Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Letter from Leader of the Council? feels like the familiar CovidSpam..
I realise i may be just be in *Day 100 in the big brother house wfh grumpiness*.. but does anyone else feel the letter , marked 'please do not ignore' special message etc which was just delivered from the council is a slight embarrassment, a bit irritating lacking any really essential information like- what can you do if you can't afford your council tax bill etc.
Theres a great deal of waffle but Charles takes the time to draw our attention to the social distancing/ lockdown rules.
I can't tell you how helpful to have a letter delivered in a sealed envelope to clarify these as i hadn't already heard this from numerous other sources in the media weeks ago when it started and been reminded constantly every day via every news outlet, signs on shops and pavement markings like *2 m keep your distance* and great big banners on park fences and and etc.
In fairness there is one new bit of news to me - that the council have started their own Connected communities enterprise and Charles would like more volunteers to run it (they have 130 so far). He offers the information you can access support from them on 02084894431 M-F 9.30-4.30. It's not clear from the letter what support they offer, or how you contact if you want to *offer* to volunteer, i'm guessing call the support line which is the only number listed.
I'm not sure what everyone else feels I'd have rather had a quick round up of key things like:
*Parking strategy- confirm the residential zones are not active currently and where to look if that changes so you don't get caught out if they suddenly restart these.
*Council tax- probably many will seriously struggle to pay the first council tax instalment of the year, which for me just left my account a few days ago. Will they offer any support there, where and how?
*A link to the rubbish collection schedules which i think have changed or seem to be changing if my street is any indicator. I've also noticed commercial collection isn't as regular as previously clearly it was having had to vault a pile of bags on Turnpike lane recently to maintain a 2 mt distance while going to get my shopping.
With my grumpy pants on the whole letter experience feels almost exactly like emails I'm getting from the retailers i haven't shopped with for years who are letting me know 'theyre concerned to keep people safe' ie spamming me for the sake of advertising. This is a whole new genre of advertising! CovidSpam.
What is the value of such letters other than to fairly baldly underline the promotion of the leaders' photo and some platitudes.. I'd suggest the actual use of time/paper/printing/delivery is a complete waste and seriously misguided. But then.. grumpy pants.
On the plus, he seems a nice guy- Charles wants to reassure us the council are working extremely hard to provide essential services. And if you're available to help volunteering for he community support initiative that would be great.
Tags for Forum Posts: coronavirus, coronavirus council services
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Maddy on
-
I was surprised the entire letter was in English with no suggestion of where to find translations into the many languages spoken in Haringey.
-
Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
-
A real missed opportunity for people who aren’t getting info in other languages from TV etc.
-
Permalink Reply by Charlotte on
-
I agree there is so much covidspam. You mention all these retailers emailing. I am taking the opportunity to use these emails to unsubscribe.
-
-
Who's Charles?
-
Permalink Reply by Ruth on
-
How many thousands did this mail out cost? Surely money could have been better spent at this time when so many people and charities in great difficulties. And the paper wastage is another issue.
-
Permalink Reply by Neil Le Milliere on
-
Couldn't agree more, so much useful information that could have been provided, opportunity completely missed.
-
Permalink Reply by Neil on
-
You are right. The long letter from Haringey's leader, Joseph Ejiofor, was a bland, expensive message with little useful news in. Nearly everything he mentioned was previously known and easily available elsewhere in an easier to understand English. TV and radio bulletins had spelt out the same message for weeks before.
My postman was nearly two hours late in reaching my house because he had to deliver the letter to every letterbox on his round. He could have spread the virus to each letterbox and he was more exposed to it by visiting each front door.
The cost of producing and delivering the letter showed an old fashioned and bureaucratic approach.
-
-
Clearly no thought given thought given to the already over-stretched posties and their position. What on earth was in the mind(s) of those who thought this letter would be a good idea?
It's a disgusting waste of resources at all levels. There should be some accountability for this. Poor management indeed.
-
Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
-
Cometh the hour faileth the man.
I was angry but not surprised at this latest Ejiofoolishness. Though shame on me because I hadn't considered the extra work involved for the postal service.
Every criticism made by people in this thread is justified. The work, time, and public money should not have been squandered on this pointless self promotion.
The cost for printing and postage? £52,000.
(Figure from Clive Carter who talks to his fellow LibDem colleagues.)
But the waste of 50k is not the most serious issue. While this civil emergency continues the urgent need is not just to avoid relatively small foolish decisions. Nor to be absolutely clear, am I suggesting some faction-fighting leadership contest. Yes Ejiofor should step aside urgently, but to be replaced by an entirely different way to run the Council during the civil emergency caused by the Covid-19 crisis.
There should be a Resilience Council which agrees to suspend the usual childish yah-boo, party politics and works in a more co-operative, inclusive, collaborative and open way.
This need is particularly important at a time when we have virtually no press and media scrutiny. And "meetings" which are now all virtual. No public access means no accountability. We can see this at a national level with the suspension of Parliament and far less serious and informed media scrutiny of Government decisions and actions.
-
-
How did you expect London's first Momentum Council to go down, Alan?
Quietly? With grace? With steely determination to carry out their manifesto?
No. That was never going to happen. The shape-shifting Labour members of the current council are reverting to type. Self-preservation will be at the heart of everything they do from hereon in. We all await the #HaringeyLabourLeaks
-
-
I'm missing our granddaughters. Thanks to Liz Ixer's creative suggestions they were out in their south London garden counting dandelions and looking through magnifying glasses at the tiny insects inside the petals.
Did you read Rebecca Solnit's long hopeful Guardian piece? Sometimes where there's a Will there can be a way.
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
