LISTER ON PUTNEY

Edward Lister is the Leader of Wandsworth Council and a member for Putney's Thamesfield ward.

Putney people have been putting the rest of London to shame with their spectacular achievement in hosting so many street parties over the Jubilee holiday. Our new Mayor Leslie McDonnell, himself a Putney man, will be dropping in at three local events in Parkfields, Rusholme Road and Sedleigh Road.

The whole occasion is turning into a wonderful outpouring of patriotism - let's hope Sven's men get us off to a good start on Sunday morning!

What a coup for the dedicated staff in the council's social services department to win a coveted three star rating from the Government this week. This is the highest award any council in the country can obtain and it covers all services including those to the elderly and young people as well as people with learning or physical disabilities.

What will have interested many observers is that of the eight three star winners in the country four were in London. Two of the four - Wandsworth and Westminster - have the two lowest council tax levels in the UK.

Meanwhile neighbouring Merton with its whopping council tax - more than £1,000 for a Band D home - has social services that are so bad that they cannot warrant even a single star from the Government. Proof if ever it was needed that councils which are good at managing their budgets are the most effective at delivering their services.

Of course getting the job done properly has long been a Wandsworth strength. But there is always much more to be tackled.

One of our key themes for the next four years will be to demonstrate the continuing relevance of local government to people's lives.

We will be experimenting with new ways of making the council more accessible. Next year for example will see the start of what we hope will become a new Wandsworth tradition: the state of the borough debate. This will be a public event - possibly in the Civic Suite - where cabinet members for each main service report on their performance in the previous year and spell out their plans for the future.

It may not always be a comfortable experience - but this is an essential part of a process that is designed to interest more people in the work of the council and to show that local government really does matter.

Finally a flurry of local planning decisions in the last seven days - not least two new schemes involving the opening-up of the awfully-named 'Lavatory Gardens' which is that stretch of green alongside Putney Bridge just below the Lower Richmond Road. One of these will bring the old 'Dowell Lloyd' premises back to life the other will transform the disused underground public convenience into a restaurant and art gallery.

With the kind of sums likely to be invested in these projects there is no lack of incentive to come up with a slightly more appealing name for this part of the riverside. But Putney people can get in first - send your ideas to putneysw15.com.

Edward Lister
Leader of the Council

You can contact Edward Lister at the Town Hall on 0208 871 6041 or by email at elister@wandsworth.gov.uk

The state of the NHS in Putney and the fight against night flights ....Cllr Lister's Diary

Pedestrian saftey - especially around schools and Neighbourhood watch .... Cllr Lister's diary

CAR TAX DODGERS DRYBURGH RD DEVELOPMENT ROBIN HOOD GATE AND NIGHT FLIGHTS..............Cllr Lister's diary

Church cheer, wharf worries and Richmond Park relief - Cllr Lister's diary.

Cllr Lister speaks against the Dryburgh Rd plans, the threat of clsing Pen Ponds to traffic and litter.

The Postal Service, Richmond Park and Council Tax changes are all on Cllr Lister agenda.

Cllr Lister comments on the current planning furore, pigeon mess, cctv and policing.

Cllr Lister writes on Pensioners Freedom Passes, good news re Hotham School, development progress at Ashlone Wharf and aircraft noise from Heathrow Airport.

Recent visit to the Leisure Centre was less than enjoyable - see forum.

Cllr Lister writes on the new school for the area, housing development and Heathrow.

Cllr Lister writes on developments at the Putney School of Art & Design, The Leisure Centre and the excellent league results for local schools.

Tony Colman MP for Putney speaks about current local issues