The installation of new pavement on Stonhouse Street has transformed the area next to Clapham Manor Primary School.

Previously a scruffy scene of broken and dangerously uneven slabs, the new pavement uses smaller bricks that are less prone to breaking. The work has been warmly welcomed by local people, including parents and children at the School.

Councillor Haselden, Chair of Governors at Clapham Manor, pictured above, helped campaign for these desparately needed improvements. Now delivered, the pavements have dramatically improved the area.

As councillors we often need to be at two places at the same time, and last night was no exception. Councillor Haselden and I were both keen to attend the Clapham Town Safer Neighbourhood panel where, included in the discussion, was the proposed dispersal zone which would cover from Queenstown Road to Silverthorne Road. The purpose of the zone would be to deal with problems with anti-social behaviour from youths on Queenstown Road. The zone would be introduced at the same time as a similar zone on the Wandsworth Road side and stop the problem simply being transfered to the Lambeth side. Along with the dispersal zone outreach work has been taken place to attempt to encourage these young people to engage in more positive activities.

Additionally the issue of aggressive begging was discussed, with Sgt Nicola Duffy from the Clapham Town Safer Neighbourhood team assuring us that action is being taken to deal with the problem and that they are working with teams in Ferndale Ward and Clapham Common who all share responsibility for parts of the high street. If you have experienced agressive begging yourself you should contact Clapham Town Safer Neighbourhood team to give details as this will help the case against the worse offenders.

We promptly moved on to the Clapham Community Project AGM at St Anne’s Hall in Venn Street.  The project has provided advice for people who live in Lambeth for over twenty years. They are funded by the council as part of the Lambeth Advice Network and are a member of Advice UK. The valuable advice they provide is free of charge, confidential and independent.

They provide advice on consumer, employment and debt matters giving general information and advice to enable clients to take action themselves or by signposting them to the appropriate agencies. They also provide advice on welfare benefits and housing law.

The project last year dealt with over 3,300 enquiries and provides invaluable support to people who otherwise would not know where to turn. The building is also used by a variety of community organisations and I was very interested in a letter of thanks which had been received from Kevin Spacey, artistic director from the Old Vic Theater, thanking them for their support for a education and community project which used their hall for rehersalls.