Lib Dem Action for Streatham

Published on Sun 30th Apr 2006

Lib Dems secured funds for a brand new ice rink, swimming pool and leisure centre for Streatham

Lib Dems secured an Olympic-sized ice rink as part of a major redevelopment of the Ice Arena - and the new rink will open before the old one closes. There will also be a 25-metre swimming pool, sports hall, fitness centre and community rooms, flats and a new supermarket.

We've fought Ken Livingstone's planned cuts to peak-hour services on the 137 bus route and campaigned for better public transport links, including the reinstatement of original plans for the East London Line's extension to Wimbledon with stops at Streatham and Streatham Common.

Lib Dems Secured £700,000 of council and £590,000 of government funding to regenerate Streatham High Road and "the Dip". We've reduced clutter, enhanced shop fronts and improved the environment for pedestrians and cyclists with new bus shelters and better lighting.

We've invested in two crime-fighting wardens schemes in Streatham - the Streatham Hill Rangers and the St. Leonard's Street Crime Wardens.

Worked with the Lambeth Primary Care Trust to address the shortage of GP provision in Streatham Vale. A new GP surgery is now planned for Woodgate Drive.

We got TfL's experimental bus lane on Streatham Vale removed in response to residents concerns.

Half a million pounds has been invested in Streatham's parks and open spaces, like Hillside Gardens, the Palace Road Nature Gardens, Streatham Common and Streatham Green. What's more, the council's annual parks repair and maintenance budget has been increased from around £225,000 to £640,000 to allow more repair work to be done as it's needed.

Liberal Democrats backed residents objecting to inappropriate over-development in Shrubbery Road, Stanthorpe Road, Lewin Road and on the landmark former William IV site and championed the concerns of Sternhold Avenue residents following Southern Railways construction of a maintenance depot behind their homes.

Successfully campaigned for the reopening of the Eardley Road entrance to Streatham Common Station. Work on the demolition of the existing structure on Eardley Road is now programmed for late April after securing funding from the Seltrans partnership. Last month Lib Dems on the council pledged £300,000 to build a new entrance once that work is complete.

The area committee has spent its devolved budget on environmental improvements like:

• £10,000 on improvements to Adare Walkway

• £21,000 on improvements to Leigham Court Road and the car park

• £20,000 on the Valley Road play area

• £25,000 for works on the Civilian War Memorial and Memorial Gardens

• 30,000 to improve the St. Leonard's churchyard lighting

The Lib Dems are committed to providing more library facilities in Streatham and have increased spending on the book fund. Since 2002 £60,000 has been spent on improvements to libraries in Streatham and both visitor numbers and book issues are up.

We've opened a joint service centre, a one-stop shop for accessing council services - Lambeth Contact, the pilot centre on Streatham High Road, opened last year. A permanent centre in Streatham will open in Gracefield Gardens in 2007.