Profile

SIMON NUNDY – THE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW


Q. What would be your main priority as Mayor?

I want to lead a council that spends taxpayers’ money with care, as if it was my own. I would not authorise a penny to be spent that wasn’t necessary and didn’t represent the best possible value for hard-working residents. Just like Gordon Brown, Lewisham Council has lived beyond it’s means for far too long and I aim to bring common sense back to the Town Hall.

Q. Your pledge to cut council tax has really got people talking. How would you do it?

I’d cut wasteful spending on things that don’t actually make a difference to the lives of residents. It seems crazy to me that we spend so much on press officers and glossy lifestyle magazines while our council tax is so high. Mayor Boris Johnson and Conservative Councils across London have proved that cutting waste and bureaucracy can create real savings that can be passed on to taxpayers.

Q. So what’s your background, are you a career politician?

I’ve worked for myself since I was 22 including a recycling company, a record label and now a pub. I think it’s my real life experience and understanding of business that makes me qualified to be Mayor.

Q. What do you love most about living in Lewisham?

I like the mixture of characters from different backgrounds and walks of life. I’m not really interested in living in some overpriced pretentious suburb of North London. It’s nice to be able to have a chat in Maggie’s Cafe or in the pub and whether you’re talking about football or the weather or whatever it’s clear no-one really cares where you come from or what you do for a living.

Q. We’ve had a Labour Council here for 40 years, how do you think they’ve done?

I’m not the kind of person to criticise for the sake of it but I think the results of Labour’s legacy are there for all to see. Our taxes have risen year on year but our services don’t seem remotely related to the amount of money we have to pay. I think it’s the same old story whenever those in power feel they have a natural right to govern.

Q. How would you be better?

I’ll bring fresh thinking and real life experience to the office of Mayor. With the right leadership, new ideas and a genuine commitment to value for money Lewisham could be one of the best London boroughs in which to live, work and raise a family. It’s time for a fresh start in Lewisham, I want to put all my energy and experience into putting those ideas into practice. I’m happy to try new things when current practices clearly don’t work and I’m open to advice from the wealth of talent living in the borough.

Q. Do you find the challenge of changing the direction of such a large organisation daunting?

It’s certainly not going to be easy and I’m sure there will be some tough decisions tbegin with. I’ll need to make sure I have the right team in place to go forward but I relish the prospect of reshaping the way that Lewisham council operates. I expect that there’ll be a few obstacles in my way, a few regulatory hurdles to overcome, but I’m sure once the initial shock has worn off and my new work colleagues get to know me then we’ll get on fine. In my experience people are a lot more adaptable than you might think.

Q. Do you think the public sector will be a bit of a culture shock for you?

(Laughing) Yes, I suppose it will, but I’ve had plenty of experience with my charity work and as a school governor so I think I know what to expect. The more important distinction is not private or public. It’s between a workplace where people know what their job is and are trusted to get on with it and make decisions and one where there is a top down approach in which no one is allowed to think for themselves. I’ve seen examples of both in the private and public sector and the challenge for me is to create a culture where people feel valued but are also held accountable for theiractions.

Q. Crime is a big issue – is there really much you can do about crime if you’re elected Mayor?

Well, at first sight the answer is no since theMetropolitan Police are not directly answerable to the Mayor. In practice, however, I believe that the Mayor can bevery influential in bringing crime and anti-social behaviour under control.First of all the borough command structuremeans that in practice the Mayor could andshould have a very close workingrelationship with the Borough Commander. My plan is to set up a Mayoral Crime Liaison Office that answers directly to the Mayor and is responsible for ensuring maximum co-operation and a coherent approach between police, estate managers, social services, schools and all the other relevant bodies in the borough. Secondly I firmly believe that to get crimeunder control we need to tackle the social problems that help create an environment where crime is endemic. This means educating all children and intervening early for those that look like getting left behind. Italso means cleaning up the estates andcreating local employment by creating abusiness friendly environment. Pretty much all my policies are in some sense or otherpart of a coherent approach to combating crime.

Q. What impact do you think you can make on education in Lewisham?

My preferred long term objective is to give all schools in Lewisham the freedom to manage their own affairs and develop their own institutional values and style. Initially, however, many schools may not be ready for this so an element of intervention is going to be necessary. First of all we need good management of all existing schools so I’d be looking to work with Governors of failing schools to ensure that every school has a head and senior staff in place that the Governors and I feel are up to the job. Secondly I want to tackle truancy across the borough in a co-ordinated way so that no child gets left behind. I’m also proposing a literacy unit to monitor standards and provide remedial support where necessary. My priority will be to create a system where if children, for whatever reason, are falling behind we’re able to intervene early before it’s too late.

Q. What’s your approach to housing?

First of all, at it’s simplest, I believe everyone should have access to a home that they feel comfortable in. That means bringing all housing stock up to Decent Homes standards and reducing waiting lists but it also means ensuring that all neighbourhoods in the Borough are clean and safe. I’d also like to make it easier for people to get on the housing ladder, whether through the re-launch of right to buy or by helping first time buyers to buy privately. We saw clearly in the 80’s that when people buy their own home it benefits not just themselves but the neighbourhood in which they live. Owner occupiers naturally take a greater interest in their property than a landlord would and they are more likely to put down roots in the local community and put something back.