Why are councillors not responding to HoL posts, including questions about the pocket park: My letter giving the leader of the council an opportunity to explain

Below is a thread of correspondence that I began on these issues on 2 October, initially with Cllr Ryan asking what Is happening with the proposed pocket park from Alison road to the Salisbury. As I had no response, I wrote to Cllr Kober (leader of the council) asking about the park along with broader questions this issue highlighted about why members don't seem to be engaging with the community on HoL anymore. Although I've had an acknowledgment, I am still waiting for a full response and am posting this so that we won't loose site of these important issues about the council and community engagement.

Today, 28 October, I sent a reminder to Cllr Kober with the whole thread of correspondance attached for ease of reference.

Dear Cllr Kober

Thank you for your email of 9 October stating that you have asked officers to look into the matters I raised, and that this should usually take 10 working days. As it is now 14 working days later and I am still waiting for your full response to both my questions, I am sending you a quick reminder. I am also copying this email into Harringay on line, to keep people informed on the site who have expressed an interest in hearing your response to these important community issues.

Regards

On 9 Oct 2014, at 09:20, Leaders Casework wrote
Thank you for your email. I have asked officers to look into this matter and will respond to you when I hear back from them (usually within 10 working days).

Best wishes
Claire

Claire Kober
Leader of the Council


Sent by me: Wednesday, October 08, 2014 08:03 PM GMT Standard Time
To: Cllr Kober Claire (Leader of the Council)
Cc: Cllr Strickland Alan; Cllr Adamou Gina; Cllr Ibrahim Emine; Cllr Blake Barbara; Cllr Morton Peter; Cllr Ozbek Ali Gul; Cllr Ryan James
Subject: Re: Communication issues with members and residents/ pocket pk Allison Rd to the Salisbury

As I have neither had an acknowledgment nor a full response from the leader, would any of the members copied into this email be able to respond? I am sure you will agree that no response or a response that does not answer these questions will disempower and alienate the community you serve. It will perpetuate a perception that you do not wish to have a dialogue with the community over issues that concern them. I look forward to hearing from you.

On 5 Oct 2014, at 16:41, I wrote:

Dear Cllr Claire Kober

I am a resident in St Anne's ward and am writing to you, as leader of the council about two separate concerns that might be connected.

1) Have local councillors been told not to liaise with the local community on Harringay on line? If not, why have local councillors stopped responding to questions?

2) Is the pocket park from Allison Rd to the Salisbury (see the attached map) still being planted? If so, when? If not, why not and what has happened to the funds? Has there been any formal communication updating residents on this (eg via the council's website or in any press release?).

To place this email into context, I was very impressed with Cllr Ryan's interest to liaise with residents through Harringay on line about the Green Lanes regeneration developments, just after the election. However, he has stopped responding. For this reason, I sent him the email below, asking about the pocket park. I have still had no reply.

Please note that I am writing to you as an individual and do not represent any group or organisation. However, I am posting this email on Harringay online and sending it to the St Anne's and Harringay ward councillors for information. This is because other residents are raising similar concerns about the lack of information, communication, accountability and the lack of debate with our elected representatives. Local councillors seem to have stopped responding to other people's questions on the site as well. Failure to answer my questions about the pocket park appear to be a microcosm of a broader issue.

Additionally, I am sending this email to the cabinet member for regeneration in case he can answer the questions about the pocket park. I am assuming that the council needs to take responsibility in seeing this through in a community leadership role, as well as the fact that it provided some project management resources (despite the fact that regeneration of Green Lanes was mainly funded by the GLA through a GLSG application). With no information being given after the demise of the GLSG, it feels that nobody is accountable for taking responsibility for the project. I am sure that you will agree that poor communication is damaging to the reputation of any organisation or public body and fails to serve the needs of the community they represent.

Could you please acknowledge this email in the next couple of days indicating, also when I will get a full response from you on both issues. I'd also appreciate it if you will explain how you will inform the community at large. Many thanks in advance and I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

EMAIL TO CLLR RYAN ABOUT POCKET PK SENT 2 OCT 14 (ATTACHED BELOW)

Dear Cllr Ryan

On 2 June I was pleased to read on HoL that you were "keen to give us updates on the green lanes regeneration works" and I took great interest in your responses at the time.
I am now wondering what is happening with the tree planting. You informed us that:
"The trees will be installed during the planting season which runs from October to May."

I've recently tried to get an update from a new post on HoL but people are saying that the tree planting/pocket park (as in attached map) is no longer going to happen. However, I have not seen anything official stating this.

It would be helpful if you could check this and give an official update on on the status of the project on HoL and other appropriate communication channels.
Many thanks in advance.

Regards"









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