Jobs in Deptford and New Cross & Come the revolution

At long Last Come the Revolution is set to open end of August, it offers full and Part time jobs in Catering in the Short term, serving great Coffee, Teas and Amazing Ice Cream, Food and other snacks will insure Local People see this is a great place to eat, Drink, hang out or get active.. The Space will offer a Gallery, Meeting rooms, for free use to all Local community groups and campaigns, Will offer a book exchange, Cookery School to every local resident, from Basic ideas to use an Egg, to great healthy cooking on a budget, the school, will be open to all and will cost just £1. Each day the Cafe will offer tea and Crumpet for just £1, or a hot meal any time as the daily special for just £2.Gourmet Burgers with Salard and Oven Baked chips with a Drink will cost just £5, we are selling Organic and fair trade as much as possible, so prices are fast food, but you will get quality.the space will also offer free Advice centre and will have a proper Campaigns Office for Lewisham People Before Profit. the No to Convoy Wharf Campaign and many others will be based here.Wifi and Computers will be avalible and Opening hours are 6am-8pm Monday to Thursday. 6am-10pm Friday and Saturday. 7am-8pm Sunday.
The Spacev is open for Public meetings, Film Club, Poetry, Debating, Parents and Toddlers Groups, This Space by your Support will insue Local Jobs go to Local People and that the profit made will be given back to Community Projects so please support this venue, as a life long community campaigner, i have lostb track of the number of campaigns or resident groups that have failed due to lack of funds, this Venue, will not only give a huge boost to the area, but will your support will give much needed finacial support to groups fighting to protect not just local services, but also help individuals with problems, but also help us make legal challenges on Planning concerns. I have to declare that this is one on my pet projects, i had hoped to use this space as a peoples supermarket, but this idea was scrapped due to lack of local interest. Come the Revolution has come about after listerning and talking to Local residents, Students, community groups and Workers..

Deptford & New Cross Planning

Deptford and New Cross Residents are getting organised to fight yet more planning applications set to go before Lewisham Council in the coming weeks. the Lord Clyde pub is the latest to go, as it owners seek to build yet more flats, at this rate we will see every street in the area becoming a building site. With Convoy Wharf about to take off, the Largest Development proposal in Lewisham History, already many groups are getting Organised, Both the New Cross Community Council and Lewisham People before profit have set up Planning Groups, so email me if you wish to play an active roll, or just to be kept up to date.the bad side of all this, is that commercial Landlords are pushing up rents,one Wharehouse full of artists in Creekside have been served notice, as the Owners seek to make more money from the improvements to the area, whilst i have lost track of the number of Local traders being forced to pay ever higher rents and rates. At the moment, all that we love about our neighbourhood is under treat. It is just Tragic, that Our Labour MP and Our Labour Councillors are only interested in the money these proposals bring to the Council, and care little for the impact on the enviorment or of the interests of the residents who live here.I hope people remember Labours Awful record in this area, when they next get to vote.Councillor Long, the New Cross Councillor who was exposed by the News Shopper News paper for taking Council money and doing almost nothing for it before the last round of elections, is back at her old tricks, Looking on Lewisham councils own website, she has only attended 3 meetings in over a year, but she has still claimed thousands of Council tax payers money. That works out at over £3000 per attendance...and if you think she bothers with Local Issues, i am happy to confirm, she is as invisable to the electors as she is with the Council Chamber.

Deptford and New Cross Planning applications increase 10 fold

Deptford Residents are set to see almost every road in the area, becoming a building site, the number of developments planned and proposed is at an all time high, even though the property market is in freefall in most areas, but in our neck of the woods, Developers see a fortune to be made. The negative part of all this, is that Commercioal Space rents, ie Shop and work space units are seeing the Owners give notice to long term tenants to charge upto 60% increases. the Artists in Creek Road have been given notice by the Works, to get out, and this week the Lord Clyde Pub in Deptford is set to go to be replaced by a block of yet more flats..Lewisham People before profit, will be setting up a working group on Planning, with Convoy Wharf about to be the Biggest Planning Battle for Residents in Lewisham Councils History, Being organised

Labour party housing policy review

Had a really good meeting at the House of Commons today, as Labour seeks to get to grips with the real housing crisis, and the lack of affordable and social homes, it is clear that both Labour and the Goverment have no intention of building more homes, but are increasingly dependent on the private rental sector to take over the role.

Bankers present said that the problem is they could not afford to loan the money that is needed to meet the huge housing demand as the new banking regulations state they need to hold 8% in reserve. He was also quick to remind us that much of the financial crisis was caused by the buy to let market, and it would be some time before the financial sector would tackle lending.

I raised the Issue of better education for tenants, and the possibilty of ending evictions where families are kicked out from job loss or health issues, as the 75.000 households evicted every year all end up on the doorstep of local councils seeking help, and at huge cost.

...Caroline Flint MP, a tough cookie by all acounts, admitted that Labour should have done more in goverment, and that paying tenants instead of landlords was a mistake, as it lead to huge numbers of landlords withdrawing from the social sector.. in all a positive 2 hours, but lots of work still to do. We really do need to build more homes, but how we get our political leaders to agree a plan is another matter.

The meeting was chaired by Alison Seabeck, shadow housing minister, and what a good job she did. As you are all aware, I am no friend of the Labour party, but after today, I did feel that these 2 Labour MPs really do want to listen and get to grips with the issue.

Labour Party a disgrace..Say Union Leaders

Are the public really happy to support the Goverments aim at putting public sector workers , against workers in the private sector?.Because clearly that is what is going on. I live with a Teacher, so have first hand experience at seeing how hard teachers work, not just during School hours, but at night, weekends and much of the School holidays. My partner had a choice, a great mind, and had the chance of working in the City earning big bucks or becoming a low paid teacher, teaching gives  real job satisfaction, the pay back, in retirement a decent pension for the low pay teachers earn. Much of the monthly pay goes to tax, and to put money into a secure pension, when you do not earn a lot, you cannot save as much as many in the private sector, so a pension for many is all they have. The private Sector pension market has seen thousands of workers lose life savings and pensions, Maxwell, Equitable Life and more. Is it therefore so wrong that we seek to Support teachers and reward them for the great work they do, of which we all benifit?
At yesterdays demos across London, from Deptford town hall to Westminister, every one was angry that yet again the Labour Party is not supporting the workers, The statement by the Leader of the ATL union, that the Labour Party was a disgrace was widely cheered and reported on BBC & Channel 4 News. Union Branch members across Lewisham and the Country are calling for Union subs to be no longer paid to the Labour Party, and that Unions Give money to groups who support workers Such as Lewisham People Before Profit, who already have wide Union support and active members from the Unions, some of which give money to the Group. Across the world People are demanding Change to the political System, saying it no longer represents them... This is Clearly not only the case in the Middle East,were we are seeing people standing up against tanks and bullets and laying in the streets, with death just yards away, how brave and insperational are these regular people, demanding to be listerned to, and willing to die. Or Greece,were we are loaning them even more money, money they can never afford to pay back, but the banks have to be seen to be paid, so they loan greece money to pay back the last loan they could not afford to pay, whilst the young and old pay the price of our rotton Capitalist system, that sees the Bankers and our Leaders get ever richer, on the backs and hard labour of the population, selling off every thing the Country owns just to Pay back the Banks, with no plans for Growth, will see the Debt never repaid.Greece like the UK, needs a new Political system. Iceland you all may recall, was Bust not so long ago, the UK bailed them out, the Goverment held a referendum but  Today Iceland has refused to pay back the money it does not have.. The world still goes on, Icelands People still have Food ,Homes and Jobs..

Sydenham Arts Festival Lewisham 1-17 July 2011

Lewisham may have the worst run Labour Council on the planet, and a residential population nuts to keep electing them into power, but we do have the largest number of creative people almost anywhere, so it is wonderful to see the vpopular Sydenham Arts festival, is still happening this year, and has raised the funds to offer such a terrific range of events. full details on ;www.sydenhamartsfestival.co.uk.
If you can help please email them on; jobs@sydenhamartsfestival.co.uk.
Creative people atre also needed as part of the Huge people day in July, Lewisham People before [profit, and the huge number of community groups that make up this group, are seeking more help to ad Colour, drama and Music to the Carnival against the Cuts section of the park. Please email me if you can offer to help on Peoples day

UK Uncut - Actions across the UK

On 30th June over 750,000 public sector workers will be striking. UK Uncut has announced the Big Society Breakfast to support the strikers at their pickets.


There will be UK Uncut actions happening all across the country. Find one nearest to you or if there isn't currently one, think about talking to your friends and organising your own. All you need to do is list it here, organise a facebook event and then spread the word.

A video has just been made so have a watch and share it far and wide.

UK Uncut


www.ukuncut.org.uk

Twitter @ukuncut twitter.com/ukuncut

Facebook www.facebook.com/ukuncut

The New X Community Council - Join In!

NEXT MEETING - PLEASE FORWARD THESE DETAILS FAR AND WIDE:

Next meeting of the newly formed New Cross Community Council - A group where everyone that lives, works and studies in New Cross comes together and directly represents their interests themselves.

Tuesday July 5th 7pm, Goldsmiths College, Main Building, Lewisham Way,
Ground Floor room 143

FACEBOOK event - http://tinyurl.com/6xvuv22

Libraries Update - The New Cross Charges

Negotiations are continuing for New Cross library to be taken over and run as a 'people's library'. The council is set upon charging a rent of around £35,000 a year to the lucky people that take on the challenge.

This would mean an effective cut of more than 130% to the funding of library services to New Cross.   Council funding was about £100,000 a year. Now they want to charge £35,000 pa for a much reduced service.

However, people are so keen to get the library re-opened that they might just agree to it.

(Generously the council have said they can use the £60,000 put aside for self-issue machines to pay for the first two years).

An emerging libraries villian is Ed Vaizey, Minister for culture, communications and creative industries, for his lack of intervention now after shouting loud about library cuts whilst in opposition..

Here is a question posed to him by Benedicte Page, Bookseller.

"Ms Page addressing Ed Vaizey - In the case of Lewisham, New Cross has closed, Gloucestershire has embarked in legal measures to prevent closures as occurred in the Wirral. It is not difficult to see why some communities are unable to embark on these extremely lengthy and expensive legal claims. Why can you not intervene?

Ed’s response: I stay close to my officials, and will not utilise the “nuclear button” of intervention unless advised by his officials to do so. And so far he has not been advised to do so."

See also Independent columnist John Walsh on why  Ed Vaizey has not been advised to do so..

The closure of Kirkdale as a CEL centre...Mayor & Cabinet Meeting

Please read this....
circulated by Patricia Richardson, Adult Education 4 all


"Mayor and Cabinet meeting, 6.00 pm on Wednesday 22/6/2011

The closure of Kirkdale as a CEL centre

Four members of the public waited for item number 5 on the agenda, Tom Stacey, Cathy
Ashley, a Kirkdale supporter and me. Unfortunately the Mayor had to declare an interest in
this item. It was postponed until last, so he could stand down and leave. Deputy Mayor, Cllr
Alan Smith, chaired the proceedings.

The introduction by Cllr Best, Cabinet member for Communities, stressed the 25% reduction
in funding by the Skills Funding Agency over 4 years. The previous reduction in funding
by The Learning and Skills Council (which squandered SO much money that its CEO had to
leave, with a package, and its name was changed) has already damaged Adult Education
provision across the country. There is also a question mark over the “Safeguarded” funding!
Her point was that Kirkdale had to be closed in preparation for further reductions in
funding.

Cllr Muldoon, Chair of the Healthier Communities Select Committee was the first witness.
As was noted at their meeting Cllr Muldoon batted well. He reiterated his strong concerns
that the 2 vital reports, the Equalities Impact Assessment and the budget report were not
available for his scrutiny committee. Indeed the promise to provide the Mayor and Cabinet
report to the committee before the decision was made did not materialise either. He held
the officers to account over this and commented that the student witnesses had given a
more cogent presentation to his committee than the officer concerned. He underlined the
importance of scrutiny and stated it had to be given the respect it deserved.

Too right, where only one person has any decision making powers (The Mayor, unless
he has delegated to officers) this is crucial, but it is slipping …. I hesitate to use the
word “contempt” in connection with due process … He commended his committee’s
proposals that dual use of Kirkdale was valid and co-location was a serious option.

Cathy gave her usual coherent, considered view on the issue. She began by recommending

that proper user groups, as had existed before at CEL, should be in place to deal with
the serious issues arising. She stated that Learner Forums were not up to this. Her main
concerns, which she was able to prove with statistical evidence, were that once people have
a less accessible venue they do not attend. (Ditto libraries!) Travelling difficulties and costs
prevailed. Those with cars needed accessible, free parking. It was notable that Evelyn and
New Cross wards had the lowest take up figures for CEL, once Mornington Centre closed.
New Cross has since lost its library. Sydenham no longer has a Lewisham Library. With the
loss of the over 60s concession, only now for over 65s, one could anticipate loss of students.
This needed to be monitored and recorded.

As a specialist centre students had to be assured of the quality of the new re-location.

Costs of this exercise were NOT available. Answers when they came were the usual
officer waffle, “It will be alright on the night.” Well, it never is, but they just ignore the
consequences – “Shall we move on?” There was also the consequence for these other
centres of fitting in Kirkdale’s programme (actually 96% of it!) The implications of closure
for so many people have been ratified SO many times, why keep repeating them? All we
achieve are increasing levels of deprivation (libraries.) Why this insanity?

Aileen Buckton, Head of Communities, went back to her cash book. There are 2
funding streams, one for accredited courses, one for non-accredited courses (laughingly
called “Safeguarded.”) The latter figure seems not to be known at present, but money will
be available, but not increased over the period and requiring efficiency saving. The former
is already subject to 25% cut, approx. £650,000, and ESOL funding protection has been
removed. I will not insult your intelligence by repeating her excuses for not providing the
Select Committee with adequate information, on time.

We all appreciate financial provision is a central government decision, but then it was also
practised by the Labour government.

Cllr Egan had to be re-assured that there was capacity across the 3 centres. He made a
key point by asking if there was a strategy in place to build on the promises made by the
officers, it was important that there were follow ups and the collection of statistics recorded
the trends in student numbers. He wanted to see the results.

Cllr Maslin supported Cllr Muldoon’s comments on the proper treatment of Scrutiny
committees. Although he could perceive a negative impact to closure he went along with it.

DEAL DONE – Kirkdale closes from July 2011, and although it was past the
dinner hour, we went home for our dinners!"

Patricia Richardson

Adult Education 4 all

How to bring down the goverment, but what is the alternative?

Whilst all talk is off a General Strike, a new branding for Labour.. Blue Labour, and the, Did he or did he not stab the Brother in the back, the reality across the UK, is that Labour is seeing a huge swing of support at local council By-Election level, whilst the Lib Dem vote, is crashing through the floor, whilst Smaller Groups such as Lewisham People before profit, and an increasing alliance of Community campaign groups across the uk, seeking to put real choice before the Electors. The People before profit agenda, has seen candidates secure votes as high as 28%, whilst 2 Councillors have been elected in the Midlands, and 2 Members of Parliment in Ireland. So why do i raise the issue of the Goverment failing to live through its full 5 year term?.
The Lib Dem party and its many Councillors are facing almost total wipe out, across the UK , Wales and Scotland, The voters are voting for any one except the Lib Dems, with another set of Elections next May with the London GLA and Mayor Elections, the Lib Dems are set for such a terrible kicking, that they will be forced to Dump Nick Clegg and replace him with another, who will at once call for the Party to pull out of the Goverment. This will see the Goverment fall, and the Lib Dems will seek to gain credit for bringing down the Goverment and in so doing hope to save seats.. an alliance with Labour and the Lib Dem is almost certain, and both sides are on talking terms, ready for that day, next May. As some one who has been active in all the main political Partys, my information is always spot on..
But What If the Goverment Falls..Do we really want a Labour Goverment? After all the reason we are in this financial mess, is after 13 years of a Labour Goverment, with Greed, Self Interest, and a truly stunning failure to regulate the Financial sector. They started Student fees, the crazy PFI and the NHS privatisation policy,Across the Globe, the Real People feel that all our Political Leaders are failing to represent the people. Big Business interest runs with the media, almost all policy and the political agenda. Bringing this Goverment down will not bring about any real change, it will lead to an entire Nation devoid of any true representation. Groups such as Lewisham People before Profit and Others on a platform of Community need before private greed, are what most voters would support, but in the quiet of a voters booth, will hold the nose and Vote Labour..An alternative will only win power and bring about an alternative political agenda, once Labour is again in Power, and the last remaining Labour party members wake up and realise the Labour party is no longer like the people it used to serve, but is all about the Bankers and Hedge fund managers and the mega rich, its leaders aspire to become. only then will we as a Country see that we need and should vote for a clear alternative.
Do you really think that Loaning billions of pounds to Greece to help it Not pay Wages, Or to invest in Jobs, but just loaning it the money to pay back the bankers is a real economic solution?. Our media peddles the lies of the leaders it seeks to promote.We live in a country of fear, not because of the work of the massses, but due to the greed and mismanagement of the few.. Wake up

New Cross Sainsburys and Lewisham Small Traders

Not content to have the largest store in New Cross, Sainsburys, a store that claims to care about the community, is about to open another store on Lewisham Way, just 200 yards from its main store.

It would seem the fact that over 30 small local traders are running businesses in a very difficult market, leads Sainsburys to think this is a great area to expand, and with cheap booze, and discount prices an area that will be easy to close down the Local pubs and wipe out the local small traders, most of which only make a living during the Student term, and most earn less than the minumum wage.

Local Traders, the New Cross Community Council and Lewisham People before Profit are seeking to stop this expansion, 1 giant store is enough.

A public meeting is about to be called to mobilise the local community to protect our local traders..

Next New Cross council meeting is 5th July at Goldsmiths, Room 145, ground floor of the main building.

It was only a week ago I was in the Mercury and South London Press defending small traders in Catford, their Landlord Lewisham Council, wants to kick out 30 long term small local traders and replace them with yet another giant superstore, that will pay them more cash. I have repeatedly reminded followers of my blog, that Labour Lewisham is more right wing than Thatcher...

..They are selling off our land, our buildings, our services and our traders at an alarming pace, and have forgotten that they have been elected to serve the voters, not the financial sector. We may need to set up groups across Lewisham as we are in New Cross and Deptford, to give a voice to our campaigns, on schools, transport, housing, jobs, services and any other concerns local people may have. Our political leaders clearly do not give a toss...