Millenium Green Proposed Works

As ward Councillor's we are pleased to report that we are making significant progress in our key campaign pledge to improve Luton Millenium Green which is a much cherished green park near to Shipwrights in Chatham

We have been working with Council officers and Portfolio Holders to secure the site in the Council ownership which has was finalised by Court Order on November 13th last week.

Ward Councillor's have since met with Council officers and made representations at full council with several questions for a programme of proposed works to improve the site. 

We have received a lot of support from all Parties on this project which shows bi-partisan working at its best.

With limited funding we will need to partner with others to secure funding for major works but some limited improvements can occur over the next 12 months on site at little cost. 

Ward Councillor's have made representation for shrub clearance, new bins and signage and for additional lighting for users using the park as a cut through during the late afternoons and early evenings.

With the St Mary's Boxing Club close to raising its target to relocate to the derelict Scout hut adjacent to this site we believe that we could be on the cusp of some positive change for this park with new neighbours; and for a facility which has been neglected for a period of time.

For those that decry the work of Councillors this is the type of action that can be delivered for those who work hard for their ward.

The legal aspects of now been completed; now comes the delivery phase.

Members Item for Age Concern Closure

We are deeply disappointed as Ward Councillor's that the conversations led by the Conservative Council and MP has failed to secure a positive outcome for Age Concern in Chatham.

The centre in Hopewell Drive is based in Princes Park ward but we are concerned as local Councillors who border on this facility because many of our residents use this service.

The Luton & Wayfield team will be requesting a consideration of a Members Item which we are to discuss in more detail next week for the next Health & Adult Social care committee. 

We want to know the detail of the conversations and from first hand evidence whether our Conservative administration and Parliamentary representatives got the best deal for this charity. 

Age Concern is a key service which many of our resident in Luton & Wayfield use. We feel unhappy that many Charities in Medway have been let down by continued charity funding cuts and we want to explore whether funding cuts and the publicised move from Chatham town centre to Hopewell Drive as a result of Council policy on regeneration in the town centre has contributed to this closure. 

This was a charity with a long and proud history in Medway with a forty year record of help in the community

Over the last 18 months we have seen how the Tory-led Council have treated charities through massive budget cuts; we have seen the watering down of service provision for elderly residents with dementia and key care needs, so making it more difficult for residents to get support for loved ones as the criteria get even tighter; we have seen the threats to privatise and close local services. 

In terms of work undertaken we have made several representations to the media over the last four weeks and linked below press releases and blog articles to the matter where we have made open our willingness to arbitrate on behalf of the service users for an outcome. 

Press

http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=2dd5e0dda84e8bd3dd1da0bf9&id=3520407e1c

Blog 

http://musingsfrommedway.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/age-concerned-after-brooks-move.html

The Labour Group is in contact with Council officers to raise our concerns around three major issues:

• The current Council contracts with Age Concern and the state of these post December 2012
• Future of provision in the Chatham area given the closure and its impact on other services locally
• The detail on the offer and a response from the Charity as to why they refused. The letter received does not go into detail and the offer was not made public for obvious legal reasons during the arbitration.

We have made representation to the leadership of our group that we should be tabling a members item at the next Health & Adult O&S. 

Due to legal sensitivities on the offer and us not seeking to prejeudice or politicise any conversations we have been sensitive to media output. Now the offer has been rejected this allows us to probe in more detail, and more publicly, make representation and listen to those called to speak.

In terms of our wider work the Labour Group will also be having an open forum to discuss Adult Social care and our policy on November 29th which is open to the public. The meeting will take place from 7-9pm in the Princes Hall, Corn Exchange, Rochester. 

One of the issues discussed will be our campaign efforts to stop the privatisation of Platters Farm, Nelson Court and Robert Bean which was persued by the Conservative Party administration

Supporting Million Meal Appeal

Cllr Tristan Osborne was at the Sainsbury in the Pentagon Centre on Saturday 6th October to help with the Million Meal Appeal. 

The Million Meal Appeal, where shoppers can donate food to help local people in crisis, is organised by charity FareShare and Sainsbury's and is today operating in stores across the country, including Chatham, Hempstead Valley and Larkfield. 

As part of the appeal on Tristan signed up to help collect donations. 

Volunteers were asked to greet customers and encourage them to buy an extra item of food from the Million Meal Appeal shopping list. Donations were collected as shoppers left the store. FareShare will then deliver the donated food to over 700 charities and community projects across the UK to help families in need. Sainsbury’s will match the level of food donations collected over the weekend. 

The Million Meal Appeal comes as the economic crisis deepens and the rising costs of living hits households in Chatham & Aylesford hard. 

Food prices rose by more than four per cent over the last year and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimate that around 5.8 million people in the UK struggle to afford everyday essentials like food. 

Standing up for our Police

Cllr Tristan Osborne and Cllr Sam Craven 

As a former Special Constable Cllr Tristan Osborne and the Labour team are well aware that having bobbies on the beat, supported by a number of seasoned PCSO officers, is the only way you can combat crime on the ground.

Anti-social behaviour is the number one issue in our ward and we will tirelessly work to make our area a safer and cleaner community to live, work and play in.

Luton & Wayfield Ward Councillors are leading the charge to combat anti-social behaviour in the ward having successfully lobbied for a Dispersal Zone and CCTV cameras; but a lot more remains to be done.

All the good work is undermined by budget cuts to our thin blue line which is why we have submitted a motion to full council to oppose cuts to our Police who need our support to fight against these cuts.

We hope it will get the support of all Parties at the Council to oppose the privitisation and cuts to our Police

Petition for Street End Road

The Luton & Wayfield team have undertaken a resident survey and petition of residents on Street End Road and Settington Avenue concerning parking at this key junction and the risk of an accident.

On-curb parking 

Restricting (South) exit view from Settington

A number of vans were inappropriately parked on key junctions and on mounted curbs at this high volume junction.

A petition will be submitted to full council on Thursday 18th October and we are asking a question (10A) of the Council Portfolio holder that will express our concern that due to the volume of traffic at this key junction that double yellow lines be considered for this site.

We have since corresponded with the Council officer and we can confirm that double yellow lines will be prioritised for this junction over the next 3 months which is a positive development. 

Another campaign success

Clearing up Luton High Street

Your Luton & Wayfield team worked with local ward officers to clear up the Luton High Street corner from accumulated litter and detritus.

We have also been working with the Council to get skips placed so that residents can clear alleyways. We have had success in Thorold Road, Grove Road and Edinbrugh Road.

If you would like a skip we are happy to support your street.

Residents who see flytipping or litter can report it using the LoveMedway application

Alcohol Control Zone Extension

Your local ward Councillor's are actively working to extend the Chatham Alcohol Control Zone into Luton.

Despite opposition we have presented and successfully argued via the Council Overview & Scrutiny Committee process that the area has a statistical evidence base for an Alcohol Control Zone given the number of reported levels of anti-social behaviour.

We presented the case in August 2012 and received support to persue our members item.

We are due to meet the Police this week to articulate our concerns about the zone. 

Cllr Vince Maple expressed community desire clearly at the recent Medway Safety Partnership meeting in the All Saints area.

Thus far have been met with opposition from a number of Portfolio holders one of which incorrectly attributed only four cases of anti-social behaviour to the Luton Road area at the Overview & Scrutiny meeting. This was dismissed as inaccurate by the cross-party committee.

We believe the Police are there to serve the community in partnership and with the support of the All Saints and Luton PACTs we will work to secure this zone extension