Vassall Ward byelection

[sexton]

Err I dont think all of these are necessarily bad and some are outside the control of the council:

a) Vassall has more cctv than any other area of Lambeth (or probably London/ the UK) - I personally object to being filmed all the time. A few less cctv cameras would be even better.

b) Dont know about the childrens centre but I'm sure the council are not maliciously holding back on opening - have you tried contacting the council to ask when it will open/ what the hold up is?.

c) I think the rent rise is only 7% which ok is not ideal but the rent is still beneath levels in councils such as Southwark (Tory/LibDem control).

It also reflects the ongoing costs of bringing homes up to the Decent Homes standard (which is also why the ALMO will be created) - any (sensible) party in control of the council would have to do this in order to make the homes suitable for living in (and remember these are basic things like ensuring that all the council housing has central heating and double glazing - not luxury refits)

The only other option is to go down the route that Southwark has done and sell off lots of the council homes in order to raise the money for the home improvements - this is surely immoral at a time of housing need.

Let us not forget either the £3million fraud committed under previous Tory/Lib Dem control which is having to be repaid. And the previous administration as a parting shot left Lambeth with a very low level of reserves (way below the government's recommended level) and so the current council have to build up the level of reserves to cover unplanned expenditure (this is sensible, prudent financial policy but it unfortunately costs money now).

Inevitably also they are increasing the council tax now so that as we near the next council elections they can increase it by less (simple politics indulged in by every political party!)

d) As Police is a London-wide issue run by the mayor of London I dont see what the local authority can do about this, also its a problem of Met recruitment.

Besides I've never felt particularly unsafe in Vassall even walking across the estates such as Myatts Field South and North or Cowley and there do seem to be adequate numbers of police around. On the one or two occasions that Ive had a problem Police have always arrived on the scene within 5 minutes or so.

e) I'm sure that if local residents highlighted the issues to local councillors they would be fixed. Having a Liberal Democrat instead of a Labour Councillor would not magically make the holes disappear!

I think as well as blaming the Labour Council a number of these problems can be laid at the door of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat regime that ruled Lambeth from 2002 - 2006, I got the strong impression that they just did not care about Vassall and the surrounding Brixton areas.

Vassall was not their area or even remotely marginal so they neglected the ward. At least Labour at the council level and at the national government level is making efforts to try and address the long term problems caused ultimately by poverty and unemployment amongst the people.

As a concerned local resident (with professional interest in housing but no particular party allegiance - have voted LibDem, Lab and Green in the past) I think pragmatically I would much rather have a Labour Councillor as he will be able to bring benefits for the ward in the Labour Council (and remember we still have 2 more years until the next council election). And remember no one wanted this election - it was caused by the sudden death of our Labour representative who still had two years of her mandate left. It will be a fitting memorial for Liz Atkinson to elect a labour replacement.

Why can't you ever accept your own inadequacies and stop blaming others. You have had 2 years to make things better, yet what have we seen for it in Vassall?

Aren't you ever surprised that in a poor borough like Lambeth Labnour has to fight so hard to get itself elected.

Says something for the people you put up as candidates, don't you think, councillor?

 

[greenfox]

Why can't you ever accept your own inadequacies and stop blaming others. You have had 2 years to make things better, yet what have we seen for it in Vassall?

Aren't you ever surprised that in a poor borough like Lambeth Labnour has to fight so hard to get itself elected.

Says something for the people you put up as candidates, don't you think, councillor?

I can assure you I am not a Councillor or connected with the Council in any way beyond being a voter and council tax payer - as I said my main qualification is that I live in the area and have spoken to Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians on these and other issues. I also as I mentioned work in the area of housing and so feel I know something about the issue of social housing - reading trade journals like Inside Housing gives an objective insight.

On reflection maybe what I have posted does seem a bit like a labour party line for which I apologise but I do think it is important to put another side to the story sometimes and not let one side of the argument dominate.

 

[knatchbull]

I can assure you I am not a Councillor or connected with the Council in any way beyond being a voter and council tax payer - as I said my main qualification is that I live in the area and have spoken to Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians on these and other issues. I also as I mentioned work in the area of housing and so feel I know something about the issue of social housing - reading trade journals like Inside Housing gives an objective insight.

On reflection maybe what I have posted does seem a bit like a labour party line for which I apologise but I do think it is important to put another side to the story sometimes and not let one side of the argument dominate.

Regardless of policy differences/ how they position themselves the key to winning this byelection is which candidate is able to get their vote out. With turnout likely to be in the 20-30% range a few 10s of people either way could determine the result.

I might opt for Janus Polenceus the English Democrat candidate - at the last election he stood for the Vauxhall seat and proved to be enormous fun - blaming everything on the fact that London and wider England was sending all its money to Scotland because of the Barnett formula

 

[Bob]

Regardless of policy differences/ how they position themselves the key to winning this byelection is which candidate is able to get their vote out. With turnout likely to be in the 20-30% range a few 10s of people either way could determine the result.

I might opt for Janus Polenceus the English Democrat candidate - at the last election he stood for the Vauxhall seat and proved to be enormous fun - blaming everything on the fact that London and wider England was sending all its money to Scotland because of the Barnett formula

<buries head in hands>

 

[Mind]

I can assure you I am not a Councillor or connected with the Council in any way beyond being a voter and council tax payer

Suuuuure.

 

[knatchbull]

<buries head in hands>

Joke! But Janus has comedy value

My choice will be between LibDem or Labour but I shall decide on the day

 

[Bob]

Joke! But Janus has comedy value

My choice will be between LibDem or Labour but I shall decide on the day

That's more like it.

 

[William of Walworth]

c) I think the rent rise is only 7% which ok is not ideal but the rent is still beneath levels in councils such as Southwark (Tory/LibDem control).

I presume you're a Lambeth Labour Concillor.

But as a former, very former, Labour activist from quite a few years ago, I have to question the above.

Is the rent level in Lambeth REALLY lower overall than the overall rent level in Southwark?

I'm a Southwark tenant, the rent is going up here from April by about £3:50 a week on my estate plus heating etc costs on top that I don't yet know the increase figures for. Nor have I worked out the % of the increase yet.

But I'm very surprised at the claim that the Lambeth rent levels** are lower than Southwark's.

**(as opposed to increase rate this year, possibly -- my instant maths skills aren't great)

 

[knatchbull]

According to this Lambeth doc - http://tinyurl.com/366nmr average rents in lambeth were £77.47 per week in 2007/2008 compared to £78.74 in Southwark - I guess add 7% to this for the new financial year (=£82.89).

I dont know how much Southwark rents are going up but if they increase by 5% or less they will be at a very similar level. if as you say they are going up by £3.50 that would imply a rent level of £82.84. Either way its really splitting hairs to argue over less than 50p here or there

 

[Bob]

According to this Lambeth doc - http://tinyurl.com/366nmr average rents in lambeth were £77.47 per week in 2007/2008 compared to £78.74 in Southwark - I guess add 7% to this for the new financial year (=£82.89).

I dont know how much Southwark rents are going up but if they increase by 5% or less they will be at a very similar level. if as you say they are going up by £3.50 that would imply a rent level of £82.84. Either way its really splitting hairs to argue over less than 50p here or there

That's almost Lang Rabbie-ish in terms of knowledge.

I doff my hat to you.

 

[knatchbull]

That's almost Lang Rabbie-ish in terms of knowledge.

I doff my hat to you.

The wonders of the internet! or more specifically the wonders of google (and being bored at work)

 

[overide]

So we're into the final week . . .

Who is going to win?

Are you getting fed up with the literature? Too much of it repetitive? Odd people banging on the door while you are trying to rest? Halfwit telephone sales people flogging dreams?

How do you feel about the ALMO, the pfi, ASBOs being watched by Big Brother?

HAS THE SPITTING UNSHAVEN DRUNK VISITED YOU YET ? ? ?

Arrgh! I'm off on holiday

 

[Bob]

So we're into the final week . . .

Who is going to win?

Are you getting fed up with the literature? Too much of it repetitive? Odd people banging on the door while you are trying to rest? Halfwit telephone sales people flogging dreams?

How do you feel about the ALMO, the pfi, ASBOs being watched by Big Brother?

HAS THE SPITTING UNSHAVEN DRUNK VISITED YOU YET ? ? ?

Arrgh! I'm off on holiday

<Bob makes mental note to shave more often>

 

[knatchbull]

So we're into the final week . . .

HAS THE SPITTING UNSHAVEN DRUNK VISITED YOU YET ? ? ?

Arrgh! I'm off on holiday

Ooh not had that pleasure yet - I will say the LibDem literature does seem to be of a consistently higher standard than the Labour stuff but Labour people have been the only ones who have called on me - it was a cabinet member as well which I guess shows how hard they are fighting to keep the seat, or unless they have a fetish for calling on peiople and getting an ear full?

 

[Bob]

Ooh not had that pleasure yet - I will say the LibDem literature does seem to be of a consistently higher standard than the Labour stuff but Labour people have been the only ones who have called on me - it was a cabinet member as well which I guess shows how hard they are fighting to keep the seat, or unless they have a fetish for calling on peiople and getting an ear full?

It's a balance for all the parties - how you split your resources between knocking on people's door and delivering leaflets.

Obviously it's preferable to talk to people but it's extraordinarily hard to find people at home- when I've done it in the past I've generally found no more than 5 people at home for every hour I've done it. When you're trying to talk to 10,000 people that's 2,000 hours - which is a serious chunk of time.

 

[kittyP]

Just had another flier through from the lovely Labour lads

A5 glossy sheet of pure scare tactics.
Only information was about the Lib Dems council tax proposals.
I am not stupid, if you want to improve an area you might need to charge people a little more money.

They are relying on the fact that people might think 'I don't wanna pay more council tax' and not think about the bigger picture.

Tell me what you propose to do with the money you have not just what other people will charge me

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

well i am quite impressed with the lib dems at the moment. they gave me ring last week to schmooze me a little and i raised a local issue that has been pissing me off and although the woman didnt know what i was talking about she said she would follow it up. Steve himself knocked on the door to update me and he had some good contacts and good information about it and he does seem like genuinely interested and committed to improvements.

when i saw the leaflet from the English Democrat candidate i just wanted to brush his floppy hair

 

[knatchbull]

Just had another flier through from the lovely Labour lads

A5 glossy sheet of pure scare tactics.
Only information was about the Lib Dems council tax proposals.
I am not stupid, if you want to improve an area you might need to charge people a little more money.

They are relying on the fact that people might think 'I don't wanna pay more council tax' and not think about the bigger picture.

Tell me what you propose to do with the money you have not just what other people will charge me

Scare tactics are the impression I get from the LibDem stuff that I have received too - how council tax has increased the most in Lambeth under Labour etc etc etc, Labour council greed etc when more than likely the situation would be the same whatever party was in power.

They both seem as bad as each other - not one of the leaflets actually explains the issues and the presumably hard choices that have to be made. I suppose their research has shown that most people only glance at headlines or photos of candidate standing in different parts of the ward looking thoughtful/angry or whatever and so actually it doesnat matter that the story told in the text answers nothing. Oh well only four more days...

 

[knatchbull]

well i am quite impressed with the lib dems at the moment. they gave me ring last week to schmooze me a little and i raised a local issue that has been pissing me off and although the woman didnt know what i was talking about she said she would follow it up. Steve himself knocked on the door to update me and he had some good contacts and good information about it and he does seem like genuinely interested and committed to improvements.

when i saw the leaflet from the English Democrat candidate i just wanted to brush his floppy hair

Ah Janus has produced some literature! We havent had the pleasure of receiving it yet - my memories of when he stood at the last general election was that he was a mere boy.

 

[sexton]

My cousin who is a member of the Labour party in Streatham has just told me that Steve Reid (Lambeth's council leader) was massively defeated by a local black candidate in last night's ballot for Keith Hill (the MPs') successor.

Reid (who was favoured by government ministers) had a big team campaigning for him since last autumn and as leader of both party and council was in a position to reward supporters.

It seems that there was a much bigger than usual turnout (some 50%) - so this was obviously a definitive rejection of Reid's New Labour policies - and all the more crushing because it was at the hands of party members in prosperous Streatham.

Many residents who are active in their local communities feel very unhappy at the way that this lot have disregarded their views. Area Forums have been closed down. Housing services have become less efficient. Housing offices have been closed - in the interest of 'economy' - and there are fewer staff, while vast sums of money are being thrown away on an almo that nobody wants. (That June ballot was an insult. Hold an another honest one with a single question clearly stated, and see the result!) There have been massive increases in tenants' rents, garage and parking charges - and all of this at a time when jobs are getting harder to find and prices are rising.

Those who were members of the old Labour party must surely be disgusted. Ted Knight and his fellow councillors accepted dismissal and surcharges rather than betray the people who had put them in power. Those members receiving the increased salaries that they awarded themselves as soon as they got in surely are not making any sacrifices!

As a earlier poster asked, what has Reid's lot done for us in Vassall?

 

[Mind]

It seems that there was a much bigger than usual turnout (some 50%) - so this was obviously a definitive rejection of Reid's New Labour policies - and all the more crushing because it was at the hands of party members in

Oh please. Chuka is that you writing??

I don't see how selecting a wealthy, posh, public-school boy and professional lawyer is a rejection of all that is New Labour.
If it worked for Tony Blair, it will work for Chuka Umunna who is New "New Labour".
Chuka was simply the better campaigner and used his race to his advantage as Steve Reed was just too much of a wimp to attack a black candiate even though he had two very very weak points namely:
1) Chuka actually hasn't done anything for the people in Lambeth or Streatham.
Can anyone here name a single thing he's done? Anybody?
His entire career has been geared towards his own advancement and getting into parliament. Going on Question Time and the Politics Show, even to the absolute low point of writing his own wikipedia profile

Poor Steve Reed's wikipedia profile has been removed completely and cut to a one line reference.

2) Chuka's privileged background which has very little in common with most of Streatham.

The selection of Chuka follows the trend of oxbridge or public school types being brought in to manage the proles.
My theory is that Labour needs to keep the inner cities in a state of perpetual serfdom with populations' anger directed to the Tories and kept at bay with glittery initiatives that have no substance.
It doesn't matter how bad the schools, housing or hospitals are, as long as you give the serfs lots of consultations and trendy initiatives that will be ignored and forgotten.

Politics in Lambeth is a complete farce and everyone involved knows it.

Reed never had a chance!
Besides, the man is not a skilled campaigner and all those who give him the credit of winning Lambeth back from Labour are underestimating a tired electorate who were bored/sick of the Tory-Lib Coalition. He is lucky to have come as far as he did and should be satisfied with being a councillor and do more to help people locally rather than letting his delusions of grandeur get the better of him.

Chuka ran a much more slick and polished campaign and it is no surprise that he won.

***Anyone who knows the history of our social democrat's support for his best friend, Miranda Grell in Leyton after her local election disgrace would know straight away by looking at the names of the two people who wrote http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chuka_Umunna&action=history

 

[Bob]

***Anyone who knows the history of our social democrat's support for his best friend, Miranda Grell in Leyton after her local election disgrace would know straight away by looking at the names of the two people who wrote http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chuka_Umunna&action=history

Really how interesting.

For those of you who aren't political geeks like me Miranda Grell was a Labour councillor until recently when a court (twice) removed her from her post because she'd won election by accusing her Lib Dem opponent of being a paedophile.

She lost her seat. The Lib Dem guy had to move out of London after receiving numerous threats of the 'die paedo scum' variety.

Anyone who has sided with her should be grovelling now.

 

[sexton]

Oh please. Chuka is that you writing??
I don't see how selecting a wealthy, posh, public-school boy and professional lawyer is a rejection of all that is New Labour.

I am upset to be mistaken for this person about who I know very little. He sounds a less attractive New Laborite than Steve Reid.

What I was trying to say was that Steve Reid and his fellow councillors seem to have managed to alienate even the members of their own local party for them to turn out in such large numbers in protest to vote him down.

Lambeth politics is very local. After such a vote of no confidence Steve Reid must surely resign.

If Chuka is as unattractive as you suggest he won't be in a position to do the party much damage, and who knows whether voters will want to vote Labour in (say) 2 years time?

 

[knatchbull]

Lambeth politics is very local. After such a vote of no confidence Steve Reid must surely resign.

If Chuka is as unattractive as you suggest he won't be in a position to do the party much damage, and who knows whether voters will want to vote Labour in (say) 2 years time?

I dont think anyone has lost confidence in Reed's ability to lead the council, its more that they thought that Chuka would be better able to represent the area in Parliament. Reed is on course to be the first leader of Lambeth in 20 years or so to preside over the re-election of the administration

I'd say the Streatham seat is fairly safe for Lab - it would take a fairly major upheaval to overturn the majority and if the Conservative vote goes up this would actually help Labour.

 

[knatchbull]

It's a balance for all the parties - how you split your resources between knocking on people's door and delivering leaflets.

Obviously it's preferable to talk to people but it's extraordinarily hard to find people at home- when I've done it in the past I've generally found no more than 5 people at home for every hour I've done it. When you're trying to talk to 10,000 people that's 2,000 hours - which is a serious chunk of time.

It wasnt you who was canvassing on Paulet Road this evening was it? I was with a friend at her house and we were lamenting the quality of literature and the fact that no-one had come around when amazingly a Lib Dem rang the bell and gave out another leaflet.

 

[sexton]

Well, Knatchbull, no one will ever know why individual members prefered Chuka. But because of the length of Reid's campaign and the energy that went into it I think the result must be seen as a rejection of the man Reid and his policies.

I don't believe Labour expected to win in 2006 - their win was less a result of Reid's policies (only the colours of his Manifesto were original) than disenchantment with the opposition.

I agree with Mind - he is lucky to have come as far as he has and should be satisfied with being a councillor and do more to help people locally.

From what I have read of Chuka (I live in Vauxhall and he does not seem interested in borough-wide issues) he does not seem to have any more talent. My cousin who is a member of the Streatham Labour Party, and did not vote for either, thinks Reid's political judgment is better. (I wonder whether Chuka still supports his friend Miranda Grell?)

The really interesting test will be the result of the Vassall ballot - a supposedly "safe" Labour ward. They have worked all out to win here, and if they fail that will show clearly that the local Labour Party has lost touch with voters - no surprise as so few of its members appear to be interested in anything outside their party and their careers.

On careers - Reid would be sensible to think about his own now that his way to Parliament has been blocked. He is unlikely to be leading the council after 2011.

 

[Bob]

It wasnt you who was canvassing on Paulet Road this evening was it? I was with a friend at her house and we were lamenting the quality of literature and the fact that no-one had come around when amazingly a Lib Dem rang the bell and gave out another leaflet.

Nope - but if you can describe who knocked on your door then I'll probably be able to identify them!

PS The nobody coming round really is a problem for everyone - unlike 40 years ago people aren't predictably at home - which means you have to knock on a huge number of doors for every person you find in. Combine that with the overall fall in political activism and every party struggles to talk to a large proportion of the electorate.

 

[sexton]

Am I the only one who has not heard of former Labour councillor, Caroline Hewitt's defection to the Liberal Democrats?

She was one of the three party members who put themselves forward for the vacant seat in Vassall, and I cannot remember any other case in Lambeth where a candidate has changed sides during the course of so short a campaign.

She must have been aware of the problems with Lambeth's housing service and the proposed rent, parking and council tax rises, so one presumes that it was Labour's attitude to black people that made her move.

Does anybody know the true story?

 

[Bob]

Am I the only one who has not heard of former Labour councillor, Caroline Hewitt's defection to the Liberal Democrats?

She was one of the three party members who put themselves forward for the vacant seat in Vassall, and I cannot remember any other case in Lambeth where a candidate has changed sides during the course of so short a campaign.

She must have been aware of the problems with Lambeth's housing service and the proposed rent, parking and council tax rises, so one presumes that it was Labour's attitude to black people that made her move.

Does anybody know the true story?

Claudette Hewitt.

She has written about why she's left Labour somewhere but I can't find it to hand. Will post it up when I've found it.

 

[Badgers]

Claudette Hewitt.

She has written about why she's left Labour somewhere but I can't find it to hand. Will post it up when I've found it.

Article in the Lambeth free paper I think.

Lib Dem Site

Have got lots more stuff through the door this week. Still not spoken to or seen the Blues or the St Georges Day fascists. Most of the stuff is pretty standard petty point scoring stuff.

Had a very good letter from Steve Bradley today. Nice touch that it was delivered in a hand written envelope with our names on. He also includes his home address on the letter along with emails and phone number.