Councillor Tony Belton’s Battersea April, 2017, Newsletter (# 95)
- On the 1st March, I visited Northcote Road Library
and the associated Chatham Hall, both of which are threatened by demolition and replacement by a new library development including 17 flats and some retail. This promises to be a matter of 
some contention in the immediate neighbourhood, but many of the comments about over-development look distinctly exaggerated when comparisons are made with many recent developments along the river and north of the main line railway. Pictured here are the current library and the Alphabet Nursery, which operates in Chatham Hall.
- On the 8th March, we had the annual Council Tax setting meeting, confirming what I said last month, i.e. that we would be facing a 3.99% increase in 2017/18. But the Council Tax has in effect been nationalised and in 1971 Council committee meetings have been held in public, and both these changes have rather detracted from the dramatic value of this meeting. Imagine national budget day with absolutely everything known in advance – all that we would be left with would be synthetic anger and formulaic speeches about a decision already agreed and made public – well that’s this meeting!
- I had the Wandsworth Conservation Advisory Committee on 14th March and the Standards Committee on 16th March. Both were fairly uneventful except that I raised the issue of whether there should be more stringent rules than currently about the ease with which senior officers could move from important positions in the Council to major private sector roles – most obviously from senior roles in the Planning Department into private developers – and the links between councillors and private developers and businesses. My comments were noted but not considered very seriously – yet!
- I went to the Dorfman Theatre at the National on Friday, 17th March, and saw a fascinating play – My Country, by the Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy. The play is centred around Referendum Day, 2016, and the confused state of the UK today. I reviewed it on my BLOG at https://tonybelton.wordpress.com/. Do please have a read.
- On the following day, Saturday 18th March, I went
to the 50th wedding anniversary of my old friends, Jeanne and Dave Rathbone. Apart from food and drink, chat and laughter, the centre point was an afternoon of poetry readings, funny, romantic, traditional and modern – very moving.
- And then on the Sunday, I went on a pilgrimage for my last ever game at White Hart Lane, except that rumours have it that Spurs might not move out until the end of next season, in which case it might not be my last visit!
My first trip there, when I lived just around the corner, was on 2nd August, 1948, when I saw Sweden beat Austria 3-0 in the London Olympics quarter-final. Sweden beat Yugoslavia 3-1 in the final at Wembley. I was, I think, in the Boys Enclosure paying 6d for my entry, which is 2.5P in today’s language!
- I don’t know how many of you have ever taken good action shots but last month’s game, which ended in a Spurs victory over Southampton 2-1, featured this Dele Alli penalty against Soton keeper Fraser Forster. It must be my best ever action shot – and done with a mobile phone! Can you see the ball, just by the goalie’s right hand?
- On Monday, 20th March, my partner, Penny Corfield gave a talk to the Putney Society on duelling. It featured the infamous duel of the Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger, against the radical MP, George Tierney, which took place on the border of Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common. Just think: this was at the height of the French Revolutionary Wars – what a scandal! It was a pleasant evening and her talk was much enjoyed.
- The next day I visited some constituents in Frere Street,
who had a complaint about a neighbouring development that the Council had allowed. I mustn’t shirk from responsibility because, when I say that the Council allowed it, it was in fact the November Planning Applications Committee (PAC) of which I was and am a member. Their main complaints were that they were not consulted and that the zinc extension does not fit well with the largely London stock brick environment of north Battersea. The developer, however, remarked that ‘The materials chosen reflect those materials that have been used extensively within the area and will enable the proposed development to blend seamlessly into the character of the local architecture’ Above is a view from their sitting room. Do you think they have just cause to complain or that the development blends seamlessly?
- On the 23rd we had the March PAC meeting. Although there were no major applications in Latchmere, there were some in neighbouring wards, which could have a significant impact on Latchmere. First of all, by re-arranging their operations at Cringle Dock and Feathers’ Wharf, Western Riverside Waste Authority (WRWA) hope to reduce the number of heavy goods vehicle movements by 1,760 a year. That means that they hope to get rid of five daily refuse van movements down busy York and Battersea Park Roads – a welcome development. Just to clarify, the WRWA is the body tasked by Parliament to get rid of all of Wandsworth’s tons of rubbish, plus Ken & Chelsea’s, Lambeth’s and Hammersmith & Fulham’s.
- The second application was to provide 127 extra residential units at Plantation Wharf, partly by raising the height of Trade Tower by 6 storeys and partly by building several new blocks. Many of the current residents of Plantation Wharf are far from happy about the intensification of this development and it will certainly concern Latchmere residents that there seems to be no end to the building works taking place around York Road and Lombard Road.
Talking of developments in the ward, can I ask what you think of the new St. Peter’s Church 
and the associated block of flats in Plough Road (left) and the very tight development in Cabul Road (right)? Let me have your views.
- On Friday, 24th March, my partner and I flew to Jersey
for the week-end. Neither of us had ever been to the Channel Islands, although I have intended to go for some time. As you can see from this picture, the weather was great and the scenery often idyllic. That only leaves the Scilly Isles, Lundy, the Orkneys and the Isle of Man to go, before I have done a pretty thorough sweep of the British Isles, including the Republic.
- Finally, of course, on 29th March Mrs. May wrote to EU President Donald Tusk and told him of UK’s intention to leave the Union. Battersea residents voted by a large majority to “remain” in the union but now we face the “leave” option! Will it mark the end of the UK as a United Kingdom? Will it be a glorious Independence Day as Farage and others claim? One thing is for certain: all those people who say that politics does not matter, and that everything is run by big business, will need another argument in future!
- I express my view on Brexit at https://tonybelton.wordpress.com/2017/03/08/a-labour-party-remain-strategy-for-wandsworth-2018/. In particular, I think we should argue firmly for the freedoms of movement we now have between the peoples of the EU, whether Brits in Spain or Irish and French working here. Come on Jeremy – show a bit of leadership!
My Programme for April
- On 5th April, I will be at the Town Hall to meet the Barbados High Commissioner, who is going to present a gift, I know not what, to commemorate John Archer, pictured right and a Labour Councillor for Latchmere ward. Archer was of Bajan extraction, was a notable resident of 55 Brynmaer Road, where a plaque marks the spot, and in 1914 was elected as the first black man to be the Mayor of a major London authority – Battersea Borough Council.
- There is the Passenger Transport Liaison Group on 24th April and the Planning Applications Committee on 26th April, but apart from that April looks like being a quiet month.
Do you know?
Last month, I asked about this bridge crossing the 
Thames from Battersea Park to the Chelsea Embankment: Do you remember this bridge? Did you ever cross it? Do you know where in Uganda it ended up? Do you know anything about it? Were there other back-up bridges elsewhere in London?
I am sad to say that I got no responses on that one, not even any expressions of interest. You clearly did not find it as fascinating as I did. But just stop and think: during the greatest crisis in our modern history, I guess Harold would have said in 1066 that William’s invasion was a bigger crisis, with the country strapped for money and resources, how we managed
amongst everything else to put together such a fine looking and presumably effective bridge.
Well this month I have another question and from the same source (thank you Simon Hogg). Why are the York Road estate blocks, some soon to be demolished, named Inkster, Penge, Chesterton, Pennethorne, Holcroft and Scholey? I know the answer for the first four but not Holcroft and Scholey. Does anyone know all six?
Here, by the way, are Penge and Pennethorne Houses under development in about 1962?
Tony Belton
Tony Belton 