Beckton By Election Labour doorstep

Last night I joined the Labour Candidate for the Newham Council Beckton By election, Tonii Wilson, for a doorknock in the Windsor Park Estate. Tonii will make an excellent candidate for the ward. Local MP Stephen Timms also joined us

It was touching that so many residents told us how upset they were at the unexpected death of Cllr Alec Kelloway. Many people knew him and recounted what he had done to help them.

I went with local Councillor David Christie.  There was a very positive Labour response. While there was a number of complaints about local social landlord, East Thames Housing Association, failure to maintain the local environment, I actually thought that there had been an improvement to the area in recent years but obviously there needs to be more done.

I understand that there has been a number of high profile evictions of criminal residents in recent years which have had a significant positive impact. Good.

I must admit to being intrigued about the unusual street names in the area such as "Warwell" and "Horse Leaze". No-one seemed to know why. I am sure Alec would have known and told me exactly why.

I spoke to a very sensible young man who had been born and brought up on the estate who agreed that there had been improvements but thought that there needs to be more youth services in the area. I see the local community centre has now been closed by East Thames?

I'm sure that Tonii and the current Councillors, David and Ayesha will be doing what they can to improve services.

I will post a personal tribute to Cllr Alec Kellaway in the near future.

"Save Our Pensions" Community Conference 2013

This is my speech from the Community Conference on Saturday on motion 23 (see text here "Save Our Pensions"). Which is a motion from my branch.

"John Gray speaking on behalf of your Service Group Executive, in favour of this motion and moving this amendment which is intended to update the original motion in light of recent developments.

Conference, please thank Tony (Power - my branch chair) for his excellent speech. From someone who to my personal knowledge has a led a terrific battle to save his pension and that of his colleagues. What I would like to add to the debate here is that no one should be under any illusions about pensions.

The only hope for you and your members have of having a dignified retirement is a well funded and secure employer retirement plan.

You cannot rely on the state pension. The flawed Government plan for a new universal state pension will only provide at best an income just above the absolute poverty line

As a Housing estate officer in the East End of London, I have seen first hand pensioners living in poverty, buying second hand clothes, eating out of date food, huddled in front of the TV in a freezing cold room because they are too scared to turn the heating on. Stuck in this freezing home because they have no money for trips or holidays and shamed that they are too poor to treat their grandchildren.

That is your future, your member’s future if you do not have a decent secure pension from your work.

Pensions are an expensive business. There is an old rule of thumb in the pension’s world that in order to retire on half your pay and a lump sum, you need to save 15% of your pay for 40 years, repeat 15% for 40 years.

Hardly anyone in the best of times can put 15% of their salary in a pension, never mind the times we live in now. That is why your employer will need to put in at least 10% plus into your pension or else it is condemning its work force to retire and die in poverty.

Conference, please remind your employers this when you negotiate over auto-enrollment and ask them the question do they as a responsible employer want their workers to enjoy or endure retirement. Ask them to do the maths. It is quite simple to work what they need to save on your behalf. Are they responsible employers or are they rogue employers?

Yet, what we increasingly find in practice is the exact opposite. As already pointed out by London Housing Associations branch, some employers, who in the past, were good employers and provided access to good quality defined benefit schemes are using the nonsensical and irrational accounting measures as an excuse to close these schemes and replace them with insecure poverty pensions.

They are closing schemes even in the knowledge that there is - as the amendment points out, an urgent government inquiry taking place on ways to change the way we value schemes which could get reduce or even get rid of many deficits.

There is a unholy alliance of the CBI, TUC and National Association of Pension funds who support change. So why has East Thames and Notting Hill Housing associations closed their scheme in recent weeks? why have others such as Barnardos announced similar intentions? what role did the Pension Trust and the Social Housing Pension fund play in bankrupting the charity PeopleCan the organisation Joe mentioned in his speech earlier today?

While our members are in a whole variety of pension schemes, this is important since our UNISON e-survey late last year found that 35% of our members are in Defined Benefit (DB) guaranteed pension schemes

DB guaranteed pension schemes are NOT a thing of the past. UNISON recently won access to the Local Government Pensions Scheme for new starters at South Lakes Housing Association. Wrekin and Telford Housing are offering all staff the LGPS as well.

Due to the behaviour of some employers and pension providers we also should welcome the call in this motion for the wider Labour movement to look into whether, we the unions, should be involved in providing decent pensions provision, as they do in many other countries.

Conference, while we welcome the plans to smooth valuations and replace them with more accurate estimates it is important that the government accepts and implements these accounting changes without delay and that our employers who are disgracefully still rushing to destroy their employees future when they know this inquiry will report soon, should pause and stop.

Conference please support this amendment and the motion. Thank you. (update UNISONactive take on conference)

Around and about the Newham, London 2012 Olympics

Today I drove around the Olympic Park while going to work and back. To my continued surprise, despite the “Games” the commute both ways took less time than usual. The

traffic locally now has a permanent Sunday morning feel.

So far every "Newhamite" I have spoken to is supportive of the Games and some admit that they use to be cynics before the opening ceremony but they are now big fans.

During the week I have taken the train past and through the Olympic Park a number of times and it is clear there is a huge number of spectators and competitors but little or no congestion on the underground or overhead train services. This may change tomorrow with the reopening of the main Stadium for the athletes. Hopefully not.

In the morning I went for my usual jog in Wanstead flats past the temporary Police feeding station on the fairground site which is overlooked by the "Surface to Air" missile battery mounted on the top of Fred Wigg House. I drove to Bow in Tower Hamlets from Forest Gate via the A12 for a meeting and later walked through lovely Victoria Park to Hackney Wick station. There is a free “London Live” event in “Vicki Park” with a huge Ferris wheel, cafes and open air video screens. This is just west of the Olympic park and there was a steady flow of people coming and going.

In the evening on the way home I drove along the A11 into Stratford itself, parked up (thank you Morrisons) then walked around with my camera taking in the sights. As I have already pointed out here, while I’m really pleased that the Olympics are in Newham, I’m not into watching sports at all. But I like people watching and feeling part of an occasion.

There was a music festival in the gardens of St John’s Church. I first went into the excellent "Peoples Museum and Gallery of Newham" at 306 High Street (which I will post upon separately) then into the melee of the stairs near Stratford station and the shopping centre Westfields. Christian and Islamic propagates compete for attention with Tamil protesters. The staff and volunteers had it all well organised.

There is a very international and touristy feel. It reminds me of living in Edinburgh during the August fringe and festival. Everyone appeared to be happy, pleased and intent on having a good time.

Next I went into the courtyard of the Old Town Hall back on the High Street. There is a restaurant under a canopy which serves different international food every evening with an outside bar and a Council information office. Had an interesting discussion with the information officer about why West Ham Football club is actually located in East Ham (for now). Then along West Ham Lane past the East Thames Housing Association HQ (which is now home to the Kenyan Olympic delegation) to Stratford Park (proper name West Ham Recreational Park), where there are stalls, displays and a live open air video screen of events.

Finally back to Morrison’s then home (picking up on the way a pack of beer at the supermarket to claim back the £1 parking fee). I still have to pinch myself that this is all finally happening.

(UPDATE: I've done a new collage. Double click to bring up details)

Secure affordable homes for all: A policy for the next Government

This picture is from the Newham Compass meeting held last week at East Thames Housing Association headquarters in Stratford, E15 on the key issue of "affordable housing".

East Thames Housing Association Chief Executive Officer, June Barnes, (right) spoke first and set the scene about the horrendous housing shortage. She thinks that the new affordable rent model may well result in 170,000 new homes nationally but is risky to housing associations and a "one-off" that cannot be repeated. 

Next (on the left) is the Chair of Carpenters Estate Tenant Management Organisation (TMO), Eddie Benn. Eddie talked about the history of the TMO and what they had achieved as a resident led organisation and the future difficulties they face.

Finally, Labour London Assembly member Nicky Gavron (middle of picture) talked about the failure of Tory Mayor Johnson to deliver on his housing promises and the threat to hundreds of thousands of  Londoners by savage  cuts in grants, allowances, benefits and security of tenure. The vulnerable and the working poor will be "cleansed" out of most of London. 

I enjoyed this event but will agree with the remarks of one of those who also attended "...Speakers were excellent although I did leave feeling dispirited listening to able people applying their ingenuity to squeezing the best policies they could from the current situation while knowing all the time they would be woefully inadequate".

The meeting was chaired by Newham Compass, Christopher Owens (rear of picture).  The next event possibly will to invite one of the authors of "The Spirit Level". 

Newham Compass: Secure Affordable Homes for All

On Tuesday 18 October at 7.30pm Newham Compass is holding a debate entitled "Secure Affordable homes for all. A policy for the next government".

This will take place at the headquarters of East Thames Housing Association in Stratford, 29-35 West Ham Lane, E15 (less than 10 minutes from Stratford bus and railway Station, E15)

Whose CEO, June Barnes will take part with London Assembly member Nicky Gavron and Eddie Benn from
Carpenters TMO.

(double click flyer to bring up detail)

Stratford and New Town Canvass

Picture is of members about to go out canvassing in the Olympic ward Stratford and New Town with our MP Lyn Brown.

This is outside the local Party HQ (which I think needs a lick of paint and some TLC in the next few months). I think we had about 4 teams out door knocking and others using the call centre inside the HQ. The Mayor, Sir Robin Wales was out leading one group.

The response was pretty positive and my team managed to recruit two new Party members.

We canvassed a small public housing estate owned by East Thames HA and rows of Victorian terraced houses.

I know that national opinion polls are negative at the moment but I simply do not pick up any mass hostility to Labour or any real enthusiasm for the Tories. What is going on?

Housing Association Branch AGM(s)

I’ve made it so far – only half way through my branch AGM(s) season.

We organise across Greater London so we have four separate meetings across London to enable participation.

The first meeting was on Tuesday at the Family Mosaic HQ near London Bridge (see picture) and the second was held at the Notting Hill HQ in Hammersmith.

Only two more to go – one at East Thames at Stratford and the other will be held in Central London at Hamilton House, WC1.

Check out the HAB website for further details.

I’ve really enjoyed going to these meetings. The meetings themselves (so far!) are very constructive and deal with real trade union issues. Unlike the stuff and nonsense I have come across in the past.

As well as the usual AGM business we discussed concerns about health & safety; pay claims; pensions; changes to "Supporting People" funding and personal data protection (amongst other things) and it makes me realise how much housing association bodies have in common. We all have very similar problems.

The long term solution to many of our problems is increasing membership density and building an effective internal steward and safety rep structure.

So - Yes , we can. Please join UNISON now! (well, everyone else is using this)

Making a difference – real “joined up” local politics

This morning I helped out as a volunteer at our local MP, Lyn Brown's, latest “Community development” meeting (a.k.a “Coffee morning”)in the super swish new headquarters for East Thames Housing in Stratford, London, E15.

Lyn holds a series of meetings across her constituency each month and invites local residents to come and meet her to discuss local issues and their concerns. In the past she has held joint meetings with various local agencies such as the Police Safer Neighbourhood teams to discuss anti-social behaviour. Today she had a joint meeting with the local NHS Trust in Newham. The Chief Executive, Melanie Walker, attended together with a team, who did free MOT health checks for every one who turned up (height, weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels).

As befitting in my position as a senior Party activist I had a suitable vital and important job to do i.e looking after the teas and coffee.

Local Councillors for the ward also helped out and took case work.

The meeting was packed from beginning to end and everyone I spoke to felt it was a really good event. Meeting your community leaders face to face around a table and having the opportunity to question and challenge your local MP, councillors and the boss of your local health services is what local politics should be all about.

Being East Enders, most people had quite a lot to say and didn’t hold back, but the atmosphere was absolutely very constructive and positive. “Trust the people”comrades!

I think that on the whole most people were very appreciative of the improvement in health services in Newham. There are still problems with, for example, GP surgeries who take too long to answer the phone and don’t offer appointments early enough. But people did accept that things were getting better.

Interestingly, many of the complaints were about the relative high cost of using the borough gyms and swimming pools. Residents wanted to become healthier but felt they could not afford it. Isn’t prevention better (and cheaper) than cure?

I came away from this event on a real high. This is “joined up” politics in action.

Maybe next time Lyn could meet residents with the CEOs and staff of the major housing organisations in West Ham?

Just a thought.

Homes for Londoners: Manifesto for Affordable Homes.

This morning I was invited to attend the launch of Ken Livingstone’s and the Labour GLA candidates “Housing Manifesto”.

This took place at a new build scheme just off the Limehouse Cut, in Tower Hamlets, East London. The scheme was built by East Thames HA and is a mixture of homes for rent, key workers, shared ownership and outright private sales.

The local “City and East Labour” assembly member, John Biggs, (who I last saw on Saturday) and the London wide assembly member (and UNISON Housing Association branch member) Murad Qureshi were also both there.

It was surprisingly relaxed and even quite jolly despite the presence of TV crews and Press. Ken seemed confident and “chipper”. The East Thames CEO, June Barnes, probably had the most stress. A broken window, some rude graffiti or a irate tenant could have been embarrassing. In housing, if it can happen, it usually does.

Ken was given a tour of the estate and went inside a couple of flats. The local residents seemed very pleased with their homes. While staff also seemed quite happy as well (I should have checked how much the 24/7 concierges are paid? London Living wage of at least £7.20ph I hope June?).

Housing is of course a key issue in the election. There is pretty clear red water between Ken and Boris over “Homes for Londoners”.

Ken is planning for 50,000 new affordable homes over the next 3 years. He has secured over £1 billion for housing investment. Most importantly Ken has stressed that 50% of all new build in London should be affordable, while Boris has pledged to get rid of this requirement.

Many, many years ago, former Labour Party deputy leader, Herbert Morrison was reputed to have said that he would “build the Tories out of London” by building Council estates in Tory marginal wards (his biographers deny this – however, Morrison’s grandson is after all Peter Mandleson – so...).

Whatever the truth of the matter, it is clear that if Boris gets in he will support the Tory boroughs in London with their “class cleansing”. The Tories are already trying to get out of building practically any affordable homes. Instead they want high price and luxury developments which their Political supporters will move into.

Ordinary Londoners cannot already afford to live in many London boroughs and if Boris and the Tories win then, we will see even more segregation according to income in London.

Picture is of Ken and John with the Labour candidate for the Millwall by-election in the Isle of Dogs, Doros Ullah (May 1 as well). I first came across Doros when he use to Chair the Council Appeals committee. On which I use to represent Council employees who had been dismissed. I didn’t obviously agree with all the committee decisions, but I felt they heard out our appeals fairly. He is a good bloke (and a health & safety advisor!) I wish him well. Due to an unhealthy emphasis in the past on private development and the lack of affordable housing, Millwall, which was usually a safe Labour ward, now has 3 Tories representing it. Nuf said?