Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Alexandra Palace: damning new report
IT IS NOT often that one can recommend a 100-page report into internal municipal decision-making arrangements, commissioned by the London Borough of Haringey - but this is one of those rare occasions.
The deal to flog Alexandra Palace to Firoka for peanuts always had an odour like the aftermath of an overturned truck with a 10 tonne load of catch from the North Sea, lying in the sun for weeks.
A genuinely independent report has been commissioned by our council into one aspect of this, viz. the granting of an extraordinary temporary licence to Firoka last year (to occupy and trade) which has cost every person reading this, hard cash money and the repercussions of which will be felt for a long time.
The report was obviously initiated by the administrative (not the political) wing of the council, where there must still exist some folk of integrity. The report says "independent" on the tin and due to the nature of what it describes, in detail, we can believe it. This report into the scandal could never have been written internally.
It is a testament to just how badly things can go wrong when a single council official effectively is entrusted with a great asset, has funds without limit to play with, has unfettered authority to run a piece of our history as a personal fiefdom – and goes out of control.
Link to LBH webpage to download the innocent-sounding "Agenda Reports Pack" (Not suitable reading for children or those of a nervous disposition). The report is a watershed.
The good news is that the boil is likely to be lanced. AP now has the possibility of a bright future. A wholly independent Board of Trustees will be essential to progress.
Among other things needed, is that the subsidy that AP has been providing to the council must end. Yes, you read that right - AP has for years been subsidizing work that the council should have been paying for (i.e. the park upkeep, park security and park road maintenence must be funded in the same way as parks in the rest of the Borough). This subsidy to the council currently runs at about £740,000 per annum and has been one of the drains on our Trust's income.
The deal to flog Alexandra Palace to Firoka for peanuts always had an odour like the aftermath of an overturned truck with a 10 tonne load of catch from the North Sea, lying in the sun for weeks.
A genuinely independent report has been commissioned by our council into one aspect of this, viz. the granting of an extraordinary temporary licence to Firoka last year (to occupy and trade) which has cost every person reading this, hard cash money and the repercussions of which will be felt for a long time.
The report was obviously initiated by the administrative (not the political) wing of the council, where there must still exist some folk of integrity. The report says "independent" on the tin and due to the nature of what it describes, in detail, we can believe it. This report into the scandal could never have been written internally.
It is a testament to just how badly things can go wrong when a single council official effectively is entrusted with a great asset, has funds without limit to play with, has unfettered authority to run a piece of our history as a personal fiefdom – and goes out of control.
Link to LBH webpage to download the innocent-sounding "Agenda Reports Pack" (Not suitable reading for children or those of a nervous disposition). The report is a watershed.
The good news is that the boil is likely to be lanced. AP now has the possibility of a bright future. A wholly independent Board of Trustees will be essential to progress.
Among other things needed, is that the subsidy that AP has been providing to the council must end. Yes, you read that right - AP has for years been subsidizing work that the council should have been paying for (i.e. the park upkeep, park security and park road maintenence must be funded in the same way as parks in the rest of the Borough). This subsidy to the council currently runs at about £740,000 per annum and has been one of the drains on our Trust's income.
Tags for Forum Posts: Alexandra, Ally Pally, Firoka, Palace, licence, scandal
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by David Schmitz on
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Clive,
Thanks very much for providing the link. I look forward to some interesting reading.
Best,
David Schmitz
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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Hi David,
I AM SURE that you will wish to get hold of a copy of today's Ham&High Broadway, that contains extensive coverage of the shocking Walklate Report (Front page, 2nd page and Editorial).
It is satisfying to be vindicated, but this report is also an indictment of the whole Haringey Council controlled Trust Board that has let down the community so badly. The Trustees are let off relatively lightly by Walklate, who presents them almost as the innocent, injured party when theirs was the ultimate duty to safeguard our charity and our charitable trust's funds.
This is the second huge catastrophe for our Charity, the first being the massive 1980s building overspend following the 1980 fire, whose repercussions are still felt today. This must not happen again. Municipal control has been a chronic blight on what should be one of London's greatest attractions.
We must have a fully independent board of trustees as to ensure AP has a bright future - we deserve nothing less.
Clive.
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