IMPORTANT : THE NEXT STEPS IN THE SOS CAMPAIGN 10TH AND 30TH JULY

Please contact your ward councillors to ask what they are doing about this on our behalf. Remind them that they were elected to represent US (not the Council). Failing that we need to write to the opposition parties and get them to support our community's concerns.

We need Kate Hoey, our MP, to make representation to the government on our behalf. The cuts are related to government action as well as council priorities and we need to lobby the government as well as the council.

Remember too that there are many people who will be affected in Kennington who do not have email or are too infirm to join in. They are our neighbours and they need our help.

Best wishes

Cathy

cc: Kate Hoey, MP hoeyk@parliament.uk

Valerie Shawcross, GLA valerie.shawcross@london.gov.uk

Steve Read, Leader of Lambeth Council sreed@lambeth.gov.uk

Bishops Ward Councillors:

Diana Braithwaite dbraithwaite@lambeth.gov.uk

Gavin Dodsworth gdodsworth@lambeth.gov.uk

Peter Truesdale ptruesdale@lambeth.gov.uk

Oval Ward Councillors:

Robert Banks rbanks@lambeth.gov.uk

Faye Gray fgray@lambeth.gov.uk

Andrew Sawdon asawdon@lambeth.gov.uk

Princes Ward Councillors

Lorna Campbell lcampbell@lambeth.gov.uk

Stephen Morgan srmorgan@lambeth.gov.uk

Sam Townend stownend@lambeth.gov.uk

Dear Colleagues

There are two very important events coming up in the Lambeth SOS campaign against the adult social care cuts. Your organisation, staff, volunteers, members and users have given great support to the campaign over the past few months and we are asking for your help again.

House of Commons meeting, 10th July

On Tuesday 10th July, Lambeth Pensioners Action Group [LAMPAG] and Lambeth SOS have organised a meeting on the Lambeth situation re: social care cuts in the House of Commons. It has been arranged with Kate Hoey MP who is 'hosting' the meeting. We understand that she has contacted Steve Reed, the Council Leader, and other Lambeth Cabinet members, as well as Val Shawcross the GLA member, who have all indicated they would attend. We are asking Kate to invite the new Minister for Social Care to speak [we are waiting to hear who this will be following Gordon Brown's re-shuffle] and the other Lambeth MPs, Keith Hill and Tessa Jowell. The meeting would be to talk about the cuts in Lambeth and the impact these would have. We would not be using this an opportunity to 'bash' the Council but to jointly raise awareness of the crisis in services which Lambeth's shortage of funding has created. We will be arranging for people from the SOS campaign, including service users and carers, to be there to speak and we are encouraging supporters of the campaign to attend.There are strict limits on public assemblies within a mile of the House of Commons so there cannot be a march or anything that looks like one (eg banners would not be allowed) but this is an important opportunity for people to come and get the ear of MPs and, possibly, the Minister.

The details are as follows :

We are asking people to meet at 5.30 pm at the south end of Lambeth Bridge [near Lambeth Palace]. There may be a chance for some photos to be taken there. People will then make their way to the House of Commons in small groups. It may take a while for people to pass through security checks.

The meeting will start at 6.30pm in Committee Room 9. If you cannot meet up at 5.30 you should be able to gain admission if you go direct to the House but you should allow plenty of time to get in.

Lambeth Cabinet Monday 30th July 7pm

This is the key meeting at which the Cabinet will decide whether to implement the proposals on eligibility and charges. The Cabinet will receive reports from the officers on the results of the public consultation. We will be asking for the right for SOS representatives to address the Cabinet meeting and talking to Town Hall staff about how they will accommodate the large audience we intend to supply.

We want to hold another march to show the Cabinet that the opposition to the proposals is still overwhelming and that people's determination to oppose these cuts is as strong as ever. We would like organisations and their users to come out again in force as you did for the Council meeting on 28th February.

The details are as follows :

Assemble at 5.30pm at the Accord Centre, 336 Brixton Road ready to march to the Town Hall starting at 6pm. We will arrive at the Town Hall at about 6.30pm. Join us outside the Town Hall if you can't get to 336 Brixton Road earlier. We hope to provide some mini-buses again from 336 to the Town Hall for those who need transport.

There will be a new leaflet about the cuts, produced by LAMPAG, out next week and we will be circulating this as widely as we can. The LambethSOS campaign website has not been as regularly updated as we had hoped recently but we will be putting new information on there within a week so keep an eye on it - www.lambethsos.org.uk. The leaflet will also be distributed via the stalls of LAMPAG, Age Concern Lambeth and Lambeth Voluntary Action Council at the Lambeth Country Show in Brockwell Park on 21st and 22nd July. If you can help with leafletting at the Show please get in touch.

I am on leave from 3rd - 13th July so please get in touch with any of the following for more information and to let us know who might be coming to these events :

Boz Borowy, Lambeth Mencap boz@lambethmencap.org.uk 020 8655 7719

Julia Shelley, Age Concern Lambeth j.shelley@aclambeth.org.uk 020 7346 6800

Barbara Collis, Lambeth Carers director@lamcarers.org.uk 020 7733 9600

Dot Gibson, Lambeth Pensioners Action Group dot.gibson@virgin.net

Best wishes

David

David Strong
Director
Disability Advice Service Lambeth
336 Brixton Road
London SW9 7AA
Tel : 020 7642 0040
Fax : 020 7924 9621
Email : david.strong@disabilitylambeth.org.uk

Charity No. 1087399. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 4214688

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IMPORTANT : THE NEXT STEPS IN THE SOS CAMPAIGN 10TH AND 30TH JULY