|
LISTER
ON PUTNEY
| Edward
Lister is the Leader of Wandsworth Council and a member
for Putney's Thamesfield ward.
|
|
 |
Putney
people have been putting the rest of London to shame with
their spectacular achievement in hosting so many street parties
over the Jubilee holiday. Our
new Mayor Leslie McDonnell, himself a Putney man, will be
dropping in at three local events in Parkfields, Rusholme
Road and Sedleigh Road.
The
whole occasion is turning into a wonderful outpouring of patriotism
- let's hope Sven's men get us off to a good start on Sunday
morning!
What a coup for the dedicated staff in the council's social
services department to win a coveted three star rating from
the Government this week. This
is the highest award any council in the country can obtain
and it covers all services including those to the elderly
and young people as well as people with learning or physical
disabilities.
What
will have interested many observers is that of the eight three
star winners in the country four were in London. Two of the
four - Wandsworth and Westminster - have the two lowest council
tax levels in the UK.
Meanwhile
neighbouring Merton with its whopping council tax - more than
£1,000 for a Band D home - has social services that
are so bad that they cannot warrant even a single star from
the Government. Proof
if ever it was needed that councils which are good at managing
their budgets are the most effective at delivering their services.
Of course getting the job done properly has long been a Wandsworth
strength. But there is always much more to be tackled.
One
of our key themes for the next four years will be to demonstrate
the continuing relevance of local government to people's lives.
We
will be experimenting with new ways of making the council
more accessible. Next year for example will see the start
of what we hope will become a new Wandsworth tradition: the
state of the borough debate. This
will be a public event - possibly in the Civic Suite - where
cabinet members for each main service report on their performance
in the previous year and spell out their plans for the future.
It
may not always be a comfortable experience - but this is an
essential part of a process that is designed to interest more
people in the work of the council and to show that local government
really does matter.
Finally a flurry of local planning decisions in the last seven
days - not least two new schemes involving the opening-up
of the awfully-named 'Lavatory Gardens' which is that stretch
of green alongside Putney Bridge just below the Lower Richmond
Road. One
of these will bring the old 'Dowell Lloyd' premises back to
life the other will transform the disused underground public
convenience into a restaurant and art gallery.
With
the kind of sums likely to be invested in these projects there
is no lack of incentive to come up with a slightly more appealing
name for this part of the riverside. But Putney people can
get in first - send your ideas to putneysw15.com.
Edward Lister
Leader of the Council
You
can contact Edward Lister at the Town Hall on 0208 871 6041
or by email at elister@wandsworth.gov.uk
The
state of the NHS in Putney and the fight against night flights
....Cllr Lister's Diary
Pedestrian
saftey - especially around schools and Neighbourhood watch
.... Cllr Lister's diary
CAR
TAX DODGERS DRYBURGH RD DEVELOPMENT ROBIN HOOD GATE AND NIGHT
FLIGHTS..............Cllr
Lister's diary
Church
cheer, wharf worries and Richmond Park relief - Cllr
Lister's diary.
Cllr
Lister speaks against the Dryburgh Rd plans, the threat
of clsing Pen Ponds to traffic and litter.
The
Postal Service, Richmond Park and Council Tax changes are
all on Cllr Lister agenda.
Cllr
Lister comments on the current planning furore, pigeon
mess, cctv and policing.
Cllr
Lister writes on Pensioners Freedom Passes, good news
re Hotham School, development progress at Ashlone
Wharf and aircraft noise from Heathrow
Airport.
Recent
visit to the Leisure Centre was less than enjoyable - see
forum.
Cllr
Lister writes on the new school for the area, housing development
and Heathrow.
Cllr
Lister writes on developments at the Putney School of Art
& Design, The Leisure Centre and the excellent league
results for local schools.
Tony
Colman MP for Putney speaks about current local issues
|