20 Most Recent News Stories

Merlene joins women around the world in celebrating the 100th International Women's Day today

10.00.00am GMT Mon 8th Mar 2010

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.

In the UK, only 20% of Parliament is made up of women MPs of which only 2 out of a total of 646 MPs are ethnic minority women.

In the board rooms of the top hundred companies as well as in public appointments, women remain sadly under represented. And despite the Equal Pay Act coming into force 40 years ago, there is still a 17% pay gap between men and women doing the same job.

"The suffragettes in the UK only achieved the vote for women in 1928 and it is so important that we do not take this for granted today. Come the elections this year, I am hoping that the turn out in Hammersmith will be high especially amongst women" said Merlene.

"I will certainly be counting on your support should you agree that we need to forge a fairer society and have Parliament more representative of modern Britain today" added Merlene.

Only 55% of pupils in the borough have been given their first choice in secondary schools, down from 62% last year

12.00.00pm GMT Sat 6th Mar 2010

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.

Commenting on the news, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Hammersmith , Merlene Emerson said: "These figures represent more than just family upset; they reveal the failure of the Labour Government to create sufficient school places after more than 13 years in power.

"Under the Liberal Democrats, schools would be granted an additional £2.5 billion to create additional places, increase the number of pupils achieving good grades and to close the attainment gap between poorer children and their wealthier classmates. This will give parents what they want - a fairer schools system where all children can fulfil their potential."

Merlene and Hammersmith & Fulham Lib Dems warn of future Council tax hike

10.30.00am GMT Thu 25th Feb 2010

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.

Other key points noted by the Lib Dems include:

- Cuts in services totalling £13 million including £2.165 million in Children's Services and £3.6 million in Community Services such as Adult Social Care

- Budget risks of £10 million (going up to £25 million in 2013), recognising that some of the so-called efficiency savings may not be achieved as well as the likelihood that the grant from central Government may be reduced in the coming three years

- A large scale capital disposal programme, in excess of £10 million over the next 2 years of Council assets (though the report is short on detail as to which specific properties are at stake)

- 25% of future receipts from decent neighbourhoods programme (including planned sales of £7.435 million of properties such as hostels, street properties and other regeneration sites) is intended to be siphoned off for general capital investment or to subsidise the revenue budget rather than reinvested in creating sustainable communities; and

- A pension black hole of over £300 million which has not been addressed by the budget at all.

"The stark truth is that the Council is pursuing a reckless policy of Council tax reduction financed out of reserves and through sale of Council assets. Public services on the other hand are cut despite greater demands on its services and euphemisms such as "efficiency savings" and "self-directed support" are used as a way of disguising real cuts in Adult Social Services and other services" said Merlene Emerson, Parliamentary Spokeswoman for Hammersmith.

Merlene continued: "In the current economic downturn, what we need from our local Council is vision and leadership, safeguarding local jobs rather than creating no less than 600 unemployed to join the dole queues. We badly need investment in services for young people and greater security and care for the elderly and vulnerable. Instead we have a Council intent on the banner headline of 3% Council tax cuts which is nothing short of a pre-election bribe."

Merlene challenges David Miliband on Labour's record at public meeting

11.00.00am GMT Mon 22nd Feb 2010

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.

Anti-war campaigners came out in force to lobby against atrocities in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. Mr Miliband however preferred to focus his address on three great myths, as he called them. First, that the country had been going backwards under Labour, second that there were no more big causes to fight for and third that the Tory Party had changed.

Merlene Emerson was introduced by Andrew Slaughter as the Liberal Democrat Candidate for Hammersmith who might be given the second vote should the Alternative Vote be introduced. She therefore could not resist asking Mr Miliband why only after 12 years, as a deathbed conversion, did PM Brown finally concede to bringing in electoral changes. Merlene also challenged the Foreign Secretary on Labour's record in failing to narrow the wealth and health divide and asked if Labour would consider adopting the Liberal Democrat policy to take those earning under £10,000 per year out of the tax bracket altogether.

More importantly, she asked what he and the Government would do to restore the public's loss of faith in politicians and the political process? In answer to this last question, Mr Miliband said revealingly that the loss of faith in politicians had much to do with the over-centralised form of government.

Merlene commented afterwards of the public meeting:

"I was pleased that many members of the public demanded answers on issues such as Britain's complicity on torture as well as the alleged pre-knowledge of the assassination of a Hamas terrorist by Israeli intelligence. We did not however learn anything new from the rather defensive answers given.

Merlene continued: "Whilst the coming General Elections will probably be decided on bread and butter issues and on which Party will be able to take the country out of the current economic downturn, it's on international foreign policy where the public will judge our politicians on their leadership and moral integrity."

Merlene writes to local press expressing dismay at decision to postpone indefinitely plans to make Shepherds Bush station fully accessible

12.00.00pm GMT Wed 3rd Feb 2010

"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.

I was therefore dismayed to hear the Mayor's recent replies to questions posed by Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Caroline Pigeon, that plans to make the station fully accessible have now been 'deferred indefinitely'. Tfl has estimated that a simple lift at the station would cost up to £100 million, though they were then unable or unwilling to clarify the basis of their calculations nor at what time those calculations had been made.

I find it incredible that Tfl and the local planners at H&F Council have allowed Westfield developers off this essential improvement that would have provided step free access for a significant part of the population: the disabled as well as families with buggies. To now inform the public that it was never within the scope of the works required of Westfield is hardly justification, rather an admission of failure and lack of vision and foresight."

Merlene attends Press launch organized by the Electoral Commission to encourage higher voter registration and turn out at the coming elections

9.00.00am GMT Wed 3rd Feb 2010

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%.

Merlene has worked with Chinese Liberal Democrats to conduct surveys to understand the reasons for this lack of engagement and found that these varied from lack of knowledge and understanding of the election process to apathy and fear.

"It is both a right as well as a privilege to be able to vote in democratic elections. The process for registration is simple, merely by return of the relevant form sent out to householders by the Council confirming the names of householders who are eligible to vote.

"This year will be an especially interesting one as it will be an election year for both the General and Local Council Elections. Certainly an exciting opportunity for us to have our voice heard and to be able to effect real and positive changes."

All European nationals are entitled to vote in local elections and Commonwealth nationals are entitled to vote in both the General and Local Elections. For more information see: http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/

Merlene calls upon H&F Council to be open and honest on crime figures

12.00.00pm GMT Thu 28th Jan 2010

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.

By focusing exclusively upon the statistics for Fulham Broadway, which has experienced a relatively small decrease in overall crime, the council has painted the figures as a resounding victory in the war against crime.

However the borough-wide statistics for Hammersmith and Fulham actually reveals a 1.5 per cent increase in the number of total crimes over the last 12 months with significant increases in violent crime such as homophobic and domestic attacks and gun crime.

Merlene said: " By doctoring the figures the council has irresponsibly under-represented the very real level of serious and violent crime in our community. If we are to tackle overall crime in the borough, then we need to be honest and open about the size of the battle we are facing."

Merlene shares with Yasmine, Editor of www.shepherdsbushw12.com what she considers issues important to the local area and what she would do if she were elected as MP

5.00.00pm GMT Mon 25th Jan 2010

"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.

More recently, we have seen a number of high profile cases involving planning applications such as the redevelopment of the Goldhawk Industrial estate and 282 Goldhawk Road. The former has been called in by the Secretary of State for valid reasons. The next big test will be proposed development at Stowe Depot, as to whether the Council has indeed learnt lessons against allowing over development in the face of local protests.

Related to this is the general shortage not of luxury housing but of affordable homes. When one million square feet of retail space was built at Westfield, the developer was only required to deliver 78 units of affordable housing. Although colleagues in City Hall advise me that there were 8492 households on the waiting list for affordable housing in the borough in 2009, the Council has made clear that they do not intend to increase the number of affordable housing units for the next 15 years.

One positive outcome of the Westfield development however is the improvements to the Shepherd's Bush Green. As a community mediator in the area over the last 9 years, I can see that the area is extremely diverse, yet there had been insufficient consultation of the needs of local communities. I would also like to see an air monitoring station strategically located by the Green to safeguard the health of users.

Last but not least, we are in a recession. Shopholders have complained to me about rising utility bills and business rates. Young people I bump into whilst leafleting ask what is there for them? And whilst Council tax may have been lowered for 3 consecutive years, there is a cost in terms of attendant cuts.

As a Liberal Democrat I pledge to bring in fairer taxes, investment in our young people as well as in our environment, health and well-being."

Liberal Democrats launch manifesto housing pledge to bring back empty homes into use

5.00.00pm GMT Mon 18th Jan 2010

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.

There are nearly 3000 empty properties in Hammersmith and Fulham, and 760,000 across England, which are no longer used as homes but can be brought back into use with some investment. People who own these homes will get a grant or a cheap loan to renovate them so they can be used: grants if the home is for social housing, loans for private use.

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg MP launched the plans with Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable on 14 January 2010.

Commenting, Nick Clegg MP said:

"Allowing thousands of houses to sit empty when millions of families have been waiting years for a home is nothing short of a scandal. These plans are a clear example of where Liberal Democrat priorities lie: creating jobs and providing more family homes."

In Hammersmith and Fulham, the other two main parties are bickering over the amount of new social housing built, with Labour claiming that almost every new home completed under the Tories was approved during the previous administration. Meanwhile the Borough has one of the worst levels of empty homes in the country.

Merlene Emerson, Liberal Democrat Candidate for Hammersmith says

"For a small authority like H&F to come in the top 20% of authorities for empty homes is disgraceful. I have been contacted by residents living in overcrowded accommodation who feel that they have no hope of being re-housed by the current Council administration.

"These new proposals by the Liberal Democrats offer practical solutions that would work in this borough. It is important to identify ways of actually helping residents and to do it in the most cost effective way in the present economic climate."

Merlene's New Year Message

3.00.00pm GMT Thu 31st Dec 2009

In a new year message to residents of Hammersmith, Merlene expresses her hopes for 2010:

"My wish for 2010 is that those in positions of power will have the wisdom and foresight to take bold steps to deal with the crises facing us today.

First the Financial crisis. We need solutions to redress UK's unbalanced economy. We cannot rely on the financial sector nor on property price rises and consumerism to get us out of the recession. We need to invest instead in our infrastructure and build up the skills of the population.

Secondly, the crisis of Climate Change. I was at the march with my Liberal Democrat colleagues before the Copenhagen Summit calling for greater cuts in carbon emissions and funding to help developing nations. What we had at the end of the Summit was merely an intention to cut emissions (to ensure no more than 2 degree Celsius rise in temperatures). This is only a start and we must build on the momentum so that a binding agreement will finally be reached.

The third crisis is the loss of faith in the Political system. This was in part due to the expenses scandal but we need to overhaul the whole electoral system so that every vote will count. I will push for the Government to hold true to their promise to have a referendum on electoral reform and bring in a fairer system of voting.

May the coming year bring a Fairer Britain, a more Peaceful World and Good Health and Happiness to everyone!"

Council Planners ride roughshod over residents views AGAIN

12.00.00pm GMT Thu 17th Dec 2009

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.

The developers want to build 66 housing units, in 3 and 4 storey buildings between Ashchurch Park Villas and Ashchurch Grove.

"Quite apart from the merits of the application, it simply reflects a total disregard by the Tory Council for proper procedure as well as riding roughshod over the legitimate views of local residents" said Henrietta Bewley, Chair of H&F Lib Dems.

Protesters claim that well over 300 signatures had been gathered of local residents and sent to the Council about the development at 282-286 Goldhawk Road, but the Council claims it only received 21 objections. However it has admitted that its notices were sent out with discrepancies in the closing dates for the consultation.

"It is totally unacceptable that the Planning Applications Committee meeting is being rushed into giving its consent to this development put forward by Council officers even before the consultation period has expired" says Merlene Emerson, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokeswoman.

Merlene continued: "This item should have been withdrawn from the 16 December PAC meeting, and rescheduled to next year, when the objections that are still flowing in can be properly evaluated and considered."

Unfortunately, this was not the case as the Council proceeded with this agenda item at the 16 Dec meeting and gave the development the go ahead. It would appear that our Council has not learnt any lessons from an earlier planning decision permitting destruction of the Goldhawk Industrial Estate being called in by the Secretary of State.

Merlene writes to local press ahead of Copenhagen Summit and challenges H&F Council to take the 10:10 pledge

12.00.00pm GMT Mon 30th Nov 2009

"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.

Labour has failed to cut emissions in the past and refuses to commit to what science demands in the future. We are still at the bottom of the European league table for levels of renewable energy, only above Malta and Luxembourg. The level of Green taxation has actually fallen whilst Labour have been in government.

The Conservatives are no better. Cameron talks the talk on the environment but his party are unwilling to take the tough policy choices that are needed. They have refused to sign up to targets for cutting emissions nationally. Neither Boris Johnson nor our Hammersmith & Fulham Council have signed up to reduce carbon emissions by 10% by 2010.

The Liberal Democrats are different. We are the only major party in UK politics who have committed to ambitious and detailed plans to cut carbon emissions. And we deliver on our commitments with more Liberal Democrat councils than either of the other two parties having signed up to the 10:10 campaign.

We also have clear policies that will make Britain carbon neutral by 2050. We will reduce emissions faster and more effectively than any other party. Liberal Democrats will make sure that every home is properly insulated within 10 years of taking power.

"There is only a small window of opportunity to stop dangerous climate change. Only the Liberal Democrats will take it."

Merlene and local Liberal Democrats quiz Council Leader Steven Greenhalgh at the townhall event

12.00.00pm GMT Wed 11th Nov 2009

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.

Merlene Emerson (the Lib Dem's Parliamentary spokesperson for Hammersmith) asked the Council leader to justify their core strategy not to increase the number of social rented property within the borough for the next 15 years. This despite the fact that there are thousands on its waiting lists coupled with real fears expressed by residents in a number of estates that their estates have been ear-marked for demolition.

Chair of local Hammersmith & Fulham Lib Dems Henrietta raised a question on planning and asked what lessons had been learnt from the controversial decision to allow the redevelopment of Goldhawk Industrial estate. Cllr Greenhalgh admitted that there were lessons to be learnt, though he was unable to say how they would affect future planning applications, including the Stowe Road Depot scheme. Asked by the Brackenbury Residents Association whether the Council would consider appointing a Design Champion, he seemed under the illusion that the borough already had one.

A range of other subjects were raised by residents including Council tax cuts and how these might affect services, the dominance of H&F News and its effect on other local papers as well as the ever perennial discussions relating to cyclists versus pedestrians rights on the road.

Merlene writes to local press about new Flight Tax which will hit travellers to the Caribbean unfairly

12.00.00pm GMT Tue 3rd Nov 2009

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.

Many in our community in Hammersmith and West London will find £75 per person Air Passenger Duty (APD) crippling especially if a whole family is travelling to attend a wedding or christening of distant relatives. We need to recognise Britain's history and the diverse heritage of our communities and have fair laws that do not penalise families based on arbitrary rules and boundaries.

The Liberal Democrats believe that this flight tax should be based on distance travelled and the carbon dioxide levels emitted instead. Furthermore, the Caribbean itself will suffer badly as they rely on tourism as a key source of revenue for the islands. The million visitors from the UK last year made a significant contribution to the Caribbean economy and a reduction in tourist arrivals will compound the economic damage already caused by recent natural disasters.

"I have come across many from Britain's Caribbean community who are angry with the injustice of this new tax. I am therefore joining my Lib Dem colleagues in Parliament in asking that the Government reconsiders their policy" said Merlene.

Merlene commemorates Black History Month at a celebratory event organised by Operation Black Vote on 29th October at Friends Meeting House

5.00.00pm GMT Fri 30th Oct 2009

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.

Merlene said: "I was hugely privileged to have the opportunity to speak alongside the founder of OBV, Simon Woolley, Higher Education Minister David Lammy MP and broadcaster Floella Benjamin."

Merlene was one of the handful of speakers invited to speak about who in black history had been their inspiration. Merlene commemorated Mahatma Gandhi, who had also inspired many others including Martin Luther King, Aung Sung Su Kyi and President Obama.

In her own way Merlene is working to highlight injustices in UK such as those affecting migrants under the new immigration Points System and asylum seekers prevented from working to support themselves.

The most significant change that Gandhi achieved was to turn India into the largest democracy in the world and Merlene said she hoped that one day democracy will move even further eastwards and that it would happen within her lifetime.

Many tower blocks in Hammersmith do not currently meet fire safety standards. The local Gazette published Merlene's letter which read as follows:

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 9th Oct 2009

"Fire safety assessments have not been carried out on 300 social housing tower blocks in London, according to a BBC London report this week (28 Sep), with Hammersmith and Fulham Council named as one of the worst culprits.

34 high-rises in Hammersmith and Fulham have not been checked for fire risks by the Council, according to the BBC, marking the council as one of the worst performing in London (after Lambeth, Greenwich and Westminster).

The report comes 3 months after the fire at Lakanal House in Southwark which killed 6 people, in a building which was known for years to have been dangerous, but which had not been professionally assessed.

We are concerned that there may be breaches of the 2005 Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order, which makes it mandatory for a fire risk assessment to be carried out before major refurbishment. This includes much of the work done under the Decent Homes programme which have been carried out by H&F Council and by H&F Homes.

The Council has readily admitted that many of the estates in the borough do not presently meet decent home standards. However, its preferred solution, to hand over the estates to private developers to be demolished and rebuilt as mixed developments, is an evasion of responsibility.

The Council must instead take immediate steps to meet its statutory obligations including on fire safety and in the medium to long term ensure that the demand for decent affordable housing can be met borough-wide."

Merlene shares Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg's vision for a Fresh Start for Britain

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Sep 2009

Returning from 4 hectic days at the Liberal Democrat Conference, Merlene is enthused to make it happen here in Hammersmith!

If you supported Labour in 1997 because you wanted fairness. You wanted young people to flourish. You wanted political reform. You wanted the environment protected. Or you simply believed in a better future. Turn to the Liberal Democrats. We carry the torch of progress now.

The choice at the next election is fake change from the Conservatives. Or real change from the Liberal Democrats. At a time like this.

A time of real crisis. Britain cannot afford to be taken in by David Cameron's illusion of change. Britain needs leadership from a party with real passion, and it's the Liberal Democrats.

There is hope for a different future, a different way of doing things in Britain, if we are brave enough to make a fresh start. So let today be the first day of the future of British politics. See http://www.nickclegg.com/ for the whole of Nick's speech at conference, and to see why the Liberal Democrats are the only party with a vision for the future, not a vision of the past.

Merlene takes part in round table discussion on Sino-British relations at the Foreign Commonwealth Office

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 9th Sep 2009

At the meeting on 8 September attended by the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband and members of the Chinese community, Merlene welcomed the Government's policies to foster China's emergence as a responsible global player and to get the best for the UK from China's rapid growth in the 21st century.

"I believe that British Chinese have a unique contribution towards this debate: in us the West does meet the East."

"Whilst we can understand the Government's interest in encouraging inward investment into UK, we would also like to see greater investment in existing Chinese and other settled communities in the UK" said Merlene.

Merlene questioned the extent to which Britain is able to influence China bilaterally and stressed the need for Britain to work within the European Union and the UN to engage China in the area of sustainable development and in strengthening international institutions.

She also the criticised the Conservatives for their Commonwealth-centric approach to international development aid and their recent announcement that they would cut any future aid to China and Vietnam. The Liberal Democrats would prefer Britain take the lead in promoting liberal, fair and democratic values and in ensuring aid reaches those who need it most, and not based on arbitrary historical links.

On the 70th anniversary of the commencement of the Second World War, Merlene attended the opening of an exhibition at the Polish Centre in Hammersmith

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 7th Sep 2009

Don't mention the war? But surely we must, for the lessons learnt in order to prevent history repeating itself.

To commemorate the beginning of the 2nd World War, Merlene and Lib Dem Friends of Poland were invited to the opening of a moving exhibition entitled 'Children Victims of War, Poland 1939" on 6 September at the Polish Centre in King Street, Hammersmith.

"It is so important to acknowledge the shared history of London's many different communities. The Polish community is an especially important one, not only because of their valued contributions to Great Britain but also because Poland is now one of the largest countries in the EU" said Merlene.

Mayor Boris Johnson is at odds with Hammersmith and Fulham Council over the planned Thames Tideway Tunnel, nicknamed the "super sewer", reports local On-line Press http://www.hammersmithtoday.co.uk/ http://www.fulhamsw6.com and http://www.shepherdsbushw12.com/

10.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 3rd Sep 2009

Furnival Gardens

On 28 August, London Mayor Boris Johnson released his draft Water Strategy for London, outlining many challenges which the capital will be facing. There are serious issues to be considered as our population is expected to rise from 7.5 million to over 9 million by 2031 with hotter summers due to climate change, and even more Victorian sewers overflowing due to heavy rain storms.

Of particular interest to residents in Hammersmith & Fulham is the Mayor's clear statement of support for "the building of the Thames Tideway tunnel under the Thames and the river Lee to greatly reduce discharges of sewage into the river and improve the quality of the water in the River Thames."

"This clearly contradicts the views held by our local Tory Councillors in Hammersmith & Fulham Council as well as the Tory Parliamentary candidate for Hammersmith who have been most vocal in their opposition to what has dubbed the super sewer" Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokeswoman for Hammersmith, Merlene Emerson was quoted saying.

"Not only had the Council unreasonably refused Thames Water's application to drill exploratory bore holes (since defeated by Court order, at needless expense to residents) but have also run an on-line petition seeking the public's support in resisting the building of the tunnel."

Mike Tuffrey, leader of the Lib Dems in the London Assembly will be asking the Mayor to request Stephen Greenhalgh, leader of H&F Council work more co-operatively with Thames Water and the Environment Agency.

"It is only through cooperation that this vital work can be done quickly, efficiently and at least cost to residents. Instead of finding solutions for Londoners, our local Tories appear to be campaigning against the super sewer as a way of winning popular votes" concluded Merlene.

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