How to contact us Poplar & Limehouse Conservatives 2 Blyth Close, Poplar E14 3DU 07506 595 151 [email protected] intouch www.poplarconservatives.com From your Limehouse Conservative Action Team Autumn 2012 RAHMAN SELLS OFF MORE OF OUR BOROUGH’S HERITAGE Respect-backed Mayor of Tower Hamlets, It still isn’t clear whether Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman, was accused of selling off owns this beautiful sculpture. more of Tower Hamlets’ heritage – after deciding to sell a famous statue gifted to “But just as we’ve seen with buildings like Londoners over fifty years ago. Poplar Town Hall and Limehouse Library, Lutfur Rahman isn’t interested in the The “Draped Seated Woman” statue – more borough’s history and heritage – he just commonly known as Old Flo – by famous wants to make a quick buck. sculptor Henry Moore was given to the London County Council in 1960 and took “It was a slap in the face of East Enders that pride of place on the Stifford Estate in Old Flo was taken out of Stepney and sent to Stepney. But Mayor Lutfur Rahman and his a field in Yorkshire by a Labour Cabinet decided in November to sell it – administration in 1997. But getting rid of the hoping to make up to £20 million out of the statue altogether, rather than bringing it deal. back for all the community to enjoy, is unforgiveable. But there was controversy after the Museum of London Docklands said Tower Hamlets “While Lutfur Rahman talks about having to didn’t own the statue, but only held it in trust sell Old Flo to spend the money on public for the people of the borough – putting the services, he hasn’t offered to cut any of his legality of selling it off in doubt. Mayoral perks, such as spending £120,000 of taxpayers’ money on a new office for Councillor Peter Golds, Conservative leader himself, spending £38,000 on political at the Town Hall, said “Everything about this letters with his face on them, and getting a shabby deal to sell off another piece of our special limousine and chauffeur to ferry him borough’s history stinks. Old Flo was gifted around. Perhaps when the Mayor starts The statue of “Old Flo” in a sculpture park in by Henry Moore to the old London County cutting all this spending on himself we will Yorkshire: given to the people of London in Council at a cut-price rate because he take his claims of needing the money more 1960, Lutfur Rahman plans to sell it off wanted his work to be enjoyed by Londoners. seriously.” TOWER HAMLETS PROPAGANDA MOST EXPENSIVE IN LONDON Tower Hamlets has been exposed as the Hamlets can afford to spend millions of most wasteful London council when it comes pounds so that week after week a to propaganda – after shock new figures newspaper full of pictures of him can go revealed by the Evening Standard showed through residents’ doors. the borough spent £3.2 MILLION on council publicity. It’s clear that Labour councils elsewhere in London think exactly the same. The The figure—which accounted for nearly 15% Conservative alternative is clear—get rid of of the figure for the whole of London in these disgraceful propaganda newspapers, 2010/11—is £1 million higher than the next- and spend the money on front-line services.” highest spending council, Labour-run Camden. The figures were only released The Conservative Local Government following Freedom of Information requests. Minister, Eric Pickles, has announced plans to bring in tough new rules to ban this Limehouse councillor Cllr Craig Aston said blatant waste of public money for political “This proves what we all know—the Respect- purposes. He has said ‘What we will do is put backed Mayor is pouring council taxpayers’ these on a statutory footing and we will stop money down the drain on the propaganda these Town Hall Pravdas’.” newspaper East End Life, while neglecting vital public services. I strongly welcome the Government’s moves Cllr Craig Aston with a copy of East End Life, to clamp down and ensure millions of tax- which costs taxpayers £3.2 million a year It is outrageous that he thinks that Tower payers’ money is no longer wasted this way.”

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Please return to: Poplar & Limehouse Conservatives, 2 Blyth Close, Poplar, London, E14 3DU YOUR LOCAL CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR Local Limehouse councillor Cllr Craig Aston says “Why not get in touch with me about any issues or problems in the following ways”

Regular advice surgeries: First Saturday of every month, 3-4pm— Birchfield Senior Citizens Club, Birchfield Local councillor Craig Aston is monitoring the Estate, 50 Saltwell Street, Poplar E14 possible development of Limehouse Library. He Third Saturday of every month, 3-4pm— will notify residents about any proposals from St Vincent’s Estate TRA Portakabin, off the new owners to develop the site. Limehouse Causeway, Limehouse E14 REAL ACTION 07506 595151 [email protected]

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FIGHTING OVER-DEVELOPMENT

IN LIMEHOUSE BASIN Local residents raised the issue of rubbish Residents of Limehouse Basin were concerned about plans to erect new, tall washed up in Lime Kiln Dock off Three Colt buildings on Basin Approach. Local councillor Cllr Craig Aston wrote to Street. Craig Aston has written to the Port of residents and undertook a survey and as a result on the proposal of a London Authority and Thames21 about this. Conservative colleague, the original application was deferred and when reconsidered the developer had reduced the buildings by two storeys which FOR OUR AREA would improve site levels and maintain the views of the historic Hydraulic Accumulator Tower, which is one of the few remaining symbols of our industrial heritage.

These amendments were agreed unanimously by the committee and Cllr Peter Golds, who proposed approval, thanked Cllr Craig Aston for his Craig Aston is continuing to monitor the Mayor’s work in making the views of waste: half a million pounds on new offices, and residents known. hundreds of thousands on ‘consultants’. WORKING FOR LIMEHOUSE - ALL YEAR ROUND Printed and promoted by Poplar and Limehouse Conservatives, 2 Blyth Close, London E14 3DU