The more residents on the Gibbs Green and West Ken estate find out about the truth of the redevelopment proposals the more support they have. Opponents of the scheme are finding it hard to adjust. Left wing activist Jonathan Rosenberg has the cheek question the credentials of residents on the two estates who back the scheme although he doesn't live there and they do.
Rather than accept their right to a different view some on the Left seem to regard the residents who back the scheme as having a "false consciousness". In some way residents campaigning to back he scheme are to be dismissed as "bogus" campaigners. Failed Lib Dem council candidate Paul Kennedy really should apologise for his insulting comments that they are "confused." Perhaps this arrogant outsider should swapping his luxury home in Barclay Road with a flat on one of the estates. Then he might understand their aspirations rather than sneer at them.
Kennedy's remarks were quoted approvingly by Dave Hill in a blog for The Guardian.
There were some interesting comments that resulted:
Project11
20 July 2011 10:05AM
Dave, you are being totally one sided. The steering group has received
finance from the Council but then the TRA (Tenants and Residents
Association) protesters have a full time Community Organiser, Jonathan
Rosenberg, funded by the trade unions. Who paid for the bus that
bussed in the TRA protesters? I can name the GMB as one of the Unions
funding the TRA as I have the proof. The two TRAs were defunct but
revived by the ex Chair West Ken TRA, the ex Chair Gibbs Green TRA and
me ex Sec West Ken TRA to oppose the demolition. We witnessed a hijack
of the TRAs organised by Andy Slaughter MP who sponsored Jonathan
Rosenberg as the right person to advise the TRAs. We resigned from the
TRAs to oppose the hijack. We witnessed the systematic manipulation of
the residents by Jonathan Rosenberg with a series of inflamatory
newsletters written by him. We have formed the organisation now know
as the Steering Group to provide proper impartial and professional
advice to the residents and to get a good deal for residents if the
estates are to be included. Although we were hostile at first, we are
now cautiously optimistic that there could be a development that suits
the aspirations of the young people in our area. Our solicitor drafted
a contract which we got approved by the Council and CapCo to make sure
every Council Tenant will be treated fairly if the estates are
included in the redevelopment. This draft contract (no one can sign
the legal version yet although many tenants have signed the draft as a
gesture of support) can be downloaded at www.lbhf.gov.uk/westken. The
steering group is going to be set up as a company limited by guarantee
in the near future to ensure independence from the Council.
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chillipep2011
20 July 2011 11:01AM
What a nasty, patronising piece. I'm surprised by you, Dave: assuming
that because we live on a council estate we can be manipulated to
support causes we don't understand.
Yes, those in support of the redevelopment were 'bussed in' to the
town hall (in that, like the people from the 'no' campaign, we arrived
in a bus): but this wasn't done by the council. We weren't 'assembled'
by council officers 'in the Holiday Inn on North End Road' – or
anywhere else for that matter. And anyone attending the meeting would
have been able to tell you that far from reading 'a deputation
statement that had been prepared for' us; the said statement was
spoken passionately from the heart, without notes, by resident of the
estates for over 40 years.
It is incredibly insulting that you assume we cannot organise
ourselves to campaign in favour of a scheme will improve our area.
Ironic, Dave, that you missed the meeting because you were covering a
story about poor standards in journalism.
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Hades93
20 July 2011 11:44AM
First of all, I was there. This is an appalling piece of journalism.
Totally inaccurate. The TRA's had a prepared speech. The council
already had a copy before the meeting started. You also fail to
mention that their 'Community Organiser' was out campaigning all
weekend to drum up support for his farce and put on 2 coaches, but
only just filled one. This is after they claim that two thirds are
against the development. Clearly nonsense. One lady I spoke to said
that she thought she was only signing up for information and not her
home away to the TRA. Maureen, for the Steering Group, spoke with
sincerity about the how the proposals would benefit residents. The TRA
just haemorraged politics, but no real concern for the community. In
10 years time, when the estates have been run into the ground and have
to be demolished anyway there will be no community. This redevelopment
ensures that there will still be a community for many years to come.
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