There’s nothing in this paper on community safety that we disagree on. The Council’s plans basically mirror the proposals put forward by the Mayor of London in his recent consultation on public access to the Met police services – which may I say the Council promoted very poorly – but don’t get me started on…
Brexit, conference and Chestnut Avenue: My Ward Report September 2017
In my first report since June when I covered the GE2017, I will focus on 3 topics (so not an exhaustive report of all activities!) The selection of Furzedown ward council candidates. I was very honoured to have been automatically reselected as a Furzedown ward Council candidate and I am very grateful to everyone who…
A big day for May in Florence: “No deal would be a very bad deal for Britain”
Today Theresa May will make an important speech in Florence which, if she’s serious about getting what she describes as a “good deal for the UK”, will finally outline a grown-up and positive negotiating position on Brexit. Six months after Article 50 was triggered, we still have no clear idea what May’s position on Brexit…
Everything you need to know about why Chestnut Avenue should not be chopped down…
Please take a look at this short film, featuring interviews with Rosena Allin-Khan MP, Cllr Fleur Anderson and me, where we answer all the questions you may have about why cutting down this avenue of beautiful trees is a very bad idea. https://www.pscp.tv/johndphoto/1YqKDRyEYNzJV?t=7s And here’s how BBC London News covered the story.
Showing leadership on tackling funeral poverty
Last year, the amount owed by people who could not afford to pay for their funerals in the UK was £147m, rising this year to an estimated £160m. Of those unable to pay for their funerals, an average of £1,318 was owed in 2016, rising to £1,601 last year. Funerals are expensive. The average cost…
Thank you, Furzedown ward, for selecting me!
Last week, Furzedown Labour Ward members voted to automatically reselect me as one of their three candidates at the next local elections, and I was touched and honoured that they did. Thank you! I believe that good local councillors should work to build communities and empower their residents, which is why I have organised many…
Furzedown will select its councillor candidates on September 9
Furzedown Ward’s councillor selection meeting will take place at 10am on September 9th. At the meeting Labour members will vote for three candidates to stand for Labour in the local elections next May 2018 to represent them locally for the next four years. Members will hear a short statement from each candidate and listen to…
Crowdfunding for art in Furzedown
Sometime in November 2012, I was walking my children to school and noticed that a sign had been affixed to a tree on the Furzedown Rec stating that the tree had a root fungus and would need to come down. It was such a beautiful tree, perhaps the loveliest of all the trees on the…
3 years on, socialism has grown, but so have foodbank numbers..
When I gave my maiden speech at Wandsworth Council in July 2014, I did something that the majority party clearly found rather shocking. After my speech, rather than clap, as is convention following every maiden speech, a slightly startled mayor, Cllr Stuart Thom, remarked that it had “been a long time since we’ve heard the…
Thanks to the address I found among the rubbish, flytipper faces prosecution
I am pleased to report that the flytip evidence I found in an appalling pile of builder’s rubbish on Tooting Common may lead to a hefty fine. Although the flytip was discovered on Tooting Common, in Wandsworth, because the waste originated from an address in Lambeth only Lambeth can prosecute this offence. Wandsworth is…
New street market opens with a promise to help the people of Tooting
This weekend will see the formal launch of a new street market in Tooting, aimed at helping first-time stall-holders, benefit recipients and local residents. Tooting Gala Market, which will be opening this Saturday, July 1, between Gala Bingo and Sainsbury’s, will have 20 stalls selling food, fashion, craft items and art. The market manager, Nigel McCann,…
My Furzedown ward report June 2017 “an election special”!
In Tooting, 34,694 people voted Labour at GE2017, up 12.4%, arguably making the seat “safe” where before it was “marginal”. Furzedown played a significant part in this stunning success. What we achieved here is already being referred to as “the Furzedown Effect”. The data is currently being crunched but suffice to say Furzedown had outstanding…
Wandsworth Labour 