Councillor Report to West Ham Ward 8 November 2018

Councillor Report to Ward As 8 Nov 2018

WEST HAM WARD LABOUR PARTY tel: 0203 373 3456 or email John.Gray@Newham.gov.uk

  

Ward issues

·        On 4 October after my surgery I attended a meeting of Leather Gardens Residents & Tenants Association with Cllr Whitworth in Brassett Point. It was a lively but constructive meeting with the Council concierge manager, discussing communal repairs, anti-social behaviour (ASB) & service charges. An inspection of David Lee Point was agreed as was a further inspection of Brassett Point.

·        A Council tenant who has caused ASB in the ward for many years to local residents was jailed this month for violent behaviour and homophobic abuse. A 3 year banning order was also imposed. Many thanks to local Police and Council enforcement officers for finally being able to bring this perpetrator to justice and protect residents.

·        23 October I took part in an inspection of all 21 floors in David Lee Point with Cllr Whitworth, Concierge officer, Leasehold services officer and a resident. The block was clean but minor repairs were noted and reported. Issues of ASB were also discussed.

·        All ward Councillors, Council senior officers and the Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz attended a remembrance ceremony on 24 October organised by the local Police to honour PC Nina Mackay, who was killed on duty 21 year ago in Arthingworth Street E15

·        All 3 Ward Councillors met on 29 October with representatives of Newham Clinical Commissioners to express our concern on behalf of many constituents over the pending closure of West Ham GP surgery following the retirement of its main doctor. There had been huge opposition to this plan. We asked for the closure to be reconsidered or at least postponed but this was refused on the grounds that the premises were totally unsuitable and the practice was too small. At my surgery on Saturday residents told me that they are collecting a petition and will be asking for a meeting with the board of the local NHS Trust to protest further.

·        The planning application for a very large private tower block in Abbey Road next to the DLR station has been refused by the local planning committee. Congratulations to local residents for their very effective campaigning against this unsuitable application. It is likely that the developers will come back with a revised plan which probably will still be of concern to residents.

·        I was pleased to attend the 2^nd anniversary of the opening of the Darul Jannah Community centre on November 5 and give out prizes to top performing students with Councillor Whitworth and other Councillors.

Other

·        I was also pleased that the Labour Candidate Moniba Khan was elected as a Councillor in the recent Boleyn by-election with 74% of the vote. I had been campaigning with ward members.

·        I am due to present on my role as Cabinet member for Housing services to next month’s meeting of the branch (Now January 2019).

If any member wishes to contact me about this report or my work as a Cabinet member please do not hesitate to do so.

Surgeries and case work

Please note the new time and place of my Councillor Surgeries

·        Stratford Library,  3 The Grove, Stratford E15 1EL 1^st Saturday in every month 10am-11am

·        1st Floor Tenants’ Room
Abbey Road, E15 3LA. 1^st Thursday in every month 5pm-6pm.

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I can also be contacted by email or phone (see top) or even via twitter (@grayee) or Facebook (search “John Gray Newham”)

Regards

John Gray

West Ham Ward Councillor