Tuesday, March 22, 2011

New Cross Assembly Tuesday 29 March + new occupation at Deptford Town Hall + Ward boundaries

Crossfields have been leafleted about the above event (the New Cross Assembly). Before you bin the leaflet, think about this: when was the last time you saw your councillors?

The agenda is already set:
- TFL will present plans for the new London overground extension
- New Cross Ward Action Plan
- New Cross Assembly Fund

The second item may present an opportunity for discussion - or not (we are seeking clarification). Those attending will be 'asked to agree the new action plan which looks at addressing these priorities: crime and antisocial behaviour, youth provision, traffic and road safety, lack of decent shops, flytipping and rubbish'. We note there may be an opportunity here to discuss the proliferation of betting shops, a subject our councillors have been very quiet about.

The third item will be of interest to anyone wanting funding for a project. Note that the application process will start from the date of the meeting and close on Tuesday 10 April. However, since 10 April is actually a Sunday, we have sought clarification on this too. Either way, if you've got an idea for a project that will benefit New Cross ward, you have less than 3 weeks from today to put together a proposal.

The meeting takes place at 7pm at Woodpecker Community Centre, SE14 6EU.

Ward boundaries

Meanwhile, you may like to raise your blood pressure by pondering on Ward Boundaries. Why has Deptford not got its own Ward? Why is Deptford High Street split in half between New Cross Ward and Evelyn Ward? Why are we lumped in with New Cross? Each of the 18 wards in Lewisham refer to a specific village/town, eg Sydenham, Forest Hill, Brockley, Blackheath, Lee Green etc, but there is no Deptford ward. This has been the case since 2002. Before that Deptford had its own ward, Grinling Gibbons, part of Lewisham North West that included Evelyn, Marlowe (New Cross) and Drake (Brockley).

Deptford Town Hall was built in 1905 to serve the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford, but was swallowed up by the London Borough of Lewisham in 1965. And of course now the town hall has been swallowed up by Goldsmiths College.

Deptford Town Hall Latest

Incidentally, as of last night, Goldsmiths students are now occupying the old Town Hall where the college's senior management are based.
We heard about the new occupation this morning via an email from Lewisham Anti Cuts Alliance (LACA), but now Seb Wheeler at East London Lines has the full story.

Postscript: And Transpontine has now posted with some pictures.

1 comment:

  1. SO GLAD that the blurring of Deptford's boundaries and wards has been picked up and explained clearly Thank you ....It seems if Lewisham had its way Deptford as an entity would be forgotten except as a mythical old time place and ignored unless there was grant money in name dropping it..Greenwich Town Centre hosted the major (and a funded) Deptford X event one year..perhaps in an early runup to the developers usage of the term for Deptford as West Greenwich. Is the persistent lack of both council's enthusiasm for Deptford's history linked with their desire to thwart the Deptford community's Sense of Place - and thus disempower them further ????

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