ONE WORLD, ONE CHANCE £165 pension pledge How to contact your local councillors WARD Vote If you have any queries or issues you would like us to News and views from the Green Party take up on your behalf, please either call us, email us, delivered to over 6,000 homes in or come along to one of our regular surgeries. Brockley, St.Johns and New Cross Cllr. Darren Johnson 020 8694 6541 GREEN NEWS cllr_darren.johnson@.gov.uk SUMMER/AUTUMN 2009 www.lewisham.greenparty.org.uk Cllr. Romayne Phoenix 020 8699 3945 [email protected] Cllr. Dean Walton 020 8691 1046 [email protected] Thank you! Big boost in Green vote Brockley Ward surgeries: Greens make pension pledge Thanks to the 190, 589 Londoners 2nd Saturday of the month - St John's Church, Darren, Jean and Ute on the Lewisham Way SE8 (10-11am) who voted Green in June, Euro campaign trail Lewisham’s pensioners battling for an increase London’s Green MEP, Jean in the meagre £95 per week state pension have 4th Saturday of the month - St Andrews’s Centre, Darren Lambert, has been re-elected for a been backed by the Green Party. Under the Junction of Wickham Road and Brockley Road, SE4 third term. In Lewisham there Greens every pensioner in the UK would receive (10-11am) Johnson was a big increase in the Green a £165-per-week non-means-tested pension. No surgeries in August Brockley vote, while Labour, the Green councillors, Darren Johnson and Romayne Ward Conservatives and Lib-Dems all Phoenix, joined pensioners on a day of action in Blog Catford Broadway. Councillor went backwards. You can also find out more about the work your Green councillor, Romayne Phoenix, said, "We Darren Johnson, Green need to ensure that all pensioners have enough Green councillors are doing on: parliamentary candidate for money for the basics in life and none are left in www.deanwalton.blogspot.com. We welcome Lewisham Deptford said, "We are poverty. That is why Greens are backing feedback and comments. delighted to see Lewisham Pensioners and why we are calling for comfortably re-elected, and a guaranteed non-means tested pension of £165 Green E-News delighted to see Greens in second per week for all." If you would like to be added to our e-mail list to place across Lewisham. This bodes receive regular ‘e-Green News’ please send your name well for the general election, Cleaning up parliament and e-mail address to: [email protected] where we have a real chance of Lewisham Green Drinks getting Green MPs elected for the Speaking on the expenses row that has rocked Romayne first time." British politics, the Green Party’s Darren Johnson Lewisham Green Drinks meets in Mr Lawrence Wine Phoenix said, “The MPs' expenses debacle has really Bar, 389 Brockley Road, from 7pm onwards on the 1st Brockley undermined the public's faith in the political Monday of every month. It’s an informal social Ward process. And I can't say I blame people for losing networking event for anyone with an interest in Darren takes top London role faith. As a councillor and Councillor green/environmental issues. Member I have always been used to operating Local Green politician, Darren Johnson, contributed to the deaths of 3,000 under strict rules about what we can and can't has been elected Chair of the London people each year, the Assembly’s claim for. So I'm utterly appalled at what many Assembly, the body charged with holding report revealed. Darren said, "Reducing MPs have been allowed to get away with." the London Mayor to account and air pollution is not just about "However, we don't just need to change the Contact us if you’d like to hear more speaking up for Londoners. Darren improving the environment in some expenses system, we need a complete change in ® I can help to deliver Green News in my street commented, "The next twelve months abstract way. Our report shows that the way parliament works. We need a more will be a crucial time for the future of our it's about saving lives." representative parliament that properly reflects ® I’d like more information about the Green Party city as we seek to tackle the recession the views of the country. And we need a House The Assembly report recommended a ® I’d like to make a donation to “Lewisham Green Party” and alleviate its impact on Londoners. of Commons that works in the interests of the number of actions the Mayor must take Assembly Members will vigorously make voters, not simply the party whips.” Name ______to improve air quality including Dean the case for London to receive its fair Address ______share of resources from central l Special low emission zones in Promoted by J Hicks on behalf of Lewisham Green Party Walton 77 Duncombe Hill, London SE23 1QY government during these tough times.” pollution hotspots. ______Brockley Printed on recycled paper by Ward At the Assembly Darren has also been l Switching diesel buses to cleaner PMS Printers, 10 Willow Way, London SE26 4QP Telephone ______Councillor leading efforts to get the Mayor, Boris fuels such as used vegetable oil. “NO JUNK MAIL” If you have a ‘no junk mail’ sticker on your letterbox, you Johnson, to take air pollution seriously. l Measures to reduce traffic and Email ______might be wondering why a Green Party volunteer delivered this newsletter. Air pollution in the capital may have encourage cycling and walking. We don’t regard political communications as ‘junk mail’, but rather an Please return to 204a Adelaide Avenue, London SE4 1JN or important part of the democratic process. And we think that as you’ve gone to the trouble of making an effort to cut down on your paper waste, you phone 020 8690 0658 or email [email protected] might particularly want to hear about the Green Party’s work. Join the Greens – call 020 8690 0658 One million new jobs Let's make Brockley In order to combat the recession, tackle climate Much of the investment would be found from a pedestrian friendly change and improve our public services, the Green variety of "good housekeeping" measures: Party has launched a plan to create a million new l £10bn saved from improved tax collection and Brockley ward councillor, Dean Walton, has been jobs. This includes: the abolition of tax havens. working with local residents and traders who l Green Workforce training programme, creating l £3bn saved from cancelling new roadbuilding. want Coulgate Street, next to Brockley station, 470,000 jobs. l £3bn saved from not renewing Trident. made into a pedestrian-friendly zone. l More affordable housing for rent, creating Campaigners launched an online petition which l £2bn raised from a windfall tax on energy 140,000 jobs. has collected several hundred signatures. The idea companies. l Free insulation for all UK homes, schools and also received backing from the Brockley Ward l £1bn saved from scrapping the government's ID hospitals, creating 80,000 jobs. Assembly and will now be presented to the Mayor cards project. and Cabinet at Lewisham Council. l Massive increase in wind and solar energy, Green Party councillor, Romayne Phoenix, creating 80,000 jobs. Dean commented, “I see a new public space where said, “If you think the Green Party is only there could be an outdoor cafe, space for a street l Better recycling and waste management, about the environment then think again. We Green Party Leader creating 80,000 jobs market, the Christmas Fair and other events. Making are the only party that has the policies to Coulgate Street a pedestrian-friendly zone is an idea visits Brockley Station l Free social care for older people, creating 60,000 tackle head-on the economic crisis and at the that is long overdue.” jobs. same time lay the foundations for a l Modernizing the rail network, creating 20,000 jobs. sustainable and fair society.” Landmark decision on low pay A Green Party drive to end poverty pay reached a major milestone recently. After a year-long campaign by Joan Ruddock sabotages Fuel Poverty Bill Green councillors, the Council agreed to new rules to make the London Living Wage the minimum paid to workers employed by council contractors. The London Living Wage is calculated by City Hall as the The sun may be shining now. But in Lewisham it is minimum hourly pay needed to live in London. It is currently set at £7.60 per hour, estimated that over 9,000 pensioners are forced to spend the winter in just one room because they Because Lewisham Council and its contractors are the borough's biggest employers, the change will have can't afford to pay their heating bills. And 80 a major effect on incomes for ordinary people. Cleaners, caterers, groundskeepers and care workers are pensioners are estimated to die in our borough those most likely to benefit first. each year because of fuel poverty. Green Party budget spokesperson, Councillor Ute Michel, said, "It is a scandal that anyone working for The Fuel Poverty Bill could help prevent this as Lewisham should be on poverty wages, so this is a fantastic victory for our campaign. Paying fair wages is an well as drastically reducing CO2 emissions. It essential lifeline, especially in a recession when some family breadwinners are out of work." would introduce a major energy efficiency programme to bring homes up to standard and introduce “social tariffs' to protect people like Brockley hopes orchard project will bear fruit Darren visits free pensioners from high energy bills. Yet Lewisham insulation scheme Deptford MP, Joan Ruddock, has led the Pears, plums, apples and more could be groaning in Kirklees Government's attempts to wreck the bill in the from branches in Brockley if plans for a House of Commons. community orchard come to fruition. Local Darren Johnson, who spoke at a packed public meeting in Brockley, commented, "As a London Assembly people voiced their support for an urban orchard Member I chaired an investigation that showed it would take 65 years to insulate all London's homes at when Brockley ward's Green councillors asked the current rate of progress. We drastically need to speed things up and this bill would achieve that. The for ideas on how to spend this year's Locality mood amongst constituents is clearly that Joan Ruddock should back the bill not wreck it." Fund cash. Now the ward will use part of the fund to pay for a study looking at potential sites. Green councillor, Dean Walton, said, "This is a last autumn. But early bird swimmers were brilliant idea in so many ways. A community Victory for early dismayed to find it did not open until 8am, later orchard would not only help cut food miles, it than any of the borough's other pools. Darren would also be a beautiful local landmark. It pressed the council for earlier opening hours and would teach our kids about food and health. It bird swimmers swimmers will now be able to get their morning would help wildlife and it would bring the exercise from 6.30am. Darren said, "Early morning community together to create an exciting new Wavelengths Leisure Centre in Deptford will is the only time that some swimmers can fit their project." finally open for early swimming after pressure exercise around busy lives, so it was frustrating from Green councillor, Darren Johnson. The centre that it opened so late. I'm delighted the council was re-opened in a blaze of publicity by the Mayor have seen sense." Brilliant idea says Dean Walton