Labour’s investing £2m a week to upgrade council homes right
across Lambeth. It was a pleasure to join residents’ leader
Dave McEvoy on a walkabout of the Weir Estate in Balham to see how
the work’s improving people’s lives there.
The funding for the Weir Estate came through after Dave and
other residents joined forces with their local Labour councillors
to demand action. Two of those councillors, Lib Peck and
Diana Morris, joined us on the visit and so did our hard-working
Greater London Assembly member Valerie Shawcross. Dave led us
through the estate to see the new double-glazed windows being
installed to replace the worn-out old metal-frame
windows.
Dave introduced me to Pat and George Broderick who have lived on
the estate for 54 years. They were both thrilled to have new
windows. Pat told me their flat was much warmer now, and much
better than the draughty, leaking old windows they replaced.
George was delighted too and told me this was the first council
that had ever listened to what local people need.
We walked on past block after block surrounded by scaffolding as
the improvement work is carried out. We walked through Agnes
Riley Gardens to see the great new football pitches and then on to
the Poynders Road Estate to meet another hard-working tenant
leader, Lyn Lazenby. Lyn showed us round the new community
flat and pointed out some problems with the communal bin
chambers. After a chat with Lyn about security lighting, it
was back to the fantastic Weir Link Centre. The Weir Link was
for decades a derelict old laundry left abandoned and unused.
Today, thanks to the hard work of community activists with backing
from their Labour council, it’s a thriving community and children’s
centre.
The walkabout reminded me what a huge difference we can all make
when we work together in partnership. Local community leaders
working with their Labour councillors can bring in the investment
that makes positive change happen. And that, after all, is
what Labour politics is all about. A big thanks to Dave and
everyone else who took the time to show us what an amazing
difference they’re making to the Weir Estate.
(left to right) Val Shawcross, Dave McEvoy, Cllr
Diana Morris, George Broderick, Cllr Lib Peck and Cllr Steve Reed
check out the new double-glazing windows being installed on the
Weir Estate
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