ASB Roadshow Report

Here’s the official Redbridge Council version, complete with picture of visiting bigwig.

And here’s the unofficial version of the "Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour" Seminar at the Town Hall on Thursday 25th February.

I am writing this report from the notes taken by John Walden, who on arrival in the Lambourne room was greeted by three people “well known to the local Police” – the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Barkingside 21 and our mascot Cllr Moth. I was unavoidably detained being stuck to a mattress.

The early morning session was about the "package" of "powers" and "tools" available for tackling Anti-Social Behaviour. They were actually talking about "joined-up thinking". (Not before time?) Unfortunately John doesn’t specify what these “tools” are but it’s nice to know we are being “tooled up” with, I suspect, nice glossy leaflets outlining the procedures to follow when we confront somebody dumping their rubbish outside our house, parking across our drive, letting their dog foul the footway or entertaining “Woodstock” in their living room.

There is no new legislation, [thank heavens for that], but there are changes to the Council’s Organisation and it’s liaison with the Police. The Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Officers [sic!] are now expected to attend Neighbourhood Watch Ward Co-ordinators Meetings. These are effectively a return to the Sector NHW meetings that were abandoned when we went to Ward Policing. Funny that! As John says, people need to know where to report Anti-Social Behaviour issues and those Sector meetings were quite effective.

After coffee there was a presentation on "Community Problem Solving". The latest buzzwords are about "Intervention - at the right time" - working together with people having problems in order to get them to change their behaviour. "Firmness not Blame". Local Authorities must "think smart" and take responsibility - get grass cut, get streets cleaned and argue afterwards as to who should have done it and who will do it in future. Give Communities ownership of problem areas, provide resources and support their decisions. Said the heavy control freaky hand of the state!

After lunch groups were divided up into "Workshops" and brain-stormed some issues. John’s table was allocated "What Makes a Good Neighbour".

The conclusions were :
Tolerance
Help not criticise
United by values and common causes
Mutual respect and understanding.

A Government Junior Minister was there to do some cheer-leading and give Councillors a photo-opportunity. A nameless person attempted to buttonhole said Junior Minster about getting Government money (our money) for a new Swimming Pool and then chased the Ilford Recorder reporter into the Gents Loo. Meanwhile, another nameless person was amusing the Table by recounting stories of National Service in the RAF. I wonder who they were?

Fairlop Teletubbies

This is not the sort of thing you will normally find on the back pages of the Daily Sport, although it is football related. Gary Neville may play his football for those unmentionables up north, but he does have one redeeming quality – he is an environmentalist. He wants to build a new “house” on his estate on the moors between Bolton and Bury in Lancashire. It’s an eco-home and the structure is so advanced the government wants to use the scheme as a benchmark for all future zero-carbon developments. Take a look at the artists impression.

The architects have compared it with Skara Brae, a neolithic settlement in Orkney.

Designed by Make Architects, the unique structure is divided into six separate sections or ‘petals’, called ‘eat', ‘relax’, ‘entertain’, ‘work’, ’sleep’ and ‘play’. They are all arranged around a central communal area. Completely eco-friendly at the footballer’s behest, the home features a ground source heat pump, photovoltaic solar panels and a wind turbine to generate power, which will supply Neville’s neighbouring property as well.

Now, the reason I am posting on this is because they also built the Sherwood Forest Visitor Complex. Wouldn’t something like this be nice over at Fairlop Waters? What do you think?

Over to you Jacqueline.

Hattip: Green Construction UK

Fairlop Wetlands

Three years ago, almost to the day, I posted an item about a proposal for a new Nature Reserve on the Aldborough site where gravel extraction was coming to an end. It had all gone a bit quiet, but has now been resurrected by local birdwatchers. I’m not sure if anything has actually happened to arouse their interest at this particular point in time, but thought a reminder would be in order.
The site is to the rear of the Dick Turpin pub [I have been in that one] as shown in the google earth picture, above. I’m not sure of the status of the planning application but it appears from the birder’s emails that Lafarge are having some difficulty in finding enough material to infill the site as is required by their original planning application to extract the gravel. The material used is mostly, I understand, from building excavations elsewhere and gives the council a revenue stream of some £2.4m. However, not filling in, or partially filling in, opens up other possibilities for a more varied wildlife habitat, like wetlands.

It is this potential for a site akin to that in Barnes that needs to be explored taking into account the educational value and that most of the wildlife is already there and would be displaced if the site is restored to basically a field. It could also be a nice little earner for the Council if they play it right.

More here.

Nightmare at Gants Hell

I’ve not been down to Gants Hill for quite a while. The best Chinese restaurant in the world, the Bamboo, closed down, I’ve not needed to visit Robb’s Electrical or Howards Opticians, and I have found that it is just as easy to get the bus in the opposite direction to South Woodford if I’m off to the City. I have been through Gants Hill on the bus to Ilford but didn’t take much notice. There was some delay to the traffic but not that much, and I suppose that some traffic will have found other ways around.

But on last Wednesday evening I had a meeting in The Valentine, a public house that I have never been in before [pause for a few seconds for readers to recover from shock]. It wasn’t much of a meeting because the organiser had not spotted that it was Karaoke night and they also had the Chelsea match on television without the sound. But I digress.

Much has been said about the inconvenience to vehicle traffic due to the TfL works at the roundabout, but nobody, as far as I know, has mentioned the inconvenience to pedestrians and bus users. It’s a bloody nightmare down there. There are barriers everywhere, you don’t know where the bus stops are, some of the underpass entrances are closed, you have to walk 400 yards to progress 20 yards, there are huge ankle deep puddles everywhere - it was a bit of a shock and I got my socks wet. Serenas was empty when I passed by not knowing where the bus stop was, I’ve never seen it empty before.

No wonder the traders have got the raving hump! I’m sure it will be lovely when it’s finished but what’s the point if it’s killed in the process? Will the people return?

So, what better time to remind readers of our next coffee morning on 18th March. We have Tom Platt from “Living Streets” as our guest speaker.

Gareth Goes West

Behind the rolling clouds, the hidden days are growing lighter.......... Spring whispers to us from the sodden earth....... rhubarb and cleavers push through the mulch....... the waters of the wildlife pond are beginning to stir and the Peace Garden bees are venturing out after their Winter hibernation.....

Forest Farm Peace Garden is entering its seventh Spring and as ever there are a thousand tasks to do - preparing beds for planting, sowing seeds, mixing leafmold, harvesting herbs, building compost bins, fixing leaky pipes, repairing paths, chopping wood, mulching new areas, making up frames for the beehives.........

Every year volunteers from all parts of the community come together to help build our community garden in Hainault, and to learn and share sustainable lifeskills in the garden. The delicious organic fruit and vegetables that are grown communally are shared and taken home by volunteers, and healthy meals are often prepared in the garden from freshly harvested ingredients. People from many different backgrounds and ages enjoy the benefits of working in the fresh air, getting fit in our 'green gym' and sharing in the peace and tranquility of the garden. Volunteers can also access our library with over 100 books on different aspects of sustainable living - from growing organic food to keeping bees or preparing herbal remedies, and can join in regular workshops on everything from tree grafting to making blackberry jam!

With support from the Hainault Community Project and the International Tree Foundation, FFPG is holding the following workshops in the next few weeks - all are welcome from 11am.

Sunday 28th February: Planting Fruit Trees (apples, pears, & plums)
Sunday 7th March: Tree Grafting (learn how fruit trees are propagated)
Sunday 21st March: Tree Grafting ( " " " " " " )

If you want to join in the garden activities, we are open every Wednesday and Sunday (Fridays are closed for the moment) from 11am til 5pm: send an email or call us on 0791 308 9979 to arrange a visit, get involved and exercise your green fingers! We welcome people from all backgrounds including refugees, asylum seekers and mental health service users. Remember to bring sturdy footwear, warm & waterproof clothing and something for lunch.

On a personal note, I will be leaving the Peace Garden, heading west at the end of this week. Sunday will be my last day, if you are able to join us in the garden it would be great to see you. If you need to get in touch with the Peace Garden in the future, the phone numbers will remain with other staff.

Cheers, Gareth Morgan

Reuse and Recycle

New Tetrapak recycling facility at Craven Gardens Car Park

When the super dooper automatic recycling machine appeared at Barkingside Tescos the existing low tech recycling bins for paper, tin cans, tetrapaks, glass and plastic bottles disappeared. We presumed that they had been reused in other locations but the one for Tetrapaks remained elusive and we don’t know where it has got to. Now there is another hi-tech whiz bang recycling facility at Tescos in Goodmayes, their Tetrapak bin is to be relocated and reused at Craven Gardens Car Park as from today. I wonder where the other one went?

New Green Garden Waste Bags

Also this week, hereabouts, we have had delivered to our doors brand new Green Garden Waste bags. Last year, as part of a trial, residents on the Wanstead and Woodford collection days (Tuesday and Wednesday) were given a reusable green bag to present their garden waste. These bags proved popular with residents and made the collection process more efficient. This year, the rest of the properties in the Borough will be delivered one of these green bags in addition to the leaflet (the properties that received a bag last year will just get the leaflet). Except I did get a green bag last year, so now I’ve got two.

The scheduled green waste collection service starts again on 29th March and runs through to 29th October. In the meantime you can still book a collection.

Last year, through the scheduled service, Redbridge collected over 4 times the amount of garden waste at the kerbside than previously. This has made a significant contribution to ensuring the Borough is on course to hit its recycling targets of 27.5% in 2009/10 and 30% in 2010/11. At present, the recycling rate is 32.5%. Gold Star.

Here’s the leaflet with the details.

The Big Swap

Yes, Fairtrade Fortnight begins today.

And this year’s theme is The Big Swap.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2010
22 February - 7 March
THE BIG SWAP

Fairtrade is a movement for change, aiming to tackle poverty and injustice through trade. For two weeks this year, they want to encourage people to swap their normal stuff for Fairtrade stuff. Swap your usual bananas for Fairtrade bananas, your usual cotton socks for Fairtrade cotton socks and most of all your usual cuppa for a Fairtrade cuppa.

They have a theme of tea, but any kind of swap will do...

To promote the Tea thing there will be a promo event this Thursday, 9:45-11am 25th February, when 100s of Tea Ladies [oh dear, should that not be Tea Persons?] suitably dressed as Tea Persons are [costumes supplied by Fairtrade and made of Fairtrade cotton] and dancing as Tea Persons do outside the Houses of Parliament for a photoshoot. Expect to see a few MPs who want to get a bit of exposure in shot.

Says Nicola, “Each and every swap proves that the people of the UK want producers in the developing world to get a better deal. So whether it's swapping your sugar or organising a community event, each and every action helps raise the issues that affect farmers, workers and their communities all over the developing world. Every swap counts!”

But B21 wants you to go a little bit further. These islands have been a trading Nation for many years and our prosperity is built upon it. We cannot produce bananas, tea, sugar, cotton or tobacco here. And we are not good at growing grapes. But the problem is we are running out of things to trade. At one time we imported cotton and exported clothes, but now our clothes are made abroad. Same with our cutlery, scissors and tools which were once all made in Sheffield but are now imported. So while you are looking at the labels I am asking you to have a look at where the things you buy are made and at the same time note how much packaging they are contained in and whether it is all necessary. I am not asking you not to buy those things, just be aware of where they come from and how much waste you are required to dispose of.

Here's a round up of what's happening locally:

- Fairtrade in Schools event- for KS4 & 5 students. Takes place on March 1st and involves groups such as Oxfam, People & Planet and We Are What We Do running interactive workshops. Also there'll be a live weblink to young people in Ghana who have benefited from Fairtrade. For more information email or call Nicola on 0208 708 2272.

- Wanstead Library, Hainault Library and Fullwell Cross Library will all be having displays

- Aldersbrook Library will be having a display throughout the Fortnight and organising a Tea Time event on Thursday March 11th, 3.00pm - 4.30 pm. Pop along for a cup of Fairtrade Tea and cake! Fair Trade products also on sale.

- St Johns Church, Seven Kings will be selling Fairtrade produce on Sunday 28 and Sunday 7 March (after Sunday service)- you can find them at St. John's Road, Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex, IG2 7BB

See also TraidCraft and Shared Interest

Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour

Yer gorra laugh. Did you think “about bleedin’ time” or “blimey they are finally doing something” – think again. Having messed up their politically correct social experiments big time, buried the Police under Paper Mountain, neutered Local Government, they now want to hold a series of free training events up and down the country during February and March to teach YOU how to deal with the mess they have created. Oh Yes, it’s the Communities and Local Government Department – anyone would think there is a General Election due. Anyway, enough of my cynicism; here are the details for Redbridge.

Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour
Free training event

for local residents, community activists, volunteers, front-line staff and anyone else but not us involved in dealing with and/or clearing up our mess tackling anti-social behaviour.

Have you ever felt powerless to do anything about MPs expenses, bankers bonuses, Corporate pollution graffiti, vandalism or noisy neighbours?

"Do you want to know more about who you can contact to deal with problems like these and the powers available to help?" Clue, it’s not us!

This free event paid for by you the taxpayer will offer practical advice to attendees on what can be done and how you can work together to tackle neighbourhood anti-social behaviour issues. It will pass on lessons from those who have succeeded no thanks to us in bringing about change through the power of not bothering to vote for us collective action.

Thursday 25 February 2010
9.15am - 3.30pm
Redbridge Town Hall, High Road, Ilford, IG1 1DD
To book your place:
Call: 0845 680 9754
(Calls charged at local rate, lines open 9.00-6.00pm Monday to Friday)

Agenda

Clear and Present Danger

Just before Christmas I published a post titled “Believers, Sceptics and Deniers”. I was asked by an anonymous visitor for an opinion on Lord Lawson’s book. Well, I haven’t read it. I hate reading those sort of books – the sort that will not use a sentence when a chapter will do. But I have done some research on the interwebby.

To start though, lets review what anonymous has to say: “The politicians have taken the science, which, as you say, is not certain, and mis presented it.” She emphasises the point later with “politicians are not scientists”. If that were true I would expect the scientists not just to be telling us, but shouting it from the rooftops, but they are not, and in case you haven’t noticed Nigel Lawson is also a politician and not a scientist. So why should we believe him and not other politicians?

She goes on: “Using the politicians worse case scenario he [Lawson] calculates that in one hundred years people will be 2.6 times better off in western countries and 9.6 times better off in developing countries if we spend 5% of global GDP on tackling Global Warming. If we spend nothing our grandchildren will be only 2.5 times better off and those in developing countries only 8.5.”

The question that arises here is this. If you don’t believe, or are sceptical of, the scientist’s predictions for a highly complex system on Global temperature, melting ice caps and glaciers and sea level rise, then why should you be any less sceptical of predictions by a politician on a highly complex system involving global economics? We’ve seen pension schemes fail and we’ve just had a major economic shock which nobody predicted and caught the politicians with their pants down.

To the book. There is a review here on Left Foot Forward, which gives an alternative view as you might expect from the name.

The two basic tennants of Lawson’s book are 1) Climate change is not affected by human activity and 2) the impact of climate change will be far less severe than predicted and we can deal with it. He goes on to suggest that we should be focussing attention on adaptation rather than mitigation. That is we deal with the problems [like build a new Thames barrier] rather than try to prevent it being needed in the first place. This is the stuff of politicians who, from painful experience, always focus on symptoms rather that causes, most of which are down to their own meddling anyway. I suppose it depends on what type of person you are as to how you view this question. Being a belt and braces boy scout sort of bloke, I’d say we have to do both. It is too late to prevent some change in climate [anthropogenic or not] so we have to adapt to those changes, but we can also, if we want to, try to prevent the situation getting any worse.

And then we come to the question of what is “better off”. The problem here is that the accepted conventional wisdom of the establishment defines this in purely monetary terms. We don’t put a value on the environment, which provides our life support system here on spaceship Earth as it travels at 66,000mph around a Fusion Nuclear Reactor which provides all our energy needs.

What worries me is that the Climate debate has taken our attention away from what is possibly a much more serious problem – Bio-Diversity Loss. This is not some romantic bunny-hugger view of wildlife and Nature. Bio-Diversity is the central pillar of our continued existence. Without it to support the growing number of us, we die out – period.

[click image for larger version]

Safe operating space for humanity

Preview - Full Paper

We are told that the fossil record shows 5 major extinction events in this planet’s history, but we don’t really know what caused them. We have also observed populations oscillate over shorter timescales in the natural world. One year, I forget which, my runner beans were inundated with Ladybirds. I am beginning to wonder whether these extinction events may have been caused by the unprecedented success of one species overwhelming all others?

What is even more worrying is that a group of “economists” are objecting to George Osborne’s economic policies saying: "for the good of the British people, the first priority must be to restore robust economic growth".

We really do have to get to grips with this bonehead business as usual approach. We need new ways to measure progress and prosperity because the old ones keep letting us down. Why do we continue with them? We have accepted the notion of bad and good cholesterol. We need to distinguish between good and bad economic activity and measure economic health as well as wealth.

Today’s Erection

The new notice board erected in Atherton Road today. There should be two more, one at Fullwell Parade and one at the Unicorn but I’ve not investigated down there yet. What do you think?

Area 3’s contribution to street clutter? Two new valuable posts for dogs to pee up? A place to find out what your local councillors look like [before their photos acquire moustaches and beards]? A place for advertising local community events? A vandalism target? Discuss.

Forgotten Past

If you are a reader of the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian, Ilford Recorder or this blog, you may already be aware of the threat to the borough’s local studies and archives service.

The Redbridge archive consists of 150,000 items, including books, newspapers, maps, photographs, newspapers and a huge variety of unpublished documents. At present the service deals with 6-7,000 enquiries per year, and delivers a superb service under Ian Dowling’s expert leadership.

In January the Council proposed that the local studies and archives service, based in the Central Library, Ilford, would become appointment-only and reduce its opening hours from 59 to 25 hours per week. Also, a senior librarian and 2.5 assistants would be made redundant, with the service being run henceforth by only one person.

The furious response from local users of the service prompted a revised proposal, by which the number of opening hours would be increased to 36, with free computer access to some online family research tools being rolled out to local libraries across the borough.

The latest proposals may be found here, [click!]

We are encouraged by the fact that public pressure has forced the Council to give some ground, but we do not feel that the revised proposals are at all adequate.

We all recognise that public bodies are under financial pressure at present. However, Redbridge Council’s proposed economies have provoked a storm of protest from users of the archives service, who include historians, genealogists and others. They believe that, in order to save a comparatively tiny amount of money - a few tens of thousands of pounds per year -something irreplaceable will be destroyed.

The Council has a statutory responsibility to maintain an archive and make it accessible to the public. The proposal does not, in our view, meet the spirit of this requirement.

The value of an archive is not to be measured by the number of users compared to other library services, but is something of intrinsic value to the community. The Council’s own report states “Local studies and archives are highly valued… and help to contribute to a sense of place, enabling people to build their sense of belonging by finding out about the past”. Interest in local history and genealogy has never been greater.

On a practical level, an archive is, to a large extent, only as good as its archivists. Continuity of knowledgeable staff is necessary to maintain standards, and a single untrained assistant simply will not do. Potential depositors of material will think twice about handing their collections to an archive where it may not be properly cared for and difficult to access.

The proposals take no account of the nature of local studies enquiries. Most users do not come in and ask for a specific item. They usually have a question they want answered without knowing where or how to get the answer – for example, the history of the site of their house. This may involve looking at items such as maps, photographs, local directories or building plans. This both takes time and means that it is impossible to source all the documents in advance of an appointment, because how every enquiry will develop cannot be known.

Next Tuesday, 16 February, is when the Council’s Cabinet will make its decision. If you feel as strongly as we do about this proposal, you have three days left to make your views known.

The cabinet member for leisure services is Cllr Alan Weinberg. You may e-mail him here.

If you are a Redbridge resident, please copy to the councillors for your own ward. These may be found here.

You may also attend the Council meeting, though you will not now be able to speak.

Details of the meeting may be found on Redbridge-i.

Please do what you can!

Richard Arnopp
Wanstead Parklands Community Project

Practicalities

As hundreds of hardy, able-bodied local residents gathered outside Redbridge Town Hall after marching from King George Hospital over the proposed closure of the Accident & Emergency facility there, Margaret reviews the practicalities of using the current health services.

My GP arranged for me to see a consultant at Queen’s. As I no longer drive, I was expected to go by the 128 bus but I could not face the cold bus stops and the walk from the 128 to get into the hospital and find my way to Outpatients. My GP said that my condition warranted transport by the ambulance. There is no direct bus from Ilford into the hospital grounds. It is 3 buses from Barkingside – one to Gants Hill or Ilford, one to Romford and then a hospital bus from Romford market. The driver warned me that if you are late because of trouble with the car, taxi or bus or problems with traffic jams or parking, you might have to make another appointment. Of course, they cannot always tell whether you are making excuses.

The first appointment was at 11am. After two phone calls to my GP’s surgery and one to Queen’s itself I learned that provided I went by ambulance, I would be seen and not sent home. It arrived after mid-day and the consultant saw me. Who was probably kept waiting while I was ushered in? The ambulance was late because the driver had to collect from far out in Essex. Collection may be from as far away as Colchester, I suppose because choice over-rules catchment considerations. I was ready to come home at 2pm, the ambulance was available at 4pm. I was offered a cup of tea in the ambulance waiting room, but had my lunch at 5pm.

On the second occasion, the ambulance reached Queens at 11am for a 9.45am appointment. It collected me at 9.30am this time. But we went all round Chadwell Heath and Barking to collect a full load. I did not have to wait long to come home on the second visit, but had learned that it is wise to take a packed lunch and some reading matter just in case. The café is not cheap and I know what is in food that I have prepared myself.

I have a third visit next week at 3.15pm, but must be ready for the ambulance at 8.45am as I was told that they collect patients up to mid-day. Presumably, afternoon journeys are for taking home. I have to say that the drivers have been kind and once at the hospital I received most tender, loving care and courteous treatment, but I shall go fully equipped to spend the day there.

With regard to KGH’s A&E, while it is true that many of those who go do not need treatment, they must have 24 hour consultations available. NHS Direct is not good enough for the mother who does not know whether her child just has a bad cold or meningitis. She wants the reassurance of seeing an expert, not just a phone call to assess the child’s condition. At present, neither GPs nor polyclinics are equipped to provide. Have the authorities costed the transport especially of those who have to rely on ambulances. Environmentally, the petrol and pollution costs of cars and taxis to reach Queen’s seem to have been ignored.

Margaret

Note: speakers on the Town Hall steps included the two Ilford MPs, Lee Scott and Mike Gapes, Lady Bodge from Harking, the Green Party’s Wilson Chowdhry, our very own health champion cllr Mrs Loraine Sladden [Conseravtive] and the indomitable cllr Bob Littlewood [Labour]. Strangely no LibDems. Perhaps they were watching the football? Plus the Chairman of Health Scrutiny, Ralph Scott [LibDem].

Insulation Scams

For some weeks now I have been plagued with telephone calls from “UK Government Grants Department”, asking me questions about my loft insulation. It seems I am not alone and one of our readers has contacted our MP, Lee Scott, who has checked out the relevant government dept. and they seem to know nothing about it. Not surprised there.

1. the calling number is withheld
2. I am on the Telephone Preference Service so should not get cold called by Government departments
3. If you ask to speak to the supervisor they hang up
4. If you ask for an internet reference they don’t have one – such government initiatives are always on the internet.

There is also a local scam warning from the Council, which may be related as sometimes the bogus callers had telephoned in advance.

If residents have any doubts or queries about any energy efficiency matters or would like to see what energy saving grants might be available to them then they can contact one of the following:

London Warm Zone - grants for insulation and central heating, regardless of your income. They will visit your home, complete the paperwork for you, and arrange for the work to be carried out by their approved contractors. Call 0800 389 7286 or visit the London Warm Zone website.

London Warm Front - National Government funded grants of up to £3,500 for insulation and heating improvements. Call 0800 316 6011 or visit the Warm Front website.

Energy Saving Trust - visit the Energy Saving Trust website to search for funding using their database.

Home Insulation Scheme - the Mayor of London is running a Cut Price Home Insulation Scheme that includes home insulation and professionally installed loft and cavity wall schemes. Call 0845 070 5059 or visit the Cut Price Insulation website.

Always ask for and check references.

Catch ‘em Young

..and they are yours for life! So somebody once said, or words to that effect.

I was struck by this comment on another blog:

"What we have at the moment is a state that takes a very laissez faire approach to the markets and an increasingly authoritarian approach to the general public. This should be the other way round."

Kable reported before Christmas that the government will be offering young Londoners cut-price ID cards from early this year. But why would anyone want one? £30 is a lot of money for a student, who probably can’t afford to buy cigarettes and alcohol anyway. But the first young person to take up the offer has arrived – and is a 21 year old from Wanstead. Does he realise that once you’ve got one these you can’t NOT have one. And if you don’t inform the Stasi authorities of any changes you can get fined £1,000. If your Passport expires and you don’t need another one you just don’t renew it – period. But with these babies you are signed up for life – unless of course someone comes along and changes the rules or scraps them.

And why Oh why do the authorities take such a heavy handed, nanny state approach to the sale of cigarettes and alcohol in the first place. Sixteen year olds can leave school, get a job, pay tax, get married and have children. But they can’t buy the Champagne to toast their union – and they can’t vote. Maybe that’s it? They can’t vote so the politicians don’t care about what they want, and bow to the grumpies [who do vote] and who complain about youths hanging about on street corners [because they are not allowed in pubs] socialising with their peer group in exactly the same way that the grumpies do when queuing up for their pension outside the Post Office in Barkingside High Street and blocking the pavement.

Redbridge Council is about to get tough. But as Knowsie points out, it is completely the wrong approach. We should be teaching our young children about alcohol so that they learn how to use it responsibly as they grow up. They don’t just suddenly wake up one morning as an adult. It is a process not an event.

Tim Martin in the Morning Advertiser:

Furthermore, the imperial hypocrisy does not end there. All the participants with teenage children admitted, in turn, that they allowed their children to use pubs from 15 or 16, and preferred, as common sense would dictate, the relatively supervised atmosphere of pubs, combined with the mixed age groups found in pubs, to the unpredictable and relatively unsupervised teenage party circuit.

We need to get back to the situation of teenagers drinking with their parents and grandparents, which I first did along with many others, at the age of about 15, rather than in the teenage ghettos created by parties and the crackdown on pubs.

It’s the same old story. The government have to be seen to be doing something and anything will do, regardless of whether it works or not. As always the symptoms and not the cause are the target of those politicians whose primary concern is being re-elected. It doesn’t matter that the many have to suffer the consequences of their failure.

By the Left…Quick March

Next Saturday 13th February there will be a Military Two Step/ demonstration opposing the closure of Accident & Emergency facilities at King George Hospital. It starts by asembling at the Hospital entrance on Barley Lane at 1pm for a March setting off at 1:15pm and will be led by the two Ilford MPs, Lee Scott and Mike Gapes. The March terminates at a rally in front of Redbridge Town Hall.

Since our January Coffee Morning I have attended two more meetings where the proposals for Health in North East London have been discussed – Area Committee 3 and a LINk meeting at Fullwell Cross Library. There seems to be a perception that the proposals are all about saving money – our Local Trust does have just a teeny weeny financial problem and is unlikely to be bailed out by our equally bust government. But such tough times are exactly the sort to force organisations to be more efficient and cost effective.

As I pointed out earlier most of us only need the NHS when we are young, pregnant or old. The plain fact is that most of the NHS resources, money, is spent on age related conditions. The amount spent on A&E and Maternity [the proposal is to move this from KGH to Queens] is a very small fraction of the overall budget. So any cost savings on these two items will not make much difference. Which begs the question: where and how are those savings going to be made?

I have a feeling that we may be overlooking something here!

Tony Benn to Speak in Barkingside

Yes, it's the man himself, the doyen of the Left and Il Presidenté of the Stop the War Coalition. Interviewed on a TV programme about the life and times of the late Enoch Powell, he and his mate Michael Foot both expressed total bewilderment at Trade Unions marching in support of Enoch back in the 70s. Just goes to show how much they understand the "working man" whom they purport to represent. Still he was in Maidstone recently and was asked about the no-platform policy for "fascists". His view was clear that we should enter and win the debate. On that we can agree.

Sonia Klein invites you to
An Audience with Tony Benn

At 84 years young, Tony Benn is an astute, intelligent, and kind fellow who has re-imagined politics and policy for generations. As one of the tallest figures in British politics, this is surely an event not to be missed.

This is a public event and free to attend. We expect seats to go quickly, so please RSVP early to avoid disappointment.

Date: Friday, 5th March 2010
Time: 7:30pm (Doors open at 7:00)
Venue: Redbridge Institute, Gaysham Avenue, Gants Hill, Ilford IG2 6TD
Transport:
Tube: Gants Hill (Central Line)
Bus: 66, 296, 396, 150, 123, 167
Just off Cranbrook Road north of the Gants Hill roundabout.

For further information please contact: Heather on 020 8590 8552 or email.

You Choose

Unless somebody changes the date we are due to have local elections on May 6th. Here’s what two other sites are forecasting for Redbridge.


Indigo Public Affairs
Verdict: Increased Conservative majority
The Conservatives surprisingly lost votes in 2006, having suffered from internal disputes in their council leadership. Since then the Liberal Democrats have gained two seats from Labour after winning over the muslim vote, and two other councillors have defected the same way. An increased Conservative majority is likely as they are now able to present a united party.

Political Betting
Redbridge has been lost by the Conservatives to No Overall Control, following the defection of two councillors. I expect them to regain it next year.

A bit short on detail, so let’s try and fill in the spaces.

When local government was “modernised” in 2000 we had a hung council with a minority Labour administration. The Conservatives regained control in 2002 and held it in 2006. However, internal divisions were evident after the death of Keith Axon, barely a year into leading the council. They briefly lost control in 2004 to a Lab/LibDem coalition when several conservatives were absent from the crucual vote. A third leader was voted in and regained the Council but he stood down in 2006. Whence we got a fourth leader who was replaced in 2009. This has seemed to bring matters to a head with 4 conservatives leaving the party and sitting as Independents. We now have a minority Conservative administration with the agreement of the LibDems.

Since 2006 there have been 4 by elections. Bridge was retained by the Conservatives but the BNP did well fresh from the election of their only councillor in Hainault. Labour lost out to the LibDems in Clementswood and Valentines. The LibDems also did well in Wanstead but the Conservatives held on. There have also been 2 defections from Labour to LibDem and one from Labour to Conservative. If my maths are correct the LibDems are now one seat short of being the official opposition.

So, the local trend seems to be a swing from Labour to LibDem especially in the south of the borough and the national picture indicates that Labour are in for a hard time. However, in the north and west of the Borough it is difficult to see the Conservatives losing any of their strongholds. So, it’s a pretty safe bet that they will at least be the largest party if not having a small majority. And it is quite likely that the LibDems will be the official opposition.

The interesting bit will be how the smaller parties fare and what impact they have on the vote spread. The BNP could go either way. The lone councillor has had a low profile boroughwide but not necessarily locally. They will also be concentrating their resources next door in Barking and could end up with none or a couple more depending upon the mood of the electorate. Difficult one to predict that. UKIP are not strong here in Redbridge. Only one candidate last time out who came behind the Green. The Euros are their bag. So to the Greens. They did well in Wanstead in 2006 but not so well in the by election. Voters are more likely to chuck one vote to a smaller party when they’ve got 3 to use. Then we have an unpredictable Maverick down in Chadwell challenging the LibDems and possibly an ex-Labour councillor and local activist standing in Seven Kings. The Greens will no doubt be fielding candidates elsewhere but these are the ones to watch. Of course we don’t as yet know what other Mavericks will be standing and that could give the B21 swingometer a severe dose of the wobbles.

Anyway I have invited the leaders/spokesman of those six political parties to do a blog interview with each being asked the same set of questions. Only UKIP have not responded and I am looking to publish end of February. Do come back for a peek.

My Valentine

Has to be Mother Nature. She’s tough and unforgiving but fair. I like those qualities. She gives us the things we need to survive without charge. Take a look around you. It never ceases to amaze me, especially at this time of year when the bulbs are beginning to burst through the soil and the birds are snapping at my nuts and fat balls. She provides the web of life upon which we all depend. What we do to her we do to ourselves. We abuse her at our peril. For she will, without a second thought or shedding a single tear, discard us like those she has discarded before. A tough Mistress needs to be loved and managed, wisely.

Who is yours? Answers in the comments.

Barkingpride

Yesterday evening about 200 locals crammed into the Aldborough room at Fullwell Cross library to have their say on the proposals for the regeneration of Barkingside Town centre. These are people who care, and more to the point are proud of their High Street. They don’t want significant change, Hotels, or more high rise flats. They just want a High Street with a decent range of shops, that is clean and safe, and where they can socialise.

The council leader, Keith Prince, was there as was the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Nick Hayes, plus several other councillors and hopefuls. Our MP, Lee Scott, was tied up with a 3-line whip [don’t they have some wonderful phrases] at Parliament. They didn’t say much, but they were not there to speak. They were there to listen and they certainly did that. But listening is one thing and acting is another. So let’s try to put it into perspective and manage expectations.

The trouble is that the council can’t actually do much and they don’t have a great deal of money. They cannot control the market which dictates what is and what is not a viable business. They cannot control rents or Business rates. The latter are set by National government. But they can to a degree control the infrastructure and the general look and feel of a place. And it is that - smart, functional, attractive - which can generate interest from the sort of businesses and investors we would like to see.

To pick out a few general points.

The High Street is in competition with supermarkets who have free parking. But if we use the library or the swimming pool we get our parking fee refunded. The point of charging for parking is to deter commuter and all day parkers. So, a scheme whereby parking fees are refunded when you spend, say, a fiver in a local shop would not go amiss – Keith did take this suggestion on board.

Street clutter is a sore point. But the general feeling is that we want more places to sit and more trees and planting. So it’s more a question of what type of street “clutter” is offensive. Advertising seems to be the big offender. And what is that green box? Does anyone know?

The Piazza by the swimming pool has been a forgotten and ignored opportunity for many years. Farmers markets, street markets, antiques or Art fairs etc. could all be accommodated here, but there has been no drive to organise these things, nor the will to resurface the area such that it can support weighty vehicles or provide the services such events need.

The suggestion that, with the resurgence of the Cinema, Gala Bingo might like to consider reverting back to that function was met with some considerable approval. And d’you know it might just work. I’d go. And it might just give the yoof summink to do.

I’m not going into the specifics of each proposal. Suffice to say that we like our roundabout, it IS a “focal point” and with the Oak tree representing past times does identify the place. Developing part of the Craven Gardens car park may be an option but only to improve amenities. The Fairlop Polyclinic, should it go ahead, has to go somewhere and the existing clinic in Fencepiece Road does not seem big enough.

Generally the proposals to soften the landscape, provide trees, planting and community spaces were well received. “Development” was not.

The question now is, will it fly?