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Felling notice placed on tree at West House.

Lambeth Council’s Tree Service have been in touch with WERA regarding a ‘felling’ notice, and other work to trees on the estate:

The Tree Service received a request via Lambeth Streetcare from Veolia contractors to attend Weir Estate regarding trees which impede the collection of refuse from the estate. A joint site visit was arranged on a recent collection day so that I could appreciate the tree related problems that the Veolia driver was experiencing in carrying out his task.

The Veolia refuse vehicle is a large purpose built vehicle with an on board hydraulically operated crane which lifts and empties the estates bin pods. The estate roads are narrow and the siting of the bin pods next adjacent to (and under) trees hinders the task of refuse collection. The crane requires significant clearance to safely lift the bin pods from their containers and then position them over the truck for emptying. There were a number of locations where the crane was striking trees; this not only makes the driver’s task more difficult, but could be a hazard if the hydraulic operating cables were damaged and may also damage the actual tree.

There were a number of trees identified as conflicting with refuse collections, these were;

1. Anfield Close – Willow – 3 limbs to be removed, Ash – 1 limb to be removed.

2. Weir House (near Olding House) – Sycamore – 1 stem to be removed.

3. Weir House (near Quennel House) -Birch 1 limb removal, Birch 1 stem removal.

4. West House – Ash removal.

The refuse vehicle crane strikes the tree outside West House; this tree is very close to the structural walls of West House and for that reason has been heavily reduced in the past. When a tree is heavily reduced any regrowth is weak and prone to fail, which leads to constant maintenance and loss of visual amenity. The tree has significant future growth potential and it is prudent to take the opportunity to remove the tree. A new tree will be added to the replanting list and a replacement should be planted at a more suitable location subject to site survey and funding being available. More >

Residents are being advised by Weir Estate Residents Association to take extra care during the sudden change in temperatures which have seen some of the earliest snowfall in other parts of the UK for almost twenty years. Weather forecasters are also predicting snow for the London area at the beginning of the week.

Those living and visiting Weir Estate are advised to take extra care during the cold snap and are issuing general advice and guidance as well as requesting residents to check in on their older and more vulnerable neighbours during the colder weather conditions as they tend to be more at risk and isolated.

As part of the advice being offered, residents are reminded to take extra care should it snow and the subsequent ice, which as last February’s heavy snow showed, estate roads become treacherous and very dangerous.
Sadly Lambeth estate roads are not generally gritted much like the main roads and routes in the area such as Weir Road and the South Circular. More >

Lambeth’s ALMO, Lambeth Living, has halted plans to announce the outcome of months of consultation to its staff at the eleventh hour while details are finalised with Lambeth council chiefs.

Lambeth Living had planned to announce the results of its consultation to staff today [Monday 8/11/10] which would have included the axing up to 70 staff.  However, ALMO management have been forced to shelve the announcement while talks with Lambeth Council get underway.

The council’s housing management firm is seeking to transform the way it serves the residents of Lambeth by pooling services and cutting staff numbers to cut costs. Staff working across the borough were due to be to be told at a meeting being held by Chief Executive, Cathy Deplessis and Lambeth Living’s Directors this week after months of studying what services can be changed and improve its delivery and standards. More >