Wandsworth Labour are freezing council tax for another year to help families through the cost-of-living crisis. 
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At the same time, we're improving services and building a better Wandsworth.

Wandsworth is bursting with creativity and culture. Our art, food and history are what makes our community such a great place to live.

Today, Fleur Anderson, MP for Putney, and Marsha de Cordova, MP for Battersea, and I have written to Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to support Wandsworth’s bid to be London Borough of Culture 2025.

Today, I brought together officials from Wandsworth Council and Wandsworth Police to discuss what we can do to make Tooting Broadway a safer, cleaner and more vibrant place to live and work.

​I am very pleased to see that Labour-run Wandsworth Council will be introducing a landlord licensing pilot scheme in Tooting and Furzedown. Private renters make up a significant proportion of local residents and a key part of our campaign in the local elections last year was to ensure that they get a fair deal.

This scheme will strengthen protections and rights for private tenants and I look forward to its successful trial in Tooting before a wider roll-out across the borough.

Tonight, I invited Wandsworth Police to join our community to discuss how they’re working with Wandsworth Council to tackle violence against women and girls.
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Making our community safe is a key priority for me. My door is always open. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

It is incredible to see the work being done in Wandsworth Town Hall by the new Labour council. Recently, it was announced that free school meals would be available during school holidays for eligible children, while parents of pupils on free school meals will also have access to uniform vouchers to help cover this expense. With the Tory cost-of-living crisis, this is a hugely beneficial scheme for hard-working families across the borough.

This is the difference that Labour makes in power and I look forward to continued close cooperation with the new council administration in order to make our communities even better places to live. For further details, see here.

​It was great to bring together local charities, faith leaders, and leader of Wandsworth Council, Simon Hogg who are all working tirelessly to support local families through the cost-of-living crisis. 

I have already been contacted by countless Tooting residents who are concerned about how they are going to pay their bills and put food on the table this winter, and I fear this will only get worse as we move further into the winter months. With so many households already feeling the squeeze, it’s crucial that we work together to tackle poverty. 

Representatives from Earlsfield and Wandsworth foodbanks as well as Dons Local Action Group and Little Village Tooting told me that they are seeing unprecedented demand at present, as more and more of those who were just-about-managing become unable to afford the basics. 

All the organisations represented spoke of the added difficulties the rise in energy prices have brought. The hike in energy prices has meant that even the local charities who are there to address the crisis are struggling to pay their bills, and this means they are less able to help those in need. This comes at the worst possible time, when demand is at it’s highest level for decades. 

Everyone at the event had numerous stories of people facing hardship, people in overcrowded accommodation, people not being able to put food on the table or buy school uniforms for their children. Many people are also concerned about how they will meet the additional cost of christmas. 

Despite heartbreaking stories, it was uplifting to see so many people who donate their time, energy and money into making things better for people in our community. I am always amazed by the generosity of people in Tooting. However, in Britain in 2022 these organisations and charitable schemes shouldn’t have to exist. It is imperative that the Government take action immediately to support people through the months ahead. 

The Local Elections are hastily approaching on 5th May. After 44 long years of Tory rule, Wandsworth needs a breath of fresh air and a Labour council. 

Over the next four weeks, I will be out on the campaign trail - knocking on doors, delivering leaflets and working to help our fantastic Labour candidates. 

I would like to thank all the local residents for their support and warm welcome on the doorstep.

Together we can turn Labour red this May!

This week the Council finally listened to us! 

Our beloved Tooting Bec Athletics Track will be saved and get the investment it so desperately needs and deserves.  

To lose such a valuable asset in our community would be a devastating blow to so many of our young people. Having this track will be useful for encouraging young people to be physically active and lead a healthy lifestyle. 

Thank you to everyone who joined the efforts to save our track!

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