January 2007 Archives

Martin Linton pointed out that some local authorities are closing special schools for no good reason. He gave the example of the Vines, in his constituency.

My hon. Friend says that local authorities are closing special schools in unsuitable locations, but my local authority is closing a popular special school in a very desirable location, although The Vines has been thriving. It received an excellent report from Ofsted, and although it was praised by the local authority as one of the best schools in the authority area, plans for its closure were announced a few months later. Sadly, the school will close in August. Although the local authority has tried to blame Government policy for the closure, the real reason is the value of the site on which the school is built, which is £6 million.

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government two questions.

Firstly he asked what the average rents were for local authority housing in each London borough in 2006-07. Yvette Cooper gave a link to the data on the Communities and Local Government Department's web site.

Then he asked which housing associations required buyers to purchase outright a share greater than 75 per cent. in shared-ownership housing developments in the last 24 months. Yvette Cooper answered for the government.

Martin Linton asked Tessa Jowell about the timetable for the completion of the two phases of the East London Line extension and whether it could be finished in time for the London Olympics in 2012. He also got in another little dig about the proposed BAC closure and Tessa Jowell took the opportunity to back him up.

On Battersea arts centre, I echo the Prime Minister's words: Wandsworth should do everything that it can to keep the centre open. I should make it absolutely clear that we are talking about a Conservative authority that has had a 25 per cent. plus increase in its grant since 1997, so any decision to close the centre is a Conservative choice, not a Government requirement.

The deeply unpleasant Paul Staines has cast his eyes over a leaked strategy document from Peter Hain's campaign and has found it a ripe vein of humour. He seems to find it particularly amusing that Martin Linton as Harriet Harman's PPS is opening supporting Hain - who is standing against Harman for Deputy Leader.

24Dash runs a story about Ken Livingstone joining the campaign to save the BAC. It includes this from Martin Linton:

This was a very precipitous and ill-thought action by Wandsworth Council and I hope they are beginning to have second thoughts and are beginning to see the enormous damage their cuts would have. Battersea Arts Centre has built up a fantastic reputation over the last thirty years and it would be appalling if it was forced to close.

Wandsworth Councillor James Cousins has written to the Wimbledon Guardian pointing out an apparent anomaly in Martin Linton's reactions to two local issues.

Your readers must be perplexed at Battersea MP Martin Linton's priorities when it comes to the real issues facing his constituents.

Battersea's invisible man is quick to condemn the council decision to cut funding for Battersea Arts Centre, but strangely he maintains a trappist-like silence on NHS plans to shut the Bolingbroke Hospital.

Martin Linton asked for a debate on how councils use the threat of council tax capping as an excuse for cutting services. He gave the example of Wandsworth council using capping as a reason for cutting BAC funding. Jack Straw said that he would look for an opportunity to hold such a debate and made his feelings on Wandsworth council very clear.

I am afraid that Wandsworth Conservatives have been using bogus figures to justify cuts for at least the three decades in which I have been a Member in this House. I dare say that they will carry on doing so. The fact that they are putting at risk such highly valued community services in my hon. Friend's constituency illustrates their distorted sense of priorities.

This Is London (aka the Evening Standard web site) runs a story about the closure of the BAC.

Battersea Labour MP Martin Linton accused the council of "killing" the centre. He said: "If they withdraw all their support, the centre will close."

Two more stories from the official site.

BAC campaign has cross-party support

Martin Linton MP has garnered support from across the political spectrum against council cuts that could kill off Battersea Arts Centre.

Conservative and Lib Dem MPs have backed the Labour MP for Battersea in his campaign against the arts centre closure.

Action on deadly crane danger

Martin Linton MP is calling for improved safety standards for cranes following the fatal accident in Battersea last September.

It follows the action by the Health & Safety Commission on Friday to order all building sites to stop using cranes hired by the company involved in that accident and another fatal one in Liverpool.

A nice robustly titled piece from Oliver on MySpace gives a lot of detail of Wandsworth Council's plans to close the BAC. Martin Linton, of course, gets a mention.

Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with cycling campaign groups on the draft highway code and on the use of cycling facilities. Stephen Ladyman answered.

Martin Linton has written an Early Day Motion about crane safety. This is what it says:

That this House welcomes the campaign launched by Building magazine to improve safety standards for cranes following recent crane collapses in Battersea, Liverpool and central London; recognises that there is an increased risk both to construction workers and to the public from the use of tower cranes on brownfield sites in residential areas; and supports the calls from Building magazine for a publicly-available register of checks to cranes and construction equipment and from the Battersea Crane Disaster Action Group for a review of crane safety legislation.

Martin Linton has sponsored an Early Day Motion about the potential closure of the BAC. Here is the text:

That this House congratulates Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) on the huge contribution it has made to well-being both in the London Borough of Wandsworth and in London as a whole, attracting more than 220,000 visitors a year; acknowledges the important part that Wandsworth as well as the Arts Council has played in laying the foundation for BAC's success over the last three decades; notes that BAC won a Wandsworth Business Award for Best Community Contribution from Wandsworth Council only two months ago; fears that the withdrawal of grant and premises by Wandsworth would make BAC unviable; accepts that the responsibility for financial support for BAC should be shared between Wandsworth and the Arts Council; and welcomes any move by Wandsworth to enter into discussions aimed at securing the future of BAC.

Not sure about this link. A site called the "Vocational School Center" (sic) has a post about a recent PMQ session and mentions Martin Linton in a sentence that seems to peter out at the end.

I think it might be a splog. Ah well, we're nothing if not comprehensive here at Battersea MP.

Martin Linton asked two questions about an online national qualifications records system. Jim Knight answered both questions.

Read question one and question two on TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton spoke twice in this debate. Once to mention Battersea's falling numbers of independent shops and once to compare inner city high streets with villages.

Read the full debate on TheyWorkForYou

Martin Linton asked for a progress report on a procurement exercise conducted by the Learning and Skills Council for the Managing Information Across Partners programme. Bill Rammell gave an answer.

Read the full exchange on TheyWorkForYou

The debate about the future of the BAC reachs the pages of the Guardian. The story, of course, includes a quotation from Martin Linton:

Local Labour MP Martin Linton, who sits on the BAC board of trustees, said he was "appalled" by the proposals and suggested that the council's claims were suspect. He said: "Wandsworth is in no danger of being capped, it has huge reserves and it already has a low council tax, so [councillors] have no need whatsoever to make any cuts."

Martin Linton used Prime Minister's Questions to bring the fate of the BAC to Parliament. Tony Blair agreed that the BAC does a "fantastic job" and said that "they should do everything that they can to keep it open".

Read the full debate or just Martin Linton's question at TheyWorkForyou

Two more news stories from the official site.

Threat to BAC 'unwarranted' says MP

Wandsworth MPs Martin Linton and Sadiq Khan have asked the Government for assurance that Wandsworth Council is in no danger of being 'capped' if it maintains its current spending on local services.

Wandsworth Museum and Battersea Arts Centre are said to be under threat from cuts by the council. However, Conservative councillors say they have to make cuts or face a cap on expenditure.

Fight begins to save BAC

The Prime Minister gave his backing today to the campaign to stop the threatened closure of Battersea Arts Centre.

Wandsworth Council are planning to cut off their annual grant to Battersea Arts Centre next month and charge the commercial cost of rent and repairs, which would inevitably result in the closure of the building.

The Labour Home blog is reporting that Martin Linton is having some trouble winning the "trigger ballot" which would confirm his re-selection as Labour candidate for Battersea in the next election.

The Wimbledon Guardian reports that all three Wandsworth MPs support the new law which will raise the minimum age for buying tobacco from 16 to 18. Martin Linton is quoted as saying:

I'm not under the illusion that banning cigarette sales to children will automatically stop them smoking, but it will make it more difficult and the fact is it's smokers who take it up in their early or mid-teens who are the most likely to die of lung cancer.

It's also very difficult for shopkeepers when the age for alcohol is 18 and the age for tobacco is 16.

It'll be far easier to apply a single age limit. They already do this in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US and it's high time we did it.

Two more stories from the official site.

BTC still improving

Martin has invited Tony Blair to visit Battersea Technology College after it was named one of the most improved secondary schools in the country. The college has seen its GCSE score rise from 4% in 1999 to 50% in 2006.

Martin calls for extra buses on 344 route

Battersea MP Martin Linton has complained about ‘overloading’ on the 344 bus service along Battersea Park Road as a result of the re-routing of the number 44 over Chelsea Bridge to Victoria.

Martin Linton spoke in this debate about the safety of pleasure boats on the Thames. He widened the debate from just pleasure craft by mentioning the barge which collided with Battersea Bridge.

Read the full debate or Martin Linton's speech on TheyWorkForYou

A couple of recent stories from the official site.

Martin to meet minister over affordable housing

Battersea’s Labour MP Martin Linton raised the shortfall of low-cost homes in the House of Commons last month.

He was promised a meeting with housing minister Yvette Cooper and Wandsworth Labour councillors to discuss the problem in Battersea and Tooting.

Martin backs higher age limit for smokers

Battersea MP Martin Linton is backing the move to raise the minimum age for buying cigarettes from 16 to 18.

The Government announced the move this week and it will come into force from October 2007, three months after the ban on smoking in public places, such as pubs and private clubs, which will come into effect from 1st July.