The Council leader and the unsafe cladding

In May, Cllr Gould's 'coronation' as Camden Council leader came with plaudits from Lord Mandelson and other local Labour Party luminaries. The Camden New Journal reported: "Town Hall boss says she will be judged on her own merits and not 'New Labour heir' tag."(1)

Yet perhaps both her backers and her 'performance on the job' betray an alienation between her 'leadership' and Camden's tower block fodder?

Glaswegian trade unionist Jimmy Reid said in his inauguration speech as Rectorof Glasgow University in 1972:

"Everything that is proposed from the establishment seems almost calculated to minimise the role of the people, to miniaturise man [sic]. I can understand how attractive this prospect must be to those at the top. Those of us who refuse to be pawns in their power game can be picked up by their bureaucratic tweezers and dropped in a filing cabinet under 'M' for malcontent or maladjusted. When you think of some of the high flats around us, it can hardly be an accident that they are as near as one could get to an architectural representation of a filing cabinet.” (2)

As a newbie council leader Georgia Gould might not be personally responsible for the Health & Safety failings of Camden's Tower blocks that came to prominence in the wake of the Grenfell Tower inferno. I would argue though that her 'swift and decisive' attempt to remedy those Health & Safety failings by means of delegated turfing out of people at unsocial hours without consultation from the tower blocks bears evidence of bureaucratic tweezers more than a friendly, “I am here to help you at this hour of danger” handshake.(3)

By Dude Swheatie of Kwug

Notes

1. http://camdennewjournal.com/article/proud-lord-mandelson-hails-new-council-leader-georgia-gould
2. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/still-irresistible-a-working-class-heros-finest-speech-2051285.html
3. http://camdennewjournal.com/article/georgiagouldexplanation

Camden Cllr Siân Berry seeks equality best practices

Another Cllr Siân Berry guest blog post

Council news: I'm asking for best practice in equality Following positive answers from the Mayor of London (and improvements on the way in the GLA group of organisations), I've asked Camden Council to change how it deals with gender and diversity in its data and recruitment procedures. I have written to Camden's Cabinet Member for Equality & Employment, Larraine Revah, to urge Camden to change official forms and recruitment processes. I've asked for better practices including: Giving people the option not to reveal their gender when filling in forms to access services, include a choice of gender-neutral titles Name-blind shortlisting processes when recruiting staff Some of the other councillors have backed me on twitter already, so I'm hoping for a positive answer soon, to match the good news from City Hall! See more and read my letter to the Council here https://camden.greenparty.org.uk/news/2016/09/26/news/2016-09-26-gender-diversity-equality-letter/

Taxpayers Against Poverty: Spread Camden and Westminster councils' Council Tax exemptions round all 259 councils' taxing benefits in England and Wales

From Revd Paul Nicolson of Taxpayers Against Poverty

Dear all,

This is very good news. I hope we can spread the exemption round all 259 councils' taxing benefits in England and Wales. Bedroom tax next.

All good wishes,

Paul

Camden Council to stop chasing worst-off for council tax with plan to exempt 11,500 residents http://www.camdennewjournal.com/council-tax-exemptions#.V4kQe7MgJqw.twitter …

To the Leader Haringey Council

Dear Claire,

I have been sent this information by the Alan Wheatley of the Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group. I hope there will be no delay in Haringey Council relieving the worst off residents of the enforcement of the council tax plus court costs, which should never have been imposed on benefit incomes. Taxing £73.10 JSA since April 2013 never did make sense. The same totally inadequate £73.10 JSA has also been required to pay rent since April 2013 following the bedroom tax and the benefit cap.

It did not need rocket science to see this coming. (see extract from Supreme Court Judgement below)

I hope you will now lend the weight of the council to the campaign for the abolition of the bedroom tax, and of the other cuts in housing benefit to prevent any further detriment to the health of the worst off Haringey residents due to unmanageable debts imposed by the state.

I will of course be presenting this evidence to the Appeal Court and to the Tottenham Magistrates.

Yours sincerely.

Paul

Supreme Court Judgment 29th October 2014. Mosley v Haringey

22. On 10 December 2012, following the end of the (council tax) consultation, The Rev. Nicolson wrote a letter of protest to the Leader of Haringey Council, which ended as follows: 

“I am shocked that no alternative to hitting the fragile incomes of  the  poorest  residents of Haringey … was included in the recent (council tax) consultation."

29. Those whom Haringey was primarily consulting were the most economically disadvantaged of its residents. 

Their income was already at a basic level and the effect of Haringey’s proposed scheme would be to reduce it even below that level and thus in all likelihood to cause real hardship, while sparing its more prosperous residents from making any contribution to the shortfall in government funding.

Fairness demanded that in the consultation document brief reference should be made to other ways of absorbing the shortfall and to the reasons why (unlike 58% of local authorities in England: see para 15 above) Haringey had concluded that they were unacceptable. The protest of The Rev. Nicolson in his letter dated 10 December 2012 was well-directed.

-- 

Rev Paul Nicolson

93 Campbell Road, 

London N17 0BF

02083765455

07961177889

from the Reverend Paul Nicolson

Taxpayers Against Poverty

No citizen without an affordable home and an 

adequate income in work or unemployment. 

93 Campbell Road, Tottenham, London N17 0BF, 0208 3765455, 07961 177889, 

https://www.facebook.com/Taxpayers-Against-Poverty-299911526728884/

https://twitter.com/taxpayers_a_p www.taxpayersagainstpoverty.org.uk, 

www.z2k.org, www.prohousingalliance.com

100 Avenue Road proposed 24-storey skyscraper: Planning application and appeal

100 Avenue Road: Planning application and appeal

 

A message from the Belsize Residents' Association.

 

24 Storeys starve others of sunlight!

We are writing to you to let you know what we are doing about BRA’s continued objection to the proposed development at 100 Avenue Road. We are asking for your support and for a financial contribution.

Last year, Camden rejected Essential Living’s planning application to build a 24-storey tower alongside Swiss Cottage open space. Many BRA members supported the local campaign, since the damage to the open space and to our conservation areas would be unacceptable. Essential Living appealed against Camden’s decision. The case will be heard at a planning inquiry before an independent inspector in July. Essential Living has hired an expensive and strong legal team and Camden will defend their decision as the main party.

But the inspector has granted the Belsize Residents’ Association rule 6 status, which means we too are a party to the Inquiry. The Inspector would like to hear evidence about the impacts of the proposal on local residents. BRA has taken advice from a specialist barrister who has told us that a strong, expert-led case can be made. Until now, we have paid for advice using our reserve funds and done a really good job using volunteers: you’ve written objections, gone to meetings, lobbied the Council. Our Committee members drafted a persuasive Statement of Case which the barrister we consulted saw and liked. The Inquiry offers an important chance to make the case but puts a high premium on independent, expert evidence.

We know, not least from members at the AGM, the importance you attach to this and will be using as much of our contingency reserve as we prudently can to pay the costs. But that will not be enough. We would make our case using whatever funds members can generously give, but we think that the costs would be in the region of £15,000.  Given the nature and complexity of the case, we cannot guarantee that we will win.  But we wish to do our very best for our members and for the local community as a whole.

Our Statement of Case focuses on the impact of the tower on our conservation area and on Swiss Cottage Open Space.  We are liaising with other groups who intend to focus on other issues and may seek funding for that purpose.  We will, however, use your contributions to fund the BRA case.   

Please act now. Please give generously.

Please make cheques payable to the Belsize Residents’ Association and send them to BRA c/o Anne Stevens Flat 1, 20 Netherhall Gardens,

NW3 5TH. Online payments can be made to Belsize Residents’ Association, Santander Bank, Account number: 19524004 Sort Code: 09-01-55. Please ensure you include the reference “Donation”.

To find out more please contact info@belsize.org.uk or telephone 0207 794 0874.

Best wishes

Prabhat Vaze, Chair, Belsize Residents' Association

Further notes

 
The details of the venues and times for the
inquiry are as follows:
Week 1Tuesday 14th July.
 10 am.  BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H
9JP (tube- Euston, Euston Square, or Russell Square.  168
bus from Belsize Park)Wednesday 15th July.
10am. BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H
9JP.Thursday 16th and Friday 17th July. 10
am.  The Council Chamber, Camden Town Hall, Judd
Street, London, WC1H 9JE (tube- King's Cross.  46 bus
from Swiss Cottage)

Week 2Monday 20th July.
10am.  To be confirmed.  Should the Inquiry run on
this day, it will take place at The Council Chamber, Camden
Town Hall, Judd Street, London, WC1H 9JE (tube- King's
Cross.  46 bus from Swiss Cottage)Tuesday
21st July. 10am.  The Council Chamber, Camden Town
Hall, Judd Street, London, WC1H 9JE (tube- King's Cross.
 46 bus from Swiss Cottage)Wednesday 22nd
July.  Inspector's site visit to Swiss
Cottage Open Space.  Time to be confirmed.  Venue: Swiss
Cottage Community Centre.Thursday and Friday
23rd and 24th July. 10 am. The Council Chamber, Camden
Town Hall, Judd Street, London, WC1H 9JE (tube- King's
Cross.  46 bus from Swiss Cottage)

Please do make every effort to attend
particularly on the first day of the Inquiry and for the
Inspector's site visit.  Please do spread the word.
Many of our usual supporters will be working or on holiday
so we really do need local people to turn out.

Thank you again for your support.

Thanks from Swiss Cottage Action Group — with a word of warning

Blog piece title and email forward from CJ of the KUWG, who describes KUWG members as 'Kwugites'.

As we had agreed to support campaign, here is a Thank You... with words of warning.

CJ

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Swiss Cottage
To: "saveswisscottage AT gmail.com"
Sent: Monday, 15 September 2014, 22:33
Subject: Thank you from Swiss Cottage Action Group

Spectacular solidarity beyond the full public gallery

Dear Friend,

Apologies for the belated nature of this email.     

As you probably already know, local councillors rejected the application to develop the 100 Avenue Road/Swiss Cottage site at the Development Control Committee meeting on Thursday.  

On behalf of Swiss Cottage Action Group, I want to thank you for your help in the campaign.

A huge thank you to everybody who signed a petition, wrote a letter or email, attended meetings, sent out tweets, told friends, donated money or attended the Town Hall on Thursday (both inside and outside).  Every single person and action played an indispensable part in the campaign. I wish I could thank you all in person. 

Despite Thursday's pleasing outcome, we cannot celebrate just yet.  The developer has various avenues of appeal.

We hope our opponents will now take time to consider the matter calmly and act in a manner which fully respects the decision of our elected councillors.  We will of course keep you informed.  

Thank you again.  I want send very special thanks in particular to those who made the effort to attend the meeting, but were turned away from the Town Hall on Thursday night.  Everyone helped to make the difference. 

Best wishes,

Sarah 

(on behalf of) 

Swiss Cottage Action Group

Follow us on twitter: @swisscottageag

p.s. You can view the webcast of the full meeting on Camden's website for the next six months.  I'd be happy to send the link on to anyone who requests it.

Swiss Cottage Action Group

Follow us on twitter: @swisscottageag

Swiss Cottage Tower Final Decision — Thursday 11 September at Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, WC1H 9JE

From Swiss Cottage Action Group

Dear Supporter,

We hope you have chance to see this week's Ham and High and Camden New Journal.  As their editorials make clear, we urgently need people to attend the Council's planning meeting on Thursday 11th September at Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, WC1H 9JE.

  

>>NEW JOURNAL COMMENT: When disenchantment with politics is allowed to fester (click here)

The meeting starts at 6.30pm, but we are advising people to get there by 6pm.

Although the planning officer has recommended the proposal on balance, the final word rests with our councillors who will have to vote on the issue.

Obviously, the more of us they see there the better.

Please let us know if you will be able to come or if there is anything we can do to help you travel there.  

Please also spread the word as widely as possible to friends, neighbours and family.

I apologise for the short notice, but we are not responsible for setting the time and date of the meeting.

Thank you in advance.

Best wishes,

Sarah

(on behalf of) 

Swiss Cottage Action Group

Follow us on twitter: @swisscottageag

---

Swheatie comments:
This is a monstrous decision on the part of Camden Council's planners, worthy of the American emergency services telephone number date. The 24 storey monstrosity skyscraper or tower interferes with a number of conservation areas, would blot out much of the sun for long period of the year in the Swiss Cottage area, and the building process in such a confined space would add to pollution with no real provision of social housing.

See also from the Camden New Journal letters pages:

• Avenue Road report access denied – Camden council refuse to let public see it
  Artist’s impression of the proposed Avenue Road development Published: 4 September, 2014 • COUNCILLORS on Camden’s development control committee will vote next week on proposals to...