Among recently recorded GlobalNet21/Enfield Voices webinars is an interview with Charith Gunawardena, a councillor representing Southgate ward who recently left the Labour Party and joined the Green Party.
He answers questions about his reasons for leaving Labour and why he chose the Green Party. On the latter he says that the view that the Greens are a single-issue party is mistaken - social justice is high on their agenda.
On low-traffic neighbourhoods, he says that the council administration have not provided councillors with sufficient information to make judgements about their effectiveness.
Cllr Gunardwardena says the area of policy that he is most interested in is tackling the borough's housing and homelessness crises. He is particularly critical of the administration's approach to the Meridian Water redevelopment. Most of the land where 10,000 new homes are due to be built is publicly owned, meaning that the council have an opportunity to implement their own housing priorities - family-sized homes and affordability - but have failed to do so. They have not even investigated the financial viability of building family homes at MW. In his view the financial viability test should factor in the costs of not providing family homes, which include the impact on mental and physical health and the increase in crime which both result from inadequate housing.
Other issues discussed are the planned new incinerator, the very low recycling rate in Enfield and inadequate arrangements for scrutiny of the administration by councillors.
Links
Southgate councillor joins the Green Party (Palmers Green Community 18 May 2021)
