Barnet Times and Barnet Press

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Barnet Residents Forums – still no tea and biscuits offered. [updated]

The current round of Residents' Forums is as follows:

None of this, thank you very much.
(We don't actually WANT you to attend.)

 Chipping Barnet  - Monday, 29 November 2010, 6.30pm, Coppetts Wood Primary School, Coppetts Road, Friern Barnet, N10.  Details

 Hendon  - Tuesday, 30 November 2010, 6.30pm, St Joseph's Pastoral Centre, St Joseph's Grove, The Burroughs, Hendon, NW4.  Details

If you live in Barnet, you are represented by one of these three forums.

Barnet councillors and officers
(Cups of tea after all!)

 Finchley & Golders Green  - Tuesday, 23 November 2010, 6.30pm, St Michael's Church Hall, The Riding, Off Golders Green Road, Golders Green.  Details

Report of the Meeting

"Mrs X was rather surprised to be told at the last Forum that the erstwhile 'Citizens Panel', of which she was a member, had been quietly put to sleep, due to the expense. At the same meeting, she was told that the Citizens Panel was also still being used, as part of the standard 'consultation' process.

"Of course, in the Alice in Wonderland corporate world of Broken Barnet, it is perfectly normal for two completely different things to be true at the same time, as many of the answers given at these events will tell you."

Full report here.

 

Link to Mrs A's friend:

Mrs X's general critique of the Residents Forums

Hammerson video, in the 'Imagination Gallery'. (Cue for first joke by CEO.)

Mid-2012 comment:

Sadly, these gems may no longer be available.

See if you can get the "slides" to work
- we can't!

... "The economic landscape has changed ... and not just for the short term."

... "We have a business goal of being the best developer in the UK and France."

... "Brent Cross is a fantastic success... It is a heritage brand!"

See: Toxic Hammerson Power Grab Threat
for LEP Control Fury

The Ecologist: "CAMPAIGN HERO: Simon Birkett of the Campaign for Clean Air in London"

Link to The Ecologist

"With much help, I calculated there were 3,460 premature deaths due to air pollution in London and 35,000 nationally in 2005. Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee accepted these estimates saying:

Link to 'Clean Air in London'

"'Air quality must be given a higher priority for Government. Defra must raise the profile of the issue, by publicising the latest data on premature deaths more widely, and making clear the benefits of improving air quality."

"The Mayor of London subsequently published an estimate of 4,267 premature deaths in London in 2008. The new Government has confirmed that the new national calculations are correct."

"... calculations suggest 35,000 to 50,000 deaths per year in UK
can be attributed to long-term exposure to fine particles"

The Guardian: "Move towards Tesco-towns 'puts communities at risk' "

Link to Guardian web site

"Mixed-use developments that involve building apartments, schools and parks linked to supermarkets in urban areas, threaten to be 'a liability rather than an asset to the community', says a report published today by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment."

 [Our comment: Now, where have we heard that before?]

"Incoming!" Brent lobs over a warning to Barnet. "They don't like it up 'em!"

Click to enlarge

THE A5 road is the 2000-year-old Roman 'Watling Street', and forms the border between the London Boroughs of Brent (hurrah!) and Barnet (boo!).

Senior officers of Brent have recently clarified various points to Coalition members:

• Whilst various matters were resolved, Brent did not remove or withdraw its principal objections prior to the Barnet Planning Committee of 18/19 November 2009.

Brent Councillor Jack Beck (Liberal Democrat) slams Brent Cross Development Decision

Click for statement

"Spending big money on PR firms doesn’t hide the fact the development will be a disaster.

"I will be urging Brent council for cross-party support on this matter, and will be writing to Cllr Ann John, to ensure that Brent does everything it can to protect its residents."

Barnet Times, Ham & High, and Willesden & Brent Times (with most browsers you can click a second time to magnify)

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Read another post about the Lord Mayor here.

Read about the Houses of Parliament visit here.

PLANNINGResource: "Londoners 'feel excluded from planning' "

PLANNINGResource web site

"Londoners feel they have little say in the design of new buildings and public spaces, according to research.

"Many people believe that public consultation is conducted only as a tick-box exercise."

(Survey was done by Open-City)

Urban Evolution, Consultation and Smarter Cities (Hammerson need not apply)

Coventry: click for Guardian web site

"Imaginative partnerships between the public and private sectors, led by local authorities, are essential to the delivery of innovative 'smart cities' of the future."

[Our comment: Hammerson has been in an "imaginative partnership" at Brent Cross 
- so they don't always turn out well!
On the other hand, Hammerson always did the leading, 
never Barnet, and paid for virtually everything.]

Another Guardian article

"This summer Coventry, in the West Midlands, hit on a novel way of using technology to the gather opinions of its residents. [sic - Grauniad error!]

"In conjunction with IBM it held a three-day mass online conversation – called CovJam – [with five forums] between some 3,000 residents, politicians and council officers.

"[Using the local authority's 'Inform, Consult, Involve' framework] the ideas that emerged from this discussion are now being used to reshape the authority's sustainable communities strategy."

[Our comment: 
Barnet doesn't do 'Conversation'.
Or Inform.
Or Consult.
Or Involve.]

And a warning from history.

THE GOOD NEWS: "A5/A406 Corridor Local Enterprise Partnership." ... THE BAD NEWS: Hammerson would chair it. [Updated]

"Why do we want to establish an A5/A406 Corridor LEP?"

"The overall proposed remit of the A5/A406 Corridor LEP is to identify opportunities for growth and prosperity, in order to stimulate growth in the private sector through:

• transforming growth areas through regeneration and development

• increased investment and innovation in infrastructure provision, including lobbying to be a pilot for Tax Increment Financing with TfL as partners."

SUBMISSION TO VINCE CABLE (no, not in that sense)
plus mention of Barnet's 'Plan B'

Wider considerations?

Mr Cameron's Happiness Index

UPDATE: 4 Dec. 2010:

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See a later Local Enterprise Partnership item here.
See an earlier Local Enterprise Partnership item here.

Willesden & Brent Times: "Cricklewood residents claim Brent Cross development will destroy their community"

Willesden and Brent Times web site

"Concerns over the loss of a community spirit built up over decades, and the type of new accommodation on offer, have rallied opposition to the plans."

Compare and Contrast: Both the area, and the kind of consultation

Link to Brent Council web site

London Borough of Brent is consulting the public and stakeholders on the 'Wembley Link Supplementary Planning Document' (SPD).

One of the consultation events will be held on Wednesday 24 November 2010 from 6.30 to 8.30pm at Patidar House, 22 London Road, Wembley. All comments must be received by 5.00 pm on 17 December 2010.

Ham & High, Barnet Times, Barnet Press, and Wembley & Willesden Observer

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(With most browsers, you can click a second time to enlarge any small text.)

Chill Out! Don't let Hammerson, Standard Life Investments, and London Communications Agency get to you...

Click above for the journey
(use 'Riverrun' in the Main Menu, for the complete route)

"Which springing out of a wall vulgarly called Brownswell, for Brentwell, that is in Old English Frogwell, passeth down between Hampstead and Hendon hilles. 

"Brent" unto whom all the finall rillets of these parts resort, runneth on by Brent street, watereth Hanger Wood, Hanwell, Osterley Park, and so neere his fall in the Tamis giveth name to Brentford a fair thoroughfare and frequent mercat.

"Mindeth thou, not to chokke on the traffick of the cercle du nord, on thy journee past Brennt Crosse." (We maketh that bit upp.)

(from William Camden's Brittanica, 1586)

Brent Cross Campaigners Lobby MPs inside House of Commons as Experts Warn of Incineration Dangers. (Where were you, Mr Freer?)

Click above for UKWIN site, or "Read more" if shown on left

ENVIRONMENTAL groups opposing the Brent Cross incinerator took their fight to the House of Commons on Tuesday of last week.

Together with invited MPs, they heard leading waste experts spell out the dangers of incinerators, like at Brent Cross, and the arguments for a “zero waste” alternative. However, Mike Freer, local MP for Finchley and Golders Green, failed to attend.

Off-subject... No... NO... Oh, alright then! Barnet Times: Copthall Stadium "to house rugby as well as athletics"

Link to Barnet Times (other stories have reaction of Barnet FC)

Today's the Day! Hammerson (notice the double mm joined together; cute) finally admits to Brent Cross Cricklewood development

 Click mm for Hammerson web site

[By the way, Barnet was also underwhelming in ITS STATEMENT.]

'Broken Barnet' blog: The Gilbert and George of North London

Click for Barnet Council's performance artists, Lynne Hillan and Brian Coleman

Hammerson, Standard Life and the London Communications Agency spinners are out in the potting shed...

"Key themes for the project are headed by parks and green open spaces,..."

-oOo-

As in building on the only green area in central Cricklewood? 
And on the two triangular children's play areas?
(All thrown into the planning application, and the Planning Committee told to 'take it or leave it' for the whole scheme.)

Evening Standard: London Underground Northern Line - With local authority support, Development CAN pay for Infrastructure...

BBC West Midlands ('Inside Out', 1 Nov.): "Incinerators, but less waste to burn..."

Future dreams, past nightmares... And unfortunate present: Hammerson

Thursday 25 November, 2010, 7pm:

Discussion on 'A Guide to the New Ruins of Great Britain' with Owen Hatherley, at the LRB Shop.

Planning Mag: First Legal Challenge from Sue, Grabbit and Runne?

Regen.net: Brent Cross deal agreed ["Yeah, yeah, whatever..."]

"The section 106 deal between London Borough of Brent and the scheme’s developers, Brent Cross Cricklewood Development Partners, will result in..." 

We say: "London Borough of BRENT"?  (If only.)

Ham and High ("reeling"?), Barnet Times, Barnet Press, Wembley & Willesden Observer, and Willesden and Brent Times (that's enough newspapers)

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The two Harrow and Brent newspapers are below:

"Burke said there were Three Estates in Parliament; but, in the Reporters' Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate, more important far than they all." - Thomas Carlyle, 1840.

November 2010: Barnet Press Office: The Ministry of Truth breaks its silence - 'RICHARD IS DELIGHTED'! (He evidently picked the short straw.)

Brent Cross Section 106 Approved

The Cheeky Chappie

"Barnet Council yesterday issued planning consent for the comprehensive regeneration of Brent Cross Cricklewood, following completion of the UK’s largest private sector section 106 agreement.

Inside Housing: "Consent granted" - and a roasting in the Comments section