Brockley Bites - Democracy Special!

Councillor Sue Luxton APB:
"The Ladywell ward councillors are holding a Ladywell Ward meeting at St Andrew's Church this Thursday, to discuss suggestions for this year's £10,000 localities fund.

The time: Thu 25 October 2007, 7.30pm
The place: St Andrews Centre, Brockley Road, London SE4 2SA

"Over the last few weeks Ladywell residents and community groups have been coming up with ideas on how to spend £10,000 of Localities Fund set aside for projects in our neighbourhood. The best ideas will be presented at the meeting, where you are invited to ask questions and have your say on where the money should go. There will also be an opportunity for people to discuss other council-related issues they would like to raise with us.

"The Council budget for promoting the localities fund unfortunately didn't stretch to delivering a flyer through every door in the ward, but we've done what we can to promote the meeting with flyers and posters in shops, at the station etc, but please help to spread the word by telling others who may be
interested."
Councillor Darren Johnson asks the tough questions others shy from
In response to requests from local residents, Darren Johnson has tabled the following question for the next full Council meeting (we'll report on the response):

What efforts has the Council made to find resources to improve the Brockley Cross traffic junction and pedestrian environment since the four options put forward by consultants as part of the master-planning exercise were presented to officers?
Robo-Mayor Vows to take out Brockley's trash
Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve "Robocop" Bullock made Middlesbrough's zero-tolerance Mayor Ray Mallon look like a whimp, according to icsouthlondon that reports that he has vowed to "take control of the troubled street", by which he means Upper Brockley Road.
The site reports that "Drug-taking and dealing, drinking, shouting, partying and intimidating behaviour have been making residents' lives a misery for years," but that pressure from local people has forced Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve Bullock and police borough commander Alan Pughsley to act.
Sir Steve told the council on Wednesday: "The local authority has used its full range of powers in tackling antisocial behaviour in this area."
The report claims that the police and council will now introduce a drinking control zone in the small residential street.
We'd be interested to hear if this starts to make a tangible difference to something that has long been a problem for many of BC's readers.