#SaveTheWhittington Update – Defend London’s NHS March, 18 May

• Assemble with Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition, 11am at the hospital on Saturday

Update
All London Hospitals March Saturday 18th May
Saturday is nearly upon us – the day of the All London March to Save the NHS. We are supporting this demo since it is an opportunity for people across London to show their concerns and anger at the privatisation and cuts – in various ways- to hospital services across. London. A cut in one hospital impacts on hospital provision for us all. And there is a variety of horrible cuts proposed across London, including a total lack of spare mental health beds within the M25 area.
Please join our feeder march to the demo (via the tubes, of course!).
We are meeting outside the Whittington Hospital at 11.00 sharp, on Saturday morning. Do join us, so we can march together behind our banner
More details about the march and how you can help, such as stewarding which is still needed, can be found below. And a songsheet is attached for use during the march.

Meeting with Hospital Board
We are arranging to meet with the Board of the Hospital for them to update us with their latest plans and to answer our questions – see attached. We would like as many staff and residents there as possible. The date and time is proving difficult as the Board want this before the end if this month, when our local MPs are not free. So we are negotiating times and dates, and will keep you posted. Given the current reportedly intimidating climate for some staff at the Hospital, we have requested that no member of staff should be intimidated of victimised for attendance or for speaking at this meeting.

Next Planning Meeting
Please join us at 7.00 pm on Monday 20th May at Archway Methodist Hall, Archway Close, so that you can listen to our plans and have your say about what you think we should be doing next. There is another Board meeting on Wednesday 22nd and Hospital Open Day events. We should discuss how these have gone and whether or not we should be present.

Our Website
Our website - www.dwhc.org.uk <http://www.dwhc.org.uk/>  - has been fabulously updated. Do have a look. And do make a comment on several of the pages that might interest you. Big thanks to Tony Marshall for his work on and commitment to it,
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday

Shirley Franklin, Chair , Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition, www.dwhc.org.uk <http://www.dwhc.org.uk/>

@dwhcoalition
#SaveTheWhittington

Facebook Pages
Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/243554475615/

Please sign the petition to stop the Whittington Hospital Sell-off!
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-the-sell-off-and-cuts-at-the-whittington-hospital/sign.html


JOIN THE MARCH TO DOWNING STREET  TO DEFEND LONDON’S NHS
SATURDAY 18 MAY

ASSEMBLE 12 NOON
Concert Hall Approach ( Belvedere Road) Waterloo
Map http://goo.gl/maps/Lg6MT

MARCH TO DOWNING STREET
Rally in Whitehall 2pm

Web  http://defendlondonsnhs.wordpress.com/
facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/121307804726666/146302312227215/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity

INCLUDED IN THIS EMAIL:

• LOCAL MEET UP POINTS 
• DISABLED ACCESS
• LEAFLETS & POSTERS
• PRESS AND PUBLICITY
• STEWARDS NEEDED
• HELP MAKE PLACARDS?
• DONATIONS NEEDED
• WHAT NEXT

LOCAL MEET UP POINTS FOR THE DEMO

• Ealing Broadway tube 11am <https://www.facebook.com/events/121307804726666/146302312227215/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity>
• Earls Court Tube 11am (Warwick St exit) <https://www.facebook.com/events/121307804726666/146302312227215/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity>
• Hackney Dalston stn Kingsland Rd by 76 bus stop 11am <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hackney-Keep-Our-NHS-Public/348048028558058>
• Hammersmith Tube 11am (statue at front of stn) <https://www.facebook.com/events/121307804726666/146302312227215/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity>
• Haringey meet Turnpike Lane Tube 11am <http://defendlondonsnhs.wordpress.com/contact-us/>
• Kingston Station 11am <http://www.facebook.com/events/118213858365677/?ref=3>
• Lewisham Station 11:30 <https://www.facebook.com/events/154530164729844/>
• St Thomas Hospital 11am <https://www.facebook.com/events/121307804726666/146302312227215/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity>
• Student meet up organised by ULU <https://www.facebook.com/events/136657029858290>
• Tower Hamlets meet 11:30 Whitechapel tube <https://www.facebook.com/events/121307804726666/146302312227215/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity>
• Walhamstow Central station 11am <https://www.facebook.com/SaveWalthamForestNhs?ref=stream&hc_location=timeline>
• Whittington Hospital 11am <http://dwhc.org.uk/whats-coming-up/>

ACCESS FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES OR DIFFICULTY IN WALKING
The march route is all on roads and is wheel chair accessible. We estimate it will take about an hour.
There are a restricted number of seats on a campaign bus (which is not wheel chair accessible) for those who cannot walk the full route – please book these with us in advance.

LEAFLETS AND POSTERS
You can download black and white leaflets and posters here:
A5 Leaflet  http://defendlondonsnhs.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/18_may_bw-a5-updated-pdf.pdf
A3 Poster  http://defendlondonsnhs.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/18_may_poster_bw.pdf

STEWARDS NEEDED
If you or your group can volunteer as stewards please let us know as soon as possible or contact Anne on 07854 467373
Please can stewards meet at 10:30am at Concert Hall Approach SE1
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=concert+hall+approach+waterloo&ie=UTF-8&ei=SMWSUdHZGcSW0AXc_IDYBQ&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAg

CAN YOU HELP MAKE PLACARDS?
If you could help make placards on Wednesday or Thursday 15/16 May at 2.30pm or 6.30pm contact 07854 467373 for address.

PRESS AND PUBLICITY
Can you get your local papers to cover the demonstration?
Do you have any local patients or others who it would be good to include in a London press release?
A press release will be uploaded to the web site soon that you can use here: http://defendlondonsnhs.wordpress.com/60-2/

DONATIONS STILL URGENTLY NEEDED
This demonstration has cost thousands of pounds so all donations welcome.
Please send cheques to London Keep Our NHS Public c/o 32 Savernake Road, NW3 2JP

WHAT NEXT?

• CAMPAIGNING FOR A NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION  Sign up statement here soon
•   http://defendlondonsnhs.wordpress.com/60-2/
• HUNT FOR HUNT SATURDAY 15 JUNE http://www.savelewishamhospital.com/the-hunt-for-hunt/
• NHS ANNIVERSARY DAY OF ACTION AGAINST THE PRIVATEERS FRIDAY 05 JULY
• PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY SATURDAY 22 JUNE http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/
• WHERE NEXT TO SAVE OUR NHS: WORKSHOP TO SHARE EXPERIENCE OF CAMPAIGNS
• Next London organising meeting w/c 10 June – details tbc

More information from http://www.keepournhspublic.com <http://www.keepournhspublic.com/>
To unsubscribe please email LondonKeepOurNHSPublic@gmail.com

#Islington #anti-cuts campaigns need to revive Poll Tax struggles

•  London-wide benefits cuts federation needed
• 21% in lowest income bracket has 39% of cuts

More people are needed to challenge the government’s bedroom tax and housing benefit cap, a meeting heard recently.

Speakers and audience members said the 1980s Poll Tax campaign was a good example for today because it stopped the tax and deposed Prime Minister Thatcher.

Calls for more campaigning were heard at IHOOPS’ second bedroom tax meeting held at St Luke’s Community Centre, Finsbury on 7 May.

Campaign where people congregate

Rob Murthwaite speaking for Disabled People Against Cuts said that meetings like this created the Poll Tax campaign. He said: “We need to connect a local group with IHOOPS. We can build a national federation and we can stop the cuts.”

PCS organizer, Tony Reay highlighted the movement in the south of London. Campaigners built relationship with local groups such as tenants associations, pensioner forums and even Millwall Football Club.

He said: “We didn’t get 25,000 people to go on the Save the Lewisham Hospital march overnight. Wherever people, congregate you need to get a speaker there.”

The issue of public involvement in the bedroom tax campaign was raised by the audience. An audience member said she was concerned that people in Islington were not attending public meetings and did not know about the benefit cuts that would affect them.

IHOOPS’ secretary and meeting chair of the meeting, Suzanne Jeffery told the meeting that there were organized campaigns in Scotland, Manchester and Leeds. The Benefit Justice Summit 2 on 11 May is an opportunity to organize nationally and in London.

Bedroom tax meeting in Finsbury: more anti-cuts meetings needed

Benefit cuts means poverty

Islington’s housing leader, Cllr James Murray said that the council’s information campaign was targeting affected households. Council staff were encouraging households to apply for all the benefits available to them.

He said that the Council would support social housing and reject market-based rents.

But he warned the meeting about the impact of benefit cuts on local households. He said: “It means people living on 50p a week after rent. They will pay their rent but that means people can?t have money to spend on anything else.?

“I’m no going to lie. There are people who are going to go into poverty because of this.”

Islington councillor, James Murray: social homes and rents pledge

Eileen Short from Defend Public Housing told the audience: “Advice and information are important but these cuts can’t be managed. It’s time for words to be turned into action. Campaigns across London should link up. We are pressing Tower Hamlets Council not to evict people because of the bedroom tax. If you don’t people will blame the council for carrying it out.”

Government policy contradictions

She attacked contradictions in the government’s housing benefit policies. She reminded the audience of Cameron’s promises before and during the last election that included ‘protecting frontline services, the vulnerable in society and tenancies’.

She said that research by the charity Scope has revealed that those in the bottom 21% of household incomes were experiencing 39% of the budget cuts.

Eileen Short: people will blame councils if they evict

She pointed out that a single person would need more housing benefits if he or she moved from a two bedroom council property into a single bedroom private flat.

While, 80,000 London households are affected by the bedroom tax while 300,000 homes are overcrowded.

Tony Reay said that campaigners should develop their own vision for the welfare state. PCS has begun an educational campaign on tax avoidance and evasion. He said: “For a long time our colleagues in Inland Revenue said that £120bn are not paid in taxes. We need to start talking about tax evasion.”

Civil service union’s Tony Reay: wants togetherness to stop tax avoidance, with Suzanne and Cllr Murray

Benefit Justice Summit 2
11/05/2013
11am Central Hall, Westminster, Storey’s Gate, SW1H 9NH, http://dpac.uk.net/2013/04/benefit-justice-summit-2/  www.benefitjustice.wordpress.com, facebook.com/benefitjustice, twitter @benefitjustice

Simon Hinds

#Benefit Justice summit2 details

The event will be held in the Library at Central Hall Westminster, Storey’s Gate SW1H 9NH.
- map <http://www.c-h-w.com/location/&gt;  and directions <http://www.c-h-w.com/contact/transport/&gt; . (and see below).

Step free access is available directly from the street, through an entrance which will be sign posted. The event begins at 11am with Registration, and the first session will start at 11.30am.There is no charge to attend, but we will ask for a donation if people can afford it, to help with costs.

Opening session timetable and details:

• 11.30- 12.15   Chair Roger Lewis and Ellen Clifford DPAC
  Opening contributions:   Steve Clarke Welsh Tenants Federation, Chris Baugh PCS, Sean McGovern Unite, Ciara Doyle DPAC,  Ian Hodson BFAWU, Counihan-Sanchez Campaign;  John McDonnell MP, Albert Portillo Spanish anti-eviction campaigner,  Maria Brabiner Manchester v Bed Tax

• 12.15-1pm . What next to stop benefit cuts – discussion
• 1-1.30 break

• 1.30-3pm. Three workshops:

1. Build a local campaign to win with Leeds and Manchester campaigners
2. How to stop evictions: can the law help – Lix Davies, Phil McLeish and others
3. Universal Credit:  fighting all benefit cuts –  Pat Carmody Right to Work,  Andy Green DPAC, Jane Aitchison PCS

• 3.15- 4.15pm  An action plan  – to discuss proposals for organising to end the Bedroom tax and benefit cuts

Please get in touch if you have any questions or want any more details.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday

Eileen Short, Benefit Justice

Accessible travel and directions to the venue

The nearest wheelchair accessible tube station to Westminster Central Hall is Westminster which is on the Jubilee line but always check before you travel that there are no maintenance problems such as faulty lifts reported. Westminster is also on the less accessible district and circle lines and the venue is also in close proximity to St James station on the district and circle lines.

Buses 11, 24, 148 and 211 pass the door.

Buses 3, 12, 53, 53X, 87, 88, 109, 159 and 453 stop nearby. All London buses should have a working wheelchair ramp.

Map of the area: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=529902&y=179581&z=0&sv=SW1H+9NH&st=2&pc=SW1H+9NH&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf

To plan travel across London you can select different mobility options on Transport for London’s Journey Planner:www.tfl.gov.uk <http://www.tfl.gov.uk/&gt;

#Islington #SaveTheWhittington update, 3 May

No alternatives heard in hospital’s public meetings

As the Whittington Hospital Board’s damage limitation period continues in advance of their further FT application, reports of their ’listening to the public’ meetings are clear.

The Board claim the meetings have been ‘successful’, yet many of them have had just 5 or 6 people in attendance, many of whom are involved in the campaign to stop the sell-off. The meetings don’t allow for discussion of alternative options, but demonstrate that the Board continue to be fully committed to the sell-off and are not interested in listening to alternative viewpoints.

And now Joe Liddane says the Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition (DWHC) are not interested in talking to them. We organised the meeting of nearly 600 people as soon as we heard the news, to which the Board were invited, and where everyone, bar 3 people and themselves, voted against the sell-off. They use a picture of our meeting in their newsletter!

We have sent Joe Liddane questions to which we would like answers. But we will not hear him out in private.

We are confused that he is proud of the now £3 plus million plus surplus, made through “efficiencies”. What “efficiencies” are these? How efficient is it to cut back our health resources and reduce hospital care?

Meanwhile four Senior Managers at the Hospital have resigned….

WE remain opposed to the sell-off and demand the retention of ALL our hospital services.

18 May Demonstration

We are supporting this demonstration because we know that any cut in one hospital has an impact on other hospitals. And a lot of hospitals in London are suffering serious cuts. We will be more effective if we have a united campaign. So please help us to bring people to this demo by leafleting. You will find leaflets, as ever, in the Whittington Park Community Centre in Yerbury Road, currently they have all been used but we will be re-stocking as soon as we have more. You can email us to check if you are planning to collect.

Many thanks go to Tony Marshall for his fantastic transformation of the DWHC website, restoring it to a brilliant campaign resource, thanks for all your hard work Tony. Do pay a visit if you have not already, there are photos and videos of recent actions and your feedback on the site is welcome. You can also leave a comment on any issue of the campaign, just click on one of the headings at the top of the page and scroll down.

Planning Meeting this Monday 6 May

Our agenda includes:  Reports of 24 April Day of Action; Update on Whittington Hospital; Future activities - 18 May, leafleting, stalls, banners, placards, social, benefit gig, delegation of roles in DWHC. Plus other items that you think are important

Wednesday 8 May showing of Ken Loach  film ‘Spirit of ‘45’ 7pm, West Green Learning Centre N17

Do get in touch with us, ask other people to join us, come to our planning meeting, stay engaged in this important campaign.

Shirley Franklin, Chair, Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition

http://www.dwhc.org.uk <http://www.dwhc.org.uk/&gt;

@dwhcoalition

#SaveTheWhittington

Facebook Pages

Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/243554475615/

Please sign the petition to stop the Whittington Hospital Sell-off!

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-the-sell-off-and-cuts-at-the-whittington-hospital/sign.html

#Islington #SaveTheWhittington – post Day of Action work

 Thanks to all who participated in and helped to build our successful Day of Action. We wore our cat masks and had stunts at surgeries in Islington and Haringey and outside London Met Uni. We held a successful rally outside the Hospital, with the Whittington Unison staff, holding their banner, and then sang our way into the Board meeting. The Board, who is supposed to consult with and listen to residents, refused to let us ask a single question or make a statement. We called for them to resign. They left the Board Room, where we consequently had our own meeting. This was a really successful meeting where new people participated and put forward some great ideas.

These ideas include:

• Finding out more about Whittington’s finances, which someone reported were pretty healthy. Joe Liddane, the Chair of the Board reports on a document called Board Matters that there is a surplus of £1.3 milllion. Is this because of cuts they were already making through “savings”? 
• A closer relationship with and attendance at Health Scrutiny Committee meetings.
• Encouraging more people to participate in social media: our Facebook and Twitter accounts
• Discussion of involvement of political parties. People come from a range of parties, or none, and from community groups. We want to extend to more community groups and be inclusive, so long as the work conforms to our constitution and aims, of opposition to cuts and privatisation of our health service. People should feel free to leaflet their areas using our materials and supporting our work, but not put their logos/parties onto our leaflets etc or claim or suggest ownership of the campaign.
• Volunteers. The above means greater engagement from a wider range of people. We would appreciate more help with administrative and events work. We are thinking about holding a benefit/gig and a social. Would you like to be involved? If so do email at this address.
• Haringey 38 Degrees group is showing of Ken Loach’s film The Spirit of ’45 on 8 May 2013 at West Green Learning Centre. We can get a copy. Should we organise a showing with a speaker, eg BMA Exec member and Whitington consultant Jacky Davis?

24 April Day of Action reports and video

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAhdHXNgt8k
• http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2013/apr/stop-sell-whittington-hospital-board-abandons-public-session-campaigners-wearing-blac
• http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/chief_operating_officer_of_the_whittington_hospital_maria_da_silva_resigns_1_2167938

And see our wonderfully newly vamped up website for more. (Pictures of the different Day of Action events will be appearing soon.)

Questions for the Board of the Whittington Hospital
We have drawn up and sent the Board a series of questions (attached) and await responses. They want to meet with us in private, but we want to meet with them publicly and want answers to these questions. So we are thinking of holding a public meeting to this end. What do you think? Have you got other questions you would like asked?

Questions:

1. What is the deadline for the Foundation Trust application?
2. When will you be presenting the application to the Board?
3. Why did the Board not resign when the Budget was cut showing their commitment to a fully-funded hospital, since this cut disabled the full functioning of our local hospital?
4. What is the cost of the Board’s Open days and “Discussion” evenings to promote the sell-off plans?
5. Has the Board developed a model for transference of hospital to community care?
6. How is the Transforming the Patient Experience going to benefit patients?
7. How is the Patient Pathway Co-ordinator role going to benefit patients, given the criticisms in The Francis Report of inadequate patient engagement with staff.
8. When will the TPE be implemented?
9. What are the detailed plans to place hospital services into clinics?
10. The buildings for sale have to be used for health purposes. Does the Board have any concerns about their purchase and use by health providers?
11. Care in the Community is inefficient in that it takes up more, rather than less, staff time. How can the proposals for Care in the Community take place without an increased quota of nursing staff?
12. In what ways does the Board consider that it has consulted with the Whittington Community?
13. What opinions of the sell-off plans has the Board heard from the community, and which ones will they consider in current Foundation Trust plans?
14. Who commissioned Dictate-IT to work in the Hospital?
15. How does the use of Dictate-IT guarantee accuracy and safety in patient record-keeping?
16. Why are senior managers leaving the Hospital? Does this reflect any changes in plans? This is of concern, given that one of them was responsible for the Unipart engagement in the sell-off plans.
17. Why is the employment treatment of medical secretaries and other staff so very poor? This has an impact on staff morale and in the trust of patients and staff in care management at the Hospital.
18. How are you going to address the lack of management transparency? Changes seem to be occurring without consultation or knowledge of the staff or patients. There is a serious lack of transparency and communication, creating anger, frustration and mistrust inside and outside the Hospital.

 18 May Demonstration

This is our next priority – a joint London Hospitals campaign demo. As beds are cut across the capital there is going to a massive beds crisis. We are already reading of a crisis in A and E beds. We also now that the Whittington frequently has red alerts, with not enough beds. The crisis at the Whittington is because of the Government’s insistence on getting Foundation Trust status and underfunding of the Health Service. This is a similar situation for other hospitals. The Private Finance Initiative repayments on newer hospitals builds is proving catastrophic in other areas. But there is also a heavy payback at UCLH. 

See attached leaflet, which we will be distributing. Printed versions will be at the Whittington Community Centre in Yerbury Road. Can you help us?

8 May: See above for Haringey 38 Degrees showing of Ken Loach film The Spirit of 45

Hunt for Hunt, 15 June
On 15 June Lewisham has organised a day trip Hunt’s constituency on Surrey,where hospital campaign groups scamper after Health Secretary Hunt. It is hoped to have a Whittington/North London coach. People who want to go need to commit by paying £5, which can be refunded, because the coach is sponsored by Unite the Union. I think the coach will leave Euston station at 8.15 on that Saturday morning.
Are you up for it? Are you up for organising it?!!!
Please indicate yes or no as Lewisham would like to know the viability of us joining them.

A big, big thank you to Tony Marshall for vamping up our website. Do have a look. It is still under construction. We welcome feedback and suggestions.

Our next planning meeting is at 7.00 pm on Monday, 6 May at Archway Methodist Church Hall, Archway Close. Do join us.

 Shirley Franklin, Chair, Defend the WhittingtonHospital Coalition
www.dwhc.org.uk

@dwhcoalition
#SaveTheWhittington 

• Facebook: 

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/243554475615/

  SStop the Sell-off Event page, https://www.facebook.com/events/351416744979805/

Please sign the petition to stop the WhittingtonHospital Sell-off!
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-the-sell-off-and-cuts-at-the-whittington-hospital/sign.html

#SavetheWhittington update – 24 April, Day of Action in #Islington

The Day of Action is almost upon us. We are hoping that EVERYONE feels that they can do something to stop these awful cuts. If you are at work you could go to your surgery or local school before you have to leave for work and wear your mask and tell people about the dreadful cuts at our local hospital and the effect that privatisation is having on the NHS – ie cuts across the country and the selling off of our NHS.

You can take cards and tell people about about the all London demo on 18th May, which links up action across the various London Hospitals. We are far stronger if we join together.

Please let us know what you will be doing and where.

You can get cards and masks from the Whittington Community Centre in Yerbury Road. Or email, defendwhittington@gmail.com

These are the activities we know about:

• 8.15 Goodinge Health Centre
• Something at St Johns Way Surgery
• Protests at Hungerford School NUT and GMB, Highbury Grove School and Islington Sixth Form Centre
• Protest at Highbury Grove School
• 12.?? Sing 4 the Whitt to rally and after rally
• 1.00 London Metropolitan University , outside Tower Building in Holloway Road

1.00 Rally outside Whittington Hospital
Speakers: Dot Gibson, National Pensioners Forum, Emily Thornberry MP, Natalie Bennett, Leader of the Green Party, Catherine West, Leader of Islington Council, Frank Wood, UNITE and Kings College Hospital, George Binette, Camden Unison.Trades Council, Denis Doherty, Islington NUT, Jan Pollock, DWHC

Hopefully we will be able to sing against the sell-off from the wonderful songsheets attached
Then we will be lobbying the Board, telling them through songs what we think of the sell-off plans!

Do come and have your say at to our Planning Meeting on Monday at 7.00pm at Archway Methodist Hall.

Leafleting for 24th
We need to get the news out. Please help us.
There will be leafleting at Nags Head from 12 today, and at Highbury & Islington tube on Wednesday 11-12, or you can collect leaflets from Whittington Park Community Centre, Yerbury Road and organise your own sessions.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday and/or hearing about what you will be doing then.

Shirley Franklin
Chair
Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition
http://www.dwhc.org.uk <http://www.dwhc.org.uk>

@dwhcoalition
#SaveTheWhittington

Facebook Pages
Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/243554475615/

Stop the Sell-off Event page https://www.facebook.com/events/351416744979805/

IHOOPS calls on #Islington Council to work with community to avoid #bedroomtax evictions

IHOOPS have had extensive consultation with Islington Council to seek to produce a statement on bedroom tax evictions. Following consultation, IHOOPS has produced a statement below.

IHOOPS welcomes the promise made by Cllr Richard Greening at a meeting of Islington tenants, campaigners and trade unionists on 19 March that the council will do all in its power to avoid evicting council tenants who fall foul of the government’s bedroom tax, and the commitment by Islington Council Executive Member for Housing and Development, James Murray, that the Council will not evict people who “have no option to move and their arrears are entirely due to the bedroom tax”. This progressive stance should assist those trying to gain better policies in other councils.

We recognise the difficult position Islington Council has been put in by the imposition of this iniquitous bedroom tax by the Tory and Lib-Dem Coalition government

We call on the Council not to evict tenants who have got in to arrears with their rent due to the bedroom tax and look forward to it working with the local community to avoid such evictions.

In particular, IHOOPS urges the Council transparently to assess reasonable requests to alter the recorded number of bedrooms

We are pleased that Islington Council is keen to unite with all of us – tenants, trade unionists, community groups, anti-cuts and disability campaigners and ordinary local people concerned about social justice – who are determined to stop the Coalition government from cutting our public services, taking away our jobs, stealing our benefits and, now, kicking the poorest out of our homes to pay for a crisis caused by their billionaire friends in the City and the boardrooms.

The Council estimates that 3,000 households in Islington could lose housing benefit and get into rent arrears as a result of the bedroom tax which will come in on 1st April. Around 2000 of these households will be council tenants and 1000 will be housing association tenants.

We welcome the Council’s commitment to do all it can to protect the interests of all of Islington’s residents and should encourage all other social and private landlords in the borough to do the same.

The Coalition Government claim the policy will free up much needed larger properties in the social housing sector. It will not do this as there are simply not enough smaller properties to go around and so people will be stuck in larger properties without the means to pay the full rent. And the truth is that the current housing crisis in London does not result from under occupation of social housing, the problem is years of sell offs of social housing and failure to build replacements. The removal of rent controls has made the situation much worse.

The bedroom tax policy is a potential disaster for thousands of local residents. And at an average cost of around £11,000 per eviction we know that the council shares our view that it doesn’t make sense at even the most basic economic level.

The decision of Dundee Council to do all it can to mitigate the effect of the tax on tenants is a welcome sign of opposition to the Coalition government’s attacks on the welfare state, which we need to step up the campaign for around the rest of the country.

IHOOPS believes that now is the time to stand up to this nasty but weak and increasingly unpopular Tory and Lib-Dem Coalition government. We believe that all those opposed to the government’s attacks on the welfare state should unite to do their best to ensure that not a single Islington household loses their home as a result of this vindictive ‘tax’.

IHOOPS, as an independent organisation, will continue to oppose all evictions related to the bedroom tax and other benefit cuts.