CURRENT ISSUES AROUND EAST COULSDON

COUNCIL TO STOP SENDING NEIGHBOURH NOTIFICATION LETTERS

As of the 1^st April 2012 the Council will cease the current practice of sending out Neighbour Notification Letters of planning application which they receive to residents and interested parties within the area of a planning application. Direct notification via a letter will cease and this will include next door and close neighbours. The Council will only put up site notices close to the application site and place advertisement in the local paper (at this time the Croydon Guardian) for major planning applications and listed buildings or within conservation areas. A major planning application is considered to be for developments of 10 or more dwellings.

The Council say that they will set up a website facility whereby anyone can register and then be able to create and save searches on properties and areas. Residents will be able to set an area up as an alert when a new planning application for the set search area is received. Additionally there will be a ‘tracking feature’, which can also be set up, which will automatically e-mail details to an email box when the application is going to committee or the decision has been issued. However, they only ‘hope’ to have these features on the planning website set up by the 1^st April, the date that they cease to send out notification letters.

The Council claim to want to ensure that people have an appropriate opportunity to view planning application that are near to them and that the Council must carry out this function as efficiently as possible. By these changes, they will only be carrying out the minimum legal requirement to notify residents to the minimum notification standard. Residents already, since 2005, had the facility to search the planning website, if not yet set up ‘alerts’. This move by the Council will disenfranchise those residents without computers particularly in an area such as Coulsdon with a greater number of elderly residents who cannot or do not want to become part of the electronic age.

Whilst we understand the Council’s current need for budget constraint, we believe that ceasing to send out Neighbour Notification Letters to be a retrograde step which will give residents a poorer standard of service. Site notices have already in the past been placed in an area near to a development and are a poor minimum standard which are usually small with small print, they can easily fall off from where they are placed or be deliberately removed thus leaving residents unaware of development which may affect their area and quality of life with no opportunity to object should they wish to do so and for which the Council can claim they have notified people. ECRA objects to these changes.

PARLIAMENTARY BOUNDRY CHANGES

The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 has been passed by the Government to reduce the number of parliamentary constituencies and MPs from 650 to 600. The Boundary Commission is charged with re-drawing the boundaries. In the case of Croydon there are too many constituents on Croydon North; Croydon Central and Croydon South (which includes Coulsdon). The Boundary Commission has proposed four constituencies for Croydon, two wholly in Croydon – Croydon North and Croydon East – and two crossing the border into Sutton, which will affect Coulsdon. ECRA have written to the Commission suggesting that we would prefer to remain in a constituency wholly in Croydon. However, if this is not possible, we believe our new constituency should be called Coulsdon and Carshalton and not, as suggested, Purley & Carshalton of which Coulsdon would form part. The name Coulsdon and Carshalton would reflect the two places mentioned in William the Conqueror’s 1086 Doomsday Book.

If you would like to know more about the Boundary Commission you can visit the following website. http://consultation.boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/ where you can make your comments or get details of where to write to:- Boundary Commission for England, 35 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BQ. Telephone: 020 7276 1102 Email address for general enquiries: information@bcommengland.x.gsi.gov.uk Email address representations: reviews@bcommengland.x.gsi.gov.uk

SOUTH LONDON WASTE PLAN

The London Boroughs of Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton have joined forces to work together to find solutions to disposing of waste within the Boroughs ECRA are in favour of recycling as much waste and materials as possible and to do this locally as long as it is on the lines of Purley Oak Re-Cycling Centre. However, we have major concerns with the proposal should there be any proposal to site a waste transfer station similar to the Factory Lane Croydon site or an incinerator or a site dealing with hazardous waste plant in Ulswater Crescent, Coulsdon which is in our area and another proposal for Beddington Lane which is in the London Borough of Sutton. We await developments but click here for further information http://southlondonwasteplan.limehouse.co.uk/portal

COULSDON TOWN CENTRE PARKING REVIEW

It appears that the report on The Review of Parking in the Coulsdon Town Centre which was to have gone to the Traffic Management Cabinet Committee Meeting of the 21st November was 'pulled' and taken as an urgent item to the 21st September where a decision was taken to continue the one hour free parking in the Brighton Road, The rest of the Town Centre's parking was not reviewed. To see a copy of the report click on this link. http://www.croydon.gov.uk/contents/documents/meetings/578451/2011/2011-09-21/tmcc20110921coulsdonimprovement.pdf

East Coulsdon Residetns' Association put forward the comments as set out below We have sent in a supporting letter.

The Rules at Present : You can park for one hour free in the Brighton Road and for 30 minutes in Chipstead Valley Road, Windermere Road stub, the bottom of The Avenue, Station Approach and Malcolm Road at the bottom outside Waitrose only. You can no longer park free in Victoria Road these bays are now incorporated in the residents and other chargeable bays in the road. No other meters in Coulsdon have a free period, but are changed from the start.

Change	Reason
Increase time on meter to 2 hours parking in all Town Centre meters with the first hour free	2 hours is better time for shoppers and for those with appointments.
Consistency with all Town Centre parking meters in Brighton Road, Chipstead Valley Road, Windermere Road and other associated with the Town Centre. 2 hours with first hour free.	At present there at least four different variations and this is confusing.
An extra ticket machine in Chipstead Valley Road	At present there is only one machine and it is a long walk for those with disabilities
When one machine is not working the ability to use another machine for the ticket for those bays covered by similar machines (consistency will help this).	At present the bays get suspended, very often the only fault is the machine has run out of tickets
The bay marking to be moved to the outside of the bay stones to allow easier parking of wider vehicles (as with loading bays).	Large cars & vans do not fit the bays, even with a small car it is not possible to see the bay marking from within the car. So you have to get out and check and very often move again.
To apply Monday to Saturday, but not on public holidays.	There are only a few shops and businesses open on public holidays and there does not need to be any enforcement.
Less draconian enforcement.	The existing enforcement officer do not use enough discretion and are too eager to issue tickets rather than speak to motorists

The Town Centre Parking Scheme. with the help of Ccouncillor Ian Parker the Council agreed to our request to put a clear notice on meters saying you can park free, but you must display a valid ticket.

The Starpark www.starpark.co.uk car park on the Red Lion site became free during September and usage went up dramatically. However, the main users would seem to have been a mixture of those commuting from the stations or those who would normally be using Lion Green Car Park. Just as mysteriously the £1.00 charge with excess charge of up to £70.00 for over staying was reinstated causing usage to drop overnight to 3 or 4 cars per day.

PAY & DISPLAY ENFORCEMENT

ENFORCEMENT IN BRIGHTON ROAD AND SIDE ROAD WITHIN COULSDON TOWN CENTRE

PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU OBTAIN A TICKET FROM THE MACHINES AS THE PARKING POLICE ARE ISSUING PENALTY NOTICES WHICH ATTRACT FINES IF YOU DO NOT DISPLAY A 'FREE TO PARK TICKET'.

BRIGHTON ROAD

One hour maximum stay free parking with ticket. No return within 2 hours to the same group of bays

SIDE ROADS

One hour maximum stay parking. First 30 minutes free parking with ticket. Payment for additional time.

RESIDENTIAL ROAD

One hour prohibition to park in various roads around Coulsdon. Please make sure you either have displayed a Resident's Parking Permit or park on drives or away from the area during the prohibited hour. Please let trademens who attend your home know that these prohibitions are in place so they are not issued with a penalty notice..

POT HOLES - STREET REPAIRS

There have been lots of complaints about lack of street and road repairs which have been in a poor state for a long time, even before the snow made them worse, Terry said there is an 11,000 backlog of road repairs. Charlie has chased again Part of Reddown Road has been resurfaced and Fairdene Road was very efficiently completely resurfaced during the week of 14th November. The Council have again been chased to repair or replace pavements which are trip hazards and the central strips in the Brighton Road.

PARKING TOWN CENTRE

The Traffic Management Cabinet Committee met on 21st July and again on the 13th October. The 'statutory consultation' which the Council were obliged to carry out in this instance resulted in over 2000 thousand "material letters of objections" to the scheme, votes of 95% against at Neighbourhood Partnership Meetings: and the overwhelming protests at the Pulbic Meeting of the 18th September: letters of objection from all four local Residents' Association and personal pleas to the Committee. At the Public Meeting which was held on the 18th September it was made clear to the Chair of the TMCC, the one Coulsdon East Councillor who attended and the Officer who is responsible for promoting the scheme that Coulsdon residents do not want pay & display metering - all to no avail. The Committee resolved to ignore these by agreeing to instal pay & display meters in the town. The Brighton Road is, for the time being at least, to have one hour free parking. - but not the side roads. However they also resolved to introduce and alter pay & display meters allowing only half an hour free in other areas of the Town.

With parking meters installed, in the future the Council only have to make administrative decisions to alter charges - as they do in Chipstead Valley Road. They are to be installed in Mid December 2009. The Council agree they would review pay & display in the town a year after the decision was made. Let us hope it is to remove the meters. A Ombudsman complaint is in the process of being investigated.

CONSULTATION ON BRADMORE GREEN LIBRARY

Consultation Of Bradmore Library – Closes 4^th February.

The Council are re-structuring and proposing closing services, including Bradmore Green Library. Each of the six libraries mentioned in the papers for possible closure is under review for various reasons. We urge people to reply to the Consultation before it is too late. A public meeting about the future of Bradmore Green Library attended by Sara Bashford, the Cabinet Member for Culture and Sport and Aileen Cahill, Head of Libraries and the three East Coulsdon Councillors concerning the possibly threat . Residents feel so strongly about this issue that they turned out in force with over 250 people crammed into the Congregational Church on January 11^th. It is believed that Old Coulsdon’s Bradmore Green Library is a special case as it is the centre of the community and vital for the many elderly residents and schools which use it and who cannot access other libraries. Transport is not easily, and sometimes virtually impossible for residents, involving at least 2 buses or more and can be a 3 or 4 hour round trip.

You can take part in the consultation online, send in letters or sign the petition on The LB Croydon website https://secure.croydon.gov.uk/petition/entity/BinqBmBupWMgDl04vlAiAi9?searchreq=50

DOG WALKERS

The City of London is working with LB Croydon and Tandridge to get temporary licences for Dog Walkers, but is all a bit vague. Often they are a Common Nuisance. One person can be seen walking as many as 15 dogs at once. Another has 9 Labradors, half grown and boisterous which are allowed to run all over the place. The problem is this is quite lucrative and often walkers become abusive if approached. The main worry is about children and the dogs not being on leashes. If you experience these problems, contact the Council to send out Dog Wardens on a regular basis.

RATS

One of our East Coulsdon Councillors has reported residents have complained about rats in the area, particularly at Tesco’s in Purley. The Council’s have policy of no exterminating because of the danger to the public of the poisons used and they are not allowed to put bait down on public land. The question was asked, what of the danger of the rats to the public? A complaint that there is a greater danger of rats propagating. and our Councillors are pursing this

LAMP POSTS / LIGHTS

Broken lamps are still causing problems. 16 are not working in Brighton Road alone. East Coulsdon Councillora have been pursuing for over a year with Charles supplying a list of those not working. Charlie believes that LBCroydon may never have changed the contract with the Contractor. The lampposts originally belonged to TfL and before the road was handed back to Croydon. LBCroydon did accept LBCs responsibly, but still we did not get any action. The Officer who agredd liability has been replaced by another Officer. EDF have replaced some lampposts, but have left the old stump in place. Charlie and our Councillors are to e-mail again and chase up again.

WILHELMINA & THE NETHERLANDS - LOCAL AREA OF SPECIAL CHARACTER

Wilhelmina and The Netherlands - The area referred to as The Dutch Village is to be officially made into an Local Area of Special Character which will help to fight of developers and can be used as a reason to turn down applications. First steps to be able to turn a LASC into a conservation area.

124-126 Downs Road was built by the same builders and we are to try to get area extended to include these houses.