Councillor Report to West Ham Ward 5 Jan 2017

Councillor Report to Ward

WEST HAM WARD LABOUR PARTY tel: 0203 373 2615 or email John.Gray@newham.gov.uk

Report to Ward Meeting 5 January 17

Apologies that I have not submitted a written report since October but I have made verbal reports to meetings.

8 October I had my surgery where I dealt with housing and planning issues, then attended West Ham Labour Party street stall on opposing the reintroduction of Grammar schools followed by a canvass session with Lyn Brown MP in Canning Town North.

Later that day Cllr Whitworth and I visited a street community party, garden planting and litter pick in Church Street Triangle E15 next to the historic All Saints Church. It was very well supported by local residents, safer neighbourhood police and voluntary organisations.

10 October I helped out in the Hoxton West Council by election in Hackney. A friend of mine, Yvonne Maxwell, who is the daughter of a former Newham Chief Whip and Chair of Social Services was standing for Labour.

11 October I attended a London Housing Priorities Seminar on behalf of Unison and questioned a Chief Executive of a Housing Association why he does not believe in accountability for residents and human rights for his workforce.

12 October I had evening surgery at Brassett Point. Complaints about ASB, drug use and street lighting. Then attended Investment and Accounts Committee at Old Town Hall in Stratford followed by West Ham Executive Committee.

18 October attended Local Authority Pension Fund Forum business meeting in Docklands.

20 October we had an Extraordinary Full Council meeting at Newham Town Hall on the Local Plan.

22 October I went to a well-attended meeting in central London of the "Axe the Act" campaign. This was about campaigning against the Tory Housing and Planning Act. Which I am pleased to note that plans to tax tenants and sell off Council homes to pay for Housing Associations “Right to Buy” have since run into trouble.

27 October attended West Ham General Committee as Vice Chair Membership.

29 October I helped out again in West Hoxton by election which I am pleased resulted in a convincing majority for Yvonne. I just missed Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn who had arrived by bicycle to help out.

3 November attended West Ham ward meeting, gave verbal report and then left to chair Forest Gate North meeting.

5 November I was really pleased to attend the opening of the Darul Jannah Community centre in Plaistow Road with Cllr Whitworth and Cllr Islam. It has been one long hard slog for this centre to open. I have been speaking to the trustees on this issue ever since I was elected in 2010, there has been numerous and complex emails, applications and scale diagrams.I have had meetings and telephone calls with Council officers and been twice to local planning committee meetings on speak on the application. I hope this will prove to be an excellent and much needed local cultural and community asset. 

7 November attended Newham Compass planning meeting on future events.

9 November surgery at Brassett Point (housing issues) and then West Ham Executive Committee.

11 November attended a moving Armistice Service at the Cenotaph in Central Park.

12 November surgery in Vicarage lane (Housing again).

13 November another moving Remembrance Sunday service at All Saints Church on the anniversary of a dreadful First World War battle where many "West Ham Pals" in the local infantry regiment were killed and wounded.

17 November I was at the Forest Gate North Mayoral Trigger Ballot where I spoke in favour of an open selection process and was pleased that an overwhelming majority of local Party members also supported this.

21 November I assisted in the Newham Co-operative Mayoral Trigger ballot as its Assistant Secretary. This resulted in a narrow vote for there to be an open selection process.

26 November I swapped my December surgery with Cllr Whitworth. Parking and environment issues came up.

1 December I attended West Ham ward meeting and gave verbal report then went off to chair Forest Gate North meeting.

5 December I went to a meeting organised by the Church Hillsong about its application to take part in the Community Sponsorship scheme and support two Syrian refugee families to live in West Ham ward. Our ward Chair, Cllr Akiwowo, is involved and it was a very professional and well thought out presentation and workshop. I have since heard that their initial application to the Home Office has been approved. 

7-8 December I attended the Annual Conference of the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum.

12 December I attended to the Newham Investment and Accounts Committee.  I wish advisors and fund managers when they make presentations on performance would use statistics net (after) of their fees and not gross (before the impact of their fees). It is very misleading.

14 December surgery at Brassett Point followed by West Ham EC.

15 December I attended the Newham Council Christmas reception at the Old Town Hall in Stratford. I spoke to some of the many Newham Labour Party members demonstrating outside about the allegations of serious wrongdoings and malpractice in the Newham Mayoral Trigger ballot. I share many of their concerns and believe that the Party should    annul the result and investigate the issue as a matter of urgency.

22 December I had swapped my surgery again with Cllr Whitworth.

John Gray

West Ham Ward Councillor 

Councillor Report to West Ham Labour Party branch 3 March 2016

Councillor Report to West Ham Ward

WEST HAM WARD LABOUR PARTY tel: 020 3373 2615 or email John.Gray@newham.gov.uk

Ward meeting 3 March 2016

 • Apologises for not attending all of this meeting but 3 March is the Forest Gate North Special meeting and as the Vice Chair of this ward I will have to leave early to attend.

 • Councillor Whitworth and I have been covering case work and surgery’s following the recent tragic bereavement suffered by Councillor Bourne.

• As an authority governor I have attended the governor’s meeting of Rebecca Cheetham Nursery which now forms a joint committee with Ranelagh Primary School.

• Pleased to note that a consultation on a Controlled Parking Zone has finally began for streets south of Portway, E15. I hope that residents will make their views known.

• Other ongoing case work - disputed planning enforcement notice on the Muslim Education and Community Centre in Plaistow Road. I have met with residents who are trustees of the centre and Newham Council planning officers. I am not optimistic that this issue will be resolved in the near future. I am also still of the view that Councils should not be in a position where they are seen as interfering, without good reason, in the fundament human right to practice your religious faith. I am seeking advice on changes to Newham’s planning policy.

 • Following complaints to me by concerned residents, enforcement action has been taken against alleged misuse of a Council residential leasehold property.

 • I am disappointed about the lack of response I have received from East Thames and Family Mosaic Housing Associations regarding repair and service charge case work and will be escalating the issue to their Chief Executives if this continues.

 • The closing off of the Greenway to cyclists and other users is now looking more positive with a partial reopening. • New case work on housing disrepair, garden fencing, Trees damaging properties, (numerous) parking, homelessness, Newham Prevent Programme, ASB, service charges, fracking (in Newham) and adult social care.

 • 9 January Councillor Surgery at Vicarage Lane Community centre, then I took part in a West Ham Ward canvass in Paul Street, E15. It was great to see new members taking part for their first time. • 13 January Councillor Surgery at Brassett Point, E15

• 14 January I attended Custom House ward meeting with BBC reporter Iain Watson talking about his new book “Five Million Conversations” on the Labour campaign in the 2015 General Election.

 • 16 January I joined our MP Lyn Brown for a Super Saturday canvass session in Canning Town and later in Forest Gate.

• 21 January I attended the quarterly Strategy meeting of the Newham Investment and Accounts Committee and in the evening an open meeting by West Ham CLP Women's Forum for an Open Discussion evening with the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Seema Malhotra MP.

• 23 January Councillor Surgery at Vicarage Lane Community Centre (cover for Councillor Bourne)

• 27 January the AGM and business meeting of the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum in Isle of Dogs.

• 30 January helped set up and steward launch of Newham United Against Austerity (NUAA) with Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell MP as keynote speaker.

• 31 January I went to "It's the economy, stupid" at Sunday Night Live with Professor Steve Keen

• 1 February was at Newham Labour Group meeting where I made comments and suggestions on the budget

 • 2 February there was a joint meeting with members of Newham Investment and Accounts meeting and the new Pension Board

• 6 February attended the Labour Local Government Association annual conference in Nottingham (self-funded)

• 8 February attended launch in Newham of the City and East Momentum in East Ham

• 13 February Councillor Surgery in Vicarage Lane Community centre followed by Super Saturday canvass in Custom House.

Councillor Report to West Ham Ward: March 2015

Councillor Report to West Ham Ward

WEST HAM WARD LABOUR PARTY

Ward meeting 5 March 2015

Thursday 5 February I attended Rebecca Cheetham Nursery School Governors meeting, then part of the West Ham ward meeting and finally my ward AGM at Forest Gate North.

Saturday 7 February I went away with our local Army Reservists, 7 Rifles, for a familiarisation day on Salisbury plains. Accompanied by Cllr Whitworth and other Cllrs. We watched local troops on ranges, cooked an outdoor meal and observed the Rifles practicing fire and manoeuvre infantry tactics.  It was very cold but very interesting day.

Tuesday 10 February I attended an evening executive meeting of the London Labour Housing Group at the House of Commons. We discussed a possible housing manifesto for future Labour candidate for Mayor of London.  

Wednesday 11 February I attended Newham Council Pension Committee, where I submitted some guidance I had received from the LGA about pensions for Councillors being in their view unlawful and also asked questions about the proposed Newham Pension Board.  I have since submitted a report on the proposed Board.

The Pension committee clashed with the Regeneration and Scrutiny Commission meeting so I was not able to attend both. There has been no meeting of the Housing Residents Scrutiny Commission due to a shortage of Scrutiny officers.

Thursday 12 February was a meeting of West Ham CLP Campaign meeting to plan for the General election 

Friday 13 February I went on site visit to Ladywell Street, E15 and met local residents and West Ham Police sector team regarding ASB, dumped rubbish and  environment. I have requested a site visit with representatives from landlord Family Mosaic.

Saturday 14 February I held my surgery at Vicarage Lane Community Centre then in the afternoon went canvassing for Labour in our target seat Ilford North with other West Ham CLP activists.

I was away on annual leave from 19 February to 22 February.

Monday 16 February was Newham Council Labour Group meeting at East Ham Town Hall.

Monday 23 February was Full Council meeting during which I asked the Executive advisor for Finance questions on our borrowing strategy and the legality of the consultation process of the Newham Pension Board.

I was away at my UNISON Community Conference in Bradford 26 February to 1 March 2015 as one of its two National Executive Committee members.