Street lights petition success

I am delighted to announce that the petition to improve street lighting on Goldhurst Terrace and Aberdare Gardens has been successful and that we will have new and improved lights by May this year.

The council's community safety team responded recently after viewing the petition at a recent Safer Neighbourhoods meeting and emailed me to confirm the decision.

The petition will still be formally submitted at the next full council meeting in March in order to secure a public confirmation and to address several outstanding issues that have not yet been addressed.

May I just say a heart-felt thank you to all those who supported the petition and made it possible including local residents' association CRASH and the Hampstead and Kilburn Liberal Democrats in particular.

My biggest thanks though go out to all the residents who took the time to talk to me on their doorsteps and sign the petition. My faith in community activism has very much been reinforced by their crucial support.

It is only a shame that the petition could not gain support from both major parties in Camden with the local Conservative councillors refusing to add their support to the petition which they deemed an "inefficient" use of their resources.

Thank you all.