Is this democracy in action?

I took my father to Public Questions at the Council (18.07.11.) At the end of the 15 minute session, Mr A I Khan observed, "That's it. All done. You ask your valid question and you get a rubbish reply - well done, thank you very much, you live in a democracy."

Pertinent questions covering Planning Applications, David Lean Cinema and libraries were asked from the public gallery, and each one received a reply......a bunch of words strung into a couple of sentences......just that.

My supplementary question to the above reply was as follows:

"Thank you Councillor Thomas for your reply. Last week my colleagues and I in the Green Party demonstrated outside the Public Hearing for the South London Waste Plan in Merton. I have a copy of the Plan here [waves plan at councillors]. It has ninety four pages. There are also hundreds of pages of appendages. My question is this: Given the profound implications for health, future budgets and the environment, how many councillors have actually read the Plan. And, if you have not read the Plan, who has read the Plan to ensure the views and concerns of the people and communities in Croydon are being represented?"

Councillor Thomas' rejoinder was was just as non-nonsensical and meaningless as the others that preceded it. I can't remember it exactly but it was along the lines of:

"I think Mr Khan already knows my reply. We are the middle of a process and we can't say or do anything that will jeopardise this until the process has run its course."

Sigh.
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Tags croydon, greenparty

Video from the SLWP Public Hearing demo

A great video of the demo by Ross Hemingway.
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Tags croydon, greenparty

Letter on squatting

Ross had a letter published in the Croydon Guardian recently. It was in response to AM Steve O'Connell's attack on squatting....see here.
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Tags croydon, greenparty

Coverage on other web sites and blogs

Two fantastic new Croydon Green Party blogs are now warping through cyberspace, going further into the darkest corners of the universe that is..... Croydon. Check out A Croydon Green and CR7Green

We've had quite a bit of coverage on other blogs and web sites:

Inside Croydon has posted a piece on the incinerator. Inside Croydon is well known for posting an insightful digest of Croydon life. More waste and incinerator comment from the Croydon Green Party can be found on East London Lines and Mark Metcalf (freelance journalist)


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SLWP Hearings in Merton.

The Council Chamber - Merton Civic Centre*

Inspector Cook talks to Sutton Green Party's Jim Duffy during a recess.

Most commentators covering the appearance of The Murdochs before the Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee viewed their questioning of the media mogul as nothing more than a light grilling. At approximately the same time of this momentous example of democracy in action in the mother of all parliaments [the best democracy money can buy] Inspector Brian Cook – appointed by the Secretary State to examine the soundness of the South London Waste Plan – was also questioning a select number of individuals and institutions. Both he and the Select Committee were playing a crucial part in the accountability element of our democracy.

If one compares the standard of questioning carried out by the parliamentarians in the Select Committee with Inspector Cook’s examination of the Plan, then the MPs morph into Inspector Morse-like investigators, and Inspector Cook comes across as an Inspector Jacques Clouseau type figure, fairly affable but restricted in competence. It should be made clear that Inspector Brian Cook is not bumbling or clueless, moreover the powers available to him restrain his prowess to the point where he is sadly, just part of process.

For example on the first day of the Hearing, he relayed to Duncan Clarke, the current Project Manager for the South London Waste Partnership [please read on to find out what happened his predecessor] the concerns that Croydon Friends of the Earth had about the lack of engagement and innovation in the consultation itself. To which Mr Clarke replied the South London Waste Partnership (the councils of Merton, Kingston, Sutton and Croydon) had exceeded statutory regulation: three months in length instead of six weeks.

On the final day the Inspector Cook presided over syntax changes to the Plan itself: the word ‘can’ inserted here, the odd spelling correction there. Inspector Cook will now review the Plan again, along with the substantial number of changes, not a number of substantial changes, something Inspector Cook was keen to point out when, during his closing remarks, his words came out the wrong way round.

Inspector Cook will now review the full Plan over the next few weeks before giving his final observations.

Emma Smyth was the previous Project Manager of the South London Waste Partnership. She toured Neighbourhood Partnerships explaining what the Plan entailed back in 2009. She even accepted an invitation to make a presentation to our local Green Party. On the first day I noticed that one of the ‘name cards’ identifying who was scheduled to speak had the name Emma Smyth. She was speaking on behalf of the waste company SITA. She is clearly available for hire. I must remember to ask the Chair of the Stop The Incinerator campaign how much money is in the coffers.

*Another interesting observation is the layout of the council chamber itself. The seating was semi-circular in style, much like the European Parliament, whereas Croydon's council chamber is House of Commons style and thus adversarial in its nature. Ironically, Merton is an NOC leading to more consensual politics. Maybe Croydon needs to alter its seating....??

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Local Guardian coverage of the Incinerator demo

There was some excellent demo coverage amongst the Guardian group of newspapers that cover the South London Waste Partnership (Merton, Kingston, Sutton and Croydon), including a front page pictorial splash in the Wimbledon Guardian. The online version also includes video.
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for SS Khan

Still unsure what they hope to build?

If you have read the 94 pages that make up the South London Waste Plan 'Proposed Submission'
then I salute you! Interestingly.......

.............Page 50 of the plans says:

4.83 The issuing of a permit marks the first stage of the Environment Agency's (EA) regulation of an incinerator.The EA then continually assesses the plant operations and its environmental performance. This will include the continuous and periodic monitoring of emissions by the operator, check monitoringby the EA and frequent plant inspections.

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Mr Cook - Stop the Burn

08.07.11

Press Release immediate

MR. COOK – STOP THE BURN

On 12th July Senior Planning Inspector, Brian Cook, appointed by the Secretary of State, will examine the soundness of the South London Waste Plan (SLWP). The examination, which is in the form of public hearings, will be held at Merton Civic Centre (1). They are scheduled to last one week. Disappointingly, groups opposing the SLWP proposals to build one or more incinerators within the four boroughs (Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton) have not been invited, nor given sufficient opportunity (2) to address the inspector at the hearings.

The Stop The Incinerator campaign (3) group will hold a demonstration outside the venue at 9am on the first day of proceedings (12^th July) with the aim of making the inspector aware that there is resistance to the SLWP proposals.

Commenting on the latest developments, Secretary of the Stop the Incinerator campaign, Shasha Khan said:

“The Inspector has the power to throw out the South London Waste Plan. However, the omens are not good when worried residents are not being asked to make oral submissions. Inspector Cook could reassure campaigners and allow all groups to contribute to the Waste Plan but instead these Public Hearings have the feel of a kangaroo court. One just has to see the number of waste contractors scheduled to speak. (4)

“When challenged to rule out incineration, the South London Waste Partnership (5) claims it is ‘technology neutral’, yet this position is now out of date because in May this year, after the plan was published, the Health Protection Agency stated that it plans to study health risks from incinerators(6).”

“Incineration is bad for our health, bad for the environment and bad for our pockets. We’re calling on Mr. Cook to Stop The Burn.”

Ends

Notes:

(1) The Hearing Sessions for the Examination will commence at 09.30 on Tuesday 12 July 2011, in The Council Chamber at the Civic Centre, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX. It is currently intended that all the Hearing sessions will take place there. The Hearing sessions will end on Tuesday 19 July 2011.

(2) http://croydongreens.blogspot.com/2011/07/evidence-of-slwp-stitch-up.html

(3) http://stoptheincinerator.co.uk/

(4) see attached timetable

(5) The four boroughs Sutton, Croydon, Kingston and Merton

(6)http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/environment/incinerator_health_risk_study_welcomed_by_king_s_lynn_campaigners_1_880848 Studies show wards that are downwind from incinerators have higher infant mortality rates.

------------------------------------------Tags croydon, greenparty