News From Hillingdon Labour Group

Tories Play Cheap Party Politics with Human Traffiking
4th September 2009

At the Full Council meeting held on Thursday 3rd September 2009, Cllr Anita MacDonald (Labour) moved a motion on the very serious issue of Human Trafficking. This is a particularly serious issue for Hillingdon because as a port of entry authority our borough is used to traffic women into this country via Heathrow, who then find themselves forced into prostitution.

Cllr MacDonald set the scene by giving a true life scenario, where a few years ago a group of women were delighted to discover they had applied for and been successful at securing employment as cleaners for a major London football club. They arrived at the airport and were duly sent to their new place of employment, to begin a new life. The cleaning jobs were, however, a cover. They did not truly exist, but once in the hold of the traffickers the women were placed into the sex industry and their families threatened.

In her speech Cllr MacDonald explained that the issue of Human Trafficking in general was a growing problem with Leek farming in Wales and Cockle Picking in Morecombe being amongst the areas targeted by traffickers, but most of the Women who are trafficked into London are used in the Sex Industry, where four out of five women working in brothels are foreign nationals.

Cllr MacDonald went on to explain how other authorities are tackling this issue and taking steps to prosecute the punters and giving them the choice of either going to court and getting their names in the paper or attending a one day course on the realities of prostitution and its links to trafficking.

During her impassioned speech Cllr MacDonald mentioned the adverts that appear in local newspapers for personal services and the work that one of the publishing companies (Trinity Mirror Group) are doing to tackle those adverts. She then went on to highlight the action that the council could take in order to maintain pressure on all local and free newspapers to act responsibly. Her speech also called for Council staff and elected Councillors to receive all the appropriate training in this field and for Hillingdon to provide greater support for the trafficked women who may find themselves in the borough.

Although this is an issue that should rise above a party political scrum, the ruling Conservative group on Hillingdon Council decided to hijack the debate for cheap party political point scoring. Cllr Simmonds, the Conservative Cabinet Member for Education & Children’s Services, stated that the Conservative group agreed with the sentiment of the motion but they would not be supporting it because of the way the Government had dealt with other funding issues. This resulted in the motion being lost on purely party political reasons.

After the meeting Cllr MacDonald said “It is a complete travesty that such an important issue of real human misery and suffering has become a victim of a cheap political game by the Conservative administration.”

Cllr Mo Khursheed, Leader of the Labour Group, added “This is a motion about an issue that should be above party politics and it is regrettable that the Conservative group brought party politics into this. They said that they agreed with the sentiments of the motion, but would not support it because of a completely different dispute with the Labour Government. Surely this is an issue that is of such humanitarian importance that if they agreed with the sentiments, they should have voted in favour of the motion and actually committed the Council to take some action. It is very sad that even with issues as important as these, the Conservative group only want to use the debate in order to criticise the Government.”

Labour Group Leadership
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.

 

 

Another Fatal Blow for Democracy in Hillingdon
3rd February 2009

Chairman & Vice Chairman of Executive Scrutiny resign over Leader’s Contempt for the constitutional role of Scrutiny.

Democracy has been dying in Hillingdon for some time, but at the Cabinet Meeting on Thursday 22nd January 2009 it was given a further fatal blow by the Leader of the council, Cllr Ray Puddifoot.

A controversial Cabinet report recommending the merger or the Cabinet office and the Executive Scrutiny Service was given approval by the Cabinet. Councillors from both the Labour & Conservative group have expressed concerns regarding this as it would adversely impact on the scrutiny function and effectively give the Leader and his Cabinet a blank cheque to do what they like without having to answer or account for their actions.

The Executive Scrutiny Committee is Chaired by the Leader of the Opposition and has the right to call in any Cabinet decisions and hold the Leader and his Cabinet to account, however, at the Cabinet meeting Cllr Puddifoot advised the Executive Scrutiny Committee not to “waste their time” in calling this item in as he would “proceed with the report as per the recommendations”.

The Executive Scrutiny Committee, made up of 4 Conservative and 2 Labour Councillors, met after the Cabinet Meeting and requested that the Chair, Cllr Anthony Way (Leader of the Labour Group) write to Cllr Puddifoot (Leader of the Council) and express their views.

The Committee’s main concerns are that Cllr Puddifoot’s statement showed a blatant disregard and contempt for the constitutional role of the Executive Scrutiny Committee and that such contempt could bring the role of Leader of the Council into disrepute. The Committee also felt that the merger of the Cabinet Office and Scrutiny functions could lead to scrutiny being compromised, and also may prove contrary to the 2000 Local Government Act that specifies that these two functions should be separate.

Both The Chairman & Vice Chairman of the Executive Scrutiny Committee, feel so strongly about this latest attack on Democracy and openness with regard to the decisions and actions of the Cabinet led by Cllr Puddifoot that they have resigned from the Committee.

Cllr Mo Khursheed, Vice Chair & Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, said “This is the final straw, every time we try to do our job in holding the Leader & his Cabinet to account, they at best ignore us but now the Leader is telling us not to waste our time because he will just carry on regardless. This is arrogance beyond belief.”

Cllr Anthony Way, Chair & Leader of the Labour Group, added “Cllr Puddifoot’s statement and his determination to push the merger of the Cabinet and Scrutiny functions through not only shows complete and utter contempt for the Executive Scrutiny Committee but it also shows an arrogance and contempt for the views of his own back bench councillors and more importantly the electorate.

For some time now we have thought that the way Scrutiny is treated in Hillingdon is questionable, and now it has disintegrated further. The Vice Chair and I can no longer continue to allow the Leader of the Council to play lip-service to Scrutiny and open Government by playing along with this farce and as such we have resigned from the Committee.”

Cllr Way has sent a letter of resignation, outlining the Committee’s concerns to The Leader of the Council, which he has also sent to the Chairman of the Standards Committee, The Centre for Public Scrutiny and The Audit Commission.

PRESS RELEASE
From Cllr Janet Gardner – London Borough of
Hillingdon’s Domestic Violence Advocate
December 2008

The Festive season is, for many of us, a time of family happiness, tinsel, lights, decorations, presents, and over indulgence.

However it is also the time of year when incidents of Domestic Violence rise. Labour Councillor Janet Gardner urges anyone who has a friend/neighbour or family member who they suspect is a victim of this CRIME, to ring the Police if they think the victim is in need of help.

Many victims of Domestic Violence dread this time of year when they know their partners alcohol consumption goes up, arguments start and they fear for their lives.

If you see unexplained bruises or hear shouting, screaming, cries for help from friends, neighbours or family members and think it isn’t your concern, IT IS. Please DON’T IGNORE IT – REPORT IT.

It is a problem that will only be eradicated when, as a society, we acknowledge that we all should help those subjected to violence and abuse. Please, please remember that children who witness or hear violence in the home are also the victims and need our help and support.

FACT: 2 women a week are killed by their partners because people have just looked the other way and decided not to get involved.

• The Council has provisions in place for helping victims fleeing violence. 01895 250111 (24 hours a day)

• There is the Sanctuary Scheme which helps victims stay in their home by installing a ‘safe’ room.

• There is a support service 01895 457421 and much more.
.
If you are a victim and in fear of violence then call the POLICE on 999 - don’t wait and hope it won’t happen.

Victims/friends of victims/concerned neighbours can call the Community Safety Team at West Drayton Police Station on 0208 246 1766 who will provide you with help and advice.

THINK OF OTHERS NOT AS FORTUNATE AS YOURSELF and do all you can to help...

 

Botwell Green Leisure Centre
20th November 2008

At the Central and South Planning Committee meeting on 25 November 2008, the Tory Council is putting forward new plans to add a gymnasium and additional parking to the already crowded development of a swimming pool, library, sports hall, café and one-stop shop on Botwell Green. The new application includes a gymnasium of about 10,000 square feet, three retail shops and a car park next to East Avenue for some thirty cars.

The last revised application is so rushed that there has been no time for consultation with residents. This is quite clearly scandalous. The gymnasium seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to the dispute with Swallows Gymnasium in South Ruislip. The Conservatives are running scared and are seeking to provide an alterative. That alternative is at a cost of about £2 million plus the on-going costs associated with maintaining the building. The changes mean that the green space and landscaping on East Avenue would become a car park. The lines of lime trees which have so elegantly shaded the park will be cut down and the amount of open space for enjoying the open air is being reduced yet again. The people of Hayes may benefit from the new facilities but even the library will be smaller than the current one. Congestion in the town is bound to worsen.

Cllr Tony Eginton, a Labour ward councillor for Townfield, said “The loss of green space is now of real concern to me, my fellow Councillors and the local MP, John McDonnell. The new building will attract people from the rest of the Borough and from Ealing but no reasonable thought has been to the likely consequences. The car parking will be no more than the current provision and, yet, it is undeniable that there will be more traffic. This will make the Coldharbour Lane/Pump Lane roundabout even more congested. All traffic for the new centre will have to negotiate that junction.

The over-development of the site is being pushed though with no consideration of the effect on local people. It is difficult to know why shops need to be included in the leisure complex and, indeed, why these are a last minute after-thought. The report to the committee is really quite inadequate. Both the advice from the police about security and the report from officers about the roof refers to an earlier version of the application. Local people have not been consulted on these changes which affect them directly.

The sad thing is that what was Botwell Green should now be called Botwell Tarmac.”

Tories Delay £150 Million Investment In Hillingdon's Schools
15th November 2008

At the full council meeting on Thursday 6^th November the Labour Group tried to unite the whole council by requesting the full council to confirm its commitment to the Building Schools for the 21^st Century programme.  This is a Government Policy that provides a direct grant from Government to the Council which enables the local authority to carry out a major school building programme, providing future generations with modern buildings and ICT facilities.

Furthermore, the motion that was proposed by Cllr Peter Curling, requested that the council not only confirmed its commitment to Hillingdon’s participation in the current scheme, which provides £150 Million to rebuild schools in the south of the borough, but it also called on the Council to negotiate with the Government in order to bring a similar investment from the Government forward for the North of the borough.

The motion was defeated by the Tories using their huge majority in the council chamber.  After the meeting Cllr Peter Curling said “It is a great shame that the Conservative group voted against this motion, which only requested that they confirm their support for this once in a lifetime opportunity of such a huge investment in our local schools.” 

The original public consultation on the Council’s BS21 proposals was due to be launched in the first week of September 2008, but it has been delayed by the Council’s need to go into periods of purdah due to recent council by-elections.

Cllr Anita McDonald, Labour’s Education and Children’s Services Lead, made the following comments after the meeting. “After the unavoidable delays caused by the recent by-elections, we felt that it was important to show that the whole Council is united in its commitment to ensure that these delays do not derail the current BS21 programme for the south of the borough.  We also think that the Council could make a good case to pursue the Government to bring plans for the North of the borough forward, so that the whole borough would benefit.  Tonight’s vote proves that the Tory administration do not share our commitment to Education in the borough.”   

 

Hillingdon's Conservative Council Rejects Key Elements of The Sustainable Communities Act
6th November 2008

At the full council meeting on Thursday 6th November Cllr Douglas Mills (Conservative), Cabinet member for Improvement, Partnerships and Community Safety moved a motion on the Sustainable Communities Act, which is an act of parliament that was sponsored by Nick Hurd, Conservative MP for Ruislip Northwood, and passed through parliament with all party support. The Act enables councils to empower local people to participate in local decision making and thereby encourage a strengthened community spirit.

However Cllr Mill’s motion flies in the face of this act by applying what Cllr Mills calls “Hillingdon Principles”. One of these principles is “Avoidance of an Area Committee Approach”. Area committees have proved to be very successful in other authorities and are based on the model of small localised parish councils, where ordinary people can be recognised and make their own decisions on issues that affect their own areas.

Labour Councillor Paul Harmsworth moved an amendment to the motion in order to bring “Hillingdon’s Principles” in line with the needs and aspirations of Hillingdon’s residents. Cllr Paul Harmsworth said “Councils now have the opportunity of stemming decline by encouraging participation at a local level and if local residents want an area committee then they should be allowed to have them”.

Another Council Budget Delivered from An Arrogant, Incompetent and Greedy Conservative Cabinet
28th February 2008

Once again in Hillingdon we see that the Tory group in control of the borough are from the old school Tory party, rather than Cameron’s New-look conservatism. In Hillingdon they definitely believe in being the nasty party, so don’t be fooled by the sweet sugary coating of some of the Tories headline grabbing gimmicks.

When setting the budget the party in control of the council has to make difficult decisions and prioritise where your council tax money is spent. This is where we differ greatly from the current Conservative administration. The Labour group believe in providing good quality services and value for money for the council tax payer, and here are just a few areas where our priorities differ from that of the controlling Conservative administration:-

We Would; restore last year’s cuts to the Educational Psychology service and Healthy Hillingdon, as well as restore all cuts in school uniform grants, Increase the numbers of planning enforcement officers, provide additional in-house home care posts, invest in the noise service in order to work towards an eventual 24/7 provision, invest in the voluntary sector over 65’s support service for carers, remove the savings proposal to outsource minor planning applications, stop the proposed half million savings proposal on the review of residential and short breaks for severely disabled children, re-launch the Cwm Pennant Mountain Centre, strengthen the Hayes town centre safer neighbourhood team.

We would achieve this by removing the gimmicks and over indulgencies of this Conservative administration, in particular we would; remove the funding for the so called “low cost home ownership” scheme. This is nothing more than a gimmick and actually spends council tax payer’s money to do nothing for the borough’s homeless or to realistically make homes more affordable. The money used on this discredited scheme could be better spent making a real difference to housing needs rather than use council tax payers money to discount the price of a house that even with the discount will remain out of the reach of the vast majority of the local population. We would remove the extra £77000 that the Tories have added to the Mayor’s Budget (for extra secretarial support and running costs of the Mayoral car). The Labour group believes that if the council are imposing cuts in services then the Mayor should take the lead and at least live within her / His means, or perhaps find some savings to contribute to the budget.

After the budget meeting Cllr John Major, Labour’s lead on social services and the council’s carer’s champion, said that “the Labour proposals for the expansion of in-house home care, makes perfect sense because the council regularly receives high praise from inspection bodies, so it makes perfect sense to build on something that the council does well, it’s a pity that the Tory administration cannot see this and does not have home care as one of their priorities”. Cllr Major added the following comment with regard to the Labour proposal to assist the voluntary sector over 65’s carers, “The proposal to assist elderly, beleaguered carers via the voluntary sector is timely. The Council have inadvertently disadvantaged many of it’s over 65's carers by altering the rules under which this section of carers can receive assistance. This Labour proposal seeks to redress that mistake, once again it’s a pity that the Tory administration do not consider this a priority”

Referring to the education proposals, Cllr Peter Curling, Labour Lead on Education & Children’s Services expressed concern over the Tory proposals to make a £500k saving on the review of residential and short break provision for severely disabled children, Cllr Curling said “This is an item of real concern, not only for members of the Labour group, indeed the all party Education Policy Overview committee expressed their concerns as to how this proposed saving is to be made and what effects it will have for the families of the severely disabled children concerned”. Cllr Curling added, “Once again the Tory administration seem to have a very different set of priorities to us”.

Labour group Leader, Cllr Anthony Way said that “the budget tonight shows the conservative administration for what they are; they are indeed the nasty party of old. I think Cllr Puddifoot is trying to demonstrate his Thatcherite credentials by emulating Thatcher’s milk-snatching qualities with the abolition of the school uniform grant, we seem to have gone from milk-snatcher to uniform-snatcher.” Cllr Way also said that “the budget meeting showed the clear divide in priorities, with the Labour group’s proposals all geared towards improving outcomes for the residents of the borough, where as the Tory administration put the running of the Mayor’s car before the needs of some of the poorest in our borough, by abolishing the school uniform grant and then increasing the Mayor’s car budget by a similar amount. It is no wonder that the council has been named and shamed as one of the worst 13 authorities in England.”

 

Labour & Lib Dems Walk Out of Tory Political Speech
21st January 2008

Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors walked out of the Council Chamber at the Council meeting on 17 January during member’s question time.

This part of the Council agenda gives councillors the opportunity to put questions of local concern and interest to Cabinet Members who are responsible for making decisions. It enables ward councillors to hold Cabinet Members to account and provide information for residents and businesses. Although councillors can ask Cabinet Members questions and receive an answer there is no opportunity to speak, debate or challenge anything that is said.

In recent months it has been used by some members of the Conservative Party as a platform to make self-congratulatory party political speeches rather than answer issues of concern to local residents and businesses and sometimes in a manner, which many have found offensive. This happened when Councillor Douglas Mills rose to give unqualified congratulations to his party on service improvements in the Council Chamber last Thursday. On behalf of many residents and businesses who have not experienced unqualified satisfaction with Council services Labour and Liberal democrat councillors walked out.

Labour Group leader Cllr Anthony Way, said after the meeting

“The well of democracy has been poisoned by the party political broadcast we witnessed tonight with no time limit or right of reply. To use members question time in this way is an arrogant abuse of a democratic process and shows how little respect the ruling Conservative Group has for this process and the people it serves. It seems they wish to use democracy for their own party political purposes rather than to benefit the residents and businesses of Hillingdon”

 

Labour Calls for wage freeze as Tories prepare
for massive wage hike
18th March 2007

The Tories in Hillingdon are proposing 60-70% massive wage increases for themselves.

Cllr Anthony Way, Leader of the Labour Group, said: “The Tories rejected our budget proposals calling for a freeze on members allowances. How can they justify these enormous increases while at the same time they are;

• Closing and selling off youth facilities at Cwm Pennant
• Cutting the school uniform grant
• Cuts to the education psychology service
• Cutting grants to healthy Hillingdon
• Cancelling core grant to Hillingdon Race Equality Council
• Cutting core grant to the Law Centre
• Closing Southlands Arts Centre
• Cutting Hillingdon Narrowboats
• No Planning enforcement officers
• No increases to Voluntary Sector organisations
• Added an extra 1% surcharge to the council tax

The Leader of the Council is proposing to increase his salary from £41k to £61k. The Deputy Leader from 35k to 44k Cabinet Members from £29 to £44k, whilst the items listed in the labour budget amendments could all have been saved at no extra costs by freezing allowances and some other bureaucracy saving measures. Its complete madness and proof that the Tories cannot be trusted with your money”

Labour Wants Answers on Adult Education
1st August 2006

Following the press reports regarding information that came out of recent Employment Tribunals, the Hillingdon Labour group has raised some questions in order to clarify, what seems to be conflicting and contradictory information.

From the evidence given to the Employment Tribunals it would appear that the funding from the Learning and Skills Council increased for the academic year 2005/2006, but courses were cut and staff had their teaching hours cut, many of them to “Zero”. This included cuts of up to 63% in priority areas that are 100% funded by the government and therefore provided at no cost to the Council. During the same academic year one of the Adult Education managers employed her son to carry out assessments of learners, even though he was inexperienced and did not have any teaching qualifications. This begs the question, why was this work not offered to long serving, highly qualified and experienced staff.

Cllr Peter Curling, Labour’s Lead on Education, said “The tribunals seem to have generated some very contradictory information. I have therefore raised some questions with the Director of Education in order to clarify the facts.”

Labour Group Leader, Cllr Anthony Way, added “Hillingdon council took a backward step when Tory Councillors tore up the constitution and gave themselves a lot more power. There are few opportunities to grill those responsible since rights to speak at Cabinet meetings for party leaders were abolished. It is particularly concerning that someone can employ her unqualified and inexperienced son to carry out learner assessments, while experienced and qualified staff, have their hours reduced to zero. I am calling for a full public investigation into this matter”.

Hillingdon Labour Group believes that the Adult Education service plays a vital part in the Education system, which should offer the widest range of courses possible by the most efficient management of budgets, course fees and LSC funding. We also believe that both learners and hard working dedicated staff deserve some explanation and clarification amid such contradictory information.

Caring Conservatism runs aground in Hillingdon
27th June 2006

Hillingdon’s new Conservative administration has run aground on its maiden voyage, only weeks after taking control with a massive majority. A proposal to re-brand the councils image and deliver a new corporate identity passed at a Cabinet meeting was “called in” by the Councils Executive Scrutiny Committee.

The committee with a majority of Conservative councillors reflecting their overall control unanimously voted to refer the Cabinet decision back as ill conceived and poorly thought out.

The Executive Scrutiny Committee chair, Cllr Anthony Way, Labour Leader of the opposition at Hillingdon, said “ Four Conservative and two Labour Councillors unanimously agreed that this decision was wrong for Hillingdon. The costs to replace the logo, of £210,000 are grossly under estimated and come at a time when the Council proposes 130 job redundancies and around £10 m of budget reductions“

But what is far more sinister is the Council Leader Ray Puddifoot’s alleged attempt whilst on holiday in Bali, to “strong arm “ his 45 strong group into submission. In a memo leaked to the Local Gazette, he is quoted as instructing his colleagues, “ Under no circumstances is this to be deferred. The council will no longer be subject to this type of delay. NO IFS OR BUTS just get this done. I will expect the resignation of any member of Cabinet not wishing to be part of this new way forward for Hillingdon. Regards Ray. PS It’s clear that we have much to do to change the old ‘cannot change’ mind set of some in Hillingdon”

At its subsequent cabinet meeting on June 22nd the reference back from the scrutiny committee was rejected, with “Any comments from the public would be taken into consideration “

Cllr Way added “There is no support for this proposal amongst the people we are elected to serve and any Council staff . I have never witnessed such arrogance and aggression. Is this what David Cameron means by caring Conservatism?