I am a bit behind on social media posts due to full on Union and Council business but this is a picture from Monday at Newham Full Council meeting when I was asking our Guest speaker (https://twitter.com/TheIFS) about how much money UK Local Gove…Read more…
West Ham Ward Christmas Campaign: Sadiq Khan for London Labour Mayor in 2024
This morning I went to my Councillor advice surgery for local residents, then this afternoon I joined colleagues in the ward to deliver leaflets (Labour doorstep was down) for Sadiq Khan, to be re-elected as London Mayor in May 2024. We were…Read more…
Newham Council emergency motion on Gaza
I think it is important that the text of this motion passed by Newham Full Council meeting on 16 October 2023 is more widely circulated. I spoke in favour of the motion as did many of my Labour colleagues. The motion was also supported by the 3 Ne…Read more…
West Ham Ward Councillor surgeries – Saturdays 10am-1pm in Vicarage Lane Community Centre
This is a draft poster of our advice surgeries. All residents welcome, no appointment necessary. The three of us take it in turns and my next one will be a week tomorrow Saturday 4 November. Email the Mayor for an invite to her surgery. Read more…
‘How can we put an end to greenwashing? LAPFF & Smith Institute Fringe at Labour Conference 2023
This is my presentation to this fringe. Hat tip Paul Hunter from PRIC for excellent speech notes. “Thank you Clive. I am delighted to be here in Liverpool and looking forward to today’s discussion. I am John Gray, I’m councillor in Newham, I’m ch…Read more…
How can we put an end to greenwashing? Labour Party Conference fringe meeting – Sunday 8 October, 12.30-1.30 Room 25, Liverpool ACC
CHAIR
· Clive Betts MP, Chair Parliament Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Committee
SPEAKERS
· Baroness Blake of Leeds, Lords Spokesperson
Energy and Net Zero…Read more…
Local authority pension fund investment in affordable housing
This meeting of the APPG for “Local Authority Pension Funds was focused on local authority pension fund investment in social and affordable housing. To address the issue and whether there is a case for doing more, the event heard from four speakers: Cl…Read more…
Your Labour Team for West Ham
After my Councillor surgery in the morning (local planning case work) I led on the Saturday afternoon “Street Surgery” of West Ham ward in Newham, London. Knocking on doors in what is apparently, the longest side road in the borough, Corporation …Read more…
“Topping out” at Leather Gardens, West Ham
I know Councillors love having their picture taken in hard hats and hi-vis (even if they don’t always fit that well) but I really enjoyed this “topping out” the other week with the Mayor laying the final brick.But the main reason for my plea…Read more…
“It is an honour to be elected to serve you” – West Ham ward thank you leaflets May 2022
Tomorrow we will start delivering these “thank you” leaflets to West Ham Ward residents after the recent local election.
It is a definite honour to be elected to serve our residents – and in the next 4 years we need to earn this trust. Read more…
West Ham Ward declaration 2022
After a long day yesterday, Charlene, John Whitworth and myself were re-elected as Labour Councillors to Newham Council.
A huge honour and privilege. Many thanks to residents for voting for us so overwhelmingly and to ward activists for hel…Read more…
Nominated as Labour & Co-operative Candidate for West Ham Ward, Newham London
Yesterday was our Newham Labour 2022 campaign launch and I am now also officially nominated as a Labour and Co-operative Candidate for West Ham Ward.
While I wish that local ward members had made this decision (as they had overwhelmingly s…Read more…
West Ham Ward doorstep 15.1.22 (Yes, they all hate Boris)
This afternoon we were out “on the knocker” with our local MP Lyn Brown (and Cara – the Labour attack dog).
We had 98 contacts, who were not only overwhelmingly Labour but I can honestly report that I have never heard so much anti-tory comments …Read more…
New Year’s day morning 1890 – Remembering the 26 Children
This morning a small group of Councillors and local historians met in West Ham Cemetery at the memorial to the 26 young boys (see below) who suffocated to death following a fire at the nearby children’s Workhouse.
Author John Walker,…Read more…
LAPFF Conference 2021: Day One
Day One of the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum Annual (LAPFF) conference started with a welcome by our Chair, Cllr Doug McMurdo.
First item was a blended panel on the Local Government Pension Scheme APPG (all Party Parliamentary Group) report…Read more…
Back to the Old Town Hall in Stratford
It was great to be in the historic Old Town Hall in Stratford for this evening’s Newham Full Council Meeting. There was even an demonstration outside by residents protesting about the closure of Newham City Farm.
It was a “blended” meeting with…Read more…
“We’re voting for change” in the way we do things in Newham Council
Picture from Saturday’s leafleting of East Ham High Street with my West Ham ward Councillor Colleague, John Whitworth (and Newham Council Scrutiny Committee Chair).
On Thursday May 6 Newham residents will also be able to vote in a referendum on the f…Read more…
Fire Brigade & West Ham Councillors remember Blitz heroes
This afternoon I met Newham Fire Brigade Commander, Terry Gooding, at the plaque outside 163 Plaistow Road, West Ham Ward, Newham, London, E15 3ET to remember the 6 firefighters who were killed near this spot by enemy bombing 80 years ago.
5 of the 6…Read more…
“Building for the future after years of neglect” Newham Voices
Last month Aidan White from the new community newspaper “Newham Voices” interviewed me in my previous role on housing issues. Subscribe to Newham Voices for £5 per month via its website and you will get a free hard copy of the newspaper delivered…Read more…
Cllr Frederick (Frank) Matthews – my Great Grandfather
There is a lot of really nasty and unpleasant stuff on the internet and social media but there is also many positive things.
This week I was contacted by a long lost relative Graham via this blog who had searched the internet for his great…Read more…