Neighbourhood Newsletter
Phases
B&LB Newsletter Q4
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Dear Borough and London Bridge residents,
We are delighted to bring you the first quarterly edition of the Borough and London Bridge Neighbourhood Newsletter. Every three months, we will share local news, council updates, and opportunities to get involved in shaping your community.
Local events
Tiny Tribe
An inclusive stay and play group for parents & carers with children 0-5 years old. Wednesdays from 10am to 12pm, term time only. Mint Street Park Adventure playground (14 Weller St, London SE1 1QU).
Click here to book: https://eequ.org/experience/9338
Capoeira Angola Community
Capoeira Angola is a blend of game, dance, acrobatics, martial art and music a form of community education, physical exercise and personal development suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
Classes resume from Tuesday 16th September then every Tuesday during term time only - Kids class from 5:30 pm - Adults class from 7 to 9 pm at The Roundhouse, Lawson TRA hall, Great Dover St. Contact Jorge Goia – email jorge.goia@hotmail.com and tel 07758224334 for more details.
Winter Warmer
Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) will be bringing together neighbours for The Winter Warmer with wreath making and music in Red Cross Garden. 4th December 2025, 5-7pm, head to the website for more details. News | Bankside Open Spaces Trust
Available funding
National Lottery Awards for All England
Open to all types of voluntary or community organisation, as well as CICs and not for profit companies. Funding for community based projects that aim to:
- bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities
- improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
- help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage
- support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis
For more details: National Lottery Awards for All England | The National Lottery Community Fund
Community safety and support
Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB): Hotspots and actions taken
Ward
Number of incidents in Q1
Top 3 reasons
Borough & Bankside
215
Rowdy Or Inconsiderate Behaviour
Rowdy / Nuisance Neighbours
Trespass
London Bridge & West Bermondsey
254
Rowdy Or Inconsiderate Behaviour
Begging / Vagrancy
Trespass
St George’s
95
Rowdy Or Inconsiderate Behaviour
Rowdy / Nuisance Neighbours
Noise
Chaucer
188
Rowdy Or Inconsiderate Behaviour
Noise
Rowdy / Nuisance Neighbours
We work with residents to make sure we respond quickly to ASB concerns. We use data to understand where hotspots are occurring and deploy wardens, our new nighttime uniformed patrol service, ccctv monitoring and work closely with the police in high problem areas. Thank you to residents for reporting concerns.
Crime and policing: hotspot updates and police response
Ward
Number of incidents in Q1
Top 3 reasons
Borough & Bankside
1026
Theft, Violence Against the Person, and Burglary
London Bridge & West Bermondsey
913
Theft, Violence Against the Person, and Burglary
St George’s
464
Theft, Violence Against the Person, and Robbery
Chaucer
528
Theft, Violence Against the Person, and Robbery
Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)
Safety is a fundamental need for all residents. However, our residents, particularly women, LGBTQ+ communities, black communities, and young people, have expressed fears about their safety in public spaces, on the streets, and within their homes. Therefore, concerns about crime and antisocial behaviour remain a top priority for Southwark.
We know from research that about half of ASB goes unreported, so we want to hear from you and encourage residents to report if there are experiencing crime and / or ASB
Details of how to report crime and Antisocial behaviour can be found here.
Report an antisocial behaviour incident | Southwark Council
Report a crime | Metropolitan Police
A key strand of the Southwark 2030 vision is safety, with it being one of the highest priority issues for Southwark residents. In response we are commissioning a new Night time Uniformed Patrol Service that will work 7 days a week, from 6pm-2am. They will enhance our current Community Warden Service provision in addressing anti-social behaviour (ASB) and crime by providing a reassuring uniformed patrol presence on the estates, streets, parks, and open spaces in Southwark, addressing concerns of ASB and crime through targeted operations and patrols in areas of most need.
Increasing trust and confidence
Southwark established a Policing Oversight Board in November 2024 with the aim of having oversight of our local Borough Command Unit (BCU) Trust and Confidence Plan. This plan is aligned with the recommendations of the Casey report and cuts across the different strands of policing. The aim of the plan is to ensure communities feel listened to, are informed and are treated with respect and fairness.
The Board comprises of eight independent members with a range of specialisms, interests and lived experiences.
In April 2025 the Board held its first meeting in public at Walworth Town Hall and the priority area of focus was Engagement. The police set out their intent;
Our purpose is to strengthen the relationship between the Metropolitan Police and the communities we serve, by fostering more trust, achieving less crime, and delivering higher standards through meaningful and lasting engagement.
Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in public space
Safe havens | Southwark Council
You can view and sign up to all the self-defence class here: Sign up here
VAWG action days
We’re delivering a series of VAWG Action Days in identified hotspots in the borough, this includes a community engagement stall to raise awareness of VAWG issues and how to keep safe, including the distribution of FREE personal panic alarms. In addition, our Environmental Service teams will be carrying out environmental improvements, street cleaning, graffiti removal, fly tipping removal.
We’re also working closely with licensed premises and will be distributing anti-spiking kits as well discussing women’s safety initiatives such as Ask For Angela and promoting sign up to the Southwark Safe Havens Scheme, and the Women’s Night Safety Charter.
Women’s self-defence sessions
We’re delivering a series of Free Women’s Self-Defence Sessions across the borough. These sessions are open to women aged 18+ living in Southwark. Each session can accommodate 20 participants and is designed to equip women with practical techniques to prevent and defend against threats, improving confidence and safety.
Free Women's Self Defence Sessions in Southwark | Eventbrite
Robbery/ phone thefts
Southwark continues to face challenges linked to robbery, theft, and mobile phone snatching, with particular hotspots around transport hubs, retail areas, and busy high streets. Targeted policing and partnership activity is being delivered across key neighbourhoods to enhance safety, deter offending, and reassure local communities.
Safe havens
Safe havens are places of temporary refuge where a vulnerable person can be supported, on their onward journey. We currently have 31 venues operating as Safe Havens in the borough.
- John Harvard Library, 211 Borough High St, London SE1 1JA
Graffiti: Hotspots, removals, prevention initiatives
Ward
Number of incidents in Q1
Hot Spots
Actions taken
Borough & Bankside
30
Bankside
Blackfriars Road
Borough High Street
The Council currently spends c£700K a year removing graffiti from Council and private property, both pro-actively and in response to service requests. The Council is committed to tackling graffiti and provides a free graffiti removal service for private property owners, where the graffiti is publicly visible and up to 2.5 metres above ground level. To access this free service, the Council requires the property owner to sign a consent form. Where an owner fails to sign a consent form, the Council will issue a ’21-day’ management notice, which requires the owner to either remove the graffiti themselves; or sign the form and allow the Council to. Where a property owner fails to comply with the notice, after 21 days from the date of issue, the Council will remove the graffiti and potentially recharge the owner. The Council has embarked on a three year programme of graffiti and fly posting management action, targeting town centre ‘hot spot’ locations with sustained ‘blitz’ removal action and follow up ‘design out’ measures. These measures include installing trellis with planters and commissioning murals to physically deter/ prevent the graffiti from re-occurring.
London Bridge & West Bermondsey
5
Grange Road
St George’s
2
Lambeth Road
Ontario Street
Chaucer
26
Angel Place
Brockham Street
Elephant And Castle
New Kent Road
Fly-Tipping: Hotspots, clean-ups & enforcement
Ward
Number of incidents in Q1
Hot Spots
Actions taken
Borough & Bankside
183
Borough High Street
Union Street
Great Suffolk Street
Southwark Street
The Council currently spends c£600K a year removing street fly tipping, both pro-actively and in response to service requests. Where there is potential evidence to identify an offender, the Council will investigate and take appropriate enforcement action, including issuing fixed penalty notices (£1,000 maximum fine level) and pursuing prosecutions. The Council is committed to tackling fly tipping, using a combination of community engagement, education and enforcement action; and ‘design out’ prevention measures. In support of this commitment, the Councill has embarked on a three year rolling programme of targeted action to tackle the Borough’s fly tipping ‘hot spot’ street and estate locations. This includes investing in additional enforcement officers and re-deployable CCTV cameras and embarking on a long-term behaviour change campaign, including use of ‘crime tape/ stickers’ and educational videos.
London Bridge & West Bermondsey
102
Grange Road
St Saviours Estate
Maltby Street
St George’s
56
Elliotts Row
Brook Drive
Hayles Street
Austral Street
Chaucer
83
New Kent Road
Tower Bridge Road
Alice Street
Parks, leisure and environment
Parks and playgrounds
All significant repairs identified in our annual independent safety review have been completed in a number of our parks playgrounds. Minor repairs will be completed this autumn.
Parks playground upgrades are in progress at Little Dorrit Play Area and Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Play Area.
Biodiversity Schemes: Local enhancement projects
This year, we have continued to implement reduced mowing regimes across selected parks and green spaces around the borough. Allowing grasses and wildflowers to grow supports pollinators and other wildlife and aligns with the council’s nature recovery ambitions.
Rockingham Estate TRA have been awarded a grant from the Southwark Biodiversity Fund for Newington Gardens Nature Recovery Scheme. New planting will enhance the aesthetic and biodiversity value of the park. The final designs will be subject to public consultation.
Leisure centres
Leisure Facilities in Southwark – Raising Heart Rates in Southwark
Tree planting
Autumn is when the council starts its tree planting programme. Over the summer we purchased the tree selection to be planted and appointed the contractors to plant the trees. Planting will continue through winter and Spring.
How to find out where trees are being planted by the council in your area;
- Click on the link Spectrum Spatial
- Go to map layers (on the right hand side menu)
- Scroll down to ‘Highways (Confirm) Assets’
- Scroll down the proposed new tree planting and select
This map will show you the proposed tree planting sites for 2025/26 planting season (Nov to Mar)
If you have any further question please email the tree team at Trees.Envl@southwark.gov.uk
Culture and events: Upcoming activities for families and residents
Southwark Presents | Southwark Council
Our Projects | OneHub Southwark
Tate continues to deliver a range of activities with funding from the Culture Together Grant Fund 2025/26. The project aims are to remove barriers to access for Black, Asian and minority ethnic visitors to the Tate Modern by targeting local people in partnership with grassroots and community organisations; and to provide activities that enhance the existing outreach programme, including private views of three major exhibitions and a series of community garden events.
In December this includes a community private viewing of the Nigerian Modernism exhibition.
Bounce Legacy CIC is delivering a year-long programme of activities aimed at creating entry points to the film industry for marginalised young people (16-25), funded by Culture Together 2025/26. Activities will be hosted at spaces such as the Everyman Cinema and the BFI Southbank.
Siobhan Davies Dance is delivering a programme funded through Culture Together 2025/26, to strengthen the organisation’s governance and increase representation of disabled people on their board of trustees. The company is also running participatory and community activities to support the recruitment of Latinx and disabled people to paid positions on their steering group.
Central School of Ballet offers discounted access to classes, and bursary places on their courses, to Southwark residents (adults and young people).
John Harvard library
The library has a full range of events and activities for children and adults: Library activities for children | Southwark Council
Library activities for adults | Southwark Council
Southwark Presents | Southwark Council
Full details of the wide range of services provided Southwark libraries: Libraries | Southwark Council
Youth and play service
In the Borough and London Bridge neighbourhood there are following council funded youth and play projects:
Coin Street Children and Family Centre (in Lambeth – but serves local area) – a large community centre running a weekly youth club, youth gym, Duke of Edinburgh awards programme, Young Leaders scheme and summer and easter camps (in receipt of Positive Futures for Young People Fund grant (PFYPF))
Mint Street Adventure Playground: Council-run 5 sessions a week (after school during term-rime and daytimes during school holidays. Closed over Christmas). The building is also used during the daytime by the Southwark Resource Centre, offering young adults with high support needs educational activity as part of the SEND requirement; and by the Neurodiversity Family Hub CIC for weekly sessions with teenagers and a stay and play session.
Elevated Minds CIC: Supporting young people and families through coaching and mentoring Elevated Minds run the IDENTITY Project, Leadership Project, Elevated Aspirations and the Shining Through Adversity drama programme. Receive some council grant-funding.
Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST)/Marlborough Sports Graden: a community sports facility offering afterschool sports activities for children and young people. Receive some council grant-funding.
Downside Fisher Boxing Club and Youth Centre: a large independent youth centre with sports facilities and a swimming pool. Not currently in receipt of council funding.
Oxford and Bermondsey Youth Club: a large 4 day-a- week independently-run youth centre in receipt of Positive Futures for Young People Fund grant (PFYPF).
For more detailed information on dates and times please visit Southwark Presents | Southwark Council
Waste and street care
- Check your waste collection days: Refuse and recycling schedules - Southwark Council
- Book a bulky waste collection: Bulky Waste Collection - Southwark Council
- Report a missed bin collection: Missed Collection - Southwark Council
- Reuse and recycling centre information: Southwark Reuse and Recycling Centre | Southwark Council
- Autumn leaf clearance schedule: Autumn leaf collection | Southwark Council
- Gritting: https://services.southwark.gov.uk/street-care/gritting
Transport and infrastructure
Highways consultations
CPZ updates & links to feedback surveys
Consultations completed: America Street pedestrian and cycle improvements
Consultations coming soon: Great Suffolk Street area (e.g. Union Street, Webber Street)
Road resurfacing
Keyworth Street, Borough Road
EV charging points: New installations across wards
Ward
Total Installed
Borough & Bankside
52
London Bridge & W Bermondsey
18
Chaucer
51
St Georges
27
Cycle hangars: Rollout progress and future plans
Ward
Total Installed
Borough & Bankside
9
London Bridge & W Bermondsey
49
Chaucer
33
St Georges
15
Planned installations
- CROSBY ROW south-east side o/s Nos. 12 to 82 Crosby Road;
- FALMOUTH ROAD north-west side opposite Brotherhood of the Cross and Star;
- GREAT GUILDFORD STREET 2 new hangars side by side north-east side south-east of its junction with Sumner Street;
- NELSON SQUARE north side o/s Rowland Hill House;
- PARK STREET south-west side o/s No. 83 Park Street;
- SOUTHWARK BRIDGE ROAD south-east side opposite No. 94a Southwark Bridge Road;
- THE CUT south-east side o/s No. 25 The Cut (Southwark College);
New playground equipment
Leroy Street Children's Playground and Park; Dream Garden & Alfred Salter Playground Revamp, Arnold Estate playground area
Current surveys and consultations
Visit Borough and London Bridge Engage webpage for full details and to get involved in your neighbourhood - Borough and London Bridge Neighbourhood | London Borough of Southwark
Contact details: Danielle Simpson, Borough and London Bridge and Old Kent Road Neighbourhood Officer
Email: Danielle.Simpson@southwark.gov.uk
Please contact us if you would like to be added to our mailing list.
Streets for People
Streets for People delivery plan launched in July 2023 provides information on how feedback from our largest consultation, with over 9,000 responses will help shape the future of Southwark.
Key prioritisation
Streets for communities
Reclaiming spaces for our communities, to connect, socialise and play.
Streets for journeys
Making healthy travel choices, safer, easier, and quicker
Streets for economy
Helping Town Centres run better and sustainably, creating quality spaces where people want to spend time.
Streets for nature
Cleaning our air, reducing impact of climate change, increasing biodiversity, making streets greener and more resilient to extreme weather.
Comms and Engagement events took place across this Neighbourhood in October 2025. People were invited to various events, from in person workshops, to neighbourhood walks and bike rides to gather further information on how Southwark can promote active travel, reduce emissions and create more space for public use. Feedback once analysed and will be shared with staff working across projects and schemes to agree next steps. For more information, please see link below