Chairman's Blog - April 2022
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
We are holding our AGM on Tuesday 26th April at 7.30pm in the hall at Raynes Park Library. Entry is via the side entrance in Aston Road.
It is the first one we have been able to hold since 3rd April 2019 owing to COVID 19 restrictions, so please make a special effort to come and hear what the Association has been doing and give us your views and comments.
There will be a short summary from our police team about their work in our area and then our guest speaker Leonie Cooper, the London Assembly member for Merton and Wandsworth, will be leading discussion on a matter of local interest.
I am pleased to tell you that Jill Truman, our Honorary President, will be present and will oversee the elections of officers for the coming year.
We always welcome fresh blood to help run the Association, whether this is by becoming a road steward, an area coordinator, a committee member or a volunteer to help plan events and outings.
BELLWAY APPLICATION TO BUILD ON THE MEADOWVIEW FIELD
Many objections have been submitted in opposition to Bellway’s plans to build 107 units of accommodation on the former LESSA sports ground.
Their previous application (which strangely has yet to be withdrawn or determined) was strongly opposed by Sport England and the present application has been referred to Sport England as a statutory committee. They have yet to comment but we are very hopeful that they will oppose this scheme.
Merton’s planning committee will not be considering the application until the comment is received, and then the officers have to make a recommendation for approval or rejection. We expect that a large number of residents will want to be present for the planning meeting and we will let you know as soon as we can when this is going to be. The indications are that this will be after the local elections in May.
WARNINGS FROM THE POLICE AND MERTON’S SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD BOARD
The police are reminding everyone to be vigilant about opportunistic thefts arising from the high metal prices caused by the war in Ukraine. These include the theft of catalytic converters from cars and of metal, plant and equipment from buildings and building sites, street furniture and cabling. I would add that there must be an added danger, if petrol and diesel prices keep rising, of siphoning fuel from vehicles.
John Elvidge
