Over 500 contacts in our last Action Saturday!

Ferndale had a really successful Action Saturday last weeked with 40 or so activitists from across London coming to the ward to help us talk to local residents.  We managed to speak to over 500 residents in the course of the day, which is a fantastic achievement!

Of course, our canvassing efforts need to build on Saturday's results. We need local members out on the doorstep and/or leafletting more than ever in the run-up to next May's mayoral elections.  We're not just campaiging for Ken.  Val Shawcross is the Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark and she has been working tirelessly to ensure that people know about the elections and what a difference it will make to have Ken back in City Hall.



Even if you only have hal-an-hour to spare, get in touch and I can let you know when the next campaigns day in Ferndale will be running.  Don't forget to also keep an eye out for your weekly email updates from your ward secretary.

Jail sentence for primary school worker

From Press Association court copy:

 

A primary school worker has been jailed for taking part in looting during the August riots, court officials said.

Alexis Bailey, 31, from Battersea, south London, received a 12-month prison sentence at Inner London Crown Court.

Bailey was arrested in Richer Sounds in Southend Road, Croydon, and has since been sacked from his job as a learning mentor at Stockwell Primary School.

He pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in August.

His employer Lambeth Council said last month that his behaviour was "incompatible" with the standards expected of those working in schools.

Campaigns update

October was a successful month for campaigning in Ferndale.  We made our target of 50 contacts on teh doorstep by going out canvassing on Saturday 1st and Sunday 16th, whilst this evening two-thirds of the ward recieved a Val Shawcross leaflet.  We'll be be doing a Sunday blitz to cover the remaining parts of the ward in the near future.

As the GLA elections draw ever nearer, we are keen to have the involvement of more local residents.  Whether you are interested in door-knocking or leafleting, there is always something for you to do.  Get in touch to find out more!

Canvass for Ferndale and work on your suntan - the best way to start October

With temperatures promising to stay high over the weekend, why not join councillors and members of Ferndale Labour to do a spot of canvassing whilst working on your suntan?  We will be meeting on the steps of the town hall at 11am before walking up Acre Lane to canvass residents near to the Genesis development.  For more details, contact Vaila McClure, ward secretary, on 07973 332 069 or friendsforferndale@hotmail.co.uk.

Don't forget, this weekend is also Lambeth Open, an annual event which gives you the chance to discover the creative talents living and working around Lambeth.  Artists and crafts people will be opening their doors free of charge to allow you to see what they do and how they work.  Lambeth Open: Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd October 2011, 10am to 6pm.

Community Conversation event: Youth Violence

Wednesday 28th September, from 17:00-20:00

Join London Mayor Boris Johnson to find out what is being done about youth violence in Lambeth, and to share your ideas at Lilian Baylis Technology School, 323 Kenningtion Lane, SE11 5QY.  To register your interest and submit questions in advance call 020 7983 4100 or visit www.london.gov.uk/ccp.  Places are limited for this free event, so register early to avoid disappointment. If you have any special requirements please let us know in advance.  Bookings will be confirmed via email.

Hope not Hate in Lambeth

 Hope not Hate Workshop, Wednesday 28th September from 19:30

With the London Assembly Elections less than a year away,  Hope not Hate, in association with South London Anti-Fascists, are holding a workshop on how to get organised in the community in preparation for the challenge of knocking out London’s fascist GLA member, and ensuring no other Far-Right candidate gets elected.  They will also be explaining the plans for Hope not Hate’s big new campaign for the year ahead.  The workshop is being held at the Bread & Roses Pub, 68 Clapham Manor Street, London SW4 6DZ.  Refreshments and food will be provided, everyone is welcome to attend.

The Little Big Peace Event

Some months ago I joined a local community project which was calling for people to help organize an event to celebrate International Peace Day on 21st September.  Founder Mel Larsen was inspired by the movement Peace One Day and the documentary film ‘The Day After Peace’ and having brought a team of willing local folk together, The Little Big Peace Event was born.

A big part of my decision to get involved was the desire to have more of a connection with my community; I’ve lived here for nearly eight years but I don’t know members of the community well, with the exception of close friends.  I’ve been planning to write a blog about the festival for a few weeks and something else always comes up, but after the recent events I felt the time was right.  Sitting at home on the evening of 8th August virtually mainlining twitter’s ‘#riotlondon’ news whilst the helicopters circled above Streatham, I felt both fearful of, and inspired by my community.  The stories of devastation were peppered with amazing tales of bravery and acts of kindness.

I woke with a start the following morning to sounds of that menacing helicopter, but what brought me close to tears was seeing the way the local and wider community came together for the already legendary ‘#riotcleanup’.  It was no surprise to see the way Londoners mobilised to help one another and start to piece this city back together - one of the enduring images will be operation Clean Up Clapham Junction, brooms held high in solidarity.

The handwritten message ‘peace+love’ that I saw taped to various surfaces in Brixton the day after the riots made me smile but it also got me thinking about our forthcoming celebration of peace with a renewed sense of responsibility. The Little Big Peace Event “sets out to explore the culture and concept of peace in a fun, friendly and open-minded atmosphere. The event aims to draw in the local community, both as participants and event-goers, and at its heart is the idea of inclusiveness and acceptance. This is peace in its widest sense - not just political but personal too."

Whilst the focus won’t shift away from its original aims, I’m mindful about what we can hope to bring to the community following the riots.  How can we engage as wide an audience as possible?  How can we create a space where, after recent events, those who may still feel angry, scared or isolated can find a little peace?  I don’t have the answer yet but I do feel excited at the prospect of what we might be able to achieve.  #Riotcleanup has been truly heart-warming and I hope we can bring that same spirit of peacemaking to Streatham in September.

The Little Big Peace Event is…
…a free mini-festival in Streatham celebrating the idea and culture of Peace, taking place from 19th–25th September 2011 London, SW16.
This festival is not affiliated to any one religion or politics and you don’t have to be a hippy to enjoy it. People of all faiths and cultures are welcome.


The Little Big Peace Event has been created by local volunteers and was originally inspired by the
organisation www.peaceoneday.org, who are working towards a day of global unity.


For more information including complete event listings please visit www.littlebigpeace.com


Zoe Robinson
Streatham 23/08/2011
First published on : http://eco-age.com

Planning & Licensing - where angels fear to tread…

There are few areas where local councillors lack confidence in speaking up for local residents. However, dealing with Planning and Licensing applications are two such topics that can sometimes leave us and residents feeling powerless. In the UK, both Planning and Licensing are surrounded by complex statutory and legal processes backed up by ‘local’ policy frameworks. In general terms the legal framework is ‘permissive’, meaning they are intended to help good planning development and promote business activity in the interests of the local economy and jobs. That’s fine so long as developers and businesses follow the legal and policy ‘rules’. But local residents need their interests and properties protected as well, and these can come into conflict with what other property owners what to do. That is where local councillors come in.

As well as being elected to lead the council, we are also elected to represent and be advocates for our constituents and to help them navigate their concerns through the highly complex and sometimes frustrating council strategy decision making processes. In relation to Planning, the democratic interface is carried out through the Planning Applications Committee. For licensing, it’s through hearings of the Licensing Sub-Committee (and I am a member of this committee). Both hear and decide applications based on professional and legal advice of professional officers. Both are what are called ‘quasi-judicial’ functions, meaning councillors cannot be ‘whipped’ to a political position. Councillors must base their decisions on the evidence before them and by using their own judgement independently. Importantly, councillors can also attend Planning and Licensing Committee meetings on ‘the other side of the table’ to be advocates for resident objectors.

So far, so good. So what’s the difficulty you ask? The problem is that developers and businesses have the time and financial resources to hire experts and lawyers to help them through the complex decision making processes, something local residents don’t have. So residents turn to their councillors to help them, quite rightly. But councillors who sit on Planning and Licensing Committees can’t turn applications down simply because some residents object, as we have to stand by locally agreed policies, if these become the issue.

I want now to illustrate one on-going ‘case study’ in Ferndale that illustrate the frustration that can result from competing policies, interests and in this case flawed residents engagement and consultation.  

Planning case study – the old Fulham Timber Yard site (170-174 and 176-188 Acre Lane, SW2).

Back in 2008, with residents backing, the Leader of the Council (Councillor Steve Reed) and I wrote to Big Yellow Storage Company saying we would oppose their plans to build a second storage facility in Acre Lane on this site they had recently purchased. This campaign was successful, but they were then encouraged to go away and find a partner to develop a housing proposal for the site, as everyone recognised that it would be developed for something. 

Fast forward to August 2010, and Lambeth Planning Committee granted Genesis Housing Association and Yellow Box Company permission to build 60 houses, 100% ‘affordable and social housing’, given the land was protected for employment uses and affordable housing was the only permitted alternative – a good outcome if it was a good quality development. However, local residents objected on many issues and both they and I as their ward councillor made representations to the Committee. The principal issues were the perceived high density of the proposal on the site and fear of a loss of privacy and security, because there has been an ancient tall brick wall up to 18 foot tall in places surrounding the former Fulham Timber Yard site. In recognition of these concerns, the Committee required a number of important Planning Conditions, including the ‘Treatment of the Boundary Wall’, to be approved by the Planning Committee before Genesis could start the development.

Fast forward to early July 2011, and residents had to kick up a stink as Genesis had started the development prior to receiving approval of the Conditions. This was illegal, and Genesis had to be ordered to ‘stand down’ by Lambeth Planning (see the picture). This inflamed residents opposition so the when the 26^th July meeting of the Planning Committee was called to consider the ‘discharge’ of the important ‘Boundary Wall’ Condition, residents were gunning for Genesis. However, eleven residents and I endured 3½ hours of waiting to make our case until 10.45pm at night, only to then have the application ‘adjourned’ because of a lack of time! This left my group of 11 residents very confused, frustrated and powerless.

The reconvened meeting of the Planning Committee on Tuesday, 16^th August, a year to the day since the original Planning permission in August 2010, resulted in a further deferral following nearly two hours of debate and discussion because of errors and problems with what Genesis was proposing. However, this time residents and I felt vindicated. There concerns had been heard, and the Committee told Genesis they needed to work more constructively with affected residents to come to an agreement.  

As a local councillor all I have sought to do over the 2½ year history surrounding this proposal is to put existing residents ‘interests’ on an equal footing with the developers in the eyes of the Planning Committee. Residents expect the Council to look after their interests, given there are 50+ properties (and many more residents) who surround all three sides of this site in Ashmere Grove, Plato Road and Linom Road. But their interests are not always given due weight in the Planning process. As far and the developer is concerned, if Genesis had properly consulted and engaged residents from the start back in August 2010 on the specific concern around the Boundary Wall Treatment options for protecting existing residents privacy and security, its possible this saga would have been concluded by now. They also need to be ‘held to account’ as a Housing Association who are in receipt of public money to build social housing, but have to respect existing residents rights as well.  

As it is, the case continues and the development has to come before Planning Committee for the forth time soon for a final decision. I shall update this blog when an outcome is decided…

Cllr Paul McGlone

Ferndale Ward

Lambeth stands united

Thankfully we have not seen any more of the violent disorder that we saw two weeks ago. However, the police and Lambeth Council remain on high alert. The emphasis has been on keeping services running and ensuring that everyone is as safe as possible. All sections of the community have said the same thing - that there is absolutely no justification for this vandalism and looting. What has been heart warming is the positive community spirit and willingness of people to help each other. Some of the positive initiatives that have come from the disturbing events have been:  

·  Cleaning up and getting back to normal – the job of Council staff is to get the borough back to normal as quickly as possible so people can get on with their lives, and they have risen to the challenge. The council will offer all the support it can to the police with their investigations, and to local residents and businesses that have been affected to get them back on their feet.

·  Re-invigorated our ‘Community Freshview’ scheme - if you would like to take an active role in improving your neighbourhood, you could get involved with a Community Freshview. These activities are led by residents who want to make a difference in the local area. All ideas are considered, as long as the activity will help to renew a sense of pride in your neighbourhood.  If you want more information or to find out about groups in your local area contact the Freshview team on 020 7926 0524 or email freshview@lambeth.gov.uk or talk to one of your ward councillors.

·  Lambeth Champions - In order to show that Lambeth is about recognising success and the great work that people do the Council has launched a ‘Lambeth Champions scheme’. This is an opportunity to recognise individuals that have made a difference to their community or neighbourhood. If you know of anyone that you think deserves to be recognised then send their name and about a 150 word supporting statement to Lambethchampions@lambeth.gov.uk or send to me directly.   

Stay safe

You may notice an increase in the number of police officers but this should not be cause for alarm. It is important that residents can keep safe and we are working with the police to bring people involved in violence and vandalism to justice. We have already provided a large amount of CCTV coverage and a number of those arrested have already been through the magistrates’ court. The best advice we can give residents is to

·  Keep yourself safe and keep an eye out for neighbours and relatives – make sure you plan your journeys before setting off and avoid confronting people on the street

·  Make sure that you know what your children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces are doing so that they are safe

·  Support your local businesses when doing your shopping and make sure they are alright

·  Contacting the police - In the event of an emergency, call 999, in a non emergency, call the police on 101

·  If you are aware of the identities of anyone involved in the disturbances or looting and you wish to remain anonymous you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Councillor Paul McGlone

Ferndale ward

Letter to David Cameron from Lambeth leader Steve Reed

Rt Hon David Cameron MP
Prime Minister’s office
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA

12 August 2011

TACKLING YOUTH CRIME

Dear Prime Minister,

Following your statement to the House of Commons, I thought it was important and pertinent to write to you.

The recent outbreaks of vandalism and violence have been deeply upsetting to people here in Lambeth.   However in Lambeth I have been heartened by the positive response of our local community and the speed with which the police brought in additional support. I would also add that their relations with the community have been improving over many years and we are absolutely committed to developing this going forward.

You stated your personal commitment to address the issue of gang culture and to find solutions to the underlying issues that see sections of our community disengaged from their neighbours and the wider community. Lambeth has a major challenge in relation to gang culture and we have implemented a range of innovative solutions. However we see this as the right time to create a closer working relationship and want to ask for your support and involvement in addressing these issues here in Lambeth.

The gang culture is clearly not the sole source of the troubles but it is held up by others as a symbol of disengagement and enhances a culture of disaffection.  We have had a number of successes through our X-it programme, supporting community initiatives and the Young and Safe strategy. However creating longer term sustainable change is very challenging and we have seen a number of deaths this year in relation to gang related violence. You will recall the tragic incident of the 5 year old girl, Thusha Kamaleswaran, caught up in a recent shooting incident who survived but was left paralysed.

In response to this incident and others, I called a summit comprising of community leaders, the police, faith leaders, schools, youth workers and health teams.  The summit made it clear that there are no simple answers to what makes less than 1% of our young people turn to violence. These troubled young people are very few in number but the impact of their life choices reverberates across the borough.

We are working to tackle violent youth crime by creating a new partnership between the community, the council, the police and other statutory agencies that will allow the community to take the lead in finding local solutions that keep young people and their communities safe.  This is a radical departure from top-down imposed approaches that, experience shows, have only limited impact because they do not recognise the differences between communities and neighbourhoods and do not empower those most affected by the consequences of violent offending.

We will continue to take strong and decisive action and I would really welcome the opportunity to meet with you to talk through the challenges and explore how your personal commitment to tackle the issues involved can be realised here in Lambeth.


Yours sincerely,
Steve Reed
Leader of Lambeth Council
Telephone: 020 7926 1166
E-Mail: sreed@lambeth.gov.uk

A week can be a long time in politics...

August is usually called the ‘silly season’ as politicians go on their summer holidays and the media turns to the weird and wonderful for their reports.  It’s safe to say that August 2011 will be remembered for more somber events.  Before I mention the riots, however, I have been out and about in Ferndale ward and would like to share with you some highlights of the past week…

Last Wednesday, I attended a political briefing led by my colleague Councillor Rachel Heywood, who leads on Community Safety, to discuss the Council's approach to violent crime, especially youth crime. This followed a meeting the week before of a newly established Lambeth 'Community Leaders Forum' made up of community and faith leaders who will work together to agree common actions.

On Thursday, I met with senior council officers from the Regeneration Team to discuss the idea of a new 'area plan' for the wider Acre Lane area.  This is to help the local community shape planning policy and influence future local planning decisions.

On Friday morning, having requested a meeting with residents, council officers and representatives of Sainsbury's at their mini store on Clapham High Street, I demanded that Sainsbury’s stops storing its trolleys outside residential areas on Aristotle Road. Officers will need to reach a formal agreement with Sainsbury's, but I feel that these corporate entities can be very arrogant in believing they can do what they like and it is a shame that I had to get involved before Sainsbury’s would listen to local residents’ complaints.  

I spent Saturday morning campaigning in Streatham on the issue of shortage of primary school places and the failure of the Coalition Government to give Lambeth sufficient capital funding to urgently expand our schools.

On Monday evening I attended a site visit at the old Fulham Timber Yard on Acre Lane with Genesis Housing Association and local residents. Genesis have had a year to consult the 50+ households who are directly affected and surround this site in Plato Road, Ashmere Grove and Linom Road. Genesis propose to developed 60 homes for social housing, but they have not treated existing residents interests who have a common 'boundary wall' with anything like the respect they deserve. The issue goes to Planning Committee on the 16th of August.  

Riots

The biggest news story in recent days concerns the riots and disturbances which started in Tottenham on Saturday night and spread across London, including Brixton over the following two nights.  Lambeth's emergency planning procedures are well rehearsed and were quickly put into action as rioting took hold in Brixton on Sunday night.  On Monday, accompanied by much media attention, Lambeth Council Leader Steve Reed and the Chief Executive as well as many community leaders met in the Town Hall to discuss what had happened.  The reaction of those present was a firm, united belief that community relations in Lambeth are strong and can withstand this attack on our local community.

Local residents showing it is 'business
as usual' in Brixton.

I have been on several walkabouts in central Brixton over the last few days and know that the local residents I meet on the street or communicate with via emails and phone calls are very concerned for their safety and are looking for assurances from the Council and police that they will be safe.  However, they are also very clear that Brixton is a lovely place to live and that they want everyone to pull together to help Brixton recover quickly.  Local businesses have mostly reacted with a desire to return to 'business as usual' as quickly as possible.  As soon as the police removed the barriers from the cordoned off area in Brixton 5.30pm on Monday evening, Lambeth Street cleaning services quickly cleared away broken glass and rubbish and bus and traffic returned to normal.

The burned out 'Foot Locker' store
in Brixton

However, the images of the burned out 'Foot Locker' Store, smashed or broken shop windows and boarded up shops are a stark reminder of how easy it is to destroy what we take for granted as our local Brixton Town Centre.

Councillor Paul McGlone

Ferndale ward

Disorder and looting in Brixton - message to Ferndale community representatives and groups

Brixton is a strong and united community that utterly condemns the scenes we saw last night. People were shocked and appalled by the vandalism and hooliganism we witnessed and this kind of criminal behaviour has absolutely no place in our community.

Let’s be very clear that this is simply opportunistic criminal activity that has no justification whatsoever - it’s criminal disorder not riots. Relations between the community and police today are strong, and this incident will not undermine the huge progress made over the past decades.

We are now determined that the borough gets back to normal as quickly as possible and will be offering all the support we can to the police and reassurance to local people and businesses.

Please also see a message from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Steve Reed.

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/News/2011/080811AMessageFromCouncillorSteveReed.htm

Please feel free to contact any of us if you have any concerns or questions.

Regards,

Councillors Paul McGlone, Sally Prentice and Neil Sabharwal

Ferndale ward

Brixton riots: Joint statement from the three party leaders on Lambeth council

8 August 2011

Joint statement from the Three Party Leaders on Lambeth Council

"Brixton is a strong and united community that over recent years has benefited from strong community relations and sensitive policing.

The vandalism and looting by a tiny minority in Brixton and Streatham last night has no place in our community and everyone we have spoken to has been united in their condemnation of this behavior.

Our job now is to get the borough back to normal as quickly as possible so people can get on with their lives. The community in Lambeth is strong and resilient and last night’s incidents will not damage that.

All three parties on the Council unequivocally condemn the mindless violence and looting we saw last night, and offer our support to the people and businesses that were affected."

Cllr Steve Reed                               Cllr Ashley Lumsden                          Cllr John Whelan

Leader of the Labour Group         Leader of the Liberal Democrat         Leader of the Conservative Group

What to do with the old Clapham Library building?

When the new library opens in Clapham High Street, the historic Victorian building on Clapham Common North Side will be looking for a new purpose. The question is, should the old library be saved for local people to use?

OMNIBUS is working with Lambeth Council to ensure everyone in the community can continue to use the old library.  They are a group of local arts enthusiasts who want to develop the old library building into a small but impressive arts centre for Clapham. To make a success of this project they need to know your views, so please click on the link below and tell them what you think. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SavingOldClaphamLibrary 

Everyone who completes this survey will be put in a prize draw to win four free tickets to see 'An Evening with Miriam Margolyes, Charles Dickens and Others' at Clapham Library on Saturday 3rd September 2011.

Vauxhall Summer Barbecue Fundraiser!

Make sure you check your emails from Vauxhall Labour as it is all about our upcoming summer barbecue fundraiser on Tuesday 12th July 2011.   If you haven't recieved the email and would like to book tickets (£20 in advance, £25 on the door | £10 unwaged, OAPs, students) get in touch at friendsforferndale@hotmail.co.uk. Ferndale ward email coming soon...

Ferndale branch meeting tonight

Don't forget, tonight is our monthly branch meeting!  We will be joined by the NUT to talk about education reforms and threats to public sector pensions.  Members from Clapham Town and  Clapham Common will be coming along, and friends of members are also welcome.  Meeting starts at 7:30pm at WIESA on Clapham Manor Street.

Can you help out on Clapham Common on Sunday?

If you are able to spare some time on Sunday 12th June, please come and help Friends of Clapham Common protect the young saplings in Nursery Woods.  Volunteers will be clearing bramble and elm-suckers from the base of young trees, and making the paths easier to navigate.
 
Park Rangers, along with Victor Chin-kit, will have plenty of tools and gardening gloves, but if you have secateurs, please bring them.  Children are very welcome.  Look out for the Friends of Clapham Common banner on the south side of the wood from 2pm - 4pm, weather permitting.

For more information, please get in touch with Melanie Oxley, Chair, at melanieoxleyfcc@gmail.com

Labour Investment in Lambeth’s Housing is paying off

Lambeth Living with the aid of Labour investment are set to reach their target of only having 1% of homes empty by 31st May 2011. In a massive drive to improve housing in Lambeth, the Labour Group made fixing empty properties a key manifesto commitment and set out to make sure Lambeth Living hit this target.

Over the last year investment from the Lambeth Labour administration has enabled Lambeth Living to bring over 700 properties back into use. This Labour administration is now housing nearly 1000 more households compared with 4 years ago.

Bringing empty properties back into use is just one element though and thanks to sustained lobbying efforts Lambeth was awarded £100.5 million pounds over four years to help bring our homes up to decent standard and provide the necessary investment for new windows and doors.

Lambeth Cabinet member for Housing Cllr Lib Peck said:

Even though the government have slashed our housing Decent Home money from £258 million to just over £100 million I am extremely pleased that the Labour Administration and Lambeth Living have been able to restore so many properties for families that need them. We still have a long way to go but this is a definite step in the right direction.

Saturday's campaign day

We will be meeting at 10.30am on the corner of Stansfield Road and Stockwell Road tomorrow morning to collect signatures for a petition on roads and pavement improvements and the NHS in the surrounding streets.  We will then head off to help out Clapham Town around 1pm.  Get in touch if you can make it!

Which way will you vote?

It's a little early to go and cast your vote right now but don't forget to make it to the polling station today. They're open between 7am-10pm, so no excuses!

If you're still not sure which way to vote:
Yes Campaign: http://www.yestofairervotes.org/
No Campaign: http://www.no2av.org/

Can you help thirsty trees on Tuesday?

With a hot, sunny bank holiday in store, there will no doubt be lots of visitors on Clapham Common.  While you're out and about enjoying the good weather, spare a thought for the younger trees planted on the Common in recent years that are struggling for water in the higher temperatures.  Whilst Lambeth Council is doing everything it can to keep the foliage alive, it would be great if volunteers (that means you!) could join Clapham Town's Cllr Helen O’Malley near the Boating pond at 5pm on Tuesday 26th April for a watering “hit squad”!

There was a fantastic turnout last week and it would be great if this effort could be kept up.  For more information, please contact Cllr O’Malley directly by email.

Friends for Ferndale is now on Facebook

First there was the website, then there was twitter (@ferndalelabour) and now there is Facebook.  There are more ways than ever to find out what is happening in Ferndale so please get in touch to let us know your news, views and suggestions about life in Ferndale.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Alternative Vote - don't forget to vote!

With less than three weeks until the Alternative Vote (AV) referendum, many of you may still be thinking about which way you will vote or even if you will vote at all.  Although it may not seem to be the most important issue in this climate of cuts and economic glum, the result could have a massive impact on the future of politics in the UK.

There is still a lot of confusion about what AV is and how it will influence future elections, so Vauxhall Labour Party has organised a free public debate on Wednesday 20th April at Kennington Park Community Centre.  The event will start at 7:30pm with a short debate between Jessica Asato, Director of the Labour Yes! campaign, and former MP Jane Kennedy, who is the national organiser for the Labour NO to AV campaign.  The audience will then be invited to ask questions and make comments before the evening ends with a vote to see who has won the argument on the night.  Will it predict the national outcome?

Please do come along if you can and invite your friends.  You don't need to be a Labour supporter to take part.  More information can also be found on Facebook.

Ferndale social

On Thursday 7th April, Ferndale and Clapham Town held a social event for new members at The Bread and Roses pub on Clapham Manor Street.  We were joined by Val Shawcross, Ken Livingston's running mate in the mayoral elections, and Kate Hoey, Vauxhall's MP.  The event was very enjoyable and we look forward to holding another social event in the near future.  If you have an idea for an event, please get in touch at friendsforferndale@hotmail.co.uk.  We are always keen to hear your views and suggestions!

Campaign days update

Ferndale's first campaign day of 2011 proved to be a great success, with many members from across the constituency lending a hand to leaflet and door-knock on a sunny spring morning.

We were fortunate enough to be joined by Val Shawcross, Ken's running mate in the London Mayoral elections and our assembly member.  Val spoke to many people on the doorstep and later said "It was an excellent, productive session which was extremely well organised and I enjoyed the whole event.  Ferndale is a strong Labour area but in the past we haven't done enough campaigning here - volunteers have been sent elsewhere to work.  If we are to win London for Labour in the Mayoral elections next year, this is exactly the community we need to be in close touch with and encouraging to vote.  The Sun shone on us on Saturday. Being superstitious, it was perhaps a good sign that we have started work in exactly the right place for 2012 ." 

Thanks goes to everyone who turned out, it is very much appreciated.  An extra special thanks goes to Alex Baker, Vauxhall Campaigns Officer, for organising everything and everyone, and then finding the time to take some photos (see the 'gallery' page).

Ferndale's next campaign day is on Saturday 9th April.  We will be meeting at the corner of Bedford Road and Ferndale Road at 12pm.  We will be doorknocking and leafletting until 2pm when we will head to The Bread and Roses for lunch. 

Get in touch with Vaila McClure, Ward Secretary, at friendsforferndale@hotmail.co.uk, for more details.

Saturday's Campaign Day

Our first campaign day of 2011 will be taking place tomorrow, Saturday 19th March from 10am-1pm.  For more information, have a look at the 'Dates for your diary' page.

Whether you would like to get involved with doorknocking or leafletting, your help on the day will be greatly appreciated.

It won't be all work as we will be going for a well-earned lunch at around 1pm, which everyone is invited to.

For more information or to let us know you'll be coming along, please email friendsforferndale@hotmail.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Keeping in touch with Ferndale

Hello and welcome to the new look website for Labour members in Ferndale ward!

There are more members than ever in our ward and we want to make sure you feel involved in what is happening locally, from events, to keeping in touch with your councillors, to all the news that matters to you.

We would love to hear what you think, whether it is about the website, the news stories or the events we hold.  You can email us at friendsforferndale@hotmail.co.uk or feel free to leave a comment on the website.

You can also keep up with news and events on Twitter by following @ferndalelabour.

Get involved and make sure your voice is heard.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Latest Tory cut ‘risks increase in violent youth crime’

Lambeth Labour have issued a warning that the latest Tory cuts to Lambeth’s Youth Offending Service risks fuelling a surge in youth crime in the borough.

Lambeth was dealt a blow last week after the Government announced it would be making cuts of over 20% to its Youth Offending Team, despite having one of the highest levels of youth offending in the country. These draconian cuts will reduce the ability to identify and divert potential young offenders, exposing our communities to an increase risk of violent crime. The Youth Offending Team offers young people an alternative to a life of crime and in making this cut the Coalition is likely to blight the lives of Lambeth’s most vulnerable young people.

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Cllr Pete Robbins, issued the warning as a Tory Youth Justice Minister, Crispin Blunt MP, visited Lambeth Council to see Lambeth’s Youth Offending Service. Cllr Robbins demanded a meeting with the minister, and set out how these short-sighted cuts will risk higher levels of youth disaffection and negative behaviour, leading to higher levels of offending. Experts confirm that the cost of repairing the damage caused by higher levels of youth crime far outweigh the savings made by short-sighted cuts like these.

Cllr Pete Robbins said: ‘Safety is the number one concern of Lambeth residents, and this latest Tory cut could cause huge damage to our recent progress in reducing crime and helping divert young people away from gangs. I don’t see how the Tories dare to claim they are interested in preventing youth crime at the same time as cutting the service. I am pleased the minister had the opportunity to see the fantastic work that Lambeth does, but unless he realises his Government is putting it all at risk then it will have been a wasted trip.’

He also added, ‘To add insult to injury, these latest cuts have been made with just one month’s notice - that’s no time at all to find ways to mitigate the worst impact.’

Cllr Robbins and Cllr Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council, have today written a joint letter to Justice Secretary Ken Clarke, Education Secretary Michael Gove, and Home Secretary Theresa May demanding that they reverse the cut, and pointing out their decisions are likely to put their stated aim that fewer young people should be sent to prison in serious doubt.

Extra Police for Lambeth’s Streets

Crime is residents’ number one concern and Police reorganisation strategy, known as Operation Hannah, will go live from Monday February 14th. Over 100 extra police officers will be assigned to six areas, covering the whole borough, that will increase visible policing, get more officers on the beat and provide an even greater focus on local issues such as anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Rachel Heywood Lambeth cabinet member for Communities and Community Safety said “Operation Hannah will go a long way to help the fight against anti social behaviour in Lambeth and significantly enhance local neighbourhood policing at a time when police number are being cut across the rest of the UK. Ensuring safer communities in Lambeth is a key priority for Labour administration and the additional police constables will provide a visible presence and safety net as well as helping reassure residents across the borough.’

Under operation Hannah all 21 wards in Lambeth will be partnered with others to make 6 clusters, called Local Policing Teams, with each cluster receiving at least an additional 14 police constables. The LPTs will also be working alongside, boosting the Safer Neighbourhood Teams, who will remain committed to tackling crime in their wards.

Residents in Lambeth will benefit from extra visible policing at a time when the Tory led coalition is cutting funding to services and the Lib Dems reneged on a deal to provide 3000 extra police.

News of Operation Hannah comes on the back of the announcement that Lambeth is going to continue funding its special police team to tackle crime hit neighbourhoods. The Anti-Social Behaviour Action Team, set up last year, is made up of 22 PCSOs and they can be rapidly deployed across the borough, another addition to Labour’s manifesto commitment to zero tolerance of anti-social behaviour.

Cuts will spark a teen crime whirlwind, says council chief | News

The Tory led coalition have implemented the largest funding cuts to Local government since the second world war and as a result Lambeth is having to find £79 million worth of savings over the next 3 years.

Cllr Paul McGlone has written to the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to warn of a “real decline” in the quality of services as the cuts start to bite.

Read below for the full article published in the Evening Standard on the 5^th January.

Cuts will spark a teen crime whirlwind, says council chief | News