Councillor Tony Belton’s Battersea April 2022, Newsletter (# 154)

1. After the enforced “social silence” of Covid, March 2022 marked a swing back to a high level of social activity. But, before we get onto that, I must return to the war in Ukraine. Last month I noted the determined President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s overnight rise to fame. I also speculated that NATO would rapidly increase its military strength; that the alliance would take urgent steps to lessen its dependence on US military might; and that it would become much more powerful than Putin’s worst fears. In addition,  I argued that the UK’s decision to leave the EU would look not only economically but also strategically disastrous. A month later, these views look like pretty good predictions – all paid for at great cost by Ukraine and individual Ukrainians.

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   To state the obvious, the war has given context to the often trivial political arguments in London about, say, the Prime Minister’s bad behaviour. Incredibly, he can lower himself into almost any gutter and so it was no surprise to most people, including many Tories, when he made a crass comparison between the Ukrainian’s life-and-death struggle for independence and the political squabble over Brexit. It might sound far-fetched but it reminds me of the similar situation 40 years ago when, General Galtieri’s ill-judged attack on the Falklands was the making of Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher’s, premiership. Could Vladimir Putin be doing the same for Boris Johnson, as Galtieri did for Thatcher? Perish the thought!

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3. On March the 5^th-6^th, Penny and I spent a very enjoyable weekend in Mumbles, Swansea’s seaside resort. An old college friend was marking his 80^th birthday (and the hoped-for end of Covid) by giving a party for family and friends, including a dozen college friends of 60 years back. For anyone who does not know Mumbles and the Gower Peninsula, let me recommend them – very beautiful beaches and scenery, all surprisingly close to Wales’s second city.

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   On the 8^th March, I was at a meeting of the Wandsworth Conservation Area Advisory Committee (WCAAC), but I must confess that even the most ardent conservationist was unlikely to have been excited by the agenda – so no further comment!

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   The following evening the 9th of March we had the Council Tax Council Meeting, which sounds like an important occasion, but close readers of my newsletters will know that it is not. At least in Westminster, on the day of the national budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has the potential to surprise, even if nowadays most of his plans have been released to the press in advance. But, at council level, all the figures have been published in advance in various committees; the Leader of the Council has produced a press release and could have had, and occasionally does have, a press conference before any formal decision is taken. All this – and yet by statute we, councillors, all have to turn up and have our votes recorded. The Tony Blair reforms of local government had some peculiar effects and this rule, imposed by Government diktat, is one of the quirkiest and most pointless of them all.

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   The Council’s official opening of its celebrations for the Queen’s platinum jubilee took place on the 11^th of March in Battersea Park. I am sure that there will be many more similar events, all building up to the anniversary weekend itself, June 3-5. At this opening ceremony, a sapling was planted by the mayor, with some assistance from me!

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   The Battersea Society’s AGM took place in St Mary’s Church on 17^th March. The guest speaker dropped out, thanks to Covid, so Penny and I volunteered to do a quiz, we called “Secret Battersea”. We used a Powerpoint presentation to show pictures of “secret” facts about Battersea and challenged the audience to give us their answers. We had fun doing it and, judging by the reception, it was enjoyed by all. BTW, the Battersea Society remains in good health, thanks to a very active and enterprising set of officers.

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   On the 18^th we went to an enjoyable Putney Labour Party fund-raising dinner held at Putney’s world-famous St. Mary’s Church – world famous you ask: a slight exaggeration perhaps but the church was the scene of the very radical Putney debates held there in 1647 by Cromwell’s army during the course of the English Civil War – debates which are at the very root of English, and the English-speaking world’s, concept of democracy. The guest speaker at the dinner was Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, MP for Tottenham and, like me, very much a Spurs supporter. He spoke passionately about Labour’s causes and his own youth on the Broadwater Farm estate. We left re-invigorated.

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   On 20^th March, we were off to a pub in Islington called the Camden Head to enjoy an evening of stand-up comedy, starring Penny’s sister, who happens to be a Latchmere constituent. I don’t know about you, but the thought of standing in front of an audience of complete strangers, with the sole intention of making them laugh, would terrify me. But Lissi went to classes on “being a stand-up”. I do admire her for that. However, whilst I thought Lissi did very well, I don’t think I am going to make “Stand-Up” a regular part of my entertainment scene. The standard of comedy was very varied and often depended upon the gratuitous use of the “F” word.

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    On 24^th March I had the Planning Applications Committee (PAC). There were several important items on the agenda, such as the Winstanley Regeneration Plan and Battersea Power Station but, as it happened, they were uncontentious matters of detail. Two items did, however, particularly interest me. They were: the roof extension on 220-222 Queenstown Road; and the advertising hoarding at Rosslyn Park Rugby Club. If you have never noticed 220-222, then look out for them. They are two rather characterful industrial, nineteenth-century constructions, where a developer is planning an interesting extension.

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    As for the advertising hoarding at Rosslyn Park, I think this is a completely different matter. Although a long way from Battersea, it is an example of a growing trend, which I think should be restrained. I can understand the motivation. The hoarding brings in significant income for a sports club with very strong community connections – but it distracts motorists and ruins the urban environment!

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    Some of you will have read my review of the late Brian Barnes’ work as a muralist. One of his Battersea murals is in Chesterton Primary School’s playground and is therefore quite difficult to access, so when an occasion occurred to pop into the playground, I did. I was not disappointed! The mural is colourful and lively and I am not at all surprised that the kids love it. It also stars local resident and shop owner John Archer as the Mayor of Battersea in 1913!

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    So to the end of the month, when once again political issues dominated! Nowhere near as serious as Ukraine, of course, nevertheless the staff management of P&O ferries is shocking in its own right. It would not have been possible, of course, if the UK was not running such an unequal, some would say immoral, gig economy. And sad to relate, Wandsworth Council has played a big part in the development of the UK’s gig economy. Fifty years ago, most Wandsworth Council services were run by Wandsworth’s directly employed staff, who were earning nationally agreed wages. The Council’s remorseless drive on costs has, however, over the years resulted in the relative pauperisation of the largely sub-contracted manual staff.

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 My programme for April

1. This is my last full month representing Latchmere ward, after 40 years of so doing! I will be working in preparation for the May 5^th Borough election, when I will be trying to win the Battersea Park ward.
2. In early April, Penny and I will be in Rome for three days; she as President of the International Society of Eighteenth-Century Studies; I as her guide and companion! Well someone has to do it!
3. I hope to go to the Women of Wandsworth Easter Party at the Wilditch Centre on the 9th April.
4. The Planning Applications Committee is on the 26^th April and all the indications are that it is going to be a massive agenda with many potential developments reaching the planning approval/ or rejection stage.
   

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Did you Know?

Last month I asked where in North Battersea would you be if this was your walk to your very own front door? The answer is Albert Studios, a very small row of Victorian cottage/studios just off Albert Bridge Road.

And this month?

Who was the man (trained by the celebrated architect John Nash) who shaped much of Battersea Park and is commemorated in the name of a Latchmere (Falconbrook) council block – soon to be demolished?