W E S T B E C K West Beckenham Residents' Association website wbracommittee@yahoo.com

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WBRA
Founded
1945

If you care about the
area you live in
and want to keep the
best of our
local heritage while moving forward into the 21st century
join your
local Residents' Association
still going strong
after 60 years

WBRA Public Meeting provides recycling answers

One spin-off from a very successful WBRA AGM and public meeting in May has been an additional Question and Answer session.

Councillor Smith explained Bromley's recycling to the audience on that night but he also agreed to take away all the questions people had and provide answers.

We will let you see those answers on next month's website.

Newcomers to Beckenham and to our Residents' Association often ask what is it the Association, and in particular the committee, really does. We thought we'd tell you now.

Why do people join a Residents Association?

Many people in our Residents' Association have stayed on as members after getting our support in fighting a local issue. Issues are usually something that particularly affects people where they live or is something they feel passionate about.

Still more local people are members because it is a family tradition.

Of course, our members recognise the fact that the authorities are more likely to take notice of a body of people than a lone, angry voice.

What does a Residents' Association do?

One aspect of the Association's work is to act as a link between the residents and the Council.

WBRA has two public meetings a year when all the meetings and campaigns of the past twelve months are presented to members attending.

One of the annual meetings is a Councillors' Forum. Councillors reprenting the main parties are invited to give presentations to members and/or to answer their questions.

The Residents' Association itself is strictly apolitical.

The Association also offers general information to all residents via this website and a twice-yearly newsletter, The Review, and it takes up issues on behalf of those who are members.

The WBRA committee is made up of Association members who give their time and knowledge on a voluntary basis.

So what are the Residents' Association committee up to in any one year?

Protection of the Parks

Many residents will perhaps not be aware of what is happening to the local parks.

WBRA committee members have been active in both the Crystal Palace Park and the Beckenham Place Park campaigns for some considerable time. Their aim is to halt private developments on public spaces which our members tell us is what they want.

A lot of time is given to attending regular meetings, writing letters, eliciting support etc
/continued in column 2

Asst Police Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur

7 July public talk in Bromley on policing

Bromley Community Engagement Forum's next public meeting and AGM is on Monday 7 July, Great Hall, Bromley Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, at 7pm.

The Forum, on behalf of the community, holds the Safer Bromley Partnership (i.e Police, MPA, Health, Ambulance, Fire, Council, Broomleigh, Probation, Community Links) to account. The focus is on community safety work and ensuring effective community engagement at Borough level.

At this meeting Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur will give a presentation on Central Operations and on how it supports Boroughs, Neighbourhoods and Communities. There will be time for audience questions.

The evening will be introduced by James Cleverly, London Assembly Member for Bromley.

Everyone is welcome to attend. For more information call Amanda Evans on 020 8658 7168 or email: BromleyCEF@aol.com

/continued from column 1

Planning

Residents are often justifiably alarmed by proposed neighbouring developments which will affect their homes.

A current issue is building in gardens and overdevelopment in small spaces generally.

The WBRA committee is fortunate in having amongst it's numbers Planning experience from several different angles.

On a regular basis representation has to be made to the authorities in writing, and then regularly followed up.

Another aspect of WBRA work is following and commenting on the new national planning reforms and we have people with that kind of specialised knowledge.

Transport & Road Safety

The committee collectively monitors the local transport situation, making representation when things could be improved from the point of view of local people.

Keeping people informed

Committee members put together a monthly-updated website and a twice yearly newsletter - a new feature being photographs of Beckenham by the committee's photographer. These comment on local life and issues and give information of local interest as well as reviewing what the Residents' Association is currently doing.

The website also gives us a chance to address issues between meetings. You may like to e-mail us at wbracommittee@yahoo.com.

Police/Crime

The Residents' Association also acts as a link between local people, the Police and crime issues and fears. We currently have five representatives on the Safer Neighbourhood panels.

Beckenham heraldic sign image by Nick Goy. Unless otherwise stated all images on website from www.freedigitalphotos.net
and www.freeimages.co.uk

This site is © R Cavallo 2007-2008
Last updated 01.07.08

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