Although 1997/8 was a year of further consolidation in the activities of our Association there were several important changes. The name of the Association was changed to reflect the change in status of many residents who have purchased their apartments under "right to buy" legislation. The change has seen Tenants replaced by Residents in the name of the Association. An important change in the committee of our group was the election of the new Chair, Kenneth Peters, who replaced Jane Campbell, who stepped down due to the pressures of work. Further steps have been taken to endeavour to make the workings of the Association clearer to residents in order that interest is maintained and to ensure that the Association remains active. To this end the committee meets every two months. One of the most important problems that we continue to wrestle with is that of refuse disposal. In respect of this, there have been some improvements in the refuse collection arrangements lately, but there appears to be no immediate solution to fundamental design flaws which leave the occupants of 62 flats no option but to dispose of their domestic refuse in assorted plastic or refuse bags. Our local problem becomes magnified by the use of the area at the junction of Drury Lane and Macklin Street as a dumping ground by local businesses and also, on occasions, by passing motorists and commercial cleaning contractors. More recently, and in common with many other organisations, we have begun to explore the means to make Macklin Street more pedestrian friendly and, with the help of the CGCA, extend the idea of pedestrianisation, whilst retaining access for emergency vehicles and service vehicles, to suitable streets within the Covent Garden area. The advent of the new Government and the stated intention of the Deputy Prime Minister to reform the transport system has given a great deal of impetus to moves to adjust the present dominance of the motor car. In our own way, our current moves to make Macklin Street in particular and the streets of Covent Garden in general, more pedestrian friendly is a local expression of this national movement. This is particularly timely in view of proposed developments in Kingsway/High Holborn and the Holborn Town Hall site. Finally, we would like to express our deep sorrow at the death of Eileen Alexander, a stalwart of the Association. She was a friend to all in the locality and will be missed by all in this block.

 

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