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...

The Big Society Breakfast

On June 30th over 700,000 people will be taking direct action against the cuts.

Public sector workers will be taking to the streets across the country to picket and protest, to defend public services and strike for the alternative. This is the biggest day of action yet against the cuts. Join the Big Society Breakfast to support the people on the pickets.

The government are making everyone else pay for a crisis caused by the bankers. They’ve targeted students, pensioners, people with disabilities, the unemployed, NHS workers and patients, and now they are attacking teachers and other civil servants.

UK Uncut are used to sit-ins, now it’s time to stand up with the people going on strike and the trade unions who are challenging the government. There are alternatives to their cuts. Make the banks pay for the crisis they caused, and stop tax dodging by corporations and the rich.

Picket lines will form on the morning of the 30th. Choose one or more lines in your area (we'll have a map up soon), and list or join an action on the UK Uncut website. Join those on strike, bring them a mug of tea and a breakfast butty, and show them that we’re all in it together against the government. Make links with your local trade union branches and anti-cuts group to build a coalition against the government.

In London, PCS union are organising a march followed by a rally at Westminster. It seems we've been set some challenges come the end of the rally...

See you on the picket line!
www.ukuncut.org.uk/breakfast

--
UK Uncut
www.ukuncut.org.uk
Twitter @ukuncut twitter.com/ukuncut
Facebook www.facebook.com/ukuncut

Deptford's Tidemill Campaign

Deptford says no to Tidemill becoming an academy


Press release 16th June 2011: Parents Demand Open Accounting

Following an urgent request from concerned parents in her constituency, Joan Ruddock Labour MP for Lewisham, Deptford has written to the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, asking him to delay approval of any change in Tidemill School‘s status, pending independent scrutiny by the LEA of the school’s existing arrangements for managing its finances. The school’s accounts were last audited in early 2009.

The year-long Deptford Says No campaign was started by parents of children attending the primary school in Deptford, South London, in response to ‘SuperHead” Mark Elms’ plans to turn the school into an academy. Last year, they succeeded in obtaining an extension to the consultation period and uncovered a significant miscalculation in the financial figures upon which the original proposal was based; however, a reworked application was recently approved by the school’s governors and now awaits Gove’s consent to proceed.

A spokesperson for Deptford Says No explained that the campaign has been struggling to achieve the sort of transparency and clarity about the background to the move to which she felt parents and the wider community were entitled. When information was not forthcoming directly from the school, the campaign enlisted the help of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Commissioner in order to gain access to the minuted records of the school’s Board of Governors and Finance Committee meetings. In their letter to Joan Ruddock, they report that, on the basis of the documentation so far provided:

There would appear to be no audit trail of the decision to award Mark Elms substantial bonuses in 2009 and 2010. Given the increased budgetary autonomy enjoyed by academies, [...] there is significant cause for concern that the current arrangements for the school’s governance may not be fit for purpose.

In fact the school’s Chair of Governors, Keith Geary, has recently informed the FOI that the decisions in question were taken by a select group of governors and not minuted.
One parent commented:

Although there has been a consultation process, I don’t think that our views have been properly listened to. Our concerns as parents have still not been addressed. We are struggling to get the answers we need, especially in respect of the money involved. Tidemill is an outstanding school already, with a great mix of kids from all parts of the local community, so who exactly is going to benefit if it becomes an academy? Whose interests are being served here? It’s a big step, and as far as I can see, once it’s happened it will be irreversible.



The campaign can be contacted via:
Website: academies.sayingno.org
Email: admin@sayingno.org
Tel: Leila 07766710638
Follow us on Twitter

Pop up Shops in London Deptford & New Cross

Deptford seems to be leading on the latest concept in retail, Pop up shops, Where local people take over a building and sell what ever they can for a short period of time.. Malpas road has a new pop up eating place, getting great reviews, i hope its success is not the reason the Toads Mouth Cafe and Garden in Brockley has gone up for sale, Whilst 2 of Deptfords most Colourful Charactors Professors Nod and Rod Miller from Albury street have set up a Pop up Gallery, Retro Cloths Store and Book store at Number 5 Albury Street Deptford, Knock on the door at number 9 Albury for viewing, or google Nod Miller. Com..This is a collection that is worth a visit, as a life time of Travil, Glamour, Music and Fashion, will insure this Pop up shop will be a great, but very short term addition to Deptford High street.If you love the 3 bed house, you can buy it for £379.000 freehold from www.housemartins.net.
Not Content with these 2 new up starts in the Area, Logans Chemist on New Cross Road Deptford, is shortly to open as a pop up Tea Room, Book Shop, Furniture store. Art Gallery, picture house, poetry corner.meeting rooms and with Offices for the free use of any Community group to help run campaigns, defend services, or just a place to hold tenants meetings etc,The Tea Room will Sell Organic and Free trade,It will also offer a daily Meal for about £2, this will be cheaper than the Wonderful pie and Mash shops on the high street.. as a daily special to help people on a budget..but then who is not these days, it will also offer Vegan and Glutton free and Vegerterian dishes.. Staff will be wanted, so more part time jobs and will raise money to Fund Groups such as Lewisham People Before Profit, Library Campaigns, New Cross Community Council, and any other group that needs help, but supports the aims of LPB4P.

Cannon Wharf Business Centre Planning Application Update

Lewisham Councils Planning Committee meets on Thursday 23 June at 7.30pm in the Civic Suite Lewisham Town Hall. LPB4P have put forward a clear objection to the hight and raised real concerns about Transport Congestion, Poor air quality and the fact Lewisham Council is not looking at this planning application in the overall picture of the 5 other major developments set to start in Deptford. Lack of Health and Secondry school provision and jobs has been a key level of our concerns, we are also alarmed that Lewisham Council has still failed to answer questions, we
have submitted to the Mayor. We asked what are they Doing with the £4 million cash the Developer is paying Lewisham Council for consent.What are they doing with the money the developer is paying towards Education? and Why is the Council allowing planning permission which will see no more than 20% affordable homes being built? the Councils own development plan, states affordable homes must be 35% plus, This is clearly not happening in Deptford, Oxstalls Site will build no more than 18%, and out and out Scandle.The Public can attend the planning meeting, the only good thing about these plans, at
re that they will unlike any other development in the area, see real local jobs in the area.Something the Council should do more to encourage, as well as building family size homes for the huge numbers of local people living in over croweded flats, with many children packed so tightly into rooms, they have no space to play or do school work..

New Cross Sainsburys and Lewisham Small Traders

So not content with having the largest Store in New Cross, Sainsbury, the Store that claims to care about community is about to open yet another store on Lewisham Way, its aim to wipe out all Local competition, Close the pubs, by offering cheap booze, and leading to the closure of around 30 local traders, most of which only make a living during student term time, and most earn less than the Min wage. The Next meeting of the NMew Cross Community Council and Lewisdham People before profit meetings will seek to mobilise a campaign around defending small traders, only a week ago, i was in the Mercury and South London Press defending small traders in Catford faced with Eviction, As the Landlord, Lewisham Labour Council, plans to evict 30 small traders and replace them with a superstore who will pay more cash.. So in Lewisham, We should be taking Action against the Labour Party, for forgetting they are Elected to Serve local Residents, not the Financial Sector, and the The Labour party, was once about the Interests of the Poor, no longer, Labour are only interested in Money and Greed and to hell with the Voters.. How many more reasons do Lewisham Residents need not to vote for this shameless lot, The same crowed who campaigned to stop Library Closures, but still in the Council chamber, gave up principle and put career first, by voting through the closeures..

The Localism Bill - The most important in our lifetime

The Localism Bill is the most important bill on Local Government ever put forward in our lifetime.

Click here to go through the second reading of this bill, it could see us having the power to stop library closures and have much more of a say in Local Government.

Local votes could also see us stopping much of the mis-management of public money and having a real say on community impact ahead of profit.

Ray,

BBC1 Breakfast TV. Tops a great week for Press coverage

Having been given 24 hours notice to talk on BBC1 Breakfast time TV on Housing Regulation and Law. i set my question and answers in Motion, expecting a 30 second Slot and a token presence with the reporters slanting the news item, the way they see it.at 8.15am Saturday after a mini film on Housing, i am caught of guard and instead of a fast 30 seconds, am told i must speak for 4 Minutes. Then come back for 9.10am for a further spot and debate with the Top Guy at Shelter. Sadly for the BBC, we were both clear and angry about the Goverments plans for Housing as part of the welfare reform bill, which as a director of the RLA, i have regular meetings with top Goverment people and MPs on the planned new Housing proposals. We all hate them. We should be building more Council and affordable homes, and not just expecting to attack private Landlords as villians on one hand, whilst expecting the same people to offer quality affordable homes to workers unable to secure a Council or Housing Association home.
After the BBC coverage, i get loads of emails from people reminded i am still alive and well, and over a bowel of Porridge or a fried Egg on Toast hit the Google search engine for my name. Will be spending the next few weekends catching up with people, even with the internet had lost contact with, or could it be, that a TV apperence a bit of press coverage, gives people after years an excuse to say hello.
Over past Week had Letters in Mercury and the South London Press and the Banbury Guardian. With the BBC, thought that would be it, But with Lewisham People Before profit people doing so much, it was great to see our Demo in Lewisham High street to Defend the NHS from This Goverments plans,in this weeks paper.
following on from the last Labour Goverment, that started all these problems. Barbara Raymond has Today hit the Front page and page 7 of the South London Press, not before time, she has been short listed for a Major award for her Work across New Cross and Deptford. If you feel you never have time to do anything, spend 10 mins with Barbara Raymond, at 70 plus, She is out of the house at sunrise, and rarely to bed before Midnight. Her good deads shame us all, whilst her Energy would exhaust a 5 year old. Barbara is all that is good about Community and shows out the best in people. it was just sad, in Mays elections she was not Elected as a Councillor for New Cross Ward, as a Lewisham People before profit candidate. , she was certainly the best Candidate, and today works harder and does more work for the area than the 9 Labour Councillor that were elected in May.

Catford Shopping Centre. Lewisham Councils White Elephant

Just as you thought it could not get any worse, The South London press, is reporting that Lewisham Labour Council who bought with local Tax payers money the Catford Shopping centre for £11.5 million pounds.
We are constantly told by Labour that these cuts are due to the Tory/Lib Dem Goverment, but this is clearly a pack of lies. We should all be asking why Lewisham Council thought it was ok, to use public funds to speculate on the commercial property market.
The report also goes on to state the deal, has gone wrong,up to 30 local traders may lose the small business units they presently trade from, whilst the whole deal is losing a small fortune. Labour Lewisham plan to kick out all 30 small traders and let the larger space as a superstore to secure more rent to cover the losses.This whole deal stinks, as Lewisham Council goes on to say they plan to develop the site and knock down Milford Towers Estate to build 1000 new homes..if this is the case, why would a huge Supermarket want to invest in a large store, if the council plans to knock it Down?.What will happen to all the people on Milford Estate?. How many of the new 1000 homes will be given back to replace the Council homes knocked Down?.If Any One in Lewisham out there is Still thinking about re-electing Steve Bullock or Labour in 3 years time...this reason alone should make rethink, and vote Lewisham People before profit Candidates..

New Cross Community Council.

A new group is set to be launched tonight at Goldsmiths College. Main Building room 143 from 7pm tonight Monday 6th June.
Despite our best efforts as local residents . New Cross Library has now closed. Rather than just getting angry local residents have decided to get organised to make sure that in future the voices of the people of this area are properly heard, and that similar plans can be stopped in the future before they start. With so many Communty groups working under the Lewisham People before profit brand, this Group will seek to offer more focus on the SE14 postcode and it is hoped will offer a new active forum for local residents.The Deptford Communty Forum is seen by many to do a lot of talking, but we have yet to see many of thous who go take any real action.. Convoy Wharf prime Example, were Deptford and New Cross members of Lewisham People before Profit have over the past 2 years been the main voice of opposition, organising petitions, demos news letters, planning objection letters and putting forward alternative use ideas for the site. such as a Cable car linking Deptford with Canary Wharf, ( an idea that Boris loved so much, he nicked the Idea, and it will be built linking Greenwich with Docklands.)..and covering the entrance with... Community need, before private greed.. a slogan, which is still clear to read and popular with the locals.It is so easy to do nothing,. and yet in this community we have so many issues, and in the main it is Left to a Handful of People to do all the work...

New Cross Library

So Lewisham's Labour council has closed New Cross library two days early to

..."Protect the books and the space from vandals..."

Since when have local residents campaigning to save the library been seen as vandals? ..For seeking change from Labour's mismanagement and lack of vision?

They even had 17 groups wanting to take over the site. But Labour Lewisham said

...NO!

Why?....it is almost beyond belief that a Labour Council is closing and cutting back services to the local residents in most need. They want to make political capital by giving the impression these cuts are all Tory cuts, when actually Labour planned much of the cuts and closures before the general election when it was still unclear who would win..

...Every Labour Councillor should be deeply ashamed at the way they are carrying out Mayor Bullocks orders. It also makes me sick to see Labour Councillors outside the chamber saying they support the Libraries, playing an active role in the movement, and giving false hope to residents seeking ways of coming together to put forward a community alternative....when they voted for the closure...!

They voted through the cuts (only the Greens and Conservatives voted to oppose the cuts).. Labour Councillors to their shame said one thing and voted another... They all deserve the order of the boot, and I hope at the next election, Lewisham residents vote them out for this breach of common sense and clear failure to abide by the must basic of laws.. to protect the interests of the residents that they are elected to serve.

NHS - The Nation's Religion

If anyone has doubts about the need for groups such as Lewisham People Before Profit, then this weeks headlines should give a clear signal that private profit should not be at the core of public services.

Both the appalling treatment of vunerable patients in a private hospital, and the scandal of the failing private care home chain are examples of what happens in a culture where profits are seen as more important than standards of care.

We have always put a clear case that profit is acceptable in the context of business, but that public services such as schools, hospitals, prisons etc should not be run for profit.

In the case of the care homes, the owners had taken every penny they could out of the business. They had sold all the assets and then leased them back at unrealistic rents paid to a different holding company.

This is profiteering which puts huge numbers of elderly pensioners at real risk. As a civilized nation, should we not be doing more to improve our public services?

As a country we should be celebrating what is great about the NHS...instead, the papers are full of news stories about poor care. But when you sack nurses and make savage cuts, it means one nurse has to look after over three wards on their own. And when doctors are working 14 hour shifts, many on call, working with broken sleep, how can we expect the service to be safe, and to deliver the quality of service we all expect?

Any failings are due to Labour's targets and the financial mess they left the country in. We cannot pass the blame onto front line staff, and then use cases like these as a sound argument to privatise the NHS.

....We have far too many managers in the NHS already.

We are the ones who understand how to improve the health service. The three main political parties clearly have no idea.

I hope that after this week's news coverage, the idea that the private sector can run the public sector will be clearly proven to be false. The case for public services to be well run, with sound financial management and NOT for profit, is at the very core of People Before Profit aims, and it should be seen as the real and only alternative to present goverment proposals.