At this evening's meeting there were two representatives for Miriam Lodge (ML), two for the architects, and around 50 attendees including two police officers.

Some points raised at the meeting, hopefully others will add/correct as appropriate:

ML is a privately-owned business run for profit. It is funded by commercial loans and by local authorities who pay ML rent for the residents. ML receives no payment for supporting residents in any way other than housing. It was put to them by attendees that therefore the only reason for the expansion of the current capacity was to expand profit.

Chair of the Forest Hill Society Michael Abrahams pointed out that this did not appear to be a proper pre-planning meeting as no member of the planning committee (nor any local council member) was present to hear the opinions of local residents, and it was unclear whether anyone was taking minutes. ML responded that this was not the purpose of the meeting, and then it was suggested by another attendee that this was really a PR exercise.

ML keep no statistics regarding the percentage of their residents with a drug or alcohol problem, as it is not part of their remit. ML staff know nothing of residents' drug/alcohol history before they arrive, but say they deal with it as it arises.

ML says that their staff walk the local area in high-visibility vests and if they see ML residents behaving inappropriately they ask them to return to the hostel to be dealt with as required. Attendees said they have never seen these staff walking around.

5 residents have been evicted from ML over the past 3 months for unacceptable behaviour.

ML notifies the police of all new residents, and if the police have to deal with an ML resident on the streets ML is informed.

The police said they are aware that drug dealing goes on in the area but unless they catch the perpetrators in the act there is no evidence and therefore little they can do.