The Four Lib Dem national priorities

The four main priorities for how the Liberal Democrats will make Britain a fairer place have been announced: fair taxes; a fair start for every child; fair, clean and local politics; and a fair, green economy with jobs that last.

The first priority is to introduce fair taxes, with radical proposals for the biggest tax reform in generations. The Liberal Democrats will close loopholes for the richest and introduce a tax on mansions to fund tax cuts of £700 for everyone else. No-one will pay income tax on the first £10,000 they earn, meaning millions of low earners and pensioners will stop paying taxes altogether, while millions more will get hundreds of pounds back in their pockets. Only the Liberal Democrats will make taxes permanently fair.

The next priority is to give every child the fair start they deserve through a huge transformation of our education system that will build the foundations of fair society. That means cutting class sizes so children get the individual attention they need Read the rest of this entry. Read the rest of this entry.

Keeping East Dulwich special

What do you think would keep and help make East Dulwich even more special?

 For your local Lib Dem councillors, protecting and nurturing the unique character of our local community has been at the core of everything we have done over the last four years. It remains the driving force behind everything we do. Keeping East Dulwich special is a cause we are constantly fighting for, and it is a promise we are determined to keep.

We’veall witnessed first hand the remarkable transformation of our area, and Southwark generally. Southwark now has the fastest improving schools in the country, some of the cleanest and safest streets in London. Most striking of all has been the evolution of the thriving hub of our community: Read the rest of this entry. Read the rest of this entry.

Neighbourhoods that can kill

Reading the latest New Scientist 16 January 2010,  article about collaborative research between sociologists and biologists looking at two neighbourhoods in Chicago comparing populations from Clearing (well to do area) with Englewood (very poor crime ridden area). Suggests that residents of Englewood are contantly under  stress and being on the alert and in a heightened state of readiness with high levels of cortisol. That this means such residents are much more prone to malignant breast cancers  at +68%. That standard anti cancers drugs don’t work.

Suggests that social isolation and fear of crime cause an overload of stress hormones that actually change human cell biology and that social interventions may be the best way to fight such cancers.

Reported that others have hints of stress and social deprivation causing greater diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Similarly research into prostate cancers has found that prognosis is worse for black men without the support of social networks from families or friends.

What does this mean for Southwark with its very deprived areas? Do we have such social isolation to cause such terrible illness?

GCSE results

The latest results for 5  GCSE’s A*-C including English and Maths Southwark has jumped 11% points to reach 46% getting the closest to the National average results of 50% we’ve ever been.

I’m hopeful that GCSE’s to be taken this summer will reach the national average.

Infrastructure bank

At last some sense about infrastructure. For years Tory and labour governments have been pushing public bodies to have Private Public Partnerships or Private Finance Initiatives. Where public bodies pay through the nose to have capital investment built to a generally minimalist quality and get locked into inflexible contracts – imagine 25 years ago predicting the internet, mobile phones, etc and building a contract sufficiently flexible to cope.

As a Liberal Democrat I thin kwe’ve cracked it by suggesting a national infrastructure bank. The idea is a bank guaranteed by government, long term investment from the private sector to build capital public projects that build wealth creating infrastructure.

The Institution of Civil Engineers have welcomed the idea.

You can be sure Conservatives wont like the idea – the current PFI system makes private bankers wealthy but locks in public inefficiencies for decades to come.

Hopefully the financial crisis will ensure all politicians take a fresh look at such a great idea. 

Our libraries need to grow

I passionately care about our library service.

One of the first things I did when elected councillor was meet the head of libraries at our local libraries – Grove Vale and Dulwich Library – for a full tour. After much badgering Dulwich Library was opened for a 7th day each week and is now a seven days a week service. It was great that library staff in conjunction with their union agreed staffing roster changes making this possible. This has seen a doubling in weekly baby and toddler group attendance from 125 Dec’08 to 268 Dec’09 despite the snow. Weekly films clubs. Hopefully, we’ll have some adult learning soon rather than asking East Dulwich residents to trudge over to Peckham.

I’ve asked on many occasions whether a similar change for Grove Vale could be made. What days would you find it most helpful IF Grove Vale library could be open more? I’m hopeful that early in the next Financial Year something may be possible…

With an expanding population we need to grow our libraries. Opening for more hours helps but physically making more space for users. I’ve proposed a modest, very cheap, increase to Dulwich Library. Fingers crossed this rearranging will come to pass.

Sustainable Communities Act

This act enables residents to indetify and suggest ways to improve local areas. Only 1/3rd of local councils took part. 293 ideas were proposed of which 8 came from Southwark.

These have been short listed to be discussed by government ministers and 7 of Southwark’s 8 have made it to this final list:

1. Southwark camera partnership – Transfer of funding to a Southwark camera partnership, which would redistribute revenue towards services such as road calming measures and have the power to move existing cameras.
2. Relax the requirement for 20mph zones – It should be at the discretion of the council whether there are self enforcing calming measures and what form they take
3. National plastic bag free day – No exchange of plastic bags between retailer and customer on a given day.
4. A duty on Network Rail and any other rail operators – A duty to be imposed on Network Rail and any other rail operators to work in partnership with local authorities and local communities to safeguard and improve the environment directly relating to railway land and infrastructure
5. Smooth leaseholder repair bills – Change in the rules to allow councils to take deposits and prudently invest leaseholder funds, on a voluntary basis, to help smooth leaseholder repairs bills.
6. Unlawful use of properties – Penalties for unlawful use of a property, with the council having the ability to impose civil penalties on the freeholder to cover the costs of planning enforcement.
7. Permaculture design principles – A permissive regime that enables Council to prioritise permaculture design principle in local planning policy.

All great ideas (the first was my idea) that would make a real difference to Southwark.

Fingers crossed they don’t get lost in the general election period but that most proceed.

Christmas Trees

In a few days time we’ll all be starting to take our festive decorations down.

If you have a real Christmas tree you can dispose of it by putting it out on garden waste recycling days. Or locally take them to Peckham Rye Park (near the cafe) or Belair Park (car park).

If you’re disabled, elderly or don’t have transport and don’t have a garden waste collection service, you can arrange to have your Christmas tree collected.  To book a collection appointment between 5th and 29th of January call 020 7525 2000.

The following is a list of the next garden waste recycling collections in the New Year for East Dulwich:

Archdale Road            Tuesday 12 January

Ashbourne Grove         Tuesday 5 January

Barry Road                  Tuesday 5 January

Bassano Street             Tuesday 5 January

Read the rest of this entry.

Unforecast snow

Monday afternoon unforecast snow arrived. Council gritting is undertaken 12 hours in advance of icy or snowy weather forecasts as per the Met Office and Meteo. Unforecast snow during day time is terrible as no grit is in place. So day time traffic quickly snarls up and the gritters can’t get through to get gritting. Proverbial nightmare.

To reduce the chances of this Southwark employs two different weather forecasters – one the Met Office and Meteo. Both got it wrong. Arrgh.

So Southwark, as with everyone else, was caught out.

The good news is that we have more resources than most councils to get things moving again – 3 lorry gritters, 80 manual gritters, 500 officers and contractor staff, 1,000 tonnes of salt/grit. But we’ll never have sufficient to clear all 340km of road, 680km of pavements instantly.

Let me know your experiences to help shape the service for the future.

Freedom Pass 2010 renewals

If you’re over 60 years old or know someone who is or disabled and they/you want a Freedom Pass for free bus journeys applications need to be submitted between 4 January and 13 February.

My understanding of the process is:

For Older Persons Freedom Pass.
Get an application from local Post Office FROM 4 January. Fill it in then take it back to Post Office with proof of age, proof of address and photo. Post office issues a receipt. Post Office send form and photo to a documentation bureau. Bureau issue Freedom Pass within 10 working day via 2nd class post.

For Disabled Person Freedom Pass.
Get reassessment form from Southwark Council. Apply with required proofs and photo. Southwark checks form and if necessary arranged for occupational therapy assessment. Applicant takes letter of authorisation, prooft of age!, address and photo to Post Office who issue a receipt. Post Office sends documentation to documentation bureau. Bureau issues Freedom Pass within 10 working day via 2nd class post.

Any problems let me know ASAP. Last time these passes were renewed it all went pear shaped across London. Everyone working really hard to avoid this. So any problems please tell me.