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 Lambeth Conservatives are calling for a full inquiry and an apology to victims of IRA terrorism after Labour-controlled Lambeth Council pen pushers allowed a new housing block to be named "IRA COURT." "This is an insensitive blunder by Labour Lambeth Council pen pushers," says Conservative Lambeth Leader Councillor John Whelan. "It will distress families and relatives of people whose lives were blighted by IRA terrorism on the British mainland and in Northern Ireland. It is also a reminder of when Labour extremists ran the Council in the early 1980s and were soft on terrorist incidents. The name must be withdrawn and replaced by something more appropriate. Finally, the Council should issue an unreserved apology to victims of IRA crimes." The 101-flat building at 214-240 Norwood Road, near West Norwood Fire Station, is to be operated by Notting Hill and Ujima Housing Associations and was built by Mizen Construction. It is almost ready for occupancy and will also host an NHS clinic and an All Bar One wine bar. Lambeth Council is nominating tenants to live their from its housing list. Cllr Whelan adds that his attention was brought to this blunder by a leading member of the Asian community in West Norwood who was appalled that such "a monument to terrorism" could be created at a building whose construction was financed by UK taxpayers' money through the Housing Corporation. Labels: Housing, John Whelan, Labour Lambeth, Thurlow Park ward, West Norwood Fire Station
 Boris Johnson announced on LBC radio this morning that Kate Hoey - Labour's MP in Vauxhall - would join him in City Hall should he win on May 1st. Kate is the first member of Boris' team to be unveiled if he wins the Mayoral election on May 1st. The well-respected MP has agreed to serve as a non-executive Director advising Boris on sport and the Olympics. Commenting on the announcement, Boris said: "I am delighted that Kate Hoey will join me in my administration if I win on May 1st. "She and I agree that there is much more that can be done to promote sport and to develop sporting facilities across London. "I have already pledged to ring-fence London Development Agency money for sport, and if I am lucky enough to win she will be working on an agenda that includes protecting playing fields, boosting sports clubs and making sure that London's kids all benefit from the Olympics. "Kate has a huge and well-known commitment to sport and to London, and I am determined to bring talent from across politics and the community to a new administration." Lambeth Tory Leader Cllr John Whelan adds: "Kate's brave decision to work across party lines is a great boost for all Lambeth residents young and old especially those who are interested in sport. We remember her as one of the most effective sports ministers of all time and value her contacts and high profile in the local community. "It is just this kind of expertise that is such a breath of fresh air compared to Livingstone's sleaze ridden regime." Shirley Houghton, Lambeth & Southwark's Conservative GLA candidate adds: "This is excellent news for London, Kate Hoey brings a great deal of experience on both London and sporting issues. Despite being of a different political persuasion I greatly admire Kate as a conviction politician. She speaks her mind and does what's right for her constituents, an approach I always take. "London faces major issues and in announcing this impending appointment Boris Johnson has demonstrated a leadership strength that will build the best team to deliver solutions for the people of London." Bernard Gentry from Clapham Town Conservatives, said: "Having worked closely with Kate Hoey for many years it is no surprise that once again she has put the interests of Londoners before party politics. She will be a strong and independent voice in City Hall, and it is good news for London residents in general and Vauxhall residents in particular." Labels: Boris Johnson, Kate Hoey, Mayor of London, Olympics, Sport
 Labour councillors have failed to take a lead in tackling climate change in Lambeth after sitting on the recommendations of a cross-party report for 9 months. The Climate Change Commission report was finished in July 2007 and after months of delay it was finally tabled at a Labour Cabinet meeting in January 2008. But even then it was, unusually for a report of this sort, not accompanied by an action plan. Instead the Labour Cabinet members agreed to the report in principle and said it would then produce an action plan in answer to the recommendations. Since then nothing has happened. Labour leaders have failed to show the strong political leadership needed to push things forward. They must make sure that officers are not simply concerned about protecting their own budgets and departments but encouraged to work across the usual boundaries to get things done. Clare says: "It is completely unacceptable that Lambeth has failed to agree what it is going to do about climate change following this important report. "Nine months after the report they haven't even managed to produce a bit of paper, let alone action. Action to tackle climate change is needed NOW. The planet won't stop warming up while Lambeth shunts responsibility between departments. It is a case of Labour fiddling while the planet burns." Labels: Clare Whelan, Climate change, Environment, Labour Lambeth
 Labour-controlled Lambeth Council is proposing to dole out taxi cab fees to councillors, despite the fact that the Council's Cabinet members have already awarded themselves thousands of pounds extra in allowances which in the past have been regarded as containing an "expenses" element. The councillors will even be able to claim back at public expense the tips they give to taxi drivers. The proposal is being put before a meeting of the Full Council on 7th May. Conservative Cllr John Whelan says: "This flies in the face of Government policy to encourage the use of public transport and cut greenhouse gases. " Labour should schedule meetings that preserve family life and coincide with good public transport services. Instead they are living the high life at public expense. Labour cabinet members receive allowances well above the average wage and they should put their hand in their pockets like everyone else. "They argue that public transport is not always available or safe - to which we might ask, 'whose fault is that?'" Labels: Allowances, Expenses, Labour Lambeth, Public transport, Taxis
Bungling Labour Lambeth has had to knock back its own planning application for a kids' games area because it was so badly drafted. The council's planning department turned down an application from Lambeth's housing department to create a multi-use games area (MUGA) on council land in Vale Street, West Norwood. The application was ruled "invalid" because it lacked even the most basic information and contained a catalogue of cock-ups. Whole sections of the application are incorrect and incomplete and it does not include essential information, such as a traffic management plan. It is the latest blunder in the long-running saga of the Vale Street MUGA which has been delayed for years because of council red tape. A new location had to be found for the sports and play area after Labour councillors decided to locate dustcarts on the original site last year. Earlier this year the Labour MP for Dulwich & West Norwood said local kids should visit the Brixton Rec - a 40 minute bus journey - if they wanted to play. Conservative councillor Suzanne Poole, who has been working with residents to secure a MUGA for local residents, said: "I can't believe the council has made yet another major mistake. "We have now had betrayal, followed by delays and waste, followed by misguided policy, followed by this latest cock-up. "Norwood is badly lacking in children’s play areas, yet the Labour administration cannot even submit a planning application that is acceptable to itself." Labels: Gipsy Hill ward, Labour Lambeth, MUGA, Planning, Play, Suzanne Poole, Vale Street
 Local Conservative councillors have campaigned vigorously against the closure of Gipsy Road Post Office and Central Hill Post Office. As well as collecting hundreds of signatures for petitions, they have sent submissions to the consultation, outlining their opposition to these plans. Cllr Andrew Gibson says: "Closing these Post Offices will cut off access to postal services for local people in one of Lambeth's most deprived areas. "Gipsy Hill ward has high numbers of residents with long term limiting illness, and the highest proportion of residents in the borough aged over 65, who are more dependent on Post Office services."
To read the submission on Gipsy Road Post Office CLICK HERE. To read the submission on Central Hill Post Office CLICK HERE. There are six other Post Offices under threat in Lambeth and local Conservatives are also campaigning to save them from unnecessary cuts. They are: - 34 Abbeville Road, London SW4 9NG
- 154 Acre Lane, London SW2 5UT
- 16 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UT
- 34 Vauxhall Street, London SE11 5LG
- 7 Hermitage Lane, London SW16 3LH
- 47 Streatham Place, London SW2 4QG
Labels: Andrew Gibson, Gipsy Hill ward, Post Offices
 Lambeth Labour bosses plan to spend more than half-a-million pounds to 'polish over the cracks' in the Council's performance and impress inspectors – while residents on low incomes struggle to meet the highest council tax rise in the capital. A leaked document reveals how Labour Lambeth has earmarked more than £560,000 to spend on new spin doctors and consultants in preparation for an inspection from public spending watchdog the Audit Commission. Ahead of the inspectors' visit later this year, the council tax payers' cash will be used to: - employ new communications staff;
- publish glossy brochures; and
- erect new signage.
Lambeth's Conservative Group Leader Councillor John Whelan says: "It comes at a time when local residents have been asked to pay the highest council tax rise in London - 4.75 per cent - and when care charges for old and disabled people are set to rise to £20 per hour, leaving many of the most vulnerable people in the borough unable to afford home care." Labels: Labour Lambeth, Spin
 On the day they flew over London to mark the RAF's 90th birthday, Lambeth Conservatives are backing the campaign for the world famous Red Arrows to appear at the 2012 London Olympics. Organisers of the event are reported as describing the Arrows as "too British" with a military background that might be "offensive" to other countries taking part in the Games. The display team, who have performed at more than 4,000 events worldwide, were said to be "outraged". Cllr Clare Whelan, the Conservative lead on culture issues, said: "Being axed from the Olympics event for being 'too British' is an insult - the Arrows are a symbol of Britain. I hope that common sense prevails." CLICK HERE to add your name to the petition.Labels: Clare Whelan, Olympics, Red Arrows
 A letter to the South London Press from Cllr Andrew Gibson (Conservative Councillor, Gipsy Hill):Your correspondent Stan Hardy has slipped up in saying that the Gipsy Road Post Office is outside the Dulwich and West Norwood constituency (MPs Forsake Us Over POs, March 28), but he is right to highlight the double standards of the local Labour MP, Tessa Jowell. I contacted Ms Jowell recently, urging her to vote to suspend the closure programme that will see some 2,500 post offices close nationwide. She replied that she was very much in favour of the closure programme nationally; she just does not want it to apply in her patch. She ignores the convention that when a minister disagrees with a Government policy, she should do the honourable thing and resign. Instead, Ms Jowell has put protecting her job in Whitehall before the interests of her constituents - a sharp contrast indeed to her more principled Parliamentary colleague Kate Hoey, MP for Vauxhall, who talked the talk and walked the walk by supporting the Conservative Parliamentary motion to suspend the closures. Our Labour MP told me that the Post Office network was losing millions of pounds. She fails to recognise that the Post Office is not a normal business, but has a public service element - it is the Government, after all, which places upon the PO a nationwide service delivery obligation. In that light, are these millions "losses", or are they costs for a service that the public value? And why has the Government reduced the range of services that Post Offices provide? Finally, our Labour MP lectured me on the damage done by a PO branch reduction project last century. Her argument is, therefore, that while the previous Government was wrong to reduce the network last century, Labour is right to cut back the network still further today. What is dispiriting about her comments is not the "Yah-boo" political element, but the utter lack of common sense and intelligent discussion. Her confusion derives from wanting to run with the fox while chasing with the hounds. Hypocrisy indeed, and another indicator that Labour has lost touch with ordinary people. Labels: Andrew Gibson, Letters, Post Offices
Stuart said: "Thank you to all those who voted for me on 20th March. I shall remember this by-election first and foremost for the many lovely people I met on the doorstep. Time and time again people commented on how refreshing it was to hear a new and positive voice in Vassall, so tired were they of the relentless nastiness of the LibDems and the Labour campaign." "I congratulate Steve Bradley on becoming councillor for Vassall. I hope that he will be a genuine hard worker and serve our area well – and not just fall into the usual pattern of inaction and spun-PR that have discredited local politics in this borough. That only 1-in-4 of the ward bothered to vote in this election can hardly be regarded as a triumph for any party. I wish Steve well, and hope that he manages to reach out to the 75% who didn't vote at all." Labels: Stuart Barr, Vassall ward
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Lambeth Conservatives are calling for a full inquiry and an apology to victims of IRA terrorism after Labour-controlled Lambeth Council pen pushers allowed a new housing block to be named "IRA COURT."
posted by Cllr John Whelan on Friday, May 02, 2008
