Quiz the Councillors & Candidates - Local Election Q&A

[LocalEditorWandsworth]

The local elections are coming up on 22 May and we know from our talk boards that you all have thoughts and concerns about local services.

With this in mind, we've asked a panel of local councillors and candidates, including the Council's Education and Children's Services supremo (we figured there might be a lot of questions on those particular topics ) to pop in for a Q&A.

Taking part will be:

• Councillor Kathy Tracey, Conservative councillor for Wandsworth
Common and Council cabinet member for Education and Children's
Services
• Councillor Wendy Speck, Labour councillor for Latchmere Ward
• Councillor Antonia Dunn, Conservative councillor for Bedford Ward
• Sophia Parker, Labour candidate for Bedford Ward
• Fleur Anderson, Labour candidate for Bedford Ward
• Jon Irwin, Lib Dem candidate for Tooting Ward

[We asked representatives from both the Green party & UKIP to join us but they haven't replied yet.]

All you need to do, is POST YOUR QUESTIONS ON THIS THREAD over the next week and our 'panel' will be along to answer them on Friday 16th May.

Brief bios of all the politicians taking part follow, in case you want to ask specific questions of any of them.

Councillor Kathy Tracey, Wandsworth Common, Conservative Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services
Kathy is responsible for Education and Children's Services throughout the Borough. She has lived in Wandsworth for 40 years and been a leading member of the Council for over 20 years. She has four children and is passionate about education and making sure all the local schools are as good as the best.

Councillor Wendy Speck, Latchmere Ward, Labour
Wendy has been active in local politics for many years, in Battersea and elsewhere. A former Head teacher and current school governor, she is passionate about education and giving all children the best possible start in life. She believes in fairness and treating people as we want to be treated. She works hard for her residents and like to get around to talk to and with them.

Councillor Antonia Dunn, Bedford Ward, Conservative
Antonia has lived in Wandsworth for over 20 years and has three children at schools in the Borough. She has been a councillor for 12 years and has also served as a school governor at three different schools. In addition she is a member of the Balham Town Centre Partnership and Bedford ward's Neighbourhood Watch.

Sophia Parker, Labour candidate, Bedford Ward
Sophia lives in Tooting Bec. She's got a 22 month old and a 5 month old so between looking after them and trying to get elected as a Labour councillor things are pretty busy! Before the children arrived, Sophia worked at the NSPCC where she campaigned to end child cruelty.

Fleur Anderson, Labour Candidate, Bedford Ward
Fleur has lived in Balham since 1998 and has four children aged between 8 and 16. She works for international aid agency WaterAid. Fleur has been involved in lots of local campaigns, including stopping cuts to Wandsworth One O'Clock Clubs for pre-schoolers.

Jon Irwin, Lib Dem candidate for Tooting
Jon has lived in Wandsworth since 2009 and is involved with various local groups campaigning to improve the area. He is currently leading a Safer Streets campaign in Tooting and is keen to crack down on fly-tipping and see the boarded up shops on our high streets put to better use. He says that if he is elected he will "make sure that local residents have a real voice that speaks up for them at the council".

Something appears to have gone wrong with the council's plans - there is every indication that the neww provision (for which the One O' Clock Clubs had to make way) is being underused and the figures on this need urgent re-assessment

There are often rumours that some parents become short term renters to play the system. If a case is ever reported to the Council we will investigate it. In an effort to deal with the issue of applicants providing a short-term rental address whilst owning a property elsewhere, we have tightened the wording in the primary school brochure to say the address must be the only permanent home on the closing date. We have also emphasised that where an address changes after the initial application has been submitted, that satisfactory evidence will be required that the new address is permanent, and that evidence of disposal of the previous property may also be required. However very few cases are reported to the Council and it is very difficult to estimate how widespread this is.

There is a difference between Planning Policies and Statutory policies. Some are guidelines and some statutory. Of course planning officers are necessary to interoperate and explain and advise on planning applications. I hope that answers your question.

I have no idea who you spoke to but this most certainly is not true. All the orange sacks go to the newly built provision at Feathers Warf where all the items are separated again and passed on to be recycled. It is a fascinating process and worth a visit on their occasional open days they have when you could see exactly what happens to all your refuse.

School place planning is an art not a science. There are several parts to the equation. It is not just a question of births as residents move in and out of an area. Areas improve and attract young families and other families that a few years ago would have moved out of London because of poor schools now stay put. It is not so long ago that parents would move out of London specifically for the education of their children. London schools were not considered good enough. Wandsworth now boasts the highest number of ‘Outstanding Schools’ in Inner London and parents feel confident to use them. Parents that previously might have chosen to use the private system are realising just how good the local schools are and are opting in. All these elements need balancing and judgements made about exactly how many school places are needed.

Antonia D thanks for the reply about One O'clock clubs but what I don't get is why things had to change at all. Why the move to private Stay & Play when the timings are the same as the old One O'Clocks so they could have carried on. Although the new charges sound low, if you are taking 3 kids a few times a week it adds up. The 'community' feeling they had has changed to now. We used to love the Bolingbroke club - seeing the same mums and kids there all the time. it's not like that now.

RomanyMums I know you were directing your question at Kathy but I just wanted to reiterate Labour's commitment to saving the Romany site from developers. Sadiq visited the site earlier this week and has posted a link to the petition from his website as well as tweeting lots about it. think he enjoyed joining in with sleeping bunnies the most!

To mumbleema
the council currently maintains that the secondary places are sufficient. and the bulge won't be aproblem, but having got it so badlsy wrong on primary schools places everybody - residents and us as the opposition included- are entitled to be sceptical. We will need to constantly monitor this and assess the figures.

To CaptainNjork
Something appears to have gone wrong with the council's plans - there is every indication that the neww provision (for which the One O' Clock Clubs had to make way) is being underused and the figures on this need urgent re-assessment

To CaptainNjork
Something appears to have gone wrong with the council's plans - there is every indication that the neww provision (for which the One O' Clock Clubs had to make way) is being underused and the figures on this need urgent re-assessment

To CaptainNjork
Something appears to have gone wrong with the council's plans - there is every indication that the neww provision (for which the One O' Clock Clubs had to make way) is being underused and the figures on this need urgent re-assessment

To CaptainNjork
Something appears to have gone wrong with the council's plans - there is every indication that the neww provision (for which the One O' Clock Clubs had to make way) is being underused and the figures on this need urgent re-assessment

EarlsfieldDad The need for primary places is growing steadily across London and bulge classes are just an interim fix and can have a very negative impact across an entire school if they take up valuable space for play, arts and crafts, music and other important but not obligatory extras. I think there are many ways in which our council could be managing the schools situation better. We need more forward planning not just in the Education and Children’s services sector but across the board. For example, the council needs to ensure that redevelopment planning and investment includes provision for schools, doctors’ surgeries and other vital infrastructure support to ensure that the community as whole benefits from expansion rather than just the developers. We are also suffering now from an historic tendency for the council to sell off school land and buildings for short-term savings. Councillor Kathy Tracey should be aware that central government education policies are not helping – the free school system just isn’t delivering school places where they are needed most particularly when it comes to primary school provision.

I am not sure Belleville school is bigger than the Bolingbroke. As far as outside space is concerned the pupils at the Bolingbroke are able to travel to sports facilities etc. which are organised very differently at secondary school.
School place planning is an art not a science. There are several parts to the equation. It is not just a question of births as residents move in and out of an area. Areas improve and attract young families and other families that a few years ago would have moved out of London because of poor schools now stay put. It is not so long ago that parents would move out of London specifically for the education of their children. London schools were not considered good enough. Wandsworth now boasts the highest number of ‘Outstanding Schools’ in Inner London and parents feel confident to use them. Parents that previously might have chosen to use the private system are realising just how good the local schools are and are opting in. All these elements need balancing and judgements made about exactly how many school places are needed.
The birth figures for Northcote area show a levelling out of birth figures over the next few years. But as I have said these things can change and every year the Council looks at every area to see if new provision is needed.

We also did not get into our local school last year and have long walk to school . When are the council going to change their admissions policy to stop people temporarily renting? All oversubscribed schools should have a priority area tht siblings must live in to get a place. Also the council needs to remove a place when they are told people are cheating the system.

I think it's worth investigating whether the council has an obligation to bus children to school
When they offer a place far away. There are lots of cars every day outside outr school as no one got into their local school and have to drive.

We in Wandsworth are lucky enough to have weekly bin collection unlike many other local authorities Secondly all the recycling goes to the newly built provision at Feathers Warf where all the items are separated again and passed on to be recycled. It is worth a visit on their occasional open days they have when you could see exactly what happens to all your refuse. Are your neighbours are putting out bins on the wrong day or the bin men are missing you off your beat? There are a number of ways to resolve this. I suggest you get in touch directly with one of your ward Councillors - Sarah McDermott and she will ensure that your rubbish is collected in timely manner. You can email her on [email protected]. Incidentally I asked a question in Council last year about fines for various types of littering, fly-tipping etc and Wandsworth have very high stats on fining people who do not follow the rules. Happy to share that with you if you email me on [email protected]

Thanks for your replies. My worry is that it takes a long time to set up a new school and 2020 isn't that far off. My kids won't be secondary age until after that and having seen how much pressure there is on primary places this year it would be nice to know there was an actual plan in place.

The Council has 17 children centres that offer a full range of children’s facilities. Children's Centres are free areas where you and a child aged 0 to 5 can play, socialise and learn together. All Children centres offer stay & play sessions on certain days. Visit the Council’s family information service and you will see just how much provision there is out there.
The council still runs some, one o’clock centres in areas of most need and the two one o’clock centre buildings that have been enlarged to accommodate the free nursery provision for two-year olds are offering stay & play sessions in the afternoons for a modest fee.

Hi localparent, happy to answer this one as it's a key policy committment for Wandsworth Labour! We believe that at a time when local families are feeling so squeezed, with prices rising and wages not keeping up, it was wrong of the council to raise council tax for 2013-2014. I know they've frozen it for 2014-2015, which we support, but it does feel a bit like a cynical election year ploy. If Labour ran the Council we'd maintain a distinctively low council tax, freezing it til 2016 at least. Longer term we'd ensure Wandsworth remained among the lowest council tax boroughs in the country

The Romany site is a little oasis that has given and continues to give an enormous amount of pleasure to many people. The scouts have used the site for a very long time. I cannot imagine why any local developer would want to destroy this wonderful amenity. I have read the convenant but I am not a legal person but I will get advice on how secure the terms of the covenant are and whether it is possible for a developer to challenge it. I will do everything I can to help the local residents to preserve this unique part of Wandsworth.

FLEUR - Hello captainnjork – as a major user of One O'Clock clubs which my children were younger, I really value them and campaigned against their closure/change last summer. I agree that they were great as they were with no need to change them. One of the most exciting pledges we have at the Labour party is our promise to reopen four of the one oclock clubs that have been closed by the council – Bolingbroke, Coronation Gardens, Windmill and Alton. We'll also work to make sure that the others keep the free stay and play which is so vital. So the short answer to your question is yes, there are plans to reinstate these clubs, so long as you vote Labour in!

Another person with a long walk to school looming. Why can't a priority area be introduced for the schools between the commons? Beatrix Potter school has been successfully operating one for years?

SW12 - just seen your question - yes like you I have been very anxious about ensuring the Triangle re-opens especially as it is in my ward. I can confirm that it will re-open by the end of June. There have been delays due to the flooding of the area - so sorry about that. Incidentally the playground is fabulous and I was down there on Tuesday and was thrilled to see how many parents and kids were using the facility

Hi localparent just to add to what Wendy says above - there are some obvious places we can take money from to fund Labour plans, without needing to raise council tax. I find it outrageous that the council run a bonus scheme for their already extremely highly-paid senior staff that costs us £3million. An independent commission into wandsworth’s council tax couldn’t find another council in england with such a massive bonus scheme. Is it really fair that a senionr member of staff’s bonus is bigger than the annual pay of a cleaner at Balham leisure centre? Not in my book… (and by the way, another Labour policy that I think is really important is our commitment to introduce the London living wage to council staff, as many other Labour councils have already done)

Hello, just a note to the panel that if you are replying to a specific person you can highlight their name by adding an asterisk * either side of it which means it will appear in bold.

Keep up the good work all.