Compensation for WASPI women petition

Please sign and share our petition. We’re over halfway to getting Parliament to debate a compensation scheme for DWP mistakes in informing #WASPI women. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/7007

Calling all Union Learning Reps! 📢

 

Join our interactive online event on Thurs 5 Dec - to celebrate your amazing activism & successes Gain knowledge and skills, share ideas, and network with fellow reps from across the regions To register & more info: https://learning.unison.org.uk/events/ulr-activism-24

Rough Sleeper Street Count 2024

 

Picture is from around 11.45pm last night of 2 teams about to leave the Council offices in Dockside to go out and count rough sleepers in Newham. At least 4 other teams had already left for the midnight start. Today was a national annual count day of rough sleepers across the UK (I think - or maybe only England).  The data is used to inform the Government and partners about the scale of the problem. It is no secret that the numbers of rough sleepers have been rising since Covid. 

The data from the national council is also confidential until released by the ministry. 

The numbers today (the count was between 12 Midnight and 3AM) will probably be lower because of the recent cold weather, which has trigged the London Mayor SWEP (severe weather emergency provision). Newham Council has been funded for a number of emergency beds located in a local community centre.

As well as the national count, Newham does a bi-monthly count, to assess how successful its own Government funded internal programme is in reducing numbers of people sleeping rough in the borough. In Newham the Count volunteers are made up of Council officers, stakeholders, volunteers and Councillors (as well as myself, Cllr Wilson & Cllr Lofthouse). 

I went with Aidan who is a Newham officer who works in a Government funded team to support long term rough sleepers and to help them get off the streets. A difficult but at times rewarding job. We were joined by another Newham Council colleague, Cllr Shaban Mohammed.

We went to a part of Newham that I had been to a number of times and I was pleased that we "only" came across 2 rough sleepers on a pavement next to a busy road (but 2 too many of course). The temperature was just above freezing. They only had a light duvet covering them. Aidan spoke to them and took some details. They had apparently refused the SWEP centre earlier today but agreed to speak to a follow team of outreach workers, who will be visiting people who had been found from 5AM this morning. 

After we had visited all the sites,  I drove back to Newham Dockside building and we passed on details to the Newham Council organising team led by its amazing manager, Ajitha Sajeev BEM (Front centre of main photo). 

Help Save Homeless Londoners' Lives

 

"As temperatures drop to freezing, the @mayorofldn.bsky.social and London Councils have activated the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), which means that London boroughs and City Hall will be opening up emergency accommodation for rough sleepers".

Hat tip @tomcopley.bsky.social

UNISON Housing Workers Survey 2024

 

"Dear John,

If you haven't already, please take our anonymous survey and help us campaign for a better approach to social housing, and for better support for the workers who deliver it.

Amidst the ongoing housing crisis and with a new government in place, it is vital that housing workers have a seat at the table and have their voices heard when it comes to housing policy. 

Take our survey today and share your experiences".

https://msg.unison.org.uk/c/1ikzKm5YMdWZQ6cAiTFSaQM6HMX

Today marks the 1000th day of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

 

Today marks the 1000th day of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
This Labour Government stands with Ukraine.
Slava Ukraini

Need our support? Don't delay in letting us know

 

Well done to Notts UNISON for bringing this important issue up. To be clear though, UNISON will not offer full representation on issues that arose before you joined and 4 weeks afterwards. 

It's a gray area...

 

For transparency - no known family connection (maybe some long lost Scottish cousin - this is the second time in a week I have made this declaration) and I have no idea about what really has happened except that it indicates that the  Labour Party does have problems in many places and at many levels.  This is not a great look but hopefully it can learn and move on.  

I will also say that it is more than a shame that a respected public servants career appears to have ended in this way.  

Check out what Labour List reports today:- 

Sue Gray: Did she turn down nations and regions envoy job or was it withdrawn? - LabourList .

Is this the final chapter of the Sue Gray saga? - BBC News

Labour Housing Group Policy Day: Saturday 16 November 24 - Birmingham or virtual

 

We are delighted to announce the full programme for our policy day - 'Influencing Labour's Planning Policies' - next Saturday, featuring

@RichParkerLab

@NikJohnsonCA

@KaneEmerson

@rblackmanwoods

Register now to attend in person or online https://eventbrite.co.uk/e/lhg-policy-d

ay-2024-influencing-labours-planning-policies-tickets-1049411176077?aff=oddtdtcreator

UNISON Winter Essentials Grant - one month to go

A month to go before low paid UNISON members can apply for this welcome grant. I was worried that the cuts to the welfare budget approved by the majority NEC Group would have meant it might have been discontinued but the money cut could have helped thousands of extra UNISON members.

The system is also a little fairer this year as members will have a 24 hour window to apply and be selected at random (see below). Not perfect but better than previous system.

Please pass on this link as many members (and branches) are unaware of this potential £200 grant.

"You shouldn’t have to choose between heating and eating, but UNISON Welfare is there for you. If you’re a UNISON member on a low income, you may be eligible to apply for a £200 voucher towards your food shopping.

Applicants must:  

• Be a UNISON member and have paid at least four weeks’ subscriptions as of 11 December 2024. Subscriptions must be up to date.
• Not have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 11 June
  2024, excluding the School Uniform Grant.
• Have savings (including the total combined rolling balance on current accounts) below £1,000 to qualify.
• Must be responsible (or their partner, if applicable) for household fuel bills. Only one application per household will be considered.

And EITHER:

Be on a low income, meaning a net household income of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)**

OR:

Be in receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:

• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Child and/or Working Tax Credits
• Pension Credit
• Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
• Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support

**Where members have no recourse to public funds and their household income is above £26,000/year an assessment will be undertaken to see whether they would be eligible for benefits if they did have recourse to public funds so that they are not disadvantaged.

How do I apply?

All applications should be made online. Applications will open on this page for 24 hours from 12 noon on Wednesday 11 December. Eligible members will be chosen at random from the applicant pool and contacted to submit supporting documents.

Due to limited funds and in anticipation of high demand, we regret that we will not be able to help all members who apply.

If you are unable to complete the application due to a disability access need, please email: weg@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

Nye | Full Show | Watch for free | National Theatre at Home

Fantastic. Never watched a play in this way. Cried my eyes out, every so often and at end. So, so much better than the Netflick, prime etc rubbish I have been watching lately

Last day tomorrow? (11.11.24)

1st Labour Government budget 2024

 

West Ham Remembrance Sunday 2024

 

This morning I joined the Congregation at the 12th Century All Saints Church in West Ham with my fellow Councillors, for the Service of Remembrance.  As well as local residents and veterans, there were Council, Police and Fire Brigade Officers as well as soldiers from the local Army Reserve unit, The 7th Battalion, The Rifles. 

The service was led by Rev'd Farida Pashi and was, as always, very moving and thoughtful. The choir are particularly good. Councillor Winston Vaughan, who served in the British Army (in a conflict zone) recited in full the Ode of Remembrance ("For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon). 

This year I had been asked to lay a Parliamentary wreath on behalf of the new MP for West Ham and Beckton, James Asser, who was at Silvertown Remembrance service. 

Afterwards I had a chat and catch up with colleagues and residents and then a brief look around this amazing and historic church.