Waddon November Update

Community litter pick at Purley Way playing fields

Volunteers spent a sunny Saturday afternoon picking up litter and reporting fly-tipping on Purley Way Playing Fields. Many thanks to Saffron, a local community volunteer who helped us lead this as well as Croydon Council for providing equipment and picking up the rubbish afterwards. Would you believe we found a golf club, a front door and hundreds of McDonalds sauce pots amongst the standard littering products!

We are hoping to form a Friends of Purley Way Playing Fields group to help with more litter picking as well as other improvements to this treasured space. Do let us know if you’d like to get involved – calling on residents to take the lead!

New plans for the Wandle Park Café

The old tenant of the Wandle Park Café has now vacated the building, paving the way for new management! We met Council officers and residents on site this month to discuss plans. They told us they want to offer a five-year lease on the property. As part of the contract, the Café should be open 7 days a week from April to September and a minimum of weekends and bank holidays in the winter. There will also be an obligation for the toilets to be open when the café is open and the tenant will be responsible for cleaning the café and the area immediately around it. A community representative will be on the panel to decide who wins the lease. The aim is to open the café as soon as possible, but officers say the latest will be Easter.

If you’re interested in running the café or getting involved, drop us a line!

Our objections to further development on the Old Heathclark site, Stafford Road

Ellily was able to lead on voicing our objections To the Planning Inspector at the Public Enquiry in the appeal by the developer. The inspector was keen to hear our concerns; firstly, the plan isn’t in keeping with the local plan and that the land should be reserved for a school. Secondly that the proposed access will generate intolerable traffic congestion on part of Old School Place, Cooper Road and Cosedge Crescent which are narrow streets and which are heavily parked (and part of which is one way). And finally, that the natural beauty of the area must be preserved, The inspector gave assurances that the representations will be considered in his decision.

Fighting for safe access for all

Broken and uneven pavements, cars parked on pavements especially on narrow pathways block and restrict access to residents with disabilities; wheelchair users, parents and carers with pushchairs, residents with visual impairment and the elderly. Ellily raised this with the Council and asked for a review of the roads and carriageways in Waddon and Croydon and to effect repairs in particular to Waddon and Epsom Road where this has been reported as a problem. We have been assured that these roads are inspected monthly, and action will be taken.

We are also raising questions about the accessibility of Waddon train station which is difficult for those with disabilities or pushchairs to use.

Row’s maiden speech to Waddon

Rowenna was able to give her maiden speech to Full Council, which was basically a love letter to Waddon. You can watch it in full below.

Our council surgeries

We continue to hold our Council surgeries on the first Saturday of every month at St George’s Church, Barrow Road. We are also investigating holding some mobile surgeries in other parts of the ward to be more accessible to residents – we’ll keep you posted about those.

Many thanks to Joy Prince and Mathew Hill for covering for us at our next surgery due this Saturday 5th November. Sadly, we can’t make it as we will be at the annual strategic Labour Group Away Day.

If you would like to raise an issue, please do pop along and see them any time 10am – 11:30am.

Canvassing for the By-Election and Waddon

We continue to canvass regularly for our fantastic by-election candidate Tom Bowell in the Selsdon Vale and Forestdale By-Election. Please do sign up to help on polling day this Thursday 3rd November here: https://events.labour.org.uk/event/363544

Waddon canvassing will resume regularly after the by-election. Exact locations are to be confirmed, but the dates for your diaries are:

• 11th November 5pm, Foss Avenue
• 25th November 5pm, Old School Place
• 10th December 10:30am, Connersville Way

The veteran car run on Sunday

This Sunday 6th November the fantastic London to Brighton veteran car run will be taking place. The wonderful old vehicles will be running under the flyover and along Southbridge Road from about 7:30am-9:30am and anyone can show up and watch. Last year Ellily and Rowenna organised free teas, coffees and sausage rolls for spectators in partnership with St Andrews Church (29B Southbridge Rd, Croydon CR0 1AG) and we’ll be serving you teas and coffees again this Sunday so please do come along and join in the fun.

For more details about the car run, visit their website: https://www.veterancarrun.com

Thanks and best wishes to all for a lovely November,

Rowenna and Ellily

PS For more regular updates from your Waddon Labour councillors, follow us on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/WaddonLabour or on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/waddon.