Once in a Thousand Years – A Discussion Paper

LONDON BOROUGH OF GREENWICH
TOWN HALL,
WELLINGTON STREET,
WOOLWICH, SE18 6PW

TELEPHONE: 0181-854 8888 EXT. 5062
DIRECT LINE: 0181-312 5049

DATE: 20 August 1996

This paper has been written by the Council in response to the opportunities and challenges presented by the Millennium. These provide a one off opportunity to change Greenwich for the better, to increase prosperity and improve the quality of life of our citizens. The paper attempts to look ahead beyond the Millennium and to set out a vision of what Greenwich could be in the year 2005.

It has been agreed by the Council as the basis for consultation and discussion with our partners in the private, public, voluntary and community sectors. The aim is to create a shared agenda for change – a blueprint for the future. I am therefore inviting you to consider the issues raised in the document in the light of your responsibilities.

In particular we would like responses to the following questions:

  • Do you share the Council’s Vision for Greenwich?
  • Can your organisation contribute to achieving it?
  • What does the forthcoming Millennium mean for your organisation?
  • What challenges and opportunities might these changes present?

The paper is not the finished article and I am sure it will be developed and improved following your comments and those of our partners. We want to stimulate a healthy debate about the future of Greenwich. Following consultation the paper will be used as the basis to set out the steps necessary to achieve the vision.

This process will run in parallel with the formal consultation processes for the planning application for the Millennium Exhibition itself.

Please contact Andrew Parry on 0181-305-1999, if you would like any further information.

Please send your comments to Gaby Moore, London Borough of Greenwich, Directorate of Development, 3rd Floor, Peggy Middleton House, Woolwich, SE18 6HQ by 31 October 1996.

Cllr Len Duvall
Leader of the Council

ONCE IN A THOUSAND YEARS

A Discussion Paper

The Co-ordination of Council Services to Capture Benefits from the Millennium

LONDON BOROUGH OF GREENWICH

August 1996

There’s a rumour in the calendar that something else draws near
The kicker’s running on the spot before a crowded hush
Prepared to give the lousy twentieth-century the boot
It’s a run up to Millennium

Douglas Dunn

Once in a Thousand Years

Foreword

Greenwich stands on the verge of a period of dramatic economic change and prosperity. An impressive range of programmes is already in place. Over the next seven years this will result in improved training and education, new jobs and infrastructure to make Greenwich a better place to live and work.

The Council has campaigned with local businesses and the community for over three years for the recognition of Greenwich as the geographical focus for celebrations of the new Millennium. The decision to locate the National Millennium Exhibition at Greenwich gives added impetus to an already exciting period of change. It brings unique opportunities and new challenges. We must ensure that this means new jobs for local people and new business opportunities.

The Council must prepare to face these challenges and to maximise the opportunities for our citizens both now and in the future. It must set its horizons well beyond the year 2000. We are going to capture the long term benefits and achieve sustained growth. This means looking at the way we deliver services, developing new business and training initiatives with our partners, assisting the development of vacant sites and making it easier for local people to get involved.

This discussion paper has been produced to encourage discussion so that we can agree a way forward into the next century. I look forward to your contributions and to the lively discussions which I am sure will follow. With commitment from you all and a clear idea about our aims and visions, I am sure that we will succeed.

Councillor Len Duvall
Leader of London Borough of Greenwich
Chairman of the Greenwich Waterfront Development Partnership

Once in a Thousand Years – A Discussion Paper

August 1996

Index

THE OPPORTUNITY

GREENWICH IN 2005

  • Greenwich Town Centre
  • East Greenwich
  • Charlton
  • Woolwich
  • Thamesmead
  • Eltham and the South of the Borough

AN AGENDA FOR CHANGE

  • Site Development
  • Transport and Traffic Management
  • Education and Training
  • Employment
  • Business Development
  • Crime and Community Safety
  • Housing
  • Environment
  • The Council’s Approach

A UNIQUE CHALLENGE

  • Departmental Responsibility
  • Development
  • Environmental and Consumer Services
  • Leisure Services
  • Greenwich Direct Services
  • Education
  • Social Services
  • Housing
  • The Corporate Centre

CO-ORDINATION OF COUNCIL ACTIVITY

  • Short Term Actions
  • Medium Term Actions

CONCLUSION

<id=”s1″>THE OPPORTUNITY

1. Greenwich’s special place in the Royal, maritime, scientific and architectural history of the nation has made it the geographical focus for celebrations of the new Millennium. The Council and its local partners have actively campaigned for this for more than three years. Our success in that campaign brings new opportunities and new challenges. It is these opportunities and challenges, and what they mean for the Council and for the Borough as a whole, that are the subject of this discussion paper.

2. The Millennium period provides a one-off chance radically to improve our area – a chance we cannot afford to miss. It is an unprecedented opportunity that will not come again. The Exhibition will attract up to 12 million visitors in the year 2000, create up to l0,000 new jobs and attract up to 1bn of inward investment. While the responsibility for operating the Millennium Exhibition does not formally lie with the Council, a successful event will have a huge impact on Greenwich’s reputation. The eyes of the world will be on Greenwich providing a huge marketing opportunity for tourism and inward investment. This will benefit the whole of the Borough of Greenwich, the Thames Gateway, London and the South East.

3. The task for the Council is to maximise the opportunities and ensure that the local people of Greenwich are enabled to give voice to their aspirations for the event, that they are able to take advantage of the new jobs that will be created and that local business benefits from the influx of visitors. It is also vital that the Council works to secure infrastructure to support the regeneration of the area and the development of other key sites such as Deptford Creek and the Royal Arsenal. We must attract the maximum possible levels of external funding from Government programmes, the European Commission and the private sector. The Council has identified three main themes for its work – regeneration, anti-poverty and provision of quality services. The Millennium opportunity provides a central focus for developments in each of the three areas.

4. This report represents the initial elaboration of what we are trying to achieve as we move into the next Millennium and the actions required to ensure we do not fail. Following consultation, and no doubt subsequent improvement this document will stand as the touchstone by which we can measure how successful we have been in securing the benefits from hosting the Millennium celebrations.

<id=”s2″>GREENWICH IN 2005

5. It is vital that the Millennium is seen as an important stage in a continuing process of regeneration and renewal. It is not the end of the process. The period up until 2005 is crucial in shaping the future development of the Borough well into the 21st century.

6. Greenwich is characterised by a unique combination of decay and opportunity. Once one of the great manufacturing workshops of the World it now displays some of the most severe urban deprivation in England. It presents outstanding opportunities in its:

  • land for development
  • geographical position
  • heritage of historic buildings
  • available workforce

But it experiences major problems in its:

  • lack of appropriate business capacity and competitiveness
  • community deprivation
  • its inherited transport difficulties

7. The Council’s regeneration agenda derives from a vision for Greenwich as an area which:

  • competes effectively with other communities in London and elsewhere in terms of employment, environment and the quality of life.
  • has a competitive economy and business centre contributing to the wider regeneration of London and the Thames Gateway.
  • has a sustainable environment and economy where the decay and dereliction of the industrial heritage are removed and new productive capacity developed.
  • provides diverse and good quality residential areas where people feel safe.
  • has a skilled and educated workforce.
  • houses a community which has access to facilities for training and development.

8. The Millennium provides the focus for a unique opportunity to change the face of Greenwich. We need a blueprint for this change, an agenda to work to over the next
nine years. The Millennium will impact on the borough as a whole and on the individual areas within it. If we are successful then by 2005 the Borough of Greenwich will look very different from now:

  • all traces of contamination will have been swept away.
  • new manufacturing and tourism business capacity will have developed alongside the renewal of business premises.
  • educational achievement will continue to rise.
  • public and private sector housing will have been improved.
  • unemployment will have fallen.
  • there will be an improved general environment with strong emphasis on monitoring air quality, cleanliness and recycling of waste.
  • the discrimination faced by minority and disadvantaged groups will have been tackled.
  • improved information services covering the needs of residents and visitors and people who want to find out about Greenwich.
  • improved transport infrastructure with a revitalised River Thames.

9. Greenwich Town Centre

  • an international visitor destination with a wide range of powerful attractions.
  • capacity to accommodate visitors in a range of local accommodation.
  • an accessible destination with good internal transport and a pleasant environment.
  • a thriving tourism and leisure business centre with supporting secondary industries nearby.
  • an arts and cultural centre with a thriving evening economy.
  • a World Heritage site with integrated marketing and ticketing.

10. East Greenwich

  • a tourist and leisure destination on the Greenwich Peninsula with excellent links to Central London and Greenwich Town Centre.
  • a thriving residential community with 3000 new homes and existing estates refurbished to a high standard.
  • a centre for creative industries and secondary manufacturing linked to the tourism industry.
  • an effective traffic management and calming scheme in operation.
  • an area with an improved environment and quality open space.
  • a safe and secure environment.
  • high quality integrated early years child care provision to support adult learners, workers and those wishing to learn or return to work.

11. Charlton

  • renewed business capacity in Charlton in improved industrial estates.
  • development of derelict sites close to the Peninsula.
  • improvements to the schools, to the environment and to the housing stock.

12. Woolwich

  • a thriving retail, administration and higher education centre.
  • a riverside visitor destination and heritage centre.
  • a cultural and entertainment centre with a thriving evening economy.
  • an area with a diverse mix of quality housing.

13. Thamesmead

  • a successful community with mixed residential development and good amenities.
  • an accessible location with good public transport links.
  • a high quality technical college with associated community leisure and sports facilities.

14. Eltham and the South of the Borough

  • improved transport links to enable residents to access new jobs.
  • Eltham strengthened as a retail centre with better parking and transport links.
  • high levels of educational attainment and employment.
  • improved housing and environmental conditions.
  • a high quality technology college offering excellence in technology and related facilities.

15. To achieve this vision will require the active involvement of the whole range of stakeholders in Greenwich – residents, businesses, the public agencies serving the population. The Council is committed to exercising its civic leadership role to ensure that the benefits of the Millennium opportunity are achieved. But it will need the whole hearted endeavours of a wide partnership base to turn this vision into reality.

<id=”s3″>AN AGENDA FOR CHANGE

16. The agenda for change requires commitment from all partners producing real results on a wide range of issues.

17. Site Development

There are key sites to be developed:

  • the Royal Arsenal with the Royal Artillery Museum as part of a Royal Arsenal Heritage Centre to include the Borough Museum and History Library and the House of Sport.
  • Deptford Creek and the creation of a Cruise Liner Terminal, hotel, leisure and housing development linking in with historic Greenwich.
  • the Greenwich Peninsula with a legacy from the Exhibition of quality buildings, tourism and leisure attractions, housing and new employment.
  • a sympathetic permanent use for the Royal Naval College which incorporates public access to the Painted Hall, Chapel and the building exteriors.
  • the development of the Grand Axis from Blackheath to the River Thames through the Royal Park, National Maritime Museum and Royal Naval College and its designation as a World Heritage Site.
  • the completion of the Neptune Hall extension to the National Maritime Museum.
  • the redevelopment of Cutty Sark Gardens and the boardwalk linkage to Deptford Creek.
  • improvements to Greenwich Town Centre including the development of vacant sites in Creek Road and Stockwell Street.
  • completion of the development at Commonwealth Buildings.
  • the identification of sites for new hotels and their marketing and development.
  • the creation of a high quality Caravan and Camping site at Falconwood Fields.
  • the development of the West Stand at the Valley and the creation of the Sporting Club Greenwich, a multi sport development centre and venue.

18. Transport and Traffic Management

Improvements to transport and traffic management include:

  • the completion of the Lewisham extension to the Docklands Light Railway to include a station at Cutty Sark.
  • the completion of the Jubilee Line Extension with a station on the Greenwich Peninsula and its associated transport interchange.
  • a third crossing at Blackwall to alleviate the traffic problems on the A102M.
  • the opening up of the river as a transport artery linking Deptford Creek, Greenwich Town Centre, the Peninsula, Thames Barrier and Woolwich.
  • the completion of the Woolwich Road widening scheme.
  • the creation of the Woolwich Rail Crossing linking the North Kent and North London railway lines.
  • the removal of traffic from Greenwich Town Centre.
  • the introduction of intelligent traffic management systems in the Greenwich, East Greenwich and Charlton areas to deal with traffic generated by the Millennium Exhibition.
  • the co-ordination of information on public transport in the Borough.
  • the completion of the Waterfront transport system in the form of either guided buses or street running trams. The first phase will connect the Millennium Exhibition and the North Kent line.
  • the creation of a cycle route network throughout the Borough.

19. There are many other potential transport improvements which must be examined and evaluated such as the possibility of a new bridge at Gallions Reach.

20. Education and Training

To develop the full potential of the local population requires:

  • further increases in educational achievement across the full range of borough schools.
  • the relocation of Woolwich Polytechnic School.
  • the creation of new technology colleges of excellence across the borough.
  • the development of a science and technology centre both as an educational resource and visitor attraction.
  • the improvement of the physical fabric of schools.
  • two new schools to be built at Thamesmead and East Greenwich.
  • the creation of a training centre to ensure training in the borough is customised to the needs of employers and the range of new jobs created.
  • further development of the educational Compact between the Council and the University of Greenwich to secure higher educational opportunities for local residents.
  • further enhancement of the Greenwich Community College Access Programme to increase the skills base across the borough.

21. Employment

To improve employment opportunities for Greenwich residents:

  • programmes should be negotiated with developers and training providers to ensure there is equal access to jobs for ethnic minorities.
  • local labour schemes must be developed and introduced, building on the model of the local labour in construction scheme, to ensure local people can benefit from the new jobs created.

22. Business Development

To ensure local businesses maximise their opportunities will require:

  • the renewal of our industrial and business parks to provide better access and high quality units.
  • assistance to be given to businesses to enable them to diversify into secondary services for tourism.
  • the development of a support sector for local cultural industries.

23. Crime and Community Safety

It is essential that crime and fear of crime are reduced considerably to improve the quality of life of residents and to ensure Greenwich is an attractive place to work in and visit. The following measures are essential:

  • close partnerships arrangements between the Council, Police and the community to tackle crime.
  • the provision of CCTV cameras in town centres.
  • the improvement of street lighting.
  • new developments should have security measures built in at the design stage.
  • active programmes for reducing youth related crime with a particular focus on programmes to challenge racial harassment.
  • existing housing estates and car parks should be renovated to add in security measures to “Secured by Design” standards.
  • Integrated safety and security education strategy for pupils, staff, premises and equipment.

24. Housing

There is a real need to ensure that residential communities are not bypassed as the pace of regeneration increases. There could be a danger that as derelict sites become developed and other areas are improved housing estates are ignored and neglected. Increasing numbers of households will put pressure on affordable housing resources. This presents huge challenges. There must be:

  • improvements to Glyndon and Cardwell estates.
  • development of programmes to ensure the improvement of other housing estates.
  • development of new housing and a more diverse mix of housing for sale and rent so there is an adequate supply of affordable accommodation.
  • elimination of vacant housing
  • continuing improvement to public and private housing stock.

25. Environment

In the development of a sustainable local environment policy there will be:

  • a successful programme of Local Agenda 21 initiatives to underpin sustainable improvement.
  • the development and promotion of new public transport infrastructure to reduce car usage.
  • effective traffic management and the banning of cars from Greenwich Town Centre will reduce congestion and improve air quality.
  • increased monitoring of air quality and emissions.
  • roadside testing of vehicle emissions to ensure they comply with Government standards.
  • the removal of contamination from derelict sites and the reuse of the land.
  • network of “Green” routes for cyclists and pedestrians should be introduced in the borough.
  • a new “Millennium Park” to be developed on the Greenwich Peninsula to serve the East Greenwich area.
  • Public art should be introduced to improve the appearance of town centres and open spaces.
  • Provide, and encourage others to provide, quality buildings designed with energy efficient principles.
  • Major educational environmental initiative based on Educational Challenge for the Environment and Learning Through Landscapes Development Programme.

26. The Council’s Approach

The way the Council operates and presents itself will change:

  • An emphasis on continuing to develop and strengthen responsiveness- in open government
    arrangements, maximising participation in the democratic process.
  • continuing to develop strong partnership mechanisms with the voluntary sector, local business and other public bodies.
  • Information and Communications strategies – improving the accessibility of Council documents and taking advantage of the information opportunities presented by new technology.<id=”s4″>A UNIQUE CHALLENGE

    27. This is a huge agenda for change, possibly unprecedented for a single local authority. The Council must organise itself and adjust its priorities to enable it to respond effectively to the challenges ahead. The current situation is still full of uncertainties and our response will need to be reviewed periodically as the situation becomes clearer. It is essential that the Council works with its partners in pursuing these objectives both in the Greenwich Waterfront Development Partnership, the Greenwich Millennium Trust and the wider London arena.

    28. Departmental Responsibility

    Clearly the Millennium will have an impact on each department of the Council either directly or indirectly. The Council must act corporately and will do so through its Committees and Departments. The main departmental areas of work are listed below. The list is by no means exhaustive but demonstrates the impact the Millennium will have on all of the Council services. It also highlights the need for the Council to be working in a co-ordinated manner to maximise the opportunities:

    29 Development

    A strategy will be needed to gain “added value” from the Exhibition. This will include the marketing and developing of other sites, the tying in of other proposed developments such as the Royal Arsenal and Deptford Creek and the development of a hotel strategy.

    30. The scale of development proposals for the Peninsula site and adjacent spin off development including the necessary infrastructure will result in an increase in the number of planning and building control applications.

    31. Much work has been done by the Council and the Greenwich Millennium Trust to set out a sustainable transport strategy for the Millennium. However, there is a considerable amount of work still to do in identifying the problems and recommending solutions associated with the influx of up to 12 million people. Traffic management will be a key issue in ensuring the smooth running of the Exhibition and minimising the effects on local residents and other road users.

    32. The Council will need to work in partnership with the operator of the Exhibition, the Department of Transport, neighbouring boroughs, the Police and transport providers to ensure an integrated transport system is provided to serve the area.

    33. Completion to timetable of Woolwich Road improvements is imperative to facilitate access to the Peninsula.

    34. A complete review will be needed of the parking policy for Greenwich, East Greenwich and Charlton and possibly a wider area in order to stop visitors to the Exhibition parking locally.

    35. Controlled parking zones will need to be created to deter parking and protect residents and local business from disruption. There are obvious resource implications arising from this. As it would seem unfair to ask residents or businesses to pay for parking permits in these areas the cost of introducing the zones will need to be met from elsewhere.

    36. The key to the success of a parking policy is highly visible and effective enforcement. Again there are clear resource implications although these will be offset by parking penalty income.

    37. The Exhibition will bring about a level of construction possibly never seen before in the Borough. The Exhibition itself plus all the associated development will require building regulation approval. Inspection and approval of plans together with frequent site visits will be needed.

    38. One of the council’s key priorities will be to ensure that local people and business can benefit from the opportunities presented by the Millennium. Local labour will need to be devised and negotiated. The training needs of the local workforce will need to be established and discussions take place with SOLOTEC and the training providers to set up the necessary training courses. Local Business will need to be consulted regarding needs and opportunities. Advice and business support will need to be provided.

    39. This work will benefit from funding from SRB II through the Greenwich 2000 programme and potentially from the SRB III programme currently being developed.

    40. Environmental issues will come to the fore as the development of the Exhibition and the remainder of the Greenwich Peninsula is progressed. Monitoring of the development and the operation of the exhibition will be necessary.

    41. Work has already begun to establish contacts with the EC and certain other Member States. This will need to develop over the next two years to enable us to take advantage of EC funding for the Millennium.

    42. Environmental and Consumer Services

    A considerable input will be required into the remediation of the Peninsula site.
    This will include agreeing the principles of remediation and then monitoring the
    work on site and taking samples.

    43. Air and noise pollution monitoring will be required both during the construction and the operation of the Exhibition and associated activities.

    44. New food outlets within the Exhibition site and elsewhere will be subject to inspection for food hygiene. Increased demand for fast food and mobile food premises will increase demand for inspections.

    45. 12 million visitors will create extensive litter and refuse. The operator will
    be responsible for on-site clean up but the Council is responsible for surrounding
    streets and highways.

    46. The costs of cleaning and collection in areas away from the site such as Greenwich Town Centre which are bound to suffer a huge increase in litter will need to be met by the Council.

    47. The Council is responsible for licensing street trading, public entertainment,
    late night cafes and has an input into the liquor licensing system administered by
    the police. Demands for licenses will increase significantly as will the need for
    enforcement against unlicensed activities and the monitoring and inspection of licensed activities. This will also have an impact on Building Control who carry out inspections of entertainment premises.

    48. Fee income will help to offset the extra costs of administration but may not meet
    inspection and enforcement costs.

    49. The Millennium brand/logo will become a valuable commodity and will be copied and sold on a variety of merchandise. The Council has an enforcement duty in respect of counterfeit goods and infringing copyrights.

    50. Leisure Services

    The implications for the Council’s tourism role are enormous. Marketing, strategy,
    visitor management and tourist information will all be of vital importance. The Council’s tourism function is at present quite small. Marketing is subject to a severely limited budget, there is a need for a clearer tourism strategy and the Council operates only one tourist information centre in central Greenwich which currently receives around 160,000 visitors per annum.

    51. Clearly in a situation where we may have 12 million visitors in the year 2000 this situation cannot continue. New visitor attractions will be opening not just on the Peninsula but in Greenwich Town Centre and at the Royal Arsenal. Additional tourist information points will no doubt be needed. Similarly a visitor management strategy will be needed to cope with the influx of visitors.

    52. Marketing will be crucial in spreading the benefits away from the Exhibition to takein the new planned attractions, especially in Woolwich. A development strategy will be needed to address these issues and additionally key questions of ticketing, hotels and accommodation.

    53. There are major opportunities for arts and cultural industry development. Much of the arts infrastructure including the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, the Greenwich Theatre, Blackheath Concert Halls and others are grant aided by Leisure Services. They are in an excellent position to benefit from the Millennium. The Festival itself can develop into an extended and expanded Festival for the Millennium.

    54. The role of parks, open spaces and landscape at the Millennium is critical to the
    Borough’s image and success. There may well be an increase in open space usage. There are plans to improve Cutty Sark Gardens as part of the Greenwich 2000 SRB programme and other parks could be considered for improvement for the Millennium. A possible focus of activity is Blackheath where serious consideration is needed to be given to its role.

    55. There may be effects on demand at leisure centres – a possible increase from more people in the borough or a decrease because of reduced access to sites such as the Arches or through competition from other activities.

    56. Libraries have an opportunity to become key points of public information about
    the various Millennium events and developments.

    57. Greenwich Direct Services

    As the contractor for street cleansing, refuse collection and grounds maintenance GDS should prepare for a large increase in demand.

    58. These front line services are critical to the way the Borough is perceived by both residents and visitors. A high quality service in these areas will significantly   contribute to the Borough’s image and success. Staff involved in services such as
    parking enforcement, street cleaning and catering have face to face public contact and will support tourism development if provided with appropriate training, such as the “Welcome Host Scheme”.

    59. Education

    Current Secondary school pupils will be potential job seekers come the Millennium.
    It is important that schools prepare pupils for the job opportunities that will arise.
    Tourism, leisure and heritage skills will all be needed. These areas could be integrated into school activity at an early stage as well as figuring in vocational training, careers advice and work experience. The opportunities to raise employment prospects and school leaver attainment levels through the Millennium are clear.

    60. There is real potential to create links between schools, the Exhibition and the
    many young people nationally and internationally. These could take the form of school visits, new technology centres and interactive links. The potential for Millennium themes to be reflected throughout the whole curriculum must be taken up, including in performance, music and the arts.

    61. Opportunities to pursue an Education or Learning Time Pavilion in the Exhibition or elements of these in other Pavilions should be pursued.

    62. Closer links between Education Services and local employers should also be pursued to promote local employment for young Greenwich citizens and for students in further, higher and community education.

    63. Social Services

    New employment opportunities for sheltered working should be pursued for Social Service’s clients related to the Exhibition and other developments as should training opportunities for young people leaving care, young parents, young offenders, people with learning disability and people with mental ill health.

    64. Priority entry to the Exhibition should be negotiated with the operators for Social Service’s clients.

    65. Large numbers of people will be drawn to Greenwich in the Millennium year either wishing to visit the Exhibition or looking for work. This could lead to an increase in vulnerable clients, especially the young and those with mental ill health.

    66. Housing

    It is imperative that the homes of local people benefit from the Millennium. There is a large residential area in East Greenwich near the Exhibition site and it is
    essential that this environment is not damaged by the activities of the Exhibition. Indeed it must be enhanced.

    67. There is a need to refurbish existing housing stock, diversify the range of stock available and become involved in new developments.

    68. There could be an increase in homeless persons arising from the influx of visitors to the Exhibition and this will need to be managed .

    69. Residential areas must become safe secure environments for people to live. New
    management systems, entryphones and the fitting of CCTV must be a priority to reduce crime and ensure residents feel safe in their homes.

    70. The Corporate Centre

    A major area of activity will be in press, communications and the promotion of Greenwich. The development of the Exhibition will be an extremely high profile issue putting Greenwich firmly in the national (and international) spotlight. Demand for information both locally from interested residents and from the media will be intense. The Council must have effective information and communication strategies, taking advantage of the opportunities presented by New Technology including access to cable and satellite TV channels and the Internet. The Council’s image must be carefully considered and presented.

    71. The Council’s Equalities Services should be engaged in programmes to secure employment and other benefits for people who are disadvantaged and to take opportunities to secure full benefits from the Exhibition.

    72. Legal services are already extensively involved in developments through the drawing up of compulsory purchase orders and legal agreements for planning permissions and development purposes. This will increase as the pace of regeneration increases. Community Safety and Emergency Planning issues will need to be addressed as part of the development of the Exhibition and wider Greenwich Peninsula.

    73. The Borough Treasurer will be heavily involved in pressing the case with the Government for extra resources for Greenwich. There will be extra costs which fall to the Borough as a result of the Exhibition. Advice and guidance will also be needed on the operation of the Private Finance Initiative as it relates to new infrastructure opportunities.

    74. There are major opportunities for progressing the Council’s Anti-Poverty, community development, community safety and open government strategies.

    There is a number of key partner services including:

    • Health
    • Emergency Services
    • Police
    • Further Education and training

    75. The expected rise in visitor numbers will present new challenges to these services. It is important the Council works with its partners in these areas and co-ordinates and monitors them to ensure the needs of the Millennium and Greenwich citizens are protected.

    <id=”s5″>CO-ORDINATION OF COUNCIL ACTIVITY

    76. The Council needs to ensure that adequate resources are directed to secure the delivery of the ambitious targets set out in this document. It will have to look at its decision making and administrative processes to ensure that “fast tracking” procedures are in place. A co-ordinating group of Council officers will provide support for departments, co-ordinate their work in relation to the Millennium, provide a focus for the Millennium in the Council, oversee the various bidding regimes and monitor the effectiveness of our response. The make up and terms of reference of the group will be periodically reviewed.

    77. Short Term Actions

    There is a series of short and medium term actions that are either in hand or planned. It is expected these will lead to longer term actions as they develop:

    • Officers from Development, Environmental and Consumer Services and Borough Secretary and Solicitors are heavily involved in work to conclude the planning permission, remediation and legal agreement for the Greenwich Peninsula site. There is a real need to conclude this urgently to enable the site to be developed for the Millennium.
    • An outline bid has been submitted to the Single Regeneration Budget round III with the theme of maximising the regenerative impact of the Exhibition. The bid will be for the five year period 1997/8 – 2000/2002. It is likely to include projects covering housing, security and crime reduction, training and education, business support and development, employment measures and environmental improvements.
    • Further contact is being made with the European Commission who have appointed an officer to examine how the European Community will celebrate the Millennium. Preliminary contact has been made by Members and officers. The Commission is principally interested in two areas, cultural development and transport. A budget may be created by the EC with funds available from 1997/8. This must be bid for and could provide funds for infrastructure projects.
    • A bid has been submitted to the European Commission for Urban Pilot Project funding. The bid contains a number of tourism developments, local labour and enterprise, environmental improvement and community support projects related to the Millennium. There is an important exchange of information element learning from the experiences of other areas that have held major events such as Barcelona and Seville.
    • The Borough’s Local Labour in Construction project should be quickly bought up to a full operational basis to take advantage of thousands of construction jobs expected in the Borough by 1997. A consultancy has been commissioned to identify the benefits that can be gained from the Exhibition and the steps necessary to ensure those benefits are maximised.

    78. The Council and its partners should take advantage of the focus on Greenwich in the run up to the Exhibition by marketing the area and should:

    • develop a hotel strategy and market possible hotel sites.
    • erect signs at the boundaries to the Borough proclaiming “you are now entering Greenwich The Millennium Borough”.
    • erect signs on the A206 and A2 where they cross the World’s Prime Meridian.

    79. Medium Term Actions

    In relation to the Exhibition itself the Council must ensure local people benefit by:

    • negotiating discount price entry for local people. This may be achievable via the existing Greenwich Card scheme.
    • negotiating special access for disadvantaged groups such as people with disabilities.
    • negotiating pre visits for local schools.
    • establishing a controlled parking zone for residents in East Greenwich and Charlton to ensure residents are not inconvenienced by parking from Exhibition visitors.
    • empowering and skilling local residents to enable them to provide accommodation for visitors during the year.

    <id=”s6″>CONCLUSION/

    80. This paper is a discussion paper and is not intended to be definitive. It is intended that it will stimulate debate and encourage Council departments to consider what impact the Millennium will have in their areas and the contribution their service can make to a better Greenwich.

    81. It is essential that this debate takes place now. The pace of change will increase
    dramatically as we move towards the year 2000 and it is imperative that the Council has a clear and agreed agenda. The opportunities are immense and occur only once in a thousand years.

    Greenwich Council 1996 

    Web’d by David Riddle
    email: dpreeyore@gmail.com

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