West Ham Ward Labour Street Surgery & Canvass - Meath & Chaplin Road

 

At the first door I knocked at this morning, the resident opened his front door with his hand raised upwards, clearly expecting a parcel. Despite this he was pleased to see a local Councillor, had no issues with Newham Council and confirmed that he was a strong supporter of the Labour Party. 

The next home that I had a response was marked on our Labour doorstep app as all "Against" (Labour). However, the young man who answered said "we all vote Labour here". Result. 

I knocked on the door of a former Tower Hamlets Council Housing colleague, June (and UNISON member) who is now a black cab driver, it was good to chat, catch up and reminisce. 

Next, I reported a footway paving stone trip hazard via https://lovecleanstreets.info/ app. 

After this, I had a long conversation with a resident about Newham Council traffic tickets. I didn't think it would go very well, when he started by pointing out he has had £500 of tickets recently for contravening moving traffic restrictions. However, he totally got that the Council needs to stop "rat runs" and protect his grandchildren from traffic fumes as well as reduce carbon emissions. 

What he wanted was greater consultation, publicity and a "grace period" when new restrictions are imposed. He will send me details of what he believes to be unreasonable impositions which I will investigate. He did say at the end of his conversation that he will always supports Labour. 

My next serious conversation was with a resident who wanted me to see a serious damp issue in her bathroom. She was Turkish and could not speak English that well, so she introduced me to Google Translate.  Which worked really well and I will download for use as a Councillor and for work (and foreign holidays).  

West Ham ward Labour doorstep: Trees, Brexit, Cat, Knives, Parking, Care homes, Google translate & 3 John's

This morning we went door knocking in West Ham ward. It was a lovely blue sky, sunshine Sunday after a very wet and rainy Saturday.

The feedback for Labour was, as usual in Newham very positive, but we are, I think, taking a hit from Remain supporters, who are using our apparent ambiguity over Brexit to voice wider concerns about the Party.

However, come the real General election (I have given up guessing when but likely to be soon) can we win these voters back to Labour (and convert the others necessary to win) with another pragmatic but radical manifesto? Hopefully yes.

While knocking on doors I had a sensitive conversation with a man whose father had recently died and had just moved his Mum into a nursing home. He was clearing the family home to hand it back to the Council.

I also got very firm representations from a resident about a number of issues especially parking (see college bottom left).

We canvassed in Paul Street E15 where there is a Bin for knives outside the Salvation Army office. Also, Marriott Road, where there was a V2 Missile attack during World War 2 which killed 29 local residents. I believe that the road was named after firefighter, Harold Marriott, who was killed nearby during the Blitz in 1940.

3 out of the 7 canvassers were called "John" (see us on top left of college) but the young "John" showed all of us up, by being the only one to use "google translate" to explain to residents who did not speak English, why we were there. What a great idea!