The Kilburn Rose

Labour Party is supporting a ‘thank you for your vote’ campaign. We are delivering over 6,000 letters in Kilburn to thank our supporters, and to keep them informed about the improvements in Kilburn during the election campaign and about my local surgeries. We have over 15 people in the delivery team now. We are grateful for their commitment and for the essential contribution that they are making to winning back the ward and retaining the new Hampstead and Kilburn constituency.

Mary Arnold

Brent Council’s Labour Opposition has attacked the Liberal Democrats for entering a coalition with the Conservatives. This follows an impasse of nearly eight weeks during which the Liberal Democrats refused to take power, despite winning the largest number of seats on May 4th. The Labour Group had confirmed in writing that it would not oppose the establishment of a Liberal Democrat administration but, despite these assurances, the Liberal Democrats have joined forces with the Conservatives rather than go it alone.

Labour Leader, Councillor Ann John, said:

“As in Camden, so too in Brent – the Lib Dems and the Tories are natural allies and it is no surprise to see two right wing parties working together. We will watch their progress with interest and we will oppose policies which we believe are damaging to local people.

Those former Labour voters who voted Liberal Democrat as a protest against the Iraq war or in the mistaken belief that the Liberal Democrats are a radical alternative to Labour will feel badly let down. Under Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrats are clearly a right of centre party. The truth is that a vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for the Conservatives. The new administration is nothing more than a great Lib Dem Con”.

(Read all about the new Lib-Dem-Con administration in The Kilburn Times.)

The next Kilburn Ward meeting will take place on Thursday 6th July, at 7pm, in Community Careers office in William Dunbar House, Albert Rd, South Kilburn, (near Queen’s Park tube), (map).

Agenda
1 Apologies for absence
2 Branch news
3 Council news
4 Any other business

The meeting will be followed at 8pm by joint branch discussion and social in The Community Resource Centre, South Kilburn Housing Office, Albert Road (use entrance on left side). The topic of the discussion will be housing, and the speaker will be Lesley Carty of Templar House residents association, Shoot Up Hill, who is also involved with the Defend Council Housing campaign.

This debate will be held jointly with Queen’s Park and Brondesbury branches (who will hold their branch meeting at the venue beforehand), although all Labour Party members in the new Hampstead and Kilburn constituency are welcome. It will be followed by a social event including refreshments.

(Branch meetings are normally held on the first Thursday of each month (except August). GC meetings -- which any member is entitled to attend and speak at, though only official branch delegates may vote -- are at the Kingsgate Centre on the fourth Thursday of the month (except August). Contact Dan Judelson for further details.)

In my walkabout last Thursday, Andy Sampson -- our Kilburn dedicated streetcare officer -- outlined some of the problems he has been reporting and resolving. Problems included: the temporary bus stops that were not fixed to the ground and were being moved around; the bus diversion routes that needed additional work to avoid congestion building up; refuse collection vehicles that were unable to access the area now blocked off, with the result that and litter and refuse were accumulating; and that access to Coventry Road was restricted. Caroline Bourne, Kilburn Town Centre manager, has also been reporting problems back to Camden; remedial action has been taken regarding signage and access and support for businesses.

So, as you can see, we are keeping on top of issues as this important work proceeds.

For the latest update on the bridge, click here.

Mary Arnold