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By RICHARD OSLEY
 

Ken Livingstone
Go out and vote, or risk letting in the Tories – Ken

Election special: one week before polling and Labour fear losing their flagship Town hall for the first time in 34 years.

People are used to Labour holding power in town halls across the capital, and some may not be very bothered about voting. But many residents will be shocked to the core if they wake up next week to find their local council in the hands of the Tories or in chaos with no party in overall control.
People always grumble about their local councils. It’s human nature and actually it has an important effect of helping to hold politicians to account.
But now there are some key choices facing Camden and I believe it is time for all people who want to protect the good things about Camden to vote to keep them.
There is a lot to be proud about in Camden.
Camden has an excellent record on schools. It has the highest level of funding for community groups in London. Unlike several Tory boroughs, it has joined the Capital Standard scheme with my office to set up a London-wide ‘enforcement academy’ to train officers to clean up our streets.
Camden Council works well with my administration to seek to get the best for Camden residents.
Camden has shown its willingness to use the array of powers available to it such as anti-social behaviour orders that help local communities and the police make neighbourhoods safer and more pleasant.
Only a few years ago people would have laughed at anyone predicting that the Tories would be in power in the London Borough of Lambeth, of all places. But they are – unfortunately in alliance with the Lib Dems.
In Islington the Lib Dem-run council has taken an axe to the voluntary sector, slashing community facilities. It has failed to use the powers available to it to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. It is lagging way behind Camden on getting improved security for residents through better CCTV.
Many thousands of Londoners voted for me for Mayor but also used one of their votes for the Lib Dems in the London Assembly elections at the same time, having been unhappy about some of the things Labour was doing nationally – but they then found that the Lib Dems immediately formed a coalition with the Tories against me.
They elected a Tory as Assembly chair, voted with the Tories against my budgets to provide extra police and better public transport, and opposed key environmental policies.
I don’t believe that Londoners who voted Lib Dem wanted the Lib Dems to act in this way.
Liberal Democrats could easily rule out forming coalitions with the Tories in the current borough elections. They have refused.
Camden has the highest recycling rates in inner London, has extended doorstep recycling including cardboard and plastics. It has put more recycling bins on estates and streets. It has developed a green transport strategy, car-free housing policies and backed environmentally friendly council vehicles. Camden was the first Fairtrade borough in north London.
Letting a Tory-Lib Dem coalition in through the back door would be tremendously counterproductive for the green agenda in the borough.
Matters of real importance – such as recycling, bin collection, the street environment, licensing, planning and anti-social behaviour – are all made or influenced by your local council.
Camden Labour’s record is of hard-working councillors putting Camden people first, with two good local Labour MPs – Glenda Jackson and Frank Dobson – whose years of service in the borough are second to none. I believe that is the best basis for determining how to vote next Thursday.
Camden is held in high regard by people across London, and this is in no small part down to the council. If you value this you will need to vote to protect it.
Ken Livingstone is the Mayor of London
 
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