The Leader's Blog
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Cllr Mo Khursheed Leader of the Labour Group Leader's Blog - August 2010 |
Hillingdon’s public sport and leisure facilities are rightly valued by people of Hillingdon for both their health and recreation benefits. Where Hillingdon owns the facilities they are held in public trust by the council whose responsibility it is to maintain and run the facilities properly for all users.
It is with concern that we see the damage to some of these facilities in the borough.
The latest victim is Yiewsley Swimming Pool, a local facility in an area of deprivation in the south of the borough. It was with dismay that we heard the Conservative run Council is not seeking some means of keeping the pool open through finding another operator or through a mutual arrangement like William Byrd Pool.
Having failed to ensure the pool was properly cleaned and maintained the Conservative Administration have now told local people that it will regard the pool site as surplus to requirements once it is closed. It appears that the Conservatives wish to build a health centre to lease out to the PCT on the site. A petition of 1000 signatures was submitted to the council asking that the pool remain open but the Cabinet member was unwilling to even explore this request from local residents.
Another facility owned by the Council is Stockley Park Golf Course. Planning permission was granted for the remodelling of part of the course to a company which runs it for the Council. The deposit of fill materials for the remodelling was meant to last for 12 – 15 weeks. Instead it was finally stopped in the 55th week when it had been massively overfilled and the landscape changed beyond recognition. As the cost of landfill has increased so dramatically in recent years no one knows just how much was made from despoiling this local facility by the company which is now bankrupt.
Uxbridge Golf Course is also owned by the council but needs some remediation work. Again a private company runs the course for the Council and proposals to remodel the golf course have been made. Local residents and users of the golf course, having seen what happened at Stockley, are fighting desperately to save the course from any possible overfilling and despoliation.
There is a wealth of willingness and expertise within Hillingdon’s population. In the Labour Group we want to work with local people to keep the facilities they value maintained and running - not run into the ground. I ask the Conservatives to do the same.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - July 2010
This week is a very important week, as the 30th July is the last day for your comments to the Council on their strategy for the next fifteen years. Under the heading ‘Local Development Framework’- Have your Say you can see and respond to a copy in the local library or online.
As usual, you have not been notified adequately of this consultation by the Council, and when you read the document you will understand why, as there are huge implications for the Borough, from massive building projects in the Hayes/West Drayton corridor, (P30) to Education and the massive lack of school places, (p133) High Speed and Crossrail cutting across our borough, (p40) and lack of waste disposal in the South of the Borough since the closure of Rigby lane (p21). It also includes plans to build more hotels and offices (p30) even though there is no proof that the latter will be needed or utilised. There are changes to use of public open spaces such as Ruislip Lido (p89), and even more remarkably, they have left out some towns such as Northwood Hills, Ruislip Manor and Harefield completely in their plans for town centre regeneration! (P49)
P132 states that the Council will ensure that Community and Social infrastructure is provided in town centres in Hillingdon, yet they have closed Yiewsley Pool without any consultation with the residents and despite a 1000 signature petition to keep it open.
Our children and grandchildren have already suffered the massive £150m cut to the Building Schools for the Future project, now we hear that the Council have badly misjudged the numbers of pupils in the September 2010 intake, so much so that some students may have to wait until January 2011 to start school. There is such a huge disparity that schools have been asked to add one to two whole classes even though they have insufficient staff or rooms to do so! This means that your local Head teacher may be having to think about portacabins on the school field, something that would never have happened under a Labour Government or a Labour Council. These cabins cost £175,000 each, and the total bill over the next few years will be £70 million pounds, nearly half of the Building Schools project that was turned down!
As if all this wasn’t bad enough, many schools in the Borough are now so disappointed with the Council that they are seeking to apply for academy status, to enable them to ‘go it alone’ and we are very concerned that key officer positions in the Borough will have to be cut, including welfare officers and other support jobs.
It is extremely important therefore that we all as residents of this Borough answer the consultation before the 30th July so the Council have a true picture of the strength of our feelings on these issues. Please call or email the Labour Group Office at the Civic Centre for further information.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - June 2010
Whilst watching the news of the first Liberal Democrat Conservative budget it is as though we have been taken back in time to the dark days of the 1980's with the government making savage cuts to the benefits system, raising VAT, index linking to the CPI rate of inflation which is lower than the RPI rate. So even those benefits that they are linked to inflation will actually see their rise at approx 1% less than the real inflation figure.
Rather than tackling unscrupulous landlords, this Liberal Tory coalition is cutting housing benefit, which will only lead to more of the most vulnerable in our society becoming homeless and in need of emergency housing, which will put more pressure on the council to find temporary emergency housing.
Children are also on the hit list with child benefit being frozen for three years, and the Liberals have joined the old Tory tradition of slapping single parent families in the face with their decision to make single parents work once their children reach the age of 5. All this at a time when unemployment is on the rise and even if the prospect of getting a job is a reality, what about the child minding costs? A single parent without the help of state benefit could not afford anything other than a full time job, so what happens to the child when school time is over but the parent is still at work.
Another slap in the face for all the public sector workers who provide us all with the essential services of a civilised society, a Two year pay freeze is the reward for their public service, whilst the discredited bankers who created all this mess have “contractual commitments” that prevent their bonuses being taken away.
VAT is the Tory tax that the Liberals now also seem to embrace. It should never be forgotten that it is only the Tories who have ever raised the rate of VAT, in the 1980's it was one of Mrs Thatcher's first moves to raise VAT from 8% to 17.5% now the Liberal Tory coalition have raised it from 17.5% to 20%. This is a move that will hit everyone, but the people that will feel this the most is the people on low incomes, once again we see the poorest in our society subsidising the tax of the richest.
We currently only have the headlines of the Liberal Tory budget, but as we all know the devil is in the detail, so if you think its bad now, just wait until the full details are slowly revealed. The modern day Tories are saying that there is no choice, once again this reminds me of the 1980's when we were told that there was no alternative. There is a choice and an alternative but the Liberal Tory coalition think that you all voted to live in a Con-Dem Nation, and that is where they are taking us.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - May 2010
On 6th May, the public went to the polls in the Local and National elections. The Labour Group on Hillingdon Council saw an increase in numbers with an additional 2 Councillors, taking us to 19 Councillors and this trend was reflected London-wide with 18 Councils now in Labour control.
We are as committed as ever to provide an effective opposition to the Tory administration and will continue to strive for the very best for the residents of the Borough.
My congratulations go to John McDonnell MP for not only being re-elected in Hayes and Harlington, but with an increased majority. Our other Parliamentary candidates in the Borough, Sid Garg and Anita MacDonald, also managed to increase the Labour vote and placed Labour as the clear alternative to the Tories, leaving the Liberal Democrats in 3rd place. My thanks go to all the Labour activists who worked extremely hard during the campaign.
Over the next few weeks, I would urge you to meet your new local Labour Councillors – they are already organising surgeries in order to meet you and we would be happy to offer you all the help and support you need in the coming four years. Their details are already available on the Council website to enable you to contact them easily.
The Labour Group have consistently opposed the Third Runway and therefore are delighted the residents and NOTRAG have been vindicated in their robust campaign. We will continue to fight on behalf of the residents, this time on the threat of blight from the proposed High-Speed Rail terminal. There will undoubtedly be many changes over the next few years for the country and our communities and families. We will continue to support you by keeping to our traditional values of fairness and equality.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - March 2010
As Labour Leader it has been my privilege to lead a group of experienced, skilled and committed community councillors. Together we work tirelessly for people across the whole of Hillingdon. Because of this, we recognise that the picture of Hillingdon is not a simple one of a rich North and a poor South.
Right across Hillingdon people are struggling. Many find that they need their council’s services as never before. Despite this, Tories nationally and locally want to cut services back further. Hillingdon’s Tory Administration has been receiving record levels of government grant for the past 12 years. Your Council Tax has doubled over the past 12 years. Despite this they have cut back services year on year.
The Tories claim to have made Hillingdon more efficient. But year by year they give more and more services over to the private sector. In so doing they admit that their administration is less competent at running local services than faceless providers, whose sole aim is to make profits out of your council tax. With Cameron’s Conservatives, both locally and nationally, the sums and the substance just don’t add up.
Hillingdon can be a great place to live and work. But too often, the council can seem remote and indifferent to your needs. You deserve better than this.
You deserve a council that listens to you when you need it and helps you when it can. You deserve a council that is responsive and effective and which puts efficiency and fairness at the heart of everything it does. You deserve a council that recognises that it is your council and that its sole purpose is to work for you.
If you elect Labour Councillors, on Thursday May 6th you will be taking a step towards achieving the council you deserve. You will be electing Labour councillors committed to you and capable of delivering for you. You will be electing Labour councillors who recognise that they are elected to public service and not self service.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - February 2010
A great strength of local government is that it is local. You can see what the Council is doing in your name and with your money. If you have a query or a problem you can contact someone at the Civic Centre. That is why we have local Councils.
So you can imagine my concern at the news that the Tories who run Hillingdon are in the process of privatising the Council Tax recovery section to a company in Nelson in Lancashire. Council employees with years of experience of dealing with Council Tax will be replaced by people who know nothing of the local area. Some of them could well be school leavers or others recruited on low wages and with little knowledge or expertise.
It is in all our interests that everybody pays their Council Tax but, because of the economic recession, there are many who are getting into difficulties in meeting their debts. Helping them pay over an agreed period requires experience and sensitivity but there is no guarantee this will happen under the new system. The chances are that there will be a rush to court action and the engagement of bailiffs – all at a greater cost.
This Tory madness is supposed to save £185,000 a year but there is no regard for the quality of the service. 18 jobs are to be made redundant with 8 employees being redeployed and the rest due for the scrap heap. What a way to treat loyal and hard-working employees.
The Council has no problem finding money to pay its Directors well in excess of £100,000 each and the Chief Executive almost £200,000. As revealed in a recent television news report, the allowances paid to Hillingdon’s Tory Leader and Cabinet are amongst the highest in the country. Just a small saving here would enable this good local service to be saved.
Regrettably this is only one of many cuts hidden in the Tory budget for next year. There is also £1 million for unspecified growth. Labour believes that some of it should be used to keep this service in-house. I doubt if the Tories will listen but in only a few months you, the residents, will have the chance to make your voices heard.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - January 2010
It is important to reflect that the recent weeks of snow and ice had some really positive benefits. It is not just children and young people having fun with toboggans and snowballs, but the way in which people helped those in need.
The pavements on most of our local roads were just too dangerous for many elderly residents to venture out, but I heard of numerous examples of family members, friends and neighbours making special efforts to assist with shopping and other tasks. It was a true demonstration of community spirit and something we should cherish in the cynical age in which we live.
As well as people going that extra mile, we must express our sincere thanks to those front line workers who kept the service going regardless of the conditions. The post men and women, the paper boys and girls and the milk deliverers could be seen every morning trudging through the snow and getting the job done. Then there were the drivers who took the gritting lorries round day and night for weeks on end plus the staff in the Depot who eked out the dwindling supplies of salt.
For many of our residents, the snow and ice have been far from fun. As well as the fear of falling over, it has been a really worrying time for many on low incomes. Fuel costs have been going through the roof and some have been forced to choose between eating or heating. The winter supplement was a real boon for those who were eligible but it will look like a drop in the ocean when the quarterly bills start coming in. More importantly, there were no extra payments for most people.
We live in hope that the worst of the winter extremes may be behind us but we need to learn some lessons and not just about gritting. We must re-double our efforts to ensure that those entitled to benefits are actually getting them. In addition, we have to keep up the campaign to get insulation into the homes of the most needy. Just as important we should remember the acts of kindness and never lose sight of the need for our society to do more to protect the poorest and most vulnerable.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - November 2009
The latest edition of Hillingdon People has, hidden amongst the five photographs of the Leader of the Council, a claim that this Council is the most efficient in London. I have to tell you that is not true. I don’t like to say that Hillingdon People is a pack of lies, but that particular claim is so outrageous, it makes a mockery of the magazine’s claim to be “News from your Council.”
The Gazette gives me the opportunity to put forward my views but Hillingdon People is purely and simply a rose-tinted and unbalanced rag which has published a misleading statement to insult your intelligence.
The only really independent rating of Councils up and down the country is carried out by the Audit Commission. For 2008 it gave Hillingdon two out of four stars. It was classed as ‘Adequate’ and ‘only meeting minimum requirements’. 80% of Councils in London got 3 or 4 stars. Hillingdon was one of only 3 Councils that got less than 3 stars. Hardly the most efficient Council in London.
The honest answer about the efficiency of Hillingdon is that it has improved. Indeed, last year the Commission saw it as ‘improving well’ but that does not mean it is the most efficient. I am glad for the benefit of residents that the Council is getting better but it is starting from such a low base that it could not really get worse.
On all Council publicity, posters, leaflets and pens, the Tory administration claims it is providing ‘excellent services’. It is doing this, presumably in the hope that if it tells you this as Hillingdon residents enough times, you will believe it. Don’t be fooled. The independent Audit Commission has evidence to the contrary. Services will not improve until Hillingdon Tories admit they are running a two star authority and start to do something about it.
A new assessment system is coming in for this year and the results will be published soon. So this time let’s demand some honesty from the Council on its true performance.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - October 2009
Fair Play for Hayes
One of the things I find most frustrating about being a Labour councillor is that while the Labour Government has consistently made funding available to this Conservative run council for many worthwhile projects, the Tories waste it or claim it as their own initiative.
However their latest exploits of the Playbuilder scheme has left me in a state beyond anger. The objective is to provide safe, supervised good quality play areas for children. £1.2 million has been allocated by the Labour Government to Hillingdon to be spent over two years to get this up and running. The policy is very clear about the fact that disadvantaged children and disadvantaged areas in particular should benefit first.
One of the most disadvantaged areas of Hillingdon is Hayes, according to all indices of deprivation. Another indication of need is people in receipt of Housing Benefit and in this connection it is worth noting that it has also been a deliberate policy of the current Tory administration to only acquire private sector temporary housing in Hayes for Housing Benefit recipients. How many Orchard & Shipman properties have you seen in the North of the Borough?
So rightly you might have expected a large part of the initial funding for this Playbuilder scheme to be spent in Hayes.
You would be wrong. Of the £529,858 given to Hillingdon for this financial year, only £35,000 is heading to Hayes. The remaining £494,858 has been allocated to wards represented by Conservative Councillors. Even the small amount allocated to wards represented by a majority of Labour Councillors in Hayes has now been held back and not been approved by the Conservative Cabinet member who has postponed the allocation of the funds to these wards.
You might reasonably ask why we haven't made more of this. Good question. But the answer is simple - the Tories deliberately kept this information from us.
This is no way to run a council. It is certainly not what you would expect from the Tory Administration that was elected in 1998 promising: "A Fair Deal for All", a fair deal, unless of course you are a child living in Hayes!
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - September 2009
I believe that it was Benjamin Franklin who claimed that nothing was certain in this world apart from death and taxes. To this, can be added waste.
As our lives become ever more complex, the waste which we produce grows just as fast. To counter the effect that rubbish has on our environment, we need to recycle more. Hillingdon has been very successful in the past but the percentage of waste, which we recycle, is no longer the best in London.
Hillingdon needs again to encourage recycling by making it as easy as possible. The closure of the Rigby Lane amenity site since November 2008 means that there is no amenity site available in the south of the Borough. The only options are to visit Ruislip or Harefield and the latter is due to be closed for significant alterations soon. Both journeys from the south are by no means straightforward and result in both congestion and pollution.
So for those less determined citizens, there may be a temptation to dump their rubbish. The Council admits that there has been an increase in fly-tipping near Rigby Lane. As Council Taxpayers, we have to pay to collect and destroy it. For those living in the locality, it means piles of decaying detritus with the risk of vermin
It is therefore essential that Hillingdon’s Tory Cabinet grasps the nettle and sorts out the re-opening of Rigby Lane. It seems crazy that, almost a year on, there is not even a definite date for the re-opening of the site.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - June 2009
Obviously, the talk on everybody’s lips is at the moment about the outcome of the recent Local County Council and European Parliamentary elections and how the different parties have fared.
Whilst the Labour Party did not do well nationally in the County Council elections and should have done better in the European elections for various reasons, particularly due to the political cycle taking its natural course, it is fair to say that it achieved a reasonable outcome in the European elections in London. Its share of the seats fell from three to two because of the reduction of the number of seats from nine to eight in London this time around.
The most disturbing aspect and outcome of these elections, however, is seeing BNP members elected to Councils and Europe. In Hillingdon, it is equally disturbing that the BNP polled 4689 votes and came fifth. I consider this to be a significant wake up call for all the main parties in this Borough.
In the past, we have all acted together in unison to fight against prejudice and the racist fascist agenda of the BNP, hence the increasingly urgent need for us to redouble our efforts and take them on frontally with a view not only to stopping them but to discredit their policies and programmes with every single legitimate means at our disposal. Tuesday’s, 9th June, demonstration against their Press Conference at Westminster, which was reduced to a shambles by public protest, was therefore timely, pertinent and instructive. We should use our local government base in similar and other ways in our fight against the BNP. This much we owe to ourselves and present and future generations.
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - May 2009
As the new Leader of the Labour Group on the Council, I intend to start as I mean to go on, by celebrating the excellent work of the Labour Government and pointing out failings of the Tories, both nationally and locally.
Recently David Cameron described the Tories’ financial policies as ‘thrifty’ and ‘austerity’ driven. Tory commentator, Michael Portillo spoke on the BBC of these 2 words and how the entire Tory economic policy will be a ‘thrifty’ and ‘austere’ triumph. But what does this mean in practice?
During the past 12 years the Labour Government has put unprecedented amounts into public services both locally and nationally. The Tory policy of cutting services would mean a return to the Major years of high crime, long waiting lists for NHS operations, rubbish on the streets and widespread graffiti.
The local Council is the first port of call for help on all local issues important to you, your family and neighbours but, as we all know from past experience, it’s also the first port of call for Tory cuts and it’s always those with the least that lose the most.
Like my MP, John McDonnell, I am no fan of some government policies but, at a very crucial time when all governments worldwide are facing a global financial crisis, do we want a Government that is labouring hard to minimise damage to us or a Tory Government that is pre-occupied with finding the right words to justify increasing your taxes and cutting your services?
Cllr Mo Khursheed
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
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Labour Group Press Release - 28th April 2009
At the Annual General Meeting of Hillingdon Labour Group, Cllr Mo Khursheed was elected Leader, with Cllr Tony Eginton being elected as Deputy Leader. After the meeting Cllr Khursheed paid tribute to the outgoing Leader, Cllr Anthony Way, for his hard work in exposing the dangerous erosion of local democracy under this current Tory administration.
Cllr Khursheed recounted the last 11 years of stagnation with Tory run Hillingdon Council’s performance consistently being judged as Poor, weak and only just worthy of a 2 star rating (out of a possible 4 stars) by the independent Audit Commission. Furthermore over the last 4 years Hillingdon has never managed to score more than 2 Stars out of 4. This now places Hillingdon in the Bottom 3 of all the 32 London Boroughs. Cllr Khursheed said “This is just not good enough! The residents are paying for a 4 star service and only getting a 2 star performance. The residents of Hillingdon really do deserve much better than this poor performance from their council.”
Cllr Khursheed and Cllr Eginton will now lead the Labour Group on Hillingdon Council up to the local elections in May 2010. They will be gearing up the local Labour Party to campaign hard and expose even further what it actually means to have the Tories in control of Hillingdon.
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Leader's Blog May 2006 - April 2009
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - April 2009
Sadly, I recently attended a leaving party for Barbara Fisher at the Gazette. After 20 years her bid for freedom has paid off, although she will still write a column. We also said our farewells to the remainder of the editorial staff, who will no longer be based in Hillingdon.
Currently the Council produce and distribute its own in house magazine and aim to deliver it to every household borough wide. That said it is still important to have a locally based independent press to inform the local population through its pages, the activities of its local politicians and of course hold the decision makers to account in an open and transparent public manner.
Government are encouraging the creation of local media trusts to aid the survival of local media. I share the view that Hillingdon Council can play a pivotal role in the resurgence of local journalism by bringing about the creation of a media trust.
Developers recently staged an exhibition detailing proposals for phase 2 of the Porters Way former NATS site in West Drayton. Phase 1 proved to be contentious because after an appeal a planning inspector allowed one of the most highly densely populated sites to be built in the borough.
Phase one was a nightmare for local residents with little or no site control over hours of operation and conduct of construction workers, ultimately leading to sackings on the spot. I can only hope that much was learnt from this unfortunate episode in terms of sustainable development, building stable communities and proper due regard for local residents who live near the site who have a right to some quality of life.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - March 2009
There is an old saying that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. At budget setting time, being a responsible opposition, the Labour Group in Hillingdon has proposed many alternatives. The conservative administration consistently vote down these amendments but mysteriously, they reappear rebranded and are eventually adopted as made in Tory Hillingdon. Take the community police tasking team. In the 2007 Council budget, Labour put forward proposals to bring about an increase in Town Centre Policing for Hayes to match the equivalent already established in Uxbridge. Predictably the majority Tory administration voted it down. Since then a police tasking team has been established and target areas of Hayes town and Brunel identified. We also put forward proposals for extra road safety and planning enforcement officers that were declined and have since been incorporated.
This year we again suggested that school uniform grant be restored, after all there is a recession and people are losing their jobs. Why should their children be penalised when council balances are at record level? We also want to see noise nuisances dealt with properly by extending the service to 7 days a week cover. Yes you have guessed
correctly- rejected. It will be interesting to read what the tories say about members allowances but remember your responsible opposition costs a fraction of the amount the cabinet awards itself from your council tax.
Finally whilst congratulations are due to our neighbours in Hounslow and Ealing where the Audit Commission has given both boroughs the highest possible rating – 4 star ratings in their comprehensive performance assessment. Hillingdon has yet again, scored a lamentable 2 star rating.
Both Ealing and Hounslow conservative councils operate area committee structures where local people can have a say in the shaping and delivery of local services. Hillingdon’s Tories consistently deny you the right to have a say about matters of concern. Is it any wonder they are performing so poorly when they will not listen to anyone and have made it impossible for not only their own backbenchers to have a voice but have effectively put in place a constitution that ‘gags’ all opposition.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - February 2009
Direct action not weasel words
Hillingdon lurched closer to becoming an elected dictatorship at the last council cabinet meeting, when the Council Leader to all intents and purposes stripped the executive scrutineers of their powers. He effectively instructed them not to carry out their job. The sole constitutional purpose of the Executive Scrutiny Committee is to hold the cabinet to account for its decisions.
A whole service review of democratic services was up for decision when he shouted out” don’t bother calling in (review the decision) we will just do it anyway”. Such arrogant comments are a reflection of the man himself and say a lot about him. His own Policy Overview Chairman had just tabled a unanimous committee rejection of the proposal. Every committee member was incensed at this outburst however only Cllr Mo Khursheed and myself, as Labour chairman and vice chairman were prepared to take any direct action by resigning from the committee.
What the Tories said in private about their Leader cannot be printed. However what they say and do proves to be different things. The Conservative members who have a majority on the executive scrutiny committee, only wanted to pudddifoot around and write a few weasel words in a letter of complaint to their beloved Leader. Well that’s not good enough. We will not legitimise a flawed and undemocratic process by giving the public the appearance that all is well when it clearly is not. On informing Puddifoot of the resignations his reply was that he would just appoint one of his colleagues, who will no doubt trouser a further substantial increase in pay of £15k tax-payers money for his reward.
From past experience anyone who stands up to this man is restructured out of their job, Councillors cannot voice protest or vote against him. Surely, he will be ousted before the next elections otherwise the public will.
Meanwhile, I want to thank the front line staff who have been braving the elements during the bad weather and keeping services running. We should all try and be good neighbours and in particular keep an eye out for the elderly and frail.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - January 2009
Happy new year to all. At this time of the year we make New Year resolutions and I hope there is one resolution everyone has made and will keep. That during the recent cold spell the community are more aware of the elderly and vulnerable residents who live alone. I hope people take the time to call on their neighbours and ensure they are okay and offer help where necessary. If you have any concerns please contact the Council, Age Concern or your elected Councillors.
The Council should also be playing its part in ensuring all our residents are being cared for appropriately. Much has been said quite rightly about Social Services and the welfare of children and we need as a society to have the same indignation and concern about elderly and vulnerable people. As Leader of the Opposition I have given a commitment to work with the administration during the economic crisis and I give the same commitment regarding the care of the fragile, elderly and vulnerable members of our community.
We heard yesterday that the government have agreed the proposals for expansion at Heathrow. The Labour Group consistently opposed these proposals and will continue to fight these plans and support the administration in any actions necessary. The decision takes no account of local considerations for the people of Sipson, and Heathrow Villages where the communities will be devastated. The decision we believe takes no account of the overwhelming evidence against the economic argument for expansion. This is a shameful decision, a disgrace to democracy and we will fight it all the way. Let battle commence.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - December 2008
In the last few weeks there has rightly been much coverage highlighting the Baby P case. As Councillors we are corporate parents and take some of the responsibility for the care of the most vulnerable.
“Every child matters” was the government response to the enquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. As a result of the legislation more children have come into contact with care services.
Whilst Baby P lived in Haringey, many Social Workers in every borough comment (some on BBC’s Panorama) that “Baby P is their worst nightmare. Despite his terrible injuries he was released from care three times, the last was two months before he died. All agree more trained staff are needed on the front line. Baby P was seen no less than 60 times over a period of eight months by health or social workers. Each time baby P was released back into his mothers care she concealed the extent of the danger he was in by manipulating the professionals - on one occasion covering him with chocolate to cover his bruises".
In eighteen years on Hillingdon Council I cannot recall a year without a financial pressure or overspend in social care. Professionals write of the historic underfunding of their areas of responsibility. Leading Councillors from National associations call for measured responses to this crisis, and to avoid witch hunting.
In other borough’s staff are now talking more openly about the issues. In particular the tension between front line staff, dealing with serious and life threatening situations and budget holders, faced with managing insufficient resources.
If you are concerned or affected by these issues please contact me. Hillingdon’s corporate parents should be concerned. This is not a matter for Haringey alone.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - November 2008
Now that the Government has a rescue package in place for the banks, calls follow to help people who are struggling with debt, through higher costs for fuel, food and utilities. As the credit crunch bites redundancies loom leaving people without the ability to repay loans or meet their bills.
There has been much coverage given to the amount of local government cash locked up in Icelandic banks. Initially placed on “short deposit” funds are unavailable whilst proposals are being put in place to alleviate the situation several councils find themselves in. In essence it’s important to remember that front line services and payroll for staff are not affected.
Hillingdon Council can and should help people in crisis given record levels of balances in the kitty. The administration has pledged that redundancies will not arise from the credit crunch. Local people need proper access to professional debt advice. Our local services are stretched and unable to cope with the record levels of requests for assistance.
In times such as these it’s important not to panic, prioritise spending and if necessary get advice. Depending on the size of debt try and pay something off your loan to keep lenders from taking legal action against you. Consolidating loans rarely work and often result in accruing more interest. Keep away from loan sharks, door step lenders and talk to your credit union if you need to take out a loan.
Best advice comes from CAB, National debtline or the Consumer Credit Counselling Service. Keep your creditors advised with what is going on otherwise they may assume you just don't want to pay.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - October 2008
We are living in turbulent times. The past month has been one of huge turmoil in the financial markets. Globalisation and monetarism yield a bitter harvest. World leaders fight to stave off the Thatcher, Reagan and Bush legacy. Each day brings an astounding development. The effect is felt worldwide. At home a takeover of the biggest mortgage lender HBOS was approved by the government to forestall a run on it by customers.
To end the turmoil, at the time of writing the US authorities are seeking approval from Congress for a $700bn bail-out to relieve the US banking system of its mortgage debts and limits were put on so-called "short-selling" of shares, both in the UK and the USA.
At last Thursday’s Hillingdon Council Cabinet meeting it was announced that the Council’s finances are in a record state, given the past conservative capping and section 114 fiascos. There is £12million in reserve, plus a rebate of £4 million from government towards asylum costs. Quite an unprecedented scenario for Hillingdon, with the Council Leader also stating that some of these reserves need to be spent on services and not left sitting in reserve accounts.
He also stated that the credit crunch would not lead to redundancies at the Council. With repossessions and mortgage costs rising the councils many front line services are stretched to the limit. So with a no redundancy commitment, record reserves at the Council, this administration must use resources responsibly to make a lasting difference, and help our residents particularly those living on the edge of this financial precipice.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - July 2008
This May marked the tenth anniversary of Conservative run administration in Hillingdon. Eight of those years were ruled in coalition with the Liberal Democrats. Ten years of weak and poor services, excuses and
endemic failure of Hillingdon’s communities.
It’s been a long haul, with Ray Puddifoot presiding over the last eight years as Leader. Something of a father figure to David Cameron, the pair, with heads held high, and floral ties, like a couple of weekend millionaires. How can the electorate fail to be seduced with the odd chocolate surprise that they offer?
The latest “blueprint” for the RAF Uxbridge site consultation proposals are by their own admission nothing more than a wish list (quote, Deputy Leader David Simmonds, Cabinet meeting Thursday 19th June 2008) The extension of cultural, retail and commercial splendour will snugly nestle alongside the Chimes and Pavilions shopping centres, that can hardly welcome such challenging and unsustainable competition.
The Mayor of London may now be Boris Johnson and he is already proving he has no grasp of the job he has been elected to undertake. The London Plan still has quotas for the number of affordable homes required
regardless of who is the Mayor.
Users of Hillingdon’s Music Service must be shivering in the knowledge of such positive re-assurance that Ray is to personally oversee the zero based budgeting exercise that is to be undertaken. Surely, a sign that if the Music Service is to remain in tact, as promised, that another series of cuts will be laundered in its name. I am reminded of another famous Tory by the name of Margaret Thatcher who, with a demonic glint in her eye, promised “to do something about those inner cities” What a nightmare.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - June 2008
On Thursday of last week I attended the funeral of Councillor Norman Nunn Price. Hillingdon Council were very well represented at the funeral by Councillors from all political parties, the Mayor and the Chief Executive. The tributes given to Norman by his son James, and a longstanding friend, Sabbie, demonstrated the highest regard that Norman is held in.
Norman had served on the Council since 1994 representing Bourne,(now south Ruislip) Botwell and Townfield Wards. There is so much more to Norman, the family man, the retired scientist, his work on computer development, the Navy officer, plus the way he influenced local life through his efforts as a school governor, the director of Fassnidge Trust, as the Leader of the Labour Group. We will all miss him immensely. Norman played a pivotal role whilst on the Council, on a wide and varied number of subjects. He wrote papers on the effect of telecoms masts, the effect of spillages from Cryogenic tanks, the Councils constitution and as well as being an effective and active local ward Councillor. Many senior officers of the Council have passed on their condolences at his death, and remarked on a particular subject that they had worked on together.
What is also so true is that Norman was a true gentleman, a man of his word and a man of conviction. Hillingdon is a better place for his efforts and he is remembered with much affection.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - May 2008
Save Hayes Carnival
How often do we here talk of the need to build and strengthen communities especially when there are problems. Hayes is a typical example of this. We hear of problems in the town more or less on a weekly basis. The Botwell and Townfield Councillors and the MP John McDonnell have done enormous amounts of work trying to improve the town and its reputation. A Town Centre Partnership was set up to try and help improve the area and encourage businesses and there is also the Hayes Community Development Forum.
How sad then that we have heard recently that the Tory Controlled Council are trying to stop the carnival. This is an event that that has been happening in Hayes for many many years. An event that over the years has brought together a community and above all celebrated an historical tradition.
Even sadder is the proposal to join this unique event with the “Big Fest” held in Uxbridge in October. I along with all Labour Councillors are really disappointed that the Tories instead of supporting and encouraging more activities in Hayes are using it to promote and enlarge an event in Uxbridge – an event that many people in Hayes have no connection with or any affiliation. The organisation of the Carnival was in need of a boost, but it is and has always been a well tested opportunity to involve community groups and promote Hayes and its people.
If you wish to help please contact Helen Lowder at the Hayes Community Development Forum or contact one of your Ward Councillors. You can also add your name to our on-line petition by visiting
and then following the link to the petition.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - April 2008
Chaos at Heathrow T5.
Last Thursday BA staff arrived to open the 4.3 billion terminal five for the first time. There was no parking for staff, work was allocated via hand held computers, and nobody knew how to get to their work stations or who to talk to regarding problems.
By the weekend what should have been a "crowning moment" had turned into a nightmare with some 15,000 bags "lost" at Heathrow. What a shambles. Yet those responsible are also trying to convince us that further expansion at Heathrow is essential for the nation as a whole.
Given the chaos that has accompanied this grand opening, consider the fitness of the organisations at the heart of this debacle, namely British Airways and BAA. They are trying to convince us that a third runway is needed whilst also claiming to be world class organisations capable of running safe, efficient and effective aviation services.
HACAN organised a T Shirt demonstration on the opening day to highlight their campaign, and as one of the organisers put it "BAA and BA didn't need any help from anyone, they did a wonderful job of bringing about chaos themselves". Two hundred flights in and out of T5 were cancelled in its first three days. A further 54 were scheduled to be scrapped this Monday and Tuesday.
All point to a systemic and endemic failure of the decision makers to grasp the messages and feedback from staff that endeavour to implement policies and procedures.
The message is clear; a third runway is not needed or wanted. Government needs to seriously consider the competence of BAA and its agents and above all, they all need to listen more to the wishes of the local communities.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - March 2008
To ensure that the most vulnerable in Hillingdon are not further disadvantaged, Labour put forward alternatives without an increase in spending, at last weeks Council budget setting meeting.
The Tories put the Mayor’s car before the needs the poorest in our borough. They abolished the school uniform grant and then increased the Mayor’s car budget. Thatcher’s legacy of stealing from Children lives on in Tory Hillingdon. They should be ashamed of themselves
This Tory Council has been named and shamed as one of 13 worst performing authorities in England.
Labour proposed
- Restoring cuts to the Educational Psychology service and Healthy Hillingdon
- Stop the cuts proposed in respite provision for severely disabled children
- Restore school uniform grants
- Invest in over 65’s support service for carers
- Additional in-house home care posts
- Re-launch Cwm Pennant Mountain Centre
- Increase planning enforcement officers
- Remove outsourcing minor planning applications
- Increase the noise service
- More Police in Hayes town centre
These proposals would be funded from within existing resources by removing the gimmicky “low cost home ownership” scheme that does nothing for the borough’s homeless or to realistically make homes more affordable. Some residents have described this project as gerrymandering.
Removing the extra £77,000 that the Tories have added to the Mayor’s Budget (extras and running costs of the Mayoral car), because the Labour group believe the Mayor should take the lead and at least live within her means, or perhaps find some savings to contribute to the budget.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - February 2008
The recent narrowly averted disaster at Heathrow brings the proposed expansion into sharp focus. When Terminal 4 was built, it was on the understanding that flights would be capped and no further major expansion would take place. In November 2001, the Government published the Inspectors report and announced its decision on T5.
He stated that a third runway would have “unacceptable environmental consequences”. He recommends a cap on the number of flights at 480,000 a year in order to prevent the need for a third runway.
This is a catalogue of shameful betrayals of agreements and commitments that have been made over several decades to the people who live near Heathrow. BAA and successive Government’s, simply cannot be trusted when they repeatedly violate agreements in this way.
There are sound local and global reasons to oppose the expansion of Heathrow. Its impact on climate change, noise, on the economy, its impact on the local community.
These expansion plans are fundamentally flawed. The consultation process is highly questionable. If these proposals go ahead, Heathrow’s capacity will double in a decade, allowing a plane to fly in or out of Heathrow every 30 seconds during the day. This will make life totally unbearable for our residents.
However we have until 27th February to make our views known. We must mobilize the communities in Hillingdon, West London and neighbouring communities against these proposals. We must make sure that our views are taken into account. Notrag are organising a mass demonstration on 25th February at Westminster Hall. Be there! Details on www.Notrag.org
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - January 2008
Democracy – participation is for all not a select few
With a new year upon us it’s time to look to how we fulfil our hopes and future aspirations and also reflect on 2007. The GLA and Mayoral elections provide opportunities for people to judge the effectiveness and performance of their London politicians. Recent events in Pakistan and Kenya concentrate our thoughts on the precious commodity that we call democracy. It’s important that everyone engages in the democratic process whatever their political points of view are. Don’t take your right to vote for granted.
Locally the challenge for the ruling Conservatives is to show how it is prepared to open up its democratic arrangements and involve all of its 65 Councillors in its decision making. We need to move away from the situation where a small minority of politicians hold so much power. Democracy starts not ends, after elections. The challenge in Hillingdon remains making democracy work so the public have trust confidence in their local elected members regardless of their political colours. Since 2006 we have constantly criticised how debate has been restricted and decisions just pushed through.
2008 will bring challenges for all of us, whether they are personal, family, business or political ones. My hopes and aspirations are for us all to contribute to a healthier style of democracy, where people will be given and take the opportunity to participate openly in all of the process.
Happy New Year.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - December 2007
Not so long ago you could rely on Hillingdon’s local politicians to pull together for the benefit of the borough, on major issues affecting us all. Last year all three parties worked together to convince central government that its funding of unaccompanied asylum seeking children was flawed.
Both before and after the local elections this debate continued. There were differences of opinion. Twice the conservative administration was asked to get independent validation of their grants claims in order to strengthen our case. Twice we were denied. In fact on one occasion Cllr Ray Puddifoot declared in the council chamber that he would “drop me like a stone” for daring to suggest that the councils figures should be questioned. So we went to the High Court, still with a cross party agreement, despite our differences. As readers will know the council lost its case, so overwhelmingly that an appeal was deemed pointless and not pursued.
What has happened since? On the surface very little. But, on a trip to Kent County Council recently, I learned that the Tories were combining forces across nine local authorities to press the case. The cross party approach was apparently no longer needed. I attended a meeting at the House of Commons, where astoundingly, nine local authorities saw the benefit of independent validation of the grant claims figures, where Hillingdon previously, did not. What could have been undertaken a year ago is now being taken seriously. So much for the “new way of working” in Hillingdon.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - November 2007
Last Tuesday I was present when Hillingdon Council bestowed its highest honour – freedom of the borough, to David Brough. As many people know, David has spent his entire career – 38 years – at Hillingdon and has just retired. It’s a rarity and a sad fact that vocation, the sense of service to the public, is a disappearing commodity. David was only the second officer, the last was 25 years ago, to receive the award. This shows that he is held in the highest regard.
The accolade recognises “persons of distinction and persons who have, in the opinion of the council, rendered eminent services to the borough” (Local Government Act 1972)” .David is talented, well-respected, hard-working and highly-valued and this recognition is well deserved. Ever since he joined Hillingdon David has been consistent. His personal commitment to democracy, community safety, the working groups, forums and consultative groups he has established and worked with. Hillingdon will be a much quieter place without him. Although we are saying goodbye, we hope this will not be the last we see of him.
David is the only person I know who has wound up towards retirement not wound down. He will be a hard act to follow, walking the political tightrope in Hillingdon, which is the sign of a true professional. On behalf of all of us in the Labour Group, past and present, we wish you all the very best. Good luck and enjoy what ever you do in the future.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - October 2007
Hillingdon’s libraries are a much loved resource and held in high esteem by residents. In June, proposals were announced to review the operational activities of the library service encompassing all aspects – improving their appearance, introducing Cafés to improve the number of visits which are currently below the Public Library Service standards, more books for the same cost and faster deliveries, Information Technology, ensuring that leading edge developments are available at Hillingdon and fully utilised, operational management, increasing opening hours and maximising staff resources.
The review is based on the assumption that £260,000 of savings can be achieved in 2008/9. Officers are working to establish a formal partnership with “Starbucks”. The budget for Information technology will also be reduced by £80k which will be diverted towards further “refurbishment” of other libraries.
Further reading of the report (available on the Hillingdon Council website under June cabinet meeting) reveals that the company selected for the refit of the Victoria Rd library in South Ruislip included Moss Bros and Westminster City Council, in its portfolio of clients.
The introduction of cafes or vending facilities is expected to greatly enhance the offering (whatever that may be) and likely encourage new users into the library. A large library will have a fully licensed café, a medium, Starbucks equipment operated by Council staff, (consistent quality with their retail outlets), whilst small libraries would have a Starbucks developed self serve vending machine that “grinds coffee beans at the point of vend”
Please write to me with your views to away@hillingdon.gov.uk. A further report on progress of this activity is due in November.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - September 2007
The care and protection of our elderly, frail and vulnerable members of our community should be of paramount importance to all of us. On 14th August the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights published a report on the human rights of older people in health care (hospitals and care homes). The report makes extremely worrying and distressing reading. It highlights much witness evidence including inspectorates, providers and organisations supporting older people who expressed their concerns about the continuing poor treatment of older people in health care. The main concerns related to Malnutrition and dehydration Abuse and rough treatment Lack of privacy in mixed sex wards Lack of dignity especially for personal care needs Lack of attention and detail paid to confidentiality Neglect, carelessness and poor hygiene Inappropriate medication and use of physical restraint Inadequate assessment of a persons needs Too hasty a discharge from hospital Bullying patronising and infantilising attitudes towards older people Discriminatory treatment of patients and care home residents on grounds of age disability and race Communication difficulties particularly for people with dementia or people, who cannot speak English Fear of, and difficulties among older people in making complaints Eviction of older people from care homes The inquiry commented that in their view, all of the problems highlighted seriously affect people’s experiences of the overall care that they received in hospitals and care homes. It must be said that according to the commission for social care inspection (CSCI) service standards for residential services have met 79% of the National Minimum Standards in 2006 compared with 59% in 2003. This sadly also means that three years after standards were introduced 21% of care homes fail to meet the minimum standards required of them.
I believe the care, dignity and rights of older people should be honoured and accordingly I am putting down a resolution at Thursdays (September 6th) Council Meeting, requesting the responsible cabinet member instructs staff to investigate the situation in Hillingdon as a matter of urgency and to report to the Cabinet on any measures needed to alleviate the unacceptable situation highlighted in the report. If any resident wishes to discuss any of the issues raised in this Blog I can be contacted via away@hillingdon.gov.uk or telephone 01895-250780.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - August 2007
Calling all young people – through the Leaders Blog I would like to let you know that I am organising a competition.
What’s good about Hillingdon? It’s for you to decide.
My view is that many young people today get a lot of bad press, thanks to a small minority. However most young people are never any problem and actually make a valuable contribution to the community.
If you are a young person and are under nineteen I would like to hear about what you do for your community? And how you contribute to Hillingdon.
I want entrants to write in and describe their particular activities that they are involved in, that promotes Hillingdon as a place to enjoy and be a part of. It’s open to young people who live in any part of the borough – be it Hayes, Ruislip Uxbridge Yiewsley or Northwood etc.
It can be something you do in a group or something you do by yourself - ways of improving the environment, helping others, being a good citizen and setting an example for others to follow.
1st prize £250,
2nd Prize £150,
3rd prize £100.
Which is to be spent on a project or activity, you and other students are involved in.
The closing date is Friday September 14th 2007. Judging will take place week commencing September 17th and the winners will be announced on Friday September 21st.
There will be further details to follow in the next two weeks. I would like to thank the local press for participating, and publicising this
activity.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - July 2007
In Hillingdon, there is a chronic need for affordable housing. There will always be a demand for rented housing that is within the reach of working families.
Relying on private landlords, who buy to let, plus those who provide the dreaded “HMO” House in multiple occupation - cannot provide an adequate supply of quality housing.
What’s being done to meet the demand? Hillingdon’s “Cabinet” have recently tried to grasp the nettle by allocating a sum of money to help families who need help. However after nine years in control the details are somewhat obscure at the moment, and indeed the “Cabinet were asked to take another look by its Conservative dominated Executive Scrutiny committee.
Over the last nine years or so, house building for low cost ownership or rent has dwindled. London Housing Federation Statistics show that the cost of an average home in Hillingdon is at least £234,000. An annual income of £63,729 is needed to service a mortgage, whilst the average income is only just above £ 26k.
Only 124 houses were built for the council in Hillingdon and at the same time 107 were sold off through Right to Buy legislation. Meanwhile 7,471 households applied for help with housing and registered on the waiting list. 1,878 families are living in temporary accommodation.
It’s obvious that Hillingdon’s “Cabinet” needs all the help it can get to solve this enormous headache.
If you are affected by the lack of affordable housing in Hillingdon, write to me at away@hillingdon.gov.uk or c/o Labour group office, Civic Centre, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW or telephone me on 01895 200287.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - June 2007
What has happened to Democracy and "Standards", in Tory run Hillingdon? A year ago, Hillingdon's electorate voted for a Tory administration, but did it get what it voted for?
Over the past year Hillingdon's Conservative Cabinet members have been vociferous in spelling out how they would take forward their plans for Hillingdon. In fact they have abused their democratic mandate, and described members of the workforce recently made redundant, as "deadwood and driftwood" and "past their sell-by date"
Last Thursday (May 31st) I attended the Council's "Cabinet" meeting as the Leader of the Opposition and in my capacity as Chairman of the Councils Executive Scrutiny Committee, although neither give any rights to speak on any items engage in debate or challenge the validity of the recommendations.
The whole meeting lasted 30 minutes, and was without any meaningful debate despite there being 17 items on the agenda, including important topics such as the creation of a "Domestic Violence Court in Hillingdon". (This was initially put forward by Labour Members and gained support from every member of the Council).
The validity of the decision to close the Cwm Pennant Mountain Centre springs to mind, and here we see an alleged "cost-cutting" measure taken with no opportunity to challenge the decision and the right of proper debate of the issues absent. How many of the 17 items will we live to regret? they were not debated, were they subject to any form of challenge before being recommended?
I know many of the Tory Group are unhappy with elements of their Leadership; and they are afraid of challenging it * because not being content with gagging the opposition, in the Tory camp there is no room for dissent but plenty of room for sackings.
In Medieval times, a King was the absolute ruler and dissent often ended up with beheading. Indeed in some cases beheading took place, whether there was dissent or not. Has Tory Hillingdon descended into a modern day equivalent?
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - May 2007
The Audit Commissions Annual Audit and Inspection letter describes Hillingdon as a two stars out of a possible four - performance rating Council - this is not good enough - Hillingdon deserves much better.
In terms of value for money (how the Council manages costs and quality of services) Hillingdon "lacks any consistency" Proof of this assertion surely can be found on most street scenes across the Borough, or am I wrong? Please tell me if I am.
The external Scrutineer's found that some 38% of grant claims were submitted late for certification, and of the 20 certified claims, 10 required amendment and 9 were qualified * the Council will receive guidance setting out what needs to be done to improve its claims success rate.
This is a timely statement considering that much public money * your money - was spent chasing a court claim against the government for costs of asylum seeking children, which was wholly rejected by the courts. Indeed so wholly rejected that there is no prospect of an appeal. Prior to the court case Labour Councillors pressed for external scrutiny of these grant submissions, by a body such as the Audit Commission to disprove beyond any reasonable doubt the prospect of shortcomings in the grant claims process. This was denied by the Conservatives.
Previously under the Tories Hillingdon was rate capped, for which we paid for rebilling, the Borough Treasurer issued a Section 114 (bankruptcy) notice, and massive levels of redundancies were instigated on the premise of "grant shortfalls".
The Tory Cabinet Politburo continues to deny the right of free speech in the decision making process * presumably too busy reassuring each other to allow any dissent. Smokescreens half truths and self interest have become the hallmark of Hillingdon's one term Tories. Just think what the country would be like if they ran it. You can't trust the Tories with your money, democracy, freedom, cohesion, or Quality of life. What a rotten borough. What a nighhtmare!
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - April 2007
Tories put Self-interest First
Many will have read about how the Tory Councillors have awarded themselves pay rises of up to 70 percent from Public funds. At the 22nd February budget setting meeting the Labour Group proposed that member’s pay be frozen and the money used to fund other projects. The Tories defeated this proposal.
In order to fund these projects it was essential that there were no increases in allowances - the Tories however suggested that if the Labour members didn't want to have the increases they should use it to fund these proposals.
This was a pure smokescreen because as they know the Labour groups total increase amounts to only approximately 10 per cent of the £250.000k which will not even fund the reinstatement of school uniform grant.
In particular the Labour Group wants to save Cwm Pennant, a much-loved centre for outdoor pursuits in Wales. I have been contacted my many people who want to defend this centre from closure because of its uniqueness. The borough has been able to give many young people an opportunity to experience the many essential activities to enable young people a well- rounded social education.
Sometime ago the Council had the opportunity to purchase the site but refused and now only lease and manage it. We see again how short-sighted this Tory administration is. Lose the opportunity to purchase what was once a jewel in the crown, and let it get so run down to they can use the excuse to close it therefore preventing any more young people from gaining life experiences through out door activities. An online petition has already started to save Cwm Pennant.
There were other services we wanted to consider for example;
• A Town Centre Safer Neighbourhoods Team in Hayes to match the equivalent already established in Uxbridge
• The restoration of the grants to Healthy Hillingdon, the Law Centre and the Race Equality Council.
• The prevention of cuts to the School Uniform Grant
• The prevention of the closure of Southlands arts centre
• The restoration of Educational Psychologists posts
• The addition of new Planning enforcement officers
Please contact me at away@hillingdon.gov.uk (tel 01895-250780) to give me your views on what you would save or reinstate if you could decide how to spend this £ 250,000k. Please help save Cwm Pennant by joining the campaign. The website address is www.savecwmpennant.co.uk You cant trust the Tories with your money.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - March 2007
More cuts and more bureaucracy from the Tories
On Thursday 22nd February the Tories presented their budget, and as the Labour Group predicted this budget made swathing cuts in services under the guise of “savings” and “modernisation”.
Firstly the Labour Group whole-heartedly supports the discount for pensioners, which relies on Labour Government policy that the local Tories have embraced.
However some of the other measures that the Tories have taken will only increase the misery of those who are most vulnerable in our society.
The Labour Group presented an alternative budget, which was neutral with regard to the increase in council tax, but it would have shown a different set of priorities to ensure that the most vulnerable were not further disadvantaged. The Tories refused to accept our budget amendments to improve frontline services of almost £1m, at no extra cost to the taxpayer. Our proposals included: -
• A Town Centre Safer Neighbourhoods Team in Hayes to match the equivalent already existing in Uxbridge.
• The restoration of the grants to Healthy Hillingdon, the Law Centre and the Race Equality Council.
• The prevention of cuts to the School Uniform Grant
• The prevention of the closure of Cwm Pennant.
• The prevention of the closure of Southlands arts centre
• The restoration of Educational Psychologists posts
• The addition of new Planning enforcement officers
We would have funded these proposals by freezing members allowances for one year, reducing the bureaucracy in the civic centre by removing the newly created post of Deputy Chief Executive. A further saving would have been made by not funding the extra administrative support posts for members of the cabinet. We would also prefer to see extra advertising to pay for improvements in Hillingdon People magazine rather than see council taxpayer’s money being used instead. Remember the Tories almost bankrupting the council in 2000, and being rate-capped in the past, you can’t rely on the Tories with your money.
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - February 2007
Hospital visiting can be an emotional and trying time for loved ones, patients, families and friends. When more than one close family relative is hospitalised the trauma increases. The NHS has come in for much criticism in recent times. Personally speaking on recent visits to several hospitals, there seems to be many differing scenarios and standards of care.
It’s lamentable that the passing of our community health councils leaves us ever more vulnerable and less able to redress when necessary, the shortfall in standards much desired in hospitals. Even when there is high demand for beds, hospitals and social services departments struggle to get their act together to ease the pressure on relatives ready to go home and patients waiting to be admitted.
When bereavement occurs, families often struggle with the grief and loss of a loved one and it seems almost churlish to be thinking about standards of care and making complaints. Who notices how long it takes to be placed in a ward after an operation? Who is too worried about the consequences of complaining for patients? Who notices how many times a telephone goes unanswered? Who feels able to cope with a loss let alone making a formal complaint?
Many families express their gratitude over the excellent service they receive from the NHS and rightly so. If you have experienced similar issues to those described I would be pleased to hear from you. Please write to me at the Labour Group Offices, Civic Centre, Uxbridge UB8 1UW or by email to away@hillingdon.gov.uk I will be pleased to hear from you.
Councillor Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - November 2006
Readers will be familiar with the phrase “Society will be judged by how it cares for those in the greatest need”
The Conservatives in Hillingdon won outright control of the Council in May thus ending a so called unofficial pact with the Liberal Democrats who had kept a Conservative minority administration in power for the previous eight years.
Such dereliction of their duties led to an electoral meltdown. In a few short months the democratic fabric in Hillingdon has been shredded and the constitution of the Council air brushed into oblivion. Established priorities have vanished along with control.
One of the most important departments within the Local Education Authority is the Education Psychology service. The Conservative Cabinet has made savage cuts to this department and the staff have become demoralised and driven to seek employment elsewhere.
The Conservative’s reaction to this is just to brush it off by saying that School can “buy–in” an educational psychology service from external sources. The big problem here is that it becomes yet a further strain on individual school budgets and the psychologists that are “brought in”, lack the local knowledge, and specific issues and needs of children in Hillingdon’s schools.
Cases are being reported where children have been waiting for anything up to 11 months for their SEN needs to be assessed and statemented. This is clearly an unacceptable situation and one that would indicate the need to invest more funds into the service, rather than make such savage cuts.
At a recent executive scrutiny meeting Cllr David Simmonds, the Conservative Cabinet member for Education & Children’s Services, quite smugly announced that no child in Hillingdon was waiting to be statemented. I am sure this cannot be true.
In June a Cabinet meeting (all Conservative) decided that Social Services user’s eligibility for services would change, so that only the two top bands of “critical” and “substantial” would in future be guaranteed receipt of services.
Others, in some of the most need in our communities, will have to seek services elsewhere. Our Law Centre and Race Equality Council have had their Council grant cut by 100%.
If you are currently experiencing problems with SEN statementing or eligibility for Social Services, then please contact me at away@hillingdon.gov.uk or by telephone on 01895 250780. We will assist in any way we can.
Councillor Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - October 2006
Residents oppose Sainsbury's expansion, but will anyone listen?
Recently there has been massive opposition to out of town retail developments - Tesco at Yiewsley, IKEA at the Masterbrewer site - the latest appears to be Sainsbury' s proposals at South Ruislip.
I attended the North Planning Committee on Tuesday last week, where the planning application for a massive extension to Sainsbury's supermarket at South Ruislip was debated. What beggar's belief is that a fifty percent increase in the size of the supermarket only produces an extra ten parking spaces, together with the loss of the Public, Council owned car park.
As I no longer have the right to speak at meetings, I listened very carefully to the debate. I heard Steve Panayi speak as lead petitioner, having collected over a thousand signatures in a few days, in opposition to the proposals. I heard a gentleman from South Ruislip Residents Association outline their opposition to the proposals. Local concerns were expressed very eloquently and there can be no doubt over how strong local opinion is against this expansion.
I heard the three Tory ward councillors speak in support of the petitioners and against the planning application. I heard the Labour members on the committee move the rejection of the application on grounds of being contrary to council policies to prevent detriment of local businesses and shopping centres.
I then witnessed with some surprise the Tory Councillors on the committee vote down these efforts to support local residents and shopkeepers, and defer a final decision until after a site visit has taken place, to take a closer look at the traffic congestion, the loss of public car parking, and probable deleterious effect that such a huge expansion would cause.
South Ruislip Library is to be replaced on the supermarket site, however at exactly the same size as the existing one? Yet again it would appear that Officers suggest approval of these recommendations on the basis that the proposed store extension would benefit the vitality and viability of South Ruislip Town Centre.
It comes as no surprise that the Tory Cabinet have yet to approve the sale of Council owned public car park to make way for the new development. It is not too late to stop the sale of the car park and the extension of the supermarket. Please write to me with your views at the Labour Group Office, Civic Centre Uxbridge UB8 1UW or away@hillingdon.gov.uk
Councillor Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - September 2006
Claim Now For Fuel Payments Before Christmas
The Summer months have flown by and I want to make sure those who are entitled to receive either a £200 or £300 fuel payment get their application in as soon as possible to guarantee help with their bills this side of Christmas.
In some years up to three times as many older people have died during the winter months in Britain, than in countries like Sweden, where the weather is significantly colder.
Residents should not need to apply for the Winter Fuel Payment if they have received it previously, or are already claiming State Pension or another social security benefit (other than Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Child Benefit). The government has said that new applications received by 22nd September will ensure payment before Christmas.
Those who haven't received a Winter Fuel Payment before, or who are not in receipt of a relevant social security benefit in the qualifying week, will need to make a claim. The deadline for all claims for Winter Fuel Payment in 2006/07 is 30th March 2007.
The Winter Fuel Payment is something the Labour government fought hard to deliver and I firmly believe no one should have to worry about how to heat their homes during winter. This year over 11 million people aged 60 and over stand to be entitled to help with their heating bills – I’m determined residents in Hillingdon should not lose out.
1. Anyone aged 60 or over on or before 24 September 2006 may qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment of £200 per household. Households with someone aged 80 or over could get a payment of £300. The Winter Fuel Payments do not count as qualifying income for means-tested benefits.
2. Eligible people who will receive their Winter Fuel Payment automatically include:
a) those who received a payment last year and whose circumstances have not changed.
b) those who have never received a Winter Fuel Payment before but will receive a State Pension or other social security benefit (but not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Child Benefit) in the qualifying week 18-24 September 2006
3. Those people who are newly eligible and who need to claim, and have not already received a claim form, can get one by visiting the Winter Fuel Payment website - http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/winterfuel,
by calling the helpline on 08459 15 15 15 (0845 601 5613 for textphone users). For Further information: Please contact me via 01895-250780 or away@hillingdon.gov.uk or Hillingdon Age Concern, 01895 431331
Councillor Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - July 2006
Debts are at meltdown level
Will this decade go down as the one where history repeats itself, with the return of spiralling debts and repossessions? For successive years record levels of debt requiring assistance and advice are being recorded. The Citizens Advice Bureau report the total amount of debt in Hillingdon their advisers gave assistance for as £1.617m in 2003-4, £4.085m in 2004-5 and £9.009m in 2005-6, which are way ahead of government statistics for average household debt. Much of this has been due to large amounts of overpaid tax credits to people in work who are on low incomes, which are now being recovered by Inland Revenue/ Customs.
The other very worrying trend is the huge amounts of credit on offer from large financial institutions that fail to assess the ability to repay these loans. An example is where credit is available at very high levels of APR interest rate. Take your pick of high street names operating this particular sales technique. Added to this is the rise in debt collection agencies profiting from local authorities and housing associations selling their registers of debt write *offs.
When all of these ingredients are put together you get a financial melt down. What is to be done? As a community we must all play a part in an organised response to this crisis. It is good news that the main political parties recognise the severity they are faced with and are working together on solutions. Its also good news that the Citizens Advice Bureau now offers a bespoke debt advice service for Council tenants with rent arrears.
Communities can work together by supporting Credit Unions to encourage thrift, saving and sensible borrowing. Collectively we must do more in terms of lobbying for more resources via the Council, the legal service partnership, advice forum, and the voluntary sector to address this huge problem, before history pronounces judgement with those chilling words, “too late”.
Please write to me with your views on debt advice at the Labour Group Office, Civic Centre, Uxbridge UB8 1UW.
Useful websites include; hillingdoncab.org.uk, creditunionsolutions.co.uk, cccs.co.uk, and Hillingdonlabour.org
Councillor Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - June 2006
Council must improve on Planning Enforcement.
During the local elections it became very clear to me that one of the key issues for local people was the lack of any planning enforcement, and the improper use of residential premises for business purposes. Numerous examples of the flagrant disregard of planning requirements can be seen in many parts, if not across the whole borough. On many occasions residents were informing us that their concerns had been reported but the reason given for inaction was lack of staff to investigate their concerns. It appears to me that one of the problem areas is the inability to recruit and retain staff in an already depleted service.
I am aware that officers have a difficult job to do in this area, and establishing a forum for residents associations to meet regularly with planners is to be welcomed. The feedback I have received is that there is a huge backlog of enforcement issues without much of a plan to start addressing the problems in a meaningful way. As Leader of the Opposition in Hillingdon, I chair the Executive Scrutiny Committee. I want to examine this matter and hope to persuade the Conservative administration to take a serious look at this through the scrutiny process.
As a Planning Authority a duty exists to ensure proper enforcement of both current planning agreements and lack of planning permission is acted on quickly and robustly. People who abuse the system and show scant regard and contempt for the consequences of their actions on the lives of their immediate neighbours should be warned in no uncertain terms that acting in this manner will not be tolerated.
Some may see this approach as Big Brother, however if you live next to an illegal extension, or a building dominating a back garden or a business being conducted from a house you may feel as though you live on an industrial estate. If you have experienced similar problems and have received little support please write to me at away@hillingdon.gov.uk or at the Labour Group Office, Civic Centre Uxbridge UB8 1UW. Time for proper enforcement!
Councillor Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon
Cllr Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
Leader's Blog - May 2006
At the Council AGM last Thursday the Tories made wide ranging changes to the Councils constitution. In essence the opposition has been denied the right to speak at cabinet and speaking rights at other meetings were severely curtailed. Given the electoral gains they made on 5th May I am saddened and disappointed that the Tories sank to such undemocratic manipulation and downright butchery of the council's constitution.
I welcome the setting up of the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee, but this should not be at the expense of the democratic voice at Cabinet or committee. Proper debate should precede call in as part of the process. The Cabinet meeting is held in the public domain and the public have every right to expect that the people making decisions should be questioned openly, there and then. Standards of democracy that we have a right to expect have been dispensed with. It is a bad day for democracy when you have to resort to such tactics. The people of Hillingdon deserve better. The Tories don't accept that proper scrutiny is in fact healthy democracy.
The local election results were bad for Labour with some traditional supporters finding it difficult to back the party. This was because prior to polling day the competence of the government was questioned with the recent events at the home office, party funding and the like. Much of which, I find indefensible.
Whilst I applaud and agree with much of what the government has done and sets out to do from a socialist perspective, I also agree that the competence of the government has been rightly questioned.
In my opinion Tony Blair must signal his intention to step aside within a timescale that will allow his successor to change the direction of government based on a renewed party in touch with its core values of liberty, equality and solidarity.
As a consequence the people of Hillingdon voted on national issues and because the names Blair, Clarke and Prescott were not to be found on any ballot paper in Hillingdon nine local Labour Councillors lost their seats.
Collectively, they had served this borough for eighty-seven years. Peter Ryerson had served unstintingly for 18 years, Marion Way my wife partner and soul mate, 16 years, Dave Horne twelve Tony Burles eight and Mike Usher our former leader, nine years service. I pay tribute to their dedication to the people of Hillingdon. Unfortunately these councillors lost their seats not because they didn't work hard for the people of Hillingdon but because during the election many local issues got lost and forgotten due to the focus on national issues.
For example, after eight years of a Tory administration all this so-called prosperous borough could manage was to drag itself up from one star to a two star rating, The difference in the roads budget for the North of the Borough to the South. A Zero enforcement, planning authority. New members should ask for examples on their induction tour. I could go on!
The Labour Group will be an effective, strong and responsible opposition. Even if our ability to speak is fettered we will still expose the Tory administration's weaknesses and put forward constructive alternatives. We will speak out when it is out of touch with people's real needs and when political dogma gets in the way.
One of the worst things to come from this election was that candidates of all parties were shocked to see the rise in votes for the far right who fortunately failed yet again to secure a seat in Hillingdon. However, we now face the realization that a quarter of London voters are no longer ashamed to admit that they might cast a vote for bigotry.
All three main parties pledged to campaign on core issues and not to raise asylum. Yet conservatives in Cavendish could not stop themselves from asking people to remember before they vote that only a strong conservative council would tackle the government on unpaid asylum seeker bills.
I understood Ray Puddifoot to be a man of his word and believe that still is the case. I have worked with Tory councillors in scrutiny where politics were parked at the door in order to get on with business. So, who was responsible for playing the race card? It's just not good enough to complain that the far right are increasing their share of votes whilst appearing to peddle softer versions of the same sort of message themselves. I hope who ever was responsible can sleep at night and the seeds they have sown do not back fire, for the sake of all the residents of Hillingdon. I hope that all the hard work we have jointly carried out in community safety does not become unravelled because of some members of your party used bigotry and scare tactics for their own end.
Was it because they didn't think they would win if they only campaigned on the legitimate issues that affected us locally?
A heartfelt thanks to you all who voted for us and continue put their trust and confidence in Labour. Our work goes on through our surgeries, casework and where permissible under the new constitution through what should be a democratic transparent committee system. When you have problems with Hillingdons Tory Controlled Council, please don't hesitate to contact me via away@hillingdon.gov.uk. Our website is www.hillingdonlabour.org and is well worth a visit.
Councillor Anthony Way
Leader of the Labour Group
London Borough of Hillingdon