WHAT'S GOING ON AT KENSINGTON MEMORIAL PARK?

Whenever the Dame hears of the Council 'consulting' she emits a long sigh.
So, what's happening at Kensington Memorial Park and why is Cllr 'Oirish' Ahern sounding as if he has been kissing the Blarney Stone.......

No, nothing to do with the ex Mrs. Ahern and her monumental tax problems.
This time it's about unwanted 'improvement' plans for the much loved Kensington Memorial Park..... and the abortive consultation. 
Reading the stuff from the Council (below) it seems that the 'reputable company with over 20 years experience' cocked up.

Users of the park come from well over a mile away so why was the distribution radius a mere quarter of a mile?
Leaflets distribution is as cheap as chips. 
To get a good opinion sample leaflet distribution should have been extended to at least seven thousand homes and that would have cost no more than £800.

And, because of the distribution cock up the cut off should have been extended to mid-December and not the end of November.
A panel of residents should also be appointed to check the feedback. 


How often have we seen blatant misinterpretation of feedback to fit with the Council's plans?

The consultation exercise has not been outsourced, but delivery of the information about how to access the consultation was undertaken by a reputable company with over 20 years experience in London.  Delivery of postcards was undertaken originally within a 400m consultation zone.  The postcards were delivered to all premises within that area, rather than households alone.  This is because the leaflet distribution company does not distinguish between residential premises and other addresses, and because the council is keen to include the views of all park users, including people who may work locally. 

This method has proved to be a cost effective way of distributing consultation materials in the past. The information regarding the number of premises within the consultation zone has been taken from the National Land and Property Gazetteer which every council maintains. 

It was disappointing to learn that some people did not receive the information, and where officers were given contact details a link to the survey or a hard copy was sent out.  The 400m consultation area was selected because this equates to an approximate 5-minute walk from the park.  Although the first round of consultation was publicised via social media, posters within the park, at the Sports Booking office at Holland Park, the two local libraries, via local councillors, and on the Council website, there were fewer than 300 responses. 

ECLIPSED BY AVARICE: A STORY OF OUR TIMES

The Dame had a call from old buddy, disgraced ex Mayor, Barry Phelps. 'Old Beardie' wanted to take the Dame through the complexities of being an investor in Eclipse 35, a ploy for getting huge chunks of tax relief via investment in films. 

"Old Beardie"

Yes, it does sound very glamorous: sadly HMRC takes a far from glamorous view and wants to impose gut wrenching penalties on many a high roller.
These could amount to many multiples of the sums invested.
Anyway, let's hope that none of our locals are going to be hit.

It seems that Cllr Marshall's old employer, Messrs Coutts, pushed these film schemes hard and  is now likely to be on the receiving end of big claims from the hapless investors.

One victim, though doubtless unadvised by Quent, is Pippa Rose, the headhunting ex-wife of Cllr Ahern. 

Pippa, the social alpinist daughter of a Yorkshire copper is likely to be hit for many millions. 
Let's hope Tim will be standing by, cheque book in hand.......

BE PART OF THE "STOP THE NEWCOMBE HOUSE TOWER" MOVEMENT

THREE things YOU can do to help STOP the proposed Newcombe House Tower development with its 72m 18 storey tower -50% taller than the existing 47m 12 storey

Number 1:  JOIN the Hillgate Village Residents’ Association/HVRA TODAY and support our work on this and other issues of concern to our community. Send your name, address, email and phone number, with a cheque made out to the “HVRA” for the annual membership fee of £15 to The Treasurer, HVRA, 8 Peel Street, London, W8 7PD or email your contact details to hillgatevillage@outlook.com and we will send you our bank details to make a direct transfer.  Please indicate whether you can attend the AGM and Christmas party on 13th December (see below).

Number 2:  COME  to our first AGM and Christmas Party, 7-9pm, Tuesday 13th December, 2016 at St George’s Church Hall, Aubrey Walk, W8 7JG AGM from 7pm, seasonal drinks & nibbles from 7.30pm.  ALL ARE WELCOME, members and non-members – £5 pp on the door to help cover costs and raise money for our fighting fund and you can also join the HVRA on the night.  You can turn up on the night but if you can let us know you’ll be coming by emailing us at hillgatevillage@outlook.com so we can plan numbers that would be appreciated.

Number 3:  ATTEND as much of the Appeal Hearing as you can, 10am-4pm daily, 14th-17thFebruary, 2017, The Council Chamber, RBKC Town Hall, Hornton Street.  The proposed Newcombe House Tower planning application was rejected by the RBKC Planning Committee in March but the developers are Appealing.  The Appeal Hearing will be 10am-4pm daily with a break for lunch.  Members of the public are free to attend as little or as much of the Hearing as they can.   If opposition to the proposed Tower is confirmed by residents attending the Appeal, it could help subconsciously swing a wavering Inspector in our favour – it’s important to show the Inspector that we care especially if he/she is on the fence!

BOARD OF AFFINITY SUTTON PAYS ITSELF OVER £1.7 MILLION!

Can any kind reader point out any other charitable organisation where the board pays itself over £1.7 million and rising to near £2million next year.
The Dame's useless nephew. Ludo, is looking for a job in this lucrative sector and wants some intro's. 

LUDO
LOOKING TO WORK FOR
AFFINITY SUTTON

Ludo is lazy and incompetent but that doesn't seem to be a hindrance to getting a fat wedge with a charity like Affinity Sutton.

HOUSING MANAGER EXFORD HITS OUT AT THE POOR OLD DAME

A startled Dame received an irate telephone call from Keithy Boy Exford.

" You old bag. How dare you tell people I only get £260,000 a year. I get a helluva' lot more than that, you old crone. I could buy and sell you ten time over".

LOADSAMONEY

A much chastened Dame apologised and asked how much 'bunce' he actually got.

"I get £325,000  a year, or £1400 every day I get to the office and I got meself a top of the range Beamer too"

The Dame is happy to apologise....maybe he will take the old thing for a drive in the Beamer; whatever that might be....

CHAIRMAN OF AFFINITY SUTTON WANTS YOU TO GAMBLE!

CLICK TO SEE HOW MUCH THEY ARE ALL
TROUGHING

The Chairman of Affinity Sutton is fanatical about gambling spending years working for companies who try to make you waste your money on slot machine and the like.

GAMBLING MAN!

The Dame is a silly old thing and cannot quite see what a gambling industry veteran can offer a social housing organisation.

A BIG WIN AGAINST PROPERTY DEVELOPER, AFFINITY SUTTON

VERY CREEPY
EXFORD

Tonight, the people of Chelsea scored a famous victory over a rapacious, greedy and uncaring Affinity Sutton.

FULL OF BULLSHIT

Keith Exford, the CEO and his thuggish management team will no doubt come back with further plans to exploit an asset throwing up huge potential profits and another opportunity to boost their already sky-high salaries and bonus pool.




It is the most extraordinary way to run a housing association and it's time the Government looked at the way the housing managers pay themselves.

Here's another question. Exford and team have wasted £4 million promoting a scheme no wanted.
Maybe he should consider his future.....

THE BIG DECISION ON SUTTON DWELLINGS

THE PEOPLE VERSUS AFFINITY SUTTON
PLANNING MEETING TONIGHT
SMALL HALL
THE TOWN HALL