By Community Correspondent Sarah Husselmann

On Thursday 9th July, the Clapham Common Management Advisory Committee (CCMAC) AGM was held at St Mary’s Hall, SW4. The CCMAC constitution, dated February 2004, defines the vital role this group plays in protecting the Common, preserving historical features, promoting improvements and facilitating effective management of this much loved space that lies within the boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth, and is owned and managed by Lambeth Council.

Twenty five people attended the meeting, chaired by Cllr Helen O’Malley, and the vast majority were existing committee members and councillors. There were representatives from The Clapham Society and Friends of Clapham Common and approx. five ‘drop-in’ members of the public.

On the agenda: the CCMAC financial report, financial transparency and support from Lambeth Council, over or misuse of the Common, the regeneration of Mount Pond, the closure of Windmill Drive, the ‘Clapham Common Gateway’ project, and improvements to toilets, changing facilities, rubbish collection and cycle paths. All worthy and interesting topics, requiring careful consideration, planning, and community involvement - on paper, this is an exciting agenda, but in reality? The reality appears to be a history of frustration with Lambeth council, particularly surrounding funding and the transparency of funds earned by and spent on the Common.

Local residents may be surprised that money earned from the Common’s regular sports users, events and festivals does not get reinvested in the area. Money received is assigned where needed within the wider council budget; not even within the parks and open spaces domain. It is equally surprising to learn that groups like CCMAC have very little funds and the small sum they do have was donated by one of the Common’s regular sports users.

Of course, Lambeth Council is funding the ongoing maintenance and running of the Common but concerns were raised at the AGM that the space is becoming increasingly overused. To many, when demands on a space and the income it generates increase year after year, it would only seem fair that money be ploughed back in.

The Council’s ‘Clapham Common Master Plan’ dated February 2007 (extracts available on the Friends of Clapham Common website) sets out grand plans and addresses some of the issues raised by the committee. But the 2009 AGM agenda looks very much like that of 2008 – whilst the desire and commitment of the committee appears to be strong; financial support, user management, new bins and additional toilets can’t be built on desire alone.

Rachel Heywood, Lambeth Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Communities, was absent from the meeting but in her note of apology, her vision is optimistic. She has been “trying to find ways in which [Lambeth Council] can offer help and develop a stronger commitment to working” with groups like CCMAC. She has been “looking for funding to sort out the tennis courts and cricket nets, to provide tree guards for young and vulnerable trees, to protect the bandstand from damage, and to invest in Mount Pond amongst other things.” Rachel Heywood says Lambeth Council is “working towards a much bigger scheme which will see the provision of fantastic sporting facilities on the Common”.

Reading her note in isolation, the outlook for Clapham Common looks bright. However, scanning through past meeting minutes and press releases, the cynics amongst us would be forgiven for saying, “We’ve heard it all before.” Let’s hope the cynics are wrong.

If you would like to give your support and get involved with the CCMAC, contact Committee Chair Cllr Helen O’Malley: helenomalley_uk@yahoo.co.uk or Secretary Sue Lilly: suelillySW4@aol.co.uk . Related organisations: The Clapham Society and Friends of Clapham Common.

To become a member of the Friends of Clapham Common visit: www.claphamcommon.org.