New Putney Paper published

The Spring 2009 version of my Putney Paper is now available to read on this website - just click here.

In these economic times it's clear that the dividing line between the two main political parties is between those who have a plan to get us out of the global downturn and those who would do nothing.

I'm very strongly in the first of those camps; while it's evident that Putney's Conservative MP and councillors fall in the latter.

It's not just nationally that we need a plan - not least because, with the billions being invested to mitigate this recession it's only right that Putney gets a share.
In this edition of the Putney Paper, I talk about some of my ideas for recession-proofing Putney. Central to that is my long-running campaign to improve our town centre. I'm delighted that local architect Tom Jestico agreed to do some sketches for me of what a regenerated Putney High Street and town square might look like.

But we need a plan for Putney for far more than just to improve our town centre, critical though that is. Almost everyone I talk to is seriously worried about the skyscraper threat to our area the Conservatives are saddling Putney with for generations to come. The reason the developers think they can get away with all this overdevelopment is because we lack a coherent plan for Putney. One of my top priorities is to provide the local leadership that's been lacking on these issues.

And what is the purpose of building all these sky-high luxury penthouses - other than to create massive white elephants that will either remain empty for years or so gridlock our area's roads and services that Putney will cease to be the area we know and love it to be. Instead of penthouses, we need affordable homes to rent, especially at a time when some will be losing the homes they have.

I talk about all these issues and more in the new edition of The Putney Paper.