February 2016 E-Newsletter

Heres my February e-news, covering some of the issues you have been writing to me about, local concerns and campaigns and some of what I have
been up to over the month. It doesn't cover everything, so do e-mail if there is anything else you would like to know about and I will do my best to
let you know.
Just so you know, I will also be campaigning to remain in as we move towards the Europe referendum, although I am concentrating on the elections for the Mayor of London first. For all its imperfections, I am sure we are better off, safer and stronger in the EU - but therell be more on that
another time.

Contents
Protect our Freedom of Information laws
Equalise the State Pension Age - but it must be done fairly for all
Tough times for the local NHS as funding slashed
Is it time for a Citizens Income? My contribution to the debate
Paddington Pole goes back to the drawing board - but what comes next?
Meanwhile, attention shifts to West End Green
Has Paddington Green police station also now been sold for development?
More planning controversies over Whiteleys and Lanark Road
Prime Place start marketing luxury flats on the Moberley site just days after centre closes for re-building
Continuing the fight for a better broadband service in Westminster
Local GP asks for 150 to write a supporting letter for an Employment Support Allowance Appeal
Clean up the Bakerloo line - its filthy!
Research has shown that Westminster betting shops cluster in poorer areas
Labour criticises closure of North Westminster Drug and Alcohol Service as council cuts hit drug and sexual health work

Westminster Council almost bottom of the national league for cuts to social care
Im backing the campaign to end to great the pre-pay rip-off hitting 7200 household in Westminster North

Protect our Freedom of Information laws

The Freedom of Information Act - introduced by the Labour government - has been responsible for the disclosure of some of the biggest stories of
the past decade, to the discomfort of many! Of course it is right to review legislation at regular intervals to ensure the balance is right, but we must
guard against any attempt to roll back the fundamental principles underpinning it. Many constituents have written to me to express their concerns
that this is exactly what the Government intends. Here is my response.

Equalise the State Pension Age - but it must be done fairly for all

As life expectancy has increased, so the state pension age has begun to rise, and alongside that, the pension age for women and men has been
brought into lune. However, the speed at which these changes have been introduced, and the poor communication with those affected, has left many
women - especially those born in the early 1950s, losing out and with too little time to prepare. The women affected may have worked for most of
their adult lives and paid their national insurance contributions, but they also earned less than their male counterparts, often took time out to bring
up children and certainly have not had equal chances of an occupational pension. Yet, they stand to lose billions of pounds worth of pensions which
could mean as much as 36,000 per woman.
I am hearing from women locally who know that finding work in their late 50s and 60s is far harder than it is for someone of 30. Some have been
made redundant as a result of cuts in public services- yet they now need to work for years more than they had been expecting and planning for.
As a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, we are looking into what needs to be done to help those women, possibly through some
form of transitional arrangements.
You can watch WASPI - Women Against State Pension Inequality Campaign - campaigners giving evidence to the Select Committee here.

Tough times for the local NHS as funding slashed

Amazingly, and despite all the pressures on inner Londons health services - including the need to continue building up health care in the community to reduce the need for emergency hospital admissions, Westminster is regarded as being OVER-funded and faces some of the biggest spending
cuts in the country in the coming years.
An analysis done for me by the House of Commons Library found that the two Clinical Commissioning Groups covering Westminster will see
funding per person drop by up to 10% by 2020.
Over the next five years, West London and Central London CCGs will get the following increases in allocation (in cash terms):

Meanwhile, plans to re-shape the hospital service in North West London (Shaping a Healthier Future) have involved spending a staggering 33.6
million on consultancy costs in the last two years!

Is it time for a Citizens Income? My contribution to the debate

There is (quite understandably) much interest in the idea of a basic income, which would sweep away swathes of the complicated social security
and tax allowances systems, reducing the need for means-testing and boosting work incentives, say supporters. But in this debate in this months
Progress magazine, I argue that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Paddington Pole goes back to the drawing board - but what will replace it?

The storm of protest which greeted the unveiling of plans for a 72 storey Shard at 1, London Street (by Paddington Station) led to a hasty withdrawal of the plans. This is very welcome - the Paddington Pole was wholly misconceived, and it is extraordinary that Westminster City Council
let it get as far as it did.
Please find two news stories about the Paddington Pole 1 and 2.
However, we now await Pole 2, with suggestions that this may come in closer to 35 storeys, and which is still expected to generate enough community benefit for the re-development of the Bakerloo station in Paddington. What will then happen with regard to any affordable housing requirements (never Westminster Councils top priority but desperately needed)? Pole 1 provided for just 15% affordable, with the plan being that this
would fund the re-building of the Almshouses in St Johns Wood. Not good enough!

Meanwhile on West End Green

We can also expect changes to the original plans for this long-vacant site at the Harrow Road/Edgware Road junction, reducing the height of the
tower from 38-storeys but potentially adding to the height of the mansion style flats which make up the remainder of the scheme. As was the case
with the original Paddington Pole design, this scheme has been rushed forward to try and get agreement before the Mayoral election, despite the
fact that it is not consistent with Westminster Councils Tall Buildings policy.
This scheme, too, has a totally inadequate affordable housing provision, of just 23%.

Has Paddington Green police station been sold?

We are also hearing rumours, yet to be absolutely confirmed by the Mayors Office for Crime and Policing, that Paddington Green Police Station
has also now been sold and could form part of a greater development around this junction. This is, of course, the last police station in North Westminster

Controversy over the re-development of Whiteleys

This issue has caused concerns amongst residents and the South East Bayswater Residents Association regarding
the bulk and height of the proposed development; the effect on light and overlooking of adjoining residential properties, especially in Kensington
Square Gardens and Redan Place to flats; the effect on the Listed building itself and on the adjoining properties, including loss of one of the domes
and raising of the other dome by main central entrance by around four metres, loss of main central entrance stone work and doors as well as loss of
two corner entrances into Whiteleys, a detrimental effect on the Queensway Conservation Area and the adjoining Bayswater and Westbourne Conservation Areas (amongst other objections).
and inevitably
No provision for Affordable Housing on site or elsewheredespite the affordable housing need in Bayswater

While on Lanark Road

There is clearly a need to re-develop the community centre and youth club, and a desperate need for more homes, but there are real concerns about
the size and design of the building, and its impact on some local residents properties. The size of the building is partly driven by the need to include
properties for full market cost sales to support the provision of lower cost units, but as local councillor Rita Begum argues:
"Westminster Council should look again at the possibility of using the affordable housing fund (to help with the intermediate flats) or the incoming
Community Infrastructure Levy (to help with the youth and community centre) to assist with the Lanark Road scheme. Such additional funding
could enable a revised scheme to provide its important community benefits whilst reducing the proposed height and bulk of the new building."
You can see the full response here.

Luxury flats to be built on the Moberley to be marketed from March 3rd- two
weeks after centre closes for re-building

The closure of the Jubilee sports centre in Queens Park has been hugely controversial with one element being the fact that there will be no affordable homes on either of the re-built Moberley or the Jubilee sites.

Now it seems that the luxury flats on site are being marketed from March 3rd even though the Moberley only closed for re-building last
week! Prices are advertised as starting from 520,000. It is no wonder that ordinary Londoners cannot get a foot on the ladder-not only are the prices astronomical, homes are being sold years before they are even built.

GP asks for 150 to write a supporting letter for an Employment Support Allowance Appeal
Constituents needing letters of support from their GPs for housing or social security claims routinely face a charge for this - but I was taken aback
when lawyers from Paddington law Centre told me of a demand for 150 (negotiated down to a still-eye-watering 90). As most requests are from
people on low incomes (or have to be paid by cash-strapped voluntary organisations) there is no justification for such a huge demand. I am very
pleased that West London Clinical Commissioning Group intend to take this up.
If you have been asked to pay a large amount for a GP letter, do please let me know, so I can get a fuller picture of the problem.

Clean up the Bakerloo line!

Working together with local Greater London Assembly Member Murad Qureshi, I have been calling for a deep clean of the seats on the Bakerloo
line- many of which are now simply disgusting. We are promised that there are ongoing upgrade work to replace all the seats on the service by the
end of the year, which would be good news if it is kept to- so well stay on the case.

Continuing the fight for a better broadband service in Westminster

With frustration continuing over the poor standard of broadband, I put my name to Broadbad, a cross-party report highlighting the problems and
inconsistencies in UK broadband and the lack on investment which is damaging businesses and individuals alike.
Here is a link to the Telegraph report.
Here is a link to the report.

Westminster betting shops cluster in poorer areas, research shows

Im not against gambling in itself - but we were so right to campaign against the former Prince of Wales pub being converted into yet another betting shop. All the research confirms that betting shops are clustering in poorer areas and taking a toll on income and on mental health. Congratulations to Westminster Council for this mapping exercise, and they can be sure of my support in measures to limit the number and concentration of
betting shops.
Please find links to news stories on this important issue here and here.

Labour criticises closure of North Westminster Drug and Alcohol Service as council cuts hit drug and sexual health work

Westminster Council, in yet another round of budget cuts, has announced a funding reduction of 1.4m from Substance Misuse programmes and
0.7m from Sexual Health schemes. This will mean the sudden closure on March 31st of the vitally important North Westminster Drug and Alcohol
Service (NWDAS) in Harrow Road, which serves the whole of the northern part of the City including parts of the West End. It is obvious that there
will be a significant impact on the delivery of vital services to people with drug and alcohol addiction.
Harrow Road Labour Councillor Guthrie McKie said:
The North Westminster Drug and Alcohol Service has played a vital role in helping people dealing with addiction in my ward and many others.
Why hasnt the Council made more of an effort to persuade Government Ministers that an inner city Borough, like Westminster, needs a robust and
well-funded programme to deal with drug and alcohol abuse? These cuts, together with those on Sexual Health, have the potential to cause severe
damage to the lives of vulnerable individuals and the communities in which they live.

Westminster Council almost bottom of the national league for cuts to social care
Parliamentary questions I asked this month revealed that Westminster is almost bottom of the class when it comes to cuts to social care for elderly
and disabled people ( and not so far from the bottom for cuts to Childrens services, even before the latest round hitting Childrens Centres and the
youth service
Since 2011, Westminster has the second highest cuts- at 32%.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-01/25011/
WCC has the 14th highest cuts to children's services according to the table in this question
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-01/25012/

Im backing the campaign to end to great pre-pay rip-off

According to the Citizens Advice Bureau prepayment meter (PPM) consumers pay 226 a year more than those who use direct debit, yet these consumers are often the poorest in our society. Christians Against Povertys (CAP) The Poor Pay More report also showed that six in ten PPM customers are vulnerable and that there is widespread self-disconnection taking place, with 54% not using their heating for at least one week a month over
winter because they cannot afford to top up their meter, and an estimated 43,000 households in the UK who are in arrears on their PPM not using
their heating at all.
7,273 households in Westminster North are affected- and lose out to the tune of 1.6 million a year.
Im backing the campaign to stop this rip off, led by Brent Central MP Dawn Butler. We call on government to:
1. Cut the cost of prepayment meters in line with the cheapest direct debit fuel tariffs saving consumers 226 a year
2. End debt collection by energy companies during the winter (as Scottish Energy have done)
3. Ensure homes with pensioners, disabled people and children don't have prepayment meters fitted
4. Stop installation of prepayment meters during the winter
5. Monitor and require action on self-disconnection by those on smart meters and prioritise prepayment meter customers in the UK roll-out.
Heres my audio clip.
You can also help by signing the petition here.

Thank you for reading and I welcome your comments

Karen Buck MP

Website: www.karenbuck.org.uk
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