Entries tagged with “campaigning” from Working For Walthamstow
Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy today stepped up the campaign to save Walthamstow Dog Track by calling on the Government to meet with her and Save our Stow to discuss the fate of the site whilst speaking in the House of Commons.
Speaking after raising the matter in parliament Stella said:
"L&Q have now said they won't even start to look at options for our dog track until 2012 - meaning the site could be left derelict for years. Meanwhile we know investors want to work with them to try to restore the site and include housing in their plans. Talks must start immediately to see if a deal can be done to benefit all concerned. I asked L&Q to name their price for the site in my maiden speech and now I'm asking Ministers to intervene because its time the people of Walthamstow got some answers about the future of our Dog Track. "
As part of this campaign, this week Stella also worked with other MPs to table an Early Day Motion calling for talks to take place and has tabled questions to the Department of Local Communities and Government to identify if London and Quadrant will secure public subsidy for their plans for Walthamstow Dog Track. The written answer given by the Ministers to question suggest that public funding for London and Quadrant for the site is not guaranteed given the delays the project has experienced.
Stella pledged to pursue this issue with the Ministers from the DCLG when she meets with them and continue to work with other MPs, Save our Stow, potential investors in the site and London and Quadrant to seek to secure the restoration of the Dog Track.
Ends.
1. Walthamstow
Dog Track was initially sold to L&Q in the summer of 2008 and has since
been empty. 2. During
Business Questions on Thursday 10 June 2010 in the House of Commons Stella
Creasy put the following question to the Leader of the House: "Will the right hon. Gentleman agree
to a debate on the consequences of the moratorium on and eventual cuts in
social housing, which were discussed earlier, on urban regeneration, and the
practice that that encourages in registered social landlords to engage in
property speculation by sitting on land that they are not developing, thus
leaving it empty? Will the Leader of the House also ensure that his
ministerial colleagues agree, as a matter of urgency, to a meeting with me and
the Save our Stow campaign to ascertain what can be done to prevent the iconic
Walthamstow dog track from being left derelict, given the persistent commercial
interest in restoring it and the 500 local jobs that represents?" 3. The following Early Day Motion 187 The Walthamstow
Stadium was also co-sponsored by Stella Creasy and published this week: "That this House
welcomes efforts to reopen historic Walthamstow Greyhound Stadium in East
London; urges site owners London and Quadrant to not leave the site derelict
and instead to enter meaningful discussions with the S.O.S. organisation and
commercial operators who have vigorously campaigned to restore this, the UK's
most prestigious track; salutes also the hard work so far undertaken by the
myriad of representative groups in the sport to make this a reality; and calls
on the Mayor of London to fully support their hard work and commitment." 4.
The following question was also tabled by Stella Creasy and answered received
on Thrusday 10 June 2010 by the Department of Communities and Local Government Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary
of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department
issues to registered social landlords on the time period within which they must
begin development of assets after acquisition in order to qualify for public
subsidy for such development. Andrew Stunell: This Department does
not issue guidance to registered social landlords on the time period within
which they must begin to develop assets after acquisition to qualify for public
subsidy. This Department
provides funding to registered social landlords (RSLs)/registered providers
(RPs) of affordable housing through the Homes and Communities (HCA) who
administer the National Affordable Housing Programme (NAHP). The HCA sets out
in their Prospectus and the Affordable Housing Capital Funding Guide (AHCFG)
requirements for obtaining funding from the NAHP. When seeking grant
through the NAHP RSLs/RPs must set milestones including start on site and
practical completion dates as part of their bid. HCA monitors the RSLs/RPs performance
against these milestones. Grant is paid to RSLs/RPs on start on site and
practical completion (i.e. when those milestones have been achieved). Where
projects are delayed, the RSL/RP must re-forecast the milestone and the HCA
will decide whether to accept the revised forecast. If delays are significant,
and might impact on delivery of the HCA's programme and achievement of targets,
it will consider withdrawing funding for the scheme.
"As a long standing supporter of the campaign to Save Walthamstow's Cinema I hope by being so public about my views I can encourage my opponents to finally speak up on this key issue for Walthamstow's Town Centre. We all respect the role that councillors play in planning matters, and the importance of encouraging local people to participate in this democratic process by making their views known. Walthamstow needs a cinema and it needs the jobs a night time economy would bring - I hope many local residents will like me write in to express their views on this matter and that my opponents recognise now is the time to speak up as this issue is determined"
Stella has written to all those who have declared they propose to stand in Walthamstow at the next general election with a copy of her letter of objection to the application to help explain the issue. The local authority has now extended the deadline for submissions of objections to Friday 25 September 2009. Neil Gerrard MP, has also publicly stated his objections to the proposal.
Notes
- Stella first joined the campaign to save the EMD when a councillor in 2003 and continues to work with Neil Gerrard MP and local campaigners on this issue.
- Stella is the Labour Candidate for Walthamstow at the next election, when Neil Gerrard MP will retire.
- Stella has written to Farid Ahmed, Liberal Democrat candidate, Cllr Andy Hemsted, Conservative Candidate for Walthamstow, Sarah Cope, Green Party Candidate for Walthamstow and Paul Warburton, Independent Candidate for Walthamstow to ask them to make public their views on this matter.
- This campaign refers to the planning application 2009/1048 & 2009/1049/LB for the EMD Cinema at 186 Hoe Street, The Victoria Public House and 186A/186B Hoe Street, E17.
- A copy of both Stella's correspondence with candidates and letter of objection are available on request.
The vote for the European parliament is across the whole of London. There are eight seats in the European parliament to be won. These are allocated to parties according to the proportion of votes they receive overall. This means the BNP only need to gain eight per cent of all the votes cast in all of London to win a seat in the European parliament. If they do win, they will receive £250,000 of public money to put towards their campaigns of hatred and division. You can help stop this. Any vote cast here in Walthamstow for any other political party will make it harder for the BNP to get eight per cent of all the votes cast in London.
On Saturday 23 May we will be having a big day of action in Walthamstow with a stall in the Town Centre next to central library running from 11am to 3pm. If you can spare an hour to help hand out leaflets please do get in touch or sign up via the Facebook group. And even if you can't help on the day, you can also come to the stall to take away bundles of leaflets to be delivered to local community and voluntary groups.
Want to see if you can vote in the European elections on June 4? You can check you're registered by calling the Electoral Services at Waltham Forest Town Hall on 020 8496 4562 / 020 8496 4433 / 020 8496 4223 between 9am and 5.30pm every weekday.Fighting for the Future of the EMD meeting 29 March 2009.pdf
I've had no word from the Church yet as to when the 'exhibition' they propose will start but will of course keep you all updated as and when I get further information. In the meantime feel free to circulate these minutes and encourage others to sign up for updates on this issue by emailing me. Furthermore, for the technically minded of you, I have now set up a twitter #tag which can be found on #walthamstowEMD and there is also a facebook group which can be found here.
This summit isn't just a matter for those who are concerned about the environment. The world's poorest communities suffer the most from climate change, and unless we act as a world community our capacity not only to tackle climate change but also world poverty is at risk.
As citizens we need action in Copenhagen to agree tough new targets on cutting CO2 emissions. And as consumers we also need to act ourselves. Over the course of the next year in the run up to Copenhagen 2009 let us work together not only to lobby Government for change but also ask how we can support each other to make choices in our everyday lives about how we use resources. Government cannot act alone to address these challenges. We must act together to all contribute to securing a safer, more sustainable and more socially just society for every human being.
This process of making choices doesn't have to happen overseas. We can start it here too in Walthamstow for the sake of our families, our friends, our community, our fellow citizens across the world and our climate. If you would like to be part of activities to support this work over the course of the year ahead please get in touch.
By Stella Creasy
Much as we wish otherwise, the pace of social change can be agonising slow. Consequently in the daily free for all of contemporary politics, it can be hard to talk about how different Britain is since 1997 without sounding like Vicky Pollard. Yeah but I want the minimum wage to be higher too, no but it didn't exist at all ten years ago, yeah but give us credit for introducing it. Yeah but I want prescription charges abolished too, no but under Major there weren't any subsidies at all, yeah but free cancer drugs are a starting point.
A demanding and testing public is the bread and butter of being a PPC and I'm always grateful for the opportunity such debates offer to learn from other people's experiences. And often their concerns are as much an indication of our successes and future challenges as they are criticisms. As a school governor and a voluntary youth worker I regularly field complaints about snags in new buildings or problems claiming tax credits or how to use childcare vouchers and employer contributions. These are parents, teachers and even kids asking questions, making demands - and yes getting angry - about resources that fifteen years ago would have been dismissed as some Swedish oddity, impossible to provide in a British welfare state.
That new parents now take for granted these services is testament to just how much we've achieved. No longer are we arguing for early years programmes we could offer, but instead being pushed on how we should expand and improve something valued and defended by the public themselves. Spend time with people using these facilities and you can see how and why cuts in them would be not only morally unjust, but also electorally suicidal. Yet whilst the Lib Dems and Tories tinker with these services at their peril, our challenge is to defend and to advance the pace of progressive change.
To do this requires us to illustrate how our record in office reflects not only what we're capable of over time but shapes our plan for what is to come next. We may have won the case for public investment in early year's provision, but that was just round one. And the fight only becomes tougher in times of economic uncertainty. We have to show the technicalities of service delivery and the hazards of global markets have not blunted our mission to make Britain a more socially just society - or recognition of the next steps that move us towards that goal.
To end child poverty once and for all our next priority should be to merge the myriad of child benefit and tax credit schemes, and in the process broaden their coverage to lift more families permanently off low incomes. Tackling the persistent inequality facing families in Walthamstow and across the capital means including the cost of living in London in the allowances we give for childcare. In the longer term we have to work towards funding more free nursery places and expanding workplace childcare incentives, as well as helping families use paternity and maternity leave in a way that works for all concerned.
We also have to prove we understand, and can address, the new challenges our policies create. That means acting for the Surestart generation; the kids who have had the start in life the early years provision we have created so far offers. We need to be able to carry this investment on until adulthood by giving every young person the right mix of good schooling, structured activities and emotional and financial support they need to get through their teen years and come out the other side a success. And, as we have done with early years, in a way that means services can be tailored to their individual circumstances - whether using resources within the public, private or voluntary sector.
Learning from our past as we put forward plans for the future doesn't mean pretending the present isn't happening. Investing in supporting children and young people isn't incidental to our economic fortunes, but integral. In a recession these services offer families vital help during times of personal and financial difficulty. Longer term they are the best social insurance scheme we can buy to make sure our future workforce have the skills, confidence and motivation to compete favourably in the global market.
To think in this way doesn't mean we shouldn't take pride in previous successes, but that we should also ask how we learn from them. Had we never won in 1997, Surestart would have remained just a nice idea. It is because of the difference it makes we can move onto developing a "wrap around" offer for youth services. Being in Government has taught us how to turn policy ambition into practical actuality. Being Labour means we look at today's kids with a passion for social justice that doesn't stop with the child tax credit system, but is instead built upon it.
These principles apply whatever the political weather. Whether dealing with climate change, international development or financial regulation, let us focus on responding to and rallying others for the next set of progressive challenges Britain faces, whether of our own making or not. So that yeah, but no but yeah - we really are worth voting for.
Every week I produce the Working for Walthamstow e-newsletter about issues of interest in our local area. If you would like to receive the newsletter please send an email to this address with the word "subscribe" in the title and your postcode. If you have items you would like me to include in the newsletter please send them to this email for consideration. Please note I reserve the right to amend or exclude items in the newsletter.
You can also follow me on twitter at stella creasy or find me on facebook .
Neil Gerrard, a long-time member of the APPGG said: "Walthamstow has been synonymous with greyhound racing for as long as anyone can remember. It really puts us on the map and is one of the iconic images associated with East London. Of course the land is valuable for development but in this economic climate and with the recent slow down in housing I am concerned that we may end up with the area left abandoned for years. I hope there is a chance for a reprieve for the sport in Walthamstow, even a temporary one, and I am willing to help in brokering any deal to save racing there. If that is not possible then I want to ensure that the future of the greyhounds is secured- either to be racing at other stadia or retired into homes as pets."
A letter co-signed by APPG joint chairman Andrew Rosindell (MP for Romford) and Lord Bilston (formerly MP Dennis Turner and a supporter of his local Monmore Stadium), calls for a meeting with Walthamstow Chairman of Directors Charles Chandler and Managing Director, Jack Chandler. It includes: "Considering the high welfare standards that the track has been proud of, including supporting both the local rehoming organisations for many years, members were extremely disappointed by the level of compensation reported to us that has been offered to secure the future of the greyhounds from the Walthamstow racing strength or in the local retired kennels.
"Members would also like to discuss the short-term lease of the land for the continuance of racing. Walthamstow MP Neil Gerrard has been approached by a party considering that possibility and we would hope that this is an area that would not be blocked unnecessarily by the Chandler family."
If you want to be kept upto date with any developments following on from Neil's intervention and the APPG get in touch.
Whatever the weather there will be plenty of activities for local children of all ages including facepainting and adventure play as well as free refreshments for all ages! The afternoon is an informal opportunity for local families and those who work with them to come together, have fun and have their say about what help and support children, parents and grandparents need to succeed in Walthamstow. There are many changes taking place locally and nationally that will affect families- from the new parental leave rights, to changes in tax credits and benefits as well as the new surestart and childrens centre services - and I want those in power to hear first hand from people in Walthamstow what they think of these changes and what our priorities for our locality are. I'm keen too that those who work with families participate so that they can bring their experience to our discussion and also get to know each other too.I hope you'll be able to join me, Neil and James for some lovely cake and a great opportunity to make sure those in Westminster hear the voices of those in Walthamstow. This event is sponsored by UNISON and has been organised by Walthamstow Labour Party.
Anyone who would like to hold a stall on the day or know more about the event is welcome to get in touch.
Post Office Ltd revealed last month that it would be rethinking its decision to close the branches in Forest Road, Chingford Road and Orford Road, in the light of local opposition. However, we've learned this week that they still intend to close the Chingford Road and Orford Road branches. The Forest Road post office will remain. Neil Gerrard and I have been working closely with local residents on these issues and we've put out a press statement that I've reproduced here in full for information.
Neil Gerrard, MP for Walthamstow, and Stella Creasy, local community campaigner, today welcomed the news that the Forest Road Post Office is to be kept open but expressed their anger and dismay at the decision that two Post Office branches in Walthamstow are to close. "We are pleased that the Forest Road Branch has been reprieved and that the Post office listened to the concerns we and others raised" said Neil and Stella "but we cannot understand the logic of the decisions on the other two branches. The arguments that appear to have been accepted as justifying keeping this branch open, such as the needs of elderly people living nearby, apply with equal force to the other branches. The result of these decisions will be that many local people will find it much more difficult to access Post Office services. The High Street Post Office is already inadequate to handle the number of people using it, and these closures will make that situation worse. When the review of the original closure proposals was announced Postwatch specifically asked that action should be taken to improve the queuing times at the High Street main Post Office. This was in recognition of the fact that more people will go there if other Branches are closed. This has been totally ignored by the Post Office. For many people who now use the Orford Road and Chingford Road branches it will be very inconvenient to have to travel to the High Street or other branches. We are particularly disappointed that the Post Office have ignored the strongly held views of local people and have simply failed to answer the clear and strong case that was put forward for keeping all three branches open. We want to thank those local residents who supported the campaign to keep the Post Offices open. We will now be seeking an urgent meeting with the Post Office about these decisions and will be asking what plans they have to improve the services provided at the High Street Crown Post Office.
You
may have already seen how the shameful policies of the BNP seek to damage the
community relations in our capital city. This is our London, not theirs, and
we need to protect every citizen from their extremism and racism.
The London Assembly has 14 constituency members and 11 London-wide members. The London-wide members are elected depending on how much of the percentage of votes each party obtains. Any party with fewer than five per cent of the vote is eliminated. This is what happened to the BNP in 2004 when it polled 4.8 per cent of all the votes cast.
All votes for other parties will increase the total vote and therefore reduce the BNP percentage, so it is important that voters, wherever in London they are, use their vote to try and put the BNP below five per cent. On the Saturday 19 April there will be two different activities. Starting at noon there will be a stall in Walthamstow Market to publicise this campaign, followed at 2pm by a leafleting session in neighbouring streets. I hope those of you who are proud to be a Londoner and love the rich variety of this capital will come along to join in a day of action that will benefit us all.
This week the Post Office addressed the Council Scrutiny Commission on their plans to close 30 per cent of our post offices in Walthamstow. The message came back loud and clear that it is vital as many individuals as possible participate in the consultation. I'm disappointed to report that although all the political parties in Walthamstow are backing this campaign, the Lib Dem Chair of the committee explicitly used his position to deny me the opportunity to contribute to the meeting as a local resident. If I had been given the chance to speak up for Walthamstow I would have asked:
1) At the Scrutiny meeting they refused to reveal the financial viability of
the branches. Can they confirm whether the three Walthamstow Post Offices they
propose to close - which have over 1500 customers a week - are losing or making
money?
2) PostWatch, the consumer watchdog for postal services, state that they believe these proposals will leave significant areas of Walthamstow a "postal desert". Why won't they respond to this criticism?
3) Our regeneration plans for Walthamstow Town Centre, the Olympics and the Blackhorse Lane development will bring new housing to the area and so new people. Given the High Street post office is already struggling to cope, why haven't they factored existing and future demand for services into their plans?
4) They claim the walk between Forest Road and the High Street is "varied terrain". They didn't know that there are several residential homes within 100 yards of the Orford Road post office. Have they actually walked the distances they expect our elderly residents to go if they close the branches they suggest?
5) Our High Street post office is in rented accommodation. Negotiations for the new arcade development are on-going and so any space for the Post Office is not confirmed. How can they be confident that they will be able to provide a full Post Office for people in Walthamstow in these circumstances?
The more
people who put these issues to the Post Office, the more they will have to
listen to local knowledge so please join with me in raising these five
questions and encouraging as many local residents as possible to do so too by
circulating this email. You have until Wednesday 2 April to put your views to
the Post Office. You can comment either in writing to National
Consultation Team Post Office Ltd, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM (no stamp is required)
or using this form on the Post Office website.
Ending child poverty here in Walthamstow is a subject close to my heart, shaping many of my local priorities. For example, it's why I've been looking at how we can develop our local economy. A new report by the London Child Poverty Commission shows just how important employment is in addressing child poverty. We need more small local businesses generating the local jobs parents want.
We'll be holding another event for parents in Walthamstow and their children to look at what we can do to help local families in April. Get in touch if you would like to be involved in helping fight child poverty in Walthamstow.
I'm also working with local residents groups and our London Assembly member Jennette Arnold to organise stalls and petitions outside the affected post offices and in the town centre on the weekend of the 8-9 March. We're looking for volunteers for either the Saturday or Sunday lunchtime and afternoon so if you would like to help out get in touch. Remember you can also respond to the proposals at the Post Office website here- but you only have until April 2 to do so!
Having a safe and secure place you can call home is vital part of wellbeing. If the last ten years of a Labour Government was shaped by the need to make the case for public service investment, I believe the next ten will be dominated by questions of quality of life and equality of life chances. For me housing is at the heart of these concerns. Whether the provision of more affordable and social housing, the impact it has on our economy and family income levels or the importance it has to sustainable development and regeneration, the cost of living is fundamental to creating a more socially just future for many people in Walthamstow and the UK.
As a politician I don't believe you can simply wait for others to come up with solutions to these issues; you have to be capable of problem solving yourself if you're to be effective. My experience of working locally tells me still too many people find themselves caught in the quirks of our system which put their tenancies and homes at risk so I've been exploring options to address these issues. On the campaigns pages here you'll find out details of the work I'm doing on the difficulties caused by being housed out of borough with the Citizens Advice Bureau. I'm also a supporter of the Foyer Federation's work challenging the 16 hour rule which affects many vulnerable young people. Yesterday my discussions with a local resident raised another issue. Anyone who goes on a training course finds their housing benefit automatically ends at the end of the course meaning a new claim has to be made which can take weeks to process. This can lead to rent arrears and so acts as a massive disincentive to gain training or skills yet we know that these can be critical to securing employment. I'll be meeting with Shelter soon to discuss these problems and more - if you have other examples or issues you think are relevant get in touch, I'd be interested to hear about them.
The decision not to match the Council funding for the Lea Bridge Library refurbishment by the National Lottery has been a setback to the plans for its future, but not an end to them. This week I've been lobbying people to get ideas for who else we should approach to rebuild this beautiful but crumbling building and bring the top floor back into use. I've also raised the issue with Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office, about the project and asked them for ideas. You can see the pictures here of me giving them the CD the residents produced to showcase the community work we do at the library as well as how the local papers have covered our campaigning. This coming week I'll be speaking to the Olympic authority and the Adult Learning Service to see whether they can help us. Being a politician has taught me the value of persistence - this project is too central to improving the lives of many in the Lea Bridge area to give up now and if anyone else has ideas for possible partners for this project they should get in touch. .
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