"On the knocker" for Sadiq and Labour in Corporation Street E15

This evening my ward Cllr colleague. John Whitworth and I went knocking doors in Corporation Street, West Ham, Newham London. This was to remind residents about the election tomorrow and find out when and if they intend to vote for Sadiq as Mayor and for Labour. 

Corporation Street is reputed to be one of the longest residential roads in Newham. It is a mixture of London railway terrace housing and maisonettes. It is made up of owner occupiers, social and private rented homes. Multicultural and multi social economic class. Pretty typical of Newham. 

It was also positive for Sadiq and Labour but we had some respectful discussions with residents on a wide range of real political and social issues. 

While some had reservations and concerns, the majority simply wanted Labour in power and to stop the Tories in London. They understood that voting Sadiq and Labour this was the only way to do so. 

We will be out tomorrow with ward members knocking on more doors (and getting our steps up)

 

Corporation Street, West Ham doorstep Surgery: Boris, Planning, Cats & Parrot

Interesting morning carrying out a doorstep surgery in Corporation Street, West Ham, E15. This is reputed to be the longest residential street in Newham. The four of us managed to cover around half of the properties. 

I had a conversation with a lifelong Tory supporter, who was so disgusted with Boris Johnson over Downing Street Covid parties that he will be voting Labour for the first time ever. It is rare that residents mention national politics but it would appear that Boris is currently haemorrhaging traditional support for the Tories. 

We had picked Corporation Street in part because there is a planning committee meeting later this month to consider an application to build a new 6th form school and housing at the next door site of the old Ford car showrooms https://pa.newham.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=R5I67TJY5NA00 alongside. Residents can make comments by 26 February. We wanted to ask residents what they thought of the development. This is by far the biggest redevelopment plan in the ward. 

Most residents we spoke to about the proposal were in favour of something being done with the site after many years of remaining empty but had concerns about the proposed height of development and noise during construction. I mentioned my concerns about the proposed lack of social housing at the site and residents shared this concern. 

There were two delightful friendly kittens to be fussed over (but seemed far too young to be out in the street but their owner assured us they were well looked after) while another, more elderly black and white cat, simply turned his or her head away from me when I said "hello". 

The parrot in the collage was not real but a garden ornament. 

For a change, I had no Councillor case work, I made 20 contacts, with no-one declaring themselves against and only a few "undecided" but all of us found it was overwhelmingly a pro Labour surgery and people seemed  pretty content with the Council. 

Door knocking and talking in West Ham

Last Saturday I went door knocking in my ward, West Ham, with 2014 candidate John Whitworth and Plaistow South Candidate, Gordon Mackinnon-Miller.

The weather looked uncertain but we decided to take the risk of rain and "door knock" Corporation Street, E15.

This is the longest residential street in the ward. It is an interesting mixture of  mostly terrace housing -  freehold, leasehold, private rented but also Council and Housing Association.

It is a little unclear but this reference in Newham Story about housing history in Newham suggests that the the maisonettes in the street are historic "double houses".  

"The earliest council dwellings (1899-1905) were much better adapted to the needs of working-class tenants than those of the private builders. Most of them were two-storey 'double houses' with a flat on each floor. The flats varied in size from two to four rooms, with a wash-house to each flat. The original design was by Lewis Angell (borough surveyor 1867-99) who believed that such dwellings were 'healthier and more humanising ... especially for children', than large 'barrack-like' blocks of flats. The largest estate, at Wise Road, Stratford (94 flats and 11 single houses) survives, along with others in Bethell Avenue, Plaistow, and in Eve and Corporation Streets, West Ham"

Most homes in Corporation Street are owner occupied or private rented. Zoopla estimates average house price of £249,396 in the area and average rent in E15 is £1,623 per month. According to Tesco Finance such a repayment mortgage would cost £1390 per month.

How on earth anyone can afford rent or mortgage of £400 per week is just beyond me?

During the doorstep I spoke to a resident who was overcrowded in his home and had 9 children. He asked what I could to do to help him get  a bigger place. I told him that I cannot interfere in the allocation process but if he has been not dealt with properly under Council procedures then I would support him.  He seemed content with this.

When I asked one household if they supported Labour, I was told of course we do, we are a Labour family.

I spoke to a young man who lived with his mum, who said he had never voted and knew nothing about politics. He asked me "can you really change things" I said yes we can and handed out a leaflet on Labour plans to freeze energy prices as an example.

One resident told me that she had went to school with Stratford Councillor, Terry Paul. I immediately asked her if she had any embarrassing stories she could tell me about Terry to tease him. Then we thought about it and agreed that there is nothing we can say that would ever embarrass Terry.

I had a good conversation with a wavering Labour/Green who was undecided how she would vote but said "its nice to get a visit anyway". 

At the very last house on our list, John Whitworth had a very angry woman complaining about East Europeans, getting drunk in the streets, taking jobs and houses. She said she had a black partner and was not at all racist. John tried to suggest that perhaps East Europeans were doing jobs that many Brits did not want to do and that the reason why there is a housing problem in London is due to us not building enough. But she was not having any of it.

While I have a zero tolerance of anyone who is drunk and abusive or leave litter, I do clearly remember canvassing in the past before we had migration from East Europe and hearing pretty much the same comments and complaints over housing and jobs about Asians and West Indians.