Refuse and recycling collections over Christmas and New Year

Boris freezes GLA precept for second year running

article by London Mayor Boris Johnson, posted on Conservatives.com

Last week we heard the final death knell of New Labour. According to Gordon Brown, anyone earning over £20,000 is a fat cat. It was the most aggressive raid on the middle classes since the ’70s and comprehensive proof of the failure of his government.

George Osborne was right to highlight a new and incontestable golden rule – you can’t trust Labour with your money.

But you can trust Conservatives. We put value for money at the heart of everything we do. That’s why I want to tell you about my budget, which I put out to consultation last week.

For the second year running – and I’ve only been in 19 months – I am freezing what City Hall takes from council tax payers. Over the eight years as Mayor, Ken Livingstone increased his take of council tax by 153 per cent. I promised to stop these steep rises and have delivered.

Londoners are reaping the dividend they deserve after electing a Conservative as Mayor.

But it’s not just been about easing the burden for people hard up during a recession but also providing more with less.

My predecessor presided over a shocking decline in rape crisis centres in the capital and I’ve allocated money for a fourfold expansion. We will be announcing where they will be soon in the New Year.

Cycling in 2010 will see a revolution – 6,000 hire bikes in central London, with the first 30 minutes free. I am probably the world’s slowest cyclist and if I can cross central London in that time, anyone can. You’ll also see a safety blitz and the first cycling superhighways.

We will continue to make the investment needed to modernise our transport infrastructure. I know some of them have been delayed because of the moronic PPP contracts forced upon London by Gordon Brown but they will hugely increase capacity and reliability of the Tubes.

If you go online you’ll find out more about housing, the environment, skills, childcare – the list goes – all to make London the best big city in the world.

That is Conservatives in action.

I don’t fear the views of the public. I’d love to hear them. Tell me if you would like a hike in council tax. I’d be surprised but I’d definitely listen.

I think we all know that Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling don’t want to hear your views. They’ve been avoiding them for years.

St Michael’s in the snow

Stevens Park & the Community Centre this morning.

Christmas Fayre

Matthew Scott, Ray Sams and Caroline Newton attended the Christmas Fayre at Neighbourhood Matters in Hadlow Road on Saturday 5 December.

Organised to raise funds for the various clubs held at the shop, Matthew, Ray and Caroline took part in the tombola and raffle, before joining local resident Tim Thompson for a sing-a-long.

Caroline and Ray are pictured with residents and Tim Thompson.

Your new Conservative Action Team

St Michael’s ward Conservatives are pleased to announce that Welling resident Caroline Newton will be joining the Action Team for the forthcoming council elections. She will be working with Councillors Joseph Pollard and Ray Sams to campaign on the issues affecting you locally.

This follows the decision by Councillor Matthew Scott to stand down this May after four years. Matthew said “It has been an honour to represent the residents of St Michael’s ward on Bexley Council, and I am grateful for all the support that local people have given me. Caroline will be a tremendous asset to the ward, and I know she will work hard to represent St Michael’s if elected”.

Caroline said “I am delighted to be part of the St Michael’s team and to be standing next May as one of your Conservative candidates. Brought up in the area, having attended Hillsgrove Primary School, I care about the needs of local residents and look forward to carrying on the good work with Joe and Ray.”

Caroline still lives in Welling and is heaving involved in Scouting locally. Provision for our young people, environment and value for money services for local residents are three areas Caroline wishes to see to continue improving with a Conservative Bexley Council.

Pictured: Ray Sams, Joe Pollard, David Evennett MP and Caroline Newton (front)

Dispersal Zone Introduced

A new ‘Dispersal Zone’ will be introduced in Welling from 00.01am on 23 October 2009 and will remain in force for six months.

The zone covers the Ridley Road area (map available by following this link) and is being established to tackle bouts of anti-social behaviour, where large numbers of young people are coming into the area to cause trouble, which is seriously affecting the lives of people in the local community.

A Dispersal Order gives police powers to disperse groups of people, to require people to leave the area, and to take home under 16s who are found in the zone between 9pm and 6am.

The police will rigorously enforce the zone and failure to obey the direction of a constable or a PCSO can lead to imprisonment or a fine.

The police are particularly interested in hearing the views of young people who live in the area, and who would be keen to join the Neighbourhood Panel that sets its policing priorities.

For more information about Dispersal Orders contact Neighbourhood Services on 08003 895013. The same number can be used to report licensed premises that are selling to underage children, or to report anti-social behaviour.

Relocation of Welling Post Office

The London Borough of Bexley recently pulled out all the stops to help the Post Office in Welling relocate to the Nags Head car park

The Post Office had been temporarily operating from the car park at the rear of Morrison’s, which is currently being renovated. They originally intended to move it from Morrison’s car park straight into new premises in the High Street.

Earlier in the year it became apparent to the Post Office that the new premises would not be ready in time to allow Morrison’s to complete the planned programme of works in their car park. So the Post Office asked the Council for help and suggested the possibility of using the Nags Head Lane car park on a short term basis.

Helping small businesses

A new £307,500 loan and grant fund to support businesses in the London Borough of Bexley was launched last week (23 July), providing an additional source of finance to the Borough’s small business community, during one of the deepest recessions in decades.

The Bexley Enterprise Fund, is a partnership between the Council, GLE (Greater London Enterprise) Group and the Thames Innovation Centre (TIC), and consists of a £250,000 loan fund and a £57,500 grant fund.

The fund is being created from £120,000 of regeneration funding secured by the Council plus an investment of £187,500 by the GLE-managed London Business Loan Fund.

Find out more here.

Give or Take Day at Welling School

This Fathers Day beat the credit crunch and be green by treating your Dad to something for nothing! The London Borough of Bexley is holding its fourth ‘Give or Take Day’ at Welling School, Elsa Road, Welling, on Sunday 21 June between 10am and 3pm.

All items are absolutely free – you can donate furniture, household and garden goods, toys, books, DVDs, clothes and material or anything else that could be used again! Don’t worry if you have large items that are too big to bring – you can advertise these on the oversize items notice board.

By bringing your unwanted items along, you will be making a real difference to someone else while helping to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. You might even find that item you’ve been hunting for – totally free!

The RAF cadets will be on hand to fix bikes while you’re browsing and younger visitors might want to make their very own sock monster with textile recycling company LMB’s Shoe Friends project. A nappy advisor will also be available to show how you can save money and cut waste with modern reusable nappies.

What you can bring or take:

• Furniture
• Kitchenware and other household items
• Tools
• Home entertainment e.g. DVDs, videos
• Bicycles
• Toys and books
• Clothes and reusable linen, such as curtains and sheets
• Bric-a-brac

What not to bring:

•Electrical items
•Duvets and pillows
•Hazardous or toxic items
•Gas appliances
•Large items(any item that cannot fit into a car or small van)

Who knows, your old junk may be someone else’s treasure!

Please note traders and pets are not allowed and time restrictions may apply.

Celebrating St George’s Day

St Michaels branch Conservatives celebrated Englands Patron Saint George with a supper at the Avenida restaurant in Welling on Thursday evening (23rd APril). Ward Councillor Matthew Scott, dressed as St George, and gave details of the Saint’s life, Branch Chairman Mark Brooks read from Shakespeares Henry V, and Cllr Ray Sams gave amusing annecdotes on being English.

The guest of honour was Shadow Justice Minister Henry Bellingham MP who spoke about England, his Justice brief and the current political scene. Among the other guests were David Evennett MP and his wife Marilyn, James Cleverly AM, Bexley Deputy Mayoress Diane Sams and Eltham Conservative Candidate David Gold.

Cllr Joe Pollard gave the vote of thanks.