Town Team Meeting 20-07-2020 – Town Team for South Norwood

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2020-07-28 TownTeam Minutes Download

Minutes of the We Love SE25 Town Team (TT) Meeting

28.07.2020

ATTENTION: When using social media through Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, to communicate information about your org or biz, please remember to use hashtags #welovese25 #southnorwood

Those Present: Patsy Cummings, Hamida Ali, Paul Scott, Chris Peskett, Rob Little, Dan Winder, Shuba Rao, Sue (Chair Country Park), Nicky Thompson, Rachel McKoy, Emma, Herbie (on chat)

Apologies for absence: Judith Burden

Welcome & Introductions

Self-introductions by all attending members.
1. Minutes’ Silence for those lost from Covid-19.

Declarations of Interest: None

Minutes of the Last Meeting Accepted

Matters Arising (not dealt with in subsequent items)

Ongoing Actions or Items
- Item 20.02.05: Paul is happy to support Terry but there has not yet been a follow up discussion. Terry will be asked to get back in touch to take this forward

Good News Update/Town Forum
- Bridge Update.
  - Railway Bridge. Before the Lockdown there was to be a meeting with designers, contractors and Skanska, which was postponed. It is due to happen shortly. It will finalise the cost. This will identify how much can be done and will tie into the mosaic.
- Clocktower Market
  - This will re-open on 1^st August.
- Soccachita Update
  - The tender is now out and the responses are being awaited. If the tenders don’t come in low enough it may be necessary to look for further funding rather than end up with a half-finished project. The target date for completion of the major works is February 2021. Contracts will possibly be awarded in September

South Norwood Clear-Up Plan
- Proposed Meeting
  - There have been angry comments over litter in the area. The proposal is to hold a meeting inviting people who are concerned. Stuart Collins, Keep Britain Tidy etc were to attend a previously planned meeting but it had to be postponed because of C-19.
  - The rubbish comes mainly, though not exculsively from local people. A solution relies on changing attitudes, persuading people not to fly-tip or drop litter. The aim of the meeting should be to devise solutions.
  - People struggle with the Council website. Not everyone has internet access. It is a question of getting out the information out as to where the services are. Putting the information about the meeting on the website may not be the most effective way of doing it.
- Meeting format
  - It could be held virtually.
  - Questions should be submitted in advance so answers can be researched.
  - Local teachers should be invited to get involved. The streets have been cleaner since the schools have been closed. Younger children can be involved in creative work e.g. posters. Littering is learned behaviour.
  - If schools are to be involved it should happen in October or November to give them time to get back into routine after re-opening.
  - Need to involve the businesses who sell the food/ rubbish-generating packaging. It could be more cost-effective for them to reduce packaging.
  - Instead of a formal meeting it could be take the form of a drop-in session during a morning. This would stop the grandstanding and allow people who don’t usually speak up in front of other people to put their views. The more informal it is the easier it is for people to be involved.
  - It could take the form of a webinar.
  - Whatever format is decided, the Stanley Halls has the technical capacity to enhance it.
  - Agreed: a Virtual Meeting, will be held at the beginning of September.
- Strategies to consider
  - Increase the number of Street Champions.
  - Celebrate the people who have been involved to encourages others to emulate them.
  - Suggestion that the Country Park put up a poster to encourage people to join in litter picking groups. This would have Insurance issues – on workdays they can’t have under 16s and only have 6 people per group. People could be encouraged to litter-pick on their own and giveninformations as to where to get equipment.

Good Growth Fund Update
- A meeting was held with the Regeneration Team.
- Croydon was one of 69 successful projects and one of 4 High Streets Projects to win an award. The grant is of £1.7m for a 4 year programme.
- Capacity Building Workshops. There have been 14 applications for the Capacity Building element of the GGF. The procurement process will probably take place in September.

High Streets Heritage Zone (HAZ)
- Application and update
  - Year 1. The date for this to start has not been confirmed yet. To include:
    - Revue of Conservation Area Management Appraisal Plan.
    - Develop a Community Consortium focussed on a Cultural perspective: using WLSE25 for the cultural elements of the community: Stanley Halls, Norwood Society, Community Festival, CYTO to form a group to inform that aspect of the programme.
    - Pilot Activity Grants are available to facilitate this which the Council will be putting in an application.
  - From recent talks, it will probably not happen in 2021 – if it does it will be the latter half; the delay is due to Corvid. There may be other statutory funders coming in. Stanley Halls is seen as probably being a key partner in this and as a base for operations.
  - The plans must include the diversity of the area. WLSE25 could include new member organizations to better reflect the diversity. NB Croydon will be London Borough of Culture in 2023 and SPI is discussion over the branding of the Halls. More details about the re-branding may be available at the next meeting.
  - There is a possibility that the GGF money could be reworked because some of the things planned under the funding could now be done under the HAZ.
  - Negotiation with Landlords needs to re-start.

Working Groups’ Progress Report
1. Workspaces & Shops
  1. We have the largest number of empty shops in the whole of the Borough. Conversations have been taking place to address this and there is a schedule in place. Michelle has been working on appointing Consultants to carry out the work. Pinch-a-pound, Kennedy’s and one other shop are the current focuss.
  2. Patsy has tried to contact Andrew, Collette’s husband. He wants the shop to continue and there has been contact from outside the Borough but it would be preferable to keep it local.
2. Community Hubs (Dan Winder)
  1. Carver Haggard have mostly completed their work and The Means have still some to finish. They are working mostly with CYTO and SoccoCheta because the Stanley Halls is at a further stage. CYTO has received 3 years rent subsidy from the Council
  2. Pilot Activity Grants of up to £10,000 could be available for post- Covid engagement.
  3. Youth Services want to see the SCT Centre remain as a hub for youth activities.
  4. There have been delays with the new Library over certain construction issues. The delay needs to be communicated to the Community via WLSE25.
3. Business Support and Community Initiatives (Rachel McKoy)
  1. There has been a delay, and the strategy needs to be re-thought post-Covid for the longer term. The support package and the shop-front initiative have yet to go ahead.
  2. The Voluntary Community sector, Mutual Aid and a large numberof individuals have all stepped in to fill gaps in supporting members of the Community with particular needs.
4. Identity & Placemaking
  1. The Portland Road Toilets.
    1. The legal issues continue. It had been agreed for the toilets to be transferred to the Council but there were a number of clauses that would make them difficult to let out, e.g. that Network Rail would have the right to take them back at any time at 6 months’ notice. The agreement is now back with the lawyers.

Public Meeting to communicate the Town Team’s Progress
1. Format:
  1. Proposal: that it be a drop-in format like last time. There was a constant stream of people. They could wait for a quiet time in each discussion group if they wanted to raise a point. Didn’t have to commit a lot of time but could target a particular issue.
  2. Could hold a drop-in session and live-stream the event or film each presentation. There are various technical options.
  3. There was the question of whether people would be comfortable hosting an extended live session considering the number of people who might attend.
  4. Decided: Virtual event filmed. Practicalities to be decided later. It should take place in late September, after the Clean-up meeting.
2. Publicity
  1. Promote it with saturation posters all over the area to encourage participation.
  2. The information could be circulated in a physical Newsletter, or via a contact number on a poster.
AGM
1. The deadline for this is October, according to the Constitution
2. It was decided that it should be held virtually
  1. Patsy’s term will end this year, as will Shuba’s.
  2. People should consider which roles they want to take up.
  3. Shuba will circulate dates to be agreed for all the meetings: the Clear-up, early Sept; Public meeting, late Sept; AGM ,October.
AOB
1. Economic Recovery Board.
  1. This has been in contact with organizations such as the GLA to see what can be done to encourage the regeneration across the Borough, post-Covid. Because the Borough has such varied needs, the idea is to have a variety of solutions e.g. Pop-up markets, Bandstands, outside seating for eating/coffee, Play-Streets, and to make them more permanent. Croydon Living Streets is part of the working group. The emphasis will be on making the streets more about people instead of cars. The project gives an impetus to using Community Art
2. Road Closures
  1. Road Closures encouraged by Government & TFL
  2. There has beena mixed response: Holmesdale Road by Park Rd approve, Southern Ave, Lancaster Rd approve, Warminster Rd is against.
  3. There have been complaints about traffic on South Norwood Hill.
  4. All works are experimental, and there will be public consultation after Covid to decide whether to remove, make permanent, or amend.
  5. There was a question whether there has been any thought of closing Station Road at weekends. The main problem is access to the Rail Depot. The only solution would be to rcreate greater access through Cargreen Road/ Lawrence Road.
3. Unlicensed Music Events in Country Park and in the Lake
  1. Dispersal powers were put in place in a number of parks, which could trigger the police’s ability to seize equipment. Phoning 101 is the best way to alert police to an event. Teams of 14 officers are on standby at Friday nights and weekends.
4. Young People’s Activities
  1. Dance classes are starting up at Stanley Halls through August. The first week is free.
5. Date of the next Town Team Meeting
  1. To be decided at an Officers’ Meeting

Agenda Items for Future Meetings
1. South Norwood Community Plan Initiatives Update (deferred from a previous meeting)
  1. Marketing local area
  2. Creating Safe Spaces
  3. Online presence.
1. Governance
  1. Review of SNTT Membership

New Actions

Ref.	Item Description
20.08.01	Teachers and Businesses need to be invited to become involved in the Clear-up Initiative
20.08.02	The delay with the new Library needs to be communicated to the Community via WLSE25.
20.08.03	Shuba will circulate dates to be agreed for all the meetings: the Clear-up, early Sept; Public meeting, late Sept; AGM, October.
20.08.04	The date of the next TT Meting will be decided at the next Officers’ Meeting.

Date of Next TT Meeting to be decided