Report
End October 2000

After the General Meeting on 11th September

We had to build an organisation
Get involved with the "Area Management Schemes"
Put the boot in as regards maintenance of the waterside areas and parks
Report back on consultation processes

Time has passed

There are no issues that need feedback from a large public meeting at the moment
The General Meeting gave us some guidelines on what we had to do
So let’s examine progress

The original Draft Development Framework ("DDF") plans have been "Set Aside"

Councillors - Stephanie Elsy and Steven Lancashire and a team of Council Officers all agreed this
But then the Southwark News kept printing stories that development would be based on the original DDF
We got very angry - it seems that one senior official was ignoring his bosses.
But we have confirmation of sorts that the DDF is dead.

So we’ve won then?
Not yet we haven’t!!

All it means is that the Council has committed to a process of consultation.
There are still people in the Council that think that high density development is needed and who would be prepared to concrete over Canada Water.
So we have to make sure that consultation happens.
When people are consulted we want to make sure that the right questions are asked to get fair feedback
And then we have to argue for the sort of development that we want.
And throughout all this we have to keep your support and involvement

So What’s Going on – What is CWC up to

Lots – first the headings, then the detail
Influencing the Councils’s "Waterfront" newsletter and "MORI" poll
Negotiations on the consultation process.
Meeting the owners of Surrey Quays shopping centre.
Distributing an information leaflet of our own via Simon Hughes MP (CWC remains apolitical but accepts free postage)
Setting up an office at "Time and Talents"
Agreeing a budget, finance policy and procedures
Starting an appeal for cash donations

The Waterfront News Letter

At the 6^th July meeting at the Holiday Inn Southwark committed to providing a newsletter in early Autumn.
CWC was approached to ask whether we wanted a mention in the Newsletter. We said we wanted to know what was being said before CWC’s name could be used.
During discussions on 4^th September we asked how the Newsletter was proceeding. - It transpired that the initial draft was based on the DDF – Uproar from CWC!!!!!!!
We persuaded Southwark to redraft and to send the redraft to CWC for comments.
CWC has now commented and we are awaiting the final proof before it gets posted to everybody on the peninsula.

The Mori Poll

There haven’t been many recent surveys of the population of Rotherhithe.
So nobody knows what the population mix is!
To start to improve their understanding of the area Southwark intends to survey approx 400 residents
CWC is concerned in the sense that we need to know the brief for the survey, where sample studies are undertaken, how results are presented and interpreted.
CWC continues to be actively involved.

The Consultation Process

A draft paper was produced by Southwark.
This was sent to CWC for comments
After careful consideration it has been returned to Southwark many detailed CWC comments
We now await finalisation of the paper
It is likely that there will be a consultative forum, comprising local organisations (CWC would be one) charged with responsibility for ensuring that the final plans are what residents really want.

The "Shopping Centres" Meeting

Surrey Quays is leased from the London Borough of Southwark by Shopping Centres Limited, a joint venture of Slough Estates and Tesco.
CWC was invited to meet senior management of Shopping Centres Limited and did so on 17^th October
A report on that meeting will be posted on the Website.
Continuing dialogue is anticipated.

Simon Hughes’s Newsletter

Simon Hughes does an annual report to all residents in the constituency.
He has offered to insert a separate information leaflet drafted by CWC to help local people be aware of what is going on.
We accepted the offer, whilst emphasising the apolitical nature of CWC

CWC Office Organisation

With well over 400 supporters listed there is a formidable challenge in managing CWC.
An embryonic office organisation has been set up at Time & Talents.
We have a computer, printer and hope to sort out a modem
But managing all the correspondence, mailshots & general admin takes time and costs money. Hence our appeal for volunteers and cash

CWC - our needs

Money
People that can spare time to handle administration and other organisational needs (posting leaflets etc.)
And your continuing support
I hope this helps – any queries please contact either the office at Time & Talents or CWC direct via Email.

Please give as much as you can to help protect and enhance the character of our area £5 would be great or even a little bit more if you can manage it.

A “Donation Box” will be kept for receiving donations whether by hand or by post (cash and cheques) at “CWC’s Campaign Office” (c/o Time & Talents Association, The Old Mortuary, St. Marychurch Street, Rotherhithe, London SE16 4JE).

All cheques, preferably “crossed”, for the benefit of CWC should be made payable to “Time & Talents Association (CWC)”.

David Brunskill, 1 November 2000

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Report End October 2000