Can you tell me where you have got all this information from and why you have used a picture of Croydon Steel Orchestra in an article about the Comets?
I know that all the information you have used is not correct so perhaps a better check of your sources would be in order.
Yes, the Comets do have 100 members but at NO TIME are there ever that many in the building at any one time. They hold different sessions for different age groups, and the groups average 25 persons per lesson.
The NUMEROUS complaints you mention actually amount to a very limited number. This information was from a council cabinet meeting which has to be documented so you should be able to check this fact.
Even if there was a little bit more noise for a couple of weeks, surely that has got to be better than having children roaming the streets with nothing better to do than create mischief. This band has worked its way up to become a well known and respected member of the steel band community and I find it unbelievable that such an achievement can be ignored in favour of a few neighbours.
Once again the majority have to bow down to the minority.
Just for the record I do not belong to this band.

I am astonished by the inaccuracies contained within the report on the comets community project , I am the mother of two children who play with the youth orchestra and would like to point out that there certainly isn't enough room for one hundred people, the youth orchestra consists of 24 players and the childrens beginners class at the last count I believe stood at 22.(the classes for these are held on separate evenings).Also the photograph used in this report is of members of Croydon Steel Orchestra, who are in fact Croydons largest steel band,practice sessions have always remained the same, apart from one extra short session just before this years Notting Hill Carnival (where the children played amongst the best bands in Europe,and secured a well deserved third place).The project leader and band captains recently attended a meeting with the council at which there were approximately 12 councillors and one person from the neighbouring properties. During this meeting a councillor informed the project leader that there had been a total of five complaints from the neighbours. I would hope that this meeting has been minuted, and that there will be a copy sent to all parties concerned. I have to ask why the council are taking such an interest now, when the project leader,band captains and parents have struggled to make this building habitable and policed the area for six years keeping away drug users and children intent on causing damage, maybe the neighbours would prefer that? The members of the management have over the last few weeks had to put up with neighbours pushing their way into the building and pushing a female member of staff out of their path, being locked into the grounds by a neighbour(this action forced the imprisoned members of staff to forcibly remove the padlock,unavoidably causing noise)this persons actions can hardly be called neighbourly! And persons taking photographs of the parents and children, which we find very intimidating, also there has been instances of cars driving at speed into the car park,then driving back out again, other people on foot and bicycles who do not appear to be genuine park users ,as they seem to only be interested in looking at the building and/or the people that may be in the car park , and then leaving again.The council have been aware of the problem with subsidence for some considerable time,their answer to this problem thus far is to erect a wire fence around the rear of the building,to date there has been no contact with the comets regarding fixing the problem, and I find the comment from Mr O'Connell regarding this problem laughable, what will the council do with this building should we vacate it? leave it to fall down whilst squatters move back in and happily spend their days using drugs and smearing excrement on the walls? Aaah say the neighbours, just like the good old days!

To Bren & Mrs. R.,

It’s extremely refreshing to see this Comments Section used for posting a reasoned response and not the usual ‘jail is too good for them’ … ‘Croydon is the pits’ … ‘they broke the mould’ etc. … etc.

Are the 'usual suspects' unavailable?

Bren wrote: "Even if there was a little bit more noise for a couple of weeks, surely that has got to be better than having children roaming the streets with nothing better to do than create mischief. This band has worked its way up to become a well known and respected member of the steel band community and I find it unbelievable that such an achievement can be ignored in favour of a few neighbours."

My thoughts exactly!!!

I think the culprit in all this is the council press office. A rather judgemental press release promoting the cabinet member was sent out.

Thankfully this has been corrected above!

Apologies for the inaccurate picture - this has now been replaced with the correct image. The rest of the information came from Croydon Council, including numbers. I tried all day yesterday to contact the Comets but we had no response.

I am sorry that you had trouble getting through to us Ms Wheatley, maybe the person who contacted you at the council got the phone numbers they where given wrong. Such a shame that, and the council are normally so efficient aren't they? Many thanks to the other contributors here, it is very heartening to know that others are in agreement! We have reached the sad state where children are killing children whilst other children are giving birth to yet more children. Our children do things like unload a luton size van full of pans on a bitterly cold day in winter and then start playing while us parents go among the crowd in Croydon Town Centre and collect money for the Mayors nominated charities (help the aged being one of them)our children all turn up at Woodside Fire Station for their family fun day and do the same again, while we parents shake our buckets in favour of the Fire Service Benevolent Fund.Thankfully as that was summer the weather was kinder to us.These children see nothing abnormal in this, they are always pleased to find out from the recipients how much they have raised! How can this be possible? Because we instill in them qualities that they will need to see them through into adult life. It takes two people to make a child,it takes a village to raise it.

Our daughter has been a part of comets for over 2 years. The project not only allows the children to have fun whilst playing music, but instills many other values ie commitment, the value of team work, helping others and giving back to the community. This is a project for local children/ teenagers and has been incredibly successful. The pavillion is central to this and I am amazed that the project has not been given the opportunity by the Council to rectify the problems of sound with some adequate sound proofing. being the cynic that I am you can't help but wonder why!!
We are hearing constantly about the problems of kids hanging out on the street and causing problems, and here is soemthing local and successful. So moving to another property may mean that the project is no longer providing a service for young people in the north of the borough. As the number of children in the building at each band is no more than 26 on a night's practice, we ahve not outgrown the building, it just needs better soundproofing so that the local residents are not disturbed.

I have been in the comets steel band for two years and I think it is brilliant, we dont want to move from our building we are happy there,the council say "We need to find a way out that keeps everyone happy" well let us soundproof the building,then everyone IS happy !

quote

Either soundproof or turn the sound down, other people's noise is hell, and when nothing is done to stop it then any counter measure seems reasonable. I feel for those neighbours.

In reply to the above response I can only re-iterate that the comets have offered to install double glazing to the three patio doors at the front of the building, replacing the original crittal windows, we have been assured by three separate companies that came to measure up and give quotes that this will reduced the noise pollution to the outer environ by up to 80%. We are prepared to meet this cost ourselves. Maybe you feel for the neighbours all over the country who are kept awake by teenagers on mopeds aimlessly riding up and down, or those gathering on garden walls that feel the need to shout at each other, even though there is barely a foot between them, the shouting is usually peppered with some very fine swearwords. Maybe the residents of that particular stretch of Auckland Road would like to swap with us, we only live around the corner, oh if they do maybe they should be prepared for the sight of a youth aged 13-14 wielding a hammer near a very new car, until a relative of his came from his home to remonstrate with him. This is what happened at 9.30 on this Monday evening.Or maybe they would like to wait one more evening until the boys with the cars with no tread on their tyres start their engines and screech up to Warminster Square and back again. One really must admire their willingness to keep the tyre industry afloat in this country, they are very committed, because they can keep going into the early hours of the morning. Don't believe the hype, the council have seized on this opportunity to remove the comets from this building because they have a hidden agenda, and we will find out what it is, the council could not give a jot about the feelings and wishes of a handful of residents.They certainly don't care about the members of the project. You voted them in people, caveat emptor!

This is just crazy. Im not part of the band but i think its a great thing they are doing. Keeping our youngsters occupied!! What else is there for them to do. I live right near where they play and its a enjoyment to here something constructive coming from the youth today other than the noise of my car windows being smashed or kids and adults arguing in the street. If i had a choice between the steel drum noise or the annoying youth noise i would choose the steel drums all day long. These kids are keeping themselves off the streets, and im sure thats what everyone wants. The kids have no path in life they just hang around on street corners waiting for their dealer to bring them drugs or ending up taking another youth life from complete BORDUM! But now we have somthing for those kids who dont want to be part of that crowd. Maybe it is only a small number but hey its a start. I look up to these kids atleast they are doing something productive. Oh and just to note i work within the construction industry and know people who could give a good rate on secondary glazing. Good luck for the future and dont let the moany neighbours take over because both you and me know if it was the same kids outside their house smashing up thier car or shouting off their mouth they would much rather they was back in their hut playing the steel drums. So keep doing what your doin.

I must agree with the above yes it is crazy! This is a small group of people that have taken an abandoned and vandalised building and turned it into a thriving community project.I also have a son in this steel orchestra the complaints that the council talk of (they amont to five apparently) could be resolved if the council would give approval to soundproof and insulate the building, quotes have been taken and materials sourced,the work would be done at no expense or inconvenience to the council, why wont the council give approval ?

THIS IS SO UNFAIRR !!!!! the council and government are trying to find ways to keep children off the streets. Finally something is being done , and they want to stop it ! I have been part of the Comets youth band for over a year now and that has prevented me from being wrongly infulenced by certain individuals . I just hope that the council come to their senses and to let us sound proof our premises at the Pavillion.

the comets are a community steelband that have done many gigs in the borough to bring the community together,they are not paid for doing these gigs many of which are for charity,and the organisers,children and their parents give up their spare time to make this possible.everyone concerned would suffer if they had to leave the pavillion,especially as the comets are more than willing to soundproof the building.surely the council and neighbours should be happy with that,and if not why not?

I think that what the council is doing is stupid. The comets community project is keeping children off of the streets yet people still complain.
If it wasn't for this project, some of the children would be doing wrong such as vandilsm or theft.
I think that the council should help us to sound proof the building, and let us keep the project running and I also think that the council should consider what they are doing and think about how many children they are going to upset.

Having first had the pleasure, and privilege, of meeting and listening to the Croydon Comets at the Streatham Arts Festival this summer,I
attended their fund-raising day (Sunday) at the South Norwood lake, where again I was well impressed, not only with their music-making, but also the commitment of their leaders, families and friends.
What a wonderful project, for all the reasons cited in your column! Long may they continue to pursue the (harmless, indeed positive) love of music and friendship.
Give me a steel band as a neighbour any day,
rather than all the other ghastly DIY noises we have to suffer.

I've been in the Comets Steel Youth Orchestra for around about a year. I really enjoy going to gigs and practicing. The goverment are always trying to come up with ways for children to be kept off the streets and now look at whats happening. Its starting to work and the neighbors are trying to ruin it! Hopefully the council will come to their senses and support us in soundproofing the building, etc.

In response to the comment posted by Bren- I would just like to mention quickly that the picture used is of the children from Comets, but most importantly, I would like to thank you and say that i agree completely with you. I myself used to be a member of two of the bands branched out from Comets before i moved to Australia, and i can truthfully say that the steel band was the hardest thing i had to leave. Comets gives young teenagers a second option to roaming streets with gangs and landing themselves in trouble, and adults a chance to relax and have fun after a day at work or at home taking care of children. Forcing comets either to move or to shorten playing hours is not only letting young teenagers back on the streets with nothing better to do, it would also rob certain young members of the band of a chance for their future and career. A number of my friends in the band have hopes of being Steel pan arrangers or teachers etc, who may not do so well at school academically. I'm sure no-one would deny teenagers a safe, secure future doing something they love and appreciate, and for many of them Comets is the path that will lead them to their goal. Just by reading the comments posted above by members of the Band anyone can see how much Comets means to them. It would be vandalism to the community to make Comets change. Council- think twice before you make one stupid decision.

I MISS YOU COMETS X X X

I am both the parent of a young person in Comets Youth Band and an adult player in the community band. Although I am heartened by all the wonderful respones to the article about moving the band from its present location I do wonder if the council have an alterior motive in wanting us out-I know who could I be such a cynic!! it seems odd that the council should not have tried to resolve this issue before it came to such a difficult head for all concerned-how awful that the manager of the project went to a council meeting which she was under the impression was to renew the licence, only to be faced with several councillors, who may not have been aware of all the issues, and a neighbour-who she did not know was going to be at this meeting.
It is about time that local councils put their money where their mouths are and support such wonderful projects as the Comets. this is not to say that I dont feel the local neighbours concerns should not be taken into account, but surely by working together we can come up with a solution that allows the Comets to stay put but also addresses the neighbours concerns, unless of course the council have their own reasons for wanting us out!.

All four of my children and I have had the pleasure of being part of the Comets steel orchestra, variously since January 2006. To meet the rising demand for membership, the managers put in ever more of their free time and provided more beginner classes until three classes were run on two days a week. Now because of five complaints from disgruntled neighbours and the refusal of Croydon Council to even allow the Comets to take over the lease of the building, which they have already invested heavily in restoring, so that they can double glaze the windows at their own expense, rehearsal sessions have had to be shortened and two of the sessions have had to be cancelled. Where once there was a sense of a thriving micro-community, there now hangs a pervading air of despondency among managers and members alike. What a sad reflection on the policies of a Council supposedly committed to both furthering the arts and providing a better life for our children.
The managers do their utmost to avoid disturbance to their neighbours; even in high summer heat all windows are firmly closed. The Comets provides a service to the community over and above allowing people to make music. Its members come from a range of socio-economic and racial backgrounds and include many children from disadvantaged backgrounds. There are children in care, children with learning disabilities, and those with low expectation of academic achievement. To see and indeed to have been part of such a diverse group working hard together to create a high quality product engenders a sense of being truly part of a community. The sense of worth and self-esteem fostered in children who may not achieve in other areas of their lives is reason enough for any responsible local authority to find ways to help the project not to obstruct it.
Croydon Council needs to adjust its priorities and, at the very least, permit the Comets to take over the lease of the building and allow the project to flourish.

As a member of Comets YOUTH Steel Orchestra for the past year, I have enjoyed playing to the public, taking part in competitons and meeting new friends during practice. We would like all the neighbours to come and see and hear how well we play and how committed we are. We really need somewhere to practice but the council have not come up with a better aternative and nor have the neighbours who are complaining. SAVE OUR PAN PAVILLION!

Why the sudden interest in the Comets Community Project? I believe it is more than just a noise issue - but let's just watch the space and see how things development. Could the complainant be the fire-starter who decided to light up on our family funday - such a malicious action. You may say that there is a historic interest from those who covertly take photographs and are keen to show 'before and after' images of the building with a view to offering some support in its improvement. (I just hope none of those include my child!) You would think that most people would be happy to see young people spending their time doing something constructive instead of waching TV or engaging in pass times that are usually associated with the idle youth. I do hope that some tolorance can be afforded to these children. After all - what can be better than the sound of music?

I have been a member of the Comets Youth Steel Orchestra ever since the Project was first established, and we have occupied the building for almost 5 years now, and not once have we had a problem until now. My opinion is that the leader of the project has done a wonderful thing for the community eg: she is keepin some of our communitys kids off the streets and stopping them from causing problems within the community. So all in all I think that the residents people need to re-think their opinions as i am sure they would prefer us kids doing something creative and constructve rather than causing problems on the streets.

My son has had the privelige of being a member of the Comets Youth Steel Orchestra for 2 years, since he was 7 years old. He has gained so much from this, including confidence, a sense of belonging and a huge feeling of camaraderie, not to mention fantastic tuition from dedicated members of the project. I find it unbelievable that this situation has arisen in the first place, when have a council taken notice of residents complaints before, not very often is the answer so why are so few complaints being taken so seriously? Why do they want us to move? There is an unknown motive here and I'm sure it will be revealed in due course. Meanwhile, Comets, keep playing and inspiring our youngters who are the leaders of tomorrow.

I think this whole situation is sad. I have seen it time and time again. Surely it should be noted that the band in its current location has improved the neighbourhood! The council I should imagine like others are impressed with Comets when they perform well and represent the local area in a positive manner but on the other hand feel they have to action on a few complaints thus preventing the band from rehearsing to maintain its standards, every band needs to practice to perform well. I echo the words from many of these comments ... Help the band sound proof the pan yard. The issue of noise pollution will always be an issue to a minority no matter where they go! Good luck to you guys!

As a local resident I am all for the steel band being allowed to continue their practice sessions.

I only found out about these petty complaints concerning perceived 'noise pollution' while I was standing waiting for a bus and overheard a local resident refer to the original article in the Guardian.

Later that day I logged onto the Guardian website and was staggered to read that local residents have been complaining about the levels of noise from the steel band practice sessions.

I have on occasions, during the summer months, taken a stroll past the lane leading to the youth club where the band practice and natural curiosity on hearing music has led me to walk down the lane to find the source of the music.

The music was tuneful, played with obvious enthusiasm and ocmmitment but was not at a volume to warrant these petty complaints.

As far as I can understand the band only play for a few hours in the evenings and with rising concern about youth crime local resident's should be celebrating, rather than criticising, a local project that engages young people in such a worthy way.

I have only one question. How can I get my child involved. I can't find any direct link to the comets on the web. Can anyone help.

Hi alahree, you can contact me directly by e-mail rose@cometscommunity
project.co.uk, if that doesn't work post again here. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Hi I would like to say that when my daughters joined the comets 5 months ago the eldest one was so nervouse and timid that she did not have interest in anything but within five months she is a completley different girl and has learnt so much about how to enjoy herself so i will shout from the tops of the roofs to the council leave the comets where they are as without the comets our children will be lost as if u c the way they put thier hearts into what they love doing only somebody without a heart could take it away. quote could take it away so let the comets stay.

Its all very well for people here to agree what a great thing the Comets project is (and it is great) but would you want them practicing in the immediate vicinity of your house at all hours, especially in the summer months when they open the windows and doors to the pavilion and its impossible to hear your own television set even with the sound turned up? If so why don't you offer to let them hold their practice sessions in your back garden???

Hello John I think if the Comets played so loud that you could not here your TV
They would have been closed down years ago.
Yes I am a Pan Player and No I do not belong or play for the Comets but do believe in giving them my support.
Keep up the good work Comets and sharing the Music of Pan and Long may you stay at your Pan Yard.

Regards PANSTICKS