WALTHAM FOREST AND REDBRIDGE Green Party 

News

2nd February 2012

Greens support Robin Hood Tax

A new school, 674 bobbies or 122 hybrid buses: Boris’ opposition to Robin Hood tax is costing Waltham Forest dearly, says Green candidate Caroline Allen.

Boris Johnson’s opposition to a ‘Robin Hood Tax’ is depriving local people in the North East constituency of money that could pay for hundreds of new police officers, revitalise local transport, build new schools or fund thousands of apprenticeships, according to figures released by the Green Party today.

The analysis shows that Waltham Forest would receive £36m a year if a Financial Transaction Tax was introduced. That sum could:

• Pay for 674 new police officers
• Fund 6,805 apprenticeships
• Launch 122 new Hybrid buses
• Build a new school
• Or reverse all local authority cuts and cut council tax.

Caroline Allen, the Green Party’s candidate for the North East constituency said: “North East London has been hit hard by the cuts, its young people and those on low incomes are being affected the most. Its astonishing to see that this simple measure could allow us to offer thousands of apprenticeships to unemployed young people, an investment in the future.”

The tax - which would raise £10 billion a year nationally with a mere 0.05% tax on financial transactions - is expected to be introduced in other EU-countries (except Sweden) by the end of this year.

French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, announced this week plans to introduce a tax on financial transactions in France. The 0.1% - double the Green parties proposed 0.05% - tax will be introduced in August regardless of whether other EU countries agree to do the same.

Boris Johnson has consistently expressed his opposition to the tax, choosing instead to defend the interests of the City. During his time in office he has met with bankers three times as often as police. More than half the funding for his last election campaign came from hedge funds. Hedge funds, financiers and private equity make up 27% of Conservative Party funding as a whole.

Caroline said: “Schools and GPs are severely stretched in Waltham Forest, investment is needed and yet we're told there is no money. There is only no money because the richest aren't paying their way.”

“With child poverty figures at 31% in Waltham Forest surely no one living in these boroughs can object to the very richest corporations paying towards better housing, schooling and transport.”

Green Party Mayoral candidate Jenny Jones said: “Inequality in London is growing with the economic crisis being used as a poor excuse.

“The Robin Hood Tax is a simple measure that would help ensure our city’s richest institutions make a more equitable contribution towards the recovery without scratching the surface of their massive profits.

“The Mayor of London has played a very prominent role in trying to prevent a Robin Hood Tax being implemented. However the tide is turning in this debate and I believe Londoners want a Mayor who is aiming to spread the wealth generated by the financial sector, rather than keeping it all in the hands of a tiny minority in the capital.”

26th January 2012

Green Vet Attacks Dangerous Dogs Act

The problem of anti-social behaviour with dogs in London and beyond is serious one. Last weekend’s mauling in Chingford of a six-year-old girl is the latest example of the very high human cost of this issue. In London alone 450 people were treated in hospital for dogs bites in a 10month period in 2010-2011. There are also many dogs suffering in London because they are not being cared for properly, either through ignorance or deliberate mistreatment, including being used for fighting. The financial cost is very high, the Met Police spent 2million pounds on kennelling dangerous dogs in 2010. Add to that the costs on charities and local authorities and it is clear we are looking at a very distressing and expensive problem.

Unfortunately the ill thought out legislation, the Dangerous Dogs Act, has been a complete failure. The problem is now far worse than when the legislation was passed. While there have been small scale projects which have demonstrated some success, such as Brent’s BARK project, there is no cross- London plan and no leadership from the London Mayor on this issue.

Legislation is slowly passing through parliament that will hopefully replace the dangerous Dog Act with a Dog Control Bill, which would go some way towards improving the situation. However, there is more than can be done at a London level, the Green Party have produced an ‘Action Plan for Animals’ (http://www.jennyforlondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Action_plan_for_animals.pdf) which lays out our policies in this area, sharing best practice across boroughs, expanding education programmes and microchipping of dogs (which we believe should be compulsory) and working with housing providers to ensure that irresponsible pet ownership and breeding is dealt with. These are just some steps which would surely pay dividends in reducing not only the terrible injury toll but also the financial and welfare cost of this growing problem.

Caroline Allen

Green Party GLA Candidate for Waltham Forest

23rd January 2012

Green candidate comments on Walthamstow Stadium

Its time to move on from the debate about whether the dog track should be developed or returned to racing; greyhound racing's days are over in Waltham Forest and numbered elsewhere as the sport falls out of favour.

This should be considered as a great thing for animal welfare, too many dogs in London are killed due to lack of a home, thousand every year and adding retired or injured greyhounds to this number is hardly going to help, add in the innate dangers of racing itself and its clearly time to move on.

It should also be considered a great opportunity for Waltham Forest, however the council has to be firm with the developers and ensure that the development offers what Waltham Forest needs. This means there must be genuine social housing, available to rent at affordable rents for those in housing need. It means family homes as well as flats and the council must ensure provision of adequate services for the residents; such as schooling, GPs and leisure facilities. There are things to be commended in the plans, the provision of food growing space for example and green corridors, however it is clear that this could be a missed opportunity.

Waltham Forest has an unfortunate history of areas lying undeveloped and deteriorating, while people bicker and row, we should not let this happen to the stadium. Its time to move forward in a positive way, by putting pressure on developers to ensure that the new development meets the needs of Waltham Forest's residents and accepting that the days of greyhound racing are over and that is for the best.

Caroline Allen

Green Party GLA Candidate for Waltham Forest

18th January 2012

Havering and Redbridge Greens Launch REconomy Campaign

Haroon Saad and Jenny Jones

The REconomy Campaign: tackling the unequal and unsustainable economy created by Tories and Labour...
Londoners deserve a better deal!

Boris Johnson’s last mayoral campaign was largely funded by hedge funds. These are the people who have made millions if not billions through creating a casino economy that has resulted in huge inequalities at the expense of everyday Londoners.

In launching the REconomy Campaign, Haroon Saad said:
“Labour, Tories, Lib Dems, all have economic policies that have resulted in growing inequalities within London. Their policies have created a global world class city that actually has created greater insecurity, growing poverty, and totally unacceptable levels of income inequality. Over 1million people in London now live in low–income families. These are families where at least one adult is working. This is an increase of 60% over the past decade. 1 in 7 jobs in London is paid less than the London Living Wage. 50% of these jobs are held by women.

In outer London the situation is worse. 50% of under 25 year olds are paid less than the London Living Wage. Redbridge has a child poverty rate of 25% and Havering one of 17%.

The poorest 30% of Londoners have less than 5% of financial and property wealth. In contrast, the richest 10% of Londoners have 40% of income wealth, 45% of property wealth and 65% of financial wealth. A vote for Boris is a vote for greater inequality.”

Mayoral Candidate Jenny Jones said:
“Labour, Tories and the Lib Dems have all supported huge amounts of public money being spent to private banks. They said that without this huge injection of public money businesses would not be able to secure vital credit. In fact the banks have simply used our money to pay their own debts and continue to pay outrageous bonuses to themselves.

Because big banks have dismantled local business branches, they are no longer set-up to lend to small businesses. The City is focused on casino banking rather than useful business lending and Assembly members and the Mayor must use their positions to change this.”

Jenny added: “Haroon is a knowledgeable and passionate campaigner who can help protect the rights of London’s small businesses. His work at the Local Urban Development Network means that he is also in a fantastic position to make sure his constituency gets what they need from their Assembly member.”

16th January 2012

Waltham Forest Greens Press Council for 10:1 Pay Ratio

RoseMary Warrington and Caroline Allen

Caroline Allen, Green GLA Candidate for North East Constituency, has demanded 10:1 and the London Living Wage for all council workers

Waltham Forest Green Party is pushing for Waltham Forest Council and their contractors to lead by example and ensure they are paying fair wages, both by ensuring all workers are being paid the London Living Wage and also by setting a maximum 1 in 10 pay ratio between the lowest and highest paid staff.

Currently the Chief Executive of Waltham Forest Council earns £180,000 per annum, while the lowest-paid staff earn just under £14,700. The Chief Executive’s pay is over 12 times that of the lowest-paid staff. Despite promises to reduce the Chief Executive’s pay in 2011/2012 by 10% and to freeze the pay of all other council staff, the payscales posted on the council’s own website do not corroborate this evidence.

Caroline Allen, the Green Party candidate for Waltham Forest in next year's London Assembly elections said:

“It is a scandal that there are many people in work and yet still in poverty because their wages are too low and don’t reflect the high cost of living in London.”

The Living Wage Unit was set up at City Hall following a budget amendment by the Green Party's Assembly members, an example of how having Green representatives in London really improves the lives of Londoners in a concrete way.

Caroline added:

“Evidence shows that more equal societies are generally happier and healthier with less violent crime. In the current economic climate it can’t be right that Waltham Forest has 2 staff members being paid more than £150,000 and has a ratio of 11 times between the highest and lowest paid'. We hope that Waltham Forest Council will follow the example set by Islington in taking up these policies and working to extend them to privately owned businesses, it is vital these positive messages spread beyond the Town Hall to have maximum impact.”

15th January 2012

Green candidate on child poverty in Waltham Forest

This week child poverty figures were released which showed nearly a third of children in Waltham Forest are growing up in poverty; the figure of 31% being 10% higher than the national average of 21% . These figures are shocking, but sadly are not a surprise. What may surprise people is that nearly 60% of children living in poverty have at least one parent who works.

I believe it is now harder to get out of poverty than it has been at any time in recent history. These figures are surely conclusive evidence that the idea of wealth dripping down to the capital’s poorest is a damaging and nonsensical idea.

There are things that can be done, Greens on London were instrumental in bringing about the London Living Wage and promoting 1 in 10 pay ratios to improve equality, these policies must be spread more widely. Cuts aren’t going to solve this, in fact it is likely it will end up costing us more to clear up the mess, with the human cost left unaccounted for. Greens support a financial transaction tax and changes to ensure tax cannot be avoided. Those who can most afford it are simply not paying their way in society, leading to severe inequality and worsening poverty.

Caroline Allen

Green Party GLA Candidate for Waltham Forest

Published and promoted by Mark Dawes on behalf of Waltham Forest and Redbridge Green Party, both at 53 Scarborough Road, London E11 4AL