Candidate Profiles: Maureen O’Mara, Greenwich West

Name: Maureen O’Mara (Labour)
Ward: Greenwich West

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

Lived in the borough for thirty years and have worked in both the public and private sector. Have lived in Greenwich West ward for nearly seventeen years.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

It matters that people vote in all elections -local and national. Politics is about the house or flat that you live in, it is about how clean your street is, it is about whether you can get a job or not, it is about the quality of your children’s education and it is about the quality of care that your or you family and friends get from the NHS. Everyone cares about these things – we just group them together under the heading of “politics”. If you choose not to vote then you are letting other people make decisions about your life.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

I have been a Labour councillor for Greenwich West for nearly twelve years and believe I have been able to get things done for local people and across the borough as a whole and want to keep doing that.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

There are many things that I love about West Greenwich – its strong sense of community for one and I also love its history. I am very proud that we are host to one of London’s four World Heritage sites which attracts now over seven million visitors a year.

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Greenwich West ward over the next four years?

My priorities for the next four years would be to make sure that the needs of all our communities are met. We have just started to build council housing again in the borough – the first London borough to do so for some time. We need to make sure that we have the infrastructure to support our new developments and we need constantly to ensure that we maintain our improvements in the public realm – cleaner streets and cleaner estates. Clearly the 2012 Olympics will present real challenges for us and we need to make sure we are ready for those.

Council shuts sushi shop

A sushi restaurant in Greenwich was temporarily closed last week after an unannounced check up by Council environmental officers.

Itoshii in Nelson Road was forced to stop trading on Tuesday after the Council went to court to get an emergency prohibition order issued.

Council staff visited the business  to check if improvements required after a visit a month earlier had been carried out. Instead they discovered evidence of extensive rodent infestations.

There was evidence of mice and rats found in the storeroom, kitchen and even inside the wok burner cooker. There were large holes in the walls that allowed pests easy access to the restaurant and the general cleanliness of the premises was below standard.

Work was undertaken by the owners and the restaurant was allowed to reopen for business last Friday.

Matthew Norwell, Assistant Chief Executive for Community Safety and Integrated Enforcement at Greenwich Council, said:

“The Council will continue to carry out unannounced visits to food businesses in order to safeguard customers’ health. We also want residents to enjoy their leisure time in the borough without worrying about putting their health at risk.”

Candidate Profiles: Mary Harris, Greenwich West

Name: Mary Harris (Conservative)
Ward: Greenwich West

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

I have worked in education for the past few years. I am involved in particular in English and literacy education. I think that everyone has the right to a good education to help them do well in the workplace. I enjoy living in South East London and in Greenwich in particular.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

It matters because Council election results have a direct impact on peoples’ daily lives in the area in which they live.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

I want to play an active part in ensuring that communities and individuals alike have a ‘voice’, that is, that they are represented fully on the Council. There is always room for improvement in local services and it is important to look for practical, pragmatic solutions to meet the needs of diverse communities in Greenwich West, from youth organisations and schools to community and residents’ groups.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

I like that Greenwich West is so diverse in terms of people and places. There are many historic traditional buildings situated ‘cheek by jowl’ with modern locales. Every generation seems to have something definitive and positive to add to Greenwich West’s character. People seem to be willing to speak up and say what they think, too

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Greenwich West ward over the next four years?

As I work in education I think a priority would be promoting improvements in terms of education provision as, at the moment, many results are nowhere near good enough. For example, results are very uneven in terms of A*-C attainment at GCSE. Another priority would be to ensure adequate representation of residents’ concerns in terms of housing provision and street cleanliness.

Candidate Profiles: Robin Stott, Greenwich West

Name: Robin Stott (Green Party)
Ward: Greenwich West

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

Im 67 years old, have lived in the Ashburnham triangle for 35 years and am active in the local Ashburnham Triangle Association.. I worked as a consultant physician in Lewsiham hospital until my retiremnt 5 years ago. Throughout my medical carreer, I have been active in the anti nuclear movement ( as Chairman of the the International Cttee of the International Physicians in the 1990′s against Nuclear war and as chairman of the local CND branch in the early 80;s ). And with the charity Medact, of which I was chairman for 8 years, I have worked to promote social , environmental and economic justice as a basis for global good health. I was for 6 years a member of The London Sustainable Development Commission, and now co-chair the Climate and Health Council, which seeks to engage health professionals in tackling climate change.
I am married with two grown up children, am a keen cyclist, tennis player and party goer.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

The council have a major responsibility for local affairs, and should be responsive to local opinion.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

Because I believe that the fair shares green perspective needs to be represented as forcefully as possible at all levels of government.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

The Ashburnham triangle , where I live, is full of sparky and friendly people, and nearly every time I walk or bicycle around the triangle , I meet people I know. Its great to have the shops and cafes in Royal Hill, and Somerfields within walking/bicycling distance. The park is a jewel, particularly in the early morning, and with Greenwich theatre and Cinema gives me immense pleasure. And then there is the Thames, and the cammeraderie of the Ashburnham Arms.

If elected, what would be your priorities for the ward over the next four years?

My life long aim is to create local communities in which resources are shared in a more equal way, building a sense of trust and security which makes for joyfull living. Having all those things which make life worthwhile local and accessible means encouraging local shops, enabling more people to work locally so that commutes can be on foot or bicycle, encouraging local entrepreneurs, and encouraging people to meet and discuss issues in an open and non judgemental way. In the long term, this means devolving funds and responsibility from central govt to a more local level –In the short term, much can be achieved by the council devolving a proportion of the budget to the local level, for citizens assemblies to oversee.

In such assemblies I will argue for schools within walking/bicycling distance, and the safe paths to reach them, for a 20 MPH speed limit on our roads, for the council to actively support the Transition town movement, and innovative ways to provide local care for elderly people.

Those Magnificent Men, Greenwich Theatre

New Perspectives theatre company returns to Greenwich Theatre next week with their new show, ‘Those Magnificent Men’, written by the critically-acclaimed comedy writing duo, Brian Mitchell and Joseph Nixon.

It’s a classic tale of plucky British pioneers – Captain John Alcock, dashing WW1 fighter pilot, and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown, navigational genius with a gammy leg, huddled together against the elements in the tiny timber and canvas cockpit of their converted Vickers Vimy biplane – talk about winging it!

Jump on board for a fast and furious comic tour-de-force in a race to conquer the skies over the Atlantic. Thrill to the sheer adventuring spirit of our unlikely heroes, marvel at their daredevil aerial antics, and wonder at how the whole bally thing is told with just two actors and a crate full of funny props.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT FOR GREENWICH.CO.UK READERS

See ‘Those Magnificent Men’ at Greenwich Theatre for just £5 (normal price £15).
To take advantage of this fantastic offer simply call the Greenwich Theatre Box Office
on 020 8858 7755 and quote “Greenwich.co.uk offer”

‘Those Magnificent Men’
Wed 5 – Sat 8 May
Eves, 7.30pm; Mat, Sat 2.30pm

T’s & C’s: This offer ends at 6pm on 8/05/10. This offer is available for the production of Those Magnificent Men
at Greenwich Theatre. This offer is not available online. Booking fee applies.

Candidate Profiles: Dick Quibell, Peninsula

Name: Dick Quibell (Labour)
Ward: Peninsula

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

I have lived at my current address in Peninsula Ward for 19 years, and in the Borough for almost thirty years; I have a son and daughter who both attended local state schools. I am a maths graduate with a twenty five year career helping organisations use information effectively to optimise their operations. I have been a Labour Party member for almost forty years.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

Obviously it is important that you have confidence in – and have chosen – the people who spend so much of the public’s money. The environment, local economy, public safety and local services are all influenced hugely by the elected Council members, it matters that people choose representatives that will use that influence on their behalf. They also need advocates to take up issues for them – like getting a fair deal over a school for their child, or ridding their neighbourhood of crime, noise, pollution etc. Choosing the people to do this job for you is really an important part of getting a fair deal. Voting is the only way you can make these choices.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

Firstly I believe I am effective at being the representative and advocate I described in the previous answer – and that my record in this regard is good. This borough has serious problems that need to be addressed. A lot of our people are relatively poor, have not enjoyed their fair share of the comforts and benefits that a 21st century affluent society offers. I think I can make a significant contribution to redressing this, and to ensure that everyone – but especially the least privileged – have someone to speak up for them. I believe in Local Government being a strong element of our social fabric, helping to shape and change lives for the better, and being effective and well run. I want to be part of making that happen.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

Rather spoilt for choice – an urban park to rival any in the world on its boundary, the Dome with the best concert venue on the planet, being the centre of time and space (0° longitude), and one of the most vibrant and socially diverse communities in London.

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Peninsula ward over the next four years?

i) Making sure that the Olympics in 2012 go fantastically well and that as many people as possible enjoy them hugely;
ii) Getting the school opened on the Peninsula, and drawing more of the Borough’s children into our own secondary schools
iii) Helping neighbourhoods be rid of the scourge of excessive traffic – especially on the minor residential streets
iv) Extending social ownership of the organisations that run things for us – including many of the Council’s own services.

Andrew Gilligan: Local News – The “Greenwich Time” Way

THE DAY that Greenwich Council’s propaganda newspaper, Greenwich Time, announced the BRILLIANT news that this is to become a royal borough, it seemed only right to put a picture of the monarch on the front page.

No, silly, not that absurd interloper, the Queen. She was rightly relegated to page 3. Page 1 was reserved for the traditional anvil-jawed photo of our very own age-old symbol of pomp and majesty, council leader Chris Roberts. “Residents, businesses and the millions of visitors to Greenwich will share in our delight at this wonderful news,” said King Chris (note the use of the royal we.) That issue was billed as a “souvenir edition.” But for Mr Roberts, every edition of Greenwich Time is a souvenir!

Inspired by a discussion this week on greenwich.co.uk, I went through some recent back numbers of South London’s very own Court Circular, to see just how many times Mr Roberts and his Labour chums have been puffing themselves at our expense. And the results from the international jury are now in.

Total number of mentions of Labour politicians: 98.
Total number of mentions of non-Labour politicians: 0.
Total number of pictures of Labour politicians: 29.
Total number of pictures of non-Labour politicians: 0.

Mr Roberts, by the way, features on the front page in 8 out of the 12 issues I examined, often with a picture. And when, by some terrible oversight, he is left out of the front-page story, he nearly always gets a column and picture inside (“I was surprised to be told today that I will receive an award as the Greenest Leader in South London…”)

Other very special Greenwich Time stars include Greenwich West’s own Maureen O’Mara – who must, on this tally, be a bit worried about holding her seat – and John Fahy, never pictured without a shovel in his hand. And we mustn’t forget Nick Raynsford MP. He might be hard to find on the streets of Greenwich, but he makes up for it in Greenwich Time. Lib Dems? Tories? Greens? You what?

There isn’t space here for a full list of all the Pravda-esque inanities of “the newspaper campaigning for a greater Greenwich,” but the one that made me laugh the loudest was the fearless scrutiny by one Nick Day of the council’s response to this winter’s snow.

“The extended spell of severe weather must have been testing the council’s resources to breaking point,” wrote Mr Day. “I’ve been frankly amazed at the impressive response…I’ve often been quick to hold the council to account, so I must be equally quick to praise the grit (sorry!) and determination that officers and workers have been applying to their immense task.”

You certainly should be sorry, Nick. Actually, I seem to remember that there was relatively little snow in south-east London by comparison with the rest of the country, and what there was was not cleared conspicuously effectively in Greenwich.

Some stories have been so good that Greenwich Time did them twice – like the one on falling bus crime and burglary figures, front-paged on both the 5th and 19th January (“Making you much SAFER”) and based on a possibly dodgy comparison. The shortage of space created by the repetition of such stories was no doubt why other news – like the excoriation of Greenwich’s social services as “shocking,” “arrogant” and “very poor” by a High Court judge – never made it into Greenwich Time.

My tally of councillor and MP mentions, by the way, covers less than three months’ worth of Greenwich Time, between 5 Jan and 23 March. Some vestigial respect for democratic decencies (or more likely the fear of court action for breaking electoral law) has kept the politicians out of the paper over the last month.

But, even during the election campaign, Greenwich Time has found a sneaky way to push the Labour message. The front page of the April 13 edition (“Spring in our step… Local businesses crack on despite the credit crunch”) told everyone that the “green shoots” of recovery were back: “Confidence [in Greenwich businesses] is growing by the day… There is a realisation that they have survived the abyss… Some businesses have sadly disappeared, but far fewer than may have been feared,” wrote the chair of the local chamber of commerce.

In the 1950s, as part of some dastardly imperial plot against the French, civil servants of the Colonial Office successfully persuaded the people of the Pacific island of Tanna to worship Prince Philip as a god. Portraits of the deity still hang in many a grass hut. Mr Roberts is clearly trying the same trick with what he believes to be the simple, credulous people of Greenwich. In me and others, the sheer clumsiness of the operation has had the opposite effect – making me automatically mistrust everything the council does, even if it is worthwhile.

The Tories are promising, if elected to the council, to close down Greenwich Time, which sounds like a good idea. This ridiculous apology for a newspaper has become the prime symbol of a council that treats its citizens like idiots.

Candidate Profiles: Charlie Easton, Peninsula

Name: Charlie Easton (Conservative)
Ward: Peninsula

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

I’m Charlie, I live and work locally, as an HR Administrator at the National Maritime Museum. I also study part time at the University of Greenwich. I have a blog, gipsymoth.blogspot.com where I talk about my studies, thoughts and experiences as I go about my week. I enjoy visiting parks and museums, walking and learning about London’s history in the little spare time I have amongst everything else! My favourite TV show is House, and my favourite meal is Chicken Madras with fluffy rice (and I’m one of the few people I know who actually likes Lime Chutney on their poppadum’s!)

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

The average household in Greenwich gives over £1,000 a year to the Council, to provide and run local services such as schools, libraries, community centres, parks and leisure facilities. The Council has the power to approve or refuse planning applications, to sign off large events and projects such as the Olympics or Crossrail and to ensure the streets and houses of the borough are kept neat and tidy. There are over 220,000 people in the borough, yet turnout for local elections in the area sits between 20-40% of the voting population. The council has the power to spend a great deal of money and change the quality of life of its residents. By voting for 3 councillors in the local elections, we all have a say in whether it does this, how it does this and how well it does this.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

Every time I used to see something in the area that looked untidy, or read that a local service was underperforming or closing, it used to sadden and frustrate me. For somewhere that has so much culture and potential and so many visitors from outside the area, Greenwich underperforms locally and nationally in a number of areas, such as providing decent housing provision, good schools and local employment opportunities. The more I looked into the council’s record on its ability to improve delivery of local services, the more I realised the incumbents weren’t making the most of what they have. And rather than accept that things would only ever be as good as they are, I decided to get involved with Greenwich Conservatives and help them hold the council to account. By standing as a councillor in Peninsula, I hope that voters will permit me to take my fight for better services in Greenwich right to the Town Hall.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

There’s a lot to like in the Peninsula – the East Greenwich Pleasurance, the local pubs, the views across the river, the shops and houses, new and old. But (perhaps oddly) my favourite landmark in the ward is the power station and the old coal jetty. Its size and location beneath the meridian laser on the banks of the river make it as much a local landmark as the Naval College or Observatory. Its Charlie & the Chocolate Factory-like air of desertion make it intriguing, and its functional yet elegant design – particularly the little turret on the side – make what perhaps ought to be a building you turn your eye from a building your eye is drawn towards. And like the more culturally valued buildings in Greenwich, it has an air of permanence about it. I like it

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Peninsula / Greenwich West ward over the next four years?

-Secure a sustainable future for East Greenwich Library, which has been neglected by the council and under threat of closure for over a decade. Andrew Carnegie donated the borough the money to build and maintain the library in perpetuity for the public good: to keep our promise to Carnegie and the people of Greenwich is the least we can do.

-Stop the Council from granting consent to build housing on green space like Woodlands Park Road when plots like the site of the former East Greenwich housing office remain derelict.

-Use the land where Greenwich hospital stood: if money for the proposed development cannot be found, the land should be offered in the meantime as allotments, parking space or an area for an East Greenwich market.

-Change the way the council responds to fly tipping and littering. It took me 4 phone calls, 3 call centre operatives, 2 polite “asks” of Cleansweep on the street, 1 manager, 1 meeting and 10 weeks for the council to clear up a single shopping trolley. The system is expensive and clearly not fit for purpose – a more robust system that responds effectively to local residents’ requests needs to be established as a matter of urgency.

Candidate Profiles: Lucy Mortimer, Greenwich West

Name: Lucy Mortimer (Liberal Democrat)
Ward: Greenwich West

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

My name is Lucy Mortimer, I am 32 and have lived in the Borough for about 7 years, first in East Greenwich, then Shooters Hill, then West Greenwich. I work in renewable energy and carbon finance in developing countries, particularly South and East Asia, although originally I trained to be an architect. I’m currently doing up a derelict house in West Greenwich with local architect Roger Sedgely, whos practice is on Roan street. Between us, we’ve ensured its being fitted with some “green” technologies, including solar panels a water collection facility which feeds water back to the washing machine! Most importantly its highly insulated to prevent the power we generate and the heat we use escaping, which is something the council should really be considering with all houses if we’re ever to reduce our carbon footprint – simple measures like this really work well. I’m also involved in mentoring kids under the Children’s Society programme for vulnerable 11 and 12 year olds in the local area.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

I think if people want local services that work for them, communal spaces that cater to their tastes, local amenities that reflect their needs and local council policies that reflect their beliefs and values, the only way to do that is to take an interest in who represents them best at the local level on the council. If you don’t take the time to vote, the council is just that bit less likely to reflect your own needs and desires.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

I love living in Greenwich, but the things that drew me to live here – the Park, the artisan & vintage Markets in the centre of town, the diversity of the population – are being slowly eroded. The idea that the Market could be under threat again, now that the planning application to develop it into a hotel has gone to appeal, is really distressing, especially as the plan disregards the views of pretty much all of the local community who want it to remain largely as it is. The town centre is fast becoming run down, with empty boarded up shops, and those that remain don’t cater to the needs to the public but mainly to tourist. So, rather than just watching from the sidelines, I decided to get wholeheartedly involved! I believe if you really feel strongly about things like this, you should do what you can to fix it, so thats why I decided to stand for local election.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

My favourite place in Greenwich is the University. I walk through it at 7 each morning on my way to work, and again on my way home. Often in the evenings you’ll hear the most amazing music floating out across the courtyards as students at orchestra or band practice rehearse, which is really uplifting after a long day!

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Greenwich West ward over the next four years?

Priorities for me would be the things my fellow candidates Anthony, Ian and I have collectively been outlining in our weekly focus’:

1. Education education education! So many people we’ve canvassed have talked to us about the difficulties they face in schooling their children, forcing them to send them outside of the borough, pay for private schools, or move away. We should be helping families to educate their children well, and improving schools, not closing them like we’ve seen at Charlotte Turner.

2. Making Greenwich town centre work for the community; At present, the centre is full of empty shops, and few sell goods that cater to local people, who are forced to shop out of town for fresh food – for example, why are there so few greengrocers and butchers, and basic provision stores? And where there could be numerous cafe’s to at least cater to the tourists that pass by, we have closed stores. We should be encouraging people to spend their money locally, by supporting local business through regeneration and innovation, instead of allowing shops to remain closed, which degrades the local area and does nothing for people who live there.

3. Saving Greenwich market from development; I am totally against the development of the market, plans for which have already been turned down but have been resubmitted at appeal in much the same form. We don’t need another 100+ room hotel, we need a market that is substantially the same as it is now, which draws in visitors and locals alike, and I think the community needs to have its voice and its wishes heard .

4. Listening to the community, so that services are improved where it matters, problems are addressed, and the voice of the many are heard rather than just the vocal minority.

Your questions for parliamentary candidates?

If you haven’t yet decided which way to vote in the parliamentary elections, maybe you could help yourself to decide by putting your questions to the candidates. Send us your question for the any of the parliamentary candidates standing in the Greenwich and Woolwich constituency and we will send your questions to them and try to get them answered.

You can submit your questions by email or by posting them as a comment below. Please state your question and to which candidate the question is directed.

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