Councillor Tony Belton’s Battersea January 2024, Newsletter (# 175)
HAPPY NEW YEAR
- On 5th December, I had the quarterly meeting of the North East Surrey Crematorium Board, which is half-run and owned by Wandsworth Council and half-run and owned by Merton, and Sutton Councils. It is not exactly a dream ticket for ambitious local councillors, but it is a significant municipal enterprise, which delivers less expensive cremations than our private sector rivals and is now one of the greenest crematoria in the country, thanks to our early adoption of catalytic converter technology.
- Later that evening I attended the Ethelburga Estate Residents Association AGM, where the main items for discussion were the potential use of PV panels on the extensive roofs of the estate and the use (or lack) of security cameras on the estate. I have taken up both issues and will report back to the Association.
- On a cold 6th December, I attended the Alton Estate Design Review Panel (DRP). Using public transport, it took me about an hour and a half each way to get from Clapham Junction to the Roehampton Estate. It was a day of strikes, chaos, and confusion. Was it simply a pleasure or a frustration, after a 3-hour commute, to attend a meeting of such total agreement and amity – after all spending a whole morning just to go to a meeting, where everyone agreed with each other, didn’t seem exactly pointful!
- That evening, I was interviewed by a member of Wandsworth Council’s Democracy Review Panel. This study really is a fascinating initiative taken by the still-new Labour Council. Forty-four years of opposition, 44 years of the frustration of opposition, 44 years of powerless protest against cuts in services, and sales of public assets have left many of the Labour councillors, and especially the Leader, Simon Hogg, jaundiced about the whole Council process. Simon’s, ambition is to modernise and democratise the process. In my view, the review needs to tackle at least two fundamental questions. First, whether the 44 years of frustration were just an inevitable part of losing years of elections or whether there was also something fundamentally undemocratic in Wandsworth’s procedures – not of course undemocratic in the rather conservative view of democracy being defined by an occasional election, but undemocratic by more vigorous measures, potentially available in today’s complex society. Secondly, how likely is it that having won so-called first-past-the-post power, the new Labour majority will be open to real democratic reform – and how much? Or whether all the processes and procedures seem somehow more justified when we are the majority? Not that my interview got into all the possible depths of such questions – but it was an interesting discussion, largely about the merits (or demerits) of the committee system as opposed to the strong Leader and Executive models of local government.
- On 7th December, I was booked into an Italian
restaurant in Holborn for Christmas lunch with my ex-football team. The food wasn’t special, the company was. We were quite a good team, not brilliant, but sixty years later, we don’t look too bad. We all worked for the GLC (Greater London Council); the fact that we still enjoy each other’s company must mean something, I guess. We shared some values, some politics, and some stories about great goals, we had scored.
- I guess that many folk believe that being electeda councillor opens up the chance of a life of perks. I can’t
think of many (any?), but we did have a splendid one on the 8th The 4 major suppliers of electric bikes and electric scooters offered members of the Transport Committee, free “goes” on their machines in a council-depot site. All I can say is that one would have to have a heart of stone not to envy the access that younger and fitter people have to such machines. The ease of movement, the smoothness of acceleration, the freedom engendered – it must have been like that in an earlier age for those rich enough to have a horse. Older people often express fear and hatred of both bikes and scooters – they will need to get used to them as they will become ever more popular. The rather unflattering picture is of me getting my final instructions before whizzing joyously around the depot!
- Later that same day the Mayor, Battersea Park
ward Councillor Juliana Annan, hosted a Charity Xmas Party. As can be seen by the picture, it was not a very formal occasion, but it was an enjoyable one. The Katherine Low Settlement was the main beneficiary of the occasion. The Mayor is on my left, Sandra Munoz and Senia Dedic are the other two guests.
- On 10th December, Penny and I went to
Battersea Labour Party’s Junction Jazz night. As always, the jazz tended towards the traditional, but all the more popular for that. A guest star on this occasion was Martin Linton, Battersea’s Labour MP from 1997-2010. Martin is seen here playing the trumpet, alongside Nikki Marsh on alto-sax, the bandleader. A good time was had by one and all.
- On the 12th December, I was invited to join the Battersea Fields GP practice for their Christmas lunch. It was very much a working lunch, and all the more interesting for that. Given that the practice’s geographical patch includes nearly all the new developments in Nine Elms Lane, they believe that they may be the largest GP practice in the country. It was good to meet the local GPs and pharmacists – a dedicated and interesting group.
- That evening I chaired the Planning Applications Committee. Unsurprisingly, given the time of year, there were
not many particularly interesting applications bar one, which was (and is) the Star and Garter Hotel on the Putney river-front. This great, Victorian building has certainly seen better days, but now we have an interesting roof-top extension, including a new dome (the one on the left in this plan) and new accommodation (on the roof between the two domes). It looked – and hopefully will be – an exciting new development for Putney and the Borough, if not exactly of immediate Battersea interest.
- On December 13th, I attended a Design Review Panel’s
deliberations over the possible development of the Glassmills site on the east side of the Battersea Bridge approach. The potential development is “an iconic tower”, standing as high as St. Paul’s Cathedral as an entry sign into the Borough. The DRP’s rules prevent me from saying much at this stage – after all the plans did not even form the basis of a planning application and they may never see the light of day. What I can say, however, was that the contributions from panel members were of the highest quality – I was very impressed. The picture from inside the current mirror glass shows the ground floor view from the site, including the beautiful swan sculpture, who has recently lost his mate to needless vandalism. I am sure that we will hear much more on this, if and when we get a valid planning application.
- The Council Meeting, later that day, was interesting. The Tories decided to “attack” Labour over what they deemed to be our plans to sell-off assets, and
particularly Battersea Library. From Labour’s perspective, the absurdity of Wandsworth Tory councillors, renowned in the past for their proud boast of selling more council assets than any other authority, attacking Labour for asset selling, almost beggars belief. But it also speaks of a massive Tory ignorance of Labour attitudes, if they seriously believe that we could or would sell such an iconic feature of our history – or that the public would believe such an accusation.
- And then it was Christmas, with a quiet day clearing the garden, followed by family stuff in Winchester, dominated by this heroic statue of Alfred the Great. After that we had a couple of days at a favourite resort hotel and a few gentle walks.
STOP PRESS
Starting from 8th January, your Christmas tree will be collected by the Council on the same day as your rubbish and recycling, but by a different vehicle, so this may not be at the same time as other collections. So please do NOT put out before 7th January – after Twelfth Night.
Trees should be left out after 6.30 pm on the day before the collection is due, and by 6.30 am on the collection day.
If you have a front garden – put your tree out for collection next to your rubbish and recycling bags, on your usual collection day – not on the street. If you do NOT have a front garden – put your tree just outside your front door on the pavement taking care not to block where people walk.
If you live in a block of flats – leave your tree near your rubbish or recycling bin store, making sure you do not block access to the bins.
Trees are sent for composting, so the Council will not collect your tree if it is plastic, still decorated, in a pot or a stand, or is over 6ft tall (so cut into pieces).
If you see Christmas trees left abandoned, report them to the Council at: wandsworth.gov.uk/rubbish-and-recycling/christmas-tree-recycling/
My programme for January
- Penny and I are having a Twelfth Night Party for our local neighbours on, guess when, Twelfth Night.
- The Planning Applications Committee is on 18th January
- On 20th January, I have the Councillor Advice Session aka Surgery at Battersea Park Library.
- On 24th January, I have the Finance & General Purposes Committee.
- On 25th January, Alf Dubs is giving the inaugural, hopefully, annual Alf Dubs lecture at Battersea Arts Centre at 7 pm. Tickets are available at alfdubslabour@gmail.com.
Did you know?
Last month, I asked, whether you could tell where this plaque is? And who was John Buckmaster? Of course, many people did, including members of the Battersea Society involved in its installation. But what had he done to deserve the plaque? I will expand on that after you have answered this month’s question.
And this month?
So, where is a second plaque to John Buckmaster? Clue: it is not in Battersea. And exactly what did he do in working to keep the Commons open. Oh, and by the way, can you point to anything named after John Buckmaster and where is that?
Tony Belton
Tony Belton 