Resident’s from Weir Estate celebrated taking their estate back this weekend with a ribbon cutting and repossession ceremony, following a year of essential major works to replace run down and rusted windows and doors.

Nearly all one hundred and twenty five properties on the Lambeth Living estate have undergone a huge transformation to replace the old metal windows and wooden doors to new warmer, safer and secure by design double glazed windows and triple locking doors. The work which was carried out by Breyer Group plc on behalf of Lambeth’s ALMO, Lambeth Living have taken just over one year.

This weekend at an event attended by newly elected Streatham Constituency MP, Chuka Umunna residents claimed back control of their estate at a ceremony organised by its pro-active residents association, WERA (Weir Estate Residents Association). The association and local ward councillors who were also present to see the hand over back to residents, battled with Lambeth Living after years of neglected windows and as part of the LHC5 programme. Works to the estate began at the end of 2009 and are on track to finish by the end of this month.

During the cutting of the ribbon ceremony, MP Chuka Umunna paid tribute to the work of WERA and the leadership of the association Chair, Dave McEvoy; who worked closely with both Councillor Peck and Councillor Morris to bring about the transformation, which also saw a coat of paint being applied to all ten blocks. Residents have also benefited from reduced heating costs which had rocketed during the 60 years that the old windows had been in place.
Mr Umunna went on to declare the estate ‘unleashed’ back into the control of those who live on Weir Estate.

Dave McEvoy, Chair of WERA spoke of his delight at residents getting their estate back “This event was to mark the end of a difficult year for residents who have put up with a lot of disruption but has brought much needed change to the estate as a whole as well as many benefits to those living on Weir Estate. We are delighted with the work that has taken place after so many years and now residents can look forward to warmer, safer and a better quality of living standards.”

The event was also attended by Lambeth Living Major Works Officers, Joseph Ajala, Senior Programme Manager and Keith Hardy, Major Works Manager, who have overseen the works to Weir Estate as well as Bryer Group’s Divisional Manager Carol Bailey, Resident Liaison Manager, Clinton Samuels as well as the site staff who have worked on the estate delivering the works. Lambeth Living’s Board Member Alan Bevan also attended to see the outcome of the works.

Local residents celebrated with a glass of champagne and are now able to enjoy a new look Weir Estate.

Lambeth’s most senior police officer, Chief Superintendent Nick Ephgrave (Lambeth Borough Commander) has given high praise of the working relationship between Weir Estate and the officers of Thornton Safer Neighbourhood Team, which has seen massive reductions in crime in Thornton Ward.

Top Lambeth Cop, Chief Superintendent Ephgrave was invited to visit the area by WERA’s Chair, Dave McEvoy, to see for himself the work that has taken place to tackle crime such as anti social behaviour and burglary.  During the walkabout which was also attended by two of the team, PC Rob Wood and PCSO Karen Rose (Weir Estate Liaison Officer), it was explained how by working together and increasing communication, trust and respect between the community and the local police in the area residents have seen a huge reduction in crime, making Weir Estate and the surrounding area one of the safest in the borough.

One shop keeper told the Borough Commander how poor parking measures and the fear caused by gangs of people hanging around had majorly affected their business but following the work of the Safer Neighbourhood team and new parking enforcement has seen a over night drastic change to trade and the area feeling safer. The team worked closely with local businesses, community groups and Clapham Park Project to tackle the issues and this work has seen a ten per cent drop in crime compared to same time last year.
The Borough Commander further told of his delight at the changes that have been made to lives of local business owners in the parade “It was also great to talk to the local businesses and to hear about the improvements that they have noticed in recent times, particularly with respect to the new parking arrangements outside the Poynders Road shops.”

Chief Superintendent Ephgrave took up post just over one year ago, taking over from Sharon Rowe and has worked to transform the way policing occurs in Lambeth, he ordered that Safer Neighbourhood Team officers remain in the community for a minimum of two years to establish trust and stability in local policing after many community groups like WERA, complained that his officers were not kept long enough to build up trust with local people, he also restored the previously disbanded Lambeth Vice Unit which was scrapped under the previous Borough Commander.

The SNT have worked closely with WERA over the past couple of years by being a regular visible presence on the estate, attending association meetings and have been a regular at the annual fun days on Weir Estate.  Officers from the Thornton Ward Team have helped to introduce the message in a bottle scheme where elderly and vulnerable residents keep a container with vital information on medications and medical conditions in the fridge which in the event of a fire can be used to assist treat residents who maybe hurt or in need of critical care. The team has also given assurances to get stuck into working on the community garden when it starts.

WERA’s Chair said following the visit “It is important that we highlight the hard work and commitment both the SNT and us as a community put in to making the area one of the safest in the borough. I am honoured and delighted that the Borough Commander came to see this for himself and I hope he can take ideas away from this visit and help other areas grow on the success we have had. We continue to look forward to working with the team here in Thornton Ward and am sure we will continue to see the great level of success.”

The Chief Superintendent replied “I certainly hope to be able to learn from what has been achieved here and promulgate best practice across the Borough.”
The SNT is based at Cavendish Road Police Station, and made up of a Sergeant, three Police Officers and four Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).
Safer Neighbourhood Teams are assigned, in most cases, according to the boundaries of each of London’s 624 electoral wards. The programme began its phased roll out in April 2004, and in April 2006 the remaining teams were put in place – two years ahead of the Government set target for national neighbourhood policing. All 624 neighbourhood wards across the capital now have their own dedicated Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

During the visit, Chief Superintendent Ephgrave revealed that a new approach to policing in Lambeth with Neighbourhood Support Teams set to target area’s which have high levels of anti social behaviour.