The residents of Raynesfield have fought a successful campaign and should be very proud that they have forced the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) to change its strategy: the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Stephen Greenhalgh, has signed a formal decision to halt the sale process.
It is ironic that Mr Greenhalgh said, "I was not happy about how they (the residents) had been treated and I was not prepared to see key workers, like nurses, carers and teachers, forced to move out of their homes". It was his policy to sell off these residential properties so he, and MOPAC, were therefore responsible for how residents were treated.
But there are still several issues that MOPAC needs to clarify:
Firstly, MOPAC must allow those who were forced to move out of their flats to return to their homes.
Secondly, the tenants need to be given long term security, with assured tenancies.
Finally, MOPAC needs to compensate residents for van hire, storage costs, utility reconnection fees and so on. On the day before evictions were due to begin, some residents took their furniture to the tip or to charity shops; some now lack the basics, like beds and fridges.
Liberal Democrat Assembly members, Caroline Pidgeon and Stephen Knight, will continue to put pressure on the Mayor of London and MOPAC until these points have been answered. Raynesfield residents know that I will carry on supporting them as I have done over recent months.
Councillor Mary-Jane Jeanes
West Barnes ward
- Send your letters to: letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk
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