towards a better future -...

Lewisham TogetherTowards a Better FutureLabour’s Manifesto for the 2014 Mayoral and Local Elections on 22 May

What we have done since 2010:

• Overseen2,090newaffordablehomesbuilt,broughtback1,000homesintouseandupgraded3,000existinghomes;

• BecomethefirstcouncilinthecountrytoadopttheLivingWageofficiallybenefittinghundredsoflocalworkers;

• HelpedsaveLewishamHospital’sA&Eandmaternityservices;

• ImprovedourPrimarySchoolstoachievethefourthbestresultsinthecountry;

• OpenedtwonewLeisureCentreswithswimmingpools,anewlibraryinDeptfordandcreatedfivecommunitylibrariesbyworkingwithlocalresidents;

Inthenextfouryearswewill:

• Tacklethecostoflivingcrisis,freezecounciltaxforatleasttwoyearsandleadthewayonfairpayandfightfuelpoverty;

• Deliveraminimumof2,000newaffordablehomes,building500councilhomesdirectly,tackleroguelandlordsandrip-offlettingagents;

• Supportthecreationof3,000newjobsoverthenextsevenyearstoensurethatthebenefitsofregenerationinLewishamreachlocalpeople;

• Helpyoungpeoplebyincreasingthenumberofapprenticeshipsto1,000by2018andensureprovisionofqualityvocationaltraining;

• Guaranteeaprimaryschoolplaceatagoodqualitylocalschoolforeverychildandimprovesecondaryschoolresultsby10%.

PublishedbyJaniceMuir43SunderlandRoadSE232PS

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bySteveBullock,LabourCandidateforMayorofLewisham

On22MayyouwillhelpdecidewhowillberesponsibleforlocalservicesinLewishamoverthenextfouryears.Thechallengeswefacearenoteasy,andIwanttobeashonestwithyouaboutthatasIhavebeenthroughoutthe12yearsIhaveservedasyourmayor.

Weallsharethreebasicneeds–aplacetolive,foodinourstomachsandenoughmoneytopayfortheessentialsoflife.Withouttheseneeds,itisnotpossibletotakeadvantageofmanytheotherthingsmostofustakeforgranted.Schools,librariesandparksandmuchmorecannotbeputtogooduseifyouarehomeless,hungryordestitute.

Whilemostofushaveaffordablehomes,gooddietsandsecureincomes,agrowingnumberofourfellowcitizensareincreasinglyfindingtheydon’thaveoneormoreoftheseessentials,andtherootcausesofthisaffectsusall:

• TheLondonhousingcrisisisseenmostclearlyintherisingtideofhomelessness.Butitisalsoaffectingthousandsofothersbothyoungandold.Wehavereachedasituationwhereeventhoseonmiddleincomesstruggletofindplacestheycanaffordtobuyorrent.

• Poordietandnutritionaffectpeople’sabilitytolearnwhileincreasingobesityaddstothestrainsonouralreadyoverstretchedhealthservices.

• Fallingincomesreduceeconomicactivity,underminelocalbusinessesandcreateaviciouscircleofdebtthatisthenexploitedbypaydayloansharksandotherbusinessesforwhichprofitistheonlymotive.

UnderLabour,LewishamCouncilhasaddressedeachoftheseissues:

• Wehavefacilitatedthedevelopmentof1,500newaffordablehomes,broughtmorethan1,000emptyhomesbackintouseandbrought3,000propertiesuptothedecenthomesstandardsince2010.

• WewerethefirstlocalcounciltoachieveLivingWageaccreditationandweimplementedtheLondonLivingWageacrossallnewcouncilcontracts.Wehave

Foreword

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supportedourlocalcreditunionswhichofferfully-protectedlow-costloansandethicalsavingsplans.Wehavetackledyouthunemploymentandcreatedmorethan350apprenticeships.

Overthenextfouryears,wefacemoresavagecutsinthefundingimposedbytheConservativeandLiberalDemocratgovernment,vitalinsupportingourservices.Wewillinevitablyfacesomeverytoughchoicesandwewillneedtotakearadicalapproachtohowservicesaredelivered.Butwealsoneedtodoevenmoretoaddressthesethreebasicissues.IfLabourisre-elected,wewill:

• Makehousingourtoppriority,buildingstillmoreaffordablehomesandrootingoutroguelandlordsandlettingagentsintheprivaterentedsector.

• Developamorecomprehensiveapproachtofoodandnutrition.

• Continuetoworkwithcreditunions,adviceagenciesandlocalemployerstomakefairnessinpersonalincomesarealityformorepeople.

Lewishamisaplacemanyofusareproudtocallourhome–ithasastrongcommunitythatcomestogetherwhenthreatened,nevermoresothanwhenweworkedtogethertosaveLewishamHospitallastyear.Itisalsoanactivecommunitywithhundredsofgroups,largeandsmall,workinghardtomaketheirareasandneighbourhoodsabetterplace.

Therearegoodschoolsandleisurefacilities,lotsofgreenspacesandexcellentlinkstothewidercity.ItwastheCouncilthatcampaignedforthebettertravellinksthatmanyofyouusetogettoworkincentralLondonandDocklands.

Thathasinpartresultedinourgrowingpopulationwithincreasingpressuresonhousingandschoolplaces.Manyofthechangesthathavehappenedsincethecrashof2008havewidenedthegapbetweenthepoorestinourcommunityandtherest,nonemoresothantheimpactofcutstoallofourpublicservices.

Atthe2010electionLabourknewthatcutswereinevitable,butthescaleofthosecutswasunprecedentedandunjustified.Nevertheless,wewerepreparedand,workingwithotherorganisationsinlocalgovernmentandthewiderpublicservices,wewereabletocuttheCouncil’sspendingwhilestillmaintainingvitalservices.Wechosetokeepcounciltaxrisesaslowaspossible.Thisistherightthingtodo–helpingresidentswiththecostoflivinginthesetoughtimes–butithasmeantsometoughchoicesonhowwehavespent.

Insomecases,wehavebeenabletomakesavingsbychangingthewaythingsaredoneandcreatingnewcost-effectivepartnerships.Inothercases,serviceshavebeentakenon

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bylocalpeopleorcommunitygroups.Buttherehavealsoinevitablybeenjoblossesandservicecutsinsomeareas.

Atthesametime,wehavedeliveredonourpromisestocontinueinvestinginourschools,homesandleisurefacilities–anddevelopedprogrammestomakesurethattheeconomicimpactofthatworkbenefitslocalbusinessesandresidents,particularlyyoungpeopleintheborough.

DuringthelastfouryearsLondonasacityhascopedbetterthantherestoftheUK,notleastbecauseoftheboostthatthe2012OlympicGamesgavethewholecity.ThereareopportunitiesinLondonandwemustmakesurethatLewisham’syoungpeoplecanmakethemostofthemintheyearsahead.

Thepolitically-motivatedConservativegovernmentcuts–supportedbytheLiberalDemocrats–havehitareasofhigherneedlikeLewishamhardest.Unlessthereisachangeofdirection,Lewisham,alongwithmosturbancouncils,facesanevenmoredifficultfinancialsituationoverthenextfouryears.Since2010thegovernmenthascutitsfundingtoLewishamby30%,leadingtocutsof£93m.Asthingsstand,theCouncilwillhavetomakeafurther£84mofcutsinthenextfouryears.Thismeanscutting£1inevery£3thatiscurrentlyspentonservices.Weallknowthattakingthatmuchoutmeansverytoughchoicesahead.

We will not be able to protect every part of every service – we will need to innovate and lookatnewwaysofdeliveringourpublicserviceswhilstensuringthevulnerableareprotected.Itwouldbewrongtoruleoutanythingwhichcanreducecostsbutsustainservices.However,wealsoneedtobeclearaboutourprioritiesandourprinciples.

Forus,thoseprioritiesarehousing,education,thecostofliving,jobsandgrowth,andsupportingthemostvulnerablemembersofourcommunity.

Thetwomostimportantprinciplesaretogethernessandfairness.Weneedtoworktogetherwithourcommunitytounderstandyourneedsandtoenableyoucollectivelytodothosethingswhichmakeadifferenceinyourarea.Wealsoneedtobefairineverythingwedo–fairasanemployer,fairtodifferentpartsoftheboroughandfairtoallsectionsofthecommunity.

NotalltheservicesandfacilitiesweneedandusearethedirectresponsibilityoftheCouncil–Policing,NHS,FurtherandHigherEducation,PublicTransportandmanyothersarecontrolledbyotheragencies.Butthecouncillorsandmayoryouelecton22Maywillbeyourdemocraticvoiceforhowallofthoseservicesarerun–nomatterwhereformalresponsibilitylies.

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Allthosepublicservicesfacehugefinancialpressuresanditisonlybyworkingtogetherthatwecanhopetobalanceourbudgetsandstillmaintainacceptablelevelsofservice.NowhereisthismoreurgentthaninhealthwhereLewishamCouncilandthelocalNHSarealreadyworkingtogetherclosely.Overthenextfouryears,wewillhavetointegratemanyofourservicessowecanofferyouthequalityofserviceyouexpect.

Inthefollowingpages,Laboursetsoutthewayswewilladdressthefutureinmoredetailaswedealwithboththelossofgovernmentfundingandgrowingdemand.Weknowthatinsomeareaswecanbuildonpastsuccesstohaveanevengreaterimpact.Inothers,wewillneedtoworkwithyouandwithourpartnerstodecidewhicharetheessentialthingswemustmaintainandhowwedoit.

LewishamisagreatplaceandIhavebeenproudtoserveasitsMayor.Wehavebeenabletosustainthequalityoflifeinourboroughoverthelastfouryearsbecauseofthewayyou,thepeopleofLewisham,haveresponded–becauseofthehardworkofthousandsofpublicservantsandbecauseweshareabeliefinbuildingacommunitywheretolerance,respectandfairnessarethevaluestowhichweaspire.

Aswehavefaceduptotheeffectsofagovernmentthatchoseausterityovergrowth,andpenalisedordinarypeopleandtheleastwealthy,wehavebeenhelpedincounteringtheworsteffectsbythewayyou,theresidentsofLewisham,responded.Thiswasnevermoreimportantthanintheunitedoppositiontothecutsaffectingtheemergencyservices–fireandambulanceservices,thepolice,andmostofallLewishamHospital’sA&Eandmaternityservices–perhapsthemostwantonandunjustproposalsweinLewishamhaveeverhadtoface.Thatresponse,whichthecouncilplayedafullpartin,hasbeentrulyinspiringandwewanttobuildonthesenseofaunitedcommunitythatengenderedinplanningforthefuture.

Ifyoushareourvisionandvalues,ifyouvalueourtrackrecordofdeliveringforyouandworkingwithyouforLewishamIaskforyoursupportatthiselection–formyselfasyourmayorandforthethreelocalLabourcandidatesinyourward–sowecanworktogethertomakeLewishamanevenbetterplaceforeveryone.

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ContentsForeword........................................................................................................................................... ...2

BuildingtheHomesLewishamNeeds................................................................................... ...7

GrowthandJobs............................................................................................................................. 10

TheCostofLivingandFairPay............................................................................................... 12

EducationandYoungPeople..................................................................................................... 15

Cleaner,GreenerandSafer.........................................................................................................18

LewishamTogether–AStrongerCommunity..................................................................... 21

PublishedbyJaniceMuir43SunderlandRoadSE232PS

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Having a roof over our heads is one of the most basic needs we all share. For too many families today, it has become almost impossible to find somewhere affordable to live in London. Lewisham needs thousands of new homes over the next four years to meet the needs of a growing population – homes to buy, homes at market rents and homes at genuinely affordable rents. Labour in Lewisham has responded not only by encouraging the

development of thousands of new affordable homes, but also by beginning to build new homes ourselves.

Since2010wehave…

• Overseenthedevelopmentof2,090newaffordablehomes–in2011-12theCouncildeliveredthethirdhighestnumberofnewaffordablehomesinthecountry,andin2012-13thehighestofanyLondonborough;

• Regenerated3,000homestotheDecentHomesStandard;

• Brought84under-occupiedlargefamilyhomesandmorethan1,000emptyhomesbackintouse;

• SetupaPrivateSectorHousingAgencytoimprovestandardsintheprivaterentedsector;

• Accredited320landlordsacrosstheboroughandtakensuccessfulactionagainstroguelandlordswhodon’tmeetourstandards;

• Developedarangeoftailor-madehousingforolderpeople,includingextracarefacilitiesandshelteredhousing.

Inthenextfouryearswewill…

• Workwithpartnerstodeliveraminimumof2,000newaffordablehomesandexpandthecouncil’snewhomebuildingprogrammetodeliveratleast500ofthemdirectly;

• Tackleroguelandlordsandrip-offlettingagentswhenwesetupourownLewishamLettingsAgency;

• Negotiateformoregenuinelyaffordablehomesinnewdevelopments;

• Bringmoreemptyhomesbackintouse;

• Createnewjobsandapprenticeshipsinthebuildingindustry;

• CompletetheregenerationofallourhousingstocktothenationalDecentHomesstandardby2018;

• HelppreventhouseholdsaffectedbytheBedroomTaxfallingintorentarrears;

• Workwithhousingprovidersintheboroughtoraisestandardsacrosstheboardinhousingmanagementandrepairsservices.

Building the Homes Lewisham Needs

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Whatthatmeans…

Addressing London’s housing crisisLondonisinthemidstofitsworsthousingcrisissincethe1960s.Acrossthecapital,therehasbeenafailuretobuildenoughnewhomesyear-on-yeartomeetcurrentneed,letalonetheneedsofourgrowingpopulation.Itisestimatedthattherewillbeanadditional23,500peoplelivinginLewishamby2030.

Housingaffordabilityhasdeclinedrapidly.Substantialpriceinflationfromthemid-1990suntiltherecessionin2007resultedina250%increaseintheaveragehousepriceinLewisham.TheprivaterentedsectorinLewishamdoubledinsizebetween2001and2011.Itnowaccountsfor25%ofthehousingstock.Rentsarehigh,lettingagents’feesexpensive,andtoomanypeoplewhorentareforcedtoliveinsub-standardconditions.

WeurgentlyneedtoexpandourworkontheseissuesinLewishambeforetheygetworse.Labour’scommitmentistobuildnewcouncilhomes,workwithpartnerstodeliveradditionalhousingofalltypesandtenures,andtackletheworstexcessesoftheprivaterentedsector.

Building new homesWewillbuildaminimumof500newcouncilhomesby2018.ButLabourwantsthattobejustthestart,sowearelobbyingGovernmenttogetadditionalfundingtobuildmoreandhavealreadyidentifiedsitesownedbytheCouncilthatwecanbuildon.

Labourwillonlyworkwithfairemployers,sowewillensurethatournewhomesarebuiltbycontractorswhopaytheLondonLivingWageandthateachdevelopmenthasitsownapprenticeandtraineescheme.

TheCouncilhasalsobeenlookingatinnovativewaysofdeliveringthehousingLewishamneedsthroughself-buildandlow-costhome-ownershipschemesforfirsttimebuyersstrugglingtogetonthehousingladder.Weareworkingtounlock“stalled”large-scaleschemesthatcoulddeliverthousandsofhomesquicklyandidentifybrown-fieldandpublicly-ownedsitesthatcouldbedeveloped.

Labour will press developers to increase the proportionofgenuinelyaffordablehomesinnewhousingschemesandbepreparedtolookatalloptionstoachievethis.

WewillalsocontinuetolobbyGovernmenttoreinstatethelevelsofsubsidytheTory-LibDemCoalitiontookawaywhichallowedforhigherlevelsofaffordablehousingbefore2010.

Tackling rogue landlords and rip-off letting agentsTheCouncilhasdevelopedavarietyofapproachestosupportthosewhoaremostinhousingneedandwholiveinprivaterentedaccommodation.Thishasincludedprocuringpropertiesthroughprivatesectorleasing,workingwithexistinglandlordstosecureprecarioustenanciesandgenerallyimproverentsforLewishamresidents.

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LabourwantstobuildonthisworkwithournewLewishamLettingsAgency.Itwillbefreetolandlordsandcustomers,andwillfocusonimprovingthesupplyandqualityofprivatesectorhomes.Itwillguaranteethatthepropertiesitoffersareofagoodstandard,well-located,wellmanagedandmaintained,withanappropriatedegreeoftenureandofferedatthebestprice.

Theagencywillstartbyfocusingprimarilyonfindingpropertiesfor:

• homelesshouseholdswheretheagencywilltakeonthemanagementandmaintenanceoftheproperties;

• preventinghomelessnesstoavoidtheneedtouseBedandBreakfastfacilities;

• peoplewhoareaffectedbythebenefitcap;

• thosewhofacehomelessnessbutwho,withtherightadviceandasmallincentive,couldgainaccesstoaprivately-rentedhome.

Wealsowanttheagencytoimprovepropertystandardsacrosstheprivatesector.Workingwithexistinggoodlandlords,wehopetoextendandsupporttheirbusinessesinLewisham,andwewanttohelpnewandemerginglandlordstoincreasethevolumeandqualityoftheirservices.

LabourwillpromotetheLondonRentalStandardtoencouragealllandlordsoperatinginLewishamtoapplyforandachieveaccreditation.Thiswillstartasavoluntaryschemebut,ifthatisnotseentobesufficientlyeffective,wewilllookatintroducingcompulsoryregistrationby2016.

Theagencywillalsotacklehead-onthesmallgroupofcriminalorroguelandlordswhoblightthelivesoftheirtenantsandtheneighbourhoodsinwhichtheyoperate.OurintentionistomakeLewishamaveryuncomfortableplaceforirresponsiblelandlordstofunction.Tosupportthisintention,wewillstrengthenourhousingrightsadviceservicetotenantswhofaceillegaleviction.

Bring more empty homes back into useThemajorityofemptyhomesinLewishamareinprivatehands.Labourwantstohelpbringthembackintousebyofferingacombinationofloansandgrantsforbuildingworks.WewillcontinuetopressGovernmentforstrongerpowerstotackletheproblemofoverseasbuyerswholeavepropertiesemptybut,ifapropertydoesremainunlivedinformorethansixmonths,wewillchargeownersahigherrateofCouncilTaxforit.

Create jobs and apprenticeships in the building industryLabourwillmakesurenewhousingdevelopmentsproducejobsandapprenticeshipsforpeoplelivinginLewisham.WewillencouragetheuseoflocalsupplychainsanddemandthatalljobscreatedarepaidatleasttheLondonLivingWage.Onourowndevelopments,wewillensureallourcontractorsmeetthesestandards.Wewillencouragesmallercontractorstobidforworktohelpstrengthenthissectorandincreasecapacityintheindustry.

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Lewisham’s proximity to Central London and Docklands means that residents will always look beyond our boundaries for work. Labour in Lewisham brought the DLR to Lewisham, providing many with access to those opportunities, nonetheless, we need to develop more local jobs and help the borough’s businesses to grow. We have worked

hard to avoid today’s young people becoming a “lost generation” and that effort must continue.

Since2010wehave…

• Createdover350apprenticeshipopportunitiesand79%ofapprenticeshavegoneontosecurepermanentemployment;

• Enabled2,500jobseekersto connect with potential employersatourjobfairs;

• IncreasedthenumberofshopsopeninLewishamandCatfordtown centres and decreased the numberofvacantshopsacrosstheborough.Wehavepilotedadditionalstreetmarketsandofferedopportunitiestoyoungpeopleandsmallbusinessestotrade;

• Supportedandpromotedsuccessful local businesses throughtheannualMayor’sBusinessAwards;

• WorkedinpartnershipwiththeVoluntarySectorinLewishamtosupportthegrowthofsocialenterprisesintheborough.

Inthenextfouryearswewill…

• Supportbusinessesinourtowncentresbyreviewingand,whereappropriate,reducingcarparkingcharges;

• ContinuetoattractbusinessesintoLewishambywithholdingthenewCommunityInfrastructureLevyonnewbusinessdevelopments;

• Supportresponsiblebusinessesandretailers–whilecrackingdownonbusinessesthatexploitworkersandshoppers–throughourresponsibleretailers’initiativeandtradingstandardswork;

• Supportthecreationofover3,000newjobsoverthenextsevenyearsforlocalpeoplethroughregenerationschemesinLewisham;

• MaximisethebenefitsforlocalpeopleinLewisham’smajorregenerationschemesthrough“communitygain”agreementsthatmeetlocaljobandotherneeds;

• Worktomakemorecouncil-ownedvacantcommercialpropertiesavailableforcommunityuse;

• FightfortheextensionoftheBakerlooLineandfortheextensionoftheLondonOvergroundtoHitherGreenandBromleyNorth;

• Continuetoargueforamorecomprehensivebusserviceinthesouthoftheborough.

Growth and Jobs

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Whatthatmeans…

A business-friendly boroughLabourwillcontinuetopromoteLewishamasabusiness-friendlyborough.Throughoursupportofsmallandmicrobusinesses,theCouncilwillattempttocreateanenvironmentinwhichtheartsanddigitalmediasectorscanthrive.Wewanttocreatetherightconditionsforbusinessthroughourplanningpoliciesandbyensuringourlocalenvironmentpromotestradewithcleanandsafestreets.Wewillsupportbusinessesinourtowncentresbyreviewingand,whereappropriate,reducingcarparkingcharges.

Regenerating Lewisham’s economyThegrowingneedsofLewisham’sexpandingpopulationmeanthattheregenerationofthosepartsoftheboroughthatcansupportnewhousing,jobsandotherfacilitiesismoreimportantthanever.TheschemetotransformandmoderniseLewishamtowncentre was delayed by the recession but interventionbytheCouncilanditspartnersmeansthatworkonthisschemeisnowunderway.TheSurreyCanalproject,whichwillbringnewhomesandimprovedtransportlinksaswellasanewcommunitysportsfacility,shouldbeginnextyear.GoodprogresshasbeenmadewiththeCatfordtowncentreregenerationprogrammeandthiswillbeapriorityforthenextfouryears.

Labour will ensure that the physical regenerationoftheboroughpromoteseconomicgrowthandbenefitsaresharedwithlocalpeople.WewillmakesurethatLewishamresidentsareabletoaccessjobsinthebuildingindustryandnewbusinessesthatarecreated.Therewillbenewretailandcommercialspaceinourregenerationprojectsandwewillcontinueworkingto

improveexistingbusinessunitsinwaysthatenhancetherestofthehighstreetinfrastructure.

Supporting residents into workTheCouncilhavedevelopedaninnovativepartnershipwithneighbouringboroughsandJobCentrePlustoidentifythemosteffectivewaystohelpourresidentsintowork,offeringthemthesupporttheyneedtoequipthemselveswiththeeducationandskillstheyneedtogetwork.

High-qualityskillstrainingisvitalanditneedstobetargetedtoareasofeconomicgrowth.Labourwillthereforecontinuetoworkwithcolleges,schoolsandotherstodeliverthistrainingand,ifnecessary,intervenedirectlytoensuregoodprovisionexists.Wewilldevelopskillscentresfocusedongiving16-19yearoldstherighthigh-qualityvocationaltrainingforthetradesandskillswherejobsareavailable.

Improving transport linksLabourwillfightforimprovedpublictransportlinksbetweenLewishamandCentralLondon.WorkingwiththeGreaterLondonAuthority,wewillmakesurethatastrongbusinesscaseismadetogetfurtherinvestmentfortransportlinkstoLewisham.WewillcontinuetoworkwithneighbouringboroughstoarguefortheextensionoftheDLRandBakerlooLines,andwillkeepuppressurefortheextensionoftheLondonOvergroundtoHitherGreenandBromleyNorth.WorkisunderwaytodeliveranewLondonOvergroundStationatSurreyCanalRoad,creatingaccesstothetubenetworkforhundredsofresidents.Wewillcontinuetoargueforcefullyforamorecomprehensivebusserviceinthesouthoftheborough.

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For many people the last six years have seen incomes fall, jobs disappear and pensions undermined. The price of everyday essentials like food and energy has risen faster than any ordinary person’s income. To help people in Lewisham, we have kept council tax rises far below the rate of inflation, adopted the London Living Wage and supported the growth of our local credit unions.

Since2010wehave…

• BecomethefirstlocalauthorityinthecountrytoadopttheLivingWageofficially;

• Targetedadvicetomorethan10,000residents,helpingreducethecostofenergybills;

• Deliveredaborough-wideprogrammeinsulating4,000loftsandcavitywalls;

• SupportedaTimeCreditsscheme,buildingonthesuccessofLewishamTimeBanks;

• StoppedanewbettingshopfromopeningonDeptfordHighStreet,whilelobbyinggovernmentforstrongerpowerstotacklelegalloansharksandbettingshops;

• WorkedwithLewishamPlusCreditUniontoofferalternativestopaydayloanrip-offs.

Inthenextfouryearswewill…

• Freezecounciltaxforatleasttwoyearsandkeepitatinflationorbelowthereafter;

• LeadthewayonfairpaywiththeLondonLivingWageforLewishamemployeesandcouncilcontractors,andpressingalllocalemployerstodosoaswell;

• Helppeoplewithdebtproblemsandtackle‘legalloansharks’;

• Fightfuelpovertyandhelpresidentskeepenergybillsdown;

• Helpworkingfamilieswithchildcareaccessandcosts;

• Developcomprehensivelocalfoodandnutritionpoliciestotacklefoodpoverty;

• Provideolderpeoplewithinformationandadvicetomaximisetheirincomeandentitlement;

• Targetemploymentadviceandjobopportunitytothoseover50wholosetheirjobs.

The Cost of Living and Fair Pay

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Whatthatmeans…

Tackling the rising cost of livingThecostoflivinghasrisendramaticallysince2010,withmanypeopleinLewishamstrugglingtopaytheirbills;morelocalhouseholdslivinginpovertyareinworkthanoutofwork.Averagehourlywageshavefallenby5.5%afteradjustingforinflationsincetheToriescameintopowerin2010andyearafteryearpeopleareworkingharder,forlonger,forless.

EdMilibandhaspledgedtotacklethecostoflivingcrisisifheiselectedPrimeMinisterin2015.ALabourGovernmentwillcapenergyprices,reducethecostofchildcareandintroduceMakeWorkPaycontractsthatwillhelpbusinessesraisewagesformillionsoflow-paidworkers.LabourinLewishamwouldstartthisworkbeforethegeneralelectiontohelppeoplestrugglingtopaytheirbillsnow.

Fair PayLewishamisproudtohavebeenthefirstboroughtobecomeanaccreditedLivingWageemployer.WewillcontinuetopaytheLondonLivingWagetoallcouncilemployeesandthroughourcontractswewillworktoensurethatallworkersarepaidtheLondonLivingWage.Labourwillencourageand

presslocalemployerstopaythelivingwageandpromotebenefitsofthelivingwagetoallbusinessesinLewisham.Wewillalsotakeenforcementactionagainstanybusinessthatdoesn’tpaythelegalminimumwage.

Supporting people with debtsLewishamCouncilalreadyprovidessupportforpeoplewithdebtproblemsbutwewillincreaseourfinancialdebtmanagementadvice,workingwithvoluntaryandadviceorganisations.Inparticular,wewillpromotethebenefitsofLewishamPlusCreditUnionanddiscouragetheuseofpaydayloancompanies.

Wewillcontinuetoworkwiththosemostaffectedbythebenefitcapandmaintainahardshipfundtohelpthoseresidentsmostinneed.PlanningandlicensingpolicieswillbeusedtostopnewmoneyshopsopeningonLewishamhighstreetswhereverpossibleandpreventingthemfromadvertisingincouncilpublicationsandoncouncilbuildings.

Tackling the cost of energy billsAdvicetoresidentsonhowtoreducetheirenergybillswillcontinuetobeapriorityandwewillworkwithhousingprovidersandtheprivaterentedsector/owner-occupiersthroughtheLewishamInsulationPartnershiptofundsolidwallinsulationandothermoreexpensivemeasures.

Help working families with the cost of childcareAfutureLabourGovernmentwillintroducea‘primarychildcareguarantee’,givingallparentsofprimaryschoolchildrenaguaranteeofchildcarethroughtheirschool

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from8am-6pm.Itwillalsoexpandfreechildcareforthree-andfour-yearoldsfrom15to25hoursaweekforworkingparents– an increase in childcare support worth over £1,500perchild.

Inadvanceofthatgain,Lewishamwilldevelopanewchildcarestrategytosupportworkingparentswiththecostofchildcare,with schools to support and develop breakfastclubsandafter-schoolactivitiestoallowparentstimetocommute.Wewillsupport the private and voluntary sectors to contributetomeetingchildcareneedsmoreeffectively.

Council tax and council fundingWhilecouncilscannotmeeteveryextracostfacedbyresidents,LewishamCouncilwillplayitspartinkeepinghouseholdbillsdownbyfreezingCouncilTaxfortwoyearsandlimitanyincreasetoinflationorbelow.

Labour will protect the services residents valueasbestwecan,however,wearefacingmassivecutsof30%toourbudgetimposedbytheCoalitionGovernment,withmoreinthepipeline.

WewillalsocontinuetoseekwaystosecureincomefromothersourcestocompensateforpartofthisfreezeandtheoverallcutstotheCouncil’sbudgets,buildingonexistingworkwithothercouncilstocutsadministrativecosts.

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Giving our young people the best start in life is something we all care deeply about. Labour is very proud of the absolutely outstanding performance of Lewisham’s primary schools, rated fourth in the country and significantly out-performing schools from wealthier areas. More of our secondary students are now getting five good GCSEs but we need further improvement from them

and now need to encourage more of them into Higher Education. Equally importantly, we need to ensure a better vocational education offer.

Since2010wehave…

• Improvedourprimaryschoolstoachieve the fourth best results in the countryin2013;

• Ensureda26%risesince2002inthenumberof16-year-oldsgainingfivegoodGCSEs;

• Ensured92.6%ofourprimaryschoolsaregraded“good”or“better”byOfSTED;

• Created2,643additionalprimaryplacessince2008;

• Rebuiltorrefurbishedmorethan20oftheborough’sschoolsina£300mprogramme;

• Improvedourprovisionforchildrenwithspecialeducationalneeds,particularly with a new school supportingchildrenontheautisticspectrum;

• Maintained17Children’sCentresdespitemassivecutsinGovernmentfunding.

Inthenextfouryearswewill…

• Secureimprovedresultsforsecondaryschoolpupilswithafurther10%riseinthenumberofchildrengettingfivegoodGCSEs,includingEnglishandmaths,by2018;

• EnsurethatyoungpeoplecontinuetostudyEnglishandmathsuptotheageof18aspreparationforapprenticeships,furtherstudyorskilledwork;

• Increasethenumberofapprenticeshipsto1,000by2018andhelpyoungpeoplethroughtotheprovisionofhighqualityvocationaltraining;

• MakeschoolsaccountfortheiruseofthePupilPremiumfundingtosupportchildrenonfreeschoolmeals;

• ContinuetoprovideaprimaryschoolplaceforeverychildinLewisham;

• EnsureLewisham’syouthserviceandvoluntarysectorprovidersaredeliveringservicesthatmeettheneedsofyoungpeopleacrosstheborough;

• Continuetoachieveagoodnumberofhigh-quality,secureadoptionsforlooked-afterchildreninLewisham.

Education and Young People

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Whatthatmeans…

Improving Lewisham’s schoolsLewishamschoolshaveimprovedtheirperformanceacrosstheboardsince2002.Ourprimaryschoolsareamongstthebestinthecountry;onlytheCityofLondon,KensingtonandChelseaandRichmondareaheadofusinthepercentageofchildrenachievinggrade4inreading,writingandmaths.Thisisanoutstandingachievement.

MoreLewisham16-yearoldsthaneverbeforearegettingfivegoodGCSEs(A*toCgrades),butweneedtoworkwithandsupport all our secondary schools to build on thissuccess.Inthenextfouryears,LabouriscommittedtoincreasingthenumberofchildrengettingfivegoodGCSEs,includingEnglishandmaths,inLewishamsecondaryschoolsbyafurther10%by2018.

Lewishamhasactivelyencouragedgroupsofschoolstoworktogetherinpartnership,orformmoreformalfederations.ThismovehasseenhugelysignificantimprovementsintheperformanceofourprimaryschoolsandisincontrasttotheCoalitionGovernment’sapproachthatencouragesschoolstooperateinisolation,independentlyofotherschoolsandthelocalauthority.Wewillcontinuetohelp our secondary schools to develop their premisesforincreasedusebytheirlocalcommunities.

LabourwillmakeschoolsaccountfortheiruseofthePupilPremiumfundingtosupportchildrenonfreeschoolmeals.

TheCouncilhascontinuedtoimprovetheprovisionforpupilswithSpecialEducationalNeeds(SEN)byincreasingtheiropportunitiestobeeducatedlocallyand,wherepossible,inmainstreamschools.To

helpfacilitatethisimprovement,wehaveintroducedspecially-funded“resourcebases”inmainstreamschoolsforchildrenwithspecificneeds.Wehavebuiltanewschool,Drumbeat,forchildrenwithAutisticSpectrumDisorder(ASD),whichalsoactsasasupport“hub”acrosstheborough.

Vocational EducationLabouriscommittedtotransformingVocationalEducationinLewishamoverthenextfouryears.Alongsideanofferofhigh-qualityacademicchoicesforyoungpeople,wewillpromotesocialmobilityanddelivertheskilledworkforceneededforabetter,strongereconomy.Allyoungpeopleareobligedtostayineducationortraininguntiltheyare18,sowemustensurethereischallengingandengagingvocationaleducationforthem,includingthestudyofEnglishandmaths,aspreparationforanapprenticeship,furtherstudyorskilledwork.

WehavedevelopedstrongpartnershipswithneighbouringboroughsandlocalFurtherEducationproviders,andLabourwillfighttoensurethatLewishamresidentsreceiveafairallocationoffundingforfurtherandadulteducationfromtheLondonEnterprisePartnership.WewillworkwithemployersandFEproviderstoensurethatLewishamresidentsgettherightqualificationstohelpthemintojobs.Theofferwillincludeskillscentresfocusedongiving16-19yearoldshighqualityvocationaltraininginthetradesrequiredbylocalemployers.

Securing school placesLewishamhasexperiencedsomeofthebiggestincreasesinprimaryschoolagedchildreninLondon.TheCouncilhasmetthis

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challengebycreating2,643primaryplacessince2008,intheprocessmanagingtofindaplaceforeveryprimaryagechildinLewisham.However,weneedtomakesurethat they are able to attend a school as near aspossibletotheirhomesandwillcontinueworkingtowardsthisgoal.Furthermore,increasednumberswillstarttofeedintooursecondaryschools,sowehavealreadybegunlookingathowweincreasecapacityinfutureyears.

StabilityratherthanaquicksolutionisthekeyincommittingtoprovidingforeveryprimaryandsecondaryschoolchildinLewisham.Thatmaymeanlargerand,wherepossible,newschools.Ideally,forLabour,thesewouldbecommunityschoolswithinlocalauthoritycontrol.Meanwhile,asthegrowingnumbersofschoolchildrenisaLondon-wideissue,theCouncilwillcontinuetoworkwithotherboroughstolobbyGovernmenttoprovideadditionalfunding.

Youth service and adult educationLabour will continue to ensure our youth serviceismeetingtheneedsofyoungpeopleineverypartofLewisham,workingalongsideorganisationsthatcanprovideservicestoyoungpeoplethathelpthemtodeveloptheconfidenceandskillstomeetthechallengesofanincreasinglydifficultworld.WewilloffersupporttoschoolswithDukeofEdinburghawardsandScoutsandGirlGuidegroups.WeareestablishingayouthservicevolunteeringschemeandwillsustaintheLewishamEnterpriseprogramme.

WewillworkhardtomaintainfundingforCommunityEducationLewishamwiththethreeexistingcentresontopoftheadditionalinvestmentinclassroomsatDeptfordLoungeandBrockleyRise.

Early Years’ servicesTheCouncilcontinuestoprovideservicesforouryoungestchildreninspiteofsevereGovernment-imposedcuts.LabouriscommittedtomaintainanetworkofChildren’sCentres,particularlyforthosefromvulnerablefamilies.Wewillworkwithcommunity-basedchildcareproviderslikeCooperativeChildcare,tosupplementourcurrentprovision.

We have introduced the free provision of 15hoursofnurserycareaweekforthree-andfour-year-olds,andhaveextendedthisoffertotwo-year-oldswhoaremostinneed.Thisprovisionisofferedforanurserysetting,whetherthatisprovidedbyschool,childminder,socialenterpriseorprivatecompany.WehavetransferredtheEarlyYearsCentresatRusheyGreenandHonorOaktocommunity-runnurseriesbutwillmaintainournurseryprovisionatLadywellforchildrenwithcomplexneeds.

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Concern about the environment – whether it is our neighbourhood looking clean and well cared for, our roads safer, or how we will leave it to future generations – means people look to the Council to make things better. Equally, people are anxious about the safety of our young and older people. In Lewisham, we have worked with the Police, community organisations and

others to make an impact on these issues.

Since2010wehave...

• InvestedinLewisham’sparksandgreenspaces,sustainingournumbersofGreenFlagsandcreatingmorethan80communitygardens;

• Improvedourrecyclingserviceandpromotedhomecomposting;

• Improvedourresponsetimesfortacklingfly-tippingandgraffitithroughinnovationandtechnology,suchastheLoveLewishamapp;

• WorkedwiththePoliceandother partners to reduce seriousyouthviolenceby39%andknifecrimeby29%overthelasttwoyears;

• Encouragedbusinessestosignresponsibleretaileragreementstorestrictthesaleofknivesandhigh-strengthalcohol.

Inthenextfouryearswewill…

• Reviewhowwastecollection,recyclingandstreetcleaningservicesworktoachievetherightbalanceofcost,cleanlinessandenvironmentalimpacts;

• Buildonthesuccessofthe20mphzoneswhichtargetedlocalproblemsbyadoptinga20mphspeedlimitacrosstheborough.

• Developourprogrammeofcyclingsafetymeasures,increasethenumberofcycleracksacrosstheboroughandworkwithschoolsandlocalbusinessestodevelopgreencommuterstrategies;

• LaunchaLowEmissionstrategyforvehiclesinLewishambyimprovingtheCouncil’sfleetthroughgreateruseofelectricvehiclesandencouragingdriverstoreducetheiremissions;

• WorkwiththePoliceandotherpartnerstoreducecrimefurther,especiallyseriousyouthviolence,violenceagainstwomenandgirlsandhatecrimeofalltypes;

• Workwithbusinessesandcommunitygroupslikethe10,000Handscampaigntomakeourstreetssafer;

• Supportolderresidentsbycampaigningtoprotectfreetransportandensuringthattrafficlightsallowadequatecrossingtime.

Cleaner, Greener and Safer

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Whatthatmeans…

Environment Lewishampioneeredthelocalincinerationofwaste,recyclingenergyandavoidingburyingwasteinlandfillsites.Officialfiguresondomesticrecyclingstillignorethisbutwewillcontinuewithourlong-termstrategyofhowbesttoprotectourenvironmentforfuturegenerations.Thatmeanscapitalisingontheimprovementsinourrecyclingserviceandcontinuingtoincreasetheproportionofsustainablydisposablewaste.

ThereareseveralstrandstoLabour’sstrategy:wewillreviewLewisham’swastecollection,recyclingandstreetcleaningservices,takingaccountofchangingexpectationsandresources,andseektherightbalancebetweencost,cleanlinessandenvironmentalimpact.

WewillencouragemorepeopletocompostmoreoftheirwasteandcontinuetousetheLoveLewishamapptoallowpeopletoreportfly-tippingandgraffitiquicklywhilemaintainingourfastresponsetimes.Wewillaimtodesignoutfly-tiphotspotswherepossibleandworkwithlocalresidentstospeedupthelegalprocessoffly-tipremovalfromprivateland.

WewillusetheCouncil’ssupplychain,companiesthatsupplyusservicesandgoods,topromotesustainabilityandimproveenergyefficiencyinitsownbuildings.

CyclingIncreaseduseofbicyclesbringsbenefitstohealthandtheenvironmentbutisonlypossiblewheregreatersafetycanbeachieved.Workingwithlocalgroups,Labourwillencouragetheuseofexistingcycle

routes and continue to roll out the new QuietwayroutesthatcreatelinksacrossLewishamandneighbouringboroughs.

Wewillintroduceapackageofsupportingmeasures,includingapotentialbidforaCycleSuper-Hubatakeyrailwaystation(e.g.Catford);increasethenumberofcycleracksandcontinuetopromoteourlocalcycle-hireschemeandcyclingtrainingtoallownewcycliststogainmoreconfidenceontheroads.LabourwillmaketheCouncil’sownvehiclessaferforcyclistsbyinstallingcameras,sensorsandmirrors.

TheCouncilwilllobbytheMayorofLondontofundcyclinginfrastructureimprovementsinLewishamtomaketheboroughasaferplacetocycle,inparticularinDeptfordandNewCross,wherenewtowncentredevelopmentsandtheCycleSuperhighwaycreateanidealopportunityforacycle-friendlypublicrealm.

ParksMajorinvestmentinLewisham’sparkshastransformedsomepreviouslyundesirableareasintogreenspacesthateveryonecanenjoy.MargaretMacmillanParkhasbeenrefurbishedandLadywellFieldstransformed;thelatterwith£2moffundingthathasallowednewareasoftheRiverRavensbournetobeopenedup,newwildflowermeadowscreatedandsportsfacilitiessuchasoutdoorgymsintroduced.

Workingwithlocalgroups,theCouncilhassupportedthecreationofmorethan80communitygardens.Wewelcomesuggestionsfornewcommunityprojectsandwilldoourbesttosupportthemwhereverpossible.

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CrimeUnderLabour,theCouncilwillcontinuetoworkwiththepolicethroughtheSaferLewishamPartnershiptoreducecrime.Whilst it isn’t directly responsible for policing,theCouncilhasalreadysupportedareductionincrimeacrosstheboroughthroughcampaignssuchasproperty-markingtoreducemobilephonetheft,the‘StreetaWeek’schemetoreduceburglaryandjointenforcementoperationstargetedatprolificoffendersandstreetdrinkers.

Wewillalsosustainourfocusonfightingseriousyouthviolenceandgangcrime,workingwiththePoliceonkeyprogrammeslikeTrilogy.CrucialtothisisourYouthOffendingService,whichaimstodivertthemosthigh-riskoffendersfromlivesofcrime,andtheYouthmulti-agencyservicewhichworkswithvictimsofseriousyouthviolence.

TheCouncilwillexpanditsprogrammeofresponsibleretaileragreements,promotethesafesaleandstorageofknivesandrequestshopstostopstockingandsellinghigh-strengthlagerandcidertohelpreducestreetdrinking.

Lewishamrecentlylauncheda“hatemanual”tocombathatecrimeofallkinds.WorkingthroughtheSaferLewishamPartnership,wewilldrawupa“ViolenceagainstWomenandGirlsPlan”totackledomesticviolenceandabuseinLewisham.Aspartofthatwork,wewilldevelopastrategytotackletheillegalpracticeoffemalegenitalmutilation.

Labourwillcontinuetoworkwithcommunityandvoluntaryorganisations,schools,churchesandcampaignslikethe10,000Handscampaigntopromotepeaceandunderstandingacrosstheborough.

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A stronger community is one that works together. The campaign to save Lewisham Hospital showed the truth in that, when residents across Lewisham came together, supported by their Labour Council, and fought successfully to defend a much-loved service.

The value of that service reflects what we all know – that, when things go wrong, we all want to know that the services we need to help us through will be there. Not only the emergency services, vital as they are, but we are also talking about everyday services that help us get back home and resume a normal life. And then there are the services that help us to maintain healthy lives – mentally and physically – like swimming pools and libraries…

Since2010wehave...

• SupportedthevictoriouscampaigntoSaveLewishamHospital,twicedefeatingtheCoalitioninthecourtstosaveourA&Eandmaternityservices;

• Reduceddelaysintransfersofpatients,reducedhospitalreadmissionrates,andhelpedmorethan200vulnerableadultstoremainindependent;

• OpenedabrandnewlibraryattheDeptfordLoungeandcreatedfivecommunitylibrariesbyworkingwithlocalresidents;

Inthenextfouryearswewill…

• WorkwiththenewLewishamandGreenwichHospitalTrust,theClinicalCommissioningGroupandotherhealthpartnerstosafeguardourlocalNHSandreducehealthinequalitiesintheborough;

• Integratehealthandsocialcaretoprovidebetterservicesandvalueformoney;

• Transformoursupportforvulnerableadultsbymatchingservicestoindividualneeds;

Lewisham Together – A Stronger Community

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Since2010wehave...• OpenedtwonewLeisureCentresandrefurbishedathird,allwithnewswimmingpools;

• Commissionedover£30mofservicesfromthevoluntarysectoreveryyear;

• EstablishedaPositiveAgingCouncilsothevoiceofelderscanbeheardandactedon,andbegundevelopingaprogrammeforlonelyandisolatedpeople;

• TakenonresponsibilityforPublicHealthinLewishamand,withourpartners,developedaHealthandWellbeingstrategy;

• SustainedanddevelopedLocalAssembliesinall18Lewishamwards,ensuringlocalresidents have a say about council policies andcansupportactivitiesintheirarea.

Inthenextfouryearswewill…

• Supportthevoluntarysectorandworkwiththemtoprovideservicesthatsupportcouncilandotherpublicservices;

• SustainLewisham’slibrariesandpromotehealthylifestylesbycontinuingtoprovidefreeswimmingandgymaccessforunder-16sandover-60s;

• Supportlocalpeopleinhavingasayindevelopingpoliciesandschemesthatdirectlyimpactonneighbourhoodsthroughtheborough’sLocalAssemblyandYoungMayorprogrammes;

• Continuetoworkwithpeopleofeverybackground–race,gender,age,sexualorientation,disabilityorfaith–toensuretheycanmeetthechallengesofdiscrimination.

Whatthatmeans…

Working with youCouncilscontinuetofacemassivelevelsofGovernment-imposedcutstolocalservices,resultinginsuccessiveroundsofdifficultdecisions.Atalltimes,wehavetriedtokeepLewisham’sresidentsinformedandtriedtotaketheirviewintoaccount.In2010weundertookanextensiveconsultationprogrammetomakesureweunderstoodwhatyoufeltwerethemostimportantservicesaswemadesavings.

Wewilldothisagain,makinguseofmoretraditionalwaysaswellasnewsocialmedia,doingourbesttodosoinwaysthatworkforeveryone–theLoveLewishamAppisagreatexampleofhownewtechnologycanbeusedconvenientlyandcheaplytoimproveservices.Theaimwillbetostayintouchwithyou,explainingwhatchoiceswehave

andhowwehavecometoourdecisions,aswellaswhatprogresswemakeondeliveringthepledgesinthismanifesto.

HealthThestrengthofourcommunityisoneofLewisham’sgreatestassets,andthiswasneverbetterreflectedthanwheneveryonecametogethertocampaignagainstthegovernment’sunjustandillegaldecisiontocloseLewisham’sA&Eandmaternityunits.Labourwasproudtosupportthiscampaignandwewillcontinuetofightforthebestpossiblehealthservicesforourborough.WewillcampaignstronglyagainstanyfurtherGovernmentattemptstounderminethem.

TheCouncilwillworkcloselywiththenewly-mergedLewishamandGreenwichHospitalTrustandClinicalCommissioningGroup,

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usingtheborough’sHealthandWellbeingBoardtoensuretheydeliverexcellenthealthservicesforallresidents.LabourwillusetheCouncil’snewpowersinPublicHealthtoadoptfreshapproachesoftargetedsupporttoresidentswhofaceproblemsrelatedtoobesity,tobacco,alcoholandotherdrugs.

Labourisalreadyaddressingfoodandnutritionissuesbypromotinghealthyeatingthroughadviceandcookeryclassesforvulnerable adults or others who are on a limitedbudget,encouragingtakeawayshopstoprovidehealthier,attractivefoodchoices.

Social CareTheCouncilwillworkwiththehospitalandotherhealthcareagenciestointegrateourhealthandsocialcareservicesmoreeffectively,soreducingthenumberofhospitaladmissionsofvulnerableadultsandolderpeoplewhilehelpingtoshortentheirstayinhospitalwhentheyareadmitted.

LabourwillcontinuetotransformtheCouncil’ssupportforvulnerableadultsandolderpeoplebypersonalisingservicestotheirparticularneeds,workingwithotherhealthcareprovidersandvoluntarygroups.

Vulnerable adults and older people want to liveathomewherepossible.WewilldomoretoensurethereisarangeofhousingchoicesfortheminLewisham,helpingthemkeeptheirindependenceforaslongaspossibleandadaptingtheirhomestomeettheirchangingneeds.

LabourwillbuildontheCouncil’sexistingworkwithvoluntaryorganisationstosupportcarers–thefriendsandrelationswhogivesomuch–includinginformationandadvice,shortbreaks,employmentsupportandrespitecare.

Supporting the work of older peopleTheCouncil’ssettingupofaPositiveAgeingCouncil–followingLabour’spledgeinour2010manifesto–hasprovedsuccessfulinmakingsurepoliciesandservicesreflecttheneedsofolderpeople.Inthenextfewyears,wewillworkwiththePACtodevelopadditionalsocialactivityprogrammestohelppeopleovercomelonelinessandisolation,toensurethosereachingretirementcanremainactiveandinvolvedintheirlocalcommunity.

Community and voluntary sectorLewisham’scommunityandvoluntaryorganisationsareamongitsgreatestassets.TheCouncilspendssome£32mayearonthevoluntarysector,commissioningservicesandsupportinglocalgroups.Labourrecognisesthatwecannotaffordinfuturetotakeashort-sightedanddamagingapproachofcuttingfundingneedlessly.So,wheretoughdecisionsareunavoidable,wewillworkcloselywithcommunitygroupstomakesure they are protected as far as possible andcontinuetolookforwaysofsupportingthosethatgivesomuchtotheborough.

Libraries and leisureSince2010theCouncilhasbuilttwonewswimmingpools–ForestHillPoolsandtheGlassmillLeisureCentreinLewisham–andrefurbishedathird,Wavelengths,inDeptford.Wewillcontinuetoprovidefreeswimmingforunder-16sandover-60sinLewishamswimmingpools.

Labour listened to residents when they campaignedtokeepalltheborough’slibrariesopen,andthenworkedcloselywithresidentstomakeithappen.TheCounciltransferredfourbuildingsfor

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widercommunityusewhilemaintainingtheirlibraryservices,andinBlackheathtransferredtheservicetoAgeExchange.Sincethosemoves,thelibrarieshavethrivedandmanyarebusierthanbefore.Meanwhile,wealsoopenedtheDeptfordLounge,anewhublibraryforthenorthoftheborough.Labouriscommittedtoprotectingthesevaluablecommunity-basedservices.

Working with you to protect vital local facilitiesLabourmadesuretheCouncil,alongsidethecommunitycampaign,activelysupportedthedefenceofLewishamHospital,providinglegalbackingforthesuccessfulchallengetothegovernment.Wealsofoughtagainsttheclosureoflocalfirestationsand,althoughwefailedtostopLondonMayorBorisJohnson’sclosureofDownham,wehelpedtowinareprieveforNewCross.

TheCouncilalsointervenedinmorelocalcampaigns,helpingtosaveanumberofmuch-lovedlocalpubsfrombeingdemolished.Wechallengedtheproliferationofbettingshopsonourhighstreetsandworkedwithothercouncilstolobbyfornewlawstogivelocalgovernmentextrapowerstostopbettingshopsexploitingpeoplewhilemaximisingtheirprofits.

Meeting the needs of our whole communityTheworkpeopledointheirLocalAssembliesishelpingtobuildasenseofcommunityinLewisham.Labourbelievesthat,byenablingresidentstogetinvolved,theyhelpshapethewaytheirareadevelops.That’swhywehavesustainedtheAssembliesprogrammewhich,togetherwithothersliketheYoungMayorScheme,nowinitstenthyear,hasbroadenedlocalpeople’sinfluenceover

councilpolicies.

Aswefacethedifficultchallengesahead,wemustmakesurenogroupbearsanunfairburden.Todothateffectively,weneedcommunity-basedgroupstoreflectand articulate the needs and aspirations of themanydifferentpeoplesofLewisham.Withouttheiradvocacy,theCouncilwouldstruggletomeet–letaloneidentify–the needs of those who face particular challengesbecauseoftheirrace,gender,age,sexualorientation,disabilityorfaith.Withthesegroupsworkingtogether,morecanandwillbedonetomeetcurrentandfutureneeds.

However,wehavetobeonconstantguardagainstthosewhoseektocausedivisionfortheirownends.Whenonesectionofourcommunityisthreatened,weareallthreatened;whenthathappens,wemuststandtogether.

Oneofthestrengthsofourboroughisitsgreatdiversity.Wehaveincreasinglyseenpeopleofdifferentages,backgroundsorculturesworkingandcomingtogethertocampaignaroundissuesordevelopprojectsthatmeettheneedsoftheirlocalcommunity–intheprocessdemonstratingthegreatvitalitywehaveinLewisham.