Help wanted!

Anyone interested in the heritage and conservation of our area? If so, this might be just the thing for you! The West Hampstead Conservation area needs a Secretary(unpaid alas) see below. If interested, let Flick know (7794 8454) JOB SPEC The West End Green Conservation Area was established by the London Borough of Camden in 1993.It has been updated and reappraised in 2010. The new Conservation Area Statement was adopted by the Council in March 2011. The aim is to provide a clear indication of Camden Council’s approach to the preservation and enhancement of the area. WANTED A volunteer Secretary for the West End Green Conservation Advisory Committee WEGAAC meets whenever there is a planning application, which falls within the area We meet in the offices of the Chair, Yiannis Pareas in Mill Lane. From to time meetings are held at other venues. Responsibilities would include Receiving copies of planning applications entering them in a register Arranging meetings Keeping minutes Liaising with the Camden planning department and other CAACS Storage and filing Qualities An interest and knowledge of the conservation area Patience when dealing with planning officers Orderly and organised Time There are no more than six meetings per annum and three or four hours a month would be required

A worrying letter

Nancy, Flick and myself have just received the following, rather worrying letter...

Dear Stakeholder,

Finchley Road – National Grid Gas Works

TfL is writing to make you aware of forthcoming works proposed by National Grid Gas (NGG) on Finchley Road between Swiss Cottage and Hendon Way. NGG wishes to replace 6.5km of old metallic gas mains, replacing them with new hard wearing plastic pipes.

NGG would like to start their preparatory work in April 2011 for a mains replacement programme lasting up to 24 months. TfL has yet to receive NGG’s detailed proposals, however we thought you would wish to be made aware of their broad intentions. TfL will of course consider the proposals in the light of any other works proposed in the area, and in light of the Olympics, will work with National Grid to reduce the impact of these major works on the area as far as possible. NGG will be working extended hours in order to complete the works as quickly as possible.

TfL will write to you with details of each phase of work, including the traffic management plans, once these are known. In the meantime, if you have any queries regarding this please contact TfL’s customer service team on 0845 305 1234 or via our website at www.tfl.gov.uk/contact.

Yours faithfully

Samantha Clarke-Jackman

Lets hope they share the information with us before plans are finalised. There might be unecessary disruption to surrounding roads that can be avoided if we're able to let them know ahead of time of potential clashes that are best avoided.

Cricklewood - No longer the land that time forgot?

At long last - and after much pressure from local residents and councillors - the 3 Boroughs of Camden, Barnet and Brent and the relevant police teams have agreed to work together to try and sort out some of our regular Cricklewood problems and complaints. This week is the designated "Clean up Cricklewood week" - we hope the effects will not just be temporary. See below for Camden's plan: Issue(s): In conjunction with a pre planned tri borough working partnership with Brent and Barnet, and the local Met Police SNT who have targeted, amongst other aspects: littering / fly tipping via e.g. domestic and business waste; graffiti vandalism, and to a lesser extent, prostitute’s cards in phone booths and forecourt abuse by certain businesses as regards vehicular parking, sales and storing of equipment. Local residents especially in multi occupancy residences at Cricklewood Broadway are placing waste onto the public highway outside of the advertised collection time(s). Also, certain businesses are also behaving likewise in the Cricklewood Broadway area thus creating a build up of uncollected commercial / recycling / domestic waste which has led to attracting ‘other’ fly tipping naturally followed by vermin such as rats and foxes. This has led to a negative and detrimental impact on the local environment and followed by complaints from concerned local residents. There are also concerns that certain businesses at Cricklewood Broadway may not have a commercial waste agreement with any reputable waste contractor. Additionally, certain areas of Cricklewood Broadway are also occasionally blighted with graffiti vandalism. Objectives: Via proactive enforcement the endeavour is to drive compliance by all local residents and all local businesses and all (private) waste carriers as regards how, where, and when commercial and domestic waste is presented / collected from the public highway. (Note: preliminary work has already started on this) We also intend to identify any businesses that do not have commercial waste agreements and to either follow up with initiating legal procedures or / and afford them the opportunity to obtain a waste contract with any legitimate waste carrier. To ensure / promote a clean, positive, and attractive physical / visual / environmental impact within the said area especially Cricklewood Broadway as it is a major thoroughfare in / out of the north of the borough.