I am absolutely thrilled to start work as the London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden. Within days of my election I have already picked up so many issues that matter to local residents, such as tube noise, the ULEZ, environmental concerns, traffic, active travel and policing.
I know I have big shoes to fill, and am immensely grateful to my predecessor Andrew Dismore, who continues to give me stellar support and guidance. So many people have said to me how much they appreciated Andrew’s work and support over the last 39 years.
In terms of my priorities for City Hall, fire safety is paramount. I have met with many victims of the cladding and building safety scandal, and the lack of support from the government for them is appalling. These leaseholders continue to face huge bills for remediation, cladding removal and other fire safety defects. Some even have to pick up the cost of waking watches and their flats remain unsaleable until the matter is sorted.
The environment is also a major concern of mine. As a councillor I have been working with colleagues across three boroughs to tackle the dust, noise and pollution caused by all of the waste processing and transfer sites in Cricklewood. I am happy to have the opportunity to use my platform at the London Assembly to raise this further.
On transport I look forward to lobbying the government to make sure London gets a fair deal. The future of jobs in this city is dependent on our ability to get around. London has a world class public transport system, but it will be under threat if the government keep playing political games with our funding.
Sadiq Khan was elected on a promise of delivering well-paying jobs, and I am keen to support this agenda, especially in revitalising our town centres. Businesses and communities have been hit hard by the pandemic and we must build back better.
Finally, crime remains a huge issue for many residents, owing to a broken model of austerity cuts to schools, youth and probation services, as well as the cuts to policing. We have a huge amount of work to do to rebuild a system that keeps people out of crime.
Anne Clarke (Lab) is the member of the London Assembly for Barnet and Camden, as well as a councillor for Childs Hill.
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