Mayors Question Time is Important
Mayor’s Question Time (MQT) is important for Assembly Members and good for London, but it could be improved.
MQT is designed to keep the London Mayor focused on advancing the capital’s priorities, but Londoners would benefit from it being more accessible and better directed at residents’ everyday concerns.
I use it to put people’s views to Boris and ask for the improvements that the residents of Bexley and Bromley deserve: better public transport, extra policing and more investment in outer London.
It’s a chance to argue against the Government’s unwanted increase in travellers’ pitches in Bexley and Bromley.
Previously I’ve used it to support scrapping the proposed Thames Gateway Bridge that threatened to flood Bexley’s residential roads with traffic. Also to secure the suspension of a London-wide emissions tax that would have hurt small businesses.
MQT is important, it allows people’s views to be openly put to the Mayor, but it could, and should be improved.
Currently, it is too long; people don’t have time for over two hours of questions. A shorter, punchier version, held more regularly, would be more interesting and promote engagement with Londoners.
While oral questions to Boris are televised, most are unaware that written questions are also submitted beforehand, and answered later. Publishing every answer at the meeting, or just having oral questions in shorter meetings, would be sensible and easier to follow.
Assembly Members, who oppose the Mayor, should stop wasting time point-scoring. Questions to Boris like, "Why are you so scared of your constituents?” add nothing to sensible debate. Better to spend question time considering issues that matter to residents.
Question time remains crucial for debating London’s priorities. Yet, just as London’s priorities have evolved since the Mayoralty’s creation, so MQT and the London Assembly must evolve to meet the needs of Londoners in 2009.
James Cleverly - London Assembly Member for Bexley and Bromley
Councillors Allowances
Further to you excellent coverage last month regarding the allowances paid to our Councillors, it would be interesting to know how and where our representatives have spent their allowances (£877.000-00) and if by any chance they have patronised local businesses (hotels, restaurants, builders, electricians, decorators, flower shops, music stores, food outlets, etc..) in their hour of need, putting their money where their mouth is when they constantly brag about having the best interest of Bexley economy at heart.
Claude Moreira - Welling
Taxpayer funded ‘newspapers’
Big Brother government was a cub 20 years ago, now a ravening taxpayers cash-guzzling dictatorship.
Do Chronicle readers know that Lambeth Life & Greenwich Times are among several London pseudo-’newspapers’ that are squeezing commercial viability out of our free independent local newspapers?
Life was harder for traditional newspapers before town hall tyrants began to politicise “information” through the above mentioned media clones, that recycle public funds through internal spending on advertising and legal notices, that went into local publications before. Twenty years ago when council overspending was more modest, local newspapers provided most essential official details as part of their format. Andrew Gilligan of the Evening Standard & Telegraph was on BBC Radio 4 Media Show. He tackled Joshua Peck deputy leader of Tower Hamlets who bragged about having £1 billion to spend, ie. they can afford a council-run newspaper. There must be a better way to get selective news than trusting unreliable council controlled politically-driven selective media.
Rita Grootendorst - Sidcup
Helping our youth
How encouraging to see in the July edition another “There is nothing for our kids to do”. A special two-page article covering local youth organisations, which has been well received by all those, connected with voluntary youth work in the community.
The Chronicle (and Derek Hope) has done really well in highlighting the various uniformed youth movements that are available to our young folk. Confirming that there is plenty for children to do.
The latest feature covered The Boys’ and Girls’ Brigades, which have been around for a good number of years. In fact the BB have just finished celebrating their 125th anniversary. All the leaders and members of the BB & GB at Eltham Park, were so pleased with your positive publicity and the excellent report about their work going on there.
For the many volunteers of ALL youth organisations, who give up so much of their spare time to give our future generation a sound start to their lives, this article makes them feel it’s all worthwhile. Why is it that most newspapers only report the bad news about our young people? Well done the Chronicle in promoting good news about our various organisations.
In fact it would seem the Chronicle is well ahead of supporting this valuable work. Some weeks after this article appeared the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwell, held a special Youth Garden Party at Bucking Palace to officially launch a London youth partnership called YOU LONDON Youth Organisations –Uniform.
The aim of YOU LONDON is to enable youth organisation s to work together to recruit more adult volunteers. www.youlondon.org.uk
John A Bates - 14th West Kent Bexleyheath Company. Hon Vice President West Kent Battalion. Secretary Stedfast Association London District.
Austin and affordable housing
It is disappointing to see that John Austin has decided to use the pages of the Chronicle to mislead residents on housing (Chronicle, August 2009, p.4, ‘Investment in affordable homes’’) by claiming that Labour are going to establish “the largest social-house-building programme for thirty years.”.
It is worth remembering that Mr Austin received over £130,000 in tax-payer’s money to pay for his second homes in Rotherhithe and Southwark whilst local people struggle to get housed - will they take Mr Austin’s comments seriously?
We’ve heard these promises before from Labour and not only have they failed to deliver, but they have the worst record on social housing of any modern Government. What Mr Austin does not want you to know is under Labour the number of households on the social housing waiting list has increased by 75% to almost 1.8 million. While more people are waiting to be housed, the amount of social housing being built is declining.
In 1997 the number of housing completions by local authorities was 1,543. After a decade of Labour Government, this had fallen to 380. Under the last Conservative Government, on average over 40,000 homes were being built each year compared to less than 18,000 under Labour.
Of course, Mr Austin would have more credibility on this issue if he had fulfilled the promise he made two years ago to hold a debate on housing in Thamesmead in the House of Commons. He has not done this and instead has made dozens of trips abroad while thousands of his constituents are stuck on housing lists.
David Leaf - Belvedere
Britain’s immigration policy / failed welfare, system
I wouldn’t disagree with the judge who slammed policies that allow hundreds of thousands of foreigners to stream into the country to sponge off benefits.
An Immediate Hiatus Ban should be placed on all forms of immigration until our present economic crisis is onvercome and jobs once again become plentiful!
However, it is not only immigrants who abuse the welfare system but sadly also too many cheats from this country.
It is well past the time that the government should stop benefit for those who refuse jobs.
These benefits are costing the country billions and billions of pounds each year which we really cannot afford!
Douglas Walters - Sidcup
Lark in the Park
I would just like to express my appreciation of the sacrificial services, the volunteers at “Lark in the Park”, in Sidcup Place, gave us all again this year, put on by Churches Together in Sidcup.
Sidcup friends I invited along to the Over 60s Freedom Zone tent, appeared to really enjoy, both the served refreshments of afternoon tea and cakes and on-stage entertainments. A total of fifteen joined me there.
They even had an adult “Has Sidcup got talent” competition, a new development from just the younger ones last year. And after hearing from those who volunteered to share their talents, I too felt not to ‘hide my light under a bush’ and was given the opportunity to share a poem ‘Eat your heart out, poet Laureate’.
So, all in all, a whacking great Congratulations to all the organisers, volunteers and of course those behind the scenes. Oh, and thank you God, not least.
Pavement matters
I would like to thank Bexley Council, Somerfield Store, Age Concern, Old Bexley and Sidcup CLP Labour Party (Sidcup Ward) and the Sidcup Chronicle for their support in getting a number of damaged pavements repaired which were a threat to the general public outside of the Somerfield store near the station.
Being privately owned the pavement forecourt was finally repaired by Mr Slater of Latate Ltd who responded promptly, giving the work to a local Sidcup builder.
Both of them emailed me to check if the job had been done to my satisfaction. I checked and it was. So a big thank you to them also. Bexley at its best I reckon and in partnership.
Bob Bedwell - Sidcup
Town Centre Renewal
Following the successful implementation of Stage 1 of the Sidcup Town Area Renewal Scheme it is very disappointing to see Phase 2 of the STAR Scheme, particularly in relation to the road safety aspects of the proposed changes and relocation of the bus stops away from the station and across the busy traffic light junction at Station Road and Longlands Road/ Hatherley Crescent. This will force thousands of daily commuters to cross the road at those traffic lights which will have a pedestrian phasing, however rush hour commuters will often risk life and limb to catch their train for work in the mornings and the additional time it will take the bus to reach its new stop will only serve to further frustrate and delay travellers so it would seem to me to be an unnecessary relocation merely to provide 5 or 6 convenient parking spaces for Tesco Express customers. —
There are a considerable number of buses travelling in both directions in Station Road and putting two compulsory bus stops immediately opposite each other is most unwise as it can create tail-backs when all the buses cannot simultaneously pull off the main road into the lay-byes. I am also concerned that the staggered puffin crossing outside Somerfield’s is heading in the wrong direction for most users who would be heading for the 51 bus stop or Old Farm Avenue rather than back towards the station.
People heading home from work will often take the shortest route in order to catch a bus, so it just does not make any sense to force them to walk away from their direction of travel. Many people will simply bypass the crossing and dash across the road nearer the bus stop causing a danger to themselves and to traffic.
Directly south of the proposed new southbound bus stop is the junction with Alma Road, a one way street, which will suffer reduced visibility by the new bus stop, for traffic turning out of this road. The Scheme proposes to build an extension to the pavement on the north west side reducing the road width to one carriageway and constructing a raised table at the junction with Station Road. It is already difficult to get out of this junction so I fail to see the point of narrowing the exit when it will only lead to long queues of traffic and needless delays.
A completely unnecessary and expensive speed table has been suggested in Jubilee Way only yards away from a right angled bend in the road. As this road is a relatively small cul-de-sac it would appear to be a total waste of money.
This entire scheme will have an enormous impact on rail users who will face delays and a long uphill walk to the new bus stop so I find it worrying that so little meaningful consultation has been directed at this important group of people. Comments on the new proposals have been invited by Gordon Kiley. Go to (gordon.kiley@bexley.gov.uk)
Jill Cowne - Sidcup
Send your child to the Boys Brigade and Girls Brigade
CONGRATULATIONS are in order for publishing that very splendid article about THE BOYS’ BRIGADE & THE GIRLS’ BRIGADE as a ‘Centre Spread’ in the latest edition of the ‘Sidcup & Bexley Chronicle’ which I have just received. I say this as a lifelong member of The Boys’ Brigade, who joined the llth SIDCUP COMPANY at Sidcup Methodist Church in Granville Road, way back in September 1943, and at the age of 79 1 am still a very active member of the Brigade.
In the last war, at the age of 13, I was forever getting into trouble and was often pursued by the local ‘Schoolboard Inspector’ for failing to attend school, so when I did go and then read a poster on the Noticeboard at Alma Road School, saying that a Company of the ‘BB’ was about to start up at the local Methodist Church, I saw this as a way in which to ‘disrupt’ their proceedings and promptly put in an appearance on the opening night (with my parents okay) only to find to my horror that the Founder and Captain of the Company was my old adversary, the Schoolboard Inspector !
But it was he and other members of the Company who very soon i straightened me out’ and 66 years later here I am as a Senior Member of the Methodist Church. The ‘Christian’ ethos of the ‘BB’ has always been at the forefront of my life and I therefore am forever in its debt and would say to parents with ‘Kids with nothing to do’ just send them along to your nearest Company of the ‘BB’ or ‘GB’ and hopefully they will soon find, as I did, that there is so much in life in which they can get involved without ‘getting into trouble’ as I once did as a young teenager all those many years ago and to those parents who are unable to find a local Company for Boys and Girls, why not take up the challenge and START ONE.
Full details can be easily obtained by telephoning 01442 231681
John Russell
A disgrace for disabled people in our area
As a supporter of the Changing Places campaign, I think it is a disgrace that Bexley Council doesn’t provide public toilets that meet the needs of local people with severe disabilities and their carers.
People with profound and multiple learning disabilities need Changing Places toilets - with a hoist, changing bench and plenty of space. Without them carers are often forced to change their disabled loved-ones on dirty toilet floors.
Bexley Council has yet to install a Changing Places toilet. People with profound and multiple learning disabilities should have the same opportunities as everyone else. And carers have enough to contend with – let’s not make their lives harder by denying them the right to basic public facilities.
I encourage readers to take action sign the online petition about this important issue at www.mencap.org.uk/changelives
Monica Rivers - Crayford
Future of Heron Court
I’m writing this letter in response to your article in the August Chronicle regarding the future of Heron Court.
It is perfectly true what Cllr. Slaughter stated that no-one will be forced out.
But what he is not saying is the way London & Quadrant are going about it, such as dropping hints to the people concerned how better off they would be in a new apartment they intend to build, also asking them if they would like to see the plans, but telling them in a nice way they want them out, so regardless what the councillors say the people are worried sick.
My colleague Elwyn Bryant and myself attended two meetings regarding this matter. We were invited by the residents as we are both members of the Bexley Pensioners Forum and the Forum has been involved with London & Quadrant before on a similar matter.
The impression we and some of the residents got was that the two councillors were representing London & Quadrant instead of the other way round, I wonder why?
Just one more item. If and when these new flats are built will they be for sheltered accommodation, NO WAY. They will be sold. More sheltered accommodation lost.
P. Gussman - Sidcup
Queen Mary’s and Maidstone hospital
In 2004 I had a colonoscopy performed at QM. I was supposed to have a follow up a couple of years later. Suddenly out of the blue I received a letter from Maidstone Hospital informing me that if I did not have the follow up done at Maidstone I would be taken off the list. I accordingly made an appointment with Maidstone Hospital. They assured me that they would provide transport there and back for me with my designated escort. This took place yesterday. Yes we had a taxi there and back.
I live 7 minutes walk away from QM!
I consulted our three ward councillors. June Slaughter took the matter up for me. I set out below the exchange of correspondence. Could you advise people in your next edition about this situation so that if they receive a similar letter from Maidstone they know they can insist that they attend QM or somewhere a little more local? The cost in taxi fares to Maidstone per patient must be huge.
Patient - Sidcup
NHS Response:
We are currently working in partnership with Maidstone to provide endoscopy services. This is to manage a backlog of surveillance patients. It is important to note that any patient who wants the procedure but doesn’t want to go to Maidstone can still come back here and be scoped at QMS. We’re sorry if that wasn’t made clear and we will ensure that the correspondence sent out is reviewed to improve the clarity.
Maidstone have sent what we call a validation letter. This is the same practice that we use here - if we can’t make contact with a patient we advise them that if we don’t hear from them they may be removed from the list.
Clearly we can ensure that the patient below is offered a date at QMS if she doesn’t want to travel.
Gary Scott - Interim Head of Contracts South London Healthcare NHS Trust Ranken House Queen Elizabeth Hospital 020 8836 5828