BERMONDSEY VILLAGE ACTION GROUP BVAG INFORMATION OFFICE 14 CRUCIFIXLANE SEI 3JW BVAG.NET Councillor Mark Williams, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, Cabinet Suite, Southwark Council, P.O. Box 64529, London, SE1P 5LX 11 February 2015, By First Class post and email to mark williams@southwark.gov.uk Dear Councillor Williams, In the matter of a Prospective in ser ficial Review = [nah Gober aaallot Rrmeccd in response to your letter of 26 January 2015. I have now had ity to consider your letter carefully with others and to take advice on it. I would say, however, that I am again deeply frustrated that your request cor a sage ly yo arene our al poy oa Neighbourhood application, which was revised ly to accept your imposed ‘Aree A, in November last yeat noting that our application was made as far back as September 2012. Talso note in these regards as follows: (1) On 18* August 2014 the Council made it clear that BVAG “could be capable of being as a Neighbourhood Forum” (paragraphs 21 of Appendix A to the Council Report); (2) On the same date the Council refused to designate BVAG as a Neighbourhood Forum only because the Council maintained that it considered our ‘Area to be inappropriate fr designation a Neighbourhood hres ean (paragraphs 26.25 and 35:3 of Appendix A tothe Report); Be opp Se i penn eer oe hid we tem 0 Area invited tions for asa os, peplcations for designation as a Oe eae aie ten maiiee BYAG oromplly cevet ip for designation as Forum to precisel Area'which the Coundll maintains it considers sctopine be for designation (Area A); (5) Juliet Seymour has confirmed (in an email of 29° January 2015) that the BVAG application is ante aeons oe cmccing As Area A; s0 that © Mien ng Si Come 6 oan sean ‘technical matters, there can Sua ee intelligible reason to designate BVAG as Forum for Cound’ eleced N ‘Neighbourhood Area (Area A).Furthermore, and on the technical matters now referred to by you, T note that you acknowledge that you have already received certain documentation a Constitution and a lit of BVAG Members, However, and and in order to remove any 00m for doubt or prevarication on behalf of the Council, I confirm as follows: (1) The working tile of the proposed Neighbourhood Forum will be “The Extended Bermondsey Village Neighbourhood Forum”; 2) The working titie given to Area A will be the “Extended Bermondsey Village”; (3) The of the proposed Neighbourhood Area is as decided by the Council on 18" Regs lbnieed epraaas “Area K (eopy atached); xs “ (4) You already have the contact details of the proposed Neighbourhood Forum to be eS i. ~ Russell Gray ick arr opr soeieh ul Lane, SE1 3JW, ussell@BVAC net, Further, er Cane ete a can te sp femane Soe Hares matvil oes than to all for fe, Say sprog op Ton cae ee at any lication, I can I will very shortly provide the (1) A revised Constitution recording the Neighbourhood Area for which we seek designation, our commitment to fling our statutory eoponabiites of promoing and aie {luis economic and environmental well-being, of Ne ‘Area, and setting out: i, The name of the Neighbourhood Area (hitherto named by the Council only as “Area A”); fi, Towhom is open; i iuewansthen iv. What happens in the event of termination of membership; and v. the Neighbourhood Forum ia sructured and wil eck @) A Statement which explains fll both: i. How we meet all of conditions contained in section 61(F)(S) and (7) of Te ban ape which the bership, purposes and operation of the mem! pashieed Forum for Area A will therefore reflect the local Sagieioal kine G) An updated list of Members drawn from the wider area (Area A) for which application ‘has now been made. I do note, however, with regard to the amendment of the Constitution that, although it is entirely Se are a mre ial @ pro clin i a genui its governance and its decision-making process and is fit for beyond that it is not for the Council to dictate the terms of a N ass As you are aware, all substantive decisions of the applicant Forum are taken at meeti the whole i complyYou now have agurances that we wil leave absolutly no kone untumed. Accordingly, if there is any further delay in progressing our application upon receipt ofthe above it vet further evidence of a marked relucta reluctance of the Council to fulfil its statutory duties under the Localism Act. This letter therefore formally forewarns you that, in such event, there will be no option open to us but to seek judicial review of the Council in respect of: (2) Any refusal to accede to the applications made for designation of The Extended Forum (Coordinated by BVAG) as a Neighbourhood Forum for the Neighbourhood Area identified as Area A; and/or (2) Any further delay in that regard. Since you have now formally been placed on notice in respect of the above, and in the light of the referred to already, the formal pre-action protocol letter which will be sent in either event will refer to both this letter and all previous correspondence and communications, and seek an accelerated timetable for response accordingly. Papen agate leet cons pie ay tothe taal hee ear ant melee of oes cpus ty bebe eens ‘to the galnisoio ‘and soundness of by Friday 13 Coviounty Isbell need te tks coclly lagat wivion on the pation by Fay, 8 bray. put to a general meeting next week. It will be entirely unacceptable if, after the dozens of Scatngy we howe bane level focontemar ly Seckie pote agrieed of dewassis pa contsive to force another without completely disclosing your hand, and thereby forcing us to incur further unnecessary legal costs. Yours sincerely, Clam,