These two photos shown the Wharncliffe Viaduct before and after the so-called graffiti removal. Not only has it taken the council over a year to get round to cleaning any graffiti off the Wharncliffe Viaduct but this is the dismal result. Only one pillar has been cleaned and only partially done at that! It's a totally shoddy job. We hope that the council is monitoring the performance of the graffiti removal contractors properly and witholding payment accordingly. At this rate it will take many years to clear.
The above photo shows the state of Hanwell cricket club as it was when we reported the graffiti to Ealing Council on 3rd April. Residents told us the graffiti had been there for several months. After waiting so long for the council to clean it, the club gave up and painted over it itself last weekend (see photo below) - otherwise it would never have been clean for the start of the cricket season. Yet another broken promise from this Tory council!
Local people would like to know why the Council and gas board did not liaise with eachother over work carried out in Alwynne Rd. Ealing Council had no sooner resurfaced the road when the water board dug it up again. A local resident said, "You would think they could have synchronised the work, wouldn't you. The gas board works were planned a long time ago and the council is supposed to coordinate works with the major utility companies. It's sheer incompetence and a total waste of public money!"
Residents are growing increasingly frustrated at the Council's inaction in determining the status of a widely believed 'public right of way'. The easement has been constantly used by local residents to access Hanwell Station for the past sixty years. However, since the owner of the property formerly known as Manor House School submitted plans to develop the site into an elderly persons' care home, the access route has been illegally blocked off. One local resident said, "The dispute has been ongoing for two years now and residents feel that the Council has had plenty of time to establish the facts. It seems to us that they are unwilling to stand up for local residents and too keen to accomodate this developer!"
In an interview, John O'Farrell asks Tony Blair questions from party members and supporters on education, health, Iraq, life as Prime Minister, tackling poverty and much more. You can now watch the interview by going to Labour's Youtube channel, Labourvision by clicking on the link above.
This week Labour ministers are campaigning around the country to demonstrate how the NHS is saving more lives, treating more patients, and is quicker than ever before.
Visit the link above to see an inter-active map highlighting where Labour's record investment in health is being spent in your area. You can also receive a personal prescription for a healthier life plus reminders of how the Tories wrecked the NHS.
We want you to tell us why you're proud of the NHS. It could be that you've used the NHS recently and want to thank a staff member that helped you through a tough time or that you've received excellent service. Click here to tell us your story or read other people's stories in our interactive book.
Hanwell village green residents are unimpressed by the Council's neglect of the above wall which has been left to deteriorate for many months. The dilapidation is thought to be encouraging anti-social behaviour and vandalism. Residents report that the green has become a hot spot for teenage drinking and rowdy behaviour at night and claim that the Council should be paying more attention to the upkeep of the area. One local man said the situation is getting so desperate that residents are considering forming a citizens' action group to do the Council's job for them, if no action is taken soon.
In Grove Avenue there were no rubblish collections on the due day the week before Easter (4th April) or the full working week after Easter (18th April). Having to go to the dump on a Sunday isn't everybody's idea of fun. But this is a Tory Council with Showcase streets after all, but not one in Hanwell.
The police and residents reported all these incidences of graffiti in Hanwell to Ealing Council on Tuesday 2nd April but 17 days later , despite promises to remove it within 24 hours, the Tories commitment to Hanwell residents remains unfulfilled!
The Tories botched attempt to recruit a high profile candidate to stand against Ken Livingstone for mayor of London is a source of acute embarrassment for them today. Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Menzies Campbell refused to back the deal that Mr. Cameron had tried to broker which would allow Mr Dyke, former Director General of the BBC, to run as an independent 'Unity' candidate with the backing of both parties.
Mr Cameron is desperate to poach anyone with celebrity status regardless of their political allegiance but Mr Dyke said, "I said I am not interested in standing for the Conservatives.”
Echoing the sentiments of most Londoners, Mr Dyke added: "Ken is a pretty good campaigner. I don't think he has done that bad a job.” And nor do we! Carry on Ken!
Over the last ten years, our towns and cities have seen a dramatic transformation. Across the country, we have seen our communities regenerated, public services improved and jobs created. Crime is down. Waiting lists and times are down. School results are better than ever. A record number of people are in work. Investment by Labour in government, working with Labour councils, has helped change the face of many our communities for the better. Labour councils have once again led the way on value for money, delivering lower increases on average than Tory and Lib Dem councils, as well as the lowest average level of council tax. Thanks to Labour’s continued investment, along with our tough stance on excessive and unfair council tax rises, we have seen in 2007 the second lowest average council tax increase in over a decade. The 2007/08 council tax figures show that Labour councils cost local residents on average £262 per year less than Tory controlled councils, and £201 less than LibDem councils.With Labour, councils have received a real terms increase in their central government funding of 39 per cent since 1997. Under the Tories, local government was starved of cash and resources – over their last four years in power they cut the local government grant in real terms by 7 per cent.
The Lib Dems are totally out of touch and soft on crime. Their record is one of consistent opposition to Labour’s tough measures to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, and their policies prove they cannot be trusted on these vital issues of our nation’s security. The truth is the Lib Dems are more interested in protecting the rights of teen gangs and yobs than protecting the decent law-abiding people who are threatened by them.Labour has taken tough measures to crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour. But the Lib Dems have repeatedly tried to block these measures and would deprive the police and local authorities of the powers to take on the vandals and the bullies. They have opposed our tough action on the yobs who blight the lives of hard-working families.If it were down to the Lib Dems, the police would not have the power to disperse gangs of youths, impose Anti-Social Behaviour Orders on the worst offenders, and give curfews to people causing trouble late at night.
More and more the weakness of the Tories on policy shines through. At the same time, cuts by Tory councils are showing what the Tories would be like in government. David Cameron and George Osborne have promised to cut taxes every year under a Conservative government through their so-called ‘proceeds of growth’ rule. The third fiscal rule applied over the economic cycle would require cuts to spending of £21 billion this year alone. David Cameron has himself admitted that implementing this rule would lead to ‘dramatic’ cuts in public investment compared to Labour’s plans. Not only that, but the cuts would be to fund unfair policies like marriage tax breaks.But at the same time as promising huge cuts in public spending, David Cameron and George Osborne have lost control of their front bench colleagues with half the shadow cabinet going around making unaffordable spending commitments, and the other half promising massive tax cuts.The Tories have to fund even larger cuts in front-line public services on top of their proceeds of growth rule. As every new tax cut or spending pledge is made, the Tories reveal how they still can't be trusted to run the economy or fund public services.Even the Tories’ flagship policies are unravelling under scrutiny. The Tory plan to put VAT on airline tickets would only apply to domestic flights, would save just 50,000 tonnes of carbon – less savings in one year than achieved by the climate change levy in just one week, a levy the Tories oppose – and business would be able to claim back the VAT. Despite talking tough on crime, the Conservatives have repeatedly voted against Labour’s investment in law and order and the tough measures Labour has taken to fight crime. David Cameron has made calls to hug-a-hoodie and show louts more ‘love’, while dismissing Labour’s anti-social behaviour orders as ‘gimmicks’. His party have repeatedly tried to block Labour’s tough measures, including voting against enhanced powers for councils and the Environment Agency to tackle local environmental quality and anti-social behaviour.At a local level, Tory councils are showing what the Tories are like, and would be like in government. Despite the new gloss, across the country, when the Tories get into power they are showing that they follow the same old policies of cuts to vital local services.
Education remains Labour’s top priority. Every young person deserves the best start in life. By investing in every stage of a child’s education we can ensure that each and every child has the opportunity to reach their potential. The Tories refuse to match our investment and their new spending rule would actually cut investment in public services. Labour’s record investment and reforms in education are transforming learning from early years right through to GCSEs and beyond. The results are clear: young people are achieving some of the best ever results at 11, 14, 16 and 18. We have doubled the amount spent per year for the typical pupil from £2,500 to £5,000 and there are 36,200 more teachers and 154,000 more teaching assistants and support staff than in 1997. Labour’s long term ambition is to raise the level of investment per pupil to today’s private school levels, an aim the Tories have refused to support.Labour remains firmly committed to an NHS that is free at the point of need with equal access for all, irrespective of wealth. Since 1997, Labour’s investment and reforms to the NHS have transformed our health service - waiting lists are down, more lives have been saved and more patients have choice. The Tories’ promises on the NHS are at odds with their spending rule which would actually means cuts to public services. Investment in the NHS has doubled since 1997 and is set to treble by 2008. There are now 32,000 more doctors and 85,000 more nurses than in 1997. Reforms to the NHS are creating a modern health service that is closer to the community and easier to access, as well as meeting the challenge of advances in medicine. Fewer people are waiting, and for shorter periods. In 1997 patients were waiting up to 12 hours in A&E, today 98 per cent of people are seen within 4 hours. In 1997 patients were waiting up to 18 months for operations; today patients are seen within 6 months. By 2008 each and every patient will be treated within 18 weeks of their referral. But there is still more to do and that is why the local elections on May 3rd are so important. They offer a clear choice between continued partnership with Labour in government and in power in our town halls, or cuts to public services under the Tories.
Labour is working hard to make our communities safer by cracking down on the yobs and criminals who can make the lives of others a misery, legislating to get tough on serious and persistent offenders and putting more bobbies on the beat. The Tories talk tough and vote soft on crime, while David Cameron makes calls to hug-a-hoodie and show louts more ‘love’. Latest figures show that, on average, Labour councils issue more ASBOs than Tory councils, and three times more ASBOs than in Lib Dem areas. With Labour there are more police, with over 14,400 more officers than in 1997 plus almost 11,000 Police Community Support Officers to work alongside the police. Labour is the party of stronger cities, towns and communities. The Tories left our cities in economic decline with fractured communities. Our aim is to build stronger, inclusive communities with affordable homes, good transport links, and thriving commercial and industrial centres. People will never forget the decline that our cities suffered under the Tories, when families fled from urban areas in the face of rising crime and decay. That is why the people who live in Britain’s cities still do not trust the Tories with their future security. The success of our towns and cities is built on a strong economy providing good opportunities for businesses to invest and create jobs - employment is at its highest ever level, interest rates and inflation remain at historic lows, and the OECD expects UK investment to grow faster than in any other G7 economy in both 2007 and 2008. A good local environment is vital to the wellbeing and quality of life of communities, and that’s why we’ve given priority to improving public spaces and cleaning up our streets. We’ve given councils powers to tackle problems like graffiti, abandoned cars, fly tipping, noise pollution. The Tories, despite their rhetoric, voted against measures for cleaner neighbourhoods and to tackle climate change. Household recycling in England has increased nearly four fold and we are committed to ensuring that by 2010 all households have access to kerbside collection of at least two types of recyclable materials. We are working to eradicate fuel poverty in vulnerable households by 2010 and announced our plans to make all new homes zero-carbon by 2016. We’ve also worked in partnership with councils to improve local transport, with funding more than doubled since 1997.
Ealing’s Tory councillors are making the borough’s most needy and vulnerable fund the extra money they are spending on highly visible services such as graffiti/rubbish removal.While Council leader, Jason Stacey, his Deputy Leader and Mayoress have been enjoying the massive pay rises they awarded themselves last year (average 65%), they have cut the budget for the borough’s looked after children by £380,000 and are deleting a number of front-line posts in mental health.Ealing Labour Group and the Council trade unions condemned these callous cuts which are likely to adversely affect the already reduced health outcomes of some of the borough’s most disadvantaged groups, yet the Tories find them an easy target. Their indifference to the plight of these vulnerable people in our society is perhaps best exposed by the comments of Northfields Conservative councillor, Phil Taylor, who attributes the blame for poor health outcomes on ‘crap decisions’ taken by ‘basket cases’.
15 days after the Hobbayne Action Day on April 2nd, when police and residents notified the Council of every incidence of graffiti and fly-tipping throughout the ward, the Tory Council has still not cleaned it up. Their pledge to respond immediately and remove it all within 24 hours has been an absolute sham and total waste of public money!
Today David Miliband launched Labour's new climate change pledge card, which sets out how the Labour Government working in partnership with councils, energy companies and the Energy Saving Trust will help households take simple steps to cut energy bills by up to £300 per year and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. The pledge card highlights five examples of actions that households can take and five ways the Labour Government will support individual action:
Five things you can do: • Turn your thermostat down 1 oC • Turn appliances off when not in use • Replace your light bulbs with energy saving ones • Do your washing at a lower temperature • Get a home energy check
Five things your Labour government will do to help you: • Home insulation programmes • Free electricity monitors • Phase out energy inefficient light bulbs • Higher product standards and labelling • Home energy ratings
Every part of society has a role to play in tackling climate change. Individuals are responsible for over 40 per cent of the UK 's carbon dioxide emissions through energy use in homes and personal transport, but Labour believes that people want to do their bit, and need information and support. That's why we are highlighting some of the simple steps that households can take to cut their energy bills and carbon dioxide emissions and some of the ways that the Government will help, working in partnership with councils and energy companies. Labour is working hard domestically and internationally, in central and Local Government to combat climate change. We hope you'll join with us in doing your bit reduce emissions at home and encourage your family and friends to do the same.
These pictures, taken on Monday 2nd April, show graffiti and a large knocked down sign in a prominent position on the Cuckoo Estate. Our inspection of the Estate showed other patches of litter, fly-tipping and graffiti. But this eyesore in a key position on the approach to the Community Centre at the top of Cuckoo Avenue, shows that the Tory Council could be doing better to keep the area spick and span.
Hobbayne Safer Neighbourhood Team leader Sgt Dave Williams organised a day of action across the whole ward on Tuesday. Your Labour Action Team teamed up with police officers, councilllors and residents to have a blitz on all graffiti, rubbish dumping and abandoned cars. All will be promptly removed and real progress made in protecting and improving the local environment. Thanks to the Labour government, Ealing Council can use the new powers given to them to tackle graffiti and abandoned cars - powers which were opposed by the Tories!
How long does it take Ealing Council to get a signpost fixed?The signpost on Church Road and Cuckoo Lane, Hanwell was vandalised in September. Spring is upon us, but still the twisted signs are blighting this otherwise pleasant part of Hanwell. Perhaps the most frustrating part of the affair is that council contractors regularly cut the grass, but no-one at Ealing Council seems to be capable of organising the repairs to the sign. What will prompt the Council into action?
We are here to represent you, your concerns, your aspirations and your ideas. Please help us to help you by sharing these with us by contactinginfo@hanwell-labour.comTogether we can make Hanwell a better place for all.
Hanwell Community Centre
Please sign our on-line petition to save this historic building from demolition click here Tory Council unwilling to renew lease due to expire March 2008
Hanwell Station
Let's keep it open for Crossrail
This website is produced by your Hobbayne Labour Action Team
This blog is produced by the Labour Party in the Hobbayne branch of Ealing North Labour Party. We represent the town of Hanwell north of the famous Great Western Railway Line and Brunel's Wharncliffe viaduct.
Our local Councillor is Phil Greenhead, and she can be contacted by email at phil.greenhead@ealing.gov.uk.
Don't let the council demolish i! Help us to save this important community resource and unique part of Hanwell's heritage Email your comments to info@hanwell-labour.com
