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News Releases Southwark is a vibrant and diverse borough that regularly hits the headlines – use the search below to check out the latest news, or visit the Press Desk for general information on Southwark and details of how to contact our Communication Unit's Press Team. This is also the place to download a wide range of photos from around borough and the Council, and browse the online version of Southwark Life…. Current News Releases are listed below; to search for a current or archived news item, enter a keyword: Southwark young people make film about knife crime and gang culture 24/07/2008 A group of young people from Southwark have produced a hard-hitting film about knife crime and gang culture as part of a project run by Southwark's Youth Offending Team (YOT). more Children's Musical on the Aylesbury 21/07/2008 Children living on the Aylesbury Estate showcase their talent in an amazing new rap musical that has got rave reviews more Maximum health and safety penalty for hostel owners 21/07/2008 Owners of a London hostel have been handed down a maximum penalty after failing to protect the health and safety of visitors to their premises. more Southwark appoints new experts for residents 21/07/2008 Southwark Council has galvanised its commitment to strong customer service with the letting of new engineering contracts in key service areas, it announced today. more Revamped awards to benefit businesses and the environment 18/07/2008 Changes to Southwark Council’s Environmental Business Awards announced today will encourage local businesses to make greater savings for the environment - and for themselves. more Sample fantastic watersports in the centre of London this summer in Southwark 17/07/2008 Surrey Docks Watersports Centre (SDWC) is throwing open its doors for a fun open day event on Sunday 20 July. more Southwark parks scoop Green Flag awards 17/07/2008 Five Southwark parks have scooped awards that prove they are the place to be this summer - up from three parks last year. more Dragons, elephants and lamas take to the streets of Bermondsey for the Bermondsey Carnival 15/07/2008 A huge elephant, the Spice Girls, a flight of dragons and a Peruvian lama were sighted in Bermondsey on Saturday as the annual Bermondsey Carnival parade, sponsored by Southwark council, got under way. more Multi-Agency Enforcement Programme in Peckham 10/07/2008 More than 40 bottles of counterfeit alcohol, along with 57 packets of counterfeit condoms and 25 packets of counterfeit cigarettes, were among the goods seized by Southwark’s trading standards officers. more Olympic taekwondo athlete helps Southwark school achieve record success 09/07/2008 A primary school in Southwark has achieved a record by getting more than 100 children through a taekwondo grading examination in one go. more Southwark launches best ever summer activities programme 09/07/2008 Southwark has launched its action-packed, something for everybody, summer activities programme for children and young people of all ages. more Southwark Trading Standards step up their campaign against illegal traders in the borough 08/07/2008 Southwark Council’s trading standards officers have won another success in their long running campaign against businesses in the borough selling illegal and dangerous skin lightening creams. more Southwark Council outlines next step in rehousing Heygate residents 04/07/2008 Southwark Council is continuing to support and work closely with the residents of the Heygate Estate whilst they are being rehoused off the estate. more Southwark Council win 'Trailblazer ' status 04/07/2008 Southwark Council has been recognised by the government for its excellent housing options and homelessness prevention work and has been asked to mentor other local authorities. more Southwark Gets Ready for the Switch 04/07/2008 Digital television will soon be coming to all Southwark homes. more Dalkia to deliver green targets for Elephant and Castle 02/07/2008 Dalkia has been selected as the commercial partner to provide sustainable infrastructure for the Elephant and Castle development, Southwark Council announced today. more Southwark launches consultation about adult social care services 01/07/2008 Southwark Council today started consulting about who should receive the adult social care services that help vulnerable people live independently. more Primary school pupils in Southwark bat it out at urban cricket finale 30/06/2008 The two winning teams of Southwark Community Games's urban cricket tournament battled it out for supremacy last week at the grand finale of a six week programme of cricket coaching across the borough. more Disabled artists in Southwark celebrate life with a new exhibition 27/06/2008 A group of disabled artists in Southwark are celebrating life with their new exhibition, LIFE IS SWEET. more Camberwell Baths development makes a splash 20/06/2008 Southwark today announced that it has short-listed three potential submissions to work with the council to explore creative and sustainable solutions for investing in the Camberwell Leisure Centre. more Council blitz for Capital Clean up 18/06/2008 As part of the 100 day London-wide Capital clean-up campaign, Southwark Council pulled out all the stops for a one day blitz at the start of June. more New ‘happening’ magazine for Southwark youngsters hits the streets 17/06/2008 A new magazine written and produced by young people in Southwark, for young people in Southwark, has hit the streets. more Faces of Southwark Awards Ceremony 13/06/2008 Last night saw a well-attended prize-giving ceremony at Southwark’s town hall for the winners of the ‘Faces of Southwark’ photographic competition. more Southwark Council supports EU lobby over air quality 13/06/2008 A delegation of council leaders will be in Strasbourg next month to lobby the European Commission on the UK government's plans to circumvent air quality targets at Heathrow. more Money matters from Southwark Council 12/06/2008 We all know that times are tight and budgets are under pressure - but do you know where to get help when the bills start to mount up? more Southwark school children learn about food safety 10/06/2008 Southwark Council’s food safety team is marking Food Safety Week with a series of fun, interactive and informative talks to primary school children. more Southwark says government should not undermine efforts made by the most improved secondary school in England 10/06/2008 In response to yesterday’s announcement by the government that it is to target schools with closure unless their exam results improve Lisa Rajan, executive member for children’s services and education at Southwark Council, said: more Southwark shortlists to transform local schools 03/06/2008 Southwark Council is in the final stages of choosing a partner to work with on its £200 million programme to transform the borough’s secondary schools. more The Mayor of Southwark opens children’s Safari Garden 02/06/2008 Families at the Newpin Centre showed the Mayor of Southwark how their gardens grow when she officially opened the new Safari Garden on Friday 23 May. more Southwark consultant makes sure the chips are down at local school 27/05/2008 Southwark Council healthy food consultant Janice Gibb is organising a Cook’s Conference today (28 May) at St James School, attended by local MP Simon Hughes. more Council and Camberwell Green celebrate success in National Tackling Drugs Week 23/05/2008 Southwark Councillors marked the success of Southwark’s Action Areas (SAA) during National Tackling Drugs Week (June 19-23). more Cuming Museum is the space to be 23/05/2008 A new activity space for children to explore their artistic skills will be launched next Friday at Southwark Council’s Cuming Museum, SE17. more Rubbish population estimates 23/05/2008 Southwark Council today releases information showing that the population of Southwark has been significantly under-estimated by Central Government. more New Architect for Potters Field 23/05/2008 Berkeley Homes and Southwark Council have chosen the new architect for Potters Field. Leading architects Squire and Partners have been selected to design a new development for this special South Bank site. more Southwark Mayor raises £50,000+ for the Damilola Taylor Trust 22/05/2008 One year ago, just after the Worshipful Mayor of Southwark Councillor Bob Skelly took up office, he promised he would raise £50,000 for the Damilola Taylor Trust (DTT) during his year in office. more Council’s new website shows visitors how to enjoy summer in Southwark 21/05/2008 Wondering where in Southwark you can take a class on how to mix the perfect cocktail, rent a tandem, see some great architecture, or take the family to enjoy a free event? more How volunteering turned my life around 21/05/2008 Three years ago tiny Umu Sesay was at rock bottom. The local Southwark girl had dropped out of her social work course at university after struggling with confidence and self-esteem issues and finding the assignments too tough to manage. more Lyndhurst school shows its green credentials 21/05/2008 Some budding young environmentalists spearheaded a rigorous audit yesterday at Lyndhurst Primary School and won the Bronze Eco-Schools award. more A week of new opportunities for the people of Southwark 19/05/2008 Southwark citizens get to explore their creative side again this year as the Council gives people the chance to take a surfing master class of the world wide web. more Southwark residents give the cold shoulder 19/05/2008 Two areas designated as “No Cold Calling Control Zones” (NCCCZ), will be launched by Southwark Council, (Thursday 22 May), to safeguard vulnerable members of the community from crime associated with doorstep selling. more Southwark Mayor's Ball raises £5,000 for the Damilola Taylor Trust 16/05/2008 The Mayor’s Ball recently proved a success when it raised approximately £5,000 towards the good work of Damilola Taylor Trust (DTT) – while providing a night to remember. more Green light for new Walworth Academy 16/05/2008 Southwark Council has given the green light for a new secondary school to be built in Walworth, marking an important step forward for the Aylesbury regeneration project. more Southwark schoolchildren spring into action 16/05/2008 Schoolchildren across the borough will spring into action next week (19-23 May) when they leap out of cars and onto their feet as part of Spring National Walk to School Week, supported by Southwark Council. more Council gives sound advice during Noise Week 14/05/2008 Noisy neighbours, barking dogs and loud music are just some of the noises Southwark residents say affect their quality of life. more Dulwich Park Fair kicks off the summer in Southwark 13/05/2008 Would your family relish the prospect of watching otters perform a medley of tricks, an awe-inspiring dragon show or browsing a selection of locally provided stalls? more Southwark Council's first prosecution for dog fouling 09/05/2008 A Bermondsey man has become the first Southwark resident to be convicted for not clearing up dog fouling, as part of the Council’s drive to stop this problem, by the new Environmental Enforcement Team. more Southwark volunteers awarded for their sterling work 09/05/2008 Southwark volunteers are being awarded for their work in the community this Saturday, in a ceremony run on behalf of Southwark Council. more Southwark Council's green energy trial heralds winds of change 08/05/2008 A wind turbine, the first of its size to be installed on a London housing estate, has just finished its initial trial in SE1. more Notre Dame riding the green wave to tackle climate change 07/05/2008 A Southwark school is primed to reduce its carbon emissions by 106 tonnes per year thanks to a generous donation, which will also offset 50% of the sponsor’s emissions. more Local schoolchildren do the timewarp for community park opening event 02/05/2008 Crampton Primary School will help to celebrate the opening of St Mary’s Churchyard Park with predictions of the future when they bury a time capsule as part of the opening day events next week. more Southwark joins the chain gang 30/04/2008 A number of Southwark’s parks and open spaces have joined the south east London Green Chain, which will provide a fabulous array of walks for local communities and visitors to Southwark. more Southwark residents and visitors to experience the renaissance effect at Dilston Grove 30/04/2008 Dilston Grove in Southwark Park is set for a dramatic makeover after being short-listed for £580,000 of government funding. more Local Residents honoured for their stand against anti-social behaviour 29/04/2008 Southwark Council will host the annual ‘Enough is Enough’ awards, to celebrate the achievements of local residents, who have tackled the problems of anti-social behaviour, at the Tate Modern on Friday May 2, 2008 more New photography exhibition highlights Muslim communities in Southwark 18/04/2008 A thought-provoking exhibition about Southwark and its Muslim communities will be launched next Tuesday entitled “Peace by Piece” . more Churchyard transformed into a ‘must–visit’ family park in the heart of Elephant and Castle 11/04/2008 The newly transformed St Mary’s Churchyard Park opens to the public this Friday (April 18) more Southwark graffiti clean up – public art or public blight? 08/04/2008 As part the annual Capital Clean Up week, Southwark Council graffiti clean teams were out in full force to clear various graffiti sites around the borough yesterday. more Southwark announces its favourite people and places for Blue Plaque 2007 awards 07/04/2008 Six winners were identified as local favourites for Southwark council’s Blue Plaque 2007 awards today after facing a public vote. more Untold stories of black Londoners in wartime Britain unveiled in new exhibition 31/03/2008 An exhibition organised by Southwark Council, that uncovers the untold stories of Black Londoners about their experiences and roles on the home front in the Second World War will open at the Cuming Museum, April 1. more Jazz legends contribution to the home front unveiled in new Southwark exhibition 27/03/2008 The story of Britain’s first black band swing leader, Ken “Snakehips” Johnson and jazz singer and BBC home front entertainer Adelaide Hall will be featured in a unique exhibition organised by Southwark Council which opened at the Cuming Museum, April 1. more Southwark evicts squatters from 22 council flats 26/03/2008 Southwark has recovered 22 council properties following a massive operation yesterday (26 March) by council staff and police officers to evict squatters from the Aylesbury Estate. more Movie classic kicks off Silver for Southwark 25/03/2008 An exciting season of events and activities for Southwark’s over 60s kicked off over the weekend with a special screening of Gone with the Wind. The iconic film was number one in a poll that Southwark's older people voted for as their favourite films. more New start at Potters Field: Southwark Council and Berkeley Homes to agree new proposal 19/03/2008 Southwark Council has agreed to sign a cooperation agreement with Berkeley Homes to deliver a new development at Potters Field on London's South Bank. more Southwark's most inspiring and exceptional women awarded 11/03/2008 Several outstanding women were awarded by Southwark council on Saturday 8 March 2008 as part of International Women’s Day celebrations in the Borough. more Exciting plans to modernise and enlarge Michael Faraday primary school 07/03/2008 One of Southwark’s best performing primaries is set to expand giving more young people the chance to attend the outstanding school. more Southwark children show off their talents at after school showcase 04/03/2008 Hundreds of children from across Southwark showed-off their talents at the ninth annual showcase event for after school clubs last Friday. more Kingsdale in top 10 for sustained KS3 improvements 28/02/2008 A Southwark school was in the top 10 most improved schools nationally for key stage 3 results in figures released today. more Southwark residents are to get more say about section 106 money 28/02/2008 Southwark residents are to get more say in how money is spent in their neighbourhood. more Photo release: New family information service for tots to teens 26/02/2008 Free guidance and advice for Southwark’s parents and carers is just a phone call away thanks to the launch of a new information service. more STATEMENT: Livesey museum to close on Friday 29 February 2008 25/02/2008 Southwark Council announced today that the Livesey museum will close at 5pm on Friday 29 February 2008 more Southwark agrees budget and council tax for 2008/9 21/02/2008 Southwark Council agreed its budget at a council assembly meeting last night and will increase council tax by 4% this year, in line with the rate of inflation (RPI). more Southwark tenants win national award 20/02/2008 A group of Southwark tenants have been praised as being some of the best in the country for managing their estate. more I love Heygate blitz 18/02/2008 The Heygate Estate got EXTRA loving care and attention on Valentine’s Day. more Southwark tenants benefit from a raft of improvements to the repairs service 15/02/2008 Southwark tenants are benefiting from a raft of improvements to the way repairs are carried out on their homes. more Southwark Council and Aylesbury NDC agree partnership to safeguard Aylesbury regeneration 12/02/2008 The Aylesbury regeneration is to continue without delay after an important decision by Southwark Council and the Aylesbury New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme. more Southwark signs deal with Veolia for new 25-year waste contract 12/02/2008 One of the most ambitious local authority waste schemes in the UK was agreed on Monday (11 February) after Southwark Council signed a contract with Veolia Environmental Services Plc, its partner for the project. more IMAGE: Around £1million of street lighting installed in Peckham 11/02/2008 Things are looking brighter in Peckham as street lighting worth almost £1 million is installed. more Southwark launches first A to Z for older people 08/02/2008 Helping older people get more out of life is the aim of a new directory just launched in Southwark. more UntIMAGES: Regeneration at the Aylesbury marches on itled 08/02/2008 The ambitious Aylesbury regeneration scheme has taken another important step forward with a housing association on board to build the first homes. more Southwark Council gets thumbs up from Audit Commission again 07/02/2008 Southwark Council's performance has been given the thumbs up by the Audit Commission, which has given the council a three star rating and said that the council is 'improving well'. more Council finds £30 million in efficiency savings to soften blow dealt by Government 06/02/2008 Southwark Council will seek to make £30m in efficiency savings to help bridge the funding gap created by the grant settlement announced by the Government. The three year settlement was ‘disastrous’ for London in general and for Southwark in particular. more Help make a Cleaner Greener Safer Southwark 05/02/2008 Southwark Council has launched its Cleaner Greener Safer programme for 2008-09 and is urging Southwark residents to send in their ideas of how to improve their local area. more Southwark prosecutes illegal DVD trader 05/02/2008 Southwark Council has successfully prosecuted a man for illegally selling DVDs following a raid that netted more than 3,000 counterfeit copies. more Missing people means missing money for Southwark residents 01/02/2008 Southwark Council released figures today suggesting that the official estimate of the borough’s population is 10,000 short. The council calculates that this has resulted in £18million being knocked off its funding by the government. more Good sports in Southwark 01/02/2008 People with disabilities in Southwark are set to benefit after the council became one of the first authorities to sign up to a London-wide sports disability strategy. more The hottest reads in Southwark 31/01/2008 The top ten most read books in Southwark for 2007 have been released today, with a novel by a Nigerian author topping the list. more Appeal for memories from black Londoners during WW2 25/01/2008 Cuming Museum in Southwark is appealing for stories, photos and memories to help uncover the experiences of the black community during the Second World War. more Every Word Matters for Southwark’s children 25/01/2008 With national figures showing over fifty per cent of kids start school with communication difficulties, Southwark has launched two new innovative projects to combat the problem. more IMAGE: Stunning towers get planning permission - with £6 million coming to the local community 24/01/2008 Two stunning towers have been given permission to grace London's skyline, and will come with an extra £6million for the surrounding community. more Progress made in securing the future of Southwark Pensioners' Centre 24/01/2008 Southwark Council has been working with Southwark Pensioners’ Centre to find solutions that will secure the long-term future of the centre. more New centre to help Southwark residents find the most suitable home 24/01/2008 Southwark today officially opens a Homesearch Centre aimed at helping people find better quality accommodation quicker. more IMAGE: New homes approved for dynamic regeneration of Canada Water 23/01/2008 The first new homes for a multi-million pound regeneration of one of the most dynamic parts of London have been given the green light. more Southwark Council prosecutes BB gun trader 21/01/2008 A Peckham shopkeeper has been convicted for selling dangerous BB guns after being investigated by Southwark Council's trading standards. more Southwark concerned about impact of arts cuts on its young people 18/01/2008 One of London’s most diverse and challenging boroughs is concerned about the negative impact that impending arts funding cuts will have on its young people and communities. more New guide shows what's on in Southwark for families 16/01/2008 A new 'What's On' guide to weekly activities for families, mums and dads-to-be, and young children is now available in Southwark. more Award-winning Southwark filmmakers back at the British Film Institute 15/01/2008 Award-winning Southwark filmmakers are screening their work at one of the most prestigious cinemas in the country this month. more That's a great idea! 15/01/2008 Southwark Council wants to hear from people who have creative ideas that will help to improve places and services in the borough. more Southwark selects partner for ambitious 25 year waste contract 15/01/2008 One of the most ambitious local authority waste schemes in the UK has been given a green light after Southwark Council announced it has selected a partner for the project. more Southwark cracking down on people carrying knives 14/01/2008 Southwark Council is already successfully using young people in test purchasing exercises to stop underage sales of knives – an idea mentioned today as part of Gordon Brown’s plans to crackdown on knife crime. more Short-listed bidders announced for Southwark Schools for the Future 11/01/2008 Three groups have been short-listed to partner Southwark Council and Partnerships for Schools in a £200million project to rebuild and refurbish 12 secondary schools in the borough. more Best ever GCSE results for Southwark pupils 10/01/2008 Southwark pupils continue to perform better than ever before according to GCSE league tables released today. These results show Southwark pupils are improving four times faster than the national average. more Making Southwark a world class quarter of our world city - a New Year message from Cllr Nick Stanton, leader of Southwark Council 08/01/2008 During the coming year we will continue to work with our partners to implement our plans to make Southwark a world class quarter of our world city. more Last chance to see squalor and scandal in Southwark 08/01/2008 An exhibition of William Hogarth’s famous engravings featuring life in London in the 18th century has been getting rave reviews from visitors to the Cuming Museum in Southwark. more No coins? No problem! Pay by phone parking in Southwark 04/01/2008 Paying for parking in Southwark has just got futuristic with the introduction of ‘pay by phone’ technology in the borough. more Recycling reward in time for Christmas 21/12/2007 Three Southwark residents got early Christmas presents this week of £1000 each as reward for recycling their household waste. more IMAGES: Two multi-million pound regeneration projects in Southwark take major steps forward 20/12/2007 Two multi-million pound regeneration projects in Southwark took major steps forward this week. more How much is your next round going to cost you? 20/12/2007 Southwark Council is urging people to think before they drink this Christmas so they do not become one of the 3,000* people killed or seriously injured each year after drink driving in the UK. more PHOTO: Pink Elephant turns brown, but could be purple one day 19/12/2007 Aspiring property moguls all over the country will be buying hotels and houses in Elephant and Castle this Christmas. more Balfour Beatty selected to build new Walworth Academy 19/12/2007 Southwark Council and ARK Schools have selected Balfour Beatty as preferred bidder to build the new Walworth Academy on the site of the existing Walworth Upper School. more Southwark gets £828,000 play dough 19/12/2007 Southwark has been given an £828,000 early Christmas present from the Big Lottery Fund to improve children’s play opportunities across the borough. more Persistent offender banned from running a food business for life 17/12/2007 A Southwark restaurant owner has been banned from ever running a food business again after council inspectors found cockroach and mouse infestations, dirty equipment and poor hygiene conditions. more Southwark Council drives forward plans to create sustainable development in heart of London 17/12/2007 Southwark Council has received final bids from the three shortlisted companies who are competing for the utilities contract for one of the most forward-thinking regeneration schemes in Europe. more Riverside councillor elected in by-election 14/12/2007 Anood Al-Samerai was elected last night (13 December) as a councillor for the Riverside ward. more Ambitious proposals to bring more quality homes to Southwark 13/12/2007 Ambitious proposals to bring more quality homes to Southwark will be discussed with Peckham residents this week. more Best ever result for Southwark's young students 06/12/2007 Primary school pupils in Southwark have achieved the best ever results at Key Stage 2 and are moving ahead faster than other students in the country. more Taste the Flavas at Peckham food festival 05/12/2007 Peckham will become the hot spot for food lovers this weekend when the FLAVAS OF PECKHAM FOOD FESTIVAL heats up on Friday. more PHOTO: International Disability Day supported by Southwark Council 03/12/2007 The council’s Home Improvement Agency (HIA) is backing International Disability Day, which aims to promote the full participation of disabled people in social life. more Lord Ouseley welcomes new guidance to raise standards for all children 30/11/2007 Lord Herman Ouseley, former chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, has praised a new initiative in Southwark to raise achievement levels of young people from black and minority ethnic groups. more Southwark Women’s Awards 2008: Vote for an outstanding woman you know 04/11/2007 Southwark is on the search for inspiring and exceptional women in the borough as part of next year’s International Women’s Day. more Record GCSE results for Southwark pupils 24/08/2007 Results out yesterday show Southwark's year 11 pupils have reached record levels of attainment in their GCSE exams, highlighting massive improvements at a rate more than four times higher than other students across the country*. more