News and Information from the Tenants Association – March 2015

Those Service Charges   Our rents and service charges are going up from 6 April. As we warned in our last newsletter and at the Tenants Association meeting, Hyde’s service charge increases are outrageous. Residents in some blocks are being asked to pay double! Particularly outrageous are the continuing irrational charges we are being levied for communal electricity (the external and staircase lights), which the TA has been complaining about for over three years now, and new charges for fire safety and legionella (a waterborne disease which can spread from communal water tanks) which have been introduced without any consultation or explanation. And the standard of the cleaning and gardening work carried out on the Estate most certainly does not justify any increase. A number of residents have complained to us about the service charges and it is important that you voice those complaints to Hyde at customerservices@hyde-housing.co.uk or by writing…

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Developing the Harleyford Road and Community Centre site? – new proposals

The Hyde Group has revised its proposals to build on the Harleyford Road/Community Centre site, which we reported in October (see here), and is exhibiting a new version for consultation on 16 March between 6-8 pm.  

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What’s happening to the Oval Gasworks?

Oval and Kennington Development Area Masterplan – Update Feb 2015 The latest information from OAKDA is available on their website  at http://www.oakda.co.uk/   Feedback from the consultations held 0n 29 and 31 January The findings from their social sustainability assessment on the area Key findings from a range of background technical studies can be found here: Oval and Kennington Development Area – February 2015 Exhibition Boards OAKDA February 2015 Exhibition Board Download and there is a questionnaire here: Oval and Kennington Development Area – February 2015 Exhibition Feedback Form  ***************************************************** Goodbye Gasworks! Hello ……..? The world famous Oval Gasworks have been decommissioned and the site is now open for redevelopment. This is generating a lot of interest including news items on the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30405066. Lambeth Council and Berkeley Homes are drawing up a Masterplan for the area, which includes the four Gas Holders, Tescos and its car park, Montford Place, the Beefeater Distillery, Big…

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Local Council Services to be Cut

Lambeth Council Cultural Services are being CUT! Government austerity measures mean that Lambeth Council’s funding has been halved, which means a devastating £90 million service cuts over the next three years. Some of those cuts will come from the budget for our local libraries, parks, sports centres and the arts, and many much valued and used local facilities could be for the chop.   Consultation is taking place with a closing date of 24 April.   The questionnaire is available online at www.lambeth.gov.uk/culture2020consultation and in the Library.   For residents of Kennington Park Estate the proposals particularly mean the loss of all council funding for our nearest library, Durning, and changes to the way Kennington Park is funded and operates.    Durning Library   The Council is proposing to turn Durning into a ‘Community Library’. There is a Campaign against this already underway:       As well as stopping…

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News and Information from the Tenants Association – February 2015

Introduction of warden controlled parking enforcement arrangements As agreed at the last meeting of the TA in November 2014, a formal complaint was submitted to HSH/Hyde on behalf of KPETA about the lack of parking enforcement arrangements on the Estate after more than two years. The TA received a full response from the Hyde London Region Director in which he conceded: ‘I agree that the time taken to review Hyde’s parking policy and complete a successful consultation process has been unreasonably lengthy. In planning this project and considering the extraordinary levels of resident engagement which have been allowed for officers should have been clear on project timescales and cut off dates for key decisions in order that a successful enforcement programme could have been put in place that balanced involvement and progress. In light of this we have decided, as an offer of good will, to provide something of benefit to…

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Meeting 18 February 2015

To tenants and leaseholders of Kennington Park Estate You are invited to attend a Meeting of the Kennington Park Estate Tenants’ Association To be held at 6.30 pm for prompt 7.00 pm start on Wednesday 18 February 2015 at the Kennington Park Estate Community Centre (between Alverstone and Lockwood Houses) All tenants and leaseholders are members of the Association and welcome to attend meetings A G E N D A Welcome and Introductions Apologies for absence Minutes of the last meeting of the Association held on 19 November 2014 here: For approval Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting Housing management and estate management issues. (Reports and queries from tenants and leaseholders for the attention of HSH management) Proposal from Hyde to redevelop the site of the Kennington Park Estate Community Centre: Progress Report Report from TA Executive Committee Progress report on introduction of warden controlled parking enforcement…

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HAVE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION?

The General Election is on 7 May this year and it’s your chance to have your say on who should form the next Government. Without much fanfare, the system for voter registration in the UK has been changed. At the last General Election, one person in every household was responsible for registering everyone else. Under the new regime, each person is required to register to vote individually. Many haven’t yet done so, and hundreds of thousands of people have reportedly fallen off the electoral register – possibly without realising. Could you be one of them? Whether or not you intend on voting for any political party or candidate, the act of registering is an important way of exercising your hard-won right to vote. Register now at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or http://lambeth.gov.uk/elections-and-council/elections/register-to-vote. DO IT TODAY! DO IT NOW!   If you’re not on the Electoral Register before 20 April you will not be…

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