An official complaint will be made about the Council’s ‘Independent tenant and leaseholder advisor’ (ITLA) who cynically promoted the demolition agenda as they helped residents to fill out the consultation forms.
ITLAs are supposed to be independent, and serve residents, not landlords!
This could invalidate the consultation which the Council is using to justify demolition.
You couldn’t make this up.
Haringey’s Cabinet has voted to demolish two blocks at Broadwater Farm
Tenants and residents rallied outside Haringey Civic Centre, as the Council’s Cabinet voted to demolish two blocks which are in need of safety works, for which the Council has received feasibility estimates from Ridge property and construction consultants.
The rally outside heard angry speeches an held banners and posters. Jacob Secker from Broadwater Farm spoke about private tenant families who were being evicted, potentially into single rooms in hostel accommodation. ‘While I am secretary of the Residents Association, over my dead body will that happen’, he said.
The Council wants to hold an estate ballot on the future but only AFTER the blocks have been demolished. This is not what the Greater London Authority and Haringey Council promised residents on demolition estates, including where health safety is an issue.
Senior council officers are formulating a ‘ribbon of redevelopment’ across Broadwater Farm, this could involve pressure for further demolitions, and for unaffordable homes to be built on Council land. The larger area at risk of demolition includes Broadwater Farm, Lido Square, Somerset Close, Moira Close, houses on the South side of Lordship Lane, and Brookside House.
“There is a very clear agenda of gentrification and social cleansing, when the Council is so determined to demolish rather than strengthen and improve its housing“, tenant campaigner Paul Burnham told the Harry Hotspur blog.
“The Council has applied for ballot exemption from the Greater London Authority, despite promising resident ballots on all Haringey’s demolition proposals in the Haringey Labour election manifesto for the elections this May.
At the cabinet meeting, the Council backed down on dilution of promises for the 100% replacement of council rent homes in the two blocks set for demolition (Tangmere and Northolt). The Council also backed down on its retreat from the right of tenants at Northolt to get a proper choice of new home, as previously promised.
Good work by the residents who are holding the Council to account. ”
