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Satisfaction with the Council is falling

Leisure facilities are in decline and public transport information is poor, says Greg Hands.

August 01, 2004

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Greg Hands calls for urgent measures to improve public transport information in Hammersmith & Fulham users.

With Hammersmith & Fulham having one of the highest public transport usage rates in London, and the highest tube user population in Britain, Cllr Greg Hands has attacked the borough's Labour Council for failing residents when it comes to public transport.

New figures, published in the local Council's Best Value Performance Plan, reveal that only 45 per cent of local residents are satisfied with the provision of information on public transport. This compares poorly with the last recorded London average in 2000 of 57 per cent.

Cllr Hands believes that public transport is one of the most important issues for people in Hammersmith and Fulham, with 65 per cent of local residents using it at least once a week. Greg explained:

"Whilst Transport for London have overall responsibility for the public transport infrastructure, that doesn't mean the Labour Council should sit back and do nothing.

"In theory, the Council should be there to make the lives of local people easier - in this case they are simply exacerbating confusion.

"I would like to see all new residents to the borough receive a bus map with their first Council Tax bill and better publicity to be placed at bus stops and stations, explaining exactly where each bus goes. The current publicity is very hard to understand for anyone who does not already know the area."

"Instead of waiting for TfL to do something, which could be a very long time, surely our Council could more proactive?"

New figures show public satisfaction with leisure facilities hits new low.

Hammersmith & Fulham Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman, Cllr Greg Hands, has hit out at the Labour Council this week over new figures which reveal satisfaction with the boroughs leisure facilities are in decline.

Figures, published in the Best Value Performance Plan, show a fall in satisfaction in parks around the borough from 65 per cent in 2000 to 61 per cent this year; a drop from 26 per cent to 23 per cent satisfaction in museums; and a fall from 52 per cent to 50 per cent in satisfaction of library provision. The only figure to rise is the rating for sports and leisure facilities, which has gone from a paltry 30 per cent in 2000 to an equally poor 34 per cent this year.

Commenting on the figures, Cllr Hands said:

"This is yet another area in which Labour are failing Hammersmith & Fulham. With the current state of affairs, local people could be forgiven for asking 'leisure facilities, what leisure facilities?'

"During their time in office, Labour have closed the Janet Adegoke Leisure Centre and have as good as closed Fulham Pools. The new joint venture with Holmes Place is simply out of financial reach for many local people."

Cllr Mark Loveday has added:

"Across the whole spectrum of leisure facilities the satisfaction levels are extremely low, with nearly all of them marking a decline from the 2000 figures. This is simply not acceptable."

"It is time Labour took some positive action - and delivered a quality of service that would match the amount local people pay for through Labour's exorbitant Council Tax levels."

Council's Best Value Performance Plan