The field of dreams became a reality as well-wishers gathered to support the opening of the new Sporting Club Thamesmead facility. Sir Trevor Brooking was on hand to cut the ribbon on behalf of the Football Association. While the project took nine years to complete,all those involved were proud of the fact that the vision was now a reality. Trust Thamesmead were the drivers of the project and with support from a number of sports funders.

Mayor of Greenwich Councillor Angela Cornforth joined the A-List of the sports fraternity together with the Leader and Mayor of Bexley along with Teresa Pearce the local MP. I was delighted to be invited to witness a new chapter in the life of Thamesmead.

I was delighted to attended the launch of a wonderful community garden at the Vanbrugh Medical Centre last Friday.

I was very pleased to meet up with those involved in this worthwhile intiative. It’s well worth a visit – it can be found at the end of Vanbrugh Hill next to the Heart of East Greenwich.

Here’s a copy of an update that I have just issued to my colleagues about current issues in the ward.

Morris Walk Estate: Progress is now underway, the developer has been appointed. Decant procedures are in place. A Tenant Focus Group is being established. Meeting of Tenants at the New Charlton Centre on Tuesday 17th of September at 7pm. Spread the word. We need the active participation of all residents involved.

New Charlton Community Centre: Management Committee have undertaken a study of the building to increase its capacity. Design proposals are being considered which look very exciting.

Woolwich Town Centre: A growing number of residents are interested in improving the footfall in the Town Centre. Recently met some residents from the Arsenal who are keen to engage in a Focus Group to share ideas on improving the retail offer including Farmers Market, regular Cultural activities and dedicated events to help the prosperity of Woolwich.

Primary School Places: Concern about the number of places available locally continues. We are hoping to discuss these matters with the Director of Children’s Services shortly. If Members have any particular cases they are aware of please let us know.

Play Facilities in Parks: Options to improve the offer for Children in Maryon Park is being considered. Much of the equipment could do with some improvement but will depend on potential funding available in the short and long term.

Well London: This is a Project partially funded out of City Hall. The Project is in partnership works with Public Health Services. Both the Dockyard and the Barnfield Estate residents are working with residents to improve their lives and local environment.

Historical Waterfront: The History of the Dockyard will soon be highlighted with a number of Plaques on the Thames Path stretching from the Dockyard through to the Ferry.

Local Tories have attempted to muddy the water recently in Greenwich. Proposing for the Council to fund an Urgent Care Centre says more about their lack of understanding of both Health funding and Local Health Provision. Fortunately local residents can see through their strategy which is to divert attention away from their party’s destruction of the Health Service.

Clinical Commissioners in Greenwich, despite financial pressures, are seeking to deliver improved community services across the Borough. The Urgent Care Centre at the Queen Elizabeth is diverting some pressure away from the A&E. Additional services will help further reduce numbers. These improvements continue despite the level of funding being reduced by Government.

The Royal Borough is playing its part. The Integrated Care Service is helping to reduce the number of patients staying longer in Hospital than is necessary. Clearly the reduction of eighty beds at the QE as part of the Trust Administrator report adds to the pressure.

The significant contribution by Public Health , now part of the Council’s responsibility, is having a positive impact. Linked to the Council poverty strategy, we are developing policies to improve the Health and Well Being of Greenwich Residents. For example the health checks carried out in recent months have seen a big increase in the take up.

All of the work being done could fall apart if the proposed merger of Acute Services requires additional funding. We await to see the proposed business plan. Rumours suggest that the Trust Administrator report on the funding strategy may have not been accurate.

Every opportunity will be taken to spell out Government failures in the area of Health policy. Maybe local Tories can explain why £2bn has been taken out of the NHS by a Government who wants us to believe that this service is safe in their hands.

A quick snap of myself and colleagues Cllr Barwick and Cllr Smith out campaigning in Woolwich Riverside on a glorious day last weekend.

Recent debate in the Council Chamber highlighted the divisions that exist between the political parties. Not for the first time have the local Tories tried to bin any responsibility for the actions of their Government. The future of the NHS is now at the heart of this uncaring Coalition Government. Attacks on welfare, on the poor and disabled, along with the discredited Bedroom Tax, are a deliberate attempt to pull the heart out of communities. These are political decisions supported by local Tories and Liberals. If this is incorrect let them say so. Those standing for public office should tell the truth.

Whatever the bloggers might argue on 853, there can be no escape that the changes being proposed for acute services in South London are firmly laid at the door of the Secretary of State for Health. The Lewisham Judgement now provides for some rethinking. The decision to merge both the Queen Elizabeth and Lewisham Hospital will go ahead. Keeping the existing provision at Lewisham must now be given active consideration.

However strongly we feel about the proposed changes or about the role of the private sector the needs of a growing community remains a local priority. The TSA report may have been a step too far, that is certainly the case in respect of the potential financial envelope. In summary the amount of funding resources available will continue to decline. There is no prospect of the government changing its mind.

Persuading people to adopt more healthy lifestyles, extending Public Health provision,and reshaping Community Health provision must remain a priority. Those discussions are underway and solutions to meet the health needs of the most vulnerable must take centre stage. Changing service delivery will take time but I believe improvements will happen. The Council will continue to influence its health partners,work towards creating integrated packages of care for the most vulnerable.

There will be those who seek to divert attention away from Government actions but they will be held to account at every opportunity. Attempting to blame somebody else or another public body will not wash

Many thanks to Claire Pritchard from the Greenwich Cooperative Development Agency for this guest post:

Earlier this year GCDA applied for Greenwich to become one of the pioneering UK Cities to lead the Sustainable Cities programme. Along with Belfast, Cardiff, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Carlisle and 7 others Greenwich hope to be one of the first group of cities to achieve Sustainable Food City Status.

Greenwich has been developing pioneering work for at least the last 12 years with the Greenwich Community Food Initiative (the then GPCT now public health and GCDA) and the development of Greenwich Community Food Co-op, Growing Greenwich (GCDA) and the establishment of over 100 food growing sites, a Taste of Heath (Public Health) – an extensive cookery club programmes, Eat Better, Start Better early years food standards and GS Plus, RBG own school meals provider achieving Food for Life status and joining the London Group Contract.

Today GCDA and Public Health (RBG) co-ordinated the first Greenwich Sustainable Food Workshops to explore how to further develop and expand this work across a wider partnership throughout Greenwich.

This project will provide individuals, communities, third sector, public and private sector institutions at every scale an opportunity to explore and capture the key role food can play in dealing with some of today’s most pressing social, economic and environmental problems. From obesity and diet-related ill-health to food poverty and waste, climate change and biodiversity loss to declining prosperity and social dislocation, food is not only at the heart of some of our greatest problems, but also a vital part of the solution.

Reshaping the provision of public services as a response to the damaging cuts by Government was a hot topic at the Local Government Conference recently. The prospect of any windfall of funding any time soon is highly unlikely. Demand on public services are increasing particularly in the field of health and social care. I returned from the Conference loaded with material that highlighted the radical changes that are taking place in local government across the country.

Simply reducing council budgets still further without making structural changes is not possible. Our residents are crying out for more services not less . The challenge is how best we can all rise to that challenge. Interest in local politics is at its lowest point. How can we begin to win hearts and minds. This is not a discussion that can only be held behind closed doors in the Towns Hall cross the country. We need to reconnect with those who have placed their trust and confidence in those they elected for public office.

To regain trust we need to become more accountable, more relevant and more outward focused. Devolving more power and decision making to local communities is achieving success in many local authorities. Live streaming via webcam and encouraging Twitter interaction saw Oldham Council receiving more questions at their last meeting than they had in the last five years. Engaging young people must be a key priority. When changes are suggested the Council Constitution does not enable us to make such changes. Of course we have the opportunity to change it to meet resident engagement.

How do we begin to address the contempt that many people have for politicians. Living like fat cats suggests the Tax Alliance but the reality is a far cry from they hype they create. Local Government will have lost something like 43% of revenue income. Here in Greenwich we have made considerable advances but the journey continues, nothing stands still.

What are your ambitions for Greenwich. I would love to hear your views. What could be better. What do you like or dislike. Lets have a constructive discussion about the future of the area we love.

I was pleased to be about to spend time with Dr Eugenia Lee recently to learn more about Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group and her views about the direction of public health in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

I hope you find this video useful. As always, I welcome your feedback on this video and thoughts who else I should speak to for this website too.

Hundreds of residents joined in the NHS celebrations in Eltham High Street this weekend. The event was led by Clive Efford MP, supported by party members and candidates fighting the local elections. The birthday card was presented to the Chair of of Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Hany Wabha. Some very interesting stories from the locals about their support for the NHS and how it helped their families throughout their lives. Simply highlights the importance of fighting day and night to preserve it.

Worrying to hear the concerns of staff facing potential redundancies as the likely cuts kick in at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It is an outrage that long serving staff are required to apply for their own jobs and engage in a process of “matching” . Crazy way to run an organisation. Morale is at a very low ebb. There is an urgent need to see the proposed business plan which is currently being completed.