Below is a copy of the Norwood Forum Chair’s report 

This report covers the period from our last AGM held on 16 July 2014 and a very eventful year it has been.

I should like to take this opportunity to thank Lynda Hayward for her unfailing help and attendance at Forum events and committee meetings. Unfortunately, she has decided to step down from the committee and will be greatly missed. I should also like to thank Lesley Duff, our hardworking administrator, who had to step down because of family commitments in Scotland. We had since appointed Tim Stephens as administrator and Georgina Wilson.  

During the year we helped to fund: A summer youth project at Emmanuel Church, The Norwood Pensioners Christmas Party, a Warm and Well event, The Norwood Park Dog Show and Falconry exhibition.

This year the committee decided that the best people to allocate our meagre funds were our members, so we organised a community funding event  in which x no of organisations pitched for 6 pots of £400
Members of the public were then invited to vote for their choice and the following groups were successful : Norwood Community Group  (418 points), Friends of Norwood Park  (338 points), Rommany Road Playing Out  (332 points), Norwood Pensioners Group  (332 points)
Portico Wednesday events  (328 points), And a draw between Emmanuel Youth activities (296 points) and the Norwood Feast (296 points) meant that they each received £200 each.
The other participating groups were so impressive, that it was decided to allocate more funds for the event and a further £100 were Improve UR Self (295 points), 4All Community Choir (278 points),and Woodvale TRA (212 points)

The Forum also had a regular presence at the Norwood Feast and the 4ALL Summer Fair.

Earlier this year we organised a Question Time for all the candidates standing in our parliamentary constituency. It was very well attended occasion at which residents were able to question prospective parliamentary candidates on issues of importance.

Currently we are engaged in a number of major project: the Norwood Road and Tulse Hill Gyratory Project, the formation of a Planning Forum for Norwood, and the introduction of a market at Station Rise.

The Norwood Road Improvements are being funded to the tune of 2 million pounds by TfL . and there is a further sum of 5 million pounds available for the re-design of the Tulse Hill Gyratory.  Lambeth Council in the person of Abu Barkatoolah successfully bid for these sums and exceptionally, were able to  convince TfL that the project should be community driven.  The Norwood Forum and the Tulse Hill Forum will be collaborating on these projects which have been branded as StreetWorks – Norwood2TulseHill. Full details of the project are on our website,  www.norwoodforum.org. The Norwood Forum will be leading on the Norwood Road improvements and the Tulse Hill Forum will lead on the re-design of the one-way-system. We are currently in the process of engaging the community in trying to explore what people would like. The Norwood Road project is scheduled to take two years, and following that the redesign of the Tulse Hill Gyratory will start.

The Norwood Planning Assembly has been set up jointly between the Forum and the Norwood Action Group. The Assembly was launched by our new Member of Parliament, Helen Hayes. A Constitution and Officers were agreed and we are now in negotiation with neighbouring areas over the exact boundaries of the planning area. All of this notwithstanding, the Forum has been exercising its right as a statutory consultee in vetting development within its boundaries and, together with NAG has recorded several objections to unsuitable planning proposals.

You may remember that the forum conducted a survey some months ago to determine what sort of market was needed and where. Tree Shepherd, the organisation that helps start-up businesses, is piloting a once-a-month market starting in September. The venture is crowd funded and if you would like to support the idea, please go to their website
http://treeshepherd.org.uk/twist-popup-market-on-station-rise-tulse-hill/
and promise some money. Every little helps.

You will know that we have Holly Smallman from Picturehouses to talk about progress on the Library/cinema project. We are generally in support of the project and will pursue both parties, the Council and Picturehouses, to proceed as rapidly as possible so that we have a wonderful recreational facility and the return of our town centre library.

Lastly I would like to thank all members of the committee for their hard work and dedication.
We need more people to help improve Norwood. Any volunteers will be welcomed with gratitude.

Noshir Patel
Chair 2014-2015