http://www.merlene.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Merlene Emerson en-GB Merlene Emerson http://www.merlene.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2010 Merlene Emerson 2010-03-10T22:00+00:00 United Kingdom http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000065/merlene_joins_women_around_the_world_in_celebrating_the_100th_international_womens_day_today.html There is indeed much to celebrate of strides that have been made by women, their achievements both within the family as well as in greater society. However there are still areas for much concern. 2010-03-08T10:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000066/only_55_of_pupils_in_the_borough_have_been_given_their_first_choice_in_secondary_schools_down_from_62_last_year.html Parents in Hammersmith and Fulham have been left disappointed and frustrated after only about half of the pupils in the borough made it into their preferred secondary school, well below the London average of 65 per cent for first choice admissions. 2010-03-06T12:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000064/merlene_and_hammersmith__fulham_lib_dems_warn_of_future_council_tax_hike.html The latest budget plans adopted by the Tory controlled H&F Council at a Budget meeting on 24 Feb confirmed a final year of cuts in Council taxes. Local Liberal Democrats have warned of future sharp increases in Council Tax, as the Council has financed this year's 3% cut not out of revenue but by drawing down £2.8 million from reserves. 2010-02-25T10:30+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000063/merlene_challenges_david_miliband_on_labours_record_at_public_meeting.html On the evening of Friday 19 February, Foreign Secretary David Miliband came to Hammersmith at the invitation of Labour MP Andrew Slaughter and held a public meeting at St Paul's Church near the Broadway. 2010-02-22T11:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000062/merlene_writes_to_local_press_expressing_dismay_at_decision_to_postpone_indefinitely_plans_to_make_shepherds_bush_station_fully_accessible.html "Prior to the closure of the Shepherds Bush station to allow for the building of Westfield, Europe's largest urban shopping mall at £1.6 billion, local residents were promised a fully accessible station, including a lift, in keeping with TfL efforts to make the underground as user-friendly as possible. 2010-02-03T12:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000061/merlene_attends_press_launch_organized_by_the_electoral_commission_to_encourage_higher_voter_registration_and_turn_out_at_the_coming_elections.html On 2nd February, the Electoral Commission held a Press launch at Queen Anne's Gate to announce the publication of their new bilingual leaflet to encourage voter registration. According to Jenny Watson, Chair of the Electoral Commission, about 30 per cent of British Chinese who are eligible to vote are not registered with their local authority to vote. The equivalent statistic of non registration for the rest of the population is closer to the region of 8-9%. 2010-02-03T09:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000060/merlene_calls_upon_hf_council_to_be_open_and_honest_on_crime_figures.html Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Hammersmith and Fulham has accused the local council of attempting to shroud the latest Met Police crime statistics in smoke and mirrors. 2010-01-28T12:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000059/merlene_shares_with_yasmine_editor_of_wwwshepherdsbushw12com_what_she_considers_issues_important_to_the_local_area_and_what_she_would_do_if_she_were_elected_as_mp.html "In the past, I and the H&F Liberal Democrats have campaigned for improvements to Shepherd's Bush market, better transport links (against closure of Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on bus routes), and for more jobs for local residents in the Westfield development. 2010-01-25T17:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000058/liberal_democrats_launch_manifesto_housing_pledge_to_bring_back_empty_homes_into_use.html The Liberal Democrats have set out plans to bring a quarter of a million empty homes back into use, making homes available for people who need them and creating 65,000 jobs. 2010-01-18T17:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000057/merlenes_new_year_message.html In a new year message to residents of Hammersmith, Merlene expresses her hopes for 2010: 2009-12-31T15:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000056/council_planners_ride_roughshod_over_residents_views_again.html The Council in its eagerness to push through the development at 282-286 Goldhawk Road by property firm Places For People, had scheduled a Planning meeting when the consultation period had not even closed. 2009-12-17T12:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000055/merlene_writes_to_local_press_ahead_of_copenhagen_summit_and_challenges_hf_council_to_take_the_1010_pledge.html "The upcoming summit in Copenhagen is a vital staging post in the international fight to reduce carbon emissions. But with its poor track record the UK Government won't have the credibility to help push through a good deal. 2009-11-30T12:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000054/merlene_and_local_liberal_democrats_quiz_council_leader_steven_greenhalgh_at_the_townhall_event.html The Council's Quiz The Leaders event on 10 November was attended by nearly 200 people attracted by the opportunity to question Council Leader Stephen Greenhalgh, and a panel of service providers, chaired by local resident John Humphrys. The other panel members included the representatives from the police, fire services, Health, TfL and H&F Homes. 2009-11-11T12:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000053/merlene_writes_to_local_press_about_new_flight_tax_which_will_hit_travellers_to_the_caribbean_unfairly.html The Labour Government's new taxes on flights will mean that people travelling to the Caribbean will be paying much higher taxes than those travelling to the USA, including Hawaii which is twice as far from the UK. 2009-11-03T12:00+00:00 http://www.merlene.org.uk/news/000052/merlene_commemorates_black_history_month_at_a_celebratory_event_organised_by_operation_black_vote_on_29th_october_at_friends_meeting_house.html It was a stimulating evening hosted by Lee Jasper, with political speeches inter-mixed with live performances from Kadija Kamara and Ronke, Faith Jegede an inspirational poet, and International comedienne Gina Yashere. 2009-10-30T17:00+00:00