New data from Camden Labour suggests that council neglect and anti-social behaviour are the main concerns of residents in the Haverstock area of Camden, from Chalk Farm to West Kentish Town.

Queens Crescent community activist, Joynal Uddin (pictured left), is making a stand for local people, saying “The residents of places like Denton, Southfleet, Malden Road and Maitland Park have had enough of the Tory/Lib Dem Council’s neglect.  The Tories and Lib Dems are happy to churn out leaflets but it counts for nothing when they refuse to deal with the problems of antisocial behaviour I see every day on the streets.  Many of our local problems can be traced back to poor and overcrowded housing conditions – problems only made worse by the Council’s policy of selling off homes to private developers despite the 18,000 housing waiting list.”

Joynal has pledged, if elected by local people, to join Camden Labour colleagues in opposing any further housing sell offs and to support tough action against crime in Haverstock ward.

As the Camden New Journal reports on private developers making vast sums through the auctioning of homes by Camden’s Lib Dems and Tories, Camden Labour has reaffirmed its commitment to stopping the sell-off of desperately needed local housing.

Cantelowes ward campaigner, Phil Jones, said “This ‘flipping’ of publicly owned housing to generate hundreds of thousands of pounds for private developers will shock and appall Camden’s taxpayers.  It’s also a daily tragedy for the thousands of local families that languish on the growing housing waiting list.  The choice at the next election is between Lib Dem/Tory support for sell-offs and Camden Labour’s promise to immediately halt privatisation of desperately needed housing.”

Regent’s Park councillors and Action Team members are taking a firm stance on the Northern Line closures. It has been reported that the Northern Line will be closed for 82 weekends. Last week Action Team member Tulip Siddiq wrote a letter to the CNJ demanding that Camden Council start to lobby Transport for London properly about these closures. It will severely impact the lives of Regent’s Park residents who regularly use Mornington Crescent tube for their main method of transportation.

Councillor and Leader of the Labour Group Nasim Ali has also voiced his concerns about this closure. Regent’s Park will be exerting more pressure on Camden Council to take action on this inconvenient proposal.

Right: local campaigner, Tulip Siddiq

The local Kilburn Labour team welcomed Foreign Secretary David Miliband MP to Kilburn to celebrate the contribution Bangladeshi people have made to this country.  Speaking at the Tricycle theatre, the minister said: “Bangladesh and the UK have deep historic and cultural ties.  With many British people of Bangladeshi origin living in the UK, we enjoy a vibrant partnership.”  

Kilburn Labour camapigner Maryam Eslamdoust added: “Bangladeshi people have made a huge contribution to the local area, both culturally and economically.  We’re very proud that they play such a vital role in our community”.

The Lib Dems running Camden have announced one of their largest cuts to date – an eye-watering 82.5% slash to Camden’s UK Online Centres budget.

These vital centres help people use computers and get online – essential as more and more everyday activity relies on accessing the internet, from applying for housing to filling in tax forms and applying for jobs and benefits.

The axe has fallen particularly hard in Kilburn, as there are a number of centres in our area: at Kingsgate Resource Centre on Webheath, at Kilburn Library and in the Youth Centre on the High Road; the South Hampstead Education and Lifelong Learning Centre on Boundary Road and the Latin American Association on Kingsgate Place.

Labour campaigner Mike Katz said: “Camden’s Lib Dems are really making good on the promise of ‘savage cuts’ their party leader gave a few months ago.

“And as with other Lib Dem/Tory cuts, it will be the most disadvantaged, the elderly and poorer children who will be hit the worst, who either don’t have access at home or need help to get online.

“This will really hurt Kilburn, as we have five centres here – and a great demand for the service.

“So much for a council willing to help people improve their skills and access benefits – especially during a recession.

He added that Labour would be campaigning with the centres across the borough to fight the cut and help keep them open.