Author: Andy Achilleos

Stop Letting Private Developers Off the Hook

Stop Letting Private Developers Off the Hook

Andy Achilleos

A concerning precedent has been set in recent months by Havering Council’s Planning Department, which arguably counteracts attempts to tackle the housing crisis for local people. In October the CPA studios development in Romford came to my attention, where IPE North Street Ltd proposed to pay £693,936 in lieu of delivering five social rent homes on the 66-unit site. On the face of it this money can be used to deliver those properties as part of another project, but the real issue here is it provides a ‘get out of jail free’ card for any developer looking to avoid delivering 35% affordable units, passing the buck onto the authority. This move will lead to both a decline in homes local people can afford and will undermine social cohesion by creating ‘exclusive’ estates.

Whilst I always champion council housing at traditional low rents, I also understand the need for mixed tenancies as well. The worrying trend in Havering is counter-productive to both and hands power to private developers. Housing developments, if properly planned, rarely lose money. Local authorities are therefore in a position of strength, as primary landowners, to ensure developers are building homes that residents can afford.

The reality is that most people on housing waiting lists simply cannot afford the standardised “affordable” option which comes in at 80% of market rents, and the new fad of shared-ownership as an “affordable” option leaves people, primarily young people, trapped.

Councils should correlate affordability to average local wage levels, ensuring that “affordable” means no more than a third of the average local income on a borough by borough basis.

We’ll be told that this isn’t viable. However, the truth of the matter is that if the political will is there it can be done. It’s time to challenge developers’ notion of viability, designed to maximise their profits at the expense of the housing needs of local families. Basing a development on a 15–35-year return hikes the rents up and is contrary to the interests of millions across the country, pushing many in areas like Romford further away from the security of a home.

The Becontree Estate in Dagenham was built 100 years ago, it remains the most ambitious and largest council housing scheme in the United Kingdom. It was built on a 45-year return model, provided good quality family homes with supporting social infrastructure, and has paid for itself over and above. Whilst an early 20th Century renaissance isn’t the answer, we can learn a lot about sustainable place making from the Becontree Estate.

Stop letting private developers off the hook, start holding them to account. Romford deserves a better future and neither private nor so called “affordable” housing is the answer that young people, families, and all those in between desperately need.

Armed Forces Day – A Better Future for Service Personnel and Veterans

Armed Forces Day – A Better Future for Service Personnel and Veterans

Andy Achilleos

Our Armed Forces are essential to our national defence, resilience, and our global obligations. From operations abroad which keep us safe to supporting local communities throughout the pandemic, dedicated service personnel deserve our thanks.

This Saturday is Armed Forces Day, which is a great opportunity to show our appreciation and raise awareness of the Armed Forces and our veterans. However, after over a decade of Conservative cuts to our military, simply raising a flag just isn’t good enough.

Since 2010, the Conservatives have cut the Army to its smallest size in 300 years. The Government has cut the full-time strength of our Armed Forces by over 40,000 servicemen and women. One in five of our ships have been removed from the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, and more than 200 aircraft have been taken out of active RAF service since 2017.

The Conservatives have successfully peddled the myth that they are the party of the Forces, but their actions tell a different story. They are responsible for systematically dismantling our military and only the Labour Party has a plan to support both serving personnel and our veterans. There are around 7,000 veterans living in Barking and Dagenham, and 9,000 in Havering – the sixth highest veteran population in London.

In Dagenham, where we have a Labour MP and a Labour council, veterans get support with housing, local business are signed up to a commercial charter which guarantees an interview for unemployed veterans, they get free access to leisure facilities, and much more to help with the transition back into civilian life.

In Havering, where we have a history of Tory control (recently taken by Independents), with two Conservative MPs, veterans get a very different experience. The council refers them to external organisations for support and has failed to renew its 2012 commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant – a social pact that Labour in Parliament are pressing to be enshrined into law.

Over the past 12 months Labour has been calling on Ministers to halt their proposals to cut yet another 10,000 troops from the army. In 2021 Labour MPs mounted an ongoing campaign to amend the Armed Forces Bill, promoting a new duty of care to allow personnel to receive better legal, welfare, employment, and housing support.

We have a proud service history across Dagenham and Rainham, and as we thank the Armed Forces community this weekend, we must also look to our neighbours in Romford and Hornchurch & Upminster.

Active servicemen and women, their families, and our veterans desperately need Labour MPs who will fight for them and deliver a better future in Havering.

LBBD Youth Climate Summit 2022

LBBD Youth Climate Summit 2022

Andy Achilleos

On Monday 14 March 180 young people from across 31 schools came together at Jo Richardson Community School to participate in Barking and Dagenham’s first Youth Climate Summit. Facilitated by Votes for Schools, E.on, and Connected Kerb, it was a chance for young people to feed into the council’s Zero-Carbon Roadmap. Martin Offiah MBE, Brand Ambassador for Connected Kerb and British sporting hero was the special guest who spoke passionately about his journey and why taking action to protect the environment is so important, particularly for the next generation.

As the Member Champion for Climate Change in Barking and Dagenham, I provided some closing remarks at the end of the day.

The full text can be found below.

*STARTS*

My name is Councillor Andrew Achilleos, and I am the Member champion for Climate Change here in our borough.

Lots of people see climate change as a distant threat, something that doesn’t affect them. People think about deforestation in South America, or wildfires in Greece.

Last year a tornado ripped through the streets of Barking and there are increasing flood risks in areas like ours that have a high concentration of waterways. Climate change is happening here and now.

If we want to avert a climate disaster it will take enthusiastic young people like you, who are passionate about the environment and want to make the world a better, safer, and more sustainable place to live.

It’s my job to champion your ideas, and to advise the council leadership.

I was interested to hear your thoughts on our priorities, and I’ve picked out one in particular regarding waste and recycling. Barking and Dagenham currently recycles only 25% of its waste, the lowest rate in London. We must do better, and we will.

I agree with you that 35% by 2030 is too low a target, and I’ll be taking this back to the council for discussion as we further develop our plans.

You will be pleased to know that we are already working incredibly hard to tackle climate change in Barking and Dagenham.

  • We’re using new technology to properly insulate our oldest homes, because poorly insulated housing is responsible for around 30% of our carbon emissions.
  • We’re also helping people switch to renewable energy, investing in solar and heat pump technology.
  • We’re encouraging people to drive electric vehicles and working with Connected Kerb, we are installing 250 charge points this year, and 2000 by 2026.
  • We are also working hard to educate our residents to reduce, reuse and recycle. A big part of what we are trying to do is change people’s behaviour, encouraging residents to make responsible choices.
  • In 2019 we pledged to start phasing out single use plastics from our organisation, and we’re now looking at ways we can use recycled materials like plastics in the future, to develop new infrastructure such as roads and footpaths.
  • And we are planting thousands of trees across the borough, not only in our parks but on our streets and outside your schools to improve air quality.
  • Last year we made a pledge to double our canopy cover by 2040and we’re already off to a great start with the new Forest of Thanks in Parsloes Park where 40,000 trees have now been planted by volunteers – boosting biodiversity, storing carbon and rainwater, and improving the air we breathe.

In the future we want people to think of Barking and Dagenham as the Green Capital of the Capital.

This is just the beginning of our journey to net-zero, there is a lot of work to do, but it starts here, with you, and with us.

We can avoid a climate crisis, but only if we work together as a community.

Thank you.

*ENDS*

Member Champion for Climate Change Annual Report 2020/21

Member Champion for Climate Change Annual Report 2020/21

Andy Achilleos

Over the last 12 months, we have seen a significant acceleration of global climate change, which has had local manifestations in Barking and Dagenham. We have seen flash floods and an unprecedented tornado rip through our streets. We have some of the poorest health outcomes relating to air pollution in London and the time for action on this is now.

I am wholeheartedly dedicated to the cause and want to see a greener, healthier borough in the coming years. The reality is that we cannot avert climate change now, but we can plan for and in many cases mitigate the worst effects.

Part of the solution is educating towards behavioural change, part of it is legislating with future generations in mind. There are nature-based solutions and there are solutions rooted in how we deliver services sustainably. The bottom line is that we all have a part to play, and the council aims to lead by example.

Since I last reported back, the council has been making great strides towards realising its ambition of becoming the green capital of the capital. Our climate targets fall under three broad categories which I have worked to influence over the past year and a half, these are the built environment, transport, and our parks and open spaces. I have also played a key role on the Air Quality Action Plan Steering Committee and helped Cabinet Members drive the policy forwards. Since its introduction I have instigated a quarterly monitoring committee bringing together heads of department to ensure that targets and actions are delivered to improve the air we breathe.

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has approx. 18,000 homes that require deep retrofitting which includes internal and external wall insulation, loft insulation, heat-pump technology, solar panels etc. the cost of which is c.£85k per unit, which poses a significant challenge.

One of my early suggestions was to work alongside other local authorities with similar housing stock in order to establish a collective position whereby we can tender out the work in phases to bring down costs. This process started in December 2020 and officers are currently working on a long-term plan to decarbonise the boroughs housing stock alongside a delivery partner.

In addition to this, I’ve also been looking at development, making sure that we are building sustainably and mitigating any air quality impacts from the construction process. Throughout the past year I have been meeting regularly with Be First to discuss upcoming projects, through this I have instigated an audit of contracted construction companies to ensure they meet environmental standards, and have launched a review of funding streams for green infrastructure such as Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), S106 and the Carbon Offsetting Fund.

TRANSPORT

Since the start of 2021 I have been an active member of the Walking and Cycling Strategy Steering Committee. The committee was established to devise a phased investment plan to improve the connectivity of our borough. They key focus of the strategy is to improve active travel options and make our roads safer for all users – motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. My input has helped establish our priority schemes, which for next year will be improving the cycle route from north to south from Marks Gate to Dagenham Dock.

When I was young I never learned to ride a bike, so as part of promoting active travel I met up with Vandome Cycles and Sustrans for a ‘bikeability’ training session, which is offered to local residents in Mayesbrook Park free of charge every Wednesday. Active travel has a number of benefits, not least reducing emissions and helping to keep people fit and healthy. 

I have also worked alongside other ward councillors, advising on schemes to improve the street scene, making short journeys more appealing for residents on foot. Two excellent examples are Rainham Road South and Whalebone Lane South.

When it comes to electric vehicles (EV) the reality is that at present the borough has low ownership. However, the government are phasing out the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles which means over the next decade motorists will rely on EVs and the infrastructure will need to reflect that. I have attended many national stakeholder conferences and have worked closely with Be First and the council to influence our EV strategy. As with all progressive policies the local authority is aiming to lead by example and is in the process of electrifying its fleet.

In terms of public transport, I am working hard to lobby Transport for London to ensure that our bus stock is fully upgraded so that all busses operating in the borough are hybrid, electric or hydrogen. The Thames Clipper is also coming to Barking Riverside which will alleviate pressures on the c2c line, and Crossrail is on the way, albeit late.

PARKS AND OPEN SPACES

The natural world is my real passion and over the last year, as Covid restrictions have eased the ‘Wild and Free in LBBD’ scheme which I launched in 2020 has really come to life. The Park Rangers have worked incredibly hard to develop an engaging programme of events for families at Eastbrookend Country Park, and I have worked alongside them and officers to make the rebranded Discovery Centre a real destination for residents and visitors. Part of this process has been the opening of the Eastbrookend Tea Room which has brought a new energy to the centre, attracting hundreds of residents and visitors to the borough through its doors. Check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EastbrookendCountryParkTeaRoom

This has been an amazing and transformative 12 months for our parks, and I am proud to have played an advisory and practical role in shaping some of the projects. In December 2020, alongside delivery partners SUGi and The Conservation Volunteers we planted 32,000 trees in Parsloes Park creating the largest ‘Miyawaki’ forest in the United Kingdom, the revolutionary planting method uses native trees and brings a host of increased environmental benefits. More here: https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/parsloes-park-forest-of-thanks

Earlier this year I joined the Cabinet Member for Public Realm in opening the Ripple Greenway. This previously disused space was reimagined by Sustrans and Trees for Cities and a new linear park was delivered. The park features a number of sculptures based on ‘The Lost Words’ by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris. More here: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/projects/2021/london/the-ripple-greenway-bringing-neglected-greenspace-to-life

The Dagenham Corridor received a make over last year which included new wayfinding/signage, benches and accessible pathways. Following this Beam Parklands and Eastbrookend Country Park both received Green Flag awards at the start of 2021, and the Discovery Centre even featured on Transport for London’s 150 years of cultural heritage poster. Building on this success the Park Rangers and comms team have developed and launched a fantastic new website dedicated to the borough’s country parks: https://barkinganddagenhamcountryparks.com/

In July I submitted a motion to the council to double canopy cover across the borough by 2040. Officers are currently working on a strategy to deliver this through new woodland creation projects, and an increase in street tree planting. At the very start of the year, I sat on the BD Giving Panel which awarded £20k to the River Roding Trust for them to deliver more trees along the River Roding on the western border of the borough.

This has been a very exciting and busy year as Member Champion for Climate Change. In the coming months I hope to continue building on the borough’s achievements to ensure that we realise our vision to become the green capital of the capital.

Recognition for our Teachers

Recognition for our Teachers

Andy Achilleos

Teachers are fast becoming the forgotten frontline in the covid recovery. There appears to be ample support within the labour movement calling for NHS pay rises, better working conditions for those in the gig economy, and greater protections for shopworkers – all valid and necessary campaigns – but very little by way of supporting those in the education sector.

Are we that quick to forget how teachers sacrificed their safety to look after the children of NHS staff and other keyworkers during successive lockdowns? It was teachers who facilitated the work of our frontline heroes, yet there seems to be little recognition of their contribution during the pandemic.

The education sector, along with everything else has been subject to over a decade of Tory neglect and harsh cuts to funding. Now, following the pandemic the government has unveiled a pitiful £1.4bn recovery package that will equate to around £6,000 per primary school – barely touching the sides. Labour is calling for a £15bn comprehensive package which would include:

  • Small group or one-on-one tutoring.
  • Breakfast clubs and activities for every child.
  • Quality mental health support for children.
  • Continued professional development for teachers.
  • Targeted extra investment from early years to further education to support young people who struggled most with learning in lockdown.

I have no doubt that if delivered this would reduce the educational impact of the pandemic on children. Having lost eight weeks plus of education it is totally understandable that there needs to be a focus on ‘catching up’ so that we can ensure children who missed key milestones do not miss out on opportunities later in life. However, most of the deliverables stand to put additional strain on teachers, creating more work and stress for no extra benefits.

Even before the pandemic the education sector was haemorrhaging teachers in record numbers. As someone married to a primary school teacher, I have seen first-hand the realities of the teaching profession – leaving for work at 6am, returning home at 7pm to continue marking and completing other tasks until 10pm. Yet teachers are only contracted to work approx. seven hours per day.

Neither the ‘Vision and mission’ or the ‘Priority outcomes’ of the Department for Education’s 2021/22 Delivery Plan mentions teachers. The Tory education recovery strategy does not mention teachers, and Labour’s plan only references that there will be more training and development on offer. I bumped into a teacher recently who was on three weeks leave due to stress and exhaustion. How on earth can we expect ‘outstanding’ outcomes when children are reliant on educators who are regularly pushed to physical and emotional extremes?

This week’s call from Wes Streeting MP to reduce class sizes, which have grown across the board by 20% under a Tory government are welcome, and whilst the priority is given to supporting children, it will undoubtedly have benefits for teachers. This is a good start but more needs to be done. We need to make a better offer for our teachers and as a start I would suggest the following:

  • Teachers working hours need regulation, which means that our expectation of what they should be delivering needs regulation.
  • Clear role parameters need to be set, as too many teachers are now operating as social workers and in extremes some are performing basic parental duties such as potty training.
  • The pay needs to be re-evaluated to reflect the challenges of modern teaching in a post-Covid world, as does the training and skills development.
  • Quality mental health support must be provided on-site for teachers to reduce the need for stress leave and create a more positive teaching environment.
  • Schools must be given funding to employ more support staff, to help deliver extra-curricular activities such as breakfast clubs and catch-up provisions.

There is a real worry that the education recovery strategy will prove to be the straw that broke the camels back for what is fast becoming a fragile education system in England. The best way to support our children, ensuring that no child is left behind, is to ensure our educators have the support they need to deliver outstanding outcomes.

Promoting Active Travel in Barking and Dagenham

Promoting Active Travel in Barking and Dagenham

Andy Achilleos

Barking and Dagenham Council in association with Vandome Cycles, Sustrans and Be First offer a fantastic range of cycle training options across the borough for children and adults. Whether residents are new to cycling, or just want to brush up on their skills. Training is free and available to anyone who lives, works or studies in the borough.

The council is currently developing a new Walking and Cycling Strategy and steering committee member Councillor Andrew Achilleos, the Member Champion for Climate Change, has been looking at ways to encourage residents to make shorter journeys on foot or by bike.

Cllr Achilleos said: “We know that travelling from one side of the borough to another, or from somewhere like Marks Gate to Dagenham East is difficult without a car. However, research shows that a high percentage of people are still driving five minutes up the road for a pint of milk.

“That’s why we are trying to make it more appealing and easier for residents to walk or cycle short distances by improving existing cycle networks, creating new ones, and changing the character of our streets. The Walking and Cycling Strategy is about creating routes that work for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to better connect growth areas and existing communities across the borough.”

Active travel has a number of benefits, not least reducing emissions and helping to keep people fit and healthy. During a recent meeting it came to light that Councillor Achilleos could not ride a bike, so on Thursday 15 July he met up with cycle instructors from Vandome Cycles for some training.

Cllr Achilleos explained: “I like to practice what I preach and if I can pick up cycling at 34, anyone can do it. When I got on the bike it was a case of finding the confidence in myself to stay upright, once I had that it was a fun experience. Richard from Vandome Cycles was a great instructor and I would encourage residents of all ages to book in on a training course during the summer!”

Sessions are held from 4pm to 8pm on Wednesdays at Jim Peters Stadium in Mayesbrook Park. You can receive one-to-one training from a qualified instructor in the following:

  • Basic cycle skills: Practice off-road and learn the basics. Improve your skills to cycle confidently through your local area.
  • Urban cycle skills: Practice off-road and then move on to quiet roads to refresh your cycling technique.
  • Advanced cycle skills: Learn how to improve your cycle skills at complex junctions, in heavy traffic or at night.

Why not arrange your first session for free today?

Contact Vandome Cycles by email: info@vandomecycles.co.uk or call 020 8220 3075.

Jobs, a Green Recovery and our National Story

Jobs, a Green Recovery and our National Story

Andy Achilleos

‘Jobs, jobs, jobs’ seems to have become the 1997-esq Labour Party mantra of the Covid-era. The economic impact of Covid-19 has left over 500,000 young people out of work and nearly 2 million working age people unemployed nationally, so the sentiment behind our message is on point.

That being said, ‘Jobs, jobs, jobs’ can’t mean a new supermarket for every town, or an entirely digital future which I fear would produce an economy built on sand. Our new mantra must create good meaningful work which moves us away from the society theorised by David Graeber in ‘Bullshit Jobs’. It seems obvious to me that we should tread the path of a ‘green recovery’ from the pandemic, investing in job creation across sectors such as manufacturing, construction, energy production and agriculture.

I probably have very few if any of the answers that the Labour Party needs, but it seems to me that we should embark upon a pragmatic retelling of our national story that empowers and fundamentally employs communities in meaningful green work.

Part of the problem at present is that many jobs offer little by way of emotional or motivational reward, there are millions of people working just to live. I would argue that social structures in the UK perpetuate the use of individuals as a means to drive economic growth which, in turn devalues and undermines their Labour – giving many a sense of worthlessness. A good contrast to this would be to look at the world of work during times of war. Though it was hard in the factories and working the land, people felt they were contributing rather than being used in the war effort. Their work had meaning and national importance. They were part of something bigger.

The pandemic provides us with a unique opportunity to change the drivers of our economy and to create jobs which offer individuals well paid work of value that contributes to wider society. Retelling our national story means bringing people back in from the cold across rural areas and those hit hardest by the pandemic, providing the skills training necessary for them to shape our future and a new national identity rooted in green industries.

Whilst Labour have spoken about a retraining programme it doesn’t go far enough. A recent document from Friends of the Earth “An emergency plan on green jobs for young people” suggests a £40 billion green infrastructure programme creating 1 million jobs, and a £10 billion a year scheme to create 250,000 green apprenticeships in England and Wales is necessary. This may seem like a colossal investment, but the same document outlines that 1 year at the current rate of youth unemployment could cost up to £39 billion in wage scarring across local economies.

At present, adaptations for climate change and the ‘green agenda’ feel like an inconvenience, or something unimportant to many. This is especially true in more deprived areas. It is perceived as a middle-class problem and our policies thus far have failed to resonate with the working-classes – unsurprisingly people do not want to hear about trees, solar panels, and electric vehicle infrastructure when they can’t afford to feed their children.

However, as we stare down the barrel of a once-in-a-lifetime simultaneous employment and environmental crisis, now is the time to marry up our green ambitions with the economic needs of the nation. Putting the emphasis on decent work for decent pay with ‘saving our planet in the process’ as a by-line is the way to bring people with us. If we fail to offer ‘real’ work that includes people in the national story, there is a risk of disenfranchising millions of people from our journey as we rebuild Britain and reconfigure society.

World Wildlife Day 2021

World Wildlife Day 2021

Andy Achilleos

This letter was published in The Barking and Dagenham Post on Wednesday 3 March 2021.

Wednesday 3 March is World Wildlife Day. As I sit down to write this letter the sun is shining, and the daffodils are in bloom adding a splash of colour to Barking and Dagenham. Soon we will be greeted by tulips, bluebells and blossom. All signs that whilst our lives have undergone huge change, the world continues to turn.

Last year many of us discovered for the first time, that nature can have a profoundly positive impact on our physical and mental well-being. When inner city families had only concrete jungles for exercise, we in Barking and Dagenham had award-winning parks to explore. Adding to this, the council embarked on an ambitious planting project which delivered the ‘Forest of Thanks’ – 32,000 trees in Parsloes Park for future generations to enjoy.

We share our borough with a diverse range of wildlife, from the newts in our ponds and the kingfishers along our streams, to the pied wagtails in our carparks. As lockdown eases and we slip back into old routines I hope residents will continue to explore the outdoors. Take a moment and you may be surprised to find there are natural marvels in the most unexpected of places.

World Wildlife Day also provides an opportunity to recognise that we are part of something bigger, and that the choices we make locally have a ripple effect across the country and beyond. Faced with a climate and ecological crisis, the decisions we make in Barking and Dagenham this year both as individuals and as a community could not be more important.

Councillor Andrew Achilleos – Member Champion for Climate Change

Member Champion for Climate Change Update

Member Champion for Climate Change Update

Andy Achilleos

The following update was delivered at Full Assembly on 30 September 2020.

Climate change and wider environmental issues such as biodiversity loss and air quality are my passions, and in the short space of four months I have already started to work on some exciting projects across the borough, which I look forward to updating colleagues on throughout the coming year as things take shape.

Often when people think of climate change and the environment, they think of fossil fuels, trees, wildlife, pollinators etc. all crucial things to consider, but actually it goes wider and is more deep rooted into our everyday lives than that.

It’s the developments we build, it’s the products we buy, the way we travel and the things we eat.

Historically when people think of Barking and Dagenham they think of Ford and industry, but in the future, I want to see the Leader’s vision realised where our borough is seen as ‘the green capital of the capital’.

This isn’t without it’s challenges.

Something which is often missing from the climate change debate is how its impacts will disproportionately affect traditional working class communities such as those in Barking and Dagenham,

Yet our communities are often hard pushed to adapt, especially after a decade of Tory cuts to local government budgets, public spending, and support for those that need it most.

It’s hard to shop ethically when you’re trying to provide for your family on a shoestring, and it’s hard to justify and find the time to visit Britain’s national parks with so many other pressures.

That is why as a local authority we have to look at an ethos from the past to improve our future – before the 1840’s there were no public parks in Britain. The Victorians introduced the idea of bringing the countryside to the city – encouraging communities to enjoy and feel a sense of ownership over the outdoors.

In the coming months I will be working on a number of comms projects that seek to engage and empower our residents to explore and enjoy our parks and open spaces. I have also been in touch with some of our neighbours to look at best practice on how we establish active ‘friends groups’ which will seek to educate and instil in our residents a greater sense of ownership over their local parks and nature reserves.

In addition to this I am liaising with colleagues in BeFirst about increased cycle infrastructure. Making the most of new funding streams available due to the pandemic. Trying to pull something positive out of these difficult times.

I’ve been building relationships with our Ranger Service, horticultural teams and external partners to help increase canopy cover which will deliver a wide range of benefits to our residents.

Next month I’ll be on site with the cosy homes team, safety guidelines permitting, to see the invaluable work they are doing to retrofit and insulate homes across the borough – as around 30-40% of carbon emissions come from the built environment nationally.

Lots of this work has already been set in motion by Cllrs Ashraf and Geddes – for example the Gascoigne regeneration project is now seen as a benchmark for sustainable development, and the Wild and Free in LBBD project has already seen local families venturing into our parks in greater numbers.

With that – I’m really excited to see what achievements we can make together in the coming year.

Thank you.

Why I’m standing to be a Labour London Assembly candidate

Why I’m standing to be a Labour London Assembly candidate

Andy Achilleos

First published on LabourList: https://labourlist.org/2020/01/andrew-achilleos-why-im-standing-to-be-a-labour-london-assembly-candidate

I’m standing to be Labour’s GLA candidate for Havering and Redbridge because I know just how much local people need a strong Labour voice to represent their interests in City Hall.

The Tories have held Havering and Redbridge for 20 years, leaving residents across two boroughs without a seat at the table on the issues that matter.

If members put their faith in me when ballots drop next week, we can change that.

Having worked for Jon Cruddas MP over the last eight years, I’ve made a name for myself by consistently winning elections against the odds. I’m the candidate best placed to beat Keith Prince because I did it two months ago when he organised the Tory campaign against us.

If selected I hope to stand on a bold agenda;

  • I will work across sectors to improve air quality and lead a green transformation thatmakes our parks and open spaces the best in London;
  • I will campaign for more investment in the Metropolitan Police and work alongside Labour colleagues to champion a multi-agency approach to violent crime; and
  • I will put council housing at the forefront of my campaign. I’ll challenge ’viability’ models and hold developers to account, ensuring we build truly affordable council homes.

As Deputy Chair of Overview and Scrutiny in Barking and Dagenham I have first-hand experience of being a ‘critical friend’ and if I make it to City Hall. I won’t be afraid to speak up for Havering and Redbridge.

These aren’t just words on a screen, I have a proven record of delivery.

My work for Jon Cruddas has seen us save Dagenham police station twice, halt plans to build a super-prison in the area, save the iconic Civic Centre which is now a university and I’m currently organising Jon’s campaign against a mass waste incinerator which would damage air quality.

I have always been passionate about the environment, and since being elected as a Labour Councillor in Barking and Dagenham I have worked tirelessly to make the area cleaner and greener.

Over the last two years I have; introduced a motion to phase out single use plastics, led an in-depth scrutiny review into environmental sustainability, fundraised to get nature book ‘The Lost Words’ into every primary school, and I am a key stakeholder helping to shape our Air Quality Action Plan.

In January 2019 Barking and Dagenham also adopted the Mental Health Charter which I drafted, aiming to end stigma and discrimination – supporting those in need across our community.

It is fair to say over the last eight years in the Labour movement I have gone from strength to strength. However, like many in London, my life hasn’t always been plain sailing.

I started out working down the markets in Walthamstow and Harringay. I grafted all through my education and I know what it’s like to make the choice between eating or paying the bills. I also found myself homeless for just over four years – a low priority for limited council housing stock, whilst not earning enough to rent privately. These aren’t unique experiences.

As a Labour GLA candidate I would be a strong advocate for council housing, the environment, police investment, improving transport networks and supporting our local high streets. Above all I will be a strong voice for Havering and Redbridge, making sure that the outer boroughs are not forgotten in the 2020 Labour manifesto for London.

Having lived and worked in the GLA constituency for most of my life it would be a great honour to represent Labour this May. That’s why I’m asking members to vote for me in the coming weeks. Together we can secure a Labour victory in Havering and Redbridge.