Listening to and Speaking up for Residents

When I wrote my last newsletter at the beginning of December I think we were all looking forward to Christmas and that 2021 would herald a brighter year. Although I have been following the numbers of cases, hospital admissions and deaths from Covid closely (I get almost daily reports from the Hackney and City of London Public Health people as I’m a member of the City’s Health and Wellbeing Board) and I knew how dire the statistics were, I was still shocked and disappointed to be in lockdown again so early in January. I know that this ‘stay at home’ message is very hard for many.

Some can’t work from home and have to go to work. It’s a hard choice when you have to risk your health to earn a living. I am lucky to be able to count my blessings but I know how hard it is for those on their own. We haven’t seen our eldest son and his family for 18 months now as two trips from Japan have been cancelled.

Covid vaccinations

The bright light on the horizon is the vaccine. I am so pleased that some of you have already received one or two vaccinations and I hope very much that the Government achieves its targets and we will all have been offered the vaccine in the near future. With vaccines now being offered at Barts Hospital and soon at some pharmacies, these sites are far more accessible for those of us in the Barbican and Golden Lane.

These are much better options than the Excel Centre particularly for those without cars. Together with the PCR tests at Guildhall Yard and the Lateral Flow tests at Golden Lane (we are looking for a larger site to replace this one as soon as possible), the City is making its contribution to getting this vaccine under control. We all need to do our bit too by staying home and getting vaccinated when we can.

Lord Lisvane’s report on the structure of the City of London Corporation.

Common Councillors continue to meet virtually to discuss the changes proposed in the Lisvane report. There has been much emphasis on the Barbican Residential Committee (BRC) and the Planning Committee. Cripplegate’s elected Members met to discuss the future of the BRC after we had had a helpful meeting with the new Chair of the Barbican Association, Adam Hogg. Whilst Lisvane recommends the abolition of the BRC, I don’t think there is one agreed view amongst my fellow councillors. Many of us can see a valuable role for Members in discussions, representations and negotiations with the residents and the Officers of the Corporation. There is a view that the BRC achieves little and the residents would be better dealing directly with the Barbican Estate Office – this is an option that already exists and is exercised by some. Although I have some reservations about the role of the BRC, I think reform would be better than abolition. I have concerns about what arrangements would replace it. The BRC meetings are open to the public and to the scrutiny that brings which ensures that it tries to act in the interests of the residents having listened carefully. Private meetings between a handful of residents and the BEO does not, in my opinion, guarantee a better deal. There is much more to discuss.

In respect of the Planning Committee it is vital that residents and elected members should be able to make representations to those taking decisions. I have been able to do this on a number of occasions without being on the Planning Committee. Lisvane proposes that planning applications will be determined by small panels and that Councillors for the wards affected by a planning application will not be able to serve on the panels dealing with it.

Whilst this may not be an exact parallel with the Licensing Committee, I believe that the same principle should apply. Although I’m a member of the Licensing Committee, I do not sit on panels dealing with applications that affect Cripplegate. I do, however, express my opinions and support residents in making their views known to such panels. I support the principle that Members should not vote where there may be, or may seem to be, a conflict of interest. This seems to be the usual practice in other local authorities. I’m still in the process of listening to others so nothing is fixed until we get to the vote when I will do what seems right to me and in the interests of the residents.

Elections

The City of London elections were to have been held in March 2021 but due to the Covid pandemic we agreed to postpone them until March 2022. This now seems like the right decision. In May 2021 we should be holding the Mayoral and Greater London Assembly Member elections postponed from May 2020 but I hear that there is now talk of delaying them until May 2022 due to the pandemic. Most polling stations are not suitable for social distancing. For example, many only have one entrance. If they do go ahead this year it is likely to be difficult to campaign in any ‘normal’ way especially knocking on doors to talk to electors. I would urge everyone who can to get a postal vote. If the virus is still about when the elections are called, none of us want to take a risk by going to the polling station.

Noel Coward Exhibition

I was very lucky to get an invite to the preview (online of course) of the Noel Coward Exhibition at the City of London Art Gallery in Guildhall Yard. The exhibition will run for 6 months starting whenever lockdown is lifted. There were songs, film extracts, speeches, monologues and a brilliant video guided tour of the exhibition. There are over 300 items depicting his life with a great emphasis on his style and fashion. If you get a chance please visit whenever that may be. It is brilliant.

Pets Policy

At the latest meeting of of the Housing Management Sub Committee we agreed the latest version of the Pets Policy for our 12 social housing estates across London. This decision followed a consultation with all of our residents on these estates (Golden Lane and Middlesex street in the City; Avondale, Southbank, Horace Jones and William Blake in Southwark; Windsor in Hackney; Holloway Road, York Way and Isleden House in Islington; Dron House in Tower Hamlets and Sydenham Hill in Lewisham. Residents were asked for their views on being allowed pets in particular dogs and cats. By a narrow margin the result was for the retention of the current policy i.e. that pets are not allowed except in the most exceptional circumstances (of course, allowing appropriate dogs for blind or deaf residents.) The policy will be regularly reviewed.

Gresham College Lectures (www.gresham.ac.uk)

One of the pleasures of lockdown (and they may be few and far between) is watching the Gresham College lectures. They cover a wide variety of subjects and usually broadcast at 1pm or 6pm. This year I made a decision to try and watch as many as possible, irrespective of whether they were of particular interest to me. In January I’ve watched: The Mathematics of Bell Ringing (despite its name, an absolutely fascinating programme and my favourite to date); The Political Jury; Baby Killers; Screening- when is it useful and when it is not by Professor Chris Whitty). If you miss the broadcasts you can watch them at a later date or on YouTube. Definitely recommended.

School Meals

Yet again there is a furore over school meals. Those entitled to free school dinners whilst schools are closed* receive vouchers or packer lunches. The paucity of the packed lunches (whilst allowing the company to make obscene profit) shocked many people. Fortunately Marcus Rashford has the ear of the Prime Minister and was able to shame him into changing the policy. The City of London has continued with its distribution of vouchers or packed lunches to City children. I have been assured that the City Corporation will continue to make provision for its children during the half term holiday and in further holidays, always dependent on Government decisions. * schools remain open for children of key workers, vulnerable children and those without internet connection or a device at home).

Laptops and other devices

Despite promises from the Government last April that they would provide laptops or devices for children requiring them for online lessons, until very recently the supply has been pitiful. Many of you will know that I asked for help to raise money to purchase tablets for children at my daughter-in law’s school in Hackney. Due to your generosity we have provided over 70 tablets for these children. The Government had provided 6 despite there being 15 children with allocated social workers who should have been top of the list with numerous others qualifying. We have achieved a remarkable success with over 90% of the children in this school attending online lessons.

My daughter-in-law was on LBC’s Nick Ferrari programme last week to speak about her school’s needs and the lack of help from the Government. Her interview was followed by an interview with Michael Gove and Ferrari asked him why the Government has failed so badly on this issue. It would be fair to say that Mr Gove appeared somewhat uncomfortable with this line of questioning. He promised to look into the situation at this particular school (missing the point completely as we want him to deliver to all schools). Following this (and I’m giving all the credit to my daughter-in-law) the Government promised to deliver 500,000 devices to schools in the next two weeks and I understand some schools have already received more devices.

USA politics Who cannot be both horrified and fascinated by recent events in the USA? I am hoping for a peaceful transfer of power on Wednesday and will breathe a sigh of relief when it is over. I wish Joe Biden and Kamala Harris all the luck in the world as they undo the damage of the past four years.

Please keep safe.

Please get in touch if you need my help.

My contact details are:
Mary Durcan Common Councillor
Cripplegate Ward
City of London Corporation
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel: 02073746599 or 07966505643

Please email Nickie Aiken MP for the Cities of London and Westminster (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) asking her to keep the extra £20 paid to those on Universal Credit. This is not a time to reduce the income of those who are struggling. This extra payment was introduced in April 2020 as a response to the difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic.