Contact me at: richard@rosser.f9.co.uk
|
Be Independent. Vote Rosser on May 4th.
Parking
Crime
Youth
Education
The Elderly
Council Tax
This page deals with my take on various local issues other than housing. On the whole they're probably an odd mix of old style Labour with a hefty dose of conservativism, especially with regard to bureaucracy and a lack of spending controls.
During the two years I've spent at Homes for Islington I've developed a very strong distrust of bureaucracy and feel that politicians have to look very closely at who's running the ship. Traditionally politicians look at the big picture and strategy, leaving day to day management to the staff. I think this is a mistake, people judge politicians on delivery as well as policy.
Parking.
An on street parking permit costs £95 and if you live on an estate that rockets up to £188.76 (but at least you should have a guaranteed parking space). I can't recall whether it's still the case but leaseholders who have bought into their properties pay even more than long term residents.
If you have a visitor then they have to apply for a visitors permit which only allows parking for 6 hours. In other words, if you have friends or relatives visiting you for a day or two they'll probably be fined.
We can all agree that there is a real problem with commuters dumping their cars in Islington and making the last leg of their journey by public transport. It's quite right that these people should be hit with parking fines.
Islington Council is rolling out a program of Controlled parking Zones but why bother? How many administrators and planners does that employ?
Why not make life simple? Make the whole of Islington one huge controlled parking zone. Yes, a lot more residents may have to pay for a permit but sooner or later that'll happen anyway as more Controlled Parking Zones are introduced.
If you want to visit a relative, go to the doctor, or go shopping in another zone why you should run the risk of being fined?
By widening the base of those having to pay we ought to be able to bring the cost right down by as much as half.
As to the commuters dumping their cars here, if need be, let's put the fines up to cover the cost.
top
Crime and anti-social behaviour.
I don't know about you but I can't tell where crime ends and anti-social behaviour begins. As for who's responsible for what, it's impossible to tell any more. Is it the Police, the Council, Homes for Islington or Partners? We seem to have a plethora of agencies and earnest committees all achieving very little.
Labour calls for more ASBOs the LibDems respond with Acceptable Behaviour Contracts. Whatever happened to locking up criminals? Drug dealing, crack dens, prostitution, intimidating and violent behaviour are criminal offences. What's needed is to nick them and put them away. But where are the police when you need them? We need more police on the beat and we need more effective policing.
top
Youth.
My worry is that dishing out ASBOs and ABCs simply criminalises our youngsters and will make matters worse. Where are the youth clubs? Where are the sporting facilities? What can youngsters do?
A lot of people say "we never had as much as kids do today, they don't know how lucky they are". Fair enough, but it's a different world now. If we simply throw up our hands and do nothing then the kids fall into the hands of drug dealers.
Instead of the council regularly cutting funding for youth projects (down about £100, about 30%, per child over the last 4 years) it should be increasing it.
It's a similar story with Afterschool and Holiday Playcentres where fees have doubled in the two years. This hits the poorest parents the hardest and it's their children who may be most at risk if their only alternative is hanging around on our estates.
top
Education.
The LibDems are proclaiming a dramatic turn-around in schools performance. They claim that exam results have rocketed. Yes, they may be better but they came from such a low base that any improvement would be welcome.
Basically we're still well below the national average and our privatised education service is lamentable.
I'm not a parent so I've had to rely on published figures. If you want to check out the results go the BBC website for
Islington Schools.
Nearly all our schools trail the national average, as much as 50% below. OK, so there has been some improvement but it hardly justifies complacency, yet alone plaudits.
top
The Elderly.
Lunch Clubs and Community Centres have had funding cut, or kept at a standstill, while Meals on Wheels prices have spiralled by 10%; five times the rate of inflation.
Now we hear that the LibDems intend to cut spending on Home Care by £200,000 and hive off the whole service to yet another private company, or as they'd prefer to call it another 'partner'.
top
Council Tax.
Since the last election Council tax has risen by 33% under the LibDems. Both parties claim they'll keep it to the current level. I don't see how they can.
On one hand the Government puts more obligations on councils and on the other the whole set up of local authority spending is geared to maximising spending. Councils tend to be appalling purchasers because each department has to spend the budget to be sure of getting it next year.
I'm convinced that the council could reverse the cuts in youth and community spending, reduce the cost of meals on wheels, improve provision for the elderly and give motorists a fair deal. But it'll mean drilling down hard on getting value for money from suppliers of goods and services.
top
I hope you can join me by voting Independent on May 4th.
|
