To the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Williams
Archbishop of Canterbury 3rd February 2004
Lambeth Palace
London SE1 7JU

Dear Archbishop

I will make this letter as brief as possible, just to outline a problem that will be caused by a mistake, that will probably affect hundreds of thousands of people in the United Kingdom. I am hoping that in your position you may be able to stop it happening. I know that is an awful lot to ask of one man, but you do have a long title.

In the media we see that our central government have decided to demolish peoples’ homes all over the country, in order to make space to rebuild more for the demands of changing demographics and so called aspirations, (our population is virtually stable).

I live in a poor community, by choice, as it is near the university, where I am taking a doctorate in designing cities (to be “green”, sustainable, humane). While so doing I have been involved in so called “community regeneration” (a new deal area, one of 37 in the country). Central Government granted us £62 million to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. It didn’t work as did it not work elsewhere, as it wasn’t allowed to work, by agencies and local government who hijacked the funds as well as the process.

My community is poor, it has many social problems. Many in my community, like me, are educated, intelligent, motivated, caring. We have all tried to “engage”. It has been futile. Two of those who have tried are “my” vicar, David Lewis, and “our” Bishop James Jones. I have given both quite a hard time over the years, as I believed they had more chance of influencing things than the rest of us have been able. It was obvious from the outset the concept if not ill conceived was ill implemented.

It seems the government also admit it hasn’t worked (community participation), but instead of trying to get it right, they have decided not to bother again. So next time round they will make a pre-emptive strike, and do what they like without consideration of the people. “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do” may be the case, yet again. But before that could you please try and tell them, so they do know.

As part of my studies I did a dissertation called “How was it for you?” in which I highlight some of why the “New Deal” didn’t work for the existing community. It seemed essential to get the process on record, even though it was not directly related to my studies. For that I interviewed ten people one of which was Reverend David Lewis (with whom I had worked quite a bit for the youth focus group) and I knew him well anyway. He advised me of a report that the previous Archbishop had commissioned “Faith in the City” (in book form). Summing that all up into one sentence, which I now, through experience, totally agree with says (paraphrasing) “most social problems are created by mistakes of government.” What the government plan to do will be socially disastrous. It will also be environmentally disastrous. Financially it will not be, a small minority of people will be looking to do very well out of it, just as is happening in Iraq, another “mistake” camouflaged in a smokescreen of legitimacy.

Who can we trust? To whom can we turn? I have read dozens of books for my studies. I am “obsessed” with not so much building a better world, but avoiding accidentally destroying the one we have. My thesis isn’t ready yet, and it barely touches on social aspects, as so many others with a social science background are addressing that. (I spent 5 years studying architecture, before doing a degree in environmental science as I realised architects and planners simply don’t or can’t include as many design parameters as we need to achieve sustainability. The way education is now funded obliges much research to come up with answers to the questions the corporate funding bodies want (in all respects of that ambiguous statement). I am independent, fund myself. A very easy short read outlining that aspect is “Captive State” by George Monbiot.

I literally beseech you to do all you can to stop this dreadful mistake, for the sake of your huge flock. Even those not directly involved will be affected. Maybe none of us could stop the war in Iraq, you included. What our government now plans will do even worse at home. I have read all the work produced by Lord Rogers and his government Urban Task Force, and all Prescott’s white papers about supposed housing need (there are tens if not hundreds of empty houses). Some people need / want children. Should the government step in and share those out as they feel appropriate? The depth of understanding that the book “Faith in the City” identifies simply isn’t there, David told me the government were dismissive of the book, even though later re-iterating much of it.

I live with these people here, they are my friends and neighbours. They, we, can “take no more” “give no more”. We are the results of mistakes (in my case a devastating road traffic accident, as much as anything, hence I study and write and try and do as much good as I can with the skills I have) the other people are victims of other mistakes, accidents, mostly not of their own fault. People do not chose to be poor. A poor man’s home and community is even more valuable to him than a rich man’s. The rich man’s home is so very often a “property” with a price tag rather than a value. Our homes and community are typically all we have, whether they are owned or rented.

I cannot explain or describe in great detail the entire problem our country will face if government re-enact the mistakes of yore. I knew something was afoot when I was reading around my dissertation over a year ago because Prescott has been busy strengthening the compulsory purchase order laws. Do not worry to reply to me, except in acknowledgement you received this. I can tell you a great deal more if you don’t already know, booklists if necessary. There isn’t really time in one life to understand everything. Poor people are just like rich people, like poetry, music, art, sunshine, trees, their families. In addition to which they are often quite a lot nicer. Some poor people are drug addicts, just as are some rich people, who can fund their habit without crime, except the crime of exploiting others. How do people get rich without doing that? Not easily. Maybe the powerful think we are a different species. We are not, we are more humble and less powerful, and so less dangerous.

Please help the nation with your power and influence, at least get your opinion known. Being rather un-humble at the moment as it matters so much, I know I am right, and government is wrong. There even may well be a hidden agenda.

Thanks at least for reading this, I so hope you can do more