News

Following the outbreak of swine flu, the UK and London are being especially vigilant about monitoring cases of influenza. Lewisham Council is also closely monitoring events and already has robust contingency arrangements in place should we need to act quickly.

Over £5,000 was raised at a charity golf day hosted by Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve Bullock on 26 June 2009 at the Dulwich and Sydenham Golf course in aid of the Lavender Trust breast cancer charity.

Lewisham Council has reached a new landmark with the signing of two contracts as part of its multi-million pound programme to transform secondary education in the London borough.

An open day will be held at Manor House library to celebrate the launch of the Mayor’s Commission on Libraries and Adult Learning on 8 July between 3pm and 8pm.

Lewisham celebrated the successes and achievements of its schools over the past year at the second annual Lewisham Schools Awards, at the Broadway Theatre, Catford, on 24 June.

Over two hundred and fifty people joined Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, as he led a civic service to mark the first national Armed Forces Day on Sunday 28 June.

In this meeting the Council congratulated community members recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, accepted petitions for a new community building and improved park facilities, approved a draft Bromley Road planning document, and agreed motions on the Strangers into Citizens campaign and the duties and powers of the Mayor and Chair of Council.

The Chair of Governors of Brindishe and Hither Green Primary Schools, Spyros Elia, has been awarded Governor of the Year for the London region in the Teaching Awards finals, held on Tuesday 23 June 2009.

Forest Hill School in Dacres Road has scooped an award for the best use of ICT at the 2009 British Council for School Environments awards.

Lewisham will mark the first national Armed Forces Day with a civic service led by Mayor Sir Steve Bullock at the Garden of Remembrance in Allerford Road, Bellingham on Sunday 28 June 2009 at 3pm.

A consultation on a proposal to establish an ambitious education partnership between Catford High School and top independent school, Colfe’s, started on 24 June 2009 and will run for four weeks.

New Woodlands Special School in Downham has been rated “Outstanding” in every Ofsted category following an inspection in June 2009.

Lewisham Council’s efforts to cut carbon emissions has been recognised at the first annual Green500 and Better Buildings Partnership Awards.

Lewisham residents are invited to a free dog microchipping event in Bellingham on Tuesday 7 July.

On 3 and 4 July, residents can comment on proposals to transform Ladywell Fields and improve the Waterlink Way, at an exhibition in Catford Shopping Centre.

Car owners can now search online for garages that have joined the Motor Industry Code of Practice, following increased concerns about pricing, quality of work and customer service.

To mark Recycling Week, Lewisham is launching three projects that encourage people to recycle more and use less.

Lewisham will be holding its annual Memorial Service, to remember loved ones lost, at Hither Green Crematorium.

Almost 800 Lewisham residents have applied for 31 apprenticeship positions created in the borough as part of Mayor Sir Steve Bullock’s action plan to support the community through the economic downturn.

Some of the key decisions taken at the Mayor and Cabinet meeting including implementation of the London Living Wage, Bromley Road Supplementary Planning Document, Youth Homelessness Strategy and Fostering Statement of Purpose.

A professional fraudster who used bogus documents to claim over £23,000 in housing and council tax benefits from Lewisham Council has been jailed for 38 months, following a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court.

Planters by bus stops in New Cross are now overflowing with aromatic herbs and colourful flowers after volunteers from the local community joined forces with Council and Glendale Grounds Management staff.

With just over four weeks to go, excitement is building as preparations commence to celebrate 25 years of south east London’s largest and longest running free festival - Lewisham’s People Day on 11 July 2009 in Mountsfield Park, Catford.

Because a traditional religious funeral may not suit everyone, Lewisham Council now offers a civil funeral ceremony in which individual beliefs are reflected through words, readings and music.

A preliminary consultation will start on Monday 8 June 2009 for a proposal to establish an education partnership between three secondary schools – Addey and Stanhope, Deptford Green and Crossways Academy.

Lewisham Council is advising residents to be wary about buying hand-rolling tobacco from unregulated sources that may contain chemicals hazardous to peoples' health.

Lewisham Council is inviting the borough’s carers to meet at the Town Hall on Wednesday 10 June to find out about a range of support services available.

Lewisham is piloting a national scheme which aims to safeguard children and young people who are found out on the streets late at night without appropriate supervision.

Some of the key decisions taken at the meeting of the Mayor and Cabinet including parking issues in Lee Green, and school governor appointments.

Decisions included the Council receiving two petitions, agreeing proposed housing rent increases, affirming its commitment to meeting growing demand for school places and considering project funding of over £1 million to counter the effects of the recession.

Lewisham Council and Age Concern Lewisham are advising residents to be wary of buying mobility aids such as mobility scooters, electric chairs and bath aids from businesses that cold-call residents to make appointments.

Lewisham Council has launched a new online directory which gives details of services and activities for children and young people in the borough.

Key decisions taken include approving spending plans for local assemblies, the Positive Activities Fund and Lewisham's waste management; agreeing rises to council rents; and approving plans to respond to the recession.

This weekend is a bank holiday, so many of our services will be closed on Monday 25 May. However, domestic bin collections will go ahead as normal.

There have been delays in completing the works at Grove Park due to unforeseen difficulties installing the new cabling for the traffic lights. These difficulties are being resolved and works are now expected to be complete in mid-July.

A private landlord has been prosecuted by Lewisham Council after the house she owned containing bedsits was found to be failing health and safety regulations.

A groundbreaking initiative, which could see a top independent school join forces with a state secondary school to deliver first class education for pupils, is being considered in Lewisham.

The free cycling map Lewisham Council published in March is proving to be very popular with local residents. Over 1000 maps have already been given out.

On Saturday 9 May, Lewisham will be raising its European flag outside the Town Hall in recognition of Europe Day 2009.

To mark Compost Awareness Week, Lewisham Council is holding a drop-in session at Manor House, Beckenham Place Park on Saturday 9 May, where residents can get advice on composting and pick up one of 100 free compost bins.

On 5 May, the library opens seven days a week with a range of modern facilities. The opening weekend will be celebrated through music, words and a programme of family activities both inside and (weather permitting) outside.

Some of the key decisions taken at the Council meeting, including the Children and Young People's Plan 2009-12, Brockley's green corridors, East London line extension and Fuel Poverty Bill.

Lewisham's residents and organisations are getting involved in events cleaning up pathways and removing overgrown vegetation, graffiti and fly-posting.

From Monday 27 April, Lewisham’s Housing Options Centre in Rosenthal Road moves to a new location at Eros House, Catford. The phone number remains unchanged.

A public consultation to help determine where and when the new Forest Hill Pools will be built is to start on 27 April 2009.

People in Lewisham could be missing out on their right to vote in the upcoming European Elections in June without even knowing it.

Residents in a block of council-owned flats in Perry Vale are to benefit from new insulation as part of an innovative multi-agency partnership coordinated by Lewisham Council and the Green Homes Concierge Service.

Lewisham Council has vowed to get the project to provide a new secondary school in the north of the borough back on track, following a shock decision by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Lewisham Council are asking local people to put forward their views on the new design proposals for the redevelopment of Loampit Vale, in Lewisham town centre.

Decisions made at the meeting include admission arrangements for Lewisham’s community schools, the completion of the Lee stock transfer and the council’s new housing strategy.

To highlight Real Nappy Week (27 April – 3 May), Lewisham Council is hosting two events to encourage parents to buy real rather than disposable nappies.

In a nail-biting Pop Idol-style audition process, Lewisham's Young Mayor, Miguel Gutierrez Astudillo, and his panel of experts, hand picked the best local acts to perform on his stage at Lewisham's Silver Jubilee People's Day 2009.