Hello everyone,

The last 2-3 weeks has really been very busy but hopefully also productive for me as your MP. I’ve been involved in all sorts of different things, locally and in Parliament and I’ll try to quickly cover as many of them as possible:

Putney, Roehampton and Southfields Policing

We had a debate in Parliament specifically regarding policing in London. It was a good opportunity for me to talk about the crime and policing issues we have locally. We need all the police we can get and I’m sure many of you know that we have fewer so-called “warranted” police (those that can actually arrest people) now than we had a decade ago. My speech was quite a long one, but there are so many different aspects of the issue – policing levels, lack of reporting, the way that Safer Neighbourhood police teams work, etc that I had a lot to go through. Here’s the link to my speech and if you read it and think there are more issues than the ones I raised, then please let me know.

Last night I was at the kick off of the Roehampton Safer Neighbourhood Panel of residents who can work with the police and I’ll be doing my best to make sure that works successfully for residents as it is badly needed.

Home Improvement Packs

It was announced this week in the Commons that the introduction of HIPs would be delayed. These are the packs of information, including surveys, searches and also environmental reports that people will now need to have before they can start marketing their property. There were due to be needed as of 1 June, but that’s now been delayed until 1 August and now will just be required (initially) for 4 bedroom houses. I asked Ruth Kelly to clarify if that would include a 3 bedroom house with planning permission for a fourth bedroom already given, because our area is full of 3 bedroom Victorian terraces, which often have loft conversions. The Secretary of State wasn’t able to answer my question, but if I do get more clarification I’ll let PutneySW15 readers know. We were told that 4 bedroom house sellers will also be able to market their house before they have the HIP but if the HIP isn’t done by time of exchange then you have to wait for the HIP, or breach the law and pay a fine. It’s a real mess and I wouldn’t be surprised if we have further announcements over the summer about the future of HIPs.

Primary Art Competition/Visiting Local Schools

I’ve been meeting up with quite a few schools – went to John Paul II, which is now out of special measures, and also Elliott. I’ve also met up with Linden Lodge School and I had Putney Park School children visit the Commons earlier this week which was great. I’m running an art competition with local primary schools to help me get some much nicer pictures up in my Wandsworth office and Commons office than I have at the moment. I can’t wait to get rid of the dull pictures that were up when I moved into the Commons and replace them with some great art by local children.

Meeting Residents Associations and Charity Walks

It’s resident association AGM season, so I went to the Sutherland Grove Residents Association AGM and the Southfields Grid Residents Association AGM this week. Last week I also met up with Arndale residents to hear their concerns. If you are part of a residents association and you’d like me to come along and meet your fellow residents, do email me on greeningj@parliament.uk and I’ll be able to meet up with you. Finally, I’ve been out walking for charity – I joined the Mayor Jim Madden on his walk around the Wandsworth borough boundary, for the Roehampton and Putney bit, and then helped Macmillan Cancer charity kick off their charity walk which started from St Mary’s Church by Putney Bridge.

If you need my help as your MP please do get in touch with me – you can email me on greeningj@parliament.uk, or write to me at House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA or come along to my weekly surgery by giving my office a call on 0208 944 0378. I’ll my best to help however I can.

Best Wishes,

Justine Greening MP

May 25, 2007