part in the disorder within our borough during the riots. How do we reduce such offending?
8pm Wednesday 21st March at Beckenham Public Hall, Bromley Road (doors open 7.45)
Phil Wragg the current Governor of Belmarsh Prison (our closest prison) is guest speaker at our meeting for residents and local businesses next week. Want to know what goes on behind prison doors? Want to know how to cut reoffending? Want to know how communities can help? Why not come along on Wednesday to hear Mr Wragg’s lively talk and interactive Q&A session.
The open meeting is open to all residents and businesses of Beckenham. Those interested in or who are members of the Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association (CCARA) may wish to stay on after Mr Wraggs talk for the CCARA AGM.
The following information has been issued by Bromley Police.
In the news recently it was stated that card fraud has fallen to its lowest level in 11 years. This is positive news. However, we want to highlight the need to be ever vigilant to new and existing card fraud scams such as the one detailed below.
How does this scam work?
You receive a telephone call from someone claiming to be from your bank. He or she will say their systems have spotted a fraudulent payment on your card or that your card is due to expire and needs replacing. You may be asked to ring back using the telephone number on the back of your card – which further convinces you that the call is genuine. However, the caller keeps the line open at their end so, when you make the call, you are unknowingly connected straight back to the fraudster.
Then, by seeming to offer assistance, the fraudster tries to gain your trust. In most cases you are asked to ‘cancel’ your existing card or ‘activate’ or ‘authorise’ a replacement card by keying your PIN into the handset of your phone.
The fraudster then poses as a bank representative who agrees to collect your card from your home, sometimes offering you a replacement card, which is a fake.
In some cases a genuine courier company is hired to pick up the card from your home address. The victim will have been asked to place the card into an envelope ready for collection. Once they have your card and PIN the fraudster uses them to spend your money.
A variation of the scam involves the fraudster ringing a prospective victim and claiming to be from the police – again with the aim of going to the
victim’s home to collect the card and PIN.
What can I do to avoid being a victim of this scam?
I think I might have been a victim of this scam – what should I do?
If the criminals are nearby ring the Police immediately on 999, otherwise report the crime to your local Police via 101. If you think you have been the victim of a fraud or scam of this nature you should also call your bank or card company immediately.
The March edition of The Express Newsletter is available on our website:
Bromley Council are to introduce a “new pattern” of parking charges this spring. This will increase street parking in Beckenham to 70p per hour. We have been contacted by residents worried that increased parking costs will dissuade shoppers from visiting our high street and local shopping parades. Should the Council be raising parking charges at a time when small business need their support? See News Shopper article and Bromley Council News Release.
The Councils Environment Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee is responsible for the new parking charges and our local councillor Stephen Wells is on this committee.
The details of the proposal can be found on the Councils website:
The following extract from proposal covers Beckenham.
“4.6 Charging Group 3: On-Street Parking outside Bromley town centre
4.6.1 As with other on-street charges, prices must be set for traffic management reasons, for example to ration available space and ensure that there is a rapid turnover of parking spaces.
4.6.2 Current charge rates vary from 30p to 60p per hour. Maximum stay periods of 2 to 10 hours assist in controlling differential levels of demand for particular parking locations, depending on their purpose; no changes to these are proposed. It is recommended that hourly charge rates move to:
• 70p per hour in Orpington and Beckenham town centres
• 60p per hour in most other ‘high street’ shopping locations
• 50p per hour elsewhere
4.6.3 Where specific parking schemes have been introduced more recently, for example in Clock House, Copers Cope, and Shortlands, it is proposed that charges be considered as part of the scheduled review of those schemes.
4.7 Charging Group 4: Off-Street Car Parks outside Bromley town centre
4.7.1 Existing hourly charge rates in these car parks vary from 20p to 40p per hour. It is proposed that all these car parks should move to a rate of 30p per hour where they support small shopping parades, 40p per hour where medium shopping parades are supported, and 50p per hour near larger parades. 30p would become the standard charge for commuter car parks.
4.7.2 It is proposed that the charge for parking over 4 hours should be capped at £1.50 (for smaller station car parks); £2.00 (for small shopping parades); £3.50 (for Chelsfield Station and medium shopping parades); and £4 (for larger shopping parades).”
Source: Bromley Council, http://cds.bromley.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=13248
A Controlled Parking Zone has been proposed for Beckenham town centre including Downs Road, Manor Grove, Bevington Close, Bevington Road, Manor Road, Kelsey Park Road, Stanmore Terrace, Burnhill Road, Lea Road and Fairfield Road. The Councils Environment Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee is undertaking the review. Should you require further information, please see links to the Council website below, also we understand local Copers Cope Ward Councillor Stephen Wells to be on the committee.
Bromley Council have agreed to make-up and adopt the approach to the station from Kings Hall Road. This is welcome news for pedestrains, cyclists and motorists who have been dodging the potholes for years. We are not sure when the work is due to commence.
Bromley Council are proposing to expand Car Clubs in the borough. Car Clubs allow members to hire a locally parked car or van by the hour.
Currently there are only two dedicated car club spaces in the borough, Sherman Road, Bromley North (operated by City Car Club) and Orpington High Street (operated by Hertz on Demand). The council plan to create 15 new spaces of which the following will be in Beckenham.
Further information can be found on the Council’s website:
Check out the Spring Newsletter below.
Blackfriars tube has re-opened today. A week earlier than expected.
Check out the Bromley Police Borough Commander’s February Newsletter.
Currently Local Authorities do not have to provide public toilets and many Councils are closing the few facilities that
do exist to save money. ‘we need the loo! want Parliament to pass a law making the provision of public toilets compulsory.
As you may know the public toilets in Beckenham were earmarked for closure by Bromley Council. Thanks to much campainging by local groups (including the CCARA) and residents the closure plans have been shelved… for now.
We urge residents to support this campaign. The epetition can be found at the link below.
As part of London’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh will visit Bromley on 15 May 2012.
Bromley borough was selected to be part of a special tour to commemorate the Queen’s 60 years on the throne.
The Leader of Bromley Council Stephen Carr: “We are delighted and honoured that the Queen will be visiting Bromley and look forward to showcasing what our borough has to offer.”
“As one of only three south London boroughs to host a visit, we are keen to play our part and pay tribute to an extraordinary monarch.”
“This year is an exciting year for Bromley and such a special event will make it even more memorable.”
The Queen last visited our borough in 1986 during her Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Further details about the visit will be released in the coming weeks.
Report from meeting held on 09 Feb 2012
The Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association attended the working group on Thursday evening. The meeting was also attended by our local councillors, Bromley Council portfolio holders from Traffic, Renewal & Recreation, Beckenham Town Centre Manager, the Beckenham Civic Society, Central Beckenham Residents’ Association and West Beckenham Residents’ Association.
Bromley Council decided to reconvene the Beckenham Town Centre Working Group after the Town Centre bid to secure funds from the Mayor of London’s Outer London Fund was unsuccessful.
A further bid for funds may be put up by the Council later this year. The group highlighted the following improvements to Beckenham Town Centre to included in a further bid.
