Councillor Tony Belton’s Battersea March 2023, Newsletter (# 165)
- Naturally, after my mini-stroke on 28th January, February started relatively quietly, if three days in hospital can ever be described as quiet. I am sure that you all know what I mean. If it’s not someone taking your temperature, or asking about today’s bowel movements, someone else is being moved in alongside you, or being discharged to ‘another place’. Funny how close relationships are struck up with people, who for a very brief period you know more intimately than even their partners do. Yet you will never meet them again, and don’t even know their full names – it’s the stuff of a Harold Pinter play. But I must note the many good wishes I got from so many of you. Thanks; they were much appreciated. Oh, and about the patient? On the way to recovery, thanks to the NHS, but still a little restricted in my vision, especially with the left eye.
- Last month I said that I would review The Best of Enemies. I am afraid that promise got lost in the wash of events – suffice to say, that it was a fascinating play written by an Englishman, James Graham. The play is about the modern culture wars between left and right in the States, and the role of the media in those wars. With these battles so dramatically tearing up the political scene in the USA – and with developments in the Ukraine, as they are, could anything be more gripping?
- I did, however, get discharged from St. George’s in time to go to the funeral of an old friend,
Piers Haggard. Piers had worked in film and theatre, most notably directing the BBC drama series Pennies From Heaven written by Dennis Potter and starring Bob Hoskins (1978). But, in reality, Piers’ fame in the industry, as I discovered from the stories and anecdotes of friends, was as an effective de facto shop steward for British film directors. From a personal point of view, I would add, he was a man of great charm and wildly attractive. He is much missed – RIP.
- On the 23rd February, I took part in a ‘Peer Review’ of Wandsworth Council, organised by one of the local authority organisations. The purpose of the review is to have outsiders (in our case, for example, the Mayor of another London Borough and a Chief Executive, were part of the team) giving a high-level overview of the Council’s operation. I found it fascinating – just how useful as well as interesting, we will discover this month or next, when the recommendations are published.
- On the 23rd February, I had the Planning Applications Committee. As I noted last month, large applications have for the moment dried up, but there were a couple of medium-sized Council-led developments for council housing, though neither in Battersea. By far the most important in Battersea was an application for a development in Ingate Place, which should result in creating some 500 jobs. However, except for those intimately involved, I rather suspect most people will barely notice the new development. Ingate Place is surrounded by railway lines, running on embankments as high as a three-storey house, and by busy Queenstown Road.
- And that was February, except that the Labour Group took a decision on what to recommend to the Council as next year’s Council Tax, but of that more next month.
- And finally, and at long, long last we had positive news about the future for St. Marks Vestry Infant school, on Battersea Rise.
The school was built in 1866/67 to cater for the rapidly growing population of Battersea, and just four years before the 1870 Education Act, which made primary education free, universal and compulsory throughout the country. I am also pleased to say that I moved, and the Council accepted, that the school be locally listed at a Planning Committee, in either the 1980s or 1990s. I hope to say more about the school and its future next month.
My programme for March
- The month started with the, 1st March, Finance Committee.
- On the 6th March, I have an in-depth Design Review Panel on a major development in Lombard Road.
- I will be off to Sutton on 7th March for an exciting meeting of the North-East Surrey Crematorium Board – in fact as decorous and sober as you would deem appropriate. But someone’s got to do it!
- On the 8th there is a Council Meeting, which will finally confirm our decision to freeze this year’s Council Tax level.
- The following day, 9th March, I have my first-ever meeting of the so-called Planning Policy Forum. It is a meeting between the Planning Chair and the various community groups with an active involvement in planning issues, such as the Battersea Society and the Clapham Junction Action Group, to discuss planning policy developments and issues. I have never been before because way back in 1978 (when Labour was last in control of the Council) it did not exist AND because only the controlling party (now Labour) speaker is invited.
- The Planning Applications Committee is on March 21st.
- And to round the month off, I have the Conservation Advisory Committee on 28th March, where amongst other things we will be discussing the precise details of the future of the Vestry school (see para 6 above).
Did you Know?
Last month, I asked who was the famous 
Wandsworth born-and-bred athlete who starred in the Council’s recent (October) celebrations of Black History Month? It was, of course, Frank Bruno, British and World Heavyweight Champion in 1990s. Frank famously fought and lost to Mike Tyson (USA) for the world championship. Frank famously had a very powerful punch, hence the very high proportion of bouts he won by a knock-out. Overwhelmingly, Bruno, also a popular TV personality, gave the impression of being a really nice guy with a sense of humour – not a bruiser and fighter like Tyson.
And this month?
Born in Teddington, lived in Battersea, Clapham and Brixton, but sought and found fame in the West End and Hollywood. He wrote a ditty about people who lived in Battersea Rise for a war-time review, which uses names for our war-time enemies, which would not be acceptable today. Intensely patriotic, in a very sentimental way: who was he? And special praise from me, if anyone can pin down the addresses he lived in, in Battersea and Clapham (which I suspect was actually Clapham Junction).
Tony Belton
Tony Belton 