Our Ref: MW-194/JSU

26th January 2015

Russell Gray
Bermondsey Village Action Group
Globe House
37 Bermondsey Street
LONDON
SE1 3JW

Councillor Mark Williams

Cabinet Member for Regeneration,
Planning and Transport
Labour Member for Brunswick Park
Ward
Cabinet Suite
Southwark Council
P.O. Box 64529
London SE1P 5LX
Tel: 020 7525 7730

e-mail: mark.williams@southwark.gov.u

Dear Mr Gray,
Re: Neighbourhood Planning in Bermondsey Neighbourhood Forum Application
I am writing regarding your application for BVAG to be designated as a Neighbourhood
Forum in Bermondsey.
Following the submission in September 2012 from BVAG, for Neighbourhood Area and
Neighbourhood Forum designation (the Original Application), the Council made a
decision on 28/08/14 to refuse both the Neighbourhood Area and Neighbourhood Forum
applications due to conflicting neighbourhood area characteristics. A new Neighbourhood
Area, Area A, was also designated on this date.
As you area aware, the decision was called in to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee
on 20/10/14, where it was decided that the new Area A Neighbourhood Area could be
designated, and that a suitable Neighbourhood Forum should apply to take this area
forward.
It is noted that you have requested the Council to consider your Original Application as a
fresh Neighbourhood Forum application for Neighbourhood Area A. I have looked in detail
at your application and checked it against the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 that
must be satisfied in order for the Council to validate a Neighbourhood Forum application
To date, you have supplied the following documentation as part of your Original
Application:

Constitution

Cover letter dated 5 September 2012

List of BVAG members

The Council has previously advised you that various items of information remained
outstanding at the time of submission of your Original Application. Please note, that this
information is similarly required to validate your new Neighbourhood Forum application for
the Area A Neighbourhood Area in Bermondsey:
(a) the name of the Neighbourhood Area to which the application relates and a map which
identifies the Area;
(b) a statement which explains how the proposed Neighbourhood Forum meets the
conditions contained in section 61F(5) of the 1990 Act.
For clarity, I have copied the provisions of 61F(5) below. Your statement would need to
demonstrate that BVAG:
(a) is established for the express purpose of promoting or improving the social, economic
and environmental well-being of an area that consists of or includes the neighbourhood
area concerned (whether or not it is also established for the express purpose of promoting
the carrying on of trades, professions or other businesses in such an area),
(b) its membership is open to
(i) individuals who live in the neighbourhood area concerned,
(ii) individuals who work there (whether for businesses carried on there or
otherwise), and
(iii) individuals who are elected members of a county council, district council or
London borough council any of whose area falls within the neighbourhood area
concerned,
(c) its membership includes a minimum of 21 individuals each of whom
(i) lives in the neighbourhood area concerned,
(ii) works there (whether for a business carried on there or otherwise), or
(iii) is an elected member of a county council, district council or London borough
council any of whose area falls within the neighbourhood area concerned,
(d) it has a written constitution, and
(e) such other conditions as may be prescribed.
Also relevant is 61F(7), copied below:
A local planning authority
(a)must, in determining under subsection (5) whether to designate an organisation or
body as a neighbourhood forum for a neighbourhood area, have regard to the desirability
of designating an organisation or body

(i)which has secured (or taken reasonable steps to attempt to secure) that its
membership includes at least one individual falling within each of sub-paragraphs
(i) to (iii) of subsection (5)(b),
(ii)whose membership is drawn from different places in the neighbourhood area
concerned and from different sections of the community in that area, and
(iii)whose purpose reflects (in general terms) the character of that area,
In your written constitution dated March 2012, sections (b) (Members) and (c) (Officers),
insufficient information is provided on how a vote is taken, what criteria members must
meet, what would happen in the event of termination of membership, how the structure
would work, etc.
A useful example is the written constitution of the South Bank and Waterloo
Neighbourhood Forum, please see the link http://www.sowneighbours.org/wpontent/uploads/2013/09/CONSTITUTION.pdf
For section 61F(e) (such other conditions as may be prescribed) to be satisfied your
statement would need to include details demonstrating how BVAG is reflective of the local
community. For an indication of groups which are reflective of the local community, you
may wish to refer to Southwarks Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). I have
pasted the link here to assist you with this.
http://www.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/1339/statement_of_community_involv
ement
If you intend to submit any additional information in accordance with the above, to support
your application, please do so by 6 February 2015.
An Individual Decision Maker (IDM) report recommending consultation on the new
Neighbourhood Forum application for Area A Neighbourhood Area is being prepared, and
a 6 week consultation period will follow.
The Council wrote to you on 15 January 2015 inviting you to a meeting on 11 February
2015 to discuss neighbourhood planning in Bermondsey. John Corey of Bermondsey
Neighbourhood Forum has also been invited. We are seeking to find consensus on who
takes forward Neighbourhood Area A, whether that be BVAG, BNF, a combination of both
or somebody else, and what their aspirations would be for the area. Please confirm
whether you are able to attend this meeting.
I hope that the advice contained in this letter is sufficiently clear,
Yours sincerely,

Mark Williams
Cabinet member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport