Operation Refresh

Croydon Police have announced their latest initiative: Operation Refresh. Refresh focusses on the wards of Thornton Heath, Selhurst, Bensham Manor, Broad Green and West Thornton. A dedicated inspector, five sergeants and eighteen constables will be deployed in to this area which has experienced an increase in street robberies. A report by the Croydon Advertiser notes that the spike in street robberies corresponds with a decrease of similar crimes in the town centre. Whatismore, in what appears to be a combination of breathtaking spin and unrivalled diplomacy, the local Superintendent regards the new initiative as a response to the "high population and excellent transport links."

My comments were reported in the Croydon Advertiser (above) and here (online).

I gave a verbal comment and a written comment (below) to the newspaper

"Whilst I welcome an increase in visible police presence, I feel that Operation Refresh will fail to address the underlying issues and simply shift the problem elsewhere.
It appears that Operation Safe For All may have contributed to the increase in street robberies in the north of the borough, something which might have been easily predicted. I'm also concerned a zero tolerance approach could create tensions between the community and the police."

--------------------------------------------------
Tags croydon, greenparty

New train line in Croydon

Link to online version with comment from Chris Sciberras.

At Saturday's local party meeting, Croydon Greens backed Chris Sciberras' take on the proposed BML2 line. On the surface it seems unusual that our local party would not be supporting another railway line. In principle we support increases in capacity for public transport - of course we do. However, it is a question of priorities.

Full comment from Chris :

Mainline Railway through Addiscombe

Network Rail plans to build a new mainline railway running from Sanderstead through Addiscombe to join up with the Elmers End to London Bridge line. This would form part of the proposed BML2, an alternative rail route from London to Brighton.

More rail capacity is definitely needed between London and Brighton due to congestion especially at East Croydon Station. Expanding public transport is also a Green party priority.

However, the proposals as they stand would mean reconstructing of part of the Croydon tram network, demolishing some houses and blighting the lives of thousands of Croydon residents especially in Addiscombe where a high level bridge would be built above the tram tracks.

Instead Croydon Green Party calls for improvements to expand the capacity of East Croydon by the addition of more platforms and a redesign of Windmill Junction to be priortised.

The BML2 proposals were unearthed by Chris Sciberras, transport spokesperson for Croydon Green Party, who passed the details on to the Croydon Advertiser. Chris added: ‘Surely Croydon Council should take an active role in planning Croydon’s future transport needs. With big decisions on the development of the East Croydon site due shortly, can we really afford to have a Council sleeping on the job?’

--------------------------------------------------
Tags croydon, greenparty

Thornton Heath Festival 2010

A montage from the recent Thornton Heath Festival. It can also be viewed here


--------------------------------------------------
Tags croydon, greenparty

Local media coverage

Meat Free Mondays in the Croydon Advertiser - originating from content posted here

Library opening in the Croydon Guardian - originating from content posted here

--------------------------------------------------
Tags croydon, greenparty

Letter on MP Richard Ottoway's comments on the War in Afghanistan

The comment made by Croydon South MP Richard Ottoway, the new Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee (see here), has triggered this letter from Gordon.

Dear Editor,

I was interested to read MP Richard Ottoway’s comments on the War in Afghanistan, describing it as “initially successful”.

With 1,300 Afghan civilians killed so far this year, and over 300 British troops killed since 2001; we have to ask ourselves, how can this be described as a success?

Is our military presence there making a bad situation worse? I believe so.

I’m not alone in thinking this; former generals and UN officials are among those calling for foreign forces to leave Afghanistan.

NATO air raids and missile strikes have killed and injured countless civilians. Our military presence is making things worse, not better. Every time NATO kills some more Afghan civilians, it fuels the insurgency, and makes us less safe in Britain.

Yes, it is a good thing that we drove the Taliban out of government, but what now?

It is understood that a purely military solution to this conflict is not possible.

We will have to have a political solution involving all parties in Afghanistan.

The sooner we pull or troops out and work for a regional peace conference the better.

Trying to impose our system of government and democracy on the Afghans is unrealistic and counter productive. Let the Afghans sort out their own affairs.

I would ask people to write to their MP ahead of the September 9th vote on Afghanistan, and urge them to vote for the immiediate withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan.

Stop the War. Bring the troops home.

Yours faithfully, Gordon Ross

Croydon Green Party

-------------------------------------------------
Tags croydon, greenparty

Diabetes in Croydon

Tracey Hague

20th Aug 2010:

Croydon Greens call for ‘Meat Free Mondays’ following diabetes documentary.

Following a shocking Channel 4 documentary on the diabetes Clinic at Mayday hospital (1), the Croydon Green Party is encouraging local schools to adopt ‘Meat Free Mondays’ to help slow down the spike in the number of cases of type 2 diabetes in young people.

The TV programme, shown on Monday 16th August, revealed that one in five patients being treated at the hospital has diabetes.

Meat products and dairy foods make up the greatest percentage of saturated fat in our diet, contributing significantly to the huge increases in obesity and adult onset diabetes, as well as heart disease and certain cancers.

A meat-centred diet contributes to deforestation, pollution, climate change, starvation and animal cruelty.

Tracey Hague (2), spokesperson for the Croydon Green Party, said:

“The NHS spends £1million every hour treating diabetes, using 10% of its annual budget. A new diabetic is being diagnosed every three minutes in the UK. These are startling statistics.

Tracey, who is The Vegan Society’s Croydon contact (3), went on to say:

“Most people do not eat enough fruit and veg. I support training courses on how to eat healthily for local children, aged three and upwards.

“Meat consumption is clearly too high, and children need to be introduced to meat free diets.

‘Meat Free Mondays’ is an initiative that the council should be promoting as part of healthy school meals programme.

“It appears that Croydon is on the verge of a diabetes epidemic. Instead of spending millions on drugs and other treatments, we should encourage everyone to eat a plant based diet. Prevention is always better than cure, healthwise, financially and for the sake of the planet’s precious resources.”

Ends

Notes
(1) http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-hospital/episode-guide/series-2/episode-4

(2) Tracey Hague stood as a Green Party candidate in Addsicombe ward in the 2010 local elections.

(3)http://www.vegansociety.com

--------------------------------------------------
Tags croydon, greenparty

Letter on the areas that will face cuts

06.08.10

Dear Editor,

Councillor Sherwan Chaudhury’s letter on voluntary sector cuts states that most of the sufferers of this round of Tory cuts are “black and ethnic minority organizations based in the north of the borough ”. The reality is that the majority of those affected by this round of cuts reside in areas with Labour councillors. One can almost understand this Conservative council’s decision making: cut funding to those groups that are traditionally associated with Labour, and as long as we keep council tax rises at an absolute minimum, we can ensure our re-election in 2014. It will be tough, we will be unpopular, so let's give ourselves a payrise!

But let us not forget, two can play this game: When the leader of the Labour group was asked for a location for his proposed energy from waste plant, he suggested somewhere far south of the borough.

These tactics are a product of an outdated first past the post electoral system that returns elected dictatorships, keen to look after their supporters, of one shade or another.

An electoral system founded on proportional representation would be less divisive and ensure greater consensus can be reached, especially on these unpopular decisions. The present system is leading to social segregation and potential unrest, which in the long run will affect everyone living in the borough.

Yours sincerely

Shasha Khan

Croydon Green Party

--------------------------------------------------
Tags croydon, greenparty

Thornton Heath library officially re-opens

Montage of the event.

Although the library has been open for a couple of months now, the official opening (last week) gave local people an opportunity to meet and thank all those who delivered the refurbishment. We are already seeing the benefits of the eye-catching design through increased memberships. I'd like to thank the fellow members of Thornton Library Development Committee for playing their part.




--------------------------------------------------
Tags croydon, greenparty