Watchdog slam Lewisham over hundreds of Freedom of Information requests not being answered – Council bringing in extra staff to deal with older cases

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued an enforcement notice to Lewisham council for failing to respond to hundreds of overdue requests made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000. From the ICO: The council revealed the true extent of its poor performance on information access requests to the ICO, which was much worse than …

Food market: Oh Babe, What would you say? – new parents and carers of young kids choir performing (and plenty more to sing about*)

*Crystals... Bread... (Doctor) Hook and Son... Country Joe and the Fish... Meat Loaf... Herbs Alpert... Thank God it's Jerky Fridays...Red Red Wine... Crystal Palace Food Market: Saturday 1 April 10-3pm Good news for vegan cheese fans.  Palace Culture has found enough stock to do one last market today. Not an April Fools! Next door at Free …

Community / Arts: Creative Mentor volunteers sought in Sydenham (but deadline is Sunday)… Author Graham Whitlock goes Time Travelling…Secrets of the sculptures walk in the park… and Panto is back at the Broadway, Catford with a “modern reworking” of Jack and the Beanstalk – Oh Yes It Is!

Volunteer Creative Mentors Sydenham Arts are seeking expressions of interest to be part of a group of Volunteer Mentors for their Start - Creative Futures Music programme. The programme will match young people with a Mentor, who will meet regularly from mid April 2023 (online or in person) to set goals and targets. Volunteer Mentors will be recruited …

Cold-caller jailed for 34 months after breaching criminal behaviour order… Waste dumped illegally on private land leads to council prosecution…

A trader who cold-called residents has been jailed for 34 months after breaching a criminal behaviour order - and ordered to compensate five victims, four of whom live in Bromley. Bromley Trading Standards investigated complaints in summer 2020 about cold callers offering driveway cleaning. The man falsely claimed to be working at a neighbouring property, …

Community: Railway stations access… “Genuinely and permanently affordable homes for local residents” completed in Sydenham

Dulwich and West Norwood MP Helen Hayes (Labour) has asked a written Commons question on railway stations access: Helen Hayes Shadow Minister (Education) To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Access for All programme; whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits …

Lambeth libraries in April: Not just books – safe havens, domino and chess clubs, workshops etc

We have another programme packed with authors and Easter activities for April. Check out some of the events below or visit your local library, there's more going on at each branch. Library Easter Opening With many Bank Holidays coming up Lambeth Libraries will be closed on the 7, 9 and 10 April. We will be open as …

Opinion: Blocked-off roads – Last chance to have your say on seven so-called ‘Healthy Low traffic Neighbourhood’ schemes – Croydon now claim these “limit the use of motor vehicles on local streets which were not built to handle high volumes of traffic”

Residents and businesses can still have their say on seven Croydon 'Healthy Low Traffic Neighbourhood' schemes before tomorrow's (Friday) deadline. A press release issued by Croydon on the highly controversial issue is more of a whitewash than anything else. Croydon, like other councils, now call LTNs 'Healthy Neighbourhoods.' But if you put lipstick on a …

Rape crisis / Strip searching of children – MPs quiz ministers

Lewisham West and Penge MP Ellie Reeves has quizzed a minister on delays in rape trials - and, along with Dulwich and West Norwood MP Helen Hayes, raised the issue of strip searching of children with another: Ellie Reeves Shadow Minister (Justice) The Rape Crisis report, published yesterday, found that rape survivors are waiting 839 days …

Triangle traffic chaos next week – Church Road shut for four days – and nights – between Anerley Hill and Belvedere Road

There will be traffic chaos around the Crystal Palace Triangle for four days from next Monday - caused by a crane operation. Church Road will be shut between the top of Anerley Hill and the top of Belvedere Road by the Alma pub from 7 am on Monday April 3rd to 6pm on Thursday April …

Community / Arts: London Borough of Culture – get ready for lift off!!! Plus:Easter egg hunt on Central Hill estate… West End stars play park’s Brown and Green cafe…

https://youtu.be/L-81S51m4jk?t=24   Oratorio of Hope, London Borough of Culture Opening Event 7pm, 1 & 2 April | Fairfield Halls, Croydon Tickets from £5.50 There's less than a week to go until Croydon's year as London Borough of Culture launches. We're so proud to be opening the year with Oratorio of Hope - it's one of the biggest …