Slam consultations are as I feared
The saga of Slam (South London And Maudsley) not seeming to understand what a proper consultation is continues.
Even when Scrutiny committees admonish them, they carry on regardless!
Going back to when they closed down Marina House, excepting for methadone users, this was the main Alcohol and Drug abuse centre.
They carried out Mickey Mouse consultations.
Their first one was to leave a few leaflets on the reception desk at Marina House, saying a consultation would be held in a few days at the centre. Someone showed me this leaflet, so I attended.
This consultation was attended by three staff members of Slam, myself, and a man and his dog. I mean this literally!
A large number of drug and alcohol abusers, are often left with a mental health problem as well. Slam said these persons would be seen at a centre at Blackfriars. I feared the large majority would not go all that distance from Camberwell to Blackfriars, not when Kings A&E was only 100 yards away. I was right.
This was the start of the extra pressure on Kings A&E. Having to deal with as many mental health patients as 400 a month. Official figures, not mine. Though I have a huge respect of scrutiny members, I feel they have often been far too soft on Slam!
Tom White, Southwark Pensioners Action Group
First Corbyn, now against Article 50
So Neil Coyle and his cronies will oppose Article 50 because they do not agree with it (I’ll vote against Article 50 being triggered says Bermondsey MP’ Southwark News, November 24, 2016).
These people are where they are because of the democratic right of people to vote for who and what they see fit.
Where’s the democracy in this from Coyle,where was the democracy in him being unable to accept Corbyn being elected leader of his party? Many of the same people who put him in power voted for Corbyn.
The Brexit vote went through because Joe public was / is sick of being ignored and the likes of Coyle backtracking on manifesto promises when in power.
What a shock to Coyle when things didn’t go his way. And his churlish reaction was no surprise,real democracy there.
You may also get a bigger shock come the next election Bermondsey people have good memories and Simon Hughes made a big mistake and paid the price, but he has still done more since losing his seat for local people than you have, soundbites don’t wash with us. Actions speak louder than words and you are conspicuous by your absence.
Have a good look over your shoulder Coyle, Mr Hughes is waiting !
Ps I voted remain,but I wish you’d go!
Steve Brady, Bermondsey
I’m offended Mr Coyle by EU stance
I find Neil Coyle’s stance on the EU referendum result extremely offensive.
Please correct me if I’m wrong Mr. Coyle, but you, along with the rest of the registered UK electorate, had the chance to vote on June 23rd whether to remain in or leave the EU.
Obviously you voted to remain, and you had every right to vote in the way that you did and I respect your beliefs. But in the cold light of day, more people voted to leave the EU than voted to remain in the EU.
The reason that I’m offended, is because the vote didn’t go the way that you wanted it to, you now feel that you have the right to vote against the decision made by ordinary members of the public because you’re a MP.
So, as I see it, you are saying that 17,410,742 people are stupid, didn’t know what they were voting for and you know better than all of them!
Let me ask you this Mr. Coyle: Hypothetically speaking, if a snap general election was called and the Labour Party won by a majority of just one seat. If all the other party’s said “We demand another General Election because they only won by one seat”. Would you say “OK let’s have another election”? No, of course you wouldn’t.
Face the facts Mr. Coyle. the people who voted for you to be a MP voted for you so that you may be able to help them. Not to give you a platform to voice your own opinions!
Take, for instance, the case of my daughter (who is Bermondsey born and bred). She has two small children, one of seventeen months and one of four months. Southwark Council (in their infinite wisdom) have placed her in temporary accommodation in Croydon. There is no lift, so she has to climb four flights of stairs with the babies, she has no family or friends around her in that area and on top of all that, she has to keep commuting back to Bermondsey for the baby’s regular health checks!
She constantly contacts Southwark Council, to see about them giving her a proper home back in Bermondsey, but they just keep fobbing her off and seem in no hurry to help her.
It’s these kind of issues that you were elected to help with, so get off trying to overturn the referendum result and get on with your job of looking after your constituents.
I look forward to your reply.
Tony Moorcroft, Bermondsey
Kelly Kepple’s sentence of 14 years for keeping a gun on behalf of someone else seems excessive, especially as she has a young child. We need to know more about this case: what kind of hold did the owner of the weapon have over her? and what has happened to him?