Greens and Lib Dems Fight for Lower Homecare Charges

Lambeth has the most expensive Home Care in London. Prices have risen from £7.55 per hour to £17.50. Undeterred by this, Labour are now talking about raising charges again in September, to £20, taking yet more money from those who can least afford it. The Liberal Democrat and Green members of the council are calling for a reduction to £10 per hour, paying for it with money from a recent windfall. The Motion will only be carried if all Backbenchers attend and vote plus 15 Labour councillors vote for it too

Councillor Becca Thackray said:

"I am delighted to support the cross-party resolution to reduce charges to £10 in the light of Lambeth Council being allowed to keep £23 million held in Council reserves until 2006.

I do so out of my experience witnessing ‘bed-blocking’ as a nurse when patients cannot go home till care provision is in place, as a carer for my late parents, and for all the reasons below which I have uttered in support of Lambeth SOS campaign."

Home_Care_Charges_08.doc

If you want to support this resolution, write to your Ward Councillors and ask them which way they are planning on voting

Wonderful New Green Party Election Broadcast

Lambeth Green Party Supports Women's Right to Abortion

Lambeth Green Party are supporting national sexual health charity the Family Planning Association’s campaign to protect the current 24 week time limit for abortion. MPs and anti-abortion groups want to slash the time limit when the Abortion Act goes through parliament this summer. If they get their way, women in the most tragic situations won’t be able to get an abortion anymore. Lambeth Green Party says 'No' to attacking vulnerable women, 'No' to cutting access to NHS abortions and 'Yes' to supporting women’s right to choose.

Herne Hill Green Party Councillor (and nurse) Rebecca Thackray said:

"Women’s right to choose cannot be taken for granted. There are groups lobbying for all abortion to stop and they see reducing the time limit as a means to this end. I have no hesitation in adding my voice to the campaign opposing it.

Having worked in Family Planning Clinics I know that there are many reasons why a woman may feel compelled to terminate her pregnancy. I would question the suggestion that any woman makes the decision casually or that her decision should be made be anyone other than herself."

Links:
More details of the FPA campaign
Petition and online resoures

Councillor_Thackrays_Full_Statement.doc

In The News

New Labour's Climate Change figures do not seem to be scrupulously accurate (The Guardian)

Worries over plans for Granville Arcade (South London Press)

Streatham's Labour councillors can't tell the difference between their party and the Tories any more(thisislocallondon)

Green Party launch London campaign (Green Party)

Brixton Tesco wants to be even bigger (South London Press)

Space Needed

The Council is about to undertake a further expansion of the borough's on-street car club network. A total of 33 bays (about 60 cars) are now operating on-street across Lambeth and are available for residents and businesses to hire by the hour, reducing the need for people to own their own vehicles. They aim to more than double this network to over 70 bays/140 vehicles.

If you have any suggestions about possible bay locations in your ward, contact Tim Wedmaier in the next 2 weeks (tjwedmaier@lambeth.gov.uk).

If you're interested in car sharing, visit www.carclubs.org.uk

Climate Change Commission Recommendations

Lambeth Council's Climate Change Commission has suggested a comprehensive set of targets and procedures for the Borough. You can read the full report by clicking the link below.

Councillor Rebecca Thackray (pictured), who was a member of the commission, said

"The current government is famous for setting ambitious targets and then doing nothing. Here in Lambeth, we can show them the right way forward."

Climate_Change_Recommendations.doc

Smart Meter Loan Scheme

Transition Town Brixton has launched its 'electricity descent scheme' by lending 10 household 'smart meters' to members for 4 weeks to monitor and reduce their energy use. Their only obligation is to keep a record of how much energy they manage to save and what they discovered in the process.

They have also negotiated a £10 off deal with the manufacturer.

Contact info@transitiontownbrixton.org to go on the lending list.