Two major issues affecting Harrow East residents over the past month have of course been the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the proposed redevelopment of Canons Park and Stanmore Station car parks.
COVID-19 and Vaccinations
The Prime Minister addressed the nation on the 4th January to break the news of a new national lockdown, once again instructing everyone to stay at home. You may only leave home for limited reasons permitted in law, such as to shop for essentials, to work if you absolutely cannot work from home, to exercise or to seek medical assistance such as getting a Covid test.
The Covid-19 situation remains very serious, with infections and deaths at too high a level. I urge all local residents to continue to follow the Government advice which is being updated daily. As we become accustomed to the measures, we must not get complacent and let all the hard work be for nothing.
The full details on what you can and can’t do are available at gov.uk/coronavirus.
However, we have seen very promising developments on the roll-out of vaccinations, with the Government conducting the biggest vaccination programme in our history. So far, we in the UK have vaccinated more people than the rest of Europe combined.
As part of the Government’s vaccination programme, The Hive football stadium in Edgware is being used as one major venue to administer vaccines for residents and was one of the first vaccination sites in the UK to open. With its large open spaces and extensive parking provisions, the Hive is an excellent site to accommodate many people to be inoculated on a constant basis.
The Harrow East Primary Care Network have said that staff at the Hive are aiming to vaccinate 350 people a day and they are consistently receiving new vaccines to support this. I am aware of delays and long queues during the first few days of its operation, but I have been in contact with the relevant authorities to resolve these issues.
On Monday 25th January I joined the Prime Minister on a visit to the site, where it was announced that the Hive had so far vaccinated over 13,000 people. I wish to pay tribute to all the health care professionals and volunteers who are working hard to ensure that the Hive continues to build on this tremendous effort.
I was also fortunate to visit another new major vaccination site in Harrow at Byron Hall on Friday 22nd January. It was a pleasure to speak to staff at both sites and see first-hand the great work they are doing as part of the national effort to save thousands of lives.
As the roll-out continues, it is important to remember that you will be notified by the NHS when it is your turn to receive a vaccination. People should not contact the NHS for a Covid vaccination beforehand or turn up to a vaccination site without an appointment. When you are contacted, however, it is of the utmost importance that you book and attend your appointment. It is only by vaccinating as many people as possible that we can defeat the virus and ease the lockdown.
Station Car Parks
In our campaign to stop the proposed redevelopments of Canons Park and Stanmore Station car parks into monstrous tower blocks, I am delighted the Harrow Council Planning Committee voted to refuse the redevelopment of Canons Park Station car park following hard lobbying by Conservative councillors and grassroots petitions from residents.
These plans would have caused huge disruption and were not in keeping with the local area's amenities. This follows great work from our local councillors to highlight the problems with the proposals, as well as the many residents who signed petitions to raise their objections and get their voices heard.
Whilst we still await a decision on the Stanmore Station application, I am hoping the Harrow Council’s Planning Committee will issue a similar verdict on this equally inadequate proposal.
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