New Lambeth School is a pile of Rubbish!

[Mr BC]

Because they're cunts, aurora. And having been to Brixton Area Forum (BArF) the other day and seen how cavalier, arrogant, dishonest and unbelievably patronising many councillors and their lackeys are to the public, I wouldn't put anything past them.

You know how to hurt a person's feelings don't you?

 

[IntoStella]

You know how to hurt a person's feelings don't you?

Present company excepted and all that.

OK, I was generalising but there are people who are incredibly cynical and dishonest. Even for politicians. The way they speak to the public at BArF is disgusting. The way they try to manipulate people and evade the salient issues is disgusting too. One black woman spoke and the way Truesdale patronised her afterwards made my jaw hit the floor in astonishment.

He also told a barefaced lie about public housing provision under section 106, telling us not to worry our little heads because for every private housing development, there will also be social housing built. So why are Lambeth freely allowing property developers to build 14 unit developments, neatly sidestepping that requirement?

It reminds me of when Merrett first came to Brixton and told Pat Burke in the Albert that he was taking over because Brixton people were stupid. Truesdale and his ilk also think we're fucking stupid. They think they can tell bare faced lies and obstruct/totally ignore the consultation process and that we will swallow their lies whole.

Truesdale has a technique that he used several times during that meeting. Somebody would ask him an awkward question and he would immediately change the subject to some other ''wonderful' project Lambeth has got in the pipeline. Like somebody trying to distract a fractious child with a shiny toy. He thinks we're stupid and beneath that camp northern game show host persona he is utterly, utterly cynical.

Prior to the meeting they agreed that we could do a short presentation about charettes. They then withdrew that on the night and then when our colleague from Loughborough Park got up to say something about it they tried to shut him up. Dissenting voices are always shut down, as gramsci has said many times before. What sort of a forum is that?

 

[Gramsci]

The estimable Devon Allison of SSCIL made an announcement about this at Brixton Area Forum and council leader Peter Truesdale was making faces and rolling his eyes. C*nt.

It is really, really important to support this campaign even if, like me, you haven't got kids of your own. Don't leave it to parents to fight alone.

And I can confirm that Truesdale was doing that when Devon spoke.

 

[Gramsci]

The reports etc are all in another thread, which I'll find later. The council reckon that (i'm paraphrasing) "the health and safety of the residents of Lambeth will be at risk if the shakepeare road depot is lost" - so basically they can't be bothered to find another site. I've already expressed concern about the smell the school may experience and the danger of having loads of huge rubbish trucks turning into/out of the road whilst lots of kids are walking home and messing about.

The schools report is on the thread started by Pooka called "Substantial reshaping of Brixton"(linked up by LR).As its one of those threads for the hard core readers of tedious reports and planning applications like me it probably has not aroused so much interest(though its had a lot of hits).

I am going to put a report on the BAF meeting last Wednesday on that thread.Suffice to say the Libs want to sell central Brixton to property developers and say this meets the "Community Plan".

When the Labour lot started off the Forums the Libs complained that they were not given enough power.The Libs talk such bollox.Anyway I believe Truesdales background is ex SDP anyway.

In this Fridays edition of SLP Truesdales says that:

"We are only to aware that previous administrations have begun consultations with a take it or leave it approach.."

"The long term regeneration of Lambeth should be shaped by the views of local people."

In fact the new strategy for Brixton is being partly shaped by the Councils need for new office accomodation.It was agreed by the Executive last week.As the Labour group have pointed out their has been no consultation on the actual strategy itself.

At the BAF meeting Truesdale skirted around the issue of asset sales.I believe the Libs want to hi-jack the BAF to rubber stamp their plans.Any dissident voices will be treated like SSCIL are now.

 

[Gramsci]

I am going to the School meeting on Thursday.I now the campaigners of SSCIL have been put under a lot of pressure to be "realistic".The bigger turnout the better on Thursday.

 

[Gramsci]

Bumping this up as its tonight.I said i would go

 

[IntoStella]

Bumping this up as its tonight.I said i would go

I am definitely going, as is AK.

Look forward to seeing you there.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Reproduced from the SSCIL website

October 2004
Thank You!
Many thanks to the enormous number of people who braved the rain and dark to come out to our public meeting on the 14th of October. Those who were there left the political parties in no doubt about the feelings in the community over the current half hearted and ill thought out proposals for new seconday schools in the centre of Brixton.
The meeting voted unanimously for the following resolution:

We welcome the commitment from central and local government to build two new secondary schools to serve the children of Brixton.


However...
the community totally rejects the proposals to build two four form entry schools rather than six form entry schools;
the community totally rejects the proposal to build on the Glenbrook Primary School site, which removes a primary school's grass and recreation area and forces primary school children to share a site with secondary school children;
the community totally rejects the proposal to make a school share a site with a large rubbish truck depot;
the community totally rejects the proposal to cram these schools into small sites, when larger sites are possible.
We call on the central government and Lambeth Council to develop revised proposals in partnership with the local community to build a six form entry school on the full Shakespeare Road site, and a six form entry school on the Brixton Hill site.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT
TOGETHER WE CAN SUCCEED
OUR AIMS
We are still working to have two new schools open in Brixton by September 2007. Decisions this autumn by the Council and the government will make this possible‹or make us lose a year. We have won a lot:
recognition by central government that the Brixton & Herne Hill area needs 2 new secondary schools,
recognition that parents are united and resolute in demanding excellence for local children (& cannot be ignored any more),
recognition that parents must be considered in decision-making about schools.
But we have a real fight ahead of us this autumn to `get it right` in Brixton. Please keep helping.