The Dame is getting slightly jealous of Miss Horrox. She may be livening up the staid old K&C Chronicle, but there is no need for her to stray into the dear old Dame's territory.
Yes, Miss Horrox may be younger, prettier and smarter than the Dame, but it is the Dame's job to right wrongs in the Rotten Borough.
Still, let's hope the Dame and Miss Horrox can work together...Miss Horrox has certainly made the Chronicle a 'must read'-just like the Hornet- and the Dame loves some competition.....
£80million Holland Park School swimming pool STILL shut to community
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| SCHOOL HALL |
Kensington and Chelsea's flagship yet controversial £80million Holland Park School was opened last November after a consultation period which informed the community that the school's new pool would be open to the public outside of school hours.
A planning condition was negotiated between the Council
and the Campden Hill Residents' Association which guaranteed that the
new swimming pool would be made available for use by residents.
The residents' association is now accusing the council of failing to enforce this undertaking in spite of repeated reminders. The Chairman of Campden Hill Residents' Association reported at a recent AGM meeting that the school is effectively saying that the obligation is inconvenient and will not be delivered.
David White Chairman of the residents' association said: "The failure to date of the council to implement the explicit condition contained in the planning approval for 'Community Use' of the school's sports facilities, not least the swimming pool, is causing considerable concern and disappointment within the local community. Whilst assurances have been given not least by Sir Merrick Cockell that the 'matter will be sorted out' he totally failed to deliver on this promise. Let's hope that the new leadership of Councillor Nick Paget-Brown and his team can and will do better. The school is a magnificent building and all its sports and educational facilities should be available for use by the whole community as well as the students."
Campaigner Donald Cameron said: "Many residents feel that the consultation process has been abused and used to announce the result of Council decisions rather than to consult. Likewise, many of us feel that the planning process in the borough is being abused and there is too much expediency and box ticking. We have a new Leadership in the Borough now and traditionally this is an opportunity to sweep away cobwebs and refresh the system."
Council Leader Nick Paget-Brown said: "I am aware of the issue and understand that officers in both Leisure and Education are seeking to make some progress, particularly on use of the swimming pool.
"I note the points on planning and we will be seeking to address the concerns raised by the Kensington Society."
A Council spokesman said: "The school is still fine tuning itself operationally, and discussions are taking place between Council departments and the school to develop a workable plan for use of the pool outside of normal school hours. As such the school is working closely with the Council and a local swimming club on an agreement for pool usage, which it hopes to finalise shortly".
The residents' association is now accusing the council of failing to enforce this undertaking in spite of repeated reminders. The Chairman of Campden Hill Residents' Association reported at a recent AGM meeting that the school is effectively saying that the obligation is inconvenient and will not be delivered.
David White Chairman of the residents' association said: "The failure to date of the council to implement the explicit condition contained in the planning approval for 'Community Use' of the school's sports facilities, not least the swimming pool, is causing considerable concern and disappointment within the local community. Whilst assurances have been given not least by Sir Merrick Cockell that the 'matter will be sorted out' he totally failed to deliver on this promise. Let's hope that the new leadership of Councillor Nick Paget-Brown and his team can and will do better. The school is a magnificent building and all its sports and educational facilities should be available for use by the whole community as well as the students."
Campaigner Donald Cameron said: "Many residents feel that the consultation process has been abused and used to announce the result of Council decisions rather than to consult. Likewise, many of us feel that the planning process in the borough is being abused and there is too much expediency and box ticking. We have a new Leadership in the Borough now and traditionally this is an opportunity to sweep away cobwebs and refresh the system."
Council Leader Nick Paget-Brown said: "I am aware of the issue and understand that officers in both Leisure and Education are seeking to make some progress, particularly on use of the swimming pool.
"I note the points on planning and we will be seeking to address the concerns raised by the Kensington Society."
A Council spokesman said: "The school is still fine tuning itself operationally, and discussions are taking place between Council departments and the school to develop a workable plan for use of the pool outside of normal school hours. As such the school is working closely with the Council and a local swimming club on an agreement for pool usage, which it hopes to finalise shortly".
When the Chairman of a big Residents Association feels the need to go into public battle with the Council this is a sign that democracy is not working. The new Leader of the council, Cllr Paget-Brown, needs to watch out and put right quickly all the little and big messes that his predecessor left behind. David White, a City Grandee,is very determined that he and his members and also residents, will not be rolled over.
ReplyDeleteAnother nail in the coffin for Planning Director, Jonathan Bore. When planning obligations are made conditional it is his job to make sure that they are implemented. In this case he was "leaned on" to ignore the "little inconvenience of the NIMBYs" and of course did not have the balls to do his job. Well, the times are changing Mr Bore.
DeleteIt is not only Chairman David White making waves about the planning system in Hornton Street. The Chairman of the respected Kensington Society, Amanda Frame, recently launched a fierce public attack on everything to do with the conduct of planning in the Royal Borough. Eighteen months ago the new Cabinet Member for Planning (Cllr Ahern) pledged to make the Borough's planning more "resident friendly" after he figured out that all was not well. Unfortunately Ahern is a weak man and was unable to influence things in the Bore Empire which was at the time protected by Derek Myers. But Myers is on the move, Cockell is gone, and the new Leader (Cllr Paget-Brown) needs to listen to the Association Chairmen and sort out the remote and box ticking Mr Bore. In fact it is time for Mr Bore to move on
Delete"time for Mr Bore to move on".
DeleteWrong. Time for him to BE moved on
This is a fully documented case study of the way that the K&C Council has been abusing the consultation process. Agree to anything, do nothing, refuse to honour obligations and then just wear out residents who protest until they go away. It is time for this to stop
ReplyDeleteShunned ex Prime Minister Squatter Sir Pooter Merrick Cockell, Brk, Leader of Hornton Street in the Royal Borough and Pretender to the Lords (failed) left a bad smell all around him when he was booted out by colleagues
DeleteWhat a creepy looking Headmaster in the photo. A real Uriah Heap character. The nasty Colin Hall, a rather devious chap, sailed on the coat tails of Cllr Cockell who promised him a "free kitchen" in return for going along with the monstrous ego project of Holland Park School which the squatter thought would help speed his way into the Lords.
ReplyDeleteQuite right to finger Headmaster Hall. He has made it clear that he does not want residents using "his" swimming pool and is using administrative means to frustrate the Council
DeleteHall is a bully and needs to be punched on the nose. Only thing that bullies understand
DeleteBash Hall. A nasty little runt
DeleteA school that cost £80 million to rebuild, paid for by the tax payer, and not a single new place created. An excellent set of premises knocked down and replaced by a "designer" school. S much for recession hit Britain
ReplyDeleteThe school has been open for 9 months. The agreement for residents to use the sports facilities was agreed two years ago and made a planning condition. GET ON WITH IT, Nick!
ReplyDeleteA disgrace. All part of the rotten Cockell heritage
ReplyDeleteSo it's up to the Local Press and the Dame to hold those in power to account in Horton Street?
ReplyDeleteWell, whatever happened to the supposed Labour Opposition?
It appears that Councillor Blakeman and her poodles are far too busy colluding with the Majority Party, attending the HP Opera and playing with their North Kensington train set to do anything meaningful like actually stand up for residents and tackle Tory abuse.
Thank God for the K and C Chronicle and The Dame!
On the contrary 22.28, the Labour Group have brought up this scandal at every possible opportunity; indeed we insisted that public use of the pool was included in the Planning Obligations, particularly while Ken Leisure Centre was out of action. We are delighted that it has finally made it to the front page of the local press, we have been trying to bring it to pubic attention for some time. Here is the RBKC officer response we received in January:
ReplyDelete'Under a planning condition the community will be able to use the new facilities such as the sports hall, sports pitches, swimming pool and performing arts facilities at the new Holland Park School building. The school's indoor sports facilities were used by the students for the first time in mid-November 2012. Several years ago the school's management said that their preference would be to operate these new facilities for a year before making them more widely available to remove any operational/ snagging issues. The temporary school is now being removed so that work on the pitches and landscaping can begin; this is scheduled to be completed by end of December 2013. My understanding is that the school are in discussions with a number of leisure providers about how the facilities will be managed.'
So, delay, delay, but they will have to stick to their Planning Obligations even if this delay passes the change to academy status (which some fear is the sinister intention).
Cllr E Dent Coad
More weasel words and administrative means to see off the planning condition. The next ambush is also emerging cf "school in discussions with leisure providers about the facilities will be managed". Of course these discussions will never be concluded because no "suitable provider" will be found.
DeleteTime to stop the devious and obstructive behaviour of Headmaster Colin Hall. This is not a moon rocket that we are talking about. Its about residents turning up to swim in a pool for 20 minutes. If Hall and his staff feel that this is an insurmountable administrative task then it is time for them to be replaced - such people cannot be trusted to educate the students of the future
EDC and Labour need to raise their game and start to get some results. The whole Labour Opposition apparatus is costing council tax payers a bundle of money. And Cllr Paget-Brown should send out a clear signal that this kind of anti resident activity in the Town Hall will not be tolerated in future. Who was responsible? Who was on point duty? Was it the Planning Director, Mr Bore? Was it the Cabinet Member for Planning and Campden Ward councillor, Cllr Ahern? One of them should be fired
DeleteMore interesting Twitter revelations from Ms Horrox:
ReplyDeleteCamilla Horrox @CamillaHorrox 6 Jun
It has been confirmed that Cllr Dez O'Neill (Colville Ward) has lost the party whip as a result of an investigation by the Labour Group...
Why is there no statement on the RBKC Labour Party website if this news broke in the middle of last week?
DeleteWe should be told...........
O'Neill's profile has now been removed from the RBKC Labour Party website.
DeleteHowever, still no word from the Opposition Group as to why the Whip has been withdrawn?
Soon to be disgraced ex Cllr O'Neill is no Labour type. He is a money grabbing Tory out to feather his own nest (living in a Council property while renting out his private property estate of apartments and houses). Cockroach
ReplyDeleteI have long despised O'Neil. However, he is not a Conservative. He is unswervingly loyal to his own personal advantage. Nothing more.
ReplyDelete