30 April 2009

More! Primary school pupils face lunch cuts

Tory H&F council had been hoping to save £250,000 from primary school lunches. But when the tenders for the schools meals contract were evaluated, none were affordable within the budget.

The council has decided to discontinue the tendering process and enter into negotiations with the tenderers "to try and achieve an affordable meal price that still meets national nutritional guidelines and ensures statutory employment and pensions rights are protected for affected catering staff".

That in short means smaller portions for school lunches. And definitely no second helpings.

Please, Cllr Greenhalgh, can we have more!

29 April 2009

Polo alert No.2

Residents of 22 streets in Fulham are being treated to free tickets for the international polo tournament in Hurlingham Park this June. Some residents can also buy cheaper price tickets too.

Polo is full price for the rest of the borough.

Misdirected

A local resident just called H&F council and asked to speak to pest control. She was put through to the youth offending team.

Is this the new Tory approach to children's services? Or perhaps it's a technical hitch in Rochdale?

22 April 2009

Avonmore residents win stripclub battle

The news that there will be no licence for lapdancing at the Crescent Club in North End Crescent has been greeted as a victory by local residents who have fought a nine month battle with the owners.

This week West London Magistrates’ Court confirmed that the Crescent Club have withdrawn their appeal against refusal of a strip club licence.

The residents' well-organised campaign leading up to the licensing panel hearing achieved a unanimous rejection of the licence last November. Close monitoring by residents of the club over the past six months produced a weight of evidence of anti-social behaviour for the appeal hearing.

Now there are suggestions that the Crescent Club may seek to expand as a nightclub, with opening hours extending to 4am. Instead, the Tory council should review its existing licence to open to 2am at weekends and 12 on weekdays, given the disruption currently being caused to local residents.

18 April 2009

Huge childcare cuts hit working parents

H&F Tory council is making huge cuts in childcare just as recession-hit parents need affordable care to help them stay in work or get a job.

Demand for childcare for school-aged children has been rising but the Tories are closing four out of school childcare centres and another six centres in the borough are under review. The buildings will be sold to fill council coffers.

These cuts will particularly hit low income families already facing big hikes by the council in childcare fees. Many parents will now struggle to work and look after their children, at a time when they need the help most.

17 April 2009

Polo alert No.1

Fulham residents are being warned of three weeks of chaos on local roads and in Hurlingham Park before and after the 'polo in the park' tournament on 5-7 June.

More polo alerts will follow.

11 April 2009

Good fly-day

Easter weekend has seen the streets of Hammersmith & Fulham look even dirtier than normal.

The Tories' cuts in refuse collection and street cleaning together with new charges for bulk refuse collection mean that fly-tipping has created more and more grot-spots across the borough. And the streets of H&F are littered with uncollected black and orange rubbish bags.

09 April 2009

You're all sacked - again!

The Tories are bullying H&F council staff again by threatening to change their job contracts again (see previous hfconwatch blogs).

All 4,500 council staff have been sent a letter telling them they have got until 24 April to sign the new terms and conditions, otherwise staff face the sack later this year.

The council has also brought in a new appraisal system to boost staff morale because no one was doing the appraisals. This was immediately discredited when staff were told that the appraisals would be done because it's part of the senior managers' performance related pay to do so.

Still summer's coming, so we've all got the polo to look forward to.

PS how many H&F council employees are paid more than £100k? H&F council refused to tell the Tories' friends, the Taxpayers' Alliance, in a recent survey answered by virtually every other local authority.

03 April 2009

Remember remember the second of February

If you had begun to forget how Tory H&F council failed to deal with the snow on Monday 2 February, have a look at this. It's snow joke for those who can't work at home:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haNC3PC7JCI&feature=channel_page

01 April 2009

Not in the deep end

Youngsters in Hammersmith & Fulham won't benefit from the Government's free swimming offer for under 16s because Tory H&F council has decided not to participate in the scheme.

The council has trumpeted its support for free swimming for the over 60s, another Government initiative, with a quote from Tory cabinet member Cllr Paul Bristow. Meanwhile Middlesbrough - where Cllr Bristow harbours ambitions to be the local MP - has opted to provide free swimming for under 16s.