Update on my resolutions

Well it is bad news and bad news, with a bit of good news thrown in

The bad news is that the LibDems opposed both motions.

Consequently we will not be offering a taper to residents keen to take up the enveloping scheme in the Holt Road neighbourhood.

Incidentally I have had a call from Cathy at Kensington Regeneration to remind me that they paid for the works (the wonderful works) at Cheviot, Middleton and Lindale in L7 and there is no taper. Good for them, well done Kensington Regeneration, well done for trail blazing. Well done for supporting true regeneration. Well done too for the Labour Government for funding the New Deal which Kensington Regeneration has used to pay for the works.

But a big raspberry to the LibDem city council and their elected representatives.

All the Labour councillors voted with me to support a taper so that homeowners benefitting from home improvements wouldnt be penalised for daring to leave within ten years.

But the LibDems voted against it.

Why? Who knows, I expect they cobbled together some kind of an excuse (although they have not taken the time or the trouble to tell me what it was, they just stuck their hands up and voted against it with no discussion). The truth is that they dont like to see Labour councillors having successes in case it results in a few more votes for us and fewer votes for them.

So, Labour, through government funding through Kensington Regeneration, pays outright for home improvements in one area, but the LibDems in charge of a different scheme, put the people of Holt Road in an arm-lock and insist on them paying for the lot unless they can commit to their home for a full ten years

Happy Christmas to you miserable Scrooges, I am quite sure the voters will understand which party it is that puts residents first in Kensington and Fairfield.

The second motion, on selective licensing was also rejected out of hand and also with no explanation.

Wendy and I were at a meeting today where we discussed with residents and agencies the whole idea of selective licensing for private landlords, as I explained in the earlier post. They were wildly supportive and very excited.

But as I pointed out at the time, Frank Doran, last remaining LibDem in the ward, would have to ensure that his party voted with me (as well as all my Labour colleagues) if we were to make this happen.

Needless to say, despite nodding in all the right places, he did not bring his colleagues to the table. And for the record, the three LibDems in Picton ward who also cover the New Deal area didnt vote for this.

As far as I am concerned, once I get this message out there to our residents they will see the clear difference between a Labour Council and a LibDem one. Political games on their part while I do my best to bring about the changes they all want.

The only positive note was that I got an amendment/composite through council on the blood service which I wrote hurriedly this afternoon in the car between one meeting and another (thanks to Wendy for scribing) after a long chat with the NBS Union Rep from Unite, and will reproduce in a week or two when I get an electronic copy for you.