Ilford South Labour Party

Redbridge Labour Group Leader Bob Littlewood was in Rochdale recently to hear Labour Leader Ed Milliband give his backing to Labour Councils that are handing power to local people in a radical bid to improve services. Labour’s cooperative councils believe almost all services can be improved by shifting more power to local people. This new approach is not about turning all services into co-ops nor is it intended to replace skilled professionals. It is about giving local people choice and control over the services they use.

Cllr Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council, the first cooperative council, said,

We are changing the way we run council services so that local people have a much bigger say over what happens to them and the places they live. It means more community-owned cooperative housing, more older people choosing which care services they want to use, more local control over parks and green spaces. We call it the cooperative council and the community work together to make life better.

Michael Stephenson, General Secretary of the Co-operative Party said,

These Labour Councils have come to the home of the co-operative movement in Rochdale to reclaim founding traditions of the Labour and Co-operative movements- of collective action and co-operation, or empowerment and enterprise. These co-operative councils will help transform local services and local communities.

How Does This Translate Here In Redbrige?

In Redbridge of course we are not in control of the Council, it is run by the Conservatives in partnership with their Lib Dem allies. We have developed a strategy for rethinking service provision. Since May 2010 the Con/Dem leadership of Redbridge has embarked on a savings programme involving very serious reductions in public services. They have concentrated on finding across the board savings and lopping off bits here and there.

• They have failed to work out a vision of what their priorities are for the future, or to examine all of the possible means of providing local services.
• Their savings programme, which is not coupled with any vision or direction means it is impossible to justify any individual service cut or redundancy.
• The Council carries out lots of consultation, but this is not the same as working with residents.
• We thus vigorously oppose the planned cuts and will not accept privatisation.

WE SAY IT IS TIME TO RETHINK SERVICE PROVISION

• It is time to look at new ideas.
• We would examine other councils who have created partnerships with residents to provide services or community facilities.
• We would work out where we can establish partnerships with residents to provide services or community facilities.
• Rather than cut grants to the voluntary sector, we would examine expanding their role.
• We would examine where mutuals or not for profit organisations can take on service provision.

Our Labour Action Teams are out weekly talking to you on your doorstep.

If you want to read the Co-operative Councils press release or a fuller version of our rethinking of service provision the full documents are available on this site.

Friday 8 April saw a day of action in the fight to save services at King George Hospital.  Around 50 intrepid individuals left Queens Hospital in Romford at 4pm and made their way with banners and placards to Ilford Town Hall via Crow Lane, Whalebone Lane and the High Road.  They arrived in Ilford town centre around 5.45pm, in time for the Rally being held in Ilford Town Hall. 

The town hall was packed with almost 600 people present to hear the speakers who included: MP’s Mike Gapes, Lee Scott, Margaret Hodge, John Cryer & Andrew Rosindell; Ian Bond, Liberal Democrat deputy leader of Redbridge Council; representatives of a number of the major faith groups; and chaired by Bob Archer from the National Union of Teachers.  The message from all the speakers was very clear – King George Hospital belongs to the community, and the views of the community must be taken into account by those making decisions about its’ future.

The campaign has united all political parties and faiths, and those with no political or religious affiliations.  The audience was told about the review currently being undertaken by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel which is to report back to the Secretary of State for Health by 22 July. 

To make sure your views are heard please contact them by:

Writing to: IRP, 6th floor, 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SP

Email to: info@irpanel.org.uk

Phoning: 020 7389 8046

Why cuts are the wrong cure from False Economy on Vimeo.

Today’s March for the Alternative, organised by the Trades Union Congress, is expected to be the largest civil society demonstration in many years. And Labour Party members from Ilford South will be there carrying the Ilford South banner. Not everyone can join the march. Whether you’re attending the march or not you can help create an online protest that matches that on the street. Here are some suggestions, courtesy of False Economy.

First picture back from the march!

“The unprecedented attack on front line services in Redbridge and elsewhere is not an economic necessity but is part of a wider agenda to undermine the public sector.”

So said the preamble to Labour’s motion to the budget setting council meeting at Ilford Town Hall on Thursday 3rd March.

The Tory led administration rejected the motion and pushed through £25 million cuts over the next 3 years with the help of their Lib Dem accessories. £15 million will be cut in the current year.

Cllr Bob Littlewood, Leader of the Labour Group said:

“The cuts proposed in this budget are unprecedented and unnecessary. The coalition government wants to dismantle the public services in this country.”

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