Olympics Star joins Park Charges Protest

British Olympic star and medal hope, distance runner, Jo Pavey has joined the protest against parking charges in Bushy and Richmond Parks.  She says her preparations require use of the parks on a daily basis (by car to the parks and running when there); parking charges will make the regular training run an expensive preparation.

Vincent Cable MP said: “The parks’ authorities have forgotten that in addition to the casual walkers, dog walkers and picnickers there are groups of people who actually need the parks, including the Borough’s athletes.  Jo is one of Britain’s top Olympic stars and we are lucky to have her living in the local community.  She has approached me to support the protest or, if we are not successful in stopping the charges, to obtain a permit to allow her to train regularly.

“Hopefully there will be all-party support this week for the motion in the House of Lords which would kill the charges.”

MP and Top Actress Join Forces over Houseboat Charges

Vincent Cable MP is working with actress Susan Penhaligon (famous for the series “Bouquet of Barbed Wire”) to highlight the plight of residential boat owners on the Thames faced with massive increases in licence fees to the Port of London Authority.

Susan Penhaligon, who has a boat at Kew Bridge, has launched a campaign on behalf of her fellow residential boat owners.  Vincent Cable has, so far, held two debates in Parliament on behalf of the 200+ residents in the Twickenham constituency who live on boats, have no security of tenure and are faced with big arbitrary increases in licence fees.  He writes this week for the Evening Standard on the subject.

“There have been several cases recently of residents on Ducks Walk and Thistleworth Marina facing exorbitant increases in licence fees and this is a pattern up and down the river.  There has to be some regulation of this monopoly charging”, said Vincent Cable.

‘Chaos’ Complaints over Freedom Passes

Local pensioners applying through Post Offices for a new Freedom Pass have hit all kind of administrative hurdles and delays caused by the inability of London Councils – the joint body administering the scheme – to handle the volume of applications.  There are reports of pensioners in Post Offices bursting into tears because their applications have got lost in the system.  Vincent Cable MP warned about the problems being caused as a result of a complicated new system – designed to avoid fraud – including new photographs and a new processing system, via the Post Office, not involving the local council.

“I have had several local pensioners approaching my office for help absolutely furious after ringing help lines which don’t answer or are always engaged.  I understand that Post Offices are helping pensioners whose applications have disappeared to reapply; but then finish up with multiple Freedom Passes, which leads to the kind of abuse this upheaval was designed to avoid.”

Autumn Consultation on Local NHS Cuts

Local MPs have been told by NHS London that proposed cuts and reorganisations involving local hospitals would be subject to a formal consultation, but not before the autumn (“at the earliest”).

A key element in the new structure of services will be local ‘polycentres’ and one, for Twickenham/Teddington/Hampton, will be centred at Teddington Memorial Hospital.  There will, as a consequence, be less need for district hospitals in some aspects of care.

But Vincent Cable MP has been told by a leading official of one of the local NHS Trusts that major cuts – up to 25% in real terms – are being planned over 5 years.  That is why Kingston Hospital’s services are seen as being under threat.

Vincent Cable said: “No-one doubts that there will be serious cuts.  And it would be unrealistic to exclude the NHS altogether.  There is far too much bureaucracy including – at least – three tiers of decision making in London.  This is where ‘efficiency savings’ have to come from; not by taking a big bite out of services which currently operate efficiently, to full capacity, as they do at Kingston Hospital.”

Police Crack Down on Hampton Wick Station Revellers

The British Transport Police has just completed a 12-day crackdown on late night revellers using Hampton Wick Station to get to and from Kingston.  After residents approached Vincent Cable MP, he persuaded the BTP to focus their attention on the Station which has been the source of serious anti-social behaviour in Hampton Wick. 

Vincent Cable said: “There seems to be a pattern of behaviour involving some young people, probably from outside the Borough, who use Hampton Wick Station for getting to and from an evening’s clubbing and binge drinking in Kingston.  It is relatively easy there to dodge fares and security.  Residents around the Station experience a lot of unpleasantness as a result.  Chief Constable Trotter has assured me that there has been a crackdown and there will be regular checks.”