So much for a quiet week!

Last Sunday I made the mistake of saying I thought the week was going to be quiet with not many meetings. ..

On Monday we had a briefing from the council chief exec, Barry Quirk, on the new monthly report of performance indicators that the council is going to publish. Looked like a generally useful document, though of course statistics can be manipulated to say whatever you want them to potentially. A couple of things that lept out on the 'areas for management attention' page were that the council is not reaching its targets for take up of free school meals by those entitled to them, the percentage of household waste recycled/composted, the time to relet properties or the number of library borrowers. A few areas we are apparently doing well in are reducing the number of children killed/seriously injured on our roads, the occupation rates of Lewisham and Deptford markets and with planning application turn-around time.

On Tuesday I went with Mike to Hilly Fields Users Group, Ladywell Society and then the Pool Campaign Victory Party at the Rising Sun pub. Wanted to make sure HFUG and Ladywell Society knew about the locality fund. Discussed the state of the footpaths in Hilly Fields with HFUG and am following up with highways. (Footpaths in parks are normally the responsibility of the parks dept, but in this case they may be passed over to highways). HFUG have been successful in getting lottery funding for a project to install new decorative iron gates by the entrance to Hilly fields on Eastern Road (current ones are bent out of shape and not particularly attractive). The gates will be made by Heather Burrell, a local artist who made the gates at the Creekside Centre, among other things. She will be basing the design on an art project carried out by Prendergast students.

Ladywell Society members raised several issues I am following up with highways on their behalf (cars pulling up onto the pavement by Ladywell Supermarket, the state of the railings along Ladywell Road) and a member expressed an interest in setting up a ‘Friends of Brockley Cemetary’ society ('users group' didn't seem to be the right word!). Impressive turnout at the victory party, which we managed to get to at 10pm, by which time everyone was feeling pretty happy and victorious.

Didn't make it to the Ladywell Safer Neighbourhood Panel meeting on Thursday, as it clashed with my work Christmas Party, but Ute went along.

Quiet surgery at Hilly Fields yesterday, after which we went to Gordonbrock's Christmas Fayre. Impressive range of stalls, including a very well-stocked cake stall; testament to an active PTA. Gordonbrock teachers, parents and governors are concerned at the time it is taking to get started on repair works to the school and the continuing uncertainty over whether they will get a rebuild within the next few years or not. They are also awaiting the outcome of the Primary Review to see if they can drop from 2 ½ form entry to 2 form entry. Work to clear/contain asbestos on the site is taking place next weekend, then hopefully a survey can be done early in the new year to work out what needs to be done most urgently and what can be done within the budget.