Dozens of hospitals are now on the brink of disaster with COVID-19. The NHS faces its darkest hour and it seems the Government is paralysed by inaction. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Woolwich, southeast London, was forced to turn away some emergency patients on Sunday, 27th December 2020, amid concerns about the availability of oxygen …
Author Archives: Alan Hall
Lewisham’s Amenity Societies’ Collective Concerns Over Planning Changes
On 16th September 2020, Lewisham Council’s Mayor & Cabinet agreed to a six month extension of temporary changes to the planning procedures for public participation in town planning. In the report it says: “By June 2020 a backlog of around 40 planning applications requiring determination by committee had built up. The Government has brought in …
Continue reading “Lewisham’s Amenity Societies’ Collective Concerns Over Planning Changes”
Campaigners say: “Leave No Child Behind”
Cllr Alan Hall has joined education campaigners across the UK and the National Education Union calling on the Prime Minister to leave no child behind. In response to a report by the National Foundation for Education Research, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Since March schools have been in uncharted …
Serious Concerns about Plans to Reorganise the Public Health System
Cllr Alan Hall has joined public health professionals, campaigners and charities in signing a joint statement to the Government on Public Health Reorganisation. The statement is endorsed by a wide range of leading health organisations, including the Association of Directors of Public Health, the Faculty of Public Health, the Royal Society for Public Health, the …
Continue reading “Serious Concerns about Plans to Reorganise the Public Health System”
People’s Audit Of Lewisham Council’s Accounts Is Open Until 28 September 2020
Each year the London Borough of Lewisham accounts are audited and any person interested has the opportunity to inspect and make copies of the accounts and all relevant documents, as stipulated in Section 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. The draft accounts for 2019-20 will be available between 10am and 4pm weekdays …
Continue reading “People’s Audit Of Lewisham Council’s Accounts Is Open Until 28 September 2020”
Pandemic Pressures for London Councils
The Institute of Fiscal Studies has released a report on Covid-19 and Council funding called: ‘COVID-19 and English council funding: how are budgets being hit in 2020–21?’ The report looks at loss of income and the use of reserves in a range of local authorities. There are caveats but the IFS conclude that this is …
Lewisham Public Health Publish Covid-19 Plan
Lewisham Council has published a COVID-19 Outbreak Prevention and Control Plan setting out how the Council will work with partners, including Public Health England, to prevent, identify and manage any COVID-19 outbreaks in Lewisham and ensure that residents and communities are protected. Local authorities have been responsible for improving the health of their local population …
Continue reading “Lewisham Public Health Publish Covid-19 Plan”
Building Bridges in Catford
A conversation about the future of a footbridge over the Hayes railway line in Catford has been started by Team Catford. Team Catford works for Lewisham Council and they are supporting the Council’s appointed architect team – Studio Egret West and Carl Turner Architects – with public engagement. Studio Egret West were appointed for an …
End Benefit Sanctions Now Say Disability Campaigners
Cllr Alan Hall has joined campaigners, disabled activists, charities and trade unionists calling for an end to benefit sanctions now. Inclusion London who support over 70 Deaf and Disabled Organisations working across every London borough lead the campaign. They say: “We are calling for sanctions to be abolished for Deaf and Disabled people as a …
Continue reading “End Benefit Sanctions Now Say Disability Campaigners”
Councils should Lead ‘Track and Trace’
Ahead of schools re-opening in September, Cllr Alan Hall has backed calls for local councils including Lewisham, to lead on covid 19 track and trace measures. He has written to the Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock. “It’s time for local government lead ‘test and track’ after another Serco failure” say Unite the Union. …