new users

Welcome to our site!

Facebook
Despite our desire to adopt the latest technology in order to better serve our members, we are dropping support for Facebook.
Our commitment to this medium was shaken when they refused to close down a campaign in support of an individual who shot and blinded a policeman.
However, it is issues of security and privacy which concern us most. We are concerned that it is extremely difficult to fully delete one’s identity once registered on the site but the news that face Recognition technology is being rolled out with scant consultation was the last straw. facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg argues that "privacy is no longer a social norm". Oh really! Max Mosley, Ryan Giggs and Sir Fred Goodwin can afford to protect theirs!

Registering on our web site
We ask you to register on this site in order to access all of the pages which are available free of charge. We do not believe that this is an unreasonable request.

There are also practical considerations in relation to the maintenance of the web site. Sites which are totally open are more vulnerable to abuse and indeed we have also experienced such intrusion. We are fully aware and appreciate the sensitivity of personal data and ask for only a broad indication of where in Sidcup our site users live. Email addresses are not used for indiscriminate email spamming and are never released to third parties.

The Sidcup Community Group has one major role and that is to ensure that Sidcup residents have a voice. In order to make our voice heard, it is increasingly important that we can prove to those we have a strong and supportive following. Bexley Council has introduced procedures to ensure that so-called representative organisations are truly speaking on behalf of the residents they claim to represent. This is not unreasonable.

Joining us
The Community Group is strictly independent and apolitical. We receive no financial support from any source other than our members and this status is one we guard jealously. Local newspapers for example play a valuable role in the local community but they cannot always be entirely objective on for instance planning and licensing issues whilst they receive income from advertising.

We are “mean and lean” in terms of expenditure but do need funds to print and distribute newsletters, hiring meeting rooms etc. We therefore invite residents with whom we are in contact to join as a full member with a modest £5 per year subscription. Our full membership also provides a powerful message in relation to the way in which we represent the people of Sidcup.

As indicated above, it is not necessary to be a full paid member in order to access our web site but some of the pages are only available to such members. Access to our web site is not necessary in order for members to play a full role in the Group and we are committed to maintaining communication with those who do not have or use the internet.

Who are we?
We are a group of residents working for all residents of Sidcup to achieve a better town.

Our site was developed in-house so please do not compare it with those which have been developed by professionals. Please let us know of any glitches or problems.

The aim of the site is to tell you a little about the group and of issues which we face. The prime issues currently are a declining High Street, pressures from greedy developers who would like to change our town from a suburban to an urban environment and crime especially anti-social behaviour.

The news on our site originates from our members and other residents as well as a summary from local newspapers. Our aim is to keep our members informed and improve our environment. We do not wish to emulate an on-line newspaper. Our prime function is action - we are strictly independent, receive neither financial support nor income from advertising.

We aim to update the site on a daily basis depending on incoming news. the date on which the site was last updated and the date on which news was added to the Sidcup Matters page are inicated at the top of our Home page for your convenience.

We would hope that you will wish to support us and join with a £5 per anum subscription which finances our running costs. However, there is no charge for using our site although some sections are restricted to paid members. We ask you to login to our site in order to access many of our pages but registering on our site is free of charge, confidential and incurs no commitment. Click Here for more details of the Group or Here to return to the Home page.

Help us help you!
Over recent years, the Group has grown steadily in size and influence. Most of the growth in interest is coming from our Web site.

We are committed to maintaining contact with and serving those members who have no Internet access and our printed version of Sidcup Matters will continue into the foreseeable future.

We have no problem in printing or distributing these. However, this is not a suitable means of conveying urgent news such as a Planning or Licensing application for which a limited period of time is stipulated for response. For such matters, we normally try to print and distribute special circulars but this is not always possible.

If you read in this web site of matters which will be of interest or concern to neighbours, please spread the word. They may not have internet access or be aware of our site.

Local newspapers do a good job but they do not cover all issues, do not always normally guide on required action and if the applicant is or could be an advertiser they may not give an entirely impartial view. Furthermore, free newspapers are not delivered in all roads.

Please also remember that we are far from being the font of all knowledge in the area of Sidcup news. It is a two-way process and we urge you to let us know about matters of concern or developments which may be of interest to others.

Thank you!