New Political Party for Sydenham Local Elections

[SquashedCommuter]

Hello All,

I recommend the creation of a political party just for Sydenham for the next elections, maybe putting up just one candidate.

Policies could include:

Cut council tax by at least 50% and dismiss all council workers in wasteful jobs.
Stop "Lewisham Life" propaganda - save trees and have useful information online only or on a subscription basis.
Involve schools in the management of local Parks.
Consider introducing PR system in local elections to increase political diversity.
Scrap the Mayor.

I am just putting up the idea for others and don't intend to be involved in the party. I might be back in a year or so if no-one is interested though.

[somerandombloke]

You tried this before and it went down like a dogshit sandwich. Why you tryin it again?

[AlistairStark]

Dear SquashedCommuter,

I agree with the thrust of your argument. I would also like lower council tax, fewer council staff, and end to unnecessary things like Lewisham Life, and getting rid of the post of Mayor (though I would keep first past the post as I dislike the idea of electing "second choices"). I would add to your list the possibility of shared council services with a neighbouring borough (legal, HR etc.).

And on a purely local issue, I would like to see the Greyhound site cleared, the deadlock ended, and some new flats and/or shops built. There are already 3 good pubs on the high street - The Pavilion, The Dolphin and The Golden Lion - all offering a different thing and enjoying good local support. There does not seem to me a market demand for a fourth pub.

I ran for the council back in May 2014 on this ticket. I did not do very well, getting fewer votes than the Green Party and UKIP candidates.

My point is that while I wholeheartedly support as much choice as possible at elections, there are those (like me) who already think the same way you do on many things. Instead of setting up a new party, why not join me? I intend to run for the council again next time.

[leenewham]

Less council staff = parks not as tidy, streets not as clean, no planning enforced so less tidy high streets, slower planning so more unlicensed developments, more rats as less pest control, untidy parks, less books in libraries, worse schools etc.

Be careful what you which for.

Council tax is only small part of what councils spend. But reduce it and see above.

I would guess that the fact that running on a ticket to knock down a pub that thousands campaigned to save and is currently in the process of being rebuilt, supporting an unpopular developer, reducing council services and staff so increasing unemployment (but would help the likes of the unpopular developer) is probably why you weren't voted for as a councillor.

But if you truly believe this is the right way, by all means make your case and state your views. I hope that people discuss the ideas rather than attacking the messenger. Such is democracy.

[_HB]

Cut council tax by at least 50% and dismiss all council workers in wasteful jobs.

This is the classic cognitive dissonance of the electorate blob. We demand Scandinavian levels of public services with US levels of taxation. Get real.

[Tim Lund]

I tend to agree with Lee on this, although the more significant consequences of fewer planning officers will be fewer developments overall, and those which do get through coming from the bigger developers who can afford to pay planning consultants to do the work previously done by Council staff.

I also very much with him in welcoming AlistairStark to this discussion here - I'd not registered before that he had stood as the Conservative candidate for Sydenham last year. The challenge for him is to explain how local authorities can become more efficient, and what the Conservatives' vision for local government in London is. The experience of cuts over the last five years has led to poorer maintenance in parks, libraries and road maintenance, but not so much as to provoke widespread public outrage; it seems there were efficiency gains to be made - although it may be that the long term consequenses are being ignored.

It's not an easy question, and a while ago I wrote this

Save our NHS! Save our Town Halls?

with the idea of getting people thinking about it.

Maybe AlistairStark could respond?

[leenewham]

I've worked with a lot of councils and every one wishes they had more council staff at their disposal 'to do stuff'. It's really difficult to get things done with outsourcing. Contracts are binding, budgets are tight, companies need to make a profit.

Some councils have really good officers, some not so good. The biggest issue I've seen with councils are the politicians who seem hell bent on making life difficult for officers. Of course, this may not be the same with all of them, only in my experience.

I believe the best companies are the ones who treat their employees as their most important resource. The councils appear to struggle are the ones that treat officers like disposable 'assets' rather than people. Who pounce on officers that make mistakes but overall get stuff done and seem to reward ones who are safe and do little. Who break the rules of procurement (which in most councils isn't fit for may jobs) and use their own initiative and common sense in order to 'protect' their politico's.

It's sad. But I've worked with some really good councils and councillors. The best ones are the ones who listen and are there for the areas they are elected to represent, not the ones who are essentially representatives of their local political party, the best ones hardly ever refer their party and campaign to save their local libraries, not argue with those who try to save the libraries, who use the word 'we' (as in 'we the council'), instead of we (as in 'we, the people of Sydenham).

I'd prefer to have council elections free of political parties, and just a group of people working together fight for and to make their areas better rather than a training ground for MP's and political propaganda.

[Nigel]

Well played to Tim and Lee for their gracious response to Mr Stark and Mr Squashed Commuter . I would vote for 24 hour One Direction broadcast from every lamppost but do want to respond too.

Firstly if you looked at the Job Descriptions of those working for Lewisham council , I don't think any of them would have the suffix - " wasteful Job" so you would have to decide which they were . So is that planning enforcement , parks, street cleaning , social services , care for the elderly , provision for young people , the arts ?
Secondly , the kind of people of that would be likely to vote for that kind of policy would be comparatively well off and I struggle to think that they would be happy to unswept roads, and scruffy high street to save a poxy few hundred quid a year . I would pay another few hundred if it guaranteed more street trees, nicer parks , better enforcement and more events for the community .
Thirdly , I suspect much of what the council deliver has already been subjected to stringent value for money testing and has been shown to have little fat to trim .

My question to both of you is this : if you really desire to save your couple of hundred quid would it be worth it to subject the rest of us , particularly the vulnerable to even more austere , dirty , grey street-scapes and struggling services ?
If so I would say you were both unpatriotic , oblivious to your civic duties and lack pride in the town you (presumably) live in . In my book, all hallmarks of the wrong 'un.

Nobody disputes that all economies should be made where possible , and yes pooling back-office services like HR and legal are traditionally areas to make savings but I suspect Lewisham are looking at that and even then , it will result in redundancies that we will all have to pay for in myriad ways (unless you have found a way round income tax and national insurance .

A very good evening
Nigel

[somerandombloke]

Now this is turn up. I AGREE WITH NIGEL!!!! Mind you its pure common sense and not in the way rightwingers usully mean.

[Nigel]

SRB
With your usual good grace ...
Imagine how I feel -finding myself in agreement with Thelma and now Louise !

I don't think I approach this from any sinister viewpoint - we need to put maintaining all possible services for Sydenham above relatively small personal savings . That's all .

A very good morning
Nigel

[somerandombloke]

Thelma and Louise!!!!! hahahahahahaha! My sister used to have two rats called Thelma and Louise!

[Nigel]

SRB
You got me - typical right-winger, arguing for higher taxation and more spending on public services .
No rat references intended , I understand they are quite intelligent
A very good morning
Nigel

[Bovine Juice]

Why are small minded and selfish people so obsessed with cutting pennies off their council tax at the expense of the old, infirm, poor, needy and anything that could remotely be valued by a community?

[somerandombloke]

Why are small minded and selfish people so obsessed with cutting pennies off their council tax at the expense of the old, infirm, poor, needy and anything that could remotely be valued by a community?

Because they are @$$#0!£$