Members of the London Alliance Protest the Labour Voting System

(Evening Standard - 21st February 2000)

SYNOPSIS OF POLICY STATEMENTS

THE LONDON ALLIANCE
Save our DEMOCRACY

THE LONDON ALLIANCE believes people should have control over their own lives; the 32 boroughs and the City of London should be broken up and each divided into self-governing urban villages or townships - 15 to 20 in each borough - so government is based on real communities. That is what local politics is about. We must put an end to big faceless bureaucracies. We, in the voluntary sector in London, are 3,000,000 strong. Can we start to give ourselves a political dimension in all local and regional elections, by putting up independent candidates? Are we mere 'subjects'? Is it not time we were citizens? It will not be given to us, we have to earn it, take it, make it our own. The Mayor's powers are limited, although he/she can have an input in influencing every aspect of our city. Our policy for London is written without limitation. The extent to which it relates to the powers of the Mayor needs continual examination.

TRANSPORT

An integrated public transport system. Keep the Underground in the public sector; prepare a strategic transport plan for London, integrate and increase all public transport; introduce comprehensive, surface, electric, public transport for south of the river to join the Tube; cut all public transport fares by half now and aim to phase out all fares; put two staff back on all buses: cancel the St Pancras Channel Tunnel Rail Link; make use of the Thames as traffic artery; commission new, fast, quiet river-craft;examine possibilities of an official London park-and-ride system for all of London; prioritise facilities for pedestrians; create and protect Home Zones a max 20mph

ENVIRONMENT

Clean up London: make London a green city, pollution-free; recycle all wastes in a sustainable/energy saving way; efficient public transport; well insulated homes; planting millions of trees/shrubs to clean the air and beautify the city; ensure that the Thames is purified; create more wildlife habitats and reduce noise pollution.

DRUGS

Decrimilisation of drugs and community drug education. Break criminal drug barons by decriminilisation of users (18 and over); enforce legislation against those selling drugs illegally; intensify campaign against the dangers of hard drugs; introduce sale of pure drugs under public control; conduct a drug education.

EDUCATION

Equality of education opportunity State schools should offer the same facilities as the best in the independent sector; should be open 8am to 6pm and provide three well-designed nutritous meals; teachers numbers to be doubled and a 'fair' wage to be paid; games and PT to be a matter of right.

ARTS

To encompass the whole of London's culture and diversity. Work with schools so children can take advantage of the rich facilities offered by museums, theatres and libraries; work with local authorities to re-establish Leisure and Recreation Depts.

HOUSING

Provision of housing for all. The GLA should aim to be given responsibility to work with local communities to develop a strategic programme to meet housing need. Free-up land to enable the building of the thousands of new homes required, based on a rapid assessment of need; integrate rehabilitation, new building and conversion programmes to provide affordable homes; use money from council house sales, past and present, for these purposes; create more sustainable development to meet Agenda 21 requirements and encourage environmental initiatives, including self-build projects; building on the Greenbelt to be absolutely prohibited and applications for the building on green field sites to be referred to the Greater London Assembly aim to reduce council rent substantially and integrate housing associations into overall housing strategy; remove VAT on refurbishment of housing; control rents in the private sector.

RACE

Recognising and celebrating London's cultural diversity. Develop a strategy to eliminate racial discrimination and incorporate such in all key policies; assist in building relationships with the police and the community and instigate independent investigation into complaints; work with Education Authorities to combat discrimination and under achievement in schools; work towards increasing the ratio of teachers, governors etc. from ethnic groups; promote a positive appreciation of multi-culturalism; raise the issue of reintroducing contract compliance as a legitimate means of promoting fairness and equality; work with Housing Authorities and other to achieve more effective action against people who are guilty of racial harrassment and to provide better support for victims

YOUTH

Young people to take forward policy as a discussion document with interested groups. Assist the process of young people developing policies backed by finance and infrastructure to meet their particular requirements; provide immediately a cheaper/free public transport service to meet the particular needs for school/late night travel; assist in providing and improving youth club and sporting facilities; provision of counselling as required; facilities for training for all types of work and social responsibility without compulsion.

POLICE

Build a better relationship between police and public. Develop a strategy of neighbourhood and community policing; create wide opportunity for contact with schools, the medical profession, social workers and other social interactive agencies; put in place training based on awareness to cope with situations without prejudice; build a culture of working efficiently and sympathetically, without loss of authority, with all sectors of the community and concentrate on developing personal skills/ abilities to resolve conflict situations; establish measures to direct the force to be more representative of the population from top to bottom; re-establish police sector housing; review the London allowance and develop new incentives in association with the unions; allow each police committee some finance in which to develop projects with the community.

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