St Ann's and Harringay Area Forum is on tonight!! - Apparently!!

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on February 10, 2015 at 7:38

Thanks, RTDR, for taking those notes and posting them so quickly.

I'm becoming increasingly convinced that such "citizen journalism" and websites like this are one of the few ways we have to try holding these bodies to account. Especially when you write:

"They had submitted Freedom of Information requests to the Mental Health Trust and the CCG to find out what discussions had taken place about the site. The Mental Health Trust said that discussions had taken place but that no notes had been taken, the CCG said that no discussions had taken place at all!"

It's bad enough if no minutes were taken at discussions of such importance. Discussions to consider the sale of public assets; property development involving millions; and crucially the provision of local mental health and other health services. But then to be told by the Clinical Commissioning Group that these discussions did not take place!!

Did the Mental Heath Trust officials only dream there were such discussions? Or perhaps false memories of these non-existent discussions were planted in their brains? Or were the memories of the Clinical Commissioning Group staff mysteriously wiped? Sounds like a serious medical problem. The discovery of St Ann's Syndrome? Call in the specialists.

Completely seriously, there seems to be a growing disease of secrecy affecting Haringey. Are these two sets of Freedom of Information Act questions and replies available to the public? Was this referred to the Information Commissioner?

In any case, RTDR, can I assume that the three St Ann's ward councillors were all shocked and outraged by the vanishing notes and lack of full and candid information? And did they make clear their determination to get to the bottom of it?

Or perhaps not?

In which case, how about someone having a word with the office of Andy Burnham MP. Labour's shadow cabinet health spokesperson. Who may be able to assist?

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on February 10, 2015 at 10:21

P.S. For people who don't know, as I understand it, Eric Pickles has changed the law to give us the right to record and video public meetings. Young people campaigning against cuts to the Youth Service videoed a meeting at Bruce Grove Youth Centre, and posted it - in chunks - on YouTube.

It repays watching. No fancy graphics. No shots of reporters by Swiss lakes or in Manhattan taxis. No portentous background music.  Just raw, honest and to the point.

And of course, I'm referring to the honesty and directness of the young people. Among the "leading" councillors and Haringey officers who spoke, the only one to come out with any credit was Jon Abbey the Acting Director of Children's Services. He seemed to be trying hard to give clear, genuinely helpful answers to sharp questions.

The two "cabinet" councillors Ann Waters and Jason Arthur repeated the usual empty burble.  Here are two obvious genuine 100% savings - Councillors "Special Responsibility Allowances". A cut which hardly anyone would miss.

But don't take my word. See for yourselves.

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Permalink Reply by Sharon on February 10, 2015 at 13:22

Thanks for posting the link Alan. I know one of the young people speaking. I'm proud of her and of all of our young people and it absolutely breaks my heart to see those with so much to give, with so much passion, talent and creativity having everything taken away from them. Those young people have more integrity and intelligence in their little fingers than any of the panel sitting opposite them.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on February 11, 2015 at 10:35

A few HoL readers may know about the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. I was watching a video by Ken Robinson saying some wise things about how we can destroy creativity, individuality and curiosity in children and young people.

As happens with YouTube - on the same page I saw a link to a few minutes from an interview with Freire in 1996 a year before he died. Who also mentioned curiosity. Telling the interviewer that he stayed curious all his life -  it was an unchanging part of who he was. "I was a curious boy and I am a curious old man. That is, my curiosity never stops."

When people go to a meeting like the forum I wonder how many are there to listen and are genuinely curious to learn? That, after all, is supposed to be their purpose.

I stopped going to my local ones because it became painfully obvious that too many of my colleagues knew-it-all-already. If they did listen and heard something they disagreed with, it was usually ignored or dismissed. Were council officers (staff) curious? It seemed to me that they tended to use the forums as evidence to show they'd "consulted" with 'x' numbers of residents. In other words, they turned up, spoke about some proposal which - mostly - had been decided on already - and went away having ticked the "consultation" and "community engagement" box. Maybe they changed some minor details as a 'nod' towards other views.

Sometimes you have something like, say, an old fridge. It's worked okay for years and been repaired from time to time. Maybe you've even got used to it and regard it as a fixture. After all, it's been with you for a while - sharing your space. Patiently looking after your food. Keeping those personal and family messages safe under its door magnets.

But then, it starts making a nasty rumbling noise. Or wheezes. Or freezes up and can't do its job properly. Even a newish fridge may not work properly. (Probably a few weeks after the guarantee runs out.) And if you have the money, you know that it's time for a replacement with something that works well.

Forums, ward councillors, even entire "cabinets" eventually reach this point.

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Permalink Reply by Natalie K on March 9, 2015 at 21:05

Hi there,

I just got sent an email from the council regarding the planning sub-committee meeting on the 16 March at 7pm for St Ann's hospital. Details below from email. There are details if you would like to address the sub-committee. Not sure if this has already been circulated online. I cannot attend. If anyone could ask how schools in the local area are being supported to sustain this large development much appreciated.  Cheers. 

 

Town and Country Planning Act 1990

 

Location:             St Anns General Hospital St Anns RoadN15 3TH

 

Proposal:            Hybrid application comprising:

Full application for the construction of 106 flats and 7 houses ranging in height from 2 to 5 storeys, conversion of retained buildings to provide 7 houses and 148 sq. m of retail (use class A1), 82 car parking spaces, highway and public realm works, hard and soft landscaping, access and associated development:

and:

Outline application (with all matters reserved except for principal means of access) for the construction of new buildings and conversion of retained buildings ranging in height from 2 to 5 storeys to provide up to 350 residential units, new healthcare buildings, upgrade of existing access point off Hermitage Road, open space and associated development, and outline application (with all matters reserved except for scale and layout) for construction of a new mental health inpatient building up to 3 storeys in height (use class C2) and associated development.

(FURTHER HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL INFORMATION AND COMMENTS FROM ENGLISH HERITAGE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, AND ARE VIEWABLE ONLINE; RECONSULTATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION 22)

 

The above planning application will be considered by the Planning Sub-Committee.  The meeting starts at 7.00 p.m. on 16/03/2015 and is held at the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, High Road, Wood Green, London N22 8LE.

 

The meeting is open to the public to attend.   For further information on presenting your views at Planning Sub-Committee please see: www.haringey.gov.uk/planning_sub_committee

If you wish to address the Planning Sub-Committee you must advise the Council by noon on the working day immediately prior to the Sub-Committee meeting (for a Monday meeting this would be by noon on the Friday prior to the Sub-Committee). Persons interested in addressing the Committee in relation to an application on the agenda should contact the Committee secretariat on 020 8489 1512 (maria.fletcher@haringey.gov.uk).  The number of speakers will usually be limited to two speaking in favour of the application and two speaking against the application with a time limit of 3 minutes for each speaker i.e. a maximum of 6 minutes.  Please be advised that speaking slots will be allocated on a strictly first come first served basis.

 

The committee report may be viewed on the Council’s website on the following link:

 

http://www.planningservices.haringey.gov.uk/portal/servlets/Applica...

 

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