Lambeth Councillors - Jim Dickson

Councillor Jim Dickson

How long have you lived in Lambeth and been a councillor here?
I’ve lived in Lambeth in for 20 years having moved to Herne Hill in the mid 1980s. I came onto the council in 1990, which rather worryingly makes me the longest serving Labour councillor in the borough!

What was your first involvement in politics?
I joined the Labour party in my teens when I started to see how the Thatcher government was destroying people’s lives and tearing apart whole communities. I realised then that only the Labour Party was strong enough to stop the Conservatives and replace them with a government which cared about providing strong public services particularly education and health. These are vital to allowing everyone to have a chance of making something of their lives and to look after their families and friends.

Why did you become a councillor?
Lambeth was in a right old state in the late 1980s - under the pincer of hard left rule and a Tory government - and I wanted to play my part in turning it round so that it helped people not hindered them. I though that might take a few years but I didn’t realise that 15 years later the task would become saving it from the incompetence of the Liberals (and their Conservative friends).

What issues do you think are most important to residents in your ward?
Three in particular:

Getting decent education provision right the way up the age scale. I’m glad to say the Labour government is putting major resources our way to do this. In particular three new secondary schools for the borough – with one right next door to Herne Hill.

Tackling crime which is a fundamental issue for people in inner city areas like ours. Safer Neighbourhood Teams – with dedicated police for each ward will make a big difference. But I’m concerned that Lambeth council isn’t playing its full part to help.

Council tax levels under the Lib Dems have rocketed but were not seeing much back for the extra we’re paying. People wouldn’t mind paying a bit more for better services but the council never ever asks them what they want and at what price – they just hike taxes up to pay for huge inefficiency.

A lot other issues are bound up with people’s quality of life – the state of the streets, parking, housing and benefit problems. I work hard on all of these issues.

I’ve recently run a major local campaign to get the council and Thames Water to take seriously the plight of people who got flooded out in the torrential rains of April 2004. If nothing is done this could happen again.

What else is involved in being a councillor?
There are two key elements to the job:

Being the eyes and ears of local people in your area then making sure that there is someone to stand up for local residents when their voice needs to be heard. That means taking up people’s individual case work problems with council bureaucracy, helping people access local services or pointing out the damage being done by misguided policies.

Taking the interests of all local people into the town hall to try to create a council that provides the best possible services and which truly represents them. Too often the real needs of communities for good schools and decent housing gets forgotten by councilors and officers who get bound up with running a large organization and forget their real purpose – to make lives better.

Have you ever been a victim of crime?
Yes I’ve been burgled and it’s not pleasant. Feeling safe is one of the most important elements of living a fulfilling life that’s why the fight against crime is such an important issue.

What’s the worst thing about being a councillor?
It’s two things really.

Seeing Lambeth stagnate and go backwards with consequent effects on local people. Hopefully Labour can put that right after next May.

Not seeing as much of my partner Nicola and our two young children Alec and Frieda as I would like.

What’s the best thing about being a councillor?
I love serving Herne Hill. It’s got one of the most creative and energetic communities you’ll find anywhere – they can do anything from building themselves a new park, sorting out the own village centre lay out, providing their own youth provision. It’s also got great parks, an open air pool, improving primary schools and its own library.

I feel privileged at the chance to go in to bat for them at the town hall and wherever else I’m needed.

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