Councillor Oonagh Moulton, Merton Council (Conservative, Wimbledon Park ward)

Labour has done no favours in Wimbledon Park Ward either before Conservative Councillors were elected in 2002 or since!

Labour councillors sold the Wimbledon Park Library and even recommended reducing Bishop Gilpin Church of England First School to one form of entry before I became a councillor in 2002.

I was involved in campaigns to save both and whilst, we succeeded in retaining the two forms at Bishop Gilpin, the Library was sold.

Later, the Wimbledon Park Hall that Louise Deegan is rightly so concerned about was also sold by Labour.

These decisions were fiercely fought by local residents and local Conservatives.

More recently, Labour has closed the popular Weir Road Recycling Centre and the Liberal Democrats did nothing to support our campaign to retain it.

We have, however, been successful recently in stopping the roll-out of unpopular wheelie–bins to our ward and have ensured that the popular food waste bins are rolled out to other wards.

Many people know that Wimbledon Park Councillors fought hard to stop the Labour decision to reduce free parking in our Arthur Rd Parade from 20m to 10m.

We ‘called it in’ and I am pleased to report that finally Labour have seen sense and will be consulting shortly on its return to 20m.

They will also consult on this for the Leopold Parade which we have pressed hard for.

Conservative councillors have fought many campaigns but we do not have control over some areas.

Wimbledon Park Hall was sold by Labour to a property developer and my former colleague Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon had worked hard with the local residents association, the WPRA, to ensure that developers keep to their tender and to ensure that a community hall arises from Labour’s pile of rubble.

I am continuing that work and indeed I attended a meeting recently with senior officers and members of the WPRA at Merton Council.

We expect this long and hard work to come to fruition so that resident can once again enjoy a community facility.

We have long campaigned for a lift at Wimbledon Park station to help families, the elderly and those with disabilities.

Southfields managed to get one installed recently with Olympic money as the preferred tube station for the AELTC Olympic venue.

We continue to back one for Wimbledon Park and have supported a fundraising campaign with the Cresidents.

Our Conservative candidate, Linda Taylor - a woman of action - has set up a new online petition.

We have also had success in campaigning along with our MP, Stephen Hammond, and GLA Member Richard Tracey, to get a better service for the District Line, achieving five more trains every morning.

We continue to press for improved signalling and indicator boards.

Far from being complacent, my colleagues and I continue to press this administration to ensure residents receive good services and value for money.

I can speak as a mother and local school governor with children attending local schools.

Councillor Janice Howard and I live in the ward and what happens in Wimbledon Park and our community matters because we live in its heart and use its local facilities.

We receive many thanks from our residents for our day-to-day casework on many diverse issues and have had had many successes recently including extra school places, a Puffin crossing for Haydon’s Road, enforcement actions, helping a local scouts group, stopping closure of a gym and helping on various park issues.

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