Councillor Tony Belton’s Latchmere August Newsletter (# 75)

July highlights

1. On the morning of July 2nd I had a meeting of the       Academies & Free School Commission. This curious organisation has immense power over our schools, is totally secretive and completely undemocratic. It is in effect a local agent for the Education Secretary of State. And it is what you get, I suppose, for trying – as the Tories clearly are – to by-pass local education authorities without actually abolishing them. Very odd! By the way, don’t ask me what it does! It is all smoke and mirrors and would take an essay to explain!
2.  In the afternoon, I went to the Grand to see a fine performance of Gershwin’s Crazy for You performed by Latchmere’s Thames Christian College. Forgive the crummy picture but here are Oscar and Jasmin, leading in the grand finale!
3. The Council Meeting, on the 8^th July, was a tepid affair, which has long since gone from the memory. Once upon a time, irate constituents would heckle from the public gallery and throw toilet rolls at the councillors but now it is quieter than a vicarage tea party. The Council Meetings need to have life breathed back into them! That was followed two days later by my councillor’s surgery at Battersea Reference Library – no one turned up. Like Council Meetings, surgeries also need to be re-thought. A few years ago constituents actually went to surgeries but nowadays people send me, or Wendy Speck and Simon Hogg (my fellow councillors), emails.
4. Much more fun was the Triangle (Poyntz, Shellwood, Knowsley Roads) Street Party on the 11^th July. I fear that there might have been slightly fewer in attendance than usual, which was a shame because it is always a good evening with visits from the Fire Brigade and, usually, the Mayor. Here a few of the youngsters get to inspect a fire engine.
5. The Planning Applications Committee was held on July 14^th. There were plenty of small development schemes, mostly as usual of loft extensions but three were of major significance, and one in particular to Latchmere.
6. That was for the demolition of the Homebase site, the one opposite the end of Plough Road currently having a stock clearance sale, and the construction in its place of a mega, largely residential block. It will actually have 6, 7, 9, 11 and 21-storey elements to the development and include 254 residential units, some 10% of which will be so-called “affordable” units.The really interesting part of this development application was that the first two floors are almost totally dedicated to the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), providing 6 dance studios, a 150 seat theatre, etc., etc. (The bit that swung it for me was free instruction for pensioners – I have never mastered the foxtrot – yes the RAD promotes all forms of dance not just ballet). Currently based in Battersea Square, RAD is housed in inadequate premises and yet it attracts 2,000 foreign visitors a year. It is a leading cultural centre and, of course, fosters arts employment. But putting all that aside, the development has substantial daylight and sunlight impacts on the many vociferous and articulate neighbours Indeed there were 1160 objections from local residents. The Tory councillors were very keen to avoid any decision on this application prior to the election, but now they happily passed it. It’s a shame but let’s hope that the good elements of the scheme outweigh the problems.
7. The second major application related to the building that is replacing the Marco Polo building on Queenstown Road. The proposal was to add 4 storeys to an already approved (and currently being built) 14 storey development. The extra 4 storeys would add 35 residential units of which a huge (?) 13, i.e. 40%+ would be affordable. Personally I thought the building looked better with the 4 storeys added – just suited the shape and location better for me. But I was in a minority of one, because from one location in the Park the application adversely affected the view of the Power Station. It was rejected – and for those who have already forgotten (or never knew) it, here is the Marco Polo building as was.
8. The third major application related to Putney High Street and was the site between Lacy and Felsham Roads. It was an OK but not distinguished application for residential and shops, which would be an improvement on what is there now, but by common consent was one storey too high to fit into the largely coherent Putney High Street townscape – hence unanimously rejected. Note that in Putney a development that is one storey too high gets refused but, if it is in Battersea, any size will do!
9. On Wednesday 15^th July, in the morning I visited Cringle Dock and Feathers Wharf. You might know Feathers Wharf because it is the Borough’s municipal tip, rather grandly known as a Civic Amenities Site and hence very important to us all. Between the two of them they deal with more of our rubbish than is produced by the whole of Wales. Rubbish from Lambeth, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham is processed there as well as Wandsworth. The two sites are run by the Western Riverside Waste Authority or WRWA. The WRWA has a problem in that both sites are on expensive bits of river-front and live alongside expensive new blocks of flats. That is what they wanted to talk to me, and other members of the Planning Committee, about. Their very ambitious plan is to deck over Cringle Dock and build flats over it! I hope this picture of Feathers Wharf and its giant cranes gives some idea of the scale of the task!
10. In that same afternoon, I was off to Falconbrook School, representing Battersea United Charities, for the school’s Passing Out parade. It was not exactly a parade but a commemorative occasion to mark the last day of term and, indeed, the last day at primary school for Year 6. It was an entertaining occasion. Here are some of Year 6 giving their impressions of school life at Falconbrook.
11. On 16^th July Battersea Society had its summer party at St. Mary’s Church on the riverfront. It was a delightful evening and this picture gives some idea of the riverfront at sunset.
12. The next day I went to visit friends in South Wales and from there to the Black Mountains Gliding Club. It was a glorious day, and from about 3,000 feet (900 metres), there was a magnificent view from the Bristol Channel to Snowdonia – that was really splendid. Here I am strapped in for take-off. By the way, Andrew, who is strapped in behind me did all the real gliding, although I did take over the controls once we were up there!
13. On the 22^nd July I went to a Crossrail 2 briefing session in York Gardens Library. I am not sure how many people realise it but Crossrail 2 running from Tottenham Hale to Wimbledon via Clapham Junction is planned to be opened, subject to lots of contingencies, by 2030. When/If it comes, it would mean 8 minute journeys from CJ to Tottenham Court Road. To achieve this timetable, work would have to start on a massive CJ interchange station by the end of 2017. It would be located where the bus stand and the Peacock, once Meyrick Arms, pub are. Those of us who were present, including representatives of the Battersea and Wandsworth Societies, councillors from both Labour and Tory parties, York Road estate tenants and the Council’s Planning Department, look like being roped into the Crossrail CJ stakeholders group! That was obviously sensible, since Crossrail will need to consult regularly with local residents. Stop Press. The Falcons Estate (Battersea) Ltd. Committee has this evening (24/7/15) asked me to get them invited, too. (Not to be confused with the Falcon Estate, the Falcons is what some of us will remember used to be called the Livingstone Estate)
14. I have had quite a few responses about Formula E and Battersea Park. They have been far from unanimous one way or the other, although I must say that those against, perhaps not surprisingly, tend to live nearer the Park and to be more vociferous than those in favour. One thing is clear though and that is, IF the Council agrees to further use of the Park (and I think it probably will), then steps must and will be taken to lessen the disruption to the Park and its users.
15. The decision will, I think, be taken by the appropriate Committee and Council in September/October. Believe it, or not, I currently have an open-mind on the matter but I will be very opposed to the commercial confidentiality arguments that say we, neither the public nor the councillors, can’t be told the real financial benefits, if any. It is just not acceptable that disruption to a major London facility can happen as result of a secret deal.
16. I can’t write a Newsletter, as a Labour councillor, without referring to the Labour Leadership contest; an event that does not seem to be enthusing anyone even with 6 weeks to go – but I am not going to bat for any one candidate. However, I will say that I think it unfortunate that Miliband resigned so quickly. I know the guy, and his wife, though not well, and I can imagine that they were both desperate to get back to a personal life; but I think that a better option for the party would have been if he had said something like, “I will step down in, say, September 2017, so that in the next two years we can have a full discussion about the 2015 result and a well-organised leadership election.” Ever since we switched to having fixed terms, just like in the USA, the logic is to move to choosing one’s leader nearer to the coming election – more like the American primary system.

My Programme for August 

On the 12th I have the Planning Applications Committee, but let’s be honest most of the rest of the time I am off, on my hols, having what I hope will be a good time – indeed I am off on 25^th July and hence this very early edition of the August newsletter!

Did you know?

Last month I asked “In the generation before 1828 another Prime Minister fought a duel in Wandsworth and, what is more, two other “gentlemen” both of whom also became Prime Minister later on, also did so”. I was impressed by how many could name William Pitt, the younger, who fought a duel on Putney Heath in 1798 against George Tierney, and George Canning and Viscount Castlereagh, who fought another duel in 1809 on Putney Heath, when one was Foreign Secretary and the other Minister for War – and that was at the height of the Napoleonic War and we think modern politics can get a bit rough! But thanks also to one reader, who correctly pointed out that Castlereagh never actually did become PM – Canning did in 1827 – I owe that reader a pint and knowing him, he won’t forget!

I also asked about this lion. Not a single answer but he lives at 12 Macduff Road, off Battersea Park Road, nearly opposite Tesco.

And this month’s question? Who or what is Poyntz of Poyntz Road and why would a Battersea road be called such? Poyntz Road is part of the Triangle, see 4 above and off Latchmere Road.