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Let’s have local action to see off the credit crunch
• WE wonder how many of your readers have been affected by the credit crunch and the recession.
The empty gaps left by the closure of Woolworths in Kentish Town and Camden High Street are local symbols of fears about jobs, housing, paying the bills, even keeping warm during this cold snap, that we suspect are shared by many Camden residents.
Through our work locally and with local government nationally we know that in other parts of the country people are starting to think about how they can work together and with their local councils to beat the crunch.
In Lancashire and Leeds there have been big anti-debt programmes helping people claim benefits, setting up credit unions. An eye-watering £1.8billion of council tax benefit goes uncollected nationally each year.
Citizens Advice Bureaux are reporting a 51 per cent increase in people seeking debt advice. Unemployment in Camden has risen sharply since November. There is already enormous pressure on social housing in Camden and repossessions are rising. Are we doing enough in Camden to give housing support and help people beat evictions and stay in their homes?
Young people leaving school looking for jobs won’t find it easy. Westminster Council is investing £1million to help 3,000 people find jobs. The Prime Minister has announced a major apprenticeship scheme for young people. Again, there must be action that we can take in Camden.
We know that small businesses are taking a hit. Derbyshire is helping local businesses tender for council contracts. Other councils are helping with specialist advice and loans and help with rising business rents.
We are sure that there are things we can and should be doing in Camden.
We think that the first step is to really try to find out what is happening and pool the knowledge of different community groups, local businesses, unions, tenants and residents.
So we have taken the liberty of booking Committee Room 3A at the Town Hall on January 26 at 7pm where we hope we can form a better picture of what is happening and what should be done. Please come along to the meeting and tell us what is happening in your area.
Times are tough, but let’s work together and, on the eve of Obama’s election, say: “Yes in Camden we can.”
Ines Newman
Langbourne Avenue, N6
Angela Mason,
Camden Square, NW1
Larraine Revah
Aspern Grove, NW3
John Cowley
Stratford Villas NW1
It’s time to make a greener economy
• THE coming year promises to be a difficult year.
Unemployment rates are likely to go up and we have already begun to see local shops and businesses close.
This is an opportunity to transform our economy into a greener one.
Green councillors are calling for Camden Council to adopt an integrated approach to climate change and employment by putting in place plans for home insulation on a large scale to create jobs and for ensuring Camden’s residents are skilled-up to take up these jobs and ensure very high quality work.
Another issue is the closure of high street shops.
Woolworths was the most obvious victim but others are also feeling the strain. It’s very important that the council puts in sufficient efforts to do what it can to protect and support these small businesses. If they go and we are forced to go shopping in the out-of-town stores to find the things we need our characterful and useful high streets will lose their vibrance and vitality.
This happened in the past to many towns in the United States and the results are easily apparent in these ghost towns. It’s essential that the council does not allow this to happen here.
The Greens are calling for planning policy that protects our high streets and parades of shops. We have asked for special planning guidance for Kentish Town and this is even more important now that its keystone shop, Woolworths, has closed down.
We are also calling for support for post offices as keystone businesses on a high street that ensures more passing trade for others.
Most importantly we are asking for a thorough review of policies on supporting small businesses.
If anyone would like to contribute their views on what the council should be doing in this respect, I’d be interested to hear from you.
CLLR Maya de Souza
Green Party
Highgate ward
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