Minutes of Meeting on 5 October 2004:

CRYSTAL PALACE & NORWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

HELD AT 1ST FLOOR, LORENZO'S RESTAURANT, WESTOW HILL

1. Present

Honorary Chairman - James Slattery-Kavanagh - Quotes

Honorary Secretary - Lucy Smith - MyMatiz.com

Honorary Membership Secretary - Mary Kennedy - The Tanning Shop

Honorary Treasurer - Peter Runacres - Thornton Springer

Honorary Solicitor - Geoff Harding - Bennett Welch

Sharon Parry Baldwin - Town Centre Manager

Peter Boxell - The East London Line Project

John Payne - Crystal Palace Community Association

Martyn Emmens - Amphlett Lissimore

Alice Kearney - Amphlett Lissimore

Lorenzo Nargi - Lorenzos

Kevin Carleton-Reeves - Transport Consultant

Dr Nigel G Harris - The Railway Consultancy

Chris Brody - CBrody.com

Peter Louka

Frank Pons - Tamnag Thai

Mervyn Hing - Silk Route Dry Cleaners

2. Apologies

Frank Lissimore - Amphlett Lissimore

Emma Jayne Sheehan - Amphlett Lissimore

Yemi Dada - Palace Estates

Mark Allen - Allen's Florists of Distinction

3. Minutes of previous meeting

These were proposed by Kevin Carleton-Reeves and seconded by Mary Kennedy.

4. Matters arising

John Payne wanted to know how Ray Hall put forward a proposal for the Crystal Palace site. The Chairman said he had received a CD with images in the post and although he has tried contacting Ray he hasn't been able to get any more up-to-date information.

5. Guest Speaker - Peter Boxell, Head of Communications, East London Line Project

The project is owned by the Strategic Rail Authority but this is to be disbanded and the project will be transferred to Transport for London on 12th November. Ken Livingstone wants to carry forward Phase 1 of the project (Dalston Junction to West Croydon) by 2010 or earlier. There is no funding for Phase 2 of the project yet. Phase 2 (Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction and Highbury and Islington to Dalston Junction) would create orbital journeys which would relieve pressure from London Bridge and the more central tube stations. There will be four trains an hour from Dalston Junction to Crystal Palace which will augment existing services. Without the Olympic Bid this project would probably have been shelved. The existing track will be closed for up to a year while the project is going ahead. Kevin Carleton-Reeves raised the point about connectivity with the trams. Peter advised members of the Chamber who had contact with people working on the proposals for the trams to get in touch with him. By the 22nd October the proposals for the Tram link will be known. There are also local groups lobbying about connectivity between the trams and other modes of transport. The Tram link will be launched on the 18th October. The Chairman made the point that on the Mayor's transport map of the future Crystal Palace looks isolated even though it connects by train with Tulse Hill and West Norwood. Peter said the East London Line Extension has all the land it needs and is ready to start the project. If anyone has any comments then he welcomed people to contact him directly. People who are interested in getting the latest news on the project should visit http://www.ellp.co.uk/ and register for email bulletins. Peter Boxell can be contacted on 020 7941 7422.

6. Chairman's Review

6.1 Westow Street/Hill Junction

Norwood Area Committee had the junction on their agenda and there was a presentation by Martin Sachs. The proposal circulated with the last Chamber minutes was raised at the meeting by James and will also go out with the minutes of their meeting. It has been presented to Lambeth Council and Croydon highways division. Ian Simm (Director of Planning) will come to the next Chamber meeting in November and also the UNIT meeting on 27th October. Sharon Baldwin said there is a feeling that the Council is more responsive to change on the one-way system than it had been previously. The Chairman said that although the Chamber is working hard to make changes to this particular junction it is not necessarily an accreditation of the one-way system.

6.2 Membership and Finances

The Chairman welcomed Mervyn Hing to the Chamber. Mervyn runs his own dry cleaning business. The difficulties he has experienced so far have been the increases in his business rates. He is appealing these. The Chairman mentioned that a speaker came to talk about business rates a few months back. A note of this talk was included in the minutes which can be found on the Chamber's web site. The Chairman also welcomed Moira Bailey of Moira Bailey Associates as a new member.

6.3 Member's Directory / Diary

A membership list will be taken and put in a diary. The Chairman will send out a mailshot and see if members will make a pledge to take 10 or so diaries. If there is no interest in this then the diary idea will be shelved.

6.4 Doug Barnes Memorial Fund

The Chairman would like to see the Chamber raise some money to mark Doug's Chairmanship of the Chamber and the work he did for local organisations. Possible choices are a silver disc in the pavement or suitable trappings of the Chamber of Commerce. If we can't do anything with the money collected it will have to go to charity, or indeed if a surplus is collected. Members agreed that they would like to know what it is that is proposed and how much it would cost. Sharon said planning permission would need to be obtained for a disc and it would not be difficult. Peter Runacres suggested the Chairman get in touch with Pat Ryan (Croydon Councillor and friend of Doug) to see if he could help or make suggestions.

6.5 Post Office Closure

The Post Office in Westow Hill is moving and relocating to opposite Morrisons where the newsagents is. It will close on Monday 11th October and the new one will be opened on Friday 15th October. There are complaints about the bad postal service and also the loss of the Post Office for four days and the effect on business. Croydon tried to stop the closure but to no avail.

6.6 Christmas Lights

A letter went out from Croydon Council asking for £110 each from local businesses without Sharon's knowledge. It was decided in late Summer that Christmas lights were a non essential service and were cut from the budget. Sharon secured some refurbished lights and has negotiated a better price from a local contractor, however, it is up to local businesses to finance them. The CPCA might host a raffle to raise the money. The traders could sponsor it by giving a free meal. The local residents' association can get involved. Sharon is also looking at bigger sponsors and is confident the money could be raised. The council will not be able to pay for lights in the future. The lights will be up on the 15th November and the 27th November has been earmarked for some kind of event. There are 33 lamp columns around the triangle, so it will be a cross borough initiative. She pointed out that lights are an important aspect of Christmas trading and will help to increase trade. Penge and Anerley will not have lights this year, so Crystal Palace will stand out and it will help to make the place so lively. Frank mentioned that Tamnag Thai would be happy to give some backing to the Christmas lights this year.

7. Any Other Business

7.1 Street Trees

A letter from Lambeth had been received to say there is £0.5m for street trees in the borough. The initial one way system had trees in the proposals but they weren't planted. Westow Hill will be considered for trees.

7.2 Library

Sharon said that the back of the library has problems of bad parking, is derelict and looking scruffy. Lambeth will turn it into a car park by financing the tarmac. This facility will be for residents and also for evening trade.

7.3 Bins and Gum Removal

Croydon have introduced some wheelie bins for glass waste. The chewing gum machine will be going round again.

Date of next meeting: Tuesday 2 November 2004 at 7pm, Lorenzo's Restaurant (First Tuesday in the Month)