'Extensive financial mismanagement' at Lambeth council condemned

Lambeth's financial claims questioned by report

Green Party councillor Scott Ainslie has called for a fundamental change in the culture of Lambeth Council after a year-long investigation by Lambeth Peoples’ Audit revealed “extensive financial mismanagement and failings in financial governance potentially costing millions of pounds.”

The full report, which can be seen here, reveals details of mismanagement across the borough including:

• Lambeth selling Streatham council estate plot to developer for £335,000 below market value
• Over-paying building contractors for work on council estates
• Appearance of price-fixing in building contracts
• Doubling of costs of ‘Your New Town Hall’ development
• Behind-the-scenes deal over library closures
• Huge numbers of invoices and records missing
• ‘Industrial scale’ ignoring of rules on competitive tendering

One in six drivers speeding on Streatham Hill

Green Cllr Scott Ainslie monitoring speeds at another event

One driver in every six on Streatham Hill was breaking the speed limit, during a 24-hour survey by Transport for London.

TfL monitored speeds for both northbound and southbound traffic in early February at three sites: north of the Arriva bus garage, south of the junction with Wavertree Road, and at the junction with Cricklade Avenue.

Collisions increase on A23 in Streatham

Collisions on the A23 through Streatham have increased, according to latest statistics from Transport for London.

In the period November 2013 to October 2016 there were 403 collisions, including 5 fatalities and 31 serious injuries on the A23 between the South Circular in the north and the junction of Streatham High Road and Hermitage Lane in the south. This is an increase of 13% on the previous period (May 2012 - April 2015). Fatalities rose from 4 to 5, and serious injuries rose from 24 to 31.

Introducing Green MP candidate Nicole Griffiths

Green Party MP candidate Nicole Griffiths

Streatham mum of two Nicole Griffiths is the Green Party candidate for Streatham in the 2017 general election.

She combines work as a school arts support officer with being a mum and studying at Goldsmiths University for a degree in Applied Social Science, Community Development and Youth Work.

Nicole grew up in Stockwell, and attended St Martin's School in Tulse Hill before enjoying a 17-year career working in theatre in London. For nine years she lived in Portugal and France, where she ran a small business.

She is a familiar face around Streatham, where she has lived since 2003, and is an active campaigner for clean air, a Safer A23, and defending local schools against threatened cuts to their budgets. 

Calling for lifts at Streatham Station

Six caught speeding in just over an hour on Streatham Hill

Nicole Griffiths out with police in Streatham

A police speed enforcement operation in Streatham last Friday recorded motorists doing over 50mph in what is a 30mph zone - and issued six speeding tickets in just over an hour.

The Green Team's Nicole Griffiths and other members of the Safer A23 Campaign worked with traffic officers to identify stretches of the A23 through Streatham where speeding is a particular problem.

Longer term, campaigners are calling for a re-design of the road through Streatham to deter motorists from driving at dangerous speeds and a reduction in the speed limit.

The risk of death from being hit by a car rises massively with speed of the vehicle.

Catching those who put lives at risk

At 40mph the risk of death is 90%.
At 30pm the risk of death is 50%.
At 20mph the risk of death is 20%.

According to collision figures for 2015[i], Lambeth has the highest number of road casualties on TLRN roads (821) and the most collisions resulting in death or serious injury (56). TLRN roads account for 58.6% of all road casualties in Lambeth and 56.6% of all fatal and serious injuries.

Nicole said: "It's tragic that Lambeth currently has the highest number of casualties on main roads in London.

"We need to change our thinking about how we move traffic through highly-populated areas like Streatham and the top priority must be preserving human life. We shouldn't have to take our lives in our hands every time we need to cross the road."

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[i] https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/road-safety

Have your say on Estreham Rd closure trial

Cllr Scott Ainslie helping to inform motorists

The closure of Estreham Road to northbound traffic as part of the Quietway 5 cycling route is coming to the end of its six-month trial periods.

Lambeth Council and Sustrans want to hear your views on the scheme.

Click here to have your say.

Have your say on Ultra Low Emission Zone

Mayor Sadiq Khan is seeking Londoners' views on his proposals to bring forward the dates of  Ultra Low Emissions Zone to improve air quality in the capital.

Click here to see details of the proposals and take part in the consultation.
 
The proposal is for ULEZ to start on 8 April 2019 - approximately 17 months earlier than the current start date on 7 September 2020 and for it to include limits on Particulate Matter (PM) as well as Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) emissions.