Southwark Council is facing an angry backlash from locals after they removed table tennis tables, benches and vegetation from some local parks in an apparent effort to tackle anti-social behaviour.
On Monday, residents noticed the table tennis tables on Camberwell Green, along with a bench on Denmark Hill, had been removed by the council.
When questioned, Southwark Council explained they had “removed the tables on the recommendation of the police in an attempt to tackle the rise in anti-social behaviour”.
When residents asked to hear the rationale for how the removal of table tennis tables and benches will reduce anti-social behaviour, they received no response.
On twitter, one resident said that the table tennis tables were a “valued” community asset that “were used every day” by members of the community.
In nearby Nursery Row Park, residents are also up in arms after the council destroyed plants and flowers planted by locals, and paid for by the council’s ‘Cleaner, Greener, Safer’ fund, in a similar attempt to curb anti-social behaviour.
A local resident who regularly picks in litter in the park said the council have “decimated the vegetation for no reason as it will clearly not reduce anti-social behaviour”.
The resident added “the community worked hard to make this park a nice place for locals but now the council has actively made it a less appealing space which will discourage families and likely encourage more anti-social behaviour”.
Members of the Southwark Liberal Democrat opposition group have called for an explanation from the council and pointed out the contradiction between the removal of these community assets and the recent Southwark ‘Streets for People’ strategy.
Objectives 2 and 3 of the ‘Streets for People’ strategy commit the council to creating “good quality community space that is accessible for all people” and repurposing land “for community use”.
Commenting, Southwark Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Cllr Graham Neale said:
“Locals are rightfully baffled by Southwark Labour’s decision to actively make their community spaces worse. What will they come for next? Are any table tennis tables in our borough safe? Or maybe table tennis will be banned entirely in an attempt tackle the causes of anti-social behaviour. The council’s Labour leadership owe these communities an immediate explanation for this ridiculous, reactionary decision.”
Commenting, Southwark Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain said:
“This is another example of Southwark Labour’s actions failing to match their words. Labour say they will deliver accessible public spaces for the community, yet this week we’ve seen the organised destruction of Southwark’s existing community space. Distraught residents were not consulted and have been offered no explanation as to how this will tackle anti-social behaviour.
This reactionary approach will most likely not reduce crime but is guaranteed to degrade the quality of our community spaces. Labour need to listen their own rhetoric and protect our valuable public spaces.”
