Fulham Chronicle successful conversion to free format

A growing number of residents are telling us during our weekend canvassing trips how pleased they are with the quality of the now free Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle. The newspaper is now delivered free to residents on a weekly basis since mid-January, after a 120 history as a paid-for newspaper, and every indication is that the change has been a big success.

There have been a number of local scoops in the past few months that would have gone previously unnoticed but are now regular talking points for local residents. We suggest not shoving the paper straight into the recycling bin along with pizza leaflets and speculative letters from estate agents-- it is well worth a weekly glance. Alternatively, you can read the paper online at: http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/

Match Day Parking Mayhem

Over the past few days, the North End Labour team wrote and delivered the following letter to residents in the south-east of the ward. It sums up the type of local campaigns we are running now and we will continue to run once elected:

Match Day Parking Mayhem

Over the past year, we have been talking to residents in your area about local concerns and issues. We are writing to highlight one problem that you raised and that we want to solve.

What you said:

On Bramber Road, Chesson Road, Archel Road and Turneville Road, you have told us that the volume of cars on Chelsea match days causes a major local headache. Parking restrictions closer to Stamford Bridge are forcing cars further north, which is still only a brisk ten minute walk from the ground.

Residents tell us they have been complaining about this issue for years but nothing has improved, despite a public consultation held almost two years ago. Chesson Road resident Elaine Blagrove told us, "As a Blue Badge holder, I am extremely angry and deeply upset at not being able to park on our road or the surrounding roads due the the influx of football fans on Chelsea match days".

What we have done:

The Labour Action Team raised this issue with other Labour supporters, and it has now been included in the local party manifesto. If elected, we promise to launch a review of parking regulations on Chelsea match days with the specific aim of helping local residents. This will consider how to implement targeted parking restrictions that will make it easier for you and your visitors to park on match days and evenings. The three of us see this as a matter of urgency and not one that should be allowed to drag on for years.

We feel that this is exactly the type of issue your councillors should be tackling if they truly want to ‘put residents first’. We hope you will give us the chance to turn this promise into reality by supporting Labour in the local elections on 6 May.

Kind regards,

Max, Matt and Daryl

Neglect in Cheeseman's Terrace

The North End Labour Action Team came across this sight when conducting a street surgery recently on Cheeseman's Terrace.

What is supposed to be a communal park, children's playground and recreational area is more like a dumping ground. Rubbish remains uncollected and the drains are blocked, leading to stinking water collecting and covering a large area.

Residents say that the problem is caused by both broken security gates, which are meant to restrict access to the park to residents, and by the service gate being left open by refuse collection vehicles. Perhaps most inconsiderately of all, vehicles also appear to have simply driven onto and ruined the grass, which is supposed to be an area for kids to play in!

The playground facilities also remain in a state of distress. Local residents told the Labour Action Team they were disgusted and did not feel safe letting their children play there.

What is the Tory Council playing at? We know they have plans to demolish estates across the borough, but there is no reason to treat properties that they are responsible for so poorly.

Talgarth Parking Ban Continues

A number of residents of Talgarth Road have recently expressed their anger to us regarding the Council's failure to convince TfL to lift the street's parking ban.

Since April 2008, parking along the south of Talgarth Road has been severely restricted due to TfL concerns over the integrity of the road . When the ban was first introduced, the Tory Councillor responsible for streets in the borough, Nick Botterill, feigned outrage and said the Council would be "doing everything we can to put pressure on TfL to reconsider this course of action." Almost two years later, the problem remains.

In fact, after Boris won control of TfL in May 2008, the Tory council went strangely quiet on the issue. A H&F news story in May 2009 found Mr Botterill much calmer, saying the Tory Council "understand TfL’s concerns over the parking bays on Talgarth Road and are calling for them to reach a solution to the problem as quickly as possible." Yet, again, another year after this, the problem remains and TfL has not even yet launched a long-promised public consultation.

The local Labour Action Team is worried that the Tory Council is unwilling to effectively challenge Boris' TFL over an important local issue. If elected, North End Labour councillors are committed to standing up for local residents to the Council, the London Mayor and the Government, no matter what party is in power.

Neglect in North End Neighbourhoods

Hammersmith & Fulham Conservatives may be trying to deny what local residents know to be true - the planned demolition of people's homes in 2012 - but our local canvassing work has revealed that the Tories are doing themselves no favours in the run up to that date.

These pictures show the shocking state of neglect in some of the social housing blocks in our Ward.

North End Labour Action Team, Daryl Brown, Max Schmid and Matt Turmaine were canvassing in late December at Lickey House and Desborough House on the West Kensington Estate. At the top of the block and on the stairwells, the Council's lack of care or effort is evident; as rust-riddled infrastructure and stairs that look like they've not been cleaned for months have to be endured by local residents.

Daryl (pictured above) commented: 'It's a disgrace. Why isn't the Council keeping these areas clean and tidy? These flats are people's homes. Just because they're planning to knock them down shouldn't mean residents can't expect cleanliness in the meantime.'

The Tories may try to deny their plans for social housing in the area but their unwillingness to spend

any money keeping standards even vaguely acceptable suggests that in practice they've given up trying to pretend.

Tenants aim to buy homes to prevent demolition

This week, council tenants and lease holders from the West Ken and Gibbs Green estates served notice to quit the Tory Council landlord, who is aiming to demolish their homes despite the opposition of a least 80% of residents.

Andy Slaughter MP has handed copies of the notice to the Secretary of State, John Denham, to request him to make regulations to allow the transfer of land to take place. Residents believe that this is the only way to prevent a consortium of big business interests, including the Council, intent on destroying their homes to build office blocks and expensive accommodation.

Andy said, "The Tory council said it didn't want these residents living in the borough and that their neighbourhood was 'not decent'. By serving this notice, the residents intend to take charge of their own homes and estates which they will no doubt manage far more competently and compassionately than their Tory Landlords."

Matt Turmaine, a member of the local Labour Action Team, added: "The residents of these estates, and most people in the wider area, don't want this demolition. It will create one of the biggest construction sites in the UK, and this Tory Council has a poor record making big projects work for local areas.

"This action by residents is a positive development, and we will do everything we can to support it."

More H&F Stealth Tax Shame

Usually, you want to hear that your Council is in the top ten of something... but not always. The Daily Telegraph has exposed Hammersmith and Fulham Conservatives for having some of the worst parking stealth taxes in the country.

In 2007, H&F Conservatives helped get parking fines raised by 50%. They then added an extra £500,000 cash target for wardens to generate through new parking fines. Now, as the Telegraph points out, Hammersmith and Fulham is amongst the “10 councils who have raked in the most in fines per head of population” in the UK.