MINUTES OF JAG MEETING 13 FEB 2008

Those present: Nick Berry (Treasurer), Tim Sutton, Anne Brown, Elisabeth Owen, Chris Heyland, Lili Pecirep, Louise Belson (Secretary).

1. Nick Berry chaired the meeting. He welcomed those present. 

Apologies were received from Garry Turnbull (Chair), Sibs Walter, Tim Fairhurst, Cllr.Toren Smith, Petra Schwimmbeck

2. Minutes of the Meeting Jan 9 2008 None present other than the secretary had attended the meeting on 9 Jan. Item carried forward to the March meeting.

3. Matters arising:

3.1) Josephine Avenue Proposed Closure/Design. Louise confirmed that as agreed by the group, preliminary design and timescale information received from Lambeth Highways by the group at the meeting on Jan 9 2008 had been made available to residents through the distributed minutes or the distributed news sheet, the notice board and the newsgroup. Residents had been informed by the same means that copies of the plans are available by request. There had been no requests. Copies of the plans are not yet available on the newsgroup. Those present viewed the plans and discussed them. There had been no further updates.

3.2) 24/7 activity developing on Brixton Hill. The meeting agreed that the JAG would support any resident who wished to pursue the issues surrounding late night licenses as 

minuted Jan 9 2008.

3.3) FWA. Louise reported that she had been informed by Ian Derbyshire, FWA Area Manager that the FWA have appointed a new property manager and that a full survey of 27 Josephine Avenue had been undertaken and that as soon as this was completed and discussed at a meeting on 29 January, he would contact her again to schedule a meeting with the JAG. He had not yet reported back to her. The unstable section of the damaged pillar has since been removed for public safety.  Elisabeth Owen volunteered to help pursue the matter.                             Action: EO / LB. Contact Ian Derbyshire

4. Treasurers Report.  Account balances remain as minuted at the AGM.

5. SNT/ Freshview/ JA Street Cleans. Garry Turnbull (by email) reported that Neil Thurlow (SNT) had confirmed that ‘Community Freshview’ could combine with a JAG regular street clean on any other day than a Sunday. The meeting welcomed the idea and agreed that a JAG street clean could work on a Saturday instead. Residents had surveyed JA and identified some of the areas most needing a clear up as including the overgrown fly tip at 58/60 corner plot, overgrown branches and hedges on highway and access roads blocking light, decaying and broken fence posts, damaged and unpainted fence poles. Sat April 5 was suggested as a possible date.

                                                                              Action: LB/GT Contact Neil Thurlow

6. Wholesale Conversions to flats in area: Petra Schwimmbeck (by email), asked if the group could help or advise her: “I was wondering if you've come across the issue of planning permission being granted to houses being turned into 3 separate tiny flats; this is happening in Leander Road and Helix road; myself and various neighbours are getting increasingly concerned as virtually every house that is being sold seems to be sold to property developers who create 3 flats per former house”. LB reported that she had suggested Petra and her neighbours use www.planningalerts.com, which gives email alerts of all new property development planning applications. Nick Berry suggested that the topic could be raised with Lambeth Planning at one of the open days or forums currently being run as part of the Future Brixton Consultation and listed in booklet accompanying the questionnaire “Have Your Say” which had just been delivered to all residents.

7. Pavements. Anne Brown raised the issue. She said that the pavements on Josephine Avenue, Water Lane and Brixton Hill were very uneven or loose and dangerous. She had recently badly injured her leg when she tripped over very loose paving stones, as had another resident’s disabled visitor. Nick Berry and others agreed that the current pavement condition was very poor especially outside the carpet warehouse on Water Lane and up to the pedestrian crossing. The group thought that the patchwork tarmac on Josephine Avenue pavement had not been fully re-surfaced since 1986. Nick Berry said he would write to Haydn Tuck at Transport and Highways and request repairs.                                         Action: NB Letter to Transport and Highways

8. Street Clean Schedule:

The group agreed with the suggestion made by Garry Turnbull at the November 2007 meeting that the JA hedges should be cut prior to Urban Art professionally. Nick Berry will obtain quotes. The group thought that this year there should be a Spring Streetclean (with Freshview), a Summer Streetclean the weekend prior to Urban Art and an Autumn/Winter Horse Chestnut Leaf Clear. Chris van Duuren to be asked for her advice. Dates to be finalised at the next meeting.                                Action: LB contact CvD

9. Urban Art 2008: 1st Planning Meeting: 6 March 8pm at 1 Helix Gardens. If you would like to be involved please attend. Tim Sutton reported pitch booking began at the end of January. 73 pitches out of 96 are already booked for Sat 19 July. 72 pitches out of 96 are booked for Sun 20 July. In response to a consultation letter delivered to residents in January, there have not been any requests from residents to exhibit their own work on their railings. 2 residents have requested that their friends use them without paying the fee. The meeting agreed that since this is a charity event and one whose organisation and advertising is only possible with volunteer helpers and the pitch fees, friends of residents should be requested to pay the pitch fee in the same way as all other non-resident exhibitors.                                                                                     Action TS 

10. 1986 Landscaping and Environmental Grant Application. Louise reported that Cllr Cameron and Cllr Peck have suggested that Josephine Avenue may be eligible for a grant to carry out arboriculture and landscaping work. The Western Riverside Environmental Fund provides grants for projects that work with local communities to promote environmental improvements and deliver biodiversity and conservation in 4 London Boroughs including Lambeth. The fund is managed by Groundwork UK, a national charity working to promote sustainable regeneration. Grants are usually offered in the range of £5,000 - £25,000. The application has two stages; an Expression of Interest form can be submitted at any time throughout the year, the second stage needs to be submitted by 28 August. Louise suggested and the group agreed that the JAG submit an Expression of Interest Form. Tim Fairhurst presented to the meeting (by email) an article describing the major re-landscaping work that was led by the JAG in 1986 and which transformed the Avenue. The meeting agreed that it should be distributed with this month’s minutes.                                                       Action:LB Submit Form

11. The NEXT JAG MEETNG will be on Wed. 12 March. 8pm at 21 Josephine Avenue.

Any Other Business:

11.1 Prostitution and Drugs: Residents living at the Brixton Hill end of the Avenue reported the current level of prostitution drug dealing and alcohol consumption as regularly very high. They also reported very visible drug dealing taking place at the window of a car carrying a prostitute, between the driver of the car and a buyer. They observe this as a new development.

The area in front of their home is regularly strewn with condoms and detritus.

They have tried to report incidents but have had difficulty. LB said she would advise the Safer Neighbourhood Team of their report. Nick Berry advised them to install exterior security lighting. Residents suggested they seek advise from a crime prevention officer. Residents also reported an increase in prostitution on the Avenue since last month.

Tim Sutton asked the group if prostitution and kerb crawling prevention remain an SNT priority on Josephine Avenue. Residents were unsure if the Rapid Response Clean Team (for the safe removal of needles, condoms and detritus) phone number was correct, as there seemed to be no response from it.                                                                                       Action LB. contact  SNT

Meeting closed at 9.50pm

NOTICES

The Safer Neighbourhood Team priorities are:

Brixton Hill – Prostitution, burglary and dogs

Tulse Hill – Prostitution, ASB and drugs

Sex and Drug-Related Rubbish Pick-Up Service

Safer Neighbourhood Team request that you don't attempt to clean up this kind of waste, as it can be dangerous. You should not touch it, hide it or let anyone else touch it or put it in a bin. Please call the Clean up team on 020 7926 8888. There is no charge for this service. This is an answer machine service. The way the system works is that if a call is received in the morning the detritus is cleared in the afternoon and vice versa.

Josephine Avenue Group News and Events

If you do not wish to receive any further JAG news sheets or information about Urban Art and other events in your street, please inform us of your address. Thankyou

URBAN ART 19-20 July 2008. 

Planning meeting. 

Thursday 6 March, 8pm at 1 Helix Gardens 

NEXT JAG MEETING. 

Wednesday 12 March, 8pm at 21 Josephine Avenue