Bellenden Village public subsidy

[macroban]

I thought the public subsidy for Bellenden Village regeneration ended on 2007-08-31, however Maurice has suggested it is continuing.

What are the facts?

[macroban]

Maurice has written about this again?

> Bellendon, in my opinion, is a white middle class enclave propped up by subsidy. Read their reports. It's all there in black and white. The plan to ween them off funding has failed.

What's going on?

[Maurice]

If indeed the subsidies ended in the last month or so then I am wrong. My last read was a few month's back as they struggled with extending (yet again) the subsidy, which was due to end a few year's back?

I don't criticise Bellenen (sorry about the 'o') but find it a fascinating case study.

[Eileen]

macroban Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I thought the public subsidy for Bellenden Village

> regeneration ended on 2007-08-31, however Maurice

> has suggested it is continuing.

>

> What are the facts?

The Bellenden Renewal Scheme was for 10 years from 1997, and we are told it ended in August 2007. But as locals have not had any information from the Council volunteered to them for years we are hardly aware that they still existed even up to August - except when work suddenly appeared from no where like the path and railing across Goose Green, or the triffid-like lights in the nearby streets.

[Eileen]

macroban Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Maurice has written about this again?

>

> > Bellendon, in my opinion, is a white middle

> class enclave propped up by subsidy. Read their

> reports. It's all there in black and white. The

> plan to ween them off funding has failed.

>

> What's going on?

Which reports are these? Where can we see them?

[AllforNun]

Yer like GooseGreen really comes under bellenden road. I was told that local councillors, eager to please bent the rules with regard to the green. Now does anyone see why getting more money to regenerate the play area seems a bit unfair. Especially when areas in real need of some public subsidy get none.

The Fabled Nunhead Regeneration Zone has been stalled since 2001 - Totally ridiculous. Now they have a group of Liberal Councillors from ED in charge of the regeneration it will get stalled for even longer. Why? because if it gets under way money may start to flow away from ED and across the Rye into other areas where Maybe the Liberals do not hold mush sway?

I have heard that they want to dumb down the regeneration so it's just some roads, a few lights, a signpost. They are putting more effort in trying to get Northcross road turned into the Portabello Road of South London to worry about actually kick starting some real change over Nunhead way

[macroban]

> Which reports are these? Where can we see them?

I understand that ?32m of public money was made available for the ten-year regeneration period. A Freedom of Information request to Southwark council should reveal whether it was really ?32m and how the money was spent.

There is still no clarity about whether the subsidy period has been extended beyond 2007-08-31 and whether any soft loans are now being called in.

[Mark]

AllforNun, you obviously feel strongly about this, have you asked your councillors about this and what do they say? Please could you tell me where you get your information from so that I can refer to it when I write to mine.

And that's the first I've heard about Northcross Road being turned into a proper market street, I shall endeavour to find out more.

[franglaisia]

I have not posted here before but I wanted to share some wee facts that I noticed when the idea of pumping lots of money into the Bellenden Road area was first born, in the 1990s.

At the time it was a dingy place with a lot of run down houses, empty shops etc. Just like other places in Southwark continued to be. Two people who lived there however were: Jeremy Fraser, Labour Leader of Southwark Council; and also the Labour Chief Whip of Southwark Council, one Ian Wingfield. I have sometimes wondered about other people who moved into the area just before the regen funds were announced. (Pls note I was not a political opponent and was only ever a member of the Labour Party until giving up in despair circa 1994, since when have not wasted any ink on voting).

[AllforNun]

Well at least that is only two - looks the whole of the Liberal party has moved into ED. Apparently Ming has bought a large flat in a care home of Lordship Lane.......!

If you look at the blog of www.Fiona-colley.net - Nunhead Labour Councillor - you will see some very matter of fact/factual posts about the Nunhead Regeneration Zone stretching back several years. Can you actually believe that it has taken the council nearly 4years, yes 4years, to fill some vacant posts so things can just start to get moving. It is so ridiculous it should be looked into at a legal level. Either it is Gross negligence or there is a reason why they are in no rush to get this thing going.

I have no real affiliation either way, but when I have watched the primary schools in Nunhead basically almost flat line since 2000, while some ED schools are getting their brickwork jet washed it hurts, when Nunhead streets are used as rat runs and a young boy gets killed in a hit and run, it?s upsetting. When nothing is done regarding either the state of the roads or how to make things a bit safer, you begin to wonder what the council is actually doing. And when a Councillor from ED is put in charge of the Regeneration Zone but has barely spent any substantial time in the area its seems a bit of a smack in the face. I have watched the Libs in action when they walk down the Length of Lordship Lane speaking to Shopkeepers and residents, full of good intention and energy. Why do they not seem willing to apply the same energy in Nunhead Lane? The lane and the Green are so full of potential it's just daft.

Maybe they should take a leaf out of the old Labour Leader of Southwark Council's books and buy some houses there. Who cares as long as something starts to inspire them!

[franglaisia]

I didn't even know there was supposed to be a Nunhead Regen area, but then I live in the off-Ivydale bit that isn't even really Nunhead...the land that time forgot. Never seen much diff between the population of many cemeteries here and the ones still walking about. There have been councillors that actually lived in Nunhead but they didn't seem to make a lot of difference, as I recall. Hardly surprising as there's never been a residents association or even subdued mumbling at the many crimes that have been inflicted on us, like the massive ugly plastic church that replaced the original one with its Cotswald stone and gothic arch windows and had been built in harmony with the surrounding houses... I could go on....looks like a maximum security prison. Do any of the current Nunhead cllrs actually live here?

[Frisco]

"like the massive ugly plastic church that replaced the original one with its Cotswald stone and gothic arch windows"

Is this that the original church that was falling down, and (together with the former St Silas) faced massively prohibitive costs to repair, update and make fit for purpose in the 21st century?

If it is, the new St Anthony with St Silas is not massive, ugly or plastic and it is a spiritual place with a diverse, active and inclusive congregation that plays an important role, as well as enabling the provision of important community services for the local population. Its modern architecture may not be to your taste, but everyone won't be pleased with everything, and that doesn't mean that the new church building isn't of a high quality and standard.

[macroban]

I vaguely remember that several years ago a lady - Eileen Conn (?) - tried to impose some accountability on Southwark Council for the use of public funds for Bellenden Village. I think she was stonewalled.

[Ganapati]

Franglasia--that is such a good description of the Ivydale bit of Nunhead--the land that time forgot. It's so true. What makes it charming is that much of it is in relatively decent nick. But then it feels like the council has decided bc its not so bad it needs no regen money.

[AllforNun]

Oh dear Looks like Mings Gone...nothing that I said was it ?