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The perils of letting in the Tories
• As we approach the council elections on May 4 and
your letters pages become logjammed with candidates proclaiming
the very best or the very worst of the borough, I have paused
for a moments reflection.
Local Democracy is a precious thing – it allows us
to determine our future, how our local services are run. It
is so much more than the protest vote protrayed by the national
media. I was born and brought up in the North of Ireland where
it didn’t mean any of that – where whoever citizens
voted for could not form a Government and citizens didn’t
have a say over how local services were run.
Perhaps because of that, I passionately believe that local democracy
matters – it is important who runs your public services.
The parties in Camden have very different ideas about values
and priorities. The values and priorities of Labour Camden are
clear – excellence in public service comitted to tackling
inequality. It is why I became a member of the Labour Party
and it is what will guide us over the next four years.
Last week, I raised the record of the council – and we
are proud of it, we are one of the top six councils in London
– but I acknowledge that there is much more to do. I despair
that the alternative is a Conservative party which hasn’t
changed in Camden. They are fighting this election in the same
way as at the general election last year. They have opposed
becoming a fair trade borough (one member saying that free trade
was better – even if it meant that child labour was used
abroad! Do we want that person to be the Executive Member for
Children in Camden?), their members last year called for a cut
in the money given to council housing, the current candidate
in Gospel Oak calls for the end of council houisng and their
current manifesto calls committed to privitatisation of public
services, irrespective of quality. This is a party of the extreme
right, idealogically opposed to public service, to council houisng
and to tackling inequality. The dividing lines are clear -–
if residents don’t vote Labour but stay at home or have
a protest vote, then there will be a Tory adminstration.
Cllr Raj Chada
Leader of Camden
Council
Town Hall
Judd Street, WC1
LABOUR will work with the police to get crime
down further, building on the 20 per cent fall since 2001. We’re
supporting the police’s roll-out of bobby-on-the-beat policing,
which has made such a difference in like Somers Town and Cantelowes.
Both Lib Dems and Tories voted against the Mayor’s budget
to increase police numbers for beat policing. f Labour is re-elected residents can expect
more CCTV on streets and on estates. CCTV helped secure 2,312
arrests last year and proves the worth of our 170 plus cameras
to Lib Dem Islington’s 40 odd.
We’ll be expanding our street warden patrols on estates
and streets. We’ll provide a free graffiti removal service
and increase the hours of the noise-patrol service so residents
can sleep more easily.
We’re also introducing a controlled drinking zone across
the borough, opposed by the Lib Dems, which tackles anti-social
drinking. Cllr Jake Sumner
Executive Member for Community Safety
Camden Council
Town Hall
Judd Street, WC1We were horrified to read the comments of a
Lib Dem candidate who has suggested in an election leaflet that
an area like King’s Cross should have a legalised prostitution
zone. Over the years community activists have worked hand in
to clear up the prostitution problems in the area.
The Lib Dem is quoted as saying that the controlled zone for
prostitutes should not be in Islington due to it being “residential”
and it should be moved in an area “not too far away”.
We can only assume that she is suggesting that such a zone should
be dumped into somewhere close by like King’s Cross. We
know that the community does not want this to happen in King’s
Cross. We believe the Liberal Democrats suggestion is dangerous.
We hope that the voters of King’s Cross will firmly reject
this crackpot idea by supporting us on May 4. Abdul Hai
Geethika Jayatilaka
Jonathan Simpson
Labour candidates
King’s Cross ward What is more worrying? A 13th estate agent
has opened in Highgate village or the news that Highgate Councillors
John Thane and Maggie Cosin have never bothered to meet their
Haringey counterparts? (Thirteenth estate agent a ‘mistake’,
April 6 ).
A few years ago I moved to Leeds, a city which also suffered
for many years from Labour town hall mismanagement. In 2004
the public decided enough was enough and Leeds is now run by
a Conservative-led administration.
Spending on social services, education and road repairs have
all increased, there are more police on the beat but council
tax is under control.
Simon Baker
Oakwell Drive
Leeds, LS8 It’s a shame Labour’s councillors
in Kentish Town didn’t attend the Police Consultative Committee
meeting in January where Police Station closures were discussed
(Please don’t knock the cops, April 13).
Now, three months on, they want us to believe that they have
“checked” and there is no threat to Kentish Town Police
Station. If any of the Labour councillors for Kentish Town had
bothered to go to that meeting, they would have heard that Borough
Commander Mark Heath was unable to give me the assurance I asked
for regarding the future of Kentish Town Police Station.
Internal emails discovered by Lib Dem campaigners between senior
Met Police officers reveal that Kentish Town is indeed earmarked
for possible closure.
The Lib Dems in Kentish Town remain the only party speaking
up about this issue. When it comes to the crunch we will be
leading the campaign to save our station.
As we learnt with Kentish Town Baths, with this Labour council,
if you don’t speak up early, you don’t get heard!
Philip Thompson
Kentish Town Lib Dem candidate
Fortess Road , NW5 Your pie-charts suggest that there could be
a swing to the Lib Dems in Camden similar to the one that took
place in Islington in 2002
(Is it year of the Lib Dems? April 20).But even you pie chart seems to show that if that was
to happen, the very most that the Lib Dems could hope for in
a Labour meltdown would be to gain 11 councillors. Even if that
were the case the voters of Camden would find that they had
a council run by an unholy alliance of Tories and Lib Dems.
This would almost certainly involve drastic cuts in the public
services that matter to Camden residents, such as investment
in the voluntary sector and anti-social behaviour initiatives.
A vote for any other party apart from Labour across the borough
would only let the Conservative’s in. I strongly believe
that nobody could really want that. Jill Sutcliffe
Byron Court
Mecklenburgh Square , WC1 Ali Khan’s letter warning voters of the
Lib Dem intentions regarding voluntary sector funding was spot
on (Letters, April 20). Frank Dobson reminded us recently that
the first thing the Lib Dems did upon getting power in Islington
was to slash voluntary sector funding. For the Irish in Islington this meant closure of their
Irish Centre, the building then remained vacant for five years
before Lib Dem Islington sold it off at a third of its market
value. Had the Lib Dems taken for granted the Irish contribution
to their borough down the years? Camden Labour strongly supports
the voluntary sector and the Camden Irish Centre in Camden Square
flourishes.
Cllrs Pat Callaghan, Raj Chada,
Dermot Greene,
Dave Horan,
(Irish Labour Candidates)
Camden Labour Party
Camden Road, NW1Claims in a letter from Ali Khan about Lib
Dem intentions toward voluntary sector funding were downright
untrue. His claim that we make it clear we would scrap funding
for the voluntary sector is sheer fantasy, if not downright
libellous.
I have championed the voluntary sector in the face of the Labour
council’s often high-handed treatment of community associations
and initiated a call-in over unfair decisions on swingeing rent
increases for their premises which is a matter of great concern
to many of them.
Our manifesto states: “We will work within the Compact
for Camden to build a stronger framework of confidence with
community groups who have suffered from financial insecurity
and uncertainty about their premises in recent years.”
Cllr Flick Rea
Deputy Leader Camden Liberal Democrats If Camden Labour are so desperate that they called
in the Prime Minister to come to their aid it looks to me as
if they’ve lost the elections already.
May I wish who ever replaces them on May 4 the best of luck.
Change is a healthy and necessary part of democracy. Stewart Rayment
Hastings Street, WC1 I read with interest Paul Braithwaite’s
letter and his most recent campaign leaflet (Letters, April
20).
He really does miss the point about crime. Labour’s
commitments to use more CCTV and other measures like neighbourhood
wardens and close working with the police to reduce crime are
vital to local people.Anyone doubting what would happen to crime rates under
the Lib Dems should take a quick look at the Met’s website
and compare crime levels in Camden Wards bordering Islington
Wards and vice versa. Sarah Hayward
Augustines Road, NW1I read with interest Councillor Raj Chada putting
his case to voters (Labour values public service, April 20).
Bold promises of this kind we have heard before.The Kentish Town swimming baths’ refurbishment was
a promise at the last local election. Yet for a period of some
six months, the community was left in serious doubt as to whether
the baths would be saved at all. It is only recently that the
executive have voted to try a salvage job, but nothing yet is
guaranteed. Already there is talk of reducing the swimming facilities
on that site considerably.
Why? Selling land to private developers seems the ambition of
the day as far as Labour is concerned. When will it end? Hopefully
with regime change this May. Celine La Freniere
Solar House
Talacre Road, NW3 The late Dave Allen once said he had a soft
spot for politicians – a bog in the west of Ireland.
As a long term non-voter, I would like to see candidates
representing organisations like Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace,
or Liberty, given that they are well known and we know what
they stand for.
James Redmond
Mornington Court, NW1
• Not long ago Labour Councillor John Mills did his best
to convince readers of the distance between Camden Labour and
Tony Blair (Don’t judge us by the standards of Blair, February
16).
Now the same local party is only too happy to have Blair
parachute into the borough to boost their flagging fortunes
in the local elections (Gunslinger Blair rides into town, April
20).
This sort of turnaround smacks of real desperation, particularly
now that Labour has a fight on its hands to hold onto Camden
Council.
I believe the reason for this desperation is that Blair’s
and New Labour’s policies are increasingly anathema to
its traditional core working-class vote, and it is beginning
to dawn on Mills and co what this will mean for the elections
on May 4.
The vast majority of Camden councillors have little appreciation
of the problems facing working-class people. For many of them,
politics has become just another ‘career’ and not
what it should be about – improving people’s lives.
It’s is no wonder that the ‘solutions’ they offer
have little effect, and often make matters worse. It’s
time to vote for change.
Nuruzzaman ‘Mukul’ Hira
Respect candidate for St Pancras and Somers town
Chalton Street, NW1
I have lived
in Camden for the last thirty years and have seen a steady improvement
in the way in which the borough is run by Labour.
We have seen our streets become safer as more police are put
on the beat with tougher action against those anti-social elements
who disrupt our lives. Our schools are getting more money after
years of being starved of funds.
We have a new leisure facility at Talacre and smaller projects
across the borough. Yes, there is more to be done, particularly
in provision of and repairs to housing but the spectre of the
Tories or the Lib Dems running Camden fills me with horror.
Mick Farrant
Oak Village, NW5
Since the last local elections in 2002,
Swain’s Lane, Fortess Road and now South End Green have
been invaded by clones of national supermarket chains.
In South End Green and Fortess Road, the friendly local grocers
report business down 30 to 50 per cent since Marks and Spencers
and Sainsbury’s opened.
In these supermarkets you are greeted by an ocean of plastic
packaging. Even the fruit and vegetables are clad in plastic
rubbish which will be around for 100 times as long as the contents.
Huge lorries arrive day and night and park half on the pavement
without penalty while the smaller vans supplying the local shops
are ticketed if they so much as stop. And all given planning
permission by a Labour council.
If you dislike these invaders as much as I do, you can do two
things: one – shop in independent, locally owned shops,
which is better for the planet and the local economy; two –
vote Green on May 4.
Green councillors will use the planning system to protect local
shops against invasion, take parking back under council control
and listen to small businesses, not just large corporations,
about parking policies.
Sian Berry
Candidate for Kentish Town
Camden Green Party
Fortess Road, NW5 Labour activists’ mixed reaction to Tony
Blair’s visit is amusing but tells us nothing we didn’t
know, and shouldn’t distract people from the fact that
this election is about Camden Labour’s dismal track record.
The one link to the national picture is that in the last
two council elections, Labour in Camden made much of its “new
Labour flagship council” status, implying that its special
relationship with the Labour government would help it deliver
for residents.
The setbacks of the last few years have demolished this argument,
whether we think of housing finance, licensing, planning or
the myriad of matters on which this government becomes ever
more prescriptive. A Conservative council will bring a more
honest, businesslike relationship with central government, working
together constructively where it makes senseCllr Andrew Marshall
(Con) Swiss Cottage wardCamden does not exist in a vacuum. All government
decisions impact on our lives. This is blatantly obvious with
the war in Iraq and the occupation that has so far lasted three
years and cost thousands of lives of people elsewhere in the
world.In 2003, Gordon Brown set aside £3.5 billion for
the cost of the Iraq war, although the cost has gone well beyond
this now. This could have paid for 1,248 new primary schools
or 28 fully equipped new hospitals, or given every pensioner
in Britain a much needed 10 per cent rise in their basic pension.
The longer war lasts the more public services pay the cost.
Of course the cost of war cannot be counted purely in money.
More terrible and damaging by far is the slaughter of soldiers
and civilians, the destruction of property including irreplaceable
art treasures, the disruption of lives of people, the breakdown
of civilised living, the spread of disease and famine. These
are the true cost of this immoral and illegal war.Shuma Begum,
Gloria Lazenby and
Liz Wheatley on behalf of Camden Stop the War Coalition Thank you Tony Blair, for putting the nail
in the coffin of the incumbent Camden Labour administration.
Blair’s visit only served to answer the question of why
people in Camden are heading to the polls to vote ‘anything
other than Labour’. People on the doorstep hate Blair and feel let down by
and sickened with the New Labour careerist councillors.
It is such a shame that Camden Respect wasn’t able to stand
in more wards – and we apologise to those who want to vote
Respect and can’t. In St Pancras and Somers Town we really
have had such a fantastic response from all sectors of the community
we hope to have a councillor walking into the Town Hall after
May 4. And we are here to stay – and we will stand in future
elections – and we will continue to get involved in our
community fighting for local issues that affect us all.Cathy Pound
Joint Secretary
Camden Respect
Castlehaven Road, NW1In last week’s paper a Liberal Democrat
candidate wrote a strange letter in which he attacked the Labour
Party for wanting more CCTV across Camden (Letters, April 20).I found this ironic in that a week ago, a Lib Dem councillor
wrote that his party would introduce more CCTV if Camden residents
elected them on May 4.
A Lib Dem election leaflet makes claims that there is a reduction
of policing south of the Euston Road. I have checked this matter
with the Borough Commander and nothing could be further than
the case. The introduction of the Safer Neighbourhood policing
teams, along with the local community tasking team will mean
that we have the highest numbers of policing ever.
The Lib Dems have used this election campaign to scaremonger
communities across Camden. I would urge people to vote for a
political party that is not willing to lie so openly. Abdul Miah
Whitfield Street, W1 Using Camden Council’s own website (www.camden.gov.uk),
I was able to identify the abodes of most of our present councillors.
Of the 54 Camden councillors only 16 (less than 30 per
cent) live in the ward that they represent (10-Lab, 3-Cons,
3-Lib Dem). More than 60 per cent of councillors do not live
in their elected ward (23-Lab, 7-Cons, 4-Lib Dem) with greater
than 35 per cent of these not living in an neighbouring ward
(10-Lab, 1-Cons, 1-Lib Dem).
Interestingly, four wards (Frognal and Fitzjohn's, Gospel Oak,
Cantelowes, and King’s Cross) have no councillors living
in their boundaries, while three wards (Fortune Green, Kentish
Town and Haverstock) have six or more councillors living within
their boundaries.
A representative councillor needs to live in their ward and
live in the conditions and problems of that ward.
Thus my advice for the elections is to ask if the person you
are voting for actually lives in your ward, and if not, why
not?
If they don’t live in your ward, why do they want to be
your councillor?William Nawrocki
Savernake Road, NW3The four parties contesting all 54 Camden seats
present a choice between the Greens and three shades of Tory
party.The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and New Labour all
support the economic agenda of privatisation, cutbacks and closures;
they all take money from wealthy businessmen and big companies;
and they all pay lip service to helping the poor and preventing
climate chaos, while allowing the rich to get richer still.
In contrast, the Greens have attractive policies on peace, public
services, small business and the environment, and a proven track
record of action and integrity on these issues when elected.
Disillusioned former Labour voters have the opportunity to turn
local politics in Camden in a direction to match their principles
– to the Greens.Adrian Oliver
Chairman
Camden Green Party
and Highgate ward candidate
Lissenden Gardens, NW5Camden Labour’s persistent denigration
and misrepresentation of Lib Dem-controlled Islington is both
tedious and unpersuasive.Lib Dem Islington is, after all, in the independent Audit
Commission’s judgement, the fastest improving council in
London. It also just received the London Transport Borough of
the Year award for its work in improving transport in its area,
and particularly accessibility for the disabled.
Coupling better services with better value for money and better
accountability through local area committees which give local
people more say in decisions affecting their lives, it does
not seem to me the Lib Dems have anything to be ashamed of in
Islington.
There seems little doubt the Lib Dems will hold Islington in
the May 4 elections.
The question evidently troubling Labour is: How likely are they
to take control of Camden too?Robin Young
Bedford Avenue, WC1The reports in the local press that Camden
Council is ‘sitting-on’ money obtained from developers
are a gross distortion of our budgetary processes.In fact, the council has excellent ratings from local
government watchdogs for making the best use of our resources.
And now opportunist Tory candidates have jumped on the bandwagon
arguing that cash should be spent on their own pet projects.
A significant proportion of the funding we obtain from developers
is earmarked for expenditure on schools, and will help support
our bid for £165 million to the government to radically
upgrade and modernise our school buildings and facilities.
The rest of the money will also be spent for the benefit of
the community. We have always known that Tories are in favour
of spending money on the few not the many – and they’ve
proved it yet again.
Cllr Lucy AndersonKentish Town Ward and Executive Member for SchoolsI can’t believe some of the letters in
the New Journal from Labour councillors.They must live in fantasy land. In my Camden, New Labour
have cut back on care-homes, police, fire stations, community
centres, home helps, law centres, wards in the Royal Free Hospital
and have closed playing fields.
I am 65 and was talking to a gentleman of 85 years – we
have both lived in this area all our lives. What’s improved
in Camden in our life time? In our humble opinion nothing has
changed. Are we two grumpy old men?Patrick Cawley
Broomsleigh Street, NW6 I was pleased to note in the Camden Labour
party manifesto it’s commitment to extend the opening hours
of the Sharples Hall Street Library by one day.It’s something that the users of the service of
all ages will greatly appreciate.Labelle Stewton
Regent’s Park Road, NW1 Where is climate change on local politicians’
radar? Most local councillors don’t appreciate the urgency
of the climate change situation.And we have a government and an opposition which talk
of “a balance between the needs of the economy and the
environment” in the face of severe warnings from their
own chief scientist.
We are mistakenly reassured that climate change can’t be
that serious, or “someone” would be doing more to
stop it.
But our economy will suffer when there is environmental devastation.
As citizens, we need to send a message to the local parties
that tackling climate change through local buildings, road management
and energy supplies is as important to us as safe lighting and
street cleaning.Suzy Edwards
Beacon House, NW6 Most parents in Camden would love to send their
children to the local secondary school.However, there are three problems: there aren’t
enough places; the secondaries are mostly located at the edge
of the borough so many pupils from outside Camden are more likely
to get places at our schools than children from parts of this
borough; and, our secondary schools, while comparing well against
schools from Islington or Hackney, are not as good as many state
schools elsewhere in the country.
Camden Conservatives recognise that we need two new local secondary
schools – one in the north-west of the borough and a second
south of the Euston Road.
We have some excellent people working in our local education
authority and a Conservative Council will encourage them to
be creative in their thinking. We will consider opening much
smaller, neighbourhood secondary schools.
We will also concentrate on improving further the quality of
our schools.
The Labour Party has taken its eye off the ball regarding our
secondary schools. They are complacent after 35 years in control.
The Conservatives are offering a positive alternative across
all the services offered by Camden Council – not just on
schools.Cllr Andrew Mennear
(Con), Frognal and Fitzjohn's Ward Labour have made a forlorn promise to drive
drug dealers out of Camden Town. Camden Labour has failed to
tackle the drugs problem in Camden, and Bloomsbury, with any
measures that stand the test of time.It’s approach to the problem in Bloomsbury has been
nothing short of disgraceful. I care about my community. I want
it to be a pleasant and safe place in which to live and work.
That is why I shall be supporting the Conservatives on May 4.Ralph Cutting
Address supplied It is somewhat disingenuous of Piers Wauchope,
leader of the Tory group, to suggest that my application to
stand as a Tory candidate was rejected in favour of Kirsty Roberts.
As everyone involved knows very well Kirsty was not even a member
of the Conservative association when she was selected, following
the withdrawal of the earlier selected candidate. The usual
idea of selecting members of the local party was quickly abandoned
in favour of political opportunism, as soon as the opportunity
arose. Transparency is not a characteristic that appeals to
the local Tories.
The facts are simple. The Tories are running scared in Hampstead
Town ward. They have a paper thin majority. They are very aware
that the Lib Dems are catching them up and the last thing they
need is an Independent taking away their votes. Hence their
attempts to rubbish my candidature. Brian Kettell
Independent Candidate
Hampstead Town Ward, NW3I read Mukul Hira’s report in your paper
(People before business, March 31). He thinks that the Labour
council in Camden and the ward councillors for St Pancras and
Somers Town have done nothing and only he and Respect could
be the saviour of the masses.Labour councillors have worked very hard for the people
of this borough – and our ward – and I am not
in any way ashamed of our record as good, hard working and effective
ward councillors for St Pancras and Somers Town, available day
and night for all constituents.
We fully recognise we have not achieved all we want to have
for the area and the residents – but change and progress
takes time and that is what we are working for. And also working
for closer liaison, peace and comradeship within the multi-cultural
community we serve. Councillor Roger Robinson
(Lab) St Pancras and Somers Town |
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