Camden Labour has selected well-known tenants’ leader from Russell’s Nurseries Larraine Revah as the candidate for the snap Hampstead Town by-election on 25th September 2008.

Larraine has lived locally since she was 13 years old, growing up on Finchley Road and schooled locally at JFS.

A mother of two, Larraine has worked and volunteered for a number of children’s and early years charities over the years, focusing on helping children with special needs.

Many people know Larraine in the Gospel Oak regeneration area in the south of the ward, where she is chair of the under-threat District Management Committee.

An active local campaigner, Larraine is regularly seen locally getting hundreds of people to sign petitions to take up to the Town Hall on issues such as the privatisation of caretaking, youth cuts and housing repairs.

Larraine said: “I have lived in the ward on the Russell Nurseries estate since 1990 and have loved every minute of it.  My passion is my local community, working hard to make it cleaner, greener and safer.”

“In this election, there is no choice between the Tories and Lib Dems
- they are joined at the hip at the Town Hall.  People are getting fed up with broken promises and the failure of the Lib Dem Tory alliance to listen when they consult local people on issues which are important to us.”

“The only way to challenge the continued cuts to youth clubs and hikes to meals on wheels and care charges is to give a vote to Labour.”

Labour leader Cllr. Anna Stewart said: “You don’t get more local than Larraine.  She has a strong track record in getting results and keeping Town Hall leaders, of all political colours, on their toes.
With the council’s failure to listen to what people are saying, that’s exactly what is needed at the moment.”

“Locally Labour has a very good chance, in the May elections Labour came second to the Tories.  A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a Tory vote, only Labour can be trusted to oppose misguided Town Hall policies.”

Here are some of the things Larraine has achieved in her neighbourhood:

• Established a sensory garden from a derelict piece of land which is now accessible to all and has lovely raised flower beds.
• Created kick around area for local children.  Until then they had no place on the estate to play until we campaigned to get the council to put a play area on another forgotten piece of land.
• Set up a new picnic area, now many residents use this area to have BBQs in the summer.
• Argued for funds to run a lot of clubs and activities in the hall that is in the estate for children and adults of all ages, and much more.
• More recently Larraine was involved in the Belsize Woods Nature Reserve, and had discussions to create a second part to the Nature Reserve, right by the estate.  This also helped to increase security on the blocks adjoining the woodlands.

Larraine also holds a number of prominent positions in the neighbourhood:

• Vice chair of the committee for the Fleet Community Centre.
• Chair of the Gospel Oak DMC – dealing with all housing issues and policies in the district.
• Safer Neighborhoods Panel member.
• Committee member for Camden Federation of Tenants and Residents Association (CFTRA)

The Hampstead Town by election was caused by the resignation of Conservative Councillor Mike Greene.  The most recent poll of residents, in May 2008, shows Labour in second place to the Conservatives.

Tags: Hampstead Town