We all hate potholes. They're extremely hazardous to cyclists and motorbikes, damage cars and make our roads look ugly. Bizarrely, they also seem to have replaced kissing babies as the 21st century politician's photo-opportunity of choice, as the very funny ‘Glum Councillors’ website shows…
So it is with a sense of foreboding that I launch my own 'fix our potholes' campaign.
The fact is they cause accidents and damage cars. Which is why I'm disappointed Wandsworth Council seems to be doing so little to deal with the enormous number that have appeared on our streets in recent months.
The Council will try and fob residents off, telling us it's a national problem caused by the extended cold spell we've had, but the reality is that for years we have suffered the consequences of Wandsworth Council not maintaining our roads and pavements properly. Indeed recently the Evening Standard reported that Wandsworth had the second highest number of pot holes in the whole of London, and that just 1 in 3 get fixed.
It’s time to show Wandsworth just how poorly they’re maintaining our roads, and get them to do something about it.
Forwardthis email on to your friends and neighbours in the area.
Send me your details if you wish to be included in any representations I make to Wandsworth Council.
Hopefully with enough evidence out there, we can embarrass them into taking some action and providing us with well maintained and safer roads.
MPs pay
Yesterday morning’s papers had a fair bit of coverage on the 1.5% pay rise that has been recommended for MPs by the Senior Salary Review Body.
Like last year, I won’t be accepting this pay-rise, or an increase in my Ministerial salary.
At a time when many people in Tooting and throughout the country are having to accept pay freezes I don’t think it’s appropriate for MPs to accept a pay-rise.
As a collective MPs need to rebuild trust in the political system, and cut the cost of ‘doing politics’ – I don’t think accepting a pay-rise at this moment in time would aid these causes at all.
I’m in an upbeat mood this afternoon. There was good news on the economy this morning, which showed that the economy actually grew more than originally thought at the end of last year, spring is in the air (well, it’s sunny at least…) and I’ve had a really productive day in the constituency, aided in large part by the excellent people at Eaga/Warm Front. Warm Front Event
This morning I held my fourth annual Warm Front event at St John The Divine Church in Garratt Lane. Since I was elected I have been working closely with the scheme managers of the Warm Front Scheme, Eaga, to tackle fuel poverty in Tooting and ensure that older residents are getting their full benefit entitlement – and it’s been amazing to see the difference we’ve made over the years to so many lives.
To date almost £1 million has been invested by Warm Front in Tooting, with nearly 1000 households receiving grants for insultation, new boilers and other improvements. Many of those who have benefited from the Scheme are reporting average households savings of almost £200 a year. (Read more about it all here)
The benefit entitlement checks taken have also led to an average income rise of nearly £1,300 per constituent.
This is work that has made a real difference to the quality of life for thousands of Tooting’s residents, and something I’m incredibly proud.
Visitors to the event were also able to access advice and services from the local Safer Neighbourhood Team, Community Safety Team, Wandsworth & Merton Law Centre and the Furzedown Project amongst other groups.
I enjoyed myself very much and received lots of positive feedback (and I was able to enjoy a nice cup of tea with lots of local residents!).
Northern Lineupdate
First of all, for all those travelling on the tube this weekend, please be aware Tooting Broadway is closed on Sunday, and there are further closures affecting the rest of the tube network all weekend.
We’ve seen some big improvements to the Northern Line in recent years, but I fear the recent announcement on engineering works by Transport for London will lead us back to the days of it being dubbed the ‘Misery Line’.
Tube Lines, the firm in charge of the Northern Line upgrades, have doubled their original requests for weekend closures on the line and have announced that it wants to close certain stations early on weeknights. Their current plan is to close the line north of Kennington from 10pm for 16 months from July and during most weekends for 20 months starting in March.
I know that these upgrades will be an inconvenience. The Northern Line is one of the busiest tube lines on the London Underground with 840,000 people using the service on weekdays. That’s why I met with the Managing Director of London Underground recently, and will continue to try and get a deal which causes the minimum disruption possible for local residents.
There is of course a long-term benefit to these signalling upgrade works. They will improve the track and signalling systems, cutting journey times and allowing 20% more trains to run in rush-hour. So whilst many of us will be frustrated during these upgrades, the end of the ‘Misery Line’ could well be in sight!
I will continue to press Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport for London to ensure that adequate transport arrangements are made throughout the closures, to ensure that Tooting keeps moving and you are inconvenienced little as possible.
We're currently between votes on
the government’s Constitutional Reform Bill, which will guarantee a
referendum on a new voting system for MPs early in the next parliament.
Last
week I talked about the lack of trust in politics, and the measures the
government was taking to help clean politics up and make politicians
more accountable to you, the people we serve. One of the biggest
challenges we face is increasing interest in politics, and voter
turnout – the introduction of a proportional voting system for Members
of Parliament could be one way of achieving this. That is why I voted
for a Clause to hold a referendum early in the next Parliament on
whether to move to the Alternative Vote in elections to the House of
Commons.
I've had a really great
evening with many members of our local community in the House of
Commons, where we found out from Douglas Alexander, the International
Development Secretary, some of the things we (the government) are doing
to reduce poverty around the world.
Not only was Committee
Room 15 packed out (with some standing and others sitting on floor due
to numbers!) but the quality of discussion was top draw. It is really
important that politicians are accessible to citizens and tonight was
another opportunity of local residents asking searching questions of
Ministers.
I have held many such events over the last 5 years
and will continue to do so in the future. Let me know if there is any
particular area YOU are interested in. The meeting was ended with some
much needed money being raised for Oxfam for the people of Haiti.
There have been a lot of worried people contacting me about a supposed threat to Freedom Pass funding in London.
First of all I’d like to assure you in no uncertain terms that the Freedom Pass is not under threat. Anyone who says otherwise is being deliberately misleading. I am afraid reckless electioneering has already begun and many vulnerable residents are being scared as a consequence.
It may help if I explain the situation in more detail:
I realise many of you have already donated to the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal, but if you haven't, please do.
Examples of what donations will go to include: • £25 for a kit of household essentials. • £50 for a food pack to feed a family for a fortnight. • £100 to provide temporary shelter for two families.
To make a donation to the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal visit
www.dec.org.uk or call 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any
post office or high street bank, or send a cheque made payable to ‘DEC
Haiti Earthquake Appeal’ to ‘PO Box 999, London, EC3A 3AA’ or text GIVE
to 70077 to donate £5. £5 goes to DEC. You pay £5 plus standard network
SMS rate.
Anyone wanting to stay up to date with developments in Haiti, the
emergency response and the fundraising efforts visit www.dec.org.uk or follow the DEC on
twitter at http://twitter.com/decappeal
A number of local residents have contacted me recently regarding the future of the freedom passes.
My letter to the Wandsworth Guardian, which was printed yesterday, outlines the truth of the situation (freedom passes are fully funded and not under threat!). If you have any questions about this please get in touch here.
I'm recruiting a part-time parliamentary assistant (details below).
If you think you've got what it takes send in your CV and covering letter by noon on Monday 14th December (and not a minute later!).
Parliamentary Assistant (2-3 days per week)
Working
for
Sadiq Khan MP (Tooting)
Salary
Dependent on experience
Details
Sadiq Khan MP is looking for a part-time Parliamentary Assistant to
work out of both his Westminster and constituency office.
Key tasks include:
Carry out research into local, regional and international
issues as required; ensuring the Member is made aware of any relevant
issues.
Respond effectively and courteously to enquiries from constituents, the media, lobbyists and pressure groups.
Undertake research, usually from secondary sources, on complex and difficult subjects.
Prepare reports, briefing notes, articles and press releases for the Member.
Monitor coverage in the media.
Advise the Member on policy issues.
Liaise with local and national bodies, government agencies, lobby groups, etc.
Liaise with the media when necessary.
We would like the successful applicant to be available to work
between two and three days a week (days to be agreed with the
successful candidate).
Closes
The closing date for all applications is noon on Monday 14th December
2009. Interviews will be held on the 16th & 17th December, with the
successful candidate starting as soon as possible.
Contact
Applicants should send a letter of application and a copy of their CV
to: David Parry, Office of Sadiq Khan MP, House of Commons,
Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA or by email to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Hopefully most of you will have now heard the good news, that an interim agreement has been agreed between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
The agreement means that postal workers will work as normal during the Christmas period - something that I am sure will be welcomed across the whole of the country.
Following the recent difficulties that many constituents have been experiencing with postal strikes in Tooting, Streatham and Wandsworth, I've now been given an update from Adam Crozier's office (he is the Chief Executive of Royal Mail) on the current situation.
Royal Mail workers returned to work today in the three local delivery offices, where they are working to clear the backlog of post.
It's estimated that this backlog will take 4-5 days to clear in Streatham, and 3-4 days in both Tooting and Wandsworth. Letters which are posted from today onwards will be delivered as normal, but those caught up in the system will be delivered in date order until the backlog is cleared.
Royal Mail expects the situation to be much better by the weekend, but another strike planned for Saturday means that Delivery offices will again be closed. I want to do everything I can to try to avert another strike happening.
I am meeting with the General Secretary of the Communications Workers Union this week & will put up another posting once I have done so.
I share my constituents' frustration at the inconvenience caused by these strikes, and will keep you updated on any further developments relating to local post.
I have recently been contacted by a large number of my constituents regarding their growing concern at the state of postal services within the constituency, following the numerous postal strikes that have recently taken place.
This issue is affecting people on a number of levels including; delays in getting letters that they have sent to their desired location, delays in receiving important and sometimes time sensitive documentation, non delivery of benefits and in some cases no post at all for the last few weeks. I am personally being affected in my own work, in that my correspondence with and on behalf of constituents is being delayed.
Promoted by D J Bellamy on behalf of Sadiq Khan and Tooting Labour Party, all of 58 Trinity Road, Tooting, SW17 7RH. Hosted by 34SP.com, 349 Bury Old Road, Manchester, M25 1PY
Totally Tooting
Click on the image to read Sadiq's latest Totally Tooting newsletter
