Its been a difficult year of lockdowns and mixed messages in regards to Covid-19. Businesses and individuals have had to adapt to the changes in the pandemic and hopefully now, we are finally on the road to recovery.

Please click here for the latest update from Blenheim Gardens RMO, for the residents, contactors and surrounding community. Advice is subject to change with new government guidance as is released.

Stay safe!

Dear resident, 

From this month, every household in Lambeth will receive a letter letting people know how they can take part in the census. This is a once-a-decade survey of England and Wales which helps to support policy making, plan public services and inform where billions of pounds are spent, for example, on roads, schools and hospitals.

Each household must fill in the census by law.

If you need help completing your census questionnaire, there is plenty of support available.

Census website

Please visit the census.gov.uk website to find out: 

• More information on the census and why it is important
• Where you can go to complete your census online
• You can request a new 16-digit access code, if required
• You can request an individual form
• You can request a paper form
• You can find guidance in 49 different languages and in British Sign Language 
• You can request information in braille, easy read format and large print

Census telephone helpline

For any questions you have about the census please call: 0800 141 2021

• To complete your census over the telephone
• To request an individual form or a paper form
• Relay UK users dial 18001 followed by the phone number 

Census language helpline

A free translation service is available to help answer your census queries: 0800 587 2021

Lambeth Census Virtual Workshop

A series of virtual workshops on how to complete the census form

Please see below details for up coming Money Champion courses on 22nd, 23rd and 24th of March 2021!

The RMO office will reopen to residents from Monday 15^th March 2021. 

The RMO will be offering appointments only slots each Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 11 am and 2 pm. 

If you require an appointment, please email us at Blenheimgardens@lambeth.gov.uk or telephone us on 020 7926 0158. 

All appointments will need to be booked in advance and you will be required to answer a few questions prior to the appointment being confirmed. 

The RMO is also planning to resume a full operational service from Monday 12^th April 2021.

The above arrangements maybe subject to change and without notice.

The RMO thank you all for your continued support and patience during this difficult period.

Just a reminder that the designated conservation area ballot will close today, Friday 26^th Feb 2021 at 5 pm

The ballot count taking place at a shareholder general meeting which is due to be hosted on Wednesday 17^th March from 6.30 pm. 

The ballot papers will be counted on behalf of the board by Open Communities, an independent company. 

If you have not yet returned your ballot paper as yet, please do so as soon as possible and ensure you have your say over this proposal

Thank you and Stay safe

Have you returned your ballot paper?!

Blenheim Gardens is consulting with estate residents, leaseholders and freeholders on whether the estate should become a designated conservation area. We would like to know whether you are in favour of Blenheim Gardens Estate becoming a designated conservation area and whether you are in favour of us preparing and presenting a Conservation Area Appraisal as well as Management Plan to the Council

The ballot will close at 5 pm on Friday 26th February 2021. 

What is a designated conservation area?

A conservation area is an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which is desirable to preserve or enhance.  Conservation area protection thus extends beyond buildings, to include streets, trees, paths, and views. 

Conservation area designation also introduces some additional controls over the way owners can alter or develop their properties.  This includes:

•             More control over demolition of unlisted buildings

•             More control over works to trees

•             Limitations on the types of advertisements which can be displayed

•              Greater control over the types of alterations which can be carried out without planning permission

Councils are also required to adopt local planning policies and guidance, which pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the area.

Owners of residential properties generally, consider these controls to be beneficial because over time the area is enhanced, and this increases the value of property within it.

The council are planning another Lambeth Made Community meeting in our ward, Brixton Hill, for you to discuss community resilience and safety in the area.

The meeting will be held online from 6pm to 7.30pm on Thursday 28 January 2021 and is YOUR chance to discuss issues affecting Brixton Hill ward including Blenheim Gardens Estate.

If you can, please join the meeting and have your views known.  For further details please click here.

Together, lets make Blenheim Gardens Estate a council priority.

Thank you and stay safe.

Please click here for the latest update on coronavirus and lockdown 3

Ace of Clubs – address: St Alphonsus road, Clapham Common, SW4 7AS – Is opening its doors for the community on Christmas day to offer a FREE TAKEAWAY Christmas dinner between 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm.

All welcome – no questions asked and no judgments.

Blenheim Gardens is pleased to be able to offer a level 3 Business apprenticeship opportunity with one of our contractors. Please click here for further info.

The Friends of the Windmill Gardens will be hosting a winter market and festive bake which includes a Santa’s grotto for children.  The event commences at noon and finishes at 3.30 pm.

The RMO is sponsoring this event.

For estate residents, this event is free of charge but you will need to notify the RMO of your intentions to attend in advance. 

Please let us know if you are intending to attend and we will ensure your details are provided to the friends group.

Please note that if Covid-19 social distancing regulations change, this event may be cancelled. Please check our website, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram accounts for the latest updates.

Please click here for the latest service delivery newsletter update

As you may be aware, there was an incident that took place on the estate last weekend. Please click here for an update from Lambeth council.

Please see below Christmas timetable for refuge collection. In short the only days they are not working are Xmas Day and New Years Day. They will be collecting 1 day later to catch up so Friday’s work will be collected on Saturday, etc.

Please click here for the latest update from Blenheim Gardens RMO on Lockdown 2.

The RMO has been made aware of the use of fireworks on the estate.  We would like to remind residents of the following:

You cannot use fireworks in public places as the law has deemed this as unacceptable. UK law states that you can only set off fireworks in private places, these being locations owned by yourself or locations which have been granted permission by the Council.

Letting off fireworks in a public place where there are children and animals is not only unethical and a reckless behaviour, but also illegal.    The RMO is committed to taking swift and firm actions against any users of fireworks on this estate. 

If you are aware of any users of fireworks on this estate, please contact the RMO in confidence.  Ideally with an address linked to the firework users.  We can only take action against known persons.  

If you are unable to identify any persons  involved, you must contact the Police since such action is illegal. 

Failure to adhere to the law could result in the following:

• Tenancy / Lease action being taken against the tenant of the property – they are responsible for all members of their household including visitors to the estate or its vicinity
• Direct action against the user
• An on-the-spot fine of £90.
• Up to a £5,000 fine and/or
• Up to 3 years imprisonment

We thank you for your anticipated your cooperation.

In anticipation of further lockdown from Thursday 5th November, the RMO is again seeking estate based volunteers to support our Covid-19 response program.  

What are the new restrictions in England?

• People will be told to stay at home except for specific reasons;

• These include work which cannot be done from home, childcare or education, exercise outdoors, medical reasons, essential shopping, providing care for vulnerable people or for volunteering, and visiting members of your support bubble;

• Meeting indoors or in private gardens will not be allowed, but individuals can meet one other person from another household outside in a public place. Children under school age and those dependent on round-the-clock care who are with their parents do not count towards the two-person limit;

• Non-essential retail will close, but can remain open for click-and-collect delivery;

• Pubs, bars, restaurants will have to close, but can still provide takeaway and delivery, excluding takeaway of alcohol;

• Indoor and outdoor leisure facilities, such as gyms and swimming pools, will also close, along with entertainment venues and personal care facilities such as beauty salons;

• Places of worship will close, unless they are being used for funerals, to broadcast acts of worship, individual prayer, formal childcare, or essential services such as blood donation or food banks;

• Construction sites and manufacturing workplaces can remain open;

• Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies will not be able to take place except in exceptional circumstances, and funerals will be limited to a maximum of 30 people;

• Children will still be able to move between homes if their parents are separated;

• Clinically vulnerable people will be asked to be “especially careful” but people will not be asked to resume shielding;

• Overnight stays, staying in a second home, and holidays will not be allowed – including in the UK and abroad – although there are exceptions, such as work trips;

• People will be told to avoid all non-essential travel by private or public transport.

Our response, the aim of the volunteering project is to support those residents within our community who require support for whatever reason during this difficult period.   Such tasks may include:

• Shopping
• Prescription collection
• Cooking meals
• Welfare calling
• Supporting the RMOs food distribution program

The RMO is in the process of writing to all residents who are elderly, self-isolating, ill, sick and or disabled offering advice and support as they require.

We are also introducing a welfare check telephone service from Monday.

If you are able to support the RMOs response program, please get in touch.

Additional information for Lambeth can be found at:

www.lambethlarder.org

If you wish to offer your services more widely, please visit

https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/forms/volunteer-to-help-your-community

We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance and stay safe.

Join the Warm Winter homes session on Friday 6th November 2020 at 10:00AM for free information on how to reduce your energy bills during winter. Click here for more info.

Lambeth will see tough new coronavirus measures imposed from Saturday 17th October as we enter Tier 2 of the Government’s new Covid-19 alert system. To see the new measures please click here.