November/December 2019

November / December 2019 19
BOOK A FREE TRIAL
SESSION NOW
Da Silva Pearce School of Performing Art
DSP
PERFORMING
Acting • Dance • Singing
Principal: Michael Da Silva Pearce
Centre Manager: Bianca Durand
Saturday Academy Ages 5 - 17
at Wanstead High School
10 TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW
Cross at Whipps
Councillor Beverley Brewer (Labour, South Woodford)
explains why she thinks South Woodford resident
Omar Salem was right when he confronted Boris
Johnson at Whipps Cross Hospital in September
Omar Salem expressed his anger over hospital
waiting times to Prime Minister Boris Johnson
during his visit to Whipps Cross Hospital
© PA images
Visit www.dsp-performing.org
for further information and to book a place
E-mail: admin@dsp-performing.org
South Woodford resident
Omar Salem was in the
news recently when he
confronted Boris Johnson at
Whipps Cross Hospital.
Accident and emergency
waiting times have been
unacceptable for years
Omar was absolutely justified to
complain about understaffing.
I was delighted to hear that
the government has finally
relented and agreed to fund new
buildings at Whipps. All credit
to those who have tenaciously
campaigned for this, not least
the hospital’s constituency MP
John Cryer. But I am concerned
this will do nothing to address
the urgent need for increased
funding for the hospital’s day to
day running costs. Accident and
emergency waiting times have
been unacceptable for years,
and the waiting list for Barts NHS
Trust is now an unbelievable
88,172 cases.
Even with the extra money,
Whipps will be overwhelmed
unless there is investment in
other NHS services as well,
including GPs, mental health and,
of course, King George’s.
Turning attention to housing, I
was pleased when local people
contacted me about the recent
George Clarke Channel 4 housing
documentary. His message was
crystal clear: “We are in a housing
crisis, in desperate need.” His
petition for a massive national
new council house building
programme won tremendous
support, with many South
Woodford residents signing – if
the government responded
positively, there would be no
need for modular housing.
So, it is disappointing that the
government has instead now
made it even harder for councils
to build new homes. George’s
points about modular housing
were similar to concerns I raised
with the planning committee
last year.
Although the modular homes
are not ideal, they are a response
to a desperate situation and are
far better than the temporary
accommodation many of our
most vulnerable residents are
currently offered. The council is
committed to building 600 new,
permanent, affordable council
homes for rent on existing
council owned sites by 2022.
One of my top priorities after
getting elected last year was to
improve street cleaning locally.
This is a real challenge for the
council, as we have had over half
of our funding (£133m) removed
by central government. So, I
was delighted when the council
agreed to invest an extra £1m
a year to clean our borough’s
streets, including special
attention for our area. This was
strongly supported by local MP
Wes Streeting.
New street cleaning
arrangements are due to
commence by November. I will,
of course, be keeping a close eye
on this – as your local councillor
who lives in the ward, I am out
and about every day – and as
always, I will be keen to hear the
views of local people.
Beverley is a Labour councillor for South Woodford ward.
Call 07741 329 779 or email beverley.brewer@redbridge.gov.uk