Caroline's news

The Metropolitan Police Service last week admitted that in the next two years there will be severe cuts across London in the number of police sergeants working in Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

Following questions from Caroline Pidgeon, a Liberal Democrat member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, budget figures supplied by Tim Godwin, the Acting Commissioner of the Met, revealed that over the course of the next year 100 Sergeants posts are set to be lost from Safer Neighbourhood Teams across the capital. Assistant Commissioner Godwin also admitted to Caroline Pidgeon that by April 2013 a total of 300 sergeants will have been lost from London’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams, cutting in half the number of sergeants across London currently allocated to the neighbourhood policing teams.

The Enfield Independent newspaper covers a debate on the Alternative Vote referendum at Enfield Civic Centre.

Caroline Pidgeon argued for AV at the debate, saying:

If we want people involved and engaged in democracy then we need for them to know that their vote will actually count.

Having to get over half the votes of constituents is a bare minimum you should achieve and for too many parts of the country that's not the case and that can't be right.

You can read the full article here.

Caroline Pidgeon AM took a small group of members from Barnet around City Hall on Thursday 27th January. Caroline talked about the work of the Assembly in holding the Mayor to account as well as showing the team the amazing views form the top of City Hall - London's Living Room.

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, today called on the Mayor of London to look at whether Transport for London could take over the running of certain rail routes serving Londoners.

Following her questioning of the Mayor at City Hall she said:

“There is a chasm between what the Mayor promised train commuters before he was elected and the harsh reality facing so many commuters each and every day.

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor’s latest call at City Hall for a new airport covering London and the South East said:

“The coalition government has ruled out a third Heathrow runway or a further airport in the south east. Boris Johnson should now be slapped down by the Government for his ongoing comments, which are helping no one.