Responding to the Met Police's announcement that hit squads will soon be in place to tackle violent teenage gangs in every London borough, Graham Tope, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Policing on the London Assembly said:
"Since January, 15 young people have either been shot or stabbed to death in London in callous and evil attacks. At times it feels as if we can no longer say that these events are rare. "I welcome the Met's efforts to fight back against violent gangs but if long term results are expected, the police will have to work with many other organisations who have an effect on the lives of young people. Education, housing, health and employment all have critical roles to play in ending the threat of violence and sense of fear that affects millions of Londoners.
"Young people must also be involved in this process to make sure the authorities get it right for the long term."
Friday, June 29, 2007
MAYOR ANSWERS TO LONDON
The latest set of answers at the June Mayor's Question time have been published here http://www.london.gov.uk/mqt/bymember.do. You can catch up with all the questions put to Mayor Livingstone, and his answers. Amongst other questions you can see what the Mayor said as Geoff Pope tackled him on the number of accidents caused by 'Bendy Buses, while Dee Doocey asked the Mayor what was being done to support rough sleepers in the capital. If you have a question for the Mayor let us know at mailto:info@glalibdems.org.uk
CHANGES IN LONDON?
Sally Hamwee writes: The Mayor's new planning powers were discussed in the Lords last week. Under the GLA Bill and an Order (now in final form but to be made later) the Mayor will be able himself to determine applications which are "strategic" (at present he can only direct a borough to refuse an application). The definition of strategic has been debated and negotiated over many months, and probably the most contentious issue is housing where the Mayor will be able to take over housing applications for more than 150 units, taking account of whether the borough is meeting its development plan targets including those for affordable housing - it is the shortage which underlies the changes.
The Liberal Democrats eventually, after consulting representatives of Lib Dem led councils, decided to support the Government against a Conservative attempt to increase the threshold to 500 units. 150 is after all itself pretty sizeable. This will not mean creating a homogeneous city; the boroughs will be able to keep their own character - but it does mean paying a lot of attention to what goes in their development plans.
The Government has moved a long way from its original proposals. Perhaps the greatest constraint on the Mayor will be that he cannot delegate these powers. The procedures will be similar to those at local level: agendas with officer recommendations published in advance, oral representations from the local authority and applicant (he can also hear objectors but is not required to - we lost that one), and he will have to sit through it all.
As a coda, I pushed to a vote a provision which would have postponed till after next May the restriction on anyone standing for Mayor or Assembly Member after serving two terms. I wanted to make it quite clear this was not a personal attack on the current Mayor (after all, we'd tried for this is 1999) and to change the rules so close to an election would be inappropriate. The Commons will throw out the two terms restriction, but as things stand, since they voted against this little amendment, it is the Government and the Labour party who have let a Bill proceed with a two-term restriction and no get out for Mr Livingstone.
The Liberal Democrats eventually, after consulting representatives of Lib Dem led councils, decided to support the Government against a Conservative attempt to increase the threshold to 500 units. 150 is after all itself pretty sizeable. This will not mean creating a homogeneous city; the boroughs will be able to keep their own character - but it does mean paying a lot of attention to what goes in their development plans.
The Government has moved a long way from its original proposals. Perhaps the greatest constraint on the Mayor will be that he cannot delegate these powers. The procedures will be similar to those at local level: agendas with officer recommendations published in advance, oral representations from the local authority and applicant (he can also hear objectors but is not required to - we lost that one), and he will have to sit through it all.
As a coda, I pushed to a vote a provision which would have postponed till after next May the restriction on anyone standing for Mayor or Assembly Member after serving two terms. I wanted to make it quite clear this was not a personal attack on the current Mayor (after all, we'd tried for this is 1999) and to change the rules so close to an election would be inappropriate. The Commons will throw out the two terms restriction, but as things stand, since they voted against this little amendment, it is the Government and the Labour party who have let a Bill proceed with a two-term restriction and no get out for Mr Livingstone.
FLOODING A REALITY.
Commenting on the severe floods that have hit Yorkshire and the Midlands this week, Mike Tuffrey, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Assembly Members and Spokesperson on the Environment said:
Severe floods this week have been a painful demonstration that climate change is real and is happening in the UK. The Mayor needs to think seriously about his plans to build thousands of new homes on flood plains in the Thames Gateway, and must minimise building in high-risk areas. He must also seek assurances from his Government that future flood defences in the region, including recommendations from the Thames Estuary 2100 project, receive adequate and sustained funding to protect effectively against increasing flood risk
Severe floods this week have been a painful demonstration that climate change is real and is happening in the UK. The Mayor needs to think seriously about his plans to build thousands of new homes on flood plains in the Thames Gateway, and must minimise building in high-risk areas. He must also seek assurances from his Government that future flood defences in the region, including recommendations from the Thames Estuary 2100 project, receive adequate and sustained funding to protect effectively against increasing flood risk
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
No cuts to Safer Neighbourhood Teams
Mike Tuffrey this week got the Mayor to make a categorical promise to Londoners not to cut funding for local Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Mike used the monthly Mayor's Question Time session to highlight concerns that senior police officers in London now believe that reductions could be made in local policing.Mike Tuffrey said:
"We are pleased that the Mayor has made this promise to Londoners but are concerns about his ability to stick to his word. Having spent £0.5 billion on implementing Safer Neighbourhood Teams, it would be scandalous for the Mayor and the Met to allow a reduction in officer numbers due to budget pressures.
"The Mayor is well on course to fail his 2004 election promise of cutting crime by 50% by 2008. This would further damage efforts to cut crime in the capital."
"We are pleased that the Mayor has made this promise to Londoners but are concerns about his ability to stick to his word. Having spent £0.5 billion on implementing Safer Neighbourhood Teams, it would be scandalous for the Mayor and the Met to allow a reduction in officer numbers due to budget pressures.
"The Mayor is well on course to fail his 2004 election promise of cutting crime by 50% by 2008. This would further damage efforts to cut crime in the capital."
Mayor saved from embarrasment
A politically embarrassing climb-down by the Mayor this week saw Geoff Pope and Mike Tuffrey nominated to the London Fire and Emergency Authority, the Mayor having earlier refused to put Mike's, Geoff's, and the London Councils Lib Dem rep Ed Butcher from Haringey, names forward. The Mayor's embarrassment was almost compounded when on a vote of 9 to 8, (the Conservatives voting against) the Fire Authority agreed to pay London's Living Wage to its cleaners after a speech by Geoff Pope supporting the idea.
Term Limits from 2008?
After the House of Lords this week voted to impose a two term limit on a Mayor of London (and Assembly Members!), Sally Hamwee is introducing an amendment in the House of Lords next week to ensure that the term limits do not apply until after the London Mayor and Assembly elections next year.
Sally Hamwee said: "There are quite distinct views on the principle: That an individual with such considerable executive power should be limited in how long he can serve. Or that it is entirely a matter for the electorate, once every four years. The vote, at any rate so far as the Lib Dems were concerned, was not a personal attack on Mr Livingstone - during the debate I said that if Graham Tope were Mayor I'd still be supporting the limit, and I'd expect him to do so if I were. The amendment won't stick; the Tories on the Assembly echoed their Commons colleagues (a split between Tories in the two Houses?) and lined up to say they thought Mr Livingstone was quite right to fight the restriction." Graham Tope moved the issue during the Lords’ debat, as well as fighting for greater powers for the London Assembly to challenge the Mayor’s budget.
Sally Hamwee said: "There are quite distinct views on the principle: That an individual with such considerable executive power should be limited in how long he can serve. Or that it is entirely a matter for the electorate, once every four years. The vote, at any rate so far as the Lib Dems were concerned, was not a personal attack on Mr Livingstone - during the debate I said that if Graham Tope were Mayor I'd still be supporting the limit, and I'd expect him to do so if I were. The amendment won't stick; the Tories on the Assembly echoed their Commons colleagues (a split between Tories in the two Houses?) and lined up to say they thought Mr Livingstone was quite right to fight the restriction." Graham Tope moved the issue during the Lords’ debat, as well as fighting for greater powers for the London Assembly to challenge the Mayor’s budget.
Lose - Lose situation
Responding to the announcement that Metronet have given notice to London Underground that they have invited the PPP arbiter to conduct an Extraordinary Review, in order to recover its claimed significant additional costs on the PPP project, Geoff Pope said:
"This is a lose - lose situation. London Underground and Metronet will have to abide by the Arbiters findings and face being left to split the billion pound bill between them.
"The only losers in all of this will be London's travelling public who face the prospect of suffering a reduced service for their money and then having to pay higher fares for service that shows little improvement."
Gordon Brown's PPP is proving a disaster for London. Is this really what he wants to leave as a legacy for London as he moves from number 11 to number 10 Downing Street?"
"This is a lose - lose situation. London Underground and Metronet will have to abide by the Arbiters findings and face being left to split the billion pound bill between them.
"The only losers in all of this will be London's travelling public who face the prospect of suffering a reduced service for their money and then having to pay higher fares for service that shows little improvement."
Gordon Brown's PPP is proving a disaster for London. Is this really what he wants to leave as a legacy for London as he moves from number 11 to number 10 Downing Street?"
Rough Sleeping action?
On Wednesday Dee Doocey, spokesperson on housing, questioned the Mayor over whether London would meet its target to end rough sleeping by 2012. Dee said:
'There is a real disparity between the Government's rough sleeping figures and reports coming in from the voluntary sector. For London to end rough sleeping before 2012, there needs to be some real leg work from the Mayor to provide new supported housing for the most vulnerable people on the streets, as well as initiatives to help those who are fit into work. We will be looking for commitments in these areas when the Mayor publishes his Housing Strategy next month.'
'There is a real disparity between the Government's rough sleeping figures and reports coming in from the voluntary sector. For London to end rough sleeping before 2012, there needs to be some real leg work from the Mayor to provide new supported housing for the most vulnerable people on the streets, as well as initiatives to help those who are fit into work. We will be looking for commitments in these areas when the Mayor publishes his Housing Strategy next month.'
Thursday, June 21, 2007
GREMLINS
Sadly the gremlins hit the last Focus between the computer and the printers.
By the number of responses we received it did not appear to spoil your enjoyment in reading what goes on in your area.
By the number of responses we received it did not appear to spoil your enjoyment in reading what goes on in your area.
GREEN WASTE SERVICE
The Council are currently working with Verdant to bring in a green waste collection service (brown bins) across the borough. The roll out will start on September 10th. The first rounds have not yet been allocated. Watch this space for further information.
WALTHAM FOREST ON TOP OF NORTH LONDON RECYCLING
Waltham Forest has over taken Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Harrigey and Islington as the top recycling borough in North London.
In the latest AEA Technology report for April 2007 Waltham Forest recorded 27.87% at the same time saving the Council £261,200.
Our current monthly recycling rate is 29%
In the latest AEA Technology report for April 2007 Waltham Forest recorded 27.87% at the same time saving the Council £261,200.
Our current monthly recycling rate is 29%
Sunday, June 17, 2007
TACKLING SUSTAINABILITY
At a formal dinner held in the Tower of London this week to mark the second visit of the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission for the 2012 Games to London, Sally Hamwee took the opportunity to talk to the Chair of the independent Commission overseeing the sustainability of the Games, and to bring him into a discussion with the London Development Agency about the problems faced by plot holders at Manor Garden Allotments who are facing relocation from the site of the Olympic Park.
After the event, Sally said "The Chair of the Assembly is often invited to events like this, and the trick is to make sure that you use such occasions to talk to senior officials the real issues that Londoners are concerned about. I told them that I guessed that the allotment holders must have felt as if they were under the wheels of a juggernaut" The LDA announced on Thursday that they had reached agreement with the Manor Garden Allotment plot holders to enable them to return to their plots after 2012, and in the meantime to move to a temporary site in Waltham Forest, having arranged suitable compensation and support
After the event, Sally said "The Chair of the Assembly is often invited to events like this, and the trick is to make sure that you use such occasions to talk to senior officials the real issues that Londoners are concerned about. I told them that I guessed that the allotment holders must have felt as if they were under the wheels of a juggernaut" The LDA announced on Thursday that they had reached agreement with the Manor Garden Allotment plot holders to enable them to return to their plots after 2012, and in the meantime to move to a temporary site in Waltham Forest, having arranged suitable compensation and support
CLOSURE OF TUBE TICKET OFFICES WILL IMPACT PASSENGER SAFETY
Geoff Pope hit out this week at Mayor Livingstone's plan to close ticket offices at 40 Tube stations, 38 of them in outer London.
Geoff said: "Mayor Livingstone’s latest move to rescue Tube finances is to axe ticket offices at 40 tube stations. He has spun this as taking staff out of ticket offices and making them a visible presence on station platforms – an excuse to redeploy 240 staff. The reality is that at present, when ticket offices are closed, your chances of finding a staff member are next to zero. If London Underground’s management can’t make it work now, why should we believe they’ll suddenly mend their ways? All three rail unions have come out against the changes, claiming passenger safety will be put at risk. Passengers need to feel safer on stations. If the Mayor needs to cut costs, he could make a start on London Underground's middle management."
Geoff Pope also organised an event at the House of Commons this week to demand an early government announcement that they will fund Network Rail's Thameslink programme which would hugely increase north-south suburban rail provision for commuters. Geoff said "Unless the decision is made this summer, work may not be able to start until after the 2012 Olympics."
Geoff said: "Mayor Livingstone’s latest move to rescue Tube finances is to axe ticket offices at 40 tube stations. He has spun this as taking staff out of ticket offices and making them a visible presence on station platforms – an excuse to redeploy 240 staff. The reality is that at present, when ticket offices are closed, your chances of finding a staff member are next to zero. If London Underground’s management can’t make it work now, why should we believe they’ll suddenly mend their ways? All three rail unions have come out against the changes, claiming passenger safety will be put at risk. Passengers need to feel safer on stations. If the Mayor needs to cut costs, he could make a start on London Underground's middle management."
Geoff Pope also organised an event at the House of Commons this week to demand an early government announcement that they will fund Network Rail's Thameslink programme which would hugely increase north-south suburban rail provision for commuters. Geoff said "Unless the decision is made this summer, work may not be able to start until after the 2012 Olympics."
DEE DOOCEY WELCOMES OLYMPIC PROGRESS REPORT BUT WARNS AGAINST COMPLACENCY OVER LEGACY
This week the International Olympic Committee visited London to assess London's progress, and gave a very positive report, saying that preparations were "on time and on track". They also said that London was more advanced in their preparations than any host city in Olympic history.
However, Dee Doocey, the Liberal Democrat Olympic
spokesperson on the London Assembly, issued a note of caution. "Whilst I clearly welcome the reports from the IOC that London is progressing well, I still have reservations about certain aspects of the legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic Games. There is a real issue over the cycling legacy that will be left after 2012, and for some time now I have been working closely with various cycling bodies in London, and the Olympic Delivery Authority, to ensure that the cycling facilities London was promised after 2012 are actually delivered. And it is all very well having an Olympic roadshow to encourage people to 'join in', but the fact is that an extra £60 million is being diverted from grass roots sports as a result of the increase in the Olympics budget. How are local sports clubs expected to thrive if their funding is being cut? But my main concern is that the employment and skills we have been promised will not actually reach the people who need them most - those in the hardest to reach, most deprived communities in London."
However, Dee Doocey, the Liberal Democrat Olympic
spokesperson on the London Assembly, issued a note of caution. "Whilst I clearly welcome the reports from the IOC that London is progressing well, I still have reservations about certain aspects of the legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic Games. There is a real issue over the cycling legacy that will be left after 2012, and for some time now I have been working closely with various cycling bodies in London, and the Olympic Delivery Authority, to ensure that the cycling facilities London was promised after 2012 are actually delivered. And it is all very well having an Olympic roadshow to encourage people to 'join in', but the fact is that an extra £60 million is being diverted from grass roots sports as a result of the increase in the Olympics budget. How are local sports clubs expected to thrive if their funding is being cut? But my main concern is that the employment and skills we have been promised will not actually reach the people who need them most - those in the hardest to reach, most deprived communities in London."
LIB DEMS CALL ON AUDIT COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE BOB KILEY CONTRACT
The Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly this week revealed that TfL has spent £210m on consultants in the past financial year (2006-07). By comparison, it spent £31 million in 2004-05 and £33.5 million in 2005-06.
Group Leader Mike Tuffrey said: “A quarter of a billion spent on consultants in a year is an insult. Londoners are not yet seeing real improvement to their daily travel conditions despite all the spending. We need to see fewer middle men and paper pushers and more value for money. With Bob Kiley, Ken Livingstone is breaking his own code of practice on contracting. Unless we get satisfactory answers today, we will be referring TfL to the Audit Commission for immediate investigation.”
Also this week successfully moved a motion in the London Assembly calling on the Audit Commission to investigate the payments Transport for London has made to Bob Kiley in light of the lack of transparency surrounding Mr Kiley's consultancy contract.
The call for the investigation follows the summonsing of information from TfL about the contract - which revealed that there is no record of the number of days Mr Kiley has worked or the advice he has given - and questioning of Mayor Ken Livingstone and senior TfL officers by the full Assembly today.
Mike Tuffrey said: "No reasonable person or farepayer could help but think this contract is a scandalous waste of Londoners' money. The Mayor and Transport for London have been unable to provide this Assembly with either the documented evidence we required from them, or satisfactory answers at the meeting today, to justify exactly what Mr Kiley is doing to earn his truly extraordinary fee.
"For this reason, we have no option but to call on the Audit Commission in the hope it will be able to shed some light on what seems to be a very murky deal indeed.
"In the meantime Transport for London should not hand over another penny. The current contract arrangements are absolutely unsustainable - no further payment should be made to Mr Kiley and Transport for London should renegotiate the contract so any future payments are for work he has actually done."
Group Leader Mike Tuffrey said: “A quarter of a billion spent on consultants in a year is an insult. Londoners are not yet seeing real improvement to their daily travel conditions despite all the spending. We need to see fewer middle men and paper pushers and more value for money. With Bob Kiley, Ken Livingstone is breaking his own code of practice on contracting. Unless we get satisfactory answers today, we will be referring TfL to the Audit Commission for immediate investigation.”
Also this week successfully moved a motion in the London Assembly calling on the Audit Commission to investigate the payments Transport for London has made to Bob Kiley in light of the lack of transparency surrounding Mr Kiley's consultancy contract.
The call for the investigation follows the summonsing of information from TfL about the contract - which revealed that there is no record of the number of days Mr Kiley has worked or the advice he has given - and questioning of Mayor Ken Livingstone and senior TfL officers by the full Assembly today.
Mike Tuffrey said: "No reasonable person or farepayer could help but think this contract is a scandalous waste of Londoners' money. The Mayor and Transport for London have been unable to provide this Assembly with either the documented evidence we required from them, or satisfactory answers at the meeting today, to justify exactly what Mr Kiley is doing to earn his truly extraordinary fee.
"For this reason, we have no option but to call on the Audit Commission in the hope it will be able to shed some light on what seems to be a very murky deal indeed.
"In the meantime Transport for London should not hand over another penny. The current contract arrangements are absolutely unsustainable - no further payment should be made to Mr Kiley and Transport for London should renegotiate the contract so any future payments are for work he has actually done."
Friday, June 15, 2007
it's NO to TESCO !!!
HOT NEWS! The proposed Tesco store for HIGHAMS PARK (off Larkshall Rd. - former C & A site) has been REFUSED.The long report from the Inspector (now published) following the January Planning Inquiry recommends refusal because the store would be out of keeping in the area and too large. There are also concerns about the residential development that was to be included on the site. The Secretary of State has accepted the recommendation to refuse the development.Some key sentences from the report:"The scale of provision and size of store would be out of place, likely to cause material harm to the vitality, character and role of the centre in the local community." On proposed housing: " "I find that the layout and likely design would fail to meet the policy requirements of achieving good quality residential developments.""-- The retail and design objections I identify are fundamental to the unacceptability of the scheme and far outweigh the matters I find in its favour."In the assessment from the Secretary of State on the housing aspect, she speaks of the failure "to create a building of distinctive character which would support a sense of local pride and dignity," and that the development "would also be in stark contrast to the terraced housing in the surrounding area." The conclusions also state: " -- the Secretary of State has strong reservations about the visual impact of the proposed scheme, its relationship to the existing centre and its potential to provide a high quality of life for those living, working or otherwise using it."WHAT HAPPENS NOW? Tesco could challenge the decision in the High Court; or perhaps they might be interested in making a new application, perhaps for a smaller store with a different style of housing development??Watch this space!
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