Planning Permission for Farmers' Market approved

Planning permission for the West Hampstead Farmers' Market has been approved by Camden Council. 

London Farmers' Markets were allowed to run a market on the Thameslink forecourt site on 14 occasions in a year before planning permission was required.  The market has been run every Saturday since 22nd September 2012 and has proved to be very successful both for local residents and traders.  There was much local support for the market to be run on a permanent basis and the planning application received 287 responses in support and 2 objections.  The market can now continue to be run every Saturday between 10am and 2pm for the forseeable future.

Comments on the market include it improves the sense of well being and community in West Hampstead, provides good quality fresh food that is otherwise lacking in the area, supports British farmers and local producers and has benefited other shops by drawing people into the area.

Long may it continue to thrive!

No go for "step-free access" at West Hampstead Jubilee line station

We now have "step-free access" - which pretty much means lifts - at West Hampstead Thameslink station, and lifts are planned for the Overground station in 2014 or some time after that depending on the development of the "Ballymore site" on West End Lane.

So it's disappointing that the third West Hampstead interchange station, the Jubilee Line station, doesn't have lifts or escalators, which would make West Hampstead a totally step-free interchange.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Lib Dem Chair of the GLA's transport committee recently took this up for me with a question to Mayor Johnson, which got the rather disappointing reply below. What's surprising is that a few years ago the news agent located inside the station was moved out, and we were told it was because a lift was going to be installed at that point - but it never happened. I'm chasing that one up. And any other bright ideas will be very welcome.
 
Question from Caroline Pidgeon

Do you agree that West Hampstead station which sits on both the Jubilee and London Overground lines is a good candidate for being made step free?

Written response from the Mayor

The London Overground and Jubilee line at West Hampstead serve separate stations located approximately 100 metres apart from one another. There is also West Hampstead Thameslink station a little further along West End Lane.

The Thameslink station already offers step-free access and funding towards a step-free access scheme at the Overground station has been secured from the DfT’s Access for All programme. The programme and scope of this work are currently being developed.

Regrettably there is no funding to undertake works at the Tube station. Aside from the funding question, the Underground station would not be an easy location at which to install step-free facilities. This is because the small ticket hall sits on a road bridge above the tracks carrying the Jubilee, Metropolitan and Chiltern lines.  The station is also surrounded by various separately owned properties and there is no space for a lift.

Customers in the West Hampstead area who require a step-free route to central London or need to access the Tube network can use Thameslink services to a number of stations in zone 1 including King’s Cross St Pancras, Farringdon, Blackfriars and London Bridge, all of which are now fully accessible.

Proposed Sale of Land - behind Dennington House

Camden Council has started a consultation process with local residents about the possible sale of the land behind Dennington House (between Inglewood and Dennington Park Roads)  as part of the Council’s Community Investment Programme. At present the land is used for garages and car parking spaces. Proceeds from the sale would be invested in new homes, existing council homes and community facilities. As yet, we have had no indication of what the land might be used for if sold, which would depend on the plans of the new owner and the granting of planning permission.


You may already have received a letter inviting your views about the consultation or you can find out more information from www.camden.gov.uk/smallsites.
As your local Councillors, we want to be sure that you are aware of this consultation process and to hear your views on the proposal. We will ensure the views of local residents are taken into account by the Council or you may choose to respond to the consultation yourself through post or email.

The closing date for response is midnight on Sunday 2nd December.

Please let us hear your views about this proposal by contacting us on this blog or by email.

Notice anything new?

The new community noticeboard that's been installed outside West Hampstead library is the final touch in the popular improvements to the outside of the library first planned a couple of years ago when the Liberal Democrats were running Camden Council.

Regular "area forum" attenders will remember that in those days area forums had a small budget to spend on local projects. One of the ideas the West Hampstead and Fortune Green area forum came up with was to improve the outside of the library, including the new entrance, the benches and a new community notice board.

The steps and benches were done earlier this year, and after I reminded Camden about the noticeboard, it's finally turned up. We're sure that that local groups including West Hampstead Community Centre will welcome the board to advertise their activities, and we will certainly be advertising our councillors' advice surgeries there.

Proposed Changes to Recycling Service in Camden

Camden Council plans to change its recycling service to enable residents to place all their dry recycling (glass, cans, plastics and paper etc.) into one container, rather than multiple boxes and bags and, where appropriate, offer wheelie bins to residents.

Evidence from authorities that have introduced wheelie bins shows that recycling significantly increases. Similar schemes across the country, from a wide variety of authorities, have resulted in significant increases in recycling rates. Through these service changes Camden hopes to drive recycling rates up to 40% and beyond by 2020, reducing both the cost and the carbon impact of the service
As part of these changes, an assessment of properties suitable for wheelie bins was undertaken earlier this year with approximately 20,000 households regarded as having enough space for the wheelie bins which consists of most street properties north of Euston Road. The residents of these households will receive a questionnaire this week asking them for their preferences as well as more general information about recycling. This information will help the Council when ordering the containers and the way to provide communication and engagement work in the future.

The introduction of wheelie bins is a key tool for Camden to increase the amount that is recycled and reduce rising waste disposal costs. As well as the questionnaire there will also be a number of roadshows where residents will be able to see the wheelie bins for themselves and ask officers any questions about the recycling service changes.

The roadshow is coming to West Hampstead Library on 2nd November from 11.30am to 2pm.

The questionnaire, FAQ’s and other relevant information is available at https://consultations.wearecamden.org/communications-strategy-improvement/recyclingchanges/consult_view.

If residents have any concerns about the new arrangements, please contact your local Ward Councillors.

Farmers Market hailed a great success

After four sunny Saturday's, the West Hampstead Farmers' Market has proved a great addition to the area.  Launched on 22nd September 2012 and open every Saturday from 10am to 2pm, the market offers a wide range of produce that is not normally available in a city.  Meat, fish, pies, game, eggs, vegetables, fruit, cheese, bread and cakes, pasta and flowers all tempt shoppers.  London Farmers' Markets say it was their most successful launch to date and well worth the three year wait to fnally come to West Hampstead.  Their survey of shows that most of the shoppers are local residents.  But it is wise to shop early, as many stalls sell out well before closing time.

Shops and cafes in West End Lane and in the local streets have said that the market has boosted their trade and some are planning their own promotions linked into the market.  Good to have a positive business story in these harsh economic times.

Photo taken 13th October, 2012

Letter about performance of Camden Council to local press

This is the full text of my letter about declining standards in Camden's performance recently published in both our local newspapers, the Ham & High and the Camden New Journal:

Dear Sir,

Camden residents are increasingly telling me that the Council is a very different authority to the one that was rated top in the country just four years ago. Here are a few examples of a serious decline in standards:

-          Complaints made by residents online are disappearing into a black hole and going unanswered – Camden have said it may take up to six months to sort this out;

-          There have been numerous cases of car owners not receiving reminders to renew their parking permits and still being harshly punished when they don’t renew on time;

-          The opening of the new Academy and special school on Adelaide Road has been severely delayed, as has that of Emmanuel School in West Hampstead;

-          Camden forgot to post letters to tenants and leaseholders who use the housing office at 156 West End Lane that the office is due to close this month – resulting in a last-moment and wasteful rush to get letters out by first class post.

These are just a few cases of Camden letting down residents – who pay a very high Council tax.

Yes, this is a tough time for local councils who are having to find savings. I understand that this is bound to have an impact on staff morale, so this is a time for strong leadership in Camden.

Instead, the ruling Labour party seems to be more obsessed with its internal power struggles than in running Camden as its residents deserve. It’s not surprising that there are so many failings in services when there has been so much squabbling at the top. In the last two years we’ve seen a change of leader, a new chief executive, four different people responsible for schools and young people’s services and three different councillors in charge of waste collection and recycling.

At national level, Labour have the luxury of criticising the government at every turn without saying what they would do instead. When they are in charge, as here in Camden, they seem to be making a hash of it.

Cllr Keith Moffitt

Leader of the Opposition and of Camden Liberal Democrat Group