by Robert Firth

Clapham Common is set to be a decisive ward in whether Lambeth Council retains a single Conservative councillor in the local elections on Thursday.    

Cllr Tim Briggs won Clapham Common by just 32 votes when people last went to the ballot box in 2018. 

Mr Briggs, who has been a councillor for the area since 2014, said residents were bringing up Boris Johnson's rule-breaking lockdown birthday bash on the doorstep.

But he hopes his promise to reduce council tax and Labour-led Lambeth's delays in fixing mouldy and damp housing will help him be re-elected a third time when results are announced on Friday. 

Cllr Briggs said: "Often partygate gets mentioned on the door and what's happening nationally. A lot of people are annoyed with that.

"We're really clinging on by our fingernails just to have sensible, centrist, practical, centre-ground policies. Like why do you always have to put up council tax?

"Residents are worried about crime, particularly in the light of the Sarah Everard murder. We're trying to ensure that women have safe spaces, that there is better lighting on the common."

No residents in Clapham Common said they were planning to change their vote because of Boris Johnson's lockdown party when the Local Democracy Reporting Service visited on May 3.

Jessie Clapham, 30, said she would probably vote Conservative because of the local party's promise to improve street lighting in the area. 

She said: "I'm not a die-hard Conservative or anything but there are a few things that have persuaded me to vote for them here such as safety. They were promising more lighting and more community support officers. 

"When I used to live outside the area, I didn't always choose them. I might sway if some of the candidates could do something about pests.

"We've had problems with rats in the apartment block where I live which has been a bit of a problem."

Down the road council tenant Roselyn Mason said she would be voting Labour as she had for the last 15 years. But like others the Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to she complained about the time it took for simple repairs to be completed. 

The 56-year-old said: "They used to be very good but I think it's to do with Covid because recently things have been very slow. You wait for ages on the phone and it takes a while. I've been voting for Labour for the past 15 years though and I'm not changing." 

Even those with a strong dislike of Boris Johnson's government didn't extend their disapproval to Cllr Briggs. Labour voter Richard Stamp credited him for attending meetings of the residents association at the Notre Dame Estate where he lives.

The 57-year-old said: "Having a lying, misogynistic prime minister is not the way to go but Cllr Briggs has come to the residents' meetings. I've had my disagreements with him too but he has always been civil and listened." 

Cllr Briggs said he hoping residents' minds will be on local issues rather than national ones when casting their vote on Thursday. Lambeth Conservative's offer to locals includes policies stolen from Tory-ran Wandsworth like council tax reductions. Others such as building on top of existing estates to create more council homes has been done by both Wandsworth and Labour Southwark.

Mr Briggs said: "Things not going well nationally are never helpful locally. People can see what's going on nationally. It's a lot harder for them to see what's going on locally. Our job is an uphill struggle.

"If we can retain my seat and get another Conservative in Clapham that would be great. And it would be nice to do well in Streatham Hill East and it would be nice to do well in West Dulwich."