Imagine having organised the largest campaign in recent (and no-so-recent) memory in Wandsworth and, at the end, you attend the relevant council committee: the opportunity for you to have your say. You’ve filled the public gallery, the overspill room is standing room only and, for the first time ever, the public are filling the council chamber to listen to a council meeting. And after the first resident deputation what is the Tory approach?
To accuse the organisers of lying and inflating their support.
I was ashamed by association. Rather than discuss the issues or concerns the first instinct of the majority group on the council was to attack the people.
It got a bit better as the evening progressed, but the writing was already on the wall. There were five excellent deputations, representing local campaigners, residents, the Friends of Battersea Park and the Battersea Society. I also had my say.
When it came to Formula E’s supporters Cllr Cook maintained a Trappist silence throughout the meeting, as did most of the Conservative side. The managing director and team from Enable, the company with the contract to manage Wandsworth’s parks did most of the talking. The council’s finance director, unable to talk about amounts, gave some hypotheticals, if the income was this much, we could pay this many social workers, if this much we could re-surface this many roads… or if it was £350,000 we could pay off one senior officer I saw one person mischievously tweet.
But it was all largely irrelevant. Despite one hint it would be a free vote (the hinter being one of those who stayed silent throughout) the decision had been made behind closed doors long before it got to committee. The Conservatives followed the whip and voted as a block, recommending renewal by seven votes to four.
I know a few of those voting for Formula E had reservations, and one contacted me afterwards to explain their position: “but what can you do?” They asked.
“Well,” I thought, “you could vote against, I did.”
It was a sad moment for Battersea and for localism. But I am glad you finally acknowledge what we have been saying for years: the Tory majority ignores residents. Putney Society, Wandsworth Society and CJAG have already accused by the Council of being nimbys last April. Now Friends of Battersea Park, the Battersea Society and a few more groups have been accused of “lying and inflating their support”. This is sad, very sad indeed.
They are all cowards. Then Cook follows Govindia’s example and insults one of the protesters in the Times, a statement that is tantamount to libel.
That Times article was spiteful. Expect nothing less from the Tory Press; they will play dirty and drag good people like Paul into the mire. But don’t let it get to you Sue; ignore it and rise above. Together we can beat them.
Many thanks, Ed. Your support and that of Jack and others has been very greatly appreciated, and your articles and video very highly valued. Keep in touch. Next year Excel, who knows. I gather Cllr. Hart (he who did not know the difference between a Council website and a petition) has also been insulting people on Twitter. Lucky Tooting residents.
I do not remember Cllr.Lescott adding anything to the debate. He asked a question about wind turbines, and carbon foot prints, that was answered in great detail by Dr.Ekins. He did not follow up on any of it. I remember Councillors Speck, Jones, Anderson and Stokes, plus O’Broin and Torrington (parks are a luxury), and Strickland, plus Hart and his “go somewhere else” contribution. Cllr. Osborn spoke, as did James Cousins. And, of course, there was Kim Caddy’s clear declaration that she would be voting for FE, which we took to be the clarion call to her team.
James, can you somehow make a short separate section on the Lescott rather surreal dialogue? it’s so funny, I want to circulate it.
Who was it that didn’t vote?
Cllr. Walsh – he had a few ITV shares.Or maybe it was a ploy to avoid showing his colleagues that he would have liked to vote against FE in the Park.
I love that they call us nimby’s – do they somehow forget that we’re they ones that elect them? As if someone from Adelaide would really care one way or another – it’s obvious that only local people are going to be the opinion formers.
For a large majority of people living in the neighbouring wards, the park is their back yard. So, yes, we are all nimbies.
Councillors on the community services scrutiny committee voted, at the end of November, in favour of its return for two more years.
Following Tuesday’s demo and Committee Meeting, I left some breathing space before writing, although thank you to the dozens of people who not only emailed me with their appreciation of all the work done by all of you, but who have already started writing letters and thinking about the next step.
The demo was fantastic – so many beautiful banners and hats – thank you to Gertie and Debbie and to all of those many creative people out there. Like others, I was amused by the police presence – unnecessary, but it probably showed how nervous the councillors were. As you may know we had coverage on TV and local Radio. More tomorrow, I gather.
Credit: Wandsworth Guardian
Credit: Wandsworth Guardian
The result was not unexpected, as most of us long term campaigners on various issues knew from experience it would be, but it is worth noting that there was a Tory abstention. If they had had the courage of their convictions, the result would have been 7:5. James Cousins spoke to another Tory [1] who said he was with us, but then “what can you do?”. As James said, you vote against it. That would have made it 6 all.
We understand that there will be a “call-in” so the matter will be debated in full council meeting on 9th December. Seats available in the Public Gallery. It will also be posted in video form some days later. If the Labour Councillors and the Indies. stick to their guns, we should see a result of 37:22. Maybe more Tories will show some guts and be like James Cousins and the other two who voted against it last time.
Whatever happens, we are not going away
Our actions in the next few months will depend on the outcome of December 9th. We shall, of course, have another meeting; we may have to discuss tactics for the “set-up”. The council seems to believe there will be a rolling set-up, which could mean that 40% of the park would be unavailable to the public at any one time. We shall continue to challenge the sponsors.
Some time ago we suggested we should do a head count of people in the park – easily done, as you just count them in. Why the council should consider it impossible, I do not know. I spoke to Frances Radcliffe on Tuesday, and she is all for setting up people from FBP to do this. I shall be calling on volunteers. It would involve a person on each gate, with a clip board, and possibly having separate columns for adult, child, buggy, dog, bike. These figures will be used to show that FE keeps out more people than attend than FE.
The meeting, in many ways, was surreal. Most notable was Cllr. Ian Hart of Tooting – so lives near the leafy common – who first accused us of faking the petition signatures. It took quite a while before it was made clear that what he had been looking at was a Council website with various comments from the public. He failed to respond to John Fox’s challenge as to whether he was being accused of dishonesty, and nobody heard an apology. He later suggested that during the 3 ½ week disruption period, people could go elsewhere. Had he not noticed that at some point during the presentations a blind man and a woman who needs a stick to help her get around had been sitting across the table to him? Small wonder that Jamie shouted out “I’m blind”.
Then there was Cllr. Torrington, a resident of leafy Putney, who declared that parks were a luxury. Does she have a garden, I wonder?
Cllr. Cook made insulting remarks in the press, implying that people living on the edge of the park were nimbies, and that they would not have objected had they lived in leafy Hampstead. Still trying to get our heads round that one. However, unwittingly, there is a truth in what he said. If we believe that the Park is everyone’s back yard then, yes, we are all nimbies. Wear the badge with pride.
Just over six months ago I received an unexpected breakfast visitor, who had seen my name on the Council website when I had objected to FE in the Park. We now have nearly 2800 signatories on the petition, a large database of addresses, and a core group of some 70 activists. The beauty of it is that the majority of these have worked on their own or in groups to write letters, create banners, challenge councilors in the Saturday Surgeries, research , advise and create reports on Health and Safety, Tree damage, wildlife licences, finance, send in Freedom of Information Requests, operate a Media and Press group, build and maintain our wonderful website, deliver leaflets and cards – to date around 11,000. The list is endless. I never fail to be amazed at the expertise and energy out there. There is no way anyone could be singled out for special mention – you all deserve medals.
Comments from CJAG
[1] Cllr Cousins (a former Tory councillor, now Independent) made an (excellent) description of the evening on his blog. A few parts are particularly worth mentioning:
On Wednesday 9th December, Wandsworth full Council voted in favour of Formula E returning to Battersea Park (vote was around 33:21), for the next two summers in an agreement including payment to Wandsworth of £200,000/year.
Cllr James Cousins reported that they had had a Tory meeting just before full council – unprecedented during his 17 years as a Councillor. He thought they were probably making sure that no-one voted against FE.
In a response to a question asked by Councillor Osborn to the Leader of the Council, Cllr Govindia said:
That is is very strange comment made by a Councillors. Shall we say that Mr Govindia was elected as a Councillor last May 2014 by only 2134 voters, which mean “as a percentage of the Borough’s population of around 310,000, that is” 0.69%? Wow, the leader of Wandsworth Council is only approved by 0.69% of the Borough’s population?
Once again it is a very clear example of the level of consideration that the Conservative majority of Wandsworth Council is giving to consultation and democracy.
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[…] Tory abstention. If they had had the courage of their convictions, the result would have been 7:5. James Cousins spoke to another Tory [1] who said he was with us, but then “what can you do?”. As James said, you vote against […]