At last week's council meeting Merton Conservatives put forward motions to improve air quality monitoring around our schools, keep the former adult education site at Whatley Avenue in educational use, and congratulate Merton Music Foundation on their fantastic ‘Music for Life’ concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
IMPROVING AIR QUALITY
Your local Conservative Councillors believe that improving air quality, especially around areas frequented by our children, is of paramount importance. It is therefore disappointing that the Labour-run Council has decided to stop its annual monitoring of air quality around our schools and has repeatedly rejected our proposals to introduce low emission bus zones and to plant 350 additional trees around our schools. We will of course continue to campaign for better air in our borough.
WHATLEY AVENUE EDUCATION SITE
In Merton there is growing demand for primary and special needs education provision. Local Conservatives therefore put forward a proposal to retain the former adult education site on Whatley road and allow the Joseph Hood Primary School to expand. The site could also have been used to create a ‘Skills Hub’ that would be capable of serving all of South West London, helping people into employment and upskilling the borough. Unfortunately, this proposal was also rejected by the Labour-run administration.
MERTON MUSIC FOUNDATION
The Council has decided to cut funding for the Merton Music Foundation. Local Conservatives believe that this is incredibly short sighted and put forward alternative proposals to preserve their funding by scrapping free Christmas car parking in Wimbledon town centre. Tough choices do have to be made in local government and our belief was that continuing to fund the MMF has huge positive benefits for our community. We will of course continue to monitor this situation and push to restore their funding. After all, Merton council is due to underspend its budget by £2.48 million this year, so there is money available.
Merton Conservative are continuing our campaigns to improve air quality and support children all across Merton.
Let us know what you think so we can keep campaigning on the local issues that are a priority for you by filling in the quick survey below.
Have you seen Labour’s proposals to double the cost of your parking permit? Let Labour know YOUR opinion, respond to the consultation at the link below:
https://www.merton.gov.uk/streets-parking-transport/parking/charges-consultation-2019
We want to hear from you on your priorities for our local area so that we can keep campaigning on the issues that really matter to you, let us know by filling in the quick survey below.
