Camden rated top authority by Audit Commission - but work still to do

The FortuneGreenSpotlight blog is mostly concerned with the very local goings on. However, at times we should have a side-glance at a wider scene.
As the Audit Commission has recently published the results of their 'Comprehensive Area Assessment' it is a good time to do this and see how Camden is regarded in the local authority world.
We're delighted that Camden has been rated as one of the top performing areas in the country.  The Audit Commission don't come out with a specific league table - but the people in the Municipal Journal have done the work for us and puts Camden at the very top (See 'Camden emerges as highest-rated local authority')
The assessment looks wider than just the Council - and looks at how public services work together in the area.
Being self-effasive Liberal Democrats are some important caveats that need to be raised about the methodology behind the rating.  I'm very pleased that the leader of Camden is consciously not trumpeting these results as if to say 'all is well'.  Instead there are a number of issues that still need addressing in Camden - especially elements of customer service and responsiveness. Its certainly true that the Audit Commission aren't measuring the same things that are most important to me or the residents I speak to.
However, it is worth while understanding what the report actually says.
A quite interesting summary is available on the Audit Commission's website.  I'm particularly pleased with the parts concerning sustainability...

A sustainable Camden that adapts to a growing population

"Local partners are working well to make Camden sustainable and to ensure that the borough adapts to a growing population. Traffic congestion is reducing but it still remains an important issue for local people. Car use has fallen by over one-third and deaths and serious injuries on roads have fallen by almost two-thirds. More than one in ten of road users are cyclists.

Carbon emissions are reducing. Local partners are working well together to make sure that carbon reduction continues. As more than 60 per cent of CO2 emissions are from non-residential buildings, local businesses are signing-up to an agreement to reduce the amount of energy they use. Council housing is becoming more energy efficient with green roofs and solar panels installed on some housing estates. Recycling levels are improving.

Areas across Camden are being regenerated. Developments include more affordable housing, leisure facilities, and education and health services.

Homelessness and overcrowding are reducing. Local partners recognise that more work is needed if sustainable housing in Camden is to be provided, particularly in meeting the government's Decent Homes Standard. It has plans in place to tackle these issues."

Call for 20mph limit in Ranulf Road

Residents in Ardwick Road, Ranulf Road and Burgess Hill have approached us to see if we could get their area covered by Barnet's new 20mph zone.

As the purple line on the map shows - Camden meets Barnet halfway down Ranulf Road.  Barnet's new zone only covers areas of Barnet - so as soon as you cross the border - you are faced with some rather illogical 30mph signs.

As this happens halfway up the hill drivers are speeding up as they leave Barnet and enter our equally residential part of Camden.

We've just recieved a response from Camden street officers to our request to extend the 20mph zone as far as the Finchley Road.  They aren't keen to act at the moment - mainly because the Barnet 20mph zone is a 6 month experiment.  Also, Camden has a tradition of only going ahead with traffic schemes if a fair amount of engineering can be put in to support the scheme.

As the Barnet scheme doesn't involve much engineering, I'm not sure this is an appropriate response, so we'll be going back to them.

Whilst people are speeding up to the corner of Ranulf Road we'll be arguing to cut speeds in this corner of Camden too.

Steel band and stilts on Saturday

A crisp but fine Saturday morning saw Camdn's "festive fun" come to West Hampstead - see pevious post. There was a decorated float with a steel band, a goup of energetic singers pounding out taditional popular songs, a lady on stilts with the most amazing gold eyelashes and "Stella Polaris"(!) the Queen of the North Star and various helpers in Santa hats handing out leaflets and opportunities to win the "Golden Ticket" for free local shopping. There were also passersby, a press photographer and the Leader of the Council - West Hampstead Councillor Keith Moffitt. After a couple of rather chilly hours the cavalcade moved onto another High Street - its all part of the "Shop Local" "Love Your High Street" initiative from the Council. We agred that we would make sure communications about it and involvement with local shops and businesses started earlier if we were to have it another year. But it was all good fun!

My busy Saturday had started with our Councillor's surgery followed by a meeting with traders in Mill Lane worried about their revaluing for business rates ( Government has to take blame for this - not the Council) then after socialising at the court of Queen Stella (as above) I went with Cllr Russell Eagling to the Emmanuel school Fayre where he won a bottle of pink champagne in their raffle! (I won nothing but bought a couple of paperbacks which I shan't have time to read)

There were all sorts of things happening in West Hampstead and Fortune Green this weekend - Christmas Fayres at Beckford as well as Emmanuel and on Sunday a "Winter Warmer" organised by (W)HEART at the Mill Lane Open Space (inside the Garden Centre fortunately) at which I "adopted" a toad - although I haven't ever seen one there.

Climate change initiative recognised

Earlier this year I was in the happy position of voting through a proposal to ensure Camden signed up to the 10:10 campaign - aimed at cutting carbon emissions by 10% in the year 2010.
Time Out have just run a feature (How climate friendly is the capital?) about what London Boroughs are signed up.  It is very interesting to note the political colours of those that have signed up...
10:10 isn't just aimed at organisations though.  Individuals, businesses, schools and all kinds of other organisations are encouraged to make the commitment too.
Find out more by going to www.1010uk.org

A Victorian Christmas

The reason I was out and about so early in Mill Lane was that I and other governors were accompanying a party of Class 2 children from Emmanuel School to the wonderful Geffreye Museum in Hackney.

The Museum ( a former almshouse) contains rooms from the 1600s to nearly the present day with appropiate furnishings and household objects. The rooms were all decorated especially for Christmas and we were concentrating on a Victorian Christmas . The children got to explore and understand what life was like without electricity and TV and were very puzzled by certain objects ( like laundry items when you didn't just bung it all in the washing machine!) Unfortunately our time there was cut short as we were 20 minutes late owing to the appalling traffic and diversions created by the works in Chalk Farm Road which seems never ending!

The Big Christmas tree outside the Museum - much appreciated by the children from west Hampstead - its bigger than ours on West End Green!

Starring role for our toilets!*

* With a headline like this - how can you not read this posting?!

West End Lane toilets are set for a starring role in a new film of the Richard Attenborough classic Brighton Rock.  The toilets were scene of a famous Spotlight victory when the Lib Dems re-opened them as one of our first acts of getting the reigns of power in Camden in 2006.  (Blair gave independence to the Bank of England, Obama closed Guantanamo, we reopened the toilets!)

I've seen the film and don't particualrly remember a scene in a public lav so there's either revisionism for you - or its a sign of how long ago it was that I saw the film.

I know about it because Camden's 'film officer' warned me as a ward councillor.  Some might think it odd that Camden actually employs someone to sell the borough as a film venue.  However, rest assured, far from being a waste of money, they film office makes a small profit and brings attention to the borough.

A google search tells me that Helen Mirren, John Hurt and Pete Postlethwaite are in the cast - so even more reason to be interested in the film when it eventually appears on the screens.

Those traffic lights!

Well -for good or ill- we've made the decision to remove the Mill Lane/West End Lane/Fortune Green Rd traffic signals and revert to zebra crossings. It was a difficult decision - the traffic engineers wanted to wait to see the effect of the likely new Brent Cross traffic(see earlier post about this)but this could mean waiting years. Meanwhile more and more residents have complained about the "rat running" down the side roads as traffic tries to find a way to avoid the lights.
The consultation came out at about 50/50 for and against, but certain factors such as the increased pollution close by the school from the waiting stream of cars helped us decide. This (above)
was this morning's tailback along Mill Lane and while I was there several pedestrians crossed against the lights without waiting - bad example for children but understandable rather thjan waiting several minuts in the cold and wet!
However - the lights will still be there for a while yet but you heard it here first!

Good news for Thameslink users

Positive news for Thameslink travellers - see First Capital Connect Strike - Pay deal in place to end dispute.  With TfL repeatedly taking out both the Overground and Jubilee Line links from West Hampstead - having a reliable Thameslink is more important than ever.
Do sign the petition Ed Fordham is helping run against the mess TfL is making of the ongoing closures.

Brightening up December

Camden Council has arranged a programme of events across the Borough in the run up to Christmas to promote local independent traders and to promote "shop local" message generally at a number of town centre locations - including West Hampstead.
The "Festive Float" will be by West End Green btwen 11.0 and 1.0 this coming Saturday. Come and join the fun! (Details below)



The Council says: "The Festive Float and Events programme is aimed at promoting the vitality of town centre businesses and visitor economy during these difficult times. It will build on the recent initiatives including: "love your high street" campaign, "pop up" shops, and the "Love Camden" website and guide - creating a real momentum in terms of supporting and marketing the town centres in the borough.

The Winter programme has been organised in partnership with local businesses and the local community. Our town centres will see a mixture of performers including The Queen, Golden Santa on Stilts giving out gifts and information, Steel Pan players offering a festive music in a calypso carol style, mini gospel choir with a festive gospel selection of music and special guest star appearances drawn from local theatres. The Festive Team will also appear in the town centres outlined below, dressed in black sweatshirts with the Camden logo, "Shop local. Win £1000" on the back. They will give out shopping guides, gather marketing data and will be available for local traders to use to hand out promotional vouchers for their stores."