Spurs go for the USA market - with US football.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 28, 2013 at 16:37

For the residents and small businesses in North Tottenham any further delay will mean more uncertainty and "planning blight". A process which blights the value of homes and businesses. And is likely to make it harder for individuals to make plans and investment decisions; and much harder to get loans to do so.  Which is a perfect setting for property speculators to pick up possible "bargains". And the worst thing for the lives of local people.

In my view, what the Kober Council is now doing is immoral and unethical.

Last Saturday 28 November, I went to Tottenham Hale Retail Park where a marquee was erected and a large group of staff were gathered. One person said she worked for an agency called "Soundings". I also recognised people who I think are staff of Homes for Haringey. Some may be directly employed by the Council.

I was surprised that Council and Homes for Haringey (HFH) staff are involved in such a large-scale operation. Especially at a time when the Council at least, seems to have ever fewer staff to do the basic work.

I'm also curious as to the legal and financial basis of possible involvement by Homes for Haringey. It is supposed to be an ALMO (Arms Length Management Organisation) - a company separate from the Council. It has separate financial accounts. So I've asked on what basis any HfH staff are taking part in a consultation exercise with many hundreds of residents who are neither leaseholders nor tenants of Homes for Haringey.

Because Tottenham Retail Park is a successful and well-used shopping centre it attracts customers from a wide area. So it's likely that many consultees did not even live in the East Tottenham area. I'm also told that Homes for Haringey staff have been doing some door knocking in residential streets where only a few of the residents are in Homes for Haringey properties.

As well as asking about the legal position, I've asked how much this is costing both Homes for Haringey and the Council.

I've also pointed out that many of the plans being developed by the Council have a clear political agenda aimed at "social cleansing" and to serve the interests of large local developers. Should Homes for Haringey staff even be involved in such a highly politically contentious programme? Given that it's important for tenants and leaseholders to have trust in the independence and professional advice of Homes for Haringey staff - which will be lost if residents realise they are simply "selling" the Council Leadership's PR and Spin.

On Saturday a questionnaire was handed to people. It was along the same lines as one in North Tottenham. Options and prompts were largely designed to produce particular sets of answers. It also invited people to express preferences for new facilities. Although, as far as I know, none of these are costed. Many are in service areas where the Council has already made severe cuts and is likely to be making still more.

It is, in other words, a faux-questionnaire; a PR exercise dressed-up as consultation. In my view, it's also highly likely that the timing is designed to fit the election timetable in the run-up to May 2014. In other words aiming to generate a feel-good factor by appearing to "consult" on wide-ranging improvements. Without actually having the means to deliver and sustain these in the longer term.

I'm told that, in the usual way these things are done in "Secret Haringey", a private meeting was held where officers and the "cabinet" councillor Alan Strickland briefed a few Labour councillors on this faux-consultation. On Saturday I was told that analysis of the results will go the "cabinet" next month.

(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)

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Permalink Reply by pamish on October 28, 2013 at 16:48

http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/tottenham-s-future-in-w...

Cross-ref this post for more about the 'survey'. I just checked and there are no leading questions about how we might want this USian neo-sport to take over Tottenham.

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