Our AGM was held again at Streatham Vale Sports and Social Club on Wednesday 19th March 2025. We thank the Club for their hospitality and welcome. 26 members attended including our Councillors Danny Adilypour and Sarah Cole. All Committee Reports had been published in the previous issue of ‘Vale Topics’. Copies of those reports can be made available on our website. The Chair, Juliet Mitchell, in opening the meeting, stressed that the Vale needed a strong voice as so many changes were being proposed directly affecting the lives of Vale residents. More details of the AGM can be found here [insert website link].
Minutes of the 2024 AGM were adopted. The Chair supplemented her report by drawing attention to our environmental work. We had opposed the plans for the Homebase site and Eileen Barnes had been one of the few local representatives able to speak at the Lambeth Council meeting. Environmental representatives Eileen Barnes and Mike Morfey reported further on the campaign. Some campaigners had raised funds for a possible judicial review of the decision. But once the Mayor of London had made the decision for the development it was not felt worthwhile to spend further funds.
Another campaign was to get an Article 4 process where proposed conversion of homes to HMO’s would hopefully come to pass in summer 2025. Before this there seems to be a rush of house conversions in the area.
Vale Topics: the printer who had produced this for many years was planning to retire and printing costs for hard copy anywhere else would be much higher. A digital newsletter would be produced. It was imperative for members to supply e-mail addresses. Hard copies could be produced but only in case of real need. There was still a need for Road Stewards. The Treasurer (Nicola Harris) had formally submitted her report, although she could not attend the meeting. All reports were approved.
The Chair thanked the Executive Committee for their work in 2024/25. The SVPOA Executive Committee was elected: Juliet Mitchell; Geoffrey Cox; Nicola Harris; Paul Harris; Tony Mitchell; Mike Morfey; Eileen Barnes; Hazel Armstrong; Samuele Pacini; Amanda Thomson; Angela Shott; and Denise Gilmour.
The following were elected as Officers: Chair, Juliet Mitchell; Vice-Chair, Hazel Armstrong; Secretary, VACANT; Treasurer, Nicola Harris; Chief Road Steward, Geoffrey Cox. Trustees: Juliet Mitchell and Eileen Barnes.
Our Councillors reported on the following matters:
- Proposed introduction of a Controlled Parking Zone. This would be for two hours in the middle of the day. The statutory consultation would run for six weeks and should start in April.
- The Article 4 would come in in August 2025. The legal threshold had been met and the Local Plan would set limits on HMO’s.
- Section 106 money from the Homebase site development should go towards making a new, bigger doctor’s surgery. Hadley are the owners of the site and are responsible for excluding illegal car parking or other dumping etc.
- Lambeth does not have money for more fixed CCTV cameras. There are some mobile speed camera vans, but they are booked for several months.
This is a summary report of the meeting. Fuller minutes can be supplied shortly on request to the Executive Committee.
Hazel Armstrong
Vice-Chair