Your guide to council services | October 2016
Greener, cleaner
camden.gov.uk
Everything you need to know about rubbish and recycling @camdentalking
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Inside
22-23 The Camden magazine is distributed free to all homes in Camden to give you information about our services. It is printed on paper that is 50% recycled and 50% from sustainable sources.
Digital edition Go to camden.gov.uk/ camden to access our digital magazine 2 | Camden | October 2016
Earn while you learn with an apprenticeship
Website: camden.gov.uk Email: camdenmagazine@camden.gov.uk Twitter: @camdentalking Communications team Camden Council Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, WC1H 9JE
Distribution from 6 October 2016 Published by Camden Council Editorial, advertising and distribution: 020 7974 5717 Costs 15 pence a copy to produce. Cover image: Ronya Galka
You can receive your copy of the Camden magazine in large print, on audio tape or in another language by phoning 020 7974 5717.
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6-8
News in brief
Camden children’s centres Celebrating parents event Torrington Place and Tavistock Place consultation Council tax reduction scheme consultation Free flu jabs Your views on dog ownership
Apply now for a secondary school place
9
Feature
10-11
Protect yourself from scams
14-15
Cover story
Recycling in Camden
16-17 Feature
How to access council services online Impact of the Housing Act in Camden
30
18-19 Feature
Help with your mental health
24-25 Feature
Camden’s financial challenge
Discover the winners of Camden in bloom
28
Feature
Stop smoking this October 3
Welcome
to the October edition of the Camden magazine With this in mind, we’ve been improving schools and children’s centres throughout Camden through our Community Investment Programme (pages 12 and 13). We’ve already invested £58 million, with more to come, and our programme of work includes providing new schools and nurseries, as well as improving facilities at existing schools.
Councillor Sarah Hayward Leader of the Council
A
s you may already know, the funding that we receive from Central Government, which we use to provide essential services, has been heavily cut over recent years (pages 24 and 25). Although this means that we have to make savings, we’re determined to maintain services for our residents, and make sure that we support the most vulnerable people in our borough.
4 | Camden | October 2016
It’s also in the context of Government cuts that we have been making changes to our rubbish and recycling services. We need to save £5 million a year from these services, so we’ve focused on things that are really important and also save money, like improving recycling rates. We’re also introducing new technology, which will make our rubbish and recycling collections more efficient. You can read about our new waste contract on page 24, and get information on how to recycle more on pages 14 and 15. We continue to oppose plans for the proposed High Speed 2 railway, because of the decades of disruption it will bring to our borough, but we are nevertheless working hard to secure the best deal for Camden if the scheme goes ahead. In September, we appeared before the House of Lords Select
Committee to press the case for fairer compensation for Camden residents affected by the plans, for the comprehensive redevelopment of Euston station, and for HS2 Ltd to do more to remove lorries from our roads. At the time of writing, we’re waiting to find out whether the Committee has agreed to these requests, but before the Select Committee appearance we had already secured many agreements, including money for community projects and support for people who would be affected by the works. Get the full picture on HS2 on pages 26 and 27. Finally, 10 October is World Mental Health Day. One in four of us will experience a mental health problem at some point in our lives, and it’s really important that we feel that we can ask for help in the same way that we would when we feel physically unwell. There’s a range of places to go for help with mental health in Camden – you can find out more about them on pages 16 and 17. I hope that you find this, and the other information in this edition of the magazine, useful. As always, you can also access a digital version of the magazine at camden.gov.uk/camden.
Camden schools
Camden students celebrate another impressive set of GCSE results
Abdul Khan was among the high achievers at GCSE this year
Learn, achieve and aspire at our secondary schools Camden has some of the best secondary schools in the country – don’t miss your place and apply now, before the 31 October deadline. Our schools help young people from all backgrounds to succeed. GCSE and A-level results in Camden are consistently above the national average, and some of our schools are regularly named in the top 100 of secondary schools nationally. Destinations of Camden students this year included Oxford and Cambridge universities, other top universities, as well as highlevel vocational courses and apprenticeships – including aerospace engineering. Our schools also enjoy strong links with world-class institutions, such as the Francis Crick Institute, the British Museum and Central Saint Martins college of art and design
– something few other areas of the country can offer. Apply online now if you are looking for a secondary school place for your child starting in September 2017. Please make sure you get your application in well before the deadline of midnight on Monday 31 October. You can name up to six schools in preference order on your application. Use all six preferences to increase your chances of being offered a school of your choice. Many of our schools’ open events have now taken place but you can find out more about each school on our website or the schools’ websites. Sixth form open events are also taking place in November. See listings on our website for details.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/admissions
Camden secondary schools • Acland Burghley – community, mixed • Camden School for Girls – voluntary aided, girls (mixed sixth form) • Hampstead – community, mixed • Haverstock – community, mixed • La Sainte Union – Catholic, mixed • Maria Fidelis – Catholic, girls • Parliament Hill – community, girls • Regent High – community, mixed • UCL Academy – academy, mixed • William Ellis – voluntary aided, boys
For more on good work going on at our schools, read the interview with local schools champion Madeleine Holt on page 31. 5
News in brief Pregnant or have a child under five? From the moment you know you’re expecting a baby, children’s centres are here to support you and your child’s early development. Camden Sure Start supports families with children under the age of five. We can advise you about your child’s healthy development, how to help your child learn and be ready for school, and support you to cope with some of the challenges of being a parent. Our staff can help you find a free early education and childcare place
and we offer free drop-in ‘stay and play’ sessions. We also provide housing, employment and benefits advice, and can help you find training or job opportunities. We can help you with all the information and advice you need to bring up your child – come and talk to us. There is more information about our Sure Start programme on page 17.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/camdensurestart
Activate now
and get exclusive offers and discounts from local shops and restaurants!
Join at: camden.gov.uk/recyclingrewards 6 | Camden | October 2016
Answers from page 14: 1: c, 2: b, 3: a, 4: a, 5: d
News in brief
Last chance to have your say
Free event to celebrate parents and carers Parents, carers and their children are invited to attend the annual Celebrating Parents family fun and information extravaganza at Haverstock School. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Healthy Minds and Healthy Lives’. Attractions on the day will include dance, arts and crafts, bouncy castles, table tennis, football, a climbing wall, face-painting, a smoothie bike, a ‘real museum’ with objects to handle, environmentthemed activities, as well as soft play and storytelling in the early years room.
The event is organised and run by Camden Parent Council, parent volunteers and young people. More than 1,000 parents and their children came last year. Come along from 2 to 5pm on Saturday 22 October, at Haverstock School, Chalk Farm NW3 2BQ.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/parentcouncil
Torrington Place and Tavistock Place Consultation on the traffic trial closes on 21 October. Since November last year we have temporarily changed traffic along the Torrington Place / Tavistock Place route. We want your views on whether these changes should be made permanent, or whether the street layout should go back to how it was before the trial. If the layout is made permanent, further changes will be made, including wider pavements, stepped cycle lanes, more cycle parking facilities and, where possible, the planting of new trees. There is a drop-in session at Camden Town Hall, Committee
Room 3A, on Wednesday 12 October from 6.30 to 8.30 pm, where you can find out more information and give your views. You can also view a copy of the proposed changes at Holborn and Pancras Square Libraries until 21 October. Complete the consultation online by Friday 21 October, or request a hard copy of the consultation by emailing us at the address below.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/ torringtontavistocktrial torringtontavistocktrial@ camden.gov.uk
The consultation on proposed changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme closes on 17 October. We are consulting on proposals which mean that the poorest people in the borough would not pay council tax. Leader of the Council, Councillor Sarah Hayward, said, “This would mean the Camden residents in most need will receive a higher discount and in many instances a full discount on their council tax payable from 1 April 2017. As well as relieving the burden of council tax on our poorest residents, this proposal will enable us to focus more resources on pursuing other debts.” We currently collect about £1.03 million from customers on maximum discount compared to £120 million for the whole borough. Tell us what you think by completing the survey online by 5pm on Monday 17 October 2016.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/ctrs 7
News in brief
Fight flu October is a great time to protect yourself all winter and flu jabs are free for those at risk of serious illness. Catching flu is miserable for anyone. But flu can be dangerous for certain people, leading to illnesses such as pneumonia, or making existing health problems worse. Flu can even kill. A free flu jab will protect you if you’re at risk of serious illness. Those most at risk are young children, pregnant women, older people and anyone with long-term health problems, for example, breathing difficulties or diabetes.
Flu vaccinations are free for: • children aged two to four (ask your GP) • children in years 1, 2 or 3 (it’s done at school with a nasal spray) • pregnant women (the jab is safe at any time during pregnancy) • people aged 65 and over
• people with a long-term health condition (even if you feel well) • carers. If you’re an adult, ask your local pharmacy or GP for your free flu jab. It’s free because you need it.
Find out more nhs.uk/flujab
Irresponsible dog ownership: what you told us Between May and August this year we consulted about whether we should introduce a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to tackle irresponsible dog owners. More than nine in ten people were in favour of the PSPO, which would allow us to restrict behaviour that has a detrimental effect on people in public spaces. Over eight in ten respondents supported a requirement for dogs to be on the lead in certain areas, while dog fouling was by far the most commonly experienced antisocial behaviour.
8 | Camden | October 2016
We will now take the next steps towards introducing the PSPO.
FOUL! £80 FINE
IF YOU DON’T CLEAR UP YOUR DOG’S MESS.
Foul! It is already an offence not to clean up after your dog. You can be issued with a fine of up to £80 on the spot. You can help by: • Bagging and binning dog mess and disposing of it in any of our on-street bins
Report dog fouling offenders and hotspots camden.gov.uk/cleancamden 020 7974 4444
2449.36 Clean Camden posters for barrows AW v2.indd 3
02/10/2015 09:37
• Reporting dog fouling hot spots • Contacting us to request free biodegradable poop scoop bags • Drawing attention to poop on the streets by spraying it fluorescent pink. Contact us to request a can of pink chalk spray and to arrange collection.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/cleanstreets street.environment@ camden.gov.uk
Feature
Ten tips to protect yourself from scams Scams are schemes to con you out of your money, via post, phone, email, text message or someone on your doorstep. Follow our tips to make sure you don’t get scammed:
Say no to unwanted, uninvited callers. Neither the bank nor the police will ever attend your home to collect cash, PIN numbers, bank cards or chequebooks. Keep personal details safe. Scammers may pretend to be police, bank or enforcement officials on the telephone or on your doorstep. Never give your bank account details to someone you don’t know. Your bank will never ask you for your PIN number or full password.
Be online savvy. Never email your financial information, even if you know the person you are emailing. Be wise to rogue traders. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Never feel pressured to make a decision. Say no, or say you need to take advice first. Be wise to postal scams. No legitimate company will ask for money to claim a prize. Research the credentials of the company. Be certain it is real. Talk to someone you can trust. Tell them if you are suspicious. Report a scam. Help expose the criminals. Know you are not alone. Anyone can be a victim. Report it and get the right support. Get help Advice: Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 03454 04 05 06 camden.gov.uk/ citizensadvice Report a scam: Action Fraud 0300 123 2040 In an emergency: call 999 9
Feature
Housing Act: the potential impact in Camden London is facing an unprecedented housing crisis. Camden is deeply concerned that the Government’s Housing and Planning Act, far from offering solutions, is likely to make it worse. We are still waiting for much of the important detail from Government about how they propose to put their policies into practice. We are concerned the Act will harm our communities. The legislation’s impact could include: • i ncreased rents for council tenants • the possibility that we could be forced to sell higher-value council homes when they become empty
Housing in Camden
Starter Homes
• The median rent is now £475 per week for a two bedroom property
The Act promotes the building of new Starter Homes.
• the average house price is £833,334
• fixed-term tenancies, meaning less stable housing for new council tenants.
• the median household income in the borough is £32,695.
The Leader of the Council, Councillor Sarah Hayward, has written to the Housing Minister, Gavin Barwell, to set out these concerns and request a meeting.
With the current housing crisis, making homes affordable for residents is essential.
You can read about the Housing and Planning Act on the Government’s website. There is also information about the potential impact of the Act in Camden on our website. We are continuing to listen to residents’ views and explain why we oppose different measures in the Act. If you have any comments or questions please email us at the address opposite. 10 | Camden | October 2016
We are building 3,050 new homes as part of our overall Community Investment Programme (CIP), 1,100 of which will be council homes for rent. But we are concerned that the Housing and Planning Act will make it harder for us to deliver genuinely affordable new homes.
• In Camden, Starter Homes will cost £450,000 to buy, which will be unaffordable for all but the highest earning first-time buyers • we estimate that an income of at least £75,000, as well as a large deposit, would be needed to afford this • even with Help to Buy, we estimate that an income of £57,000 could be needed • the proportion of Starter Homes on new developments could be as high as 20%, which would have an impact on the supply of genuinely affordable housing. Starter Homes will not help those most in housing need, which is why we continue to oppose this policy change.
Feature
Pay to stay The Act will mean that rents will increase for some council tenants. • Tenants with a combined household annual income of over £40,000 will have to pay an extra 15p rent for every pound earned over the threshold • for example, a family that earns £5,000 above the £40,000 threshold would pay an extra £750 per year • this extra money will go directly to the Government. We do not agree with the Government that these tenants are high earners and do not think they should be made to pay this new “tax”.
Less stable housing for new council tenants
We may be forced to sell homes
By law, new council tenants will now have shorter fixed-term tenancies, threatening the concept of a secure home for those who need it most.
We will have to pay a levy to Government each year based on the value of council homes when they become empty. Early calculations based on research commissioned by London boroughs indicate that:
• The council granted 817 new tenancies in 2014/15
• we might have to pay around £150 million every year
• if new tenancies continue at similar rates, five years after introduction an estimated 20% of tenants could be on fixed-term tenancies.
• we may be forced to sell up to 300 homes each year to pay this. This would reduce the amount of council housing at a time when demand is rising and people are in housing need.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/housingact legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/22 /enacted housingnews@camden.gov.uk
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Feature
Investing in schools We’ve invested £58 million to improve schools and children’s centres. We’re improving 53 schools and children’s centres across Camden and creating 420 primary school places in the north-west of Camden through CIP. Many children in the borough already have new and improved school buildings. New buildings include those at Netley Primary School and Gospel Oak School nursery, and schools we’ve refurbished include La Sainte Union and Acland Burghley secondary schools.
Edith Neville Primary In Central Somers Town we will be building a new Edith Neville Primary School and St Aloysius Nursery and a new home for Plot 10 community play project. The plans in Central Somers Town also include affordable housing, and improvements to Purchese Street and Polygon Road open spaces.
New facilities at Acland Burghley school
The Community Investment Programme (CIP) is our 15-year plan to invest money in schools, homes and community facilities. Despite cuts to government funding, investment in schools is one of our main priorities.
12 | Camden | October 2016
£58 million has already been invested to improve schools and children’s centres, helping to give children a better environment to learn in, with the aim of improving outcomes for children across the borough.
Parliament Hill and William Ellis The existing buildings at these schools vary in age and condition. In some cases major work is needed to make them suitable for use and to meet current standards.
Feature
Planned new school buildings in central Somers Town
At Parliament Hill, there will be improved science facilities, sports facilities, separate dining facilities and a brand new teaching block. William Ellis will have a new extension for food technology and music, and internal layout changes to provide better teaching and learning spaces. There will also be a purpose-built centre for the shared sixth form and wider LaSWAP community. At the same time, both schools will undergo extensive building repairs, and improvements to their energy efficiency. We plan to start work at the schools by the end of this year.
Kingsgate Primary Work is currently taking place to expand Kingsgate Primary School to create 420 new school places by 2021. Sixty new reception places were provided this September. We’ve recently completed a new STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) classroom at Kingsgate Road to support the expansion of the school. A new school building for early years and infants will open in Liddell Road, West Hampstead in September 2017. The regeneration of this site will also deliver new business space, housing and public open space.
Our new CIP website will launch soon. It’s more user friendly and includes some new features such as an interactive map showing CIP projects across Camden. You can find the new site at our usual web address, and you can also keep up to date on all our CIP projects by signing up to our e-newsletter.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/cip cip@camden.gov.uk
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Feature
Recycle more We want to help our residents and businesses to recycle more, and throw less in their rubbish bin.
Last year we spent £23 million collecting Camden’s rubbish and recycling and cleaning the borough, and an extra £4.5 million disposing of non-recyclable waste. If everyone sorted their rubbish a bit better we could save millions of pounds, which would free up funds for other essential services for our community.
Our new environment services contract starts in April 2017, and is the best option to help us recycle more and save money, while keeping Camden clean. You can help by rethinking your recycling, and making sure you put the right thing in the right bin.
Quick quiz: test your recycling knowledge
camden.gov.uk
Your guide to council services | September 2016
Exam success Camden students celebrate results
1. W hich of these items cannot go in your dry recycling bin?
@camdentalking
A empty tissue box
2. W hich of these items cannot go in your food waste caddy?
facebook.com/LBCamden
2836.5 Camden mag September 2016 final.indd 1
A fruit peelings
B envelope with plastic window
B plastic bags
C crisp packet
C old cheese
25/08/2016 12:49
D Camden magazine
D cooked chicken
We have recently agreed a new contract for the collection of residents’ waste and recycling (see page 24). Weekly
3. How often will food waste be collected in Camden under the new contract?
A
Weekly
4. How often will dry recycling be collected in Camden under the new contract?
5. W hich of these items can go in your dry recycling bin?
A
A chocolate wrapper
14 | Camden | October 2016
Fortnightly B
Fortnightly B
B takeaway coffee cup
Monthly
Never
C
D
Monthly
Monthly Never
C
D
C pizza box with food scraps
D empty milk bottle
How did you do? Answers on page 6.
Camden recycling
Introducing Camden Recycling Rewards
Have you received your Camden Recycling Rewards information pack yet? This envelope is your ticket to earning rewards for recycling in Camden.
How does it work?
retailers. Get Green Points by completing activities like ordering a recycling box. Each month one person who has earned the most Green Points in each of five areas across Camden will win a £30 gift voucher to spend at top retailers such as iTunes,
When you activate your account, we will send you your Camden Recycling Rewards card which gets you discounts at over 50 local
Marks & Spencer, Everyman Cinema and One 4 All. Register online and start earning points today.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/recyclingrewards
Where does my recycling go? Where does my recycling go? 2. Truck arrives at materials recovery facility
1. Collection day
w y-by-Bo
Bromle
ntre
ng Ce Recycli
3. Material tipped into a ‘trommel’ (giant spinning drum). Bottles and cans fall through holes in the drum walls
Recycle all of your paper, card, cans, plastic, cartons and glass together in your wheelie bin or recycling boxes.
camden.gov.uk/recycling
camden.gov.uk/recycling Recycle all of your paper, card, cans, plastic, cartons and glass together in your wheelie bin or recycling boxes.
Recycle all of your paper, card, cans, plastic, cartons and glass together in your wheelie bin or recycling boxes.
camden.gov.uk/re cycling
ice
Your recycling serv
camden.gov.uk/re cycling
camden.gov.uk/recycling camden.gov.uk/recycling
e
Your recycling servic
Your recycling service
6. Glass bottles are crushed into fine sand for paving and road resurfacing, cans become new cans and plastic bottles can become new recycling boxes
5. Sorted recycling sent to manufacturers who turn it into new products
4. Magnets attract and repel steel and aluminium
ALUMINIUM
laser-guided air jets separate plastic bottles
PLASTIC
GLASS GLA
SS
15
Feature Your essential guide to online services You can access most of the Council’s services online. Visit camden.gov.uk where you can also sign up for your Camden Account.
Your Camden Account Save time by signing up for your personalised Camden Account to access key services online with one login: Register for council tax and manage bills Purchase a resident parking permit and save £10, and purchase eVisitor permits Check bin collection days, report a missed collection and order recycling equipment View housing benefit claims, and access tenant and leaseholder services iew local planning activity, comment on V applications and create email alerts Visit camden.gov.uk/camdenaccount to activate your Camden Account. There is also a Camden Account for businesses. Visit business.camden.gov.uk to sign up.
16 | Camden | October 2016
On the Camden website yo services to help you make Keep active and well camden.gov.uk/active • Find your nearest leisure centre • A ccess free and low-cost sport and physical activity sessions • B ook tennis courts or community exercise classes • A pply for Rebalance, our weight management and lifestyle programme at oneyoucamden.org
Your free time camden.gov.uk/leisure • Access library services • Locate nearest wi-fi hotspot • Discover local events and activities on your doorstep at lovecamden.org
Your career and learning camden.gov.uk/education • Discover adult community learning courses • Find apprenticeships for 16 to 24-year-olds • Apply for council jobs at togetherwearecamden.com
Your family
• Search for childcare and neare camden.gov.uk/childcare • Find your local schools at cam • Book registrars appointments certificates at camden.gov.uk • Apply for Blue and Green Bad www.camden.gov.uk/parking • Read advice on private renting camden.gov.uk/housing
Feature
ou’ll find information on a range of the most of your neighbourhood. FITNESS
Green Camden camden.gov.uk/green • Find your nearest park or green space • Check what you can recycle • Get tips to help reduce your environmental impact • Register for cycle training • Report fly tipping, dog fouling, broken street lights and more
16 to 24 -yearapprenti olds ceships
est children’s centres at
mden.gov.uk/schools and order copies of k/registrars dges at gpermits and social housing at
Democracy camden.gov.uk/democracy • Register to vote at gov.uk/register-to-vote • Find out who your local councillors are • Have your say on council issues through consultations • Watch council meetings • Explore Open Data Camden for information we collect about the borough
Your community • Find out about volunteering opportunities camden.gov.uk/volunteering • Search for local community organisations camden.gov.uk/community • Apply to the Community Festivals Fund at camden.gov.uk/festivalfund or a Play Street at camden.gov.uk/playstreet • Learn how to support your community in an emergency at camden.gov.uk/emergencies • Read about our community safety services and support available at camden.gov.uk/communitysafety
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Feature
It’s OK to not be OK 10 October is World Mental Health Day. Find out where in Camden you can get help with your mental health. One in four of us will have a mental health problem at some point in our lives. When we’re physically sick, we reach out for help from our family and friends, the pharmacy or our GP. In the same way, when we’re feeling stressed, worried, depressed or anxious, we need to look for support. A good place to start is your GP. But if you don’t feel like talking to your GP, there are other ways to get help in Camden.
Free, confidential help iCope offers help to adults with stress, worry, depression or insomnia. You’ll learn ways to help yourself so that you feel more able to cope. You can contact iCope directly, if you’re registered with a Camden GP.
Find out more icope.nhs.uk/contact-us 020 3317 5600 18 | Camden | October 2016
Staff at the Hive in Swiss Cottage
Help to get a job
A safe place to hang out
Do you want support to keep working or get back into work? Mental Health Working helps people who have mental health conditions get ready for work, find a job and keep it. It can include one-to-one support sessions with an employment advisor, training workshops, online help and more.
Axis @ the Hive offers help to young people aged 16 to 24 who want emotional support and a safe and welcoming place to relax, as well as advice and support about local services, a chance to meet new people and take part in activities.
Karen*, 23, wanted support in starting a new career. She also had anxiety and depression. She met with a personal employment advisor, who helped her apply for jobs and prepare for interviews, as well as guiding her towards work skills and confidence training. As a result, she has been offered a new job and says she is “over the moon”.
Find out more t winingenterprise.org.uk camden@twiningenterprise.org.uk 020 8840 8833
Olivia first started visiting the Hive, in Swiss Cottage, as a place to chill out. She said: “I came here during my exams. It was just a nice way to get away and relax.” Olivia is now part of the youth board, a group of young people who meet regularly to make decisions on how the Hive can serve other young people better.
Find out more catch-22.org.uk/services/axis-thehive axis@catch-22.org.uk 020 3198 0521
Feature
Support for parents at children’s centres
Mental health and wellbeing hub The Camden Hub offers six to eight weeks of targeted mental health support, free of charge. It is open to anyone over 18 who lives in Camden. You can contact them directly or ask your GP or an organisation you’re already in contact with to refer you to the service. After an assessment, you’ll work closely with a member of staff to find the type of support that works for you, like music and dance classes or mindfulness courses. Every week, the centre will help you track your progress and come up with different support if what you’re doing isn’t working for you. Carol* attended the eight-week programme and was given support and encouragement to improve her work skills and enrol in a yoga
class, as well as being referred to parenting classes to help her better manage her children’s behaviour.
Find out more camdenhub.org.uk contact@camdenhub.org.uk 020 7278 4437
Support for parents at children’s centres If you’re pregnant or a parent with a child under five and you’re feeling low, anxious or lonely, there’s help at our children’s centres. Drop by and let staff know. They’ll be able to help. There’s free one-to-one support as well as activities for you and your child. You can meet other parents, get help to find a job, receive money, advice and more.
Aisha*, a Camden mother of a child under three, had postnatal depression. Her partner was also feeling stressed and they were struggling to cope with family life. Regular family support helped the couple to gain confidence as parents. They also started attending free ‘stay and play’ dropins at their local children’s centre, where they met other families and had fun. Another local parent said: “I think this service is especially important for mums. I was very depressed and felt helpless, but now I’m happy and I know I have support from everyone.”
Find out more camden.gov.uk/camdensurestart
*Names have been changed. 19
Feature
Know you’re not alone It’s never too late to seek help for domestic abuse. Rosa* was 69 when she separated from her husband. For the past 35 years she had faced continual verbal, emotional and physical abuse. On one occasion he attacked her with a pair of shears, trying to kill her. This was one of the few incidents that Rosa reported to the police. However, after being told by her family that to get divorced at her age was shameful, she withdrew the allegation. Her husband also physically abused their two severely disabled sons. They all lived in fear. After witnessing an instance of abuse, our Adult Social Care team contacted Camden Safety Net, our support service for individuals and families who have been affected by domestic violence and abuse. Rosa was assigned a case worker from Camden Safety Net. She gradually confided in her case worker about the extent of the abuse and how she feared for both her own and her children’s safety. Finally, with support, Rosa found the courage to leave her husband and the abusive situation. Rosa says: “If Camden Safety Net had not intervened, my children and I would have continued to endure abuse from him in silence. I feel sad that we are no longer 20 | Camden | October 2016
If someone is stopping you from contacting your family and friends, you may feel isolated or trapped – but there is help and support available
Feature Familial abuse Domestic abuse by family members also remains prevalent but widely underreported. The person suffering abuse is likely to feel a natural need to protect a family member, especially if it is their child. The abuser will often use this sense of loyalty to control and coerce the person into doing what they are asking, giving them money for example, or to stop them from reporting the abuse.
Talk to us
If someone is controlling access to your money, or manipulating you into giving them access to it, these are forms of financial abuse
together, but at the same time I feel relieved that my children and I no longer have to live in fear of violence and constant verbal abuse.”
Getting help Cases such as Rosa’s, where the abuse has been going on for a long time, perhaps over 30 or 40 years of marriage, are sadly not uncommon. Over a long period of time the abuse can become normalised, and so ingrained in someone’s life that they no longer recognise it as abuse. They may feel like they have lived with the situation for so long that there are no other options available, or that they wouldn’t be believed if they told anyone. Controlling behaviour is a central issue within cases of domestic
abuse. Signs of controlling behaviour include: isolating someone from their family and friends, telling them what they can wear, do or say, taking control of their finances (financial abuse) or making them feel reliant on the abuser for support (particularly if one or both partners is disabled or has a long-term illness). Because this abuse usually happens behind closed doors, friends and family often aren’t aware of what’s happening. Someone who is experiencing domestic abuse may also not want to upset their family by telling them what’s going on. This concern is even more acute in certain communities where leaving a spouse is considered shameful to the family.
1 October 2016 marked the International Day of Older Persons, which raises awareness about issues affecting older people, including domestic abuse. Stories like Rosa’s remind people that it’s never too late to get help and support. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, no matter what their age, gender, sexuality or gender identity. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or know someone who is, contact Camden Safety Net and talk to us. We will discuss your options and won’t take any action until you are ready. We can assist you if you aren’t safe at home and connect you with local groups and communities to enable you to build a support network.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/know camdensafetynet@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 2526 *Name has been changed
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Start a great career this autumn Many different apprenticeship opportunities are available for 16 to 24-year-olds across the borough.
Zavura Da N’Dili
22 | Camden | October 2016
Feature If you’ve just left school or college, you may be wondering how to begin building your future. An apprenticeship through one of our partners may be exactly the opportunity you’re looking for – even if you aren’t completely sure what career direction you want to take yet. That’s one of the benefits of an apprenticeship. It gives you a taste of the work world through valuable experience, and can open both short and long-term doors. It also enables you to study for a qualification and earn money at the same time. Our website lists current opportunities for 16 to 24 year-old Camden residents and graduates of Camden schools and colleges, with different employers across the borough. You may be surprised at the wide range of options. Here are some people who’ve recently embarked on new career paths through the apprenticeship programme.
Zavura Da N’Dili – Warner Bros UK TV Zavura Da N’Dili, 22, from Chalk Farm, completed a production apprenticeship with Warner Bros UK TV. Before applying for his apprenticeship, Zav studied media at Westminster Kingsway College, as well as making his own short films. He saw this apprenticeship as the perfect opportunity to develop his creative skills in a professional environment. Zav’s role involved filming and editing content for Warner Bros, scouting talent from across social media sites, developing and
pitching new promotion ideas, and managing Warner Bros content on YouTube and social media sites. On completion of his apprenticeship, Zav began working as a freelance photographer and short film maker for weddings and events. He thoroughly enjoyed his apprenticeship, made some great contacts and used it as a springboard for starting his own business.
Atlanta Taguiang – Camden Council Atlanta Taguiang, 22, from King’s Cross, began a Level 2 business administration apprenticeship in 2014, in the finance department at Camden Council. She started in the role after finishing her A levels at Maria Fidelis School, and was attracted by the high level of responsibility and the opportunity to gain accountancy qualifications. Her job involves assisting the Council in processing payments, supporting customers and
suppliers with their transactions and carrying out a wide range of administrative activities to support the smooth running of financial processes. After completing her initial qualification, Atlanta was kept on to work towards a Level 4 accountancy qualification, equivalent to a foundation degree. Having found her apprenticeship to be a great way of getting her foot on the career ladder, Atlanta has become an inspirational ‘apprentice champion’, visiting young people at schools and local events to promote the benefits of this route into the world of work. London Boroughs Apprenticeship Awards One of our former adult apprentices, Denise Browne, who featured in the June 2015 edition of the Camden magazine, was a runnerup in the category ‘Best progression by an apprentice’ at this year’s London Boroughs Apprenticeships Awards on 16 September. Council repairs manager Kieran Bukowski was a runner-up in the ‘Best manager or mentor’ category. Congratulations to Denise and Kieran.
Atlanta Taguiang
Find out more c amden.gov.uk/apprenticeships 23
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Adapting services as cuts continue Due to the biggest reductions in Central Government funding since the Second World War, we have had to cut £171 million since 2010. We are determined to meet this challenge without slashing the services we all use, and while maintaining support for our most vulnerable residents. This means we have to find new ways of doing things and make sure we spend money more effectively. By adopting digital technology and fundamentally rethinking how we plan our budgets, we are preparing Camden for a future with less money.
Reduce by
£5 million A new waste, recycling and street cleaning contract is coming to Camden
We are changing how we manage our waste, recycling and street cleansing from April 2017. We have to find £5 million a year in savings from environment services. To do this we have taken a completely new approach, focusing on the outcomes we want, like increased recycling rates and keeping Camden clean, so we can target our limited resources more effectively. We are introducing new technology. We’ll have devices in vehicles to track collections and allow drivers to photograph contaminated recycling bins, and help resolve complaints more quickly.
24 | Camden | October 2016
CHALLENGE
A YEAR
This will mean that our collections are more responsive, more effective and save us money too. We’re also introducing an app for your smartphone or computer to allow you to report fly tipping, dirty streets and graffiti straight to the contractor. We are going to use bin sensors to monitor how full bins are, so we can finetune our collections. We’ll keep weekly food and dry recycling collections, and some residents will have their nonrecyclable rubbish collected fortnightly. Boroughs throughout the UK have fortnightly waste collections and, with the right support, this has proven to be an effective way of encouraging people to recycle more. This saves us money and is better for the environment.
Find out more: c amden.gov.uk/wastechallenge
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CHALLENGE
Reduce by
£800,000 A YEAR
Libraries
Libraries are important for our neighbourhoods. Our libraries strategy will keep all of our libraries open despite saving £800,000 from the service. Instead of closing libraries, we are investing the money we do have into creating a modern library service. By the end of this year, you’ll be able to borrow books, book a PC, print, and more through new ‘open access’ technology in five of our libraries. This means that we can maintain opening hours and keep libraries as places for everyone.
Find out more: camden.gov.uk/ futurelibraries
CHALLENGE
Reduce by
Changes to public toilets
£260,000 e
We are looking at ways to keep attended public toilets open, and at providing free-to-use community toilets.
A YEAR
We have been working with local shops, cafes and businesses that want to help the community by allowing people to use their facilities for free. From this autumn, participating businesses will display this sticker in their window. We have listened to your feedback about a new public toilet service. The new service could include shared or mobile cleaning crews, ‘pay to use’ options, advertising and sponsorship opportunities. We need a bit more time to procure the service and expect it to be ready by early 2017. Until the new service is agreed, the public toilets at Camden Town, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Pond Square, South End Green and West End Lane will stay open and free to use.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/publictoilets
You’re welcome to use our toilets
Camden community toilet scheme
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Feature
New agreements secured to reduce HS2’s impact We secured a package of agreements, known as assurances, before our House of Lords Select Committee appearance in September.
These assurances recognise that HS2 Ltd needs to do more to address the proposed High Speed 2 (HS2) railway scheme’s impact on residents, and will help to hold HS2 Ltd to account. They are added to over 100 assurances secured in December 2015 before our appearance at the House of Commons Select Committee.
Reducing construction impacts and supporting residents Assurances we have secured that will reduce the impact of construction on Camden include: • A £3.5 million Camden-wide fund for community projects, on top of existing community and business funds along the length of the HS2 route. • One lane of Adelaide Road will remain open to traffic in both directions during construction. 26 | Camden | October 2016
Previously the whole road would have been closed for four months. • Funding for support workers to help vulnerable people in Camden affected by works. • To reduce the impact on air quality, light construction vehicles (under 3.5 tonnes) will meet a higher efficiency standard. All light vehicles in the London Low Emission Zone will be powered by Euro IV petrol and Euro VI diesel engines by 2020. HS2 Ltd will also set targets for using zero-emission light vehicles. • HS2 Ltd will continue to review the design of Hampstead Road Bridge and consider a wider range of options proposed by Camden Council for the design of the replacement bridge, providing they don’t impact on the safe and economic delivery of the works.
• HS2 Ltd needs to make the case to the Council for any onstreet lorry holding areas in the borough and engage with the Council and local community about options for sites before proposing them. • HS2 Ltd will actively avoid causing damage and disruption to utilities at Ampthill Estate when carrying out work around the estate.
Holding HS2 Ltd to account We have also secured assurances that will help to ensure HS2 Ltd delivers the commitments they have made to reducing construction impacts: • Better two-way community engagement with HS2 Ltd, seeking views from residents and responding to feedback. • Funding for an Environmental Health Officer whose role will
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include liaising with members of the community about how noise, dust and air pollution from HS2 will affect their homes and businesses, and the measures HS2 Ltd is taking to address these. • HS2 Ltd will share data with the Council and the community about construction activity, including air quality, dust and noise monitoring information and the actions taken when trigger levels are breached. • HS2 Ltd agreed to community and local authority representation, from along the length of the HS2 route, on the board that appoints and monitors the independent Construction Commissioner. The Construction Commissioner will deal with complaints unresolved by HS2 Ltd.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/hs2 h ighspeed2@camden.gov.uk
Making the case for Camden We continue to oppose plans for HS2 because it will bring decades of disruption to Camden, but we are committed to securing the best deal for the borough if the scheme goes ahead. At our Select Committee appearance we pressed the case for fairer compensation, the comprehensive redevelopment of Euston Station to integrate with plans for HS2 and Crossrail 2, and for HS2 Ltd to do more to remove lorries from our roads by transporting construction and waste materials by rail. We also asked HS2 Ltd to remove a clause from the HS2 Bill that would give the Government unnecessary powers to compulsory purchase additional land outside of the railway scheme for regeneration purposes. At the time of writing we are waiting to find out if the Committee has agreed to these requests. In the meantime, we’re making sure that work continues, in anticipation of HS2 Ltd being given permission from the Government to start building the railway. HS2 Ltd expects to be given permission in December, at the end of the parliamentary process for the HS2 Bill.
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Feature
Stoptober Would Tuesday recommend Smokefreelife Camden? “Yes, definitely,” she says. “Getting support from somebody who knows what you’re going through is important.”
Stoptober This month is Stoptober, when Camden smokers are urged to follow Tuesday’s example and stub out their last cigarette. Research shows that if you can stop smoking for 28 days, you’re more likely to quit for good.
Tuesday Benfield and her son, James
Many smokers in Camden will be giving up cigarettes this month. If you don’t want to go it alone, you can get help to quit. When she was pregnant, Tuesday Benfield realised she’d have to say goodbye to the party life. She’d been a DJ, travelling to Thailand and Spain, as well as playing local gigs in Camden. It wasn’t just the long, fun nights that had to go. There were the endless cigarettes. Tuesday didn’t want her son anywhere near second hand smoke, and she 28 | Camden | October 2016
wanted to stay healthy for him. Tuesday had tried giving up, but craved cigarettes and felt anxious. “At first, I got stressed out,” she says.
More help Tuesday needed more help to quit. She went to her local pharmacy and started seeing one of Smokefreelife Camden’s stopsmoking advisers. She got nicotine gum to help with her cravings, and plenty of encouragement and tips. “I went for three months. Each week, they’d do a breath test and we could see my lungs were working better. They’d talk to me about taking care of myself.”
And quitting brings huge benefits. Just ask Tuesday. “When I was a smoker, I was lethargic. Now, I can run further and I wake up with energy.” And, as any parent with a young child to look after will tell you, the one thing you need is energy. If you’ve been coughing for three weeks or more, go to your GP. Most coughs aren’t serious but they can be a sign of lung disease, heart disease or cancer. Diseases caught early can be treated more easily.
Find out more smokefreelifecamden.co.uk oneyoucamden.org
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Active for All
Activities accessible to everyone this autumn. You may have been inspired by the amazing achievements of athletes from around the world during last month’s Paralympic Games. In Camden, we support disabled residents all year round with free and low-cost ways to keep fit. So, even if you’re not a world class athlete, there are plenty of ways to get motivated to enjoy the health benefits of sport and physical activity.
Fun and social Our Active for All project offers a variety of activities, including swimming lessons, athletics, wheelchair sports, dance, gym and more. Active for All ‘Hub Clubs’ provide opportunities to get involved in activities in a fun and social environment. Based at the Central YMCA Club and Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre, activities include gym and fitness, plus adapted sports and dance sessions. Simply turn up and join in the sessions. You can come along and try one activity or stay for the full day of events.
Swimming There are a variety of ways you can develop your water confidence. Kentish Town Sports Centre offers junior swimming sessions, adult sociable swimming sessions and adult group swimming lessons.
Shorif Miah taking part in the Panathlon wheelchair football competition
Sports guides There are downloadable guides on our website that list accessible leisure centres and sports clubs in Camden for disabled people, and provide information about getting active in your own time. There are a variety of local sports clubs to join, including the Camden disability football club at Talacre community
sports centre, which offers weekly coaching sessions. Visit our website to find something that works for your lifestyle.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/disabilitysport camden.gov.uk/active active@camden.gov.uk 29
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Our community continues to blossom Camden in bloom 2016 finds great things growing, often in unexpected places. This year’s Camden in bloom business and residential competition has once again been a success, and shown how our residents, businesses and community groups take pride in our borough. Camden in bloom provides residents, businesses and schools with the opportunity to showcase their environmental and growing projects. Their green havens make Camden a more pleasant, cleaner, greener and healthier place to be. This year’s winners in the five business and residential competition categories were announced at an awards ceremony on 22 September. George and Samira Anderson won first place for the best individual garden. George creates compost from kitchen waste and uses it as a natural fertiliser for the whole garden.
30 | Camden | October 2016
Competition judge and Deputy Mayor, Councillor Richard Cotton, third from right, with winners from Highgate Centre.
Highgate Centre Garden Group won first place for the best community environmental project. They transformed derelict space into a garden, just off a very busy main road. The group created a green wall around the garden, make their own pesticides from chilli, garlic, oil and soap, and their own plant food using leaves left to ferment. The group also has plans to renovate another space with a pond. For the 2016 competition, we partnered once again with Project Dirt and were sponsored by OCS, City Suburban Tree Surgeons, the Francis Crick Institute, Indoor Garden Design, Alara Wholefoods Limited, Camden Garden Centre and Veolia. You can get involved with the 2017 competition – look out for updates on our website in the new year.
Find out more camden.gov.uk/camdeninbloom projectdirt.com/camden
Best communal or community garden: 1) Marchmont Community Garden 2) P ioneer House Residents Association 3) Montpelier House
Best individual garden: 1) George and Samira Anderson 2) Barbara McDeson 3) Carolin Shrives
Best community environmental project: 1) Highgate Centre Garden Group 2) Abbey Community Centre 3) LGTA Grow Lissenden! Growing and Environmental Projects
Best business garden: 1) E nglish Folk Dance and Song Society 2) F riends House (London) Hospitality Ltd 3) The George IV Public House
Best balcony (or small patio): 1) Celia Aherne 2) Louise Gillic 3) Marcus Harter
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My Camden Madeleine Holt is the founder of local organisation Meet the Parents. What is your Camden connection?
What makes Camden special?
I have two children at Acland Burghley School, where I am also a governor. I work closely with Camden primary and secondary schools, as well as parents, as part of my social enterprise called Meet the Parents.
The social diversity, though this is under threat from crazy house prices and benefit changes.
We offer primary parents the chance to meet families from local secondary schools at informal forums hosted by the primaries. The parents gain a more realistic picture of those secondary schools, instead of relying on gossip and out-of-date reputations.
Your favourite places in Camden? I find schools endlessly inspiring – primary schools with anarchic art hanging from ceilings, Regent High School’s amazing new building and the dramatic facade of Acland Burghley, with its huge ramp up to the main entrance. The position of Parliament Hill and William Ellis schools on Hampstead Heath is wonderful. After school, you can just spill out onto
Most memorable thing to happen to you in Camden?
one of the oldest bits of woodland in Britain.
Favourite local museum? The Foundling Museum itself is very stimulating. I made a film about it when I was culture correspondent on Newsnight and was very impressed by the way it is geared towards children as museum-goers.
Best park or open space? I particularly like Coram’s Fields, once the grounds of the Foundling Hospital. You can still see the alcove in the perimeter wall where destitute families would give up their children to be looked after as foundlings. Now it is somewhere where children go to have fun, making up for the sadness of centuries past.
What are parents looking for in a school? They value discipline highly and want their children to be challenged, though there are concerns about the increased pressures on students and schools to get good results.
The spectacular laser show for Acland Burghley’s 50th anniversary, which I helped organise. It was launched by actor and local resident Damian Lewis, turning it into a massive national news story and attracting over a thousand people.
What would you change about Camden? Provide more affordable housing to help attract and keep good teachers.
Find out more meettheparents.info camden.gov.uk/admissions 31
Free childcare places for 2 year olds Camden Council is offering eligible 2 year olds free early education and childcare places for up to 15 hours per week (up to 570 hours per year). You may be entitled to free part-time childcare for your 2 year old. Find out more: Visit your local Camden Sure Start Children’s Centre Apply online: camden.gov.uk/twoyearolds Telephone: 020 7974 1679 Email: freeearlyeducation@camden.gov.uk
camden.gov.uk/camdensurestart
32 | Camden | October 2016