Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender - February 22nd 2023

Blood Brothers

Become a Community Champion today

After the success of Community Champions during the pandemic, the Council is looking for even more Champions to help our borough stay connected.

Initially set up us as a partnership between the Council and the NHS during COVID-19, Community Champions are an army of volunteers from across the borough recruited to share key information with friends, family and local community networks about health and wellbeing support and local activities.

Champions receive free training, invitations to webinars and are part of a community network via Whatsapp. Participants are sent health and wellbeing advice from the Council and our local NHS to share with friends, family and community networks. There is also the opportunity to share any suggestions and issues at a local level.

Cllr Denise Scott-McDonald, Cabinet Member for Health and Adults’ Social Care, said: “Our inspiring Community Champions have already played a huge role in our borough, from correcting false vaccination messaging on social media to speaking to their neighbours and ensuring they’re up to date on the latest health advice. Having more dedicated people with trusted health advice straight to their mobile phones will help everyone live their healthiest lives and make sure no one is forgotten.”

Local health priorities are always changing, and the Council needs volunteers ready to share the latest information with their community.

If you want to become Community Champion, apply at: royalgreenwich.gov.uk/ community-champions

Holly O'Mahony

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Issue: GW299

Pick of the Week

By Holly O’Mahony

Comedy night at Blackheath Halls

Three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Josie Long is bringing her relatable material to Blackheath Halls for one night only. Known for her rants about everything from politics to mothering, Josie is touring a new show about moving to Scotland and loving the world under difficult circumstances. Her material is known for its relatability, so come and have a laugh with her.

Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, London SE3 9RQ. February 25, 8pm. Admission: £16.50. www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/josie-long-re-enchantment/

Classical fix

It’s the annual festival of creativity and collaboration from performing arts conservatoire Trinity Laban, and to round off their CoLab 2023 programme, musicians are performing at Blackheath Halls and The Queen’s House in Greenwich. The former takes place in the Hearn Recital Room on Friday 24 and promises music and dancing. The latter, on Saturday 25, features a collection of works under the theme ‘Beyond Our World’ and is led by electric violist and conductor Nic Pendlebury. Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, London SE3 9RQ. February 24, 5:30pm. Admission: FREE / tickets required. www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/colab2023-final-night-recital-room/. The Queen’s House, Romney Road, London SE10 9NF. February 25, 2:30pm - 4:30pm. Admission: £8/£5 concessions. www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/ whats-on/event/colab-2023-presentation-beyond-our-world/

Ukrainian opera and ballet stars perform in Bromley

Award-winning opera producer Ellen Kent returns to the Churchill Theatre with one of the most romantic operas of all time, Puccini’s La Bohème. Set in the backstreets of Bohemian Paris, the story follows the ill-fated love affair between the seamstress Mimi and her penniless poet Rodolfo. If its promise of a live brass band, snow effects and an adorable dog aren’t enough to tempt you, then the fact it’s being performed by the Ukrainian Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyiv might prove the clincher to make you book a seat to show your support. Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA. February 19, 7:30pm. Admission: £25+. www.churchilltheatre.co.uk/ Online/tickets-la-bohemebromley-2023

Rock ‘n’ Roll at Greenwich Theatre

The talented students of prestigious drama school Rose Bruford are staging a production of Tom Stoppard’s Prague Uprising-set play Rock ‘n’ Roll, which charts the impacts of the uprising between the 1960s and 90s, splicing this with the freedom fighters’ love of rock music. The production marks a chance to see a classic play by a leading British playwright, performed by fresh faces on a local stage.

Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, London SE10 8ES. February 28March 2, 7pm and additionally at 2pm on March 2. Admission: £11. www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/rock-n-roll/

Lateef Lovejoy is in the house

Comedian (and actor) Lateef Lovejoy comes to Woolwich Works with an hourlong stand-up show of new material. Known for his infectious warmth as a comedian, Lateef’s latest set promises cultural anecdotes, social commentary, bizarre encounters and hot takes on pop culture. Woolwich Works, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 Street, Royal Arsenal, London SE18 6HD. February 23, 8pm. Admission: £6 - £8.50. www.woolwich.works/ events/woolwich-works-in-progress-lateef-lovejoy

A musical… about the menopause

A heart-warming celebration of female friendship and middle age, Menopause The Musical is lifting the lid on a topic which remains taboo, despite affecting most women. Set on a cruise ship and peppered with parody songs about finding a new man, bedroom toys, hot flushes and mood swings, this show promises to be a raucous night out for you and your best girlfriends.

Starring in the current run are X Factor’s Mary Byrne, Copycat’s Jessica Martin, Casualty’s Rebecca Wheatley and West End regular Susie Fenwich. Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA. February 25, 4pm & 7:30pm. Admission: £32.50/concessions available. www.churchilltheatre.co.uk/Online/tickets-menopausethe-musical-2-bromley-2023

Fierce Queens takeover Cutty Sark

Since 2017, Royal Museums Greenwich has marked LGBTQ+ History Month, which spans February, with a monthlong programme of Priderelated events. A highlight is always Fierce Queens, a raucous celebration of LGBTQ+ history, hosted by drag king Adam All and his queen, Apple Derrieres. Ordinarily, the show sees the king and queen of cabaret take over the Queen’s House in Greenwich, but while the museum is undergoing renovations, you’ll find them strutting the boards of Cutty Sark instead, writes Holly O’Mahony…

The 2023 event marks Adam and Apple’s fourth year curating Fierce Queens, which brings together performers and historians for a celebration of queer liberation and LGBTQ+ history. The duo have helped drag cross the threshold into a number of prestigious institutions including English Heritage properties, Historic Royal Palaces, the National Theatre and the Royal Opera House. This year, their show is loosely themed around the 1930s, but its colourful line-up of performers could take you anywhere.

Against the backdrop of sailing masts and a well-stocked bar, look forward to performances from the following…

There’s Charlie George, who in 2019, was crowned LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year. She’s performed standup on the BBC Asian Network, and appeared on Comedy Central in Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains and ITV2’s Stand Up Sketch Show.

Heating things up is award-winning drag king and reigning Mr Boylesque UK, Mark Anthony, who has been honing his craft for the last six years. Meanwhile,

Mimi Sugarpill promises to fuse neoburlesque with classic glamour.

Also performing is Christian Adore, who was described by Them Magazine as a ‘gender-bending Disney prince’ and comes hotly tipped by the Guardian and Evening Standard. They’re known for their improvised songs and raps, so here’s hoping they bring some musical flair. Also on the beats is Grace Savage, known for her blend of alternativepop that’s secured her sets at many of the leading festivals – Glastonbury, Wilderness and Shambala among them – as well as BBC Radio 1 and 6Music.

Crystal Lubricant, who counts Jonathan Ross and the Gay Times among her fans, will also be there, as will poet, performer and playwright Jordan Charles, who TV audiences might remember from his appearances on ITV’s Starstruck with Beverley Knight and as a talent judge on BBC One’s hit show All Together Now.

Professionally-trained Lasana Shabazz can often be found performing in art galleries, theatres, museums and educational spaces. Expect

a performance fusing theatre, dance, spoken word and art.

A highlight for veterans of the LGBTQ+ scene will come from Mark Bunyan, who has been singing ‘gay songs’ all over the world since the 1970s. With the late Brian Kennedy, he co-founded the Pink Singers in 1983, now the oldest LGBTQ+ choir in Europe.

Also appearing on stage in a puff of eco glitter is Oedipussi Rex, selfdescribed as the ‘Beardiest of Drag Barbarians and all around hot mess’.

Last but not least, multi-genre DJ and alternative drag artist MYNXIE is bringing the beats.

Fierce Queens has been co-produced with members of the LGBTQ+ community, who have chosen to use the term ‘queer’ in the description of the event.

Fierce Queens is being held on Cutty Sark, King William Walk, London SE10 9HT. February 24, 7pm - 11pm. Admission: £16/£14 concessions. www.rmg.co.uk/ whats-on/cutty-sark/fierce-queens

EARN WHILE YOU LEARN AND MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.

Become a police officer in London’s Met.

With a starting salary of c.£33.5k.

Ready for a new challenge? Looking for a career that offers a competitive salary from day one, whilst supporting you to build skills for life and make a positive difference? A career in policing could be the answer.

Whether it’s working with local communities, keeping the peace at major events, or patrolling the Thames, being a police officer in the Met means discovering a satisfying career with roles and opportunities as diverse as our Capital.

We’ll help you build on your skills and discover new strengths, while providing the support and training you need to prepare you for policing in London through one of our entry routes, including the opportunity to gain a fully funded degree through our Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship programme.

Meet your local officers at one of our upcoming recruitment events to learn more about the Met, the role, and even get some help with your application.

2-5 March 10am-2pm

Brent Cross Shopping Centre, Prince Charles Drive, Brent Cross, NW4 3FP

16-19 March 12pm-4pm

Ades Cash & Carry, 132 Nathan Way, Thamesmead, SE28 0AU

For more recruitment events, or to speak to a member of the outreach team visit www.met.police.uk/meet-our-recruitment-teams or scan the QR code.

Blood Brothers is back on the road – and it’s coming to the Churchill

Bill Kenwright’s acclaimed production of Willy Russell’s moving musical, Blood Brothers, has hit the road again, and it’s calling in at the Churchill Theatre this week. A timeless story of international pertinence, it follows Mickey and Eddie, two brothers separated by birth but brought together through an unlikely friendship. While their life circumstances drag the brothers to opposite ends of the social spectrum, it’s falling in love with the same woman that leads to fatal consequences. Holly

O’Mahony speaks to long-standing cast member Sean Jones, who plays Mickey in the show, about bringing Blood Brothers to life for the last two decades…

“The thing is, I don’t like singing,” Sean tells me, a little sheepishly. It wouldn’t be too extreme a confession, even for an actor, except for the fact Sean has spent the last 24 years touring on and off with one of the most sentimental musicals ever written. “I’m not even that much of a fan of musicals,” he laughs. Now I’m stumped. How is that even possible, given what he does for a living? “Blood Brothers was the first one that really connected with me as a drama student,” he explains. “But I still get incredibly nervous when I have to sing.”

It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that Sean’s favourite number in the show is not one of his own. Nor is it the people’s choice, ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’, which has transcended the world of the show and infiltrated pop-culture through performances on talent contests and covers played on the radio. “My favourite is ‘Easy Terms’,” he says. “It’s a really beautiful song. When I did the show with Barbara Dickson, I remember her singing it on the first day of rehearsals and the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.”

Sean is full of fond memories from his time with Blood Brothers. Having joined the cast in 1999 as a freshfaced understudy, he was offered the part of Mickey two years later and has played it on and off ever since. It’s his love of his character, Mickey, as opposed to the musical genre, that keeps him coming back. In his own words: “Every time I’ve gone back, I’ve been reinspired and reinvigorated. I’ve loved the part of Mickey since I was about 20 years old.”

While he’s spent most of that time touring around the country, “when [Blood Brothers] was running concurrently on tour and in the West End, you’d get a call saying they’re desperate and you’d find yourself doing a mad dash down to London to do a couple of shows there. I miss those days really,” he says, nostalgically.

This current ‘spring’ tour, which runs from January until April, is Sean’s farewell tour with the show.

He’s already been brought out of ‘retirement’ to play Mickey again once. This time, is he really ready to go? “It’s not like I’m clinging on by my fingernails,” he laughs. “But equally I want to come out on a high, I don’t want to drag it out.”

Still, I point out, audiences will have seen a gradually ageing, or perhaps more mature, portrayal of Mickey over the last 20 years. “Ageism is the last bit of bigotry which is allowed in our industry,” Sean retorts, fairly.

“Who is to say what’s too old? Theatre is all about storytelling. When I run on stage at the beginning, I’m clearly not seven years old. So if I can suspend their belief about being seven I can suspend their disbelief about being 30.”

In a lighter tone, he adds: “Don’t get me wrong, if I start to hobble around the stage on a zimmer frame, I’d realise it’s time to go. [For now], I seem to still be getting away with it as I have a bit of a baby face.”

If anything, Sean is confident he brings more to the role of Mickey now than he did when he was younger.

“Acting is an interpretive art form, so you interpret the text and try to bring a lot of your own experiences to it, and at my age, there’s a lot I can draw on in terms of emotions,” he reasons. “The older you get, the more dark places you’ve been to.”

Sean is not the only veteran in the Blood Brothers company. Both Tim Churchill, who plays Mr Lyons in the show, and Paula Tappenden, who plays Mrs Lyons, have also been with the production for 20 years. “We’re the three proper oldies of the show now.”

As for the new faces joining the cast, “we’ve got to the point now where some of the people in the show saw me in it on school trips!,” he beams, adding that for some, it was seeing the show as a teenager that made them want to go into acting in the first place.

Do they ever struggle to pump as much energy into a script and songs they’ve performed thousands of

times before? “That’s the weighty responsibility of every long-running show… the importance of [giving each performance our all] is always drilled into us. We rely on people to come back and bring their friends or the next generation, so every show has got to deliver,” he says. Plus, “it sounds pretentious, but each audience is like a brand new individual with a different energy, and that fires us.”

As for what keeps the audience coming back, at the crux of Blood Brothers is a storyline that speaks to audiences regardless of their age or background.

“When you boil it down, it’s about family, loss and bonds. People across the globe can resonate with that,” says Sean. Indeed, productions of Blood Brothers have been staged all over, from Qatar to Argentina and Thailand, albeit with altered scripts.

Once the tour ends in April, Sean is looking forward to having a little bit of downtime at his home in North Wales, but it won’t be long before he’s back on stage, performing in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton. “I’ve been doing it for a few years now, so I’m classed as a resident comic,” he says, proudly.

For now though, his attention is solely on making Blood Brothers shine for new and returning audiences alike, but it’s particularly new school audiences Sean hopes to impress. “Nobody wrote a play to be read, it’s meant to be performed,” he explains. “Even a show like Blood Brothers can be as boring as maths if you’re just sat there reading it in the classroom. Then suddenly, when they see it being performed, you see their little lightbulbs go on… that’s lovely.”

Blood Brothers is running at the Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA. February 28 - March 4, performances at 7:30pm and additionally 2:30pm on select dates.

Admission: £25.

www.churchilltheatre.co.uk/Online/ tickets-blood-brothers-bromley-2023

© Jack Merriman

Sister Midnight: communityowned live music venue to open in Lewisham

A female-run live music venue promising the local community a stake in its runnings is set to open in Lewisham by the end of 2023. Sister Midnight is the passion project of Lenny Watson, Sophie Farrell, Lottie Pendlebury, who have been searching for a venue to house the concept since 2021. Taking over a former working men’s club in Catford, The Brookdale Club, the venue will boast a 250-capacity performance space as well as an outdoor yard, rehearsal and recording studios, and a community cafe.

Holly O’Mahony speaks to Lenny Watson, founder of Sister Midnight, to find out more…

Holly O’Mahony: How did Sister Midnight originate? Tell us about your campaign to launch it as a community live music venue.

Lenny Watson: Before we launched our campaign, Sister Midnight was a tiny record shop and basement music venue on Tanners Hill in Deptford, which I’d founded in 2018. I took over the space from a previous record shop where I’d been volunteering for a few years. I was so passionate about how important this space was as a hub for the local community –particularly local creatives – that I decided to take over the lease, and that’s how Sister Midnight was born. I ran that space for two years, but when the pandemic hit we were forced to close permanently. It gave me time to reflect on how I could re-establish Sister Midnight in a way that would be more resilient and sustainable, and that was how I landed on our new co-operative, community-owned model. The whole campaign has grown from that question of how a cultural space can be sustainable in London these days, and still put community and creativity at the forefront of everything.

HOM: Who else is involved with Sister Midnight?

LW: The core team is just three of us: myself, Lottie Pendlebury and Sophie Farrell. We’ve also got about 15 local people who are part of the Community Advisory Committee supporting us

voluntarily on an ad hoc basis.

HOM: What else are you juggling alongside this?

LW: We all have other jobs, although me and Sophie recently took a leap of faith and quit our main jobs to go fully freelance and focus more on Sister Midnight! Lottie is the lead singer of south London band Goat Girl. Last year she was doing Sister Midnight work from a tour bus whilst she was on the road supporting Sam Fender at arenas across the UK, and she’s currently juggling writing an album alongside all the work she does for the campaign. Sophie is a professional videographer and editor, and also a founder of the DJ collective Social Records Society, who she DJs with regularly. I’m a tutor at ICMP (a music university in west London), I run a tiny record Label for fun, and I’m also training as a co-operative practitioner. So we’ve all got plenty of things we’re busy with, but Sister Midnight is our main focus these days.

HOM: Tell us a bit about the journey you’ve been on to find a home for Sister Midnight.

LW: Originally we were trying to buy the freehold of the Ravensbourne Arms on Lewisham High Street. It had been on the market for a number of years, with an asking price of £3M. That turned out to be a lot more than the building was worth,

and the owners just weren’t willing to sell for a fair market price, so we walked away. So many people have shown us a huge amount of generosity by investing in our share offer, and we felt that even if we’d raised the whole £3M, putting everyone’s money toward such significant private gain wasn’t in line with our ethos.

HOM: You’re now opening inside Catford’s Brookdale Club, a former working men’s club. What drew you to this space?

LW: We were introduced to the space through Lewisham Council, which owns the space through a subsidiary company. The building has the potential to accommodate all the plans we had for the Ravensbourne Arms and more!

HOM: The move is still temporary though, isn’t it? How long do you have the lease for?

LW: Lewisham Council has offered us a 10 year lease, with a minimum term of seven years, and peppercorn rent for the entire time, so we won’t pay any rent for the entire length of the lease, which is incredible. In exchange, we have to carry out the renovation works to bring the site back into use. It’s pretty dilapidated, so there will be significant costs attached to this, but it’s still cheaper than renting an equivalent space from a commercial landlord. Eventually, the site will be

redeveloped as part of the Catford Town Centre Regeneration programme, but in the meantime we can use it to establish our community owned venue and start building a track record of delivering on all the cultural and community benefits that we know a space like this can offer. Since we won’t be paying rent, we’ll be aiming to build cash reserves that can help us pursue our ultimate goal of owning a permanent space in the future.

HOM: As well as hosting live music, your plan is to open the venue as a community hub. What sort of activities will you be running during the daytime?

LW: Yes, we’re planning to run a strong community programme as well, which will include things like skills training workshops, reading groups, matinee gigs for parents and young children, supper clubs, and loads more. We’re open to everyone’s ideas on how we can use the space to benefit to as many people as possible, and widen participation in live music and the arts.

HOM: Tell us about the name of your organisation and venue, Sister Midnight. How did you choose it?

LW: It’s actually the name of a song from Iggy Pop’s debut 1977 album, The Idiot. When I first opened the record shop back in 2018, I was flicking through my record

collection, looking for inspiration for a name – and I just loved the sound and the feel of the name Sister Midnight. It turned out to be a fortuitous choice as we’re now a female-led organisation, so we love that the name, whilst also being a familiar pop culture reference for many, evokes ideas of sisterhood; women banding together and working towards a shared goal.

HOM: Ultimately, what do you hope Sister Midnight offers the local community that they didn’t have before?

LW: We’re hoping to offer them the chance to have democratic ownership over an accessible, affordable and inclusive music venue. Amidst an increasingly challenging economic climate that has been slowly dismantling the UK’s grassroots music landscape, we want Sister Midnight to be south London’s answer to a growing movement of community businesses that are creating a blueprint for how cultural institutions can be future-proofed. Music venues can be transformational opportunities for communities when they’re done right, with local people prioritised over profit, and that’s what we want to bring to south London.

Sister Midnight is opening at The Brookdale Club in Catford Centre, London SE6 4JY. For more information, visit: www.sistermidnight.org/

The Royal Arsenal, its Centurions

To find that out in actual fact I think we need to turn to the most ignored institution in Greenwich Borough’s industrial history. That was the one which was the largest manufacturing workplace in Europe - and for many of its activities the largest in the world. But it’s not somewhere we think to look at very often. Activity there was hidden and, like everybody else, I don’t really know what they made there. The more I have looked at it in connection with vehicle manufacture, the more confused I have got.

Talking to friends they have pointed out that some of the vehicles made there were really ‘off road vehicles’. If so that means I have to work out the terms of what vehicles count in this series of articles. I had intended to do railway locomotives -clearly running on rails –separately. But sort of in between there are trams which were run on the roads on rails. I counted them as road vehicles and I will come back to picking up some of the sites they used as garages and so on later.

So what about these ‘off road vehicles? A few years ago was driving round Dorset and I came across one such vehicle which was very clearly on the road and in my way. What was fascinating was that it clearly didn’t have - as most vehicles do – indicator lights at the rear to show if it was going to turn right or left. So standing on the front of the thing was some bloke holding his arm out in the

direction the vehicle was going to go. This also leads me to ask if they have to have MOTs? Or is there some special system by which they get a licence to be on the road? I bet they don’t pay road tax?

This is by way of an illustration of some of the difficulties I am having in writing this article. Anyway if you hadn’t guessed already this manufacturing institution is the Royal Arsenal. I am being totally confused by their website (sorry, Steve. It’s a great website, very good, it’s me that can’t cope. https:// www.royal-arsenal-history.com/) but much more confused by the web site for the Tank Museum and the Imperial War Museum – both of which seem to be written solely for the lads. (What is it about men?) So I emailed the ever helpful Ian Bull to ask him if he knew what vehicles were manufactured in the Arsenal and in what numbers - and not to include all the horse drawn gun carriages which they made in their thousands.

Ian answered: “Although it was heavily involved in armoured fighting vehicle development from World War I onwards the Arsenal didn’t build any vehicles until the early 1950s. It then began to build Centurion tanks and Humber Pig armoured trucks in large numbers, certainly many hundreds... the last vehicles built there were the prototypes of the FV432 armoured personal carrier which, now known as the Bulldog, is still in service.”

Seems pretty definitive so big numbers of road vehicles were made at the Arsenal for various military purposes. I had never heard of the ‘Humber Pig’ - what was that? What does Prof.Google say?

“ .... a heavily-armoured truck used by the British Army from the mid 1950s until the 1990s... an armoured body on a four wheel drive 1-ton Humber truck …. powered by a 6-cylinder Rolls-Royce B60 engine developing 98 hp at 3.850 rpm” and it says “about 1700 were produced at Royal Ordnance Factory in Woolwich.. but – oh - production of the armoured bodies took place at Sankey at Telford or by Royal Ordnance…..and – oh, oh, - “the chassis were produced by Rootes at Maidstone”’. So does that count as ‘made in Greenwich?’

Anyway they were not supposed to be made at all very long - but ‘as the situation worsened in Northern Ireland the vehicles proved ideal ‘…. and the Pigs were modified .. “with extra armour and barricade removers installed”. And why were they called ‘pigs’ –I suppose that’s obvious … “ its bonnet resembled a pig’s snout” and “its driving characteristics were somewhat unrefined”.

By the way, in researching this I came across the 1920s The Rolls Royce Armoured Car, used to transport the Monarch, which was armoured at Woolwich Arsenal, in October 1920.

But there was only one of those.

So that leaves us with the tanks – which Ian says were made ‘in large numbers’. I remain confused though. There were lots of different designs of tank and the on-line accounts of most of them mention Woolwich staff as being in at the design or prototype stage and clearly most were manufactured there, even if it was only one or two.

For instance I find ‘’in the early 20th century, the Royal Arsenal Woolwich began to produce tanks and armoured vehicles. … some of the famous tanks produced by the Arsenal were the Mark I and Mark V tanks, which were used in the Battle of the Somme’.

And ‘With France lost,… the design was revised by Dr Merritt Director at Woolwich Arsenal, based on the combat witnessed in Poland and France’.

And ‘It would not actually be until April 1945 that the first prototype A.41… was actually finished at Woolwich Arsenal. This first vehicle was delivered to the Fighting Vehicle Proving Establishment (F.V.P.E.) at Chertsey, Surrey... and followed shortly by the next two vehicles... the first batch of 100 A.41* tanks made by Royal Ordnance Factory Woolwich.” Ah –that’s the Centurion.

If you want to know details of the Centurions’ early trials and use, as

well as the mechanics down to each nut and bolt you need to look at the Tank Museum Web site https:// tanks-encyclopedia.com/operationsentry-the-first-centurion-trials-1945

It appears that 4,423 Centurion tanks were made between 1946 and 1962. 2,500 of them went off for export . Apparently most were built at Leeds and Elswick. But even so that means that over 2,000 could have been made in Woolwich. Perhaps someone could correct me? If so it is easily the vehicle of which the largest numbers were made in Greenwich Borough – that is if we accept the Centurion as a road vehicle.

Can I also say that I await with interest to see how many people manage to guess that the largest number of vehicles by a local manufacturer is a choice of two from the Royal Arsenal - if they ever think of the Arsenal as making vehicles at all. I think this is a pity because right in our midst was this very, very important manufacturing base.

Can I also say – sorry about the rude things I said about the Arsenal web site. And can I beg people to look at it and support it. The number of people working on the history of the Arsenal is totally disproportionate to its importance Thanks Steve - and everyone -it’s www.royal-arsenal-history.com/

Mary Mills

I asked last week for your guesses as to which road vehicle, made in Greenwich Borough, was in the greatest numbers. I’m looking forward to seeing what you think...

Centurions and Humber Pigs

The industries of Deptford Creek

by Mary Mills

Charlton players visit community football courses

Charlton Athletic full-back Mandela Egbo and Charlton Athletic Women pair Hannah Godfrey and Lois Roche visited Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) holiday courses at the Club’s Training Ground in New Eltham.

Egbo can’t wait to return to first-team action following a long rehabilitation programme following injury.

The 25-year-old right-back, who will make his long-awaited return to full training with his teammates in the week commencing 20 February, visited on Thursday 16 February, one of many days at the venue which saw more than 100 participants attend.

He said: “My rehab’s been free of setbacks which has been good. I’ve been out for three-and-a-half months now and I recently trained with the team for the first time. We’ll see where my fitness is at in the next couple of weeks. I’m looking forward to getting back involved.”

He also praised new men’s first-team manager Dean Holden, who he said “has been very open with us all”.

“He’s been very honest about his past and his family, and I’ve had some good conversations with him about that. I really appreciate how much he’s made me feel involved with the lads even though I’ve been out of training, he said.”

He was full of praise for CACT’s holiday courses, which allow young people to take part in various football-based activities: “It’s

pub L ic N otices

ROYAL BOROUGH OF GREENWICH

The Greenwich (Free Parking Places, Loading Places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping Restrictions) (Amendment No. 90) Order 2023

The Greenwich (Charged For-Parking Places) (Amendment No. 94) Order 2023

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the Royal Borough of Greenwich (hereinafter referred to as “the Council”) has made the above mentioned Orders under sections 6, 45, 46, 49, 124 and Part IV of Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended. The Order will come into operation on 23rd February 2023.

2. The general effect of the Orders would be to:

a) Introduce double yellow line ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions on Ogilby Street, north side, from a point 15 metres east to a point 15 metres west of its junction with Dairy Lane.

b) update the map tiles attached to The Greenwich (Free Parking Places, Loading Places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping Restrictions) Order 2018 and The Greenwich (Charged-For Parking Places) Order 2018 so as to reflect the provisions referred to in sub-paragraph (a).

3. Further information about the Orders may be obtained by emailing parking-design@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.

4. The Orders and other documents giving more detailed particulars of the Orders can be viewed by emailing parking-design@royalgreenwich.gov.uk requesting electronic copies.

5. If any person wishes to question the validity of the Orders or of any of the provisions contained therein on the grounds that they are not within the powers conferred by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, or that any requirement of that Act or of any instrument made under that Act has not been complied with, that person may, within six weeks from the date on which the Orders were made, apply for that purpose to the High Court.

Assistant Director, Transport Communities, Environment and Central Royal Borough of Greenwich

Dated 22nd February 2023

always good to get down when you’ve got a bit of free time after training,” he said. “I’ve come to visit the young boys and girls who are training during the half-term break.

“There’s a lot of great work that CACT put on, taking the kids from 9am-3pm during the week and keeping them entertained and involved. Lots of kids in attendance, lots of football being played and lots of fun being had!”

Roche and Godfrey stopped by on Tuesday 14 February. In recent months, they have also visited a CACT girls tournament and its Extra Time older people’s social group.

Godfrey also took part in a presentation with some of CACT’s young participants at a recent Charlton Athletic Women game against Coventry United.

The CACT courses will return for the Easter holidays at several venues including in New Eltham, with bookings available on cact.gives/courses

„ Main: Charlton Athletic’s Mandela Egbo meets youngsters, and inset: Charlton Athletic Women’s Lois and Hannah also visited the aspiring footballers on CACT’s holiday courses.

ROYAL BOROUGH OF GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984

VARIATION OF CHARGES FOR ON STREET ‘PAY AND DISPLAY’ AND ‘PAY BY PHONE’ PARKING

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, commencing 16th March 2023, the council of the Royal Borough of Greenwich will vary the parking charge for on-street ‘pay and display’ and ‘pay by phone’ parking under the powers conferred by section 46A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended, in accordance with regulation 25 of the Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996.

2. The parking charge for ‘pay and display’ and 'pay by phone' parking will be varied as follows:-

Parking place type: Area / car park: Parking charge period: Current parking charge: New parking charge On-street 'pay and display', 'pay by phone' and 'shared-use' parking places

Greenwich Town Centre (G) (Brand Street outside 3-5, Greenwich South Street opposite 23-27, King George Street opposite 46-50 and outside 98-102, Maidenstone Hill opposite 29, Prior Street opposite 22, Roan Street outside 92, Royal Place opposite 14-16, Straightsmouth opposite 88, West Grove Only)

Per hour £0.90 £3.20

5. Further information about the Orders may be obtained by emailing parking-design@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Assistant Director, Transport Communities, Environment and Central Royal Borough of Greenwich

Dated 22nd February 2023

To place a notice, please call: 020 7232 1639

Royal Borough of Greenwich

Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (AS AMENDED)

Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure)(England) Order 2015 Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (AS AMENDED) Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 (AS AMENDED)

Notice is hereby given that application(s) have been made to The Royal Borough of Greenwich in respect of the under mentioned premises/sites. You can see the submissions and any plans at http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/planning.

If development proposals affect Conservation Areas and/or Statutorily Listed Buildings under the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Area) Act 1990 (As Amended) this will be shown within the item below.

Anyone who wishes to comment on these applications should be made in writing to Development Planning within 21 days of the date of this notice.

Please quote the appropriate reference number.

Date: 22/02/2023

Victoria Geoghegan

Assistant Director - Planning and Building Control

List of Press Advertisements - 22/02/2023

Publicity for Planning Applications

Applicant: Ms Sarah Connaughton London and Quadrant Housing Trust 22/4201/F

Site Address: 19 HEATHFIELD TERRACE, PLUMSTEAD, SE18 2NN

Development: Replacement of front elevation windows with timber double-glazed sash window and replacement of the rear and side windows with double glazed Upvc windows, with associated external alterations.

Conservation Area: PLUMSTEAD COMMON

Applicant: Mr & Mrs Carvalho 22/4302/HD

Site Address: 2 DURHAM RISE, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON, SE18 7TE

Development: Construction of part one, part two storey rear extension (Amended description).

Conservation Area: adjacent to Plumstead Common

Applicant: P & B London Ltd P & B London Ltd 23/0051/F

Site Address: 2A BARNARD CLOSE, LONDON, SE18 6JQ

Development: Erection of roof extension to create an additional storey resulting in a three-storey building and associated external works. Internal alterations to allow for the change of use of first floor level from Office (Use Class E(g)(i)) to residential (Use Class C3) to accommodate 4no. studio flats across first and second floor level.

Conservation Area: Woolwich Conservation Area

Applicant: Hyde Housing 23/0144/F

Site Address: 79 CONGREVE ROAD, ELTHAM, LONDON, SE9 1LW

Development: Replacement of existing roof tiles with new to westland grey Slate tiles to 79 Congreve Road London SE9 1LW.

Conservation Area: PROGRESS ESTATE

Applicant: Mr Sab Doel 23/0219/HD

Site Address: 68 OLD DOVER ROAD, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 8SY

Development: Construction of a 2 storey side and rear wrap around extension

Conservation Area: SUN IN THE SANDS

Applicant: PLK Chicken UK Ltd 23/0383/F

Site Address: 47 - 49 POWIS STREET, LONDON, SE18 6HZ

Development: Installation of extract ducting and plant with associated external alterations

Conservation Area: Woolwich Conservation Area

Applicant: Mr Russell Holliday 23/0420/HD

Site Address: 87 WESTCOMBE PARK ROAD, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 7QS

Development: Construction of a basement and ground floor extension with internal reconfiguration to the ground and first floors including the installation of new lightwells.

Conservation Area: WESTCOMBE PARK

Applicant: Miss Fabiana Pierre Silva 23/0441/HD

Site Address: 23 KINLET ROAD, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON, SE18 3BZ

Development: Conversion of existing garage to a utility room and WC, including replacement of six windows to side and rear elevations, installation of new windows to rear, part replacement of the roof garage and replacement of existing wood deck patio with brick floor.

Conservation Area: SHREWSBURY PARK ESTATE

Applicant: Ms Oakley 23/0509/HD

Site Address: 24 MORDEN ROAD MEWS, LONDON, SE3 0AE

Development: Construction of an additional storey containing two bedrooms and a bathroom and associated works.

Notice of Intended disposal of Allotment land at the rear of Halsbrook Road Charlton London SE3

Notice is hereby given that Royal Borough of Greenwich, in exercise of their powers under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) intends to grant a 999 years’ lease of the following pieces of land: at Halsbrook Road Charlton London SE3 (in total measuring approximately 2,703 square metres).

The plan showing the pieces of land at rear of Halsbrook Road Charlton London SE3 may be inspected online, at Royal Borough of Greenwich, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London SE18 6HQ -during normal office hours, or by requesting a copy of the same by sending an email to Linda Harris, Property Manager at Linda.Harris@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Any objections to the intended disposal must be made either in writing and addressed to Linda Harris MSc, MRICS Assoc. Corporate Property Manager, Regeneration and Property, Directorate of Regeneration Enterprise and Skills, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London SE18 6HQ. or by email at Linda.Harris@royalgreenwich.gov.uk stating the reasons for such objections, by no later than 8 March 2023.

20 February 2023

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)

WEST PARK SE9 PLANNED DIRECTIONAL ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by National Grid who need to carry out remedial works.

2. The Order will come into operation on 14th March 2023 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However, the works are expected to take 2 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from, exiting, proceeding, or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading), on to Sidcup Road from West Park.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via West Park, Mottingham Road, Court Road and Sidcup Road. Prohibitions remain in force; pedestrians are not affected, and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Interim Assistant Director, Transport and Sustainability.

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated 16/02/23

(INTERNAL REF: PL/503/LA448288)

Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH PARK

Applicant: Mr Hall 23/0514/HD

Site Address: 58 ASHBURNHAM GROVE, GREENWICH, LONDON, SE10 8UJ

Development: Replacement of existing single glazed box sash windows with new double glazed timber box sash windows.

Conservation Area: ASHBURNHAM TRIANGLE

Publicity for Listed Building Consent

Applicant: Ms Louise Rogers 22/4171/L

Site Address: 2 FOXES DALE, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 9BA

Development: Demolition of existing single-storey rear extension; reinstatement of rear elevation including timber framed replacement rear windows and door at ground floor level; removal of stud wall and reinstatement of concertina doors between living room and study; other associated alterations. (This application affects the Grade II Listed 2-6 Foxes Dale in the Blackheath Park Conservation Area)

Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH PARK

Listed Building: Grade 2

Applicant: Thames Water 23/0280/L

Site Address: PUMPING STATION GATE HOUSE, 101 GREENWICH HIGH ROAD, LONDON, SE10 8JL

Development: Installation of a new ventilation system including removal of disused fan and external ducting unit and installation of louvres two windows.

Listed Building: Grade 2

Applicant: Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust 23/0303/L

Site Address: CHARLTON ASSEMBLY ROOMS, 54-56 THE VILLAGE, CHARLTON, LONDON, SE7 8UD

Development: To replace stolen lead covering to Charlton Assembly Rooms cupola dome and base, and associated flashings with Ubiflex lead alternative, following second theft in less than three years, together with associated roof repairs.

Conservation Area: CHARLTON VILLAGE

Listed Building: Grade 2

Applicant: Thames Tideway East 23/0343/L

Site Address: Pumping Station Gate House, 101 Greenwich High Road, London SE10 9JL

Development: The reopening of an existing but blocked doorway and installing a fire escape route/corridor within the East Beam Engine House (EBEH) to function as a fire escape route.

Listed Building: Grade 2

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A VARIATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 34 OF THE LICENSING ACT 2003

Notice is given that Mr Shiraz Kamawal has applied for the Variation of a Premises Licence for the following premises: HAYATT LEBANESE

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)

[Rennets Wood Road] PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Thames Water who need to carry out Water main repair.

2. The Order will come into operation on 6th March 2023 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take 5 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading) Rennets Wood Road outside number 54.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via Crown Woods Way, Bexley Road and vice versa. Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Assistant Director, Transport

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated 17th February 2023

(INTERNAL REF: PL/461/LA443726

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT

1984 – SECTION 14(1) [Hinstock Road]

PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Thames Water who need to carry out Water Main repair.

2. The Order will come into operation on 6th March 2023 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take 5 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading) in Hinstock Road outside number 8. As well as the temporary removal of the No Entry and one way Prohibitions.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via Plum Lane, Rowton Road and Admaston Road. Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Assistant Director, Transport

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated 17th February 2023

(INTERNAL REF: PL/466/LA444228)

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) [Millennium Way]

PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich makes this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Riverlinx who need to carry out speed limit reduction.

2. The Order will come into operation on 27th February 2023 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take one year. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit speed on Millennium Way and Edmund Halley Way to 20mph.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation, other prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Assistant Director, Transport

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated 17th February 2023

(INTERNAL REF: PL/496/LA448578)

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) [Rockmount Road] PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Thames Water who need to carry out water main repair.

2. The Order will come into operation on 1st March 2023 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take one week. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading) in, Rockmount Road outside number 79.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via Wickham Lane, Plumstead High Street and vice versa Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Assistant Director, Transport

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated 17th February 2023

(INTERNAL REF: PL/465/LA444178)

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) [Timbercroft Lane] PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Thames Water who need to carry out water main repair.

2. The Order will come into operation on 8th March 2023 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take 7 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading) in, Timbercroft Lane at the junction of Flaxton Road

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via Flaxton Road Alabama Street, Lucknow Street, . Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Assistant Director, Transport

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated 17th February 2023

(INTERNAL REF: PL/477/LA444764)

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)

[Millennium Way North Bound]

PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich makes this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Riverlinx who need to carry out Pilling works.

2. The Order will come into operation on 27th February 2023 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take one month with a further 3 closures to last 2 days each for the Bridge Installation. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading) in, Millennium Way Northbound between Edmund Halley Way and Car Park 1 entrance.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via John Harrison Way, West Parkside and Edmund Halley Way. Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Assistant Director, Transport

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

Dated 17th February 2023

(INTERNAL REF: PL/495/LA448563)

Protecting frontline services and helping the most vulnerable are at the heart of our new budget proposals for the year ahead

The Council’s budget proposal for 2023/2024 will spend money on protecting front line services and investing in key areas that will make a real difference for residents:

• Nearly £1million to continue supporting the most vulnerable with the cost of living crisis through Greenwich Supports

• £1.8million for waste services and keeping streets and town centres clean

• Nearly £1million for our transport network

• £1million for our parks and open spaces

• £500,000 new hardship fund for council tenants

This is in addition to our commitment to building more council homes, providing free lunches for school children during the holidays, and investing in our town centres.

Cllr Ivis Williams, Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Social Value, said: “The Government has been slashing our funding year after year, leaving us to do more with less, as well as battling inflation. Since 2010, our borough alone has absorbed £150 million in real-term cuts.

“We can only provide vital services over the next year by increasing council tax, and some fees and charges for specific services, to generate an additional £8million - so we’re proposing to raise our element of council tax by £1.99 per week, based on a Band D property. This includes the amount given to the Greater London Authority to pay for police and transport across London, but our council tax rates would still be lower than neighbouring Bexley.”

Cllr Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: “Government funding is based out of date formulas and old data about our population. Residents in Royal Greenwich deserves more funding than we are getting. That’s why I’ve written to the Prime Minister to call for fairer funding, and I’m asking residents to join me by co-signing my letter.

“We estimate that we will need an additional £32.5million by 2026/27 to keep our vital local services running. In that time the population will only grow further, demand will only increase, pressure will only mount. There is only so much we can ask of taxpayers. We’re beyond stretched now, and we risk reaching breaking point without responsible funding from the Government.”

The Council’s proposed Annual Budget 2023/2024 is due to be adopted by Full Council on 23 February. Read the full proposal: royalgreenwich.gov.uk/proposed-annualbudget

Sign the Leader’s letter to the Prime Minister royalgreenwich.gov.uk/funding-forgreenwich

If you are worried about the proposed increase, you can find information on our council tax support scheme and other help with the cost of living at royalgreenwich. gov.uk/greenwich-supports