Council in denial

Lambeth Labour cannot face up to their lack of action on the climate, despite declaring an emergency five years ago.

Green councillors’ motion to Accelerate Local Climate Action has been ignored by a Lambeth Labour administration in denial of its failed response to the climate emergency. At Lambeth Town Hall’s full council meeting on Wednesday 17 July 2024, Greens denounced Labour for using its majority position to escape scrutiny and accountability at the expense of residents’ concerns. 

Cllr Scott Ainslie, Streatham St Leonard’s ward said:

“Lambeth labour cannot bear scrutiny. They do not like opposition councillors shining a spotlight on their lack of progress. They are totally in denial about the single biggest existential threat facing us. Council heard two public deputations tonight on the climate crisis, the people of Lambeth want to talk about the council’s lack of climate action. What is particularly frustrating is that they talk the talk – but need to do much more to prove they can walk the walk.”

Cllr Nicole Griffiths, Streatham St Leonard’s ward said:

“Lambeth residents have told us that climate action is important to them, but by ignoring our motion this evening, the Labour administration is sending us all a clear message that the climate crisis is low on their agenda. The commitment to reach net zero across the borough and its own operations by 2030 will not be reached unless they act much more boldly and with much greater haste.”

The post appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.

Lambeth Labour to suppress free-speech

Friday 12 July 2024

The Labour-led council in Lambeth will change its constitution to prohibit motions on foreign and international affairs and give the Labour Chief Whip the final say on which public Deputations are heard at its Full Council meeting on Wednesday 17th of July.

The Green Party Group Leader, Cllr for Streatham St Leonard’s ward, Scott Ainslie states:

“Our borough has a proud track record of speaking out against oppression, and tolerating and accepting diverse opinions. We need the people of Lambeth to help us defend our democracy and free-speech and speak up to help us protect our fundamental rights from this authoritarian move by Labour. When the national government fails to speak out about situations affecting Lambeth’s residents, either directly or indirectly, let local leadership show the way. This is yet another example of a Labour council with a one-party state mentality, we are only going to see more of this dismissive and arrogant attitude following the general election.”

“Lambeth has one of the most diverse and international populations in the UK, with residents from many different countries across the globe and a proud history of speaking up on issues like Apartheid, for which we have an international profile: when Nelson Mandela was freed one of the first places he came to was Brixton – he said “The masses of the people in this country were in the forefront of our struggle. I am looking forward to going to Brixton to thank them for their help.’” 

Cllr Nicole Griffiths, Streatham St. Leonard’s ward adds:

“There have been many motions over the years from both Green and Labour on human rights issues such as Gaza, Ukraine, Reparations and Apartheid. Elected councillors rightfully represent their constituents with motions such as these that confirm awareness, support and solidarity for situations and causes that impact their everyday lives. The same applies to Deputations – it is not for the Labour Chief Whip to decide who does or doesn’t get heard in the Chamber.”

Please sign this petition to protect the right of elected members to freely speak on all matters that we care about. 

The post PRESS RELEASE appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.

The Green Group welcomes the opportunity to consult on the draft Age-Friendly Action Plan and efforts on behalf of the council to transform Lambeth into “a place that enables people to age well and live a good later life”. However, some of the domains within the plan require additional actions to ensure the best possible outcomes for older residents. 

According to Age UK “only 3% of UK housing is accessible to people with restricted mobility”. Councillors have spoken to older residents who are limited in their daily activities by stairs on council-owned estates, or who have had to reject permanent housing offers due to a lack of a walk-in shower. 

Additionally, large numbers of people over 60 regularly report feeling cold in their homes, turning off their heating due to running costs and cutting back on other essentials to pay energy bills. The Action Plan needs to go further to ensure ageing residents have secure, accessible and warm homes that they can afford. 

Overall, the Greens support any transport policies that promote alternative modes of transport over private vehicle use. Public transport is an important mode for older people to maintain independence and engage in the community. However, two thirds of older people cannot reach a hospital within 30 minutes using public transport. Lambeth needs to ensure community transport is equipped to fill any gaps in services and that there are no barriers to access, including working with TfL to install more toilets at transport assets in the borough.

Additionally, all planning processes should incorporate age-friendly principles and engage with residents who are most-affected. Councillors hear from older constituents regularly that they value safe places to meet, organise and engage socially, such as the Woodlawns Centre in Streatham. Resources should be allocated to improving and increasing the number of these types of facilities to benefit and enrich our communities.

Digital exclusion is a major issue faced by many older people in Lambeth. According to the Centre for Better Aging, “only half of people in the UK over the age of 75 have (digital) skills and 43% of internet users aged 65 and over are limited in the activities they carry out while online.” Many of the communication strategies in the plan rely on digital distribution. Lambeth needs to ensure that there are adequate offline information sources and that person-to-person advice is available for those who need it. 

The age-friendly communication domain should also seek to develop a resource for free financial guidance for older people. This should include pension credit uptake information as mentioned in the draft action plan, but be expanded to cover other topics. This may include scam awareness, cost-of-living resources, scrutinising financial products and digital banking training.

Finally, the council needs to increase its focus on anti-ageism in the local community. Only one of the draft outcomes on the plan addresses this point, and minimally. The plan references the World Health Organisation’s Age-friendly Cities Framework, but excludes “respect” from its domains. This is a crucial ingredient in the social inclusion of older people in Lambeth.

Older people contribute more unpaid care labour than any other age group. This might take the form of formal volunteering but may also be child care or shopping for a neighbour. They also experience the highest levels of “belonging and satisfaction with their local areas” and spend money on local businesses. Lambeth needs to acknowledge the role of older people in our borough and reverse negative stereotypes of them as being “burdensome” or “a drain” on services. Age-friendly policy must be based on respect for ageing and the experiences and contributions of older people in order to be truly inclusive.

Therefore, the Greens recommend including the following actions in the plan:

• Prioritise retrofit of council-owned properties to improve energy efficiency standards to EPC-B.
• To ensure all council-owned properties meet the accessibility requirements of the estate residents.
• To explore and promote alternative housing options including intergenerational cohabitation.
• Support and social workers should be trained and enabled to recognise issues of cold, damp and mould in homes and initiate referrals to repairs and maintenance services. 

• Ensure that alternative transport services are available where national providers fail to meet the needs of older residents.
• Explore and implement innovative community transport schemes, such as community car schemes, group transport, and shopmobility. 
• Ensure that information on all transport services and schedules is easily accessible to those without use of a smartphone or the internet. 
• Working with TfL to install more toilets at transport assets in the borough.
• Maintaining pedestrian areas and cycleways to improve accessibility and safety of all users. 
• Expanding pedestrianisation and traffic-calming measures.

• Reduce the age cut-off for the Active Lambeth concession for older residents to 60 years. 
• All parklets and rest spaces should have accessibility considerations such as shelter and lighting.
• The Planning Officer appointed as the Age Friendly representative has appropriate training and regular and meaningful interaction with age-friendly stakeholders and forums. 
• More meeting spaces and community centres should be made available for residents.
• Prevent the closure of the Lambeth Walk Medical Practice and ensure health services are accessible to local residents.
• All digital communications, consultations, engagement and service provision are supported by offline literature with sufficient distribution resources.
• Resist over-adoption of apps for service use (such as libraries, leisure and parking) and keep digital services streamlined and in one place wherever possible.
• Ensure person-to-person advice is available to those who need it, including by telephone.
• Offer free financial guidance, including community seminars, targeted at older residents to help address poverty, the cost-of-living crisis and raise awareness of scams and dubious financial products. 
• Adding “respect” back into Lambeth’s draft plan domains and investing in campaigns to acknowledge and promote the contribution of older people in our borough.

Councillor Scott Ainslie & Councillor Nicole Griffiths

Streatham St Leonard’s Ward

The post Green Group Response to Age-Friendly Lambeth Strategy appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.

Crowdfunder Link

Crowdfunder Link

Pete Elliott
Green Party Candidate
Dulwich and west Norwood

Pete is an active local campaigner on issues facing Dulwich and West Norwood. He’s championed residents of Central Hill and other estates facing demolition. As a Lambeth councillor he helped get London’s first Climate Emergency motion passed, campaigned to ban glyphosate weedkiller, pressed for divestment from fossil fuels and for better air pollution monitoring in the borough.

Pete is an engineer and project manager who spent 22 years in the military. Through this he’s seen how money is wasted. He’s appalled at the savagery and inhumanity of the Palestine conflict. He supports the Green Party’s call for fair treatment of migrants and refugees, unlike the other major parties.

Pete says “The Tories have no chance. Labour will win big, but they need Green MPs to hold them to account. Vote Green to press for real meaningful change.”

Crowdfunder Link

Scott Ainslie
Green Party Candidate
Streatham and Croydon North

Scott has lived here for 27 years, brought up a family, and been a longstanding community champion, a councillor in Streatham, and a former Member of the European Parliament.

Scott fights for justice – from victims of abuse and homeless families, to estate demolitions and the war in Gaza.

As your MP, Scott will stand up to the creeping privatisation of the NHS and other public services and make sure we all share in a fairer future.

Scott says:

“Labour have driven Lambeth Council deep into debt and bankrupted Croydon Council! They are not to be trusted.”

“We need a strong constituency MP to serve the magnificently diverse areas of Streatham, Norbury, Thornton Heath, and Upper Norwood.”

Contact via Southwark Green Party

Catherine Dawkins
Green Party Candidate
Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

Catherine has been a local resident and campaigner for the best part of 10 years, demanding real change and making sure other parties lift their game and work smarter and harder for our community.

Greens work with local people and we aren’t whipped so can really represent the views of residents rather than toe the party line. 

Catherine says: “Voting Green is never a wasted vote. More crosses in the ballot box shows visible and vital support for Green policies.”

The post Lambeth Green Party Candidates for the 2024 General Election appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.

The Green Party has revealed that their Lambeth Leader Scott Ainslie will be the Green parliamentary candidate in the new seat of Streatham and Croydon North. 

Scott has been serving as a Green Party councillor in Lambeth for ten years, and was also recently elected as one of the last serving London MEPs in the European Parliament [1].

The party had a vote share of 22% in the most recent local Lambeth elections in 2022, and Scott is currently polling in second place in this brand new constituency according to the latest General Election poll of polls published by Electoral Calculus [2].

A Streatham resident for over twenty-seven years, Scott has also been involved in a wide array of local campaigns, being one of the founding members of Streatham Action Transport Group whilst serving on the wider Streatham Action committee. He has also occupied vulnerable council resident’s homes to prevent bailiffs from evicting them, founded Sustainable Streatham and Hands Off Our Common to prevent Streatham Common being occupied by a temporary ice-rink to accommodate the Tesco development, and also acted as an ally to survivors of child abuse in Lambeth’s care homes [3]. 

He also successfully worked cross-party to pass a landmark motion on colonial enslavement [4]. This led to the Green Party becoming the first British political party to commit to reparatory justice and helped to lead towards the establishment of the first ever all-party parliamentary group on Afrikan Reparations.

Scott Ainslie said: “All the other parties have had their chances and failed to end child poverty, to insulate people’s homes so they do not have to choose between heating and eating, to protect and invest in our public services, to protect our food crops and planet. It’s time they moved over and gave the Green Party a chance.

We understand, at our core, that there must be equality and justice for all, and that economic, racial, social, gender and climate justice are all structurally entangled.

I have two daughters and my concerns for their future have always been a driving force behind my campaigns for climate action. 

My mum also brought my sister and I up in a council tower block. The lived experience of this has never left us. It is this humblest of starts in life which drives my quest for a fairer, more equitable country for all.”

For more information contact: Pete Johnson, 07712 826548.

Notes:

[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197696/SCOTT_AINSLIE/history/9

[2] https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/homepage.html – Type in a postcode it gives the predicted votes for that seat

[3] https://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2021/12/cllr-scott-ainslie-tells-cabinet-that-lambeth-is-only-listening-to-people-they-want-to-hear-as-part-of-historic-child-sex-abuse-inquiry/

[4] https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2020/07/15/greens-lead-on-first-successful-motion-to-demand-government-reparations-for-slavery/

The post PRESS RELEASE: Scott Ainslie, Long Serving Activist and Politician, Selected for Green Party Breakthrough in Streatham and Croydon North appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.

You probably joined the Green Party because you wanted to see real systemic change. The only way we can achieve this is by getting more Greens elected at local level and building up from that base. You are key to this success. Take a look at what your Green councillors have been doing to build a fairer, greener Lambeth, and get in touch to help the party grow. We need to find a new convener (this can be a job share). Please contact us below if interested.

GREEN NEWS

The Green Party remain second in Lambeth and Southwark 

There are only three constituencies across London that have the Green Party in second place: North East (Islington, Hackney & Waltham Forest), Greenwich & Lewisham and Lambeth & Southwark. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped us maintain our position in Lambeth & Southwark. This could not have been achieved without YOU. Let’s continue to build on our success through to the next general election!

COUNCIL WORK

Annual Full Council Meeting 

It came as no surprise that, once again, Labour’s totalitarian control of committees will enable it to evade rigorous scrutiny from opposition parties for another year. Nicole demanded that Labour improve accountability by appointing opposition members to chairing roles and Scott called out Cabinet members’ failures to step up to the huge challenges facing the borough. Watch the proceedings here.

Committees

After having his questions about sustainability rejected by the Chair at Planning Applications Committee (watch here), Scott is so deeply concerned about opposition parties being silenced that he is lodging a formal complaint. Similarly, Nicole’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings are being postponed due to unfinished reports (schedule here). Both councillors are doing all they can to ensure committees can perform the necessary checks and balances on the Labour administration. 

Site Allocations Development Plan Consultation

The Green Group submitted a response to the SADP consultation, which identifies the larger sites across the borough for development. You can read our response here. 

New Councillor Roles

Scott has now taken on leadership duties as Nicole has stepped back from her co-leader position to focus on her ward councillor duties and other responsibilities. 

GREEN WINS

Cabinet

Scott spoke on Lambeth’s long-awaited selective licensing scheme at Cabinet which you can view here. The Greens have been advocating for an SLS since 2019 to help make the private rented sector fairer and safer for tenants. We will be monitoring the pilot phase to ensure outcomes for residents meet the policy’s intent. 

Tree Replanting

Councillors continue to protect existing tree canopy and have successfully lobbied Lambeth to replace street trees throughout the borough. By setting these precedents, Lambeth has recently revised its Kerbside policy to allow 1.5m pavement width to be retained where 2m isn’t possible and to plant new trees at pace across the borough and to still meet accessibility requirements.

LAMBETH-WIDE NEWS

Woodgate Drive

The campaign continues against the overdevelopment at 100 Woodgate Drive. Both councillors are working to support residents in their appeal to the London Mayor to have the application overturned. Take action urgently by writing to the Mayor using the Woodgate Tower Protest Group’s template here.

Brockwell Park Tree Felling

Nicole and Scott have questioned council officers, and pushed back, on the decision to fell trees with nesting birds and mistletoe during spring, when they had plenty of opportunity to do so in the colder months.

Sustainable Timber Development

Scott visited one of London’s most sustainable building developments on Old Paradise Rd in Vauxhall. Cross laminated timber is used to absorb, rather than emit, carbon.

Lambeth Walk Surgery

Scott attended a local meeting in Waterloo to help the campaign to stop the closure of Lambeth Walk GP Practice. The Lambeth Health and Wellbeing board insist that people walk almost two miles to the newly proposed site. Scott said: “This is a scandal. There are people who cannot walk ten yards, let alone two miles. Lambeth should allow the closed Day Centre on the Denby Estate to be used as a temporary practice until a permanent solution is found.”

S21 notices on regen estates

Nicole is investigating reports of S21 notices being issued by Homes for Lambeth on regeneration estates, with both the council Housing team and the HfL director. 

Update on Gaza

Both Nicole and Scott continue to support the call for an immediate ceasefire and the end of human rights abuses in Gaza. Nicole attended another march this month. 

Film screening: I Could Never Go Vegan

Scott met the Pickering brothers at their screening in Brixton. Learn more about their film and animal welfare here.

Local News

Streatham Kite Day

Nicole and Scott attended the highly popular kite day on Streatham common. It was great to see so many families and people of all ages taking part in the event. Councillors took the opportunity to drop in on stalls for community groups.

Train Station Lifts

After a long period of maintenance the lifts at Streatham Station are finally back in action! Scott will be meeting with the operators at the end of May to find out why the problem persisted for so long.

Streatham Theatre

Scott and Nicole are working cross party to keep this as a cultural hub for the arts. If you’re interested in joining their campaign you can follow the group here.

Integrate Event

Scott spoke at the Funding the Local Sector meeting organised by Streatham Action Group last week. If you have a great idea for your local community contact Streatham Action Group about grant funding opportunities.

Chamber of Commerce

Scott met with the leader to discuss supporting small businesses. Both he and Nicole are  still waiting on a response from the Corporate Director for Climate and Inclusive Growth at Lambeth Council about the implementation of the Streatham High Road Visioning document.

Nicole and Scott could not do what they do without the help of members like you. Please get in touch to help support their work.

Best wishes – Nicole and Scott.

contact@lambeth.greenparty.org.uk

The post Lambeth Green Party Councillor Highlights appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.

Lambeth Labour’s Cabinet reshuffle misses the opportunity to tackle climate, housing and cost-of-living crises. Once again, its totalitarian control of committees will enable the party to evade rigorous scrutiny from opposition parties for another year.

At Lambeth’s Council Annual Meeting, Green councillors demanded that Labour improve accountability by appointing opposition members to chairing roles. Cllr Nicole Griffiths, Streatham St Leonard’s ward, said:

“the committees have been allocated a Labour group chair or vice-chair, therefore marking their own homework. We know that best value for residents is achieved when an opposition councillor is given the role of chair.”

Cllr Scott Ainslie, Streatham St Leonard’s ward, called out Cabinet members’ failures to step up to the huge challenges facing the borough. He asked:

“Is the failure of the Homes for Lambeth project evidence of our ability to deliver? Or to engage? Is the recent crisis of GP surgery closures such evidence? Are we successfully engaging residents in Streatham Vale, who petitioned by the thousands against the Woodgate development, or the thousands who petitioned against the Hondo development in Brixton?”

“The housing strategy lacks targets and a clear action plan: is there enough expertise in the Cabinet to tackle the housing crisis? We are less than six years away from Net Zero 2030 target, is Lambeth’s Climate Action Plan robust enough to deliver this?”

CONTACT

Zoe Peet – Green Group Support Officer

zpeet1@lambeth.gov.uk

020 7926 9456

The post PRESS RELEASE: New Cabinet misses the mark appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.

Read the Knight’s Hill Newsletter below to find out more about Torla and why you should VOTE GREEN on May 2nd

Click here to download / view the Newsletter as a PDF (with text included)

The post Local resident Torla Evans standing to be your Green Party Councillor in Knights Hill appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.

Vote Green – Vote Duncan Eastoe on 2nd May

Read more about Duncan in the latest Streatham Greens News

The post Streatham News – Duncan Eastoe Green Candidate for Lambeth Council By-Election (2nd May) appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.

We hope everyone had a lovely Easter Holiday. Here is our March councillor update, highlighting our work in Lambeth Council and the local community.

YOUR COUNCILLORS IN THE PRESS

Lambeth’s Housing Strategy and New Homes Program
Scott called out Labour’s failure to deliver on its housing promises at Cabinet, reminding them of their 2014 policy of selling off council houses and their unfulfilled 2018 manifesto promise to build 1000 new homes. Brixton Buzz Story here
Lambeth Green Party says that Lambeth Labour “cannot be trusted on housing”

Forest Nursery Shut Down, Streatham Vale Park
Scott met with families concerned about the sudden closure of Sprig Ludgens outdoor nursery, leaving many parents struggling to find emergency childcare. South London Press story here:
‘We are devastated’: Parents hit out at nursery after ‘unnecessary’ closure

Woodgate Tower, Streatham Common, Planning Applications Meeting
Scott spoke up for the thousands of residents concerned about the overdevelopment of the Homebase site by Streatham Common station, which was approved by the panel.

One of the objectors, Heidi Stonecliffe, King’s Council, emailed Scott after the meeting saying:

“I simply wanted to write to say thank you personally for your incisive, intelligent and probing questions put at PAC on Tuesday. I couldn’t have done it better myself and I cross examine for a living! I know that significant numbers of residents were distinctly impressed by your standpoint. For my part, that evening and your approach, turned a lifelong Labour supporter Green and my partner has indicated he’d now be voting Green on the back of your support.”

The Greens want everyone to have access to the right homes, in the right place, at the right price. Residents have written to the Mayor of London, asking them to overturn Lambeth’s approval of this development. MyLondon News story here:
Streatham residents lose battle to stop 237 homes being built on old Homebase site

COUNCIL WORK

Nicole highlights failings in the council’s Climate Change Report 
Nicole sits on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee where this report was discussed.
The committee only meets about six times per year and it was shocking that two Labour members and the one Lib Dem member were missing! Nicole was the single voice in the room calling the council’s performance into question, highlighting the extremely disappointing lack of a clear action plan and timeline to meet Net Zero by 2030. 

MYATT’S FIELD ZERO CARBON RETROFIT

Scott visited the Myatt’s Field site where a large-scale retrofit project is making council homes zero-carbon, warmer and cheaper to run using the Dutch EnergieSprong model. Scott spoke to Resident Liaison Officer, Maureen (pictured), who told us about her important role ensuring the council communicated the project’s benefits with residents and ensured as little disruption within their homes as possible. 

NEWS

Halabja Memorial
Scott spoke at the memorial service for the thousands of Kurdish victims of the Halabja massacre at Town Hall on 10 March (pictured).

Streatham Society Community Planning Meeting
Scott and Michael Ball (Green Party member who fought against the Garden Bridge fiasco) spoke as experts in planning issues at this well attended community meeting.

Naked Larder Reducing Plastic Waste
Nicole and Scott usually pick up their groceries from this reduced plastic waste refill business in Herne Hill.

Nicole and Scott could not do what they do without the help of members like you. Please get in touch with them to help support their work.

Best wishes – Nicole and Scott.

contact@lambeth.greenparty.org.uk 

The post Lambeth Green Party Councillor Highlights – March ’24 appeared first on Lambeth Green Party.