In this month’s local news: please sign the petition about Siward Road nursery closure, some of our June highlights, Wandsworth Welcomes refugees news, latest on Tooting Lodge and the reason behind Hector’s name change (yes, you have to read to the end for this revelation).
Shock closure of Siward Road special needs nursery
The Conservative councillors are threatening to close the only nursery in Wandsworth for children with complex needs. It has was rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted last year, and provides a necessary service for very young children who can be assessed and then either supported to move into mainstream nurseries or to school providing eduction for children with special needs. It is in Earlsfield and has spaces for 16 children, many of whom would find a larger nursery over-whelming or would not be placed in other nurseries.
Budget cuts have been blamed for the need to reduce spending on early years, however the Council is planning to make over £400,000 more cuts than made necessary from a funding change, and Siward Road nursery costs £205,000 per year. The costs of supporting children with complex needs are substantial and this cut is a false economy.
The Council plan to close the nursery this month, but hadn’t told parents or staff. They were not consulted or involved, or able to make any preparations for next term and are very concerned about the future of their children. The list of alternative provisions made available to Labour councillors is not acceptable as most are not able to meet the needs of the children at Siward Road. This is why the nursery plays an important role in Wandsworth’s early years provision and should be valued rather than closed in a rush.
The full committee paper is here (paras 28 – 31).
To support the current and future parents and the future of school, please sign these two petitions before the Council Meeting on July 11th where the final decision will be made:
Support Dr Rosena Allin-Khan’s petition to Save Siward Road
Save Siward Road petition by a former parent
A great summer in Balham and Tooting
We’ve all been going to lots of training sessions as a new term has begun since our election, and we continue do all we can to be the best councillors and local representatives that we can be for the next four years.
We’ve also enjoyed going to lots of community events. The Iftar during Ramadan at the Tooting Islamic Centre was a highlight, as so many people from the local community were warmly welcomed to the mosque and treated to a wonderful feast and understood more about the significance of the special month 
of Ramadan. The month of fasting is an amazing achievement – especially during the hot summer.
Ritherdon Road street party was bigger and better than ever, and we also enjoyed historic walks on Tooting Common, the open day at Holy Trinity church and a visit up the famous tower which is due to be extensively renovated soon. Ravenstock at Ravenstone School was a lot of fun, and we’ve been to Safer Neighbourhood, and Tooting Bec and Balham Neighbourhood Forum meetings.
The Tooting MAC advisory group annual public meeting was in the new Lido pavilion with a wonderful backdrop of the synchronised swimmers doing a dry land rehearsal behind the speakers. There was news of crime on the common staying relatively low (mainly parking issues), and progress on the Heritage Lottery
project which is in its final third year. So watch out for some more community events, continuing renovation of the Woodfield Pavilion and the acid grassland areas, and some more information boards to go up and reveal aspects of the common to us – recently there has been scything and walks. There was no mention of plans to cut more trees down, but we remain vigilant.
Do let us know if you are having a meeting that we can come to and play an active role in building our community together.
Do follow us on twitter to see ore of what we are doing in the local community: @clare_f, @hectordenfield, @cllrfleur
Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees – some good news
We have had the great news that more families from Syria have been rescued from refugee camps and welcomed to Wandsworth recently, bring the total number of families to 6. Battersea Deanery of Churches have been able to support the offer of 2 flats for future families as well – and more landlords are always very welcomed. The Home Office pays all costs – not the council. This is a far lower number that our neighbouring councils, but it marks a significant speeding up for families coming and we hope there will be many more. It is the least we can do from our position of safety and as a relatively prosporous council for some of the people in the world who need our support most.
The group of individuals and organisations will be marking Donald Trumps visit to the U with a positive message for Wandsworth on the morning on July 13th – email wandsworthwelcomesrefguees@gmail.com if you can join us.
Tooting Lodge – some good news at last!
Avid readers of this newsletter will have followed urging the developer of the Lodge to make the building water tight and stop deteriorating, and then more recently to remove the ugly hoardings. The hoardings are down and a wire fence is up, but we hope that the developer will remove these in due course. We wait to see what use will be made of the building now that it has been restored and we can see this historic building. It is the gate house of a former very large local house.
Congratulations to Hector Denfield!
Congratulations to Hector who got married in June, and he and his wife have combined their formed names into one new name – so Cllr Hector Wakefield has become Cllr Hector Denfield. We wish both a lifetime of happiness together.
Do contact us:
Next surgery on Wednesday 4th July at 10am at the scout hall on the High Road, opposite Du Cane Court.
We’re happy to meet at another time too.
Email us:
cllr.c.fraser@wandsworth.gov.uk
cllr.f.anderson@wandsworth.gov.uk
cllr.h.wakefield@wandsworth.gov.uk