Thursday 26 May 2011

Deptford High Street Planning Update on Betting Shop

Done Brothers ( Cash Betting ltd) have submitted an appeal against the Councils refusal to give planning permission for the 13th Betting shop on the high street. i would ask every one to email Mrs Ruth Howell Reference APP/C5690/A/11/2151228/nwf to;teamp@pins.gei.gov.uk. You should state that you support Lewisham Councils Objections to yet another Betting shop on the Following Grounds;
1/ It is not in Keeping with the Councils planning proposals for deptford high street,. which seeks to insure that the high street reflects a broad range of trades and is not taken over just by Betting Shops.
2/ Betting shops have a very negative impact on the Enviorment, in this very poor part of London, Betting shops encourage people to spend money they do not have.
3/ We have real conserns with the huge number of Betting shopss already in the area, these it is reoported are leading to further Drink related issuesw, break up of family units, due to the debt.
4/ Undermines the Quality of life for local residents and has negative impact on the large number of primary school children who attend schools close to this betting shop.
5/ The Goverment says that it supports Localism and residents choice, As Local residents, we do not wish to see yet another betting shop and the negative impact it has in our area on our quality of our Live, we therefore ask that you uphold the Objection made by Lewisham Council due to the huge number of Objections from Parents, Schools, Communty Groups, The Police and Local traders.

You may wish to odd other reasons. Please get every one you can to Email objections before 6th June.Thanks to a huge amount of work putb into this by Lewisham People Before Profit, advising the Planning Committee with grounds to Objecty, we did win the Support of the Council, we need to build on this and put forward huge Pressure to insure this Betting shop does not win on appeal.
Last date fopr objections is Thursday 9th June 2011...

Monday 23 May 2011

Lewisham Councils £4million Cash Cow

Lewisham Council constanly states it has no cash, and yet last Thursday at the open consultation meeting on plans for the Cannon Wharf Business development site on Evelyn street Deptford. i was told, whilst raising conserns about the development for Lewisham People before profit, that they were giving Lewisham Council a staggering £4 million pounds cash, plus Money for a bus service, of which local residents will not get any discopunt, but the bus company will do very well out of, and further money towards Education. In exchange the developers say they cannot make enough profit to give more than 20% affordable homes. The Councils own Housing plan states all developers must offer 35% but idealy 50%, But Lewisham Council has agreed on the Oxstalls Evelyn Street site in exchange for a further multi million pound kick back in 106 money, to reduce affordable home levels to less than 18%.The Fact Deptford and New Cross are seeing the worst of the Cuts, New Cross Library is the only one set to totally close, whilst the area is turning into a rich Cash cow for Labours Lewisham Masters, is not just a local Scandle, it is national one, as it clearly shows the Labour party is using the cuts for political advantage, expecting that local residents, will vote on mass for Labour, thinking these cuts are about the Conservatives, When the scale of the money developers are paying Lewisham could save and improve services.
We at lewisham People Before Profit, will under the freedom of information act will follow this money and demand that Lewisham Council spends this money as it is set up for, as Community funding, not for the wages of the Mayor or to cover waste and mismanagement.

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Lewisham Save our Library Campaign Demo at Ministry and Downing Street

Great to see Blackheath Library, and New Cross Library campaign well supported by Lewisham residents as we presented a petition to the Goverment with 25.000 signatures, the largest ever seen in Lewisham. We are still in the dark as to why the Goverment Minister has not called in Lewisham Council, who are clearly cutting front line services to gain political advantage. At a public meeting in New Cross this week, 2 woman present seeking to being yet another group of people seeking to take over New Cross Library, had to be told that all 5 Labour Councilors supporting there campaign, had all voted in Council to close the Library, Only Darren Johnson for the Greens had voted to save our Libraries. Clearly Labour are doing a great job in misleading the public, after all, the mess we are in, is caused by 13 years of Labour Greed and mismanigment and a Goverment who ignored conserns, and failed to regulate the financial Sector. As we presented our Petition to number 10.The papers are reporting, we are giving, £4.3 Billion pounds to bail out yet another European country, we are not even in the Euro.. so clearly the Goverment is awash with cash, as Lewisham is, but it is how you spend it. Lewisham Spent £6.5 million pounds last year on Consultants fees,Council own figures not mine... New Cross Library just needs £108.000 per year. Lets hope Voters reward Labour for there neglect of the poor at the next Elections. New Labour would still be making the Cuts that the Torys have in Place, is it any wonder Lewisham People before profit is growing as a true political voice and campaigning group across the UK, with World wide media interest, in our Campaigns to put Community need before private greed...

Songs To Sing at Protests.. our top 3 popular list

You can adjust the words to your area or issue of concern.

Save Lewishams Libraries. ( To the tune of The International.

Arise, ye readers from your slumbers,
Our libraries must stay intact.
Steve Bullock ( Labour Lewisham Mayor) Plans to cut their numbers.
Is a grossly stupid act.
A-a-Way with such machination
just to sa-ve one mil...lion pounds
expand our library provi..sion
the money simply must be found.

Then people , come together
sign petitions, spread the word.
if we all fight together
our voices will be heard.
so-o readers, dont falter;
cap council pay at fivty grand,
there.ll be the cash to a-as-lter
Mayor Bullocks awful plans....


Tory Toffs- to the tune of John Browns Body.

Young and old and black and white, join us here today
We must defend our services and make the bankers pay
were fighting for the future now and this is what we say
No ifs, No buts, no public sector cuts
Chorus

Tory, Tory cuts no thanks, Sir
Nick and David love the nan-kers,
We think they.re a load of------Tory Toffs
No ifs, No buts, no public sector cuts.

Our Hospitals and nurseries are there for human need
Our Libraries and schools are there to help our children read
They.re not there to make profit from or serve the bankers, greed.
No ifs, No buts, no public sector cut.
repeat Chorus....

Tidemills Update.. School Acadamy Head Resigns

In a shock move the Head of the Tidemills School in Deptford London, has resigned, just as he, and a handful of Governors have passed with just 3 votes, and no parent ballot, or parents say on the issue, a fresh application for Academy status. Tidemills is not a failing School, Ofstead rated it as a very good school.Lewisham People Before profit and all the Community groups in the area launched a major campaign to back parents in opposition to privatisation of the school, just before the last vote. Labour Lewisham and MP Joan Ruddock backed the campaign, to say no. The Governors voted 5 against 8 for, But a legal challenged was launched and won. We should all be very concerned that parents had no say, dispite Goverment saying Parents should always be consulted and have a voice. This was clearly not the case. The Tidemills School campaign is still fighting to keep the school in Council control, as most parents and all community groups wish. I wonder how a school can go forward as an acadamy,For a second time,. with such huge local objection, when the Guy who launced the idea , has said he is of to a better job in Croydon...If the School realy think this is such a great idea, every parent should be given a vote, Their children depend on it.The Chair of Governors, has stated if the Governors are split on the issue, they will not go ahead, so even at this level, 5 against 8 for, the idea must be dropped.

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Lewisham Libraries Update

After a huge campaign to stop the closure of 5 lewisham Libraries, Lewishams rotten Labour council has said it will not cut wages of highly paid staff in the council as proposed by Lewisham People before profit. The proposal we put forward would have saved £1.2 million on Labour lewishams own figures. but Labour is clearly seeking to use the front line services to make political atvantagev on the Conservatives, and to hell with the residents it was elected to serve....The Lewisham Anti Cuts Alliance & Lewisham People Before Profit are opposed to the privatisation of library services. They in a statement say; We are opposed to any changes that will lead to making librarians redundant or the worsening of their terms and conditions, and restrictions on library space and the avalability of books.

Lewisham Council has a responsibility to provide a publicly funded library service for local residents; making their survival dependent on the success or failure of business or charities is a risky move.

At Lewisham People Before Profit meeting on Monday, it was agreed to set up a seperate Library campaign group to oversea all librarys campaigns, support a legal challenge and give supportb to other library campaigns. it was felt the importance of the issue deserves a seperate working group, open to all who wish to take [part, with report backs to the LPBP groups at the general meetings.

We have been alarmed to discover that local people on benifit will be expectecd to work for thier benifits for these private companies and concerns.



Demonstate Next Wednesday 18th May at 10am outside Lewisham Town Hall Catford and at 12 noon we will be organising a demo outside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in Cockspur Street, Off Trafalgar Square.

Bring Home made banners, we have a stunt planned and some members will be able to go to Number 10.



As i write this the Goverment Minister has called in the Council leader for Isle of Wight council to explain plans to close Librarys.. The fight goes on.. if you can oplease join the working party, come on the demo, or join the hard working community groups fighting across Lewisham to Save services and oppose the cuts, In Lewisham we need to fight Labour who clearly no longer represent the people they are elected to serve.

Saturday 14 May 2011

Lewisham Libraries Update

After a huge campaign to stop the closure of 5 lewisham Libraries, Lewisham's rotten Labour council has said it will not cut the wages of highly paid staff in the council as proposed by Lewisham People Before Profit.

The proposal we put forward would have saved £1.2 million on Labour Lewisham's own figures. But Labour is clearly seeking to use front line services for political advantage, and to hell with the residents it was elected to serve...

....The Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance & Lewisham People Before Profit are opposed to the privatisation of library services. They in a statement say:

"We are opposed to any changes that will lead to making librarians redundant or the worsening of their terms and conditions, restrictions on library space and the availability of books...

...Lewisham Council has a responsibility to provide a publicly funded library service for local residents; making their survival dependent on the success or failure of business or charities is a risky move."

At the Lewisham People Before Profit meeting on Monday, it was agreed to set up a seperate Library campaign group to oversee all library campaigns, support a legal challenge and give support to other library campaigns. It was felt the importance of the issue deserved a seperate working group, open to all who wish to take part, who will then report backs to LPBP at the general meetings.

We have been alarmed to discover that local people on benefit will be expected to work for these private companies and concerns.

Demonstate Next Wednesday 18th May at 10am outside Lewisham Town Hall Catford and at 12 noon we will be organising a demo outside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in Cockspur Street, Off Trafalgar Square.
Bring Home made banners, we have a stunt planned and some members will be able to go to Number 10.

As I write this, a Goverment Minister has called in the Isle of Wight Council leader to explain plans to close libraries.. The fight goes on..

If you can, please join the working party, come on the demo, or join the hard working community groups fighting across Lewisham to save services and oppose the cuts.

In Lewisham we need to fight our Labour council, who clearly no longer represent the people they are elected to serve.

...In other news, the Hardest Hit march saw thousands of disabled people and their supporters march through London. This was woefully underreported by every newspaper except the Guardian.

Why is this??

Are disabled people not attractive enough to be featured on TV? Or does our media feel uncomfortable with the fact the cuts will further eradicate the quality of life of these venerable members of our community..the lack of coverage shames us all...

Saturday 7 May 2011

Anti -cuts campaigns - does anyone out there care?

Well, what a depressing set of election results.

Massive cuts in Public services, job losses, and the poor paying the price, and yet at local election level, the population en-mass, go out and vote for conservative councillors.

Whatever your view on the Lib Dems, is it really good for democracy that we are back to a 2 party state?

Even anti-cuts candidates and councillors, and Green councillors were wiped out.

In rural Oxfordshire, 'anti-cuts' and 'save our services' candidates polled just 12% on a 62% turnout at local level, whilst at district level, candidates running as 'Save our services- People before profit' secured more votes than Labour and Lib Dem candidates combined, but with 20% off the vote on a staggering 89% turn out, the Conservatives still won, with no drop in support.

The only good news of the night was the SNP winning in Scotland.

Also, the public seem to have clearly forgotten the record of the last Labour Goverment...

...PFI, the start of tuition fees, 6 wars, and the climate of greed and abuse of power, the old saying, 'a week in politics is a long time'.. sadly this is oh so true. The public seem to say we care and yet when they have a real choice, like turkeys voting for Christmas, they elect faceless party career politicians, instead of real caring community activists who have fresh ideas and vision and would really deliver service to local residents..

For those who voted Labour or Conservative on Thursday..

When you see your friends and neighbours lose jobs.
When you see your NHS services privatised.
When you see the services your family depend upon no longer there.

Remember, you could have voted for candidates and parties that would have defended and protected them. This goverment have a mandate to cut services and privatise services. Now, the huge turn-out across the country and the huge number of anti-cuts candidates defeated, gives them the power to carry on...

It is a sad day for The poor, The elderly and the disadvantaged..

We have gone straight back to to the 1950s..