Tuesday 14 May 2013
News & features published on 14 May 2013
New data shows how response times will rise if Southwark Fire Station shuts
Residents and businesses in Cathedrals ward face an average extra wait of one minute 38 seconds for a fire engine to arrive if plans to shut Southwark Fire Station get the go-ahead.
Planning inspector vetoes redevelopment of fire brigade HQ on Albert Embankment
A planning inspector has rejected an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for the redevelopment of the former London Fire Brigade headquarters on Albert Embankment.
Community choirs to perform Tippett's A Child of Our Time
Hundreds of members of community choirs from Lambeth and Southwark will perform at a concert of works by Michael Tippett and Gustav Holst - both former directors of music at Morley College - at the Royal Festival Hall this summer.
Simon Hughes opens new dementia unit at Tower Bridge Care Home
Simon Hughes MP has performed the official opening ceremony for a new 16-bed specialist dementia unit in the Tower Bridge Care Home at Bricklayers Arms.
Forum discussions active on 14 May 2013
Tweets on 14 May 2013
Tuesday recap: today's news, tweets and forum topics http://t.co/s3uqzeC8lQ
"I am tasked by the Mayor to be his eyes and ears in this consultation" says @jamescleverly
"These are Boris Johnson's cuts" stresses @fionatwycross. Reveals Boris was briefly in same room as fire cuts meeting
Commissioner Ron Dobson admits that budget is "significant factor" in the proposals he's making - therefore not entirely risk-driven
Several people have said they are now more worried about the fire cuts than when they arrived at the consultation meeting.
James Cleverly not really able to explain why Southwark Fire Station has been chosen for closure.
Cllr David Noakes asks for specific explanation of why Southwark Fire Station is being earmarked for closure.
Simon Hughes MP on fire cuts: "I'm not willing to support proposals that mean increased attendance times for any of my constituents"
Simon Hughes says fire brigade has prevented his house from being burnt down three times in past 30 years
Hisses from the public gallery when Brian Coleman's name is mentioned at fire cuts meeting!
Adrian White - safety officer for a local university - highlights important of fire prevention work in student halls of residence
Now @ValShawcross and @jamescleverly having public spat as to whether fire plans are risk-based or finance-based
Just spotted that Simon Hughes has a printout of an @SE1 website article in front of him as background reading for fire cuts meeting
Bit awkward that Cllr @Livingstone_RJ is criticising fire brigade for entering PFI agreements that Labour's @ValShawcross initiated!
markwilliams84 Disgraceful to rule out Lakanal fatalities as a 'blip', totally unacceptable and disrespectful. I am speechless.
Now @Livingstone_RJ wants stats for first three fire engines to attend incidents as 3 appliances is min response to high rise buildings
Fire commissioner Ron Dobson struggling to answer question about fire stats. Seemed to imply Lakanal deaths distorted the figures unfairly!
Southwark firefighter Ryan Osbourne questions official fire stats. Says proposed cuts are "foolhardy and dangerous"
Robert Groom from @PeabodyLDN tells fire brigade "We need you to be providing the service we want"
Cllr @markwilliams84: "Do you think all this is worth it for a penny a day off my council tax?"
Cllr @markwilliams84 - cllr for Lakanal - gets big applause for opposing cut of one fire engine at Peckham fire station
Simon Hughes getting a tough time at public meeting for voting for coalition cuts. @jamescleverly says "political to and fro" inappropriate
Cllr Bowman argues that simple response time target is too simplistic - need more complex targets based on risk factors
Cathy Bowman of @swklibdems says there's a link between social deprivation and the number of fires. Plan "doesn't work for inner London"
Next up: @ValShawcross AM on LFB stats on av response times - "I don't want an average fire engine, I want a real one"
Commissioner says Shard has best fire safety protection in the world, thanks to involvement of LFB during design + build phases
Fire commissioner Ron Dobson says there's no evidence that increased population or population density leads to more fires
Significant applause for Southwark Council leader @Peterjohn6's questions to fire cuts meeting
Southwark Council leader says that Shard is major terrorist target - questions closure of nearest fire station.
First question is from Richard Rees of Walworth re Lakanal inquest. Next is @peterjohn6 asking re rationale for LFB central London treatment
"London has some of the fastest fire response times in the world" + will remain so despite cuts - @jamescleverly
"We have a necessity and opportunity" to make changes that save money + protect safety, says @jamescleverly. Says proposals "well balanced"
."We know that seconds count" when fighting fires, says @fionatwycross. Next up: Tory @jamescleverly (fire authority chair)
Twycross says Nunhead, Chaucer and Cathedrals wards will see response times increase by about 1m30s
Boris "shouldn't be politicising the fire service" says @fionatwycross - argues he's making officers justify his cuts
Now @fionatwycross (Lab) gets applause when she says she doesn't agree with "uncessessary" fire stn closures & firefighter redundancies.
Dobson says that in past decade, population of Southwark has grown 12 per cent but fires are down by 56 per cent
Boris is giving a speech up in London's Living Room at top of City Hall. Unfortunately we can hear it in the chamber during fire cuts mtg.
Commissioner Ron Dobson says @London_Fire Brigade deals with more road traffic collisions than fires these days
Ron Dobson explaining that fire brigade is getting less money from both Central Government and City Hall (council tax) over the next few yrs
Roughly 150 people at the fire cuts meeting at City Hall
Ron Dobson is explaining that the corporate view of the fire authority is against the cuts but that @MayorofLondon used power to override
Ron Dobson - @londonfire commissioner - is going to give a presentation on the draft London Safety Plan
The fire cuts consultation is being chaired by deputy assistant commissioner Tom George. Top table includes @jamescleverly + @fionatwycross
Roughly 100 people at fire cuts consultation so far - inc staff, cllrs, authority members etc. More still arriving.
Better turnout at Southwark fire cuts consultation than other boroughs - but high proportion of those present are cllrs & 'usual suspects'
Southwark fire cuts consultation meeting has been moved to the Chamber at City Hall instead of the basement committee rooms
Tonight: public meeting at City Hall re cuts to London Fire Brigade inc closure of Southwark Fire Station http://t.co/37UyttAtIl
Just published - New data shows how response times will rise if Southwark Fire Station shuts http://t.co/RB8CgCuxxt
Just published - Victory for locals and blow for fire brigade as planning inspector rejects Albert Embankment appeal http://t.co/YYskvnNvb2
Just published - @AChoirofOurTime: Lambeth & Southwark choirs to perform Tippett's A Child of Our Time at RFH http://t.co/utlBvCMbLz
Just published - Simon Hughes opens new dementia unit at Tower Bridge Care Home http://t.co/FweFGkUelX
@PropertySLB What's the event for/about? and where?
Confused by #supersewer planning process? Planning Inspectorate holding @thamestunnel drop-in at City Hall till 2pm today
Forgotten Images of Tower Bridge as it Might Have Been http://t.co/QNvVUE5XIZ via @PeteBSW1
Excavations at the Royal Mint @molarchaeology http://t.co/F65XrN3HCO Southwark & Lambeth Archaeological Society lecture tonight
John Constable performs poems + songs from The Southwark Mysteries on a tour of places that inspired this epic work http://t.co/qpJUYT312U
Have your say on the future of the fire service in Southwark tonight at City Hall: http://t.co/Hc0Ytb4Q7H
[Forum] Why are there so few coffee shops in SE1? http://t.co/k93NFY5Pnd
8 Abstract Views of London’s Ever-Changing Skyline by @Paul_Catherall at @oxotowerwharf http://t.co/8KC99cRedi via @FastCoDesign
In praise of ... the village green http://t.co/DrzQ2im102 via @guardian
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