Cantelowes Lib Dems

New technology in the Town Hall will ensure it saves energy and money - helping deliver the Lib Dem commitment to a greener, more efficient council.

The ‘nightwatchman’ is a piece of new computer software being trialled by the council’s IT department. It shuts down any computer that’s left unattended - saving any files and data before switching the power off, then restoring it when the computer is turned back on. It is estimated that the nightwatchman programme will save £40, 000 a year and cut CO2 emissions by 250 tonnes.

The nightwatchman programme is just one of the ways in which Lib Dem-led Camden is becoming more efficient and environmentally-friendly. It’s also a small step towards meeting Camden’s 10:10 pledge to cut emissions.

To find out more about what the Council is doing to protect the environment, click here.

Cantelowes Lib Dems have called on MP Frank Dobson to support a Liberal Democrat climate change motion. The motion, which would pledge Government and Parliament to cut emissions by 10% in 2010, will be debated in Parliament on Wednesday.

In a move supported by democratic action group 38 Degrees and the UK Youth Delegation to the Copenhagen climate change summit, the Liberal Democrats are trying to get Government and Parliament to join one of the biggest public movements to stop climate change. The Liberal Democrats became the first political party to sign up to the campaign at the party conference in September. Lib Dem-led councils like Camden have already signed up and are leading the way on cutting emissions.

Although Gordon Brown is using the right language, Labour’s actions in government show how false their environmental promises are.  Airport expansion and plans for more dirty coal power stations are just two examples of how Labour is failing to tackle climate change.

The Tories are even worse: fancy words from David Cameron and slick green branding can’t hide the fact that Conservative members of the London Assembly walked out of a meeting to defeat a Lib Dem proposal to sign London up to the 10:10 campaign.  Now a senior Conservative MP has said what many in his party believe: that climate change, the biggest and most urgent challenge facing us today, is a myth.

This is a huge opportunity to take a big step towards fighting climate change - and the Lib Dems are the only party with the policies, the ideas and the determination to make a real difference. The Lib Dem motion to commit Parliament to the 10:10 campaign would be a big step forward - and couldn’t come at a more crucial time. Signing up to 10:10 wouldn’t just cut emissions in Parliament - it would be Parliament showing leadership, encouraging big business, the public sector and other countries to take a stand as well. With the major climate change summit at Copenhagen coming up in a few weeks, Parliament signing up to 10:10 could have a huge impact.

Local Councillor Ben Rawlings has written to Frank Dobson MP to ask him to support the motion on Wednesday. Please take a moment to contact your MP and ask them to support this golden opportunity to make a real difference on climate change.

As the full effects of Labour’s recession start to bite and vital funds are squandered on headline-grabbing gimmicks, local services are being put at risk. One such service that is always vulnerable to budget cuts is local libraries. The library service, and particularly the Archives and Local Studies Centre, is much-loved by local residents – and is a priority for your local Lib Dem team.

When the Liberal Democrats became the largest party in Camden we promised to support our libraries, increasing opening hours and provide extra money for books. Both of these promises have been delivered. In times of financial difficulty, libraries are often a ‘soft option’ for making savings – but Lib Dem-led Camden has rejected this approach. Back in 2006 we fought and won against proposals to close at least one of Camden’s smaller libraries and the mobile library service.

But as money gets ever tighter, we need to make sure our libraries are modern, effective and efficient to protect them against future threats and closure. This means preserving all the vital and positive qualities of the service, at the same time as bringing it up-to-date to serve the needs of an ever-changing society.

A staff-led review of how libraries are run has produced recommendations to update the complex and incoherent staff structure that has developed haphazardly over many years. The new technology being introduced isn’t a threat to libraries, but a lifeline – by reducing costs and making the service more modern it helps guard against the threat of closure and opens up libraries to a new generation of people who are currently rejecting libraries in favour of the internet. It also frees library staff to concentrate on the important work – including making libraries relevant again, reinventing themselves to bring in new generations of people in the same way that London’s museums have.

One area that is being looked at is the Archives and Local History Centre. It seems that some of the draft proposals could see a downgrading of the service and a loss of staff. Cllr Flick Rea, the Lib Dem Executive Member for Culture who is a passionate advocate for Camden’s libraries, has ordered that these proposals be reconsidered. The Archives and Local History Centre is a vital and well-loved resource that needs properly qualified staff: any changes to the library service more generally must see the Archives and Local History service retained and strengthened.

For the Liberal Democrats, knowledge and learning are the most powerful and valuable drivers of individual and social progress. We understand the value and importance of history, as a driving force for change and a wise guide for the future. We’ve fought to protect and improve our libraries, and so far we’ve won. Now we need to make the changes that will protect and enhance our libraries, and our local history service, for future generations.

A new scheme was approved today to bring order to the chaos of utility companies digging up our roads - thanks to cross-London work led by Camden Council.

Everyone has experienced the frustration and inconvenience caused by roadworks. While we must accept that it’s a difficult job co-ordinating all the different utility works in any given area, when we see the same stretch of road dug up for the umpteenth time in a matter of weeks it’s clear that more can be done to regulate roadworks and minimise disruption for residents and road users.

Camden Council has been leading the way in tackling this complex problem that affects so many Londoners on an almost daily basis. Leading a group of London Boroughs and working with Transport for London, Camden has developed and successfully trialled the London Permit Scheme. Utilities companies will still retain their statutory rightto undertake road and street works, instead of simply notifying councils of any impending work they will have to apply for a permit. This means councils will have greater control over the local area, better able to influence and coordinate any roadworks that are needed.

Camden Council also monitors the work of utilities companies digging up our roads - in 2007, utilities companies were fined nearly £500, 000 for overrunning on works in Camden and causing congestion on our streets.

Local councillor and resident Ben Rawings is trying to give more power to people when it comes to roadworks: “Too often we see bits of road dug up with no indication of who is doing it or why. I was pleased to see that recent work by the Council on Camden Park Road clearly displayed the reason for the works and a contact number. I’m pushing for this to be made standard for all roadworks across Camden.”

If there are any roadworks in your area that you are concerned about, let us know.

The Homes for Older People project is Camden’s plan to invest £30million to build two new care homes, both with nursing care and one with extra care sheltered housing.The Charlie Ratchford Resource Centre for older people will also be rebuilt, with new extra care sheltered housing above it. Residents can find out more about how these plans are progressing, and how we are making Camden a Borough of Oportunity for older people, at a special conference day on Friday 30th October.

The conference day, aimed at residents aged 50+, runs from 10am - 4pm at Haverstock School, 24 Haverstock Hill (opposite Chalk Farm tube station). It will also include free taster sessions of a variety of activities, performances, workshops and lunch. Places are limited, so book your place now by calling 020 7974 4523 or emailing promoting.independence@camden.gov.uk

From today Camden’s recycling service will include mixed plastics such as yoghurt pots, margerine tubs, plastic bags and waxed cartons.

This is the first time that these “mixed plastic” items can be recycled in the doorstep collection, meaning recycling is made simpler and Camden residents can recycle more. People in Camden already recycle 28% of their waste, putting Camden in the top 10 in London for overall recycling, and in the top 5 for ‘dry’ (i.e. non-food) recycling.

This is a good step forward, but we need to do a lot more. Comingled recycling - where all recycling items are put in one box and collected from the doorstep - makes it easier for people to recycle, but it isn’t as good for the environment. The energy used in transporting and separating the comingled recycling undermines the environmental benefit, and often the recycled material is contaminated and poor quality so it can’t be used. All those who deal in recycled glass, paper and other materials say that what comes out of comingled recycling is unusable. Recycling comingled glass, for example, can produce more carbon emissions than sending it to landfill - and the recovered glass is such poor quality it is normally used for road building: not the most environmentally-friendly pursuit! Camden Liberal Democrats are looking at ways of making recycling more effective, while keeping it simple and achievable for normal people living and working in the centre of London (a task made harder by a Labour Government’s obsession with targets that encourage poor quality, ineffective and environmentally unfriendly recycling techniques like comingling). In the meantime if you want to make a difference, why not separate your recycling and take it to an on-street recycling area? You can find your nearest one here.

Another area where we need to improve is food waste recycling, or composting. Food waste makes up a significant amount of our household waste, and though it can be more difficult to implement a food waste collection would make a big difference in tackling climate change. While Lib Dems on the Council are working on a food waste collection scheme for the whole of Camden, Cantelowes Liberal Democrats are thrilled that the first on-site composting facility in the borough has recently been launched on the Maiden Lane estate. The composter, called the Rocket, not only turns food waste into compost that can be used on the estate, but it also provides volunteering and part-time employment opportunities for local residents. In the future we hope it will support food growing on Maiden Lane as well, providing even more benefits for residents and the environment. To find out more about the Rocket composting scheme, visit the Food Loop Maiden Lane site.

Camden Liberal Democrats have put the environment at the heart of everything we do on the Council and in the community - but we know a lot more needs to be done. To keep us moving forward we set up the cross-party Sustainability Task Force, chaired by Camden’s first Eco-Champion Cllr Alexis Rowell. Task Force meetings are open to the public - click here for more information.