The Nelson Hospital
Last week the Nelson Hospital re-opened. I am delighted after years of dithering, the Nelson has been designed, financed, built and now opened in the last four years. I am convinced it will be a huge asset to the local community.
I also the welcome the statement from the Chief Executive of St Helier Hospital. There has been a long running scaremongering campaign suggesting the Hospital or some departments were to close. This was never the case and I am delighted that the Chief Executive has confirmed there is no threat to the hospital nor the A&E or the Maternity Unit.
Community Clear Up Day
Saturday, March 21st was Keep Britain Tidy Day. I was delighted to lead a Community #ClearUpDay in South Wimbledon and I was pleased that some 25 people turned up and we fanned out from Nelson Gardens across South Wimbledon. What we found was amazing; there was a credit card, driving licences, shopping trolleys, jeans and sheets amongst numerous cans, crisp packets and sweet papers. After two hours of hard work, over 50 bags of rubbish were collected. There was a general agreement that this should become a regular fixture and I intend to arrange another session later in the year.
My thanks to everyone who turned up and Andrew Boyce and Derek Manning, who helped to organise this great morning.
District Line Problems
I have often praised some of the changes we have all benefitted from as local transport has improved. Unfortunately, the District line has recently had some reliability and capacity issues. These are not acceptable and must be sorted out. Increasingly the line indicators are inaccurate and more worryingly, there have been regular signal and track problems between Wimbledon and Earls Court.
Therefore I have contacted the Commissioner for Transport to express my concerns. I have also sought a meeting with the Managing Director of London Underground.
I shall report back and I hope that the service will be improved.
Dementia Hub
Last week I visited the Merton Dementia Hub. The Hub is a centre for dementia sufferers and carers to meet others. They also hold a number of educational and club type sessions. There is also a treatment room for the use of doctors, dentists and chiropodists etc. We are lucky that in this Borough we have the first such facility.
I also took the chance to do the short course to become a Dementia Friend. This takes less than an hour but is an invaluable insight into the disease and how it affects people in in different ways. I recommend the Alzheimer’s Society and this short course to everyone. Over 1000 people in the local area are afflicted by this disease so understanding their illness is vital.
MAE
Unfortunately the threat to Merton Adult Education remains. The Labour Council, despite having the resources to save this service and having presented no clear financial case to support their view are determined to shut it down. I will continue to expose this scandal.
My Priorities for Wimbledon, Raynes Park and Morden
Local volunteers have been helping to deliver my latest leaflet, setting out my priorities for our area. If you’ve yet to receive a print copy, you can see it on the website here.