I ONLY BECAME AWARE THAT NOTTING HILL HOUSING ASSOCIATION WERE GOING TO REDEVELOP THE BARHAM PARK ESTATE IN JAN 06. WHAT GREATLY CONCERNED ME WAS THE NUMBER OF HOMES STATED TO REPLACE THE 214 PRESENT.
490 DEWELLINGS IN THE FORM OF 3 AND 4. FLOOR BLOCKS SPEAD OVER THE ESTATE AND THE MAYBANK PARK. AS TOO 9,7,5, FLOOR BLOCKS AT THE FRONT OF THE ESTATE THAT WOULD REPLACE THE PRESENT CAR LOT AND GARAGE THAT NHHT PURCHASED IN DEC 05 FOR 2.8 MILLION. AS THIS HAD COME AS A SHOCK TO A LARGE MAJORITY OF TENANTS WHO,AS WITH MYSELF, HAVE CLEARLY BEEN KEPT IN THE DARK,,EVEN THOUGH THE STEERING GROUP WHO ARE MADE UP OF ABOUT 4 +TENANTS WERE DEALING WITH NHHT,OR AS IT APPEARS NOW WERE BEING STEERED BY NHHT, PROJECT DIRECTOR PAUL McCONNELL AND HOUSING AND COMMUNITY CARE DIRECTOR MARTIN CHEESEMAN. I DECIDED TO LOOK IN TO NHHT ON THE WEB AND WAS SHOCKED TO COME ACROSS SO MUCH INFORMATION ON NHHT, INFACT THERE WAS NOTTHING GOOD TO BE SAID ABOUT THEM. I CAME ACROSS A AUDIT REPORT FOR 2003. THIS REPORT STATES NHHT TO BE A POOR RATED ASSOCIATION, THOUGH STATED AS OUT OF DATE IN A E-MAIL FROM PAUL McCONNELL,IT WAS PRESENT AT THE TIME NHHT WERE CHOSEN. WHY WOULD BRENT COUNCIL TRY TO PARM US OFF ON TO A POOR RATED TRUST?
I DECIDED TO MAKE A STAND AND STATE THE FACTS. I PRINTED POSTERS AND PUT THEM AROUND THE ESTATE TO BRING TO TO ATTENTION OF THE TENANTS WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSES. THE FACT THAT WE WERE TO BE OVER DEVELOPED WITH HIGH RISE BLOCKS, IN TO WHICH WE WERE TO BE STACKED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER TO MAKE WAY FOR NHHT TO MAKE A KILLING,WHAT WITH HALF THESE DEWELLING BEING FOR SALE.
THIS HAS RESULTED IN THE BARHAM PARK ACTION GROUP. THE PRESENT TENANTS ASSOCIATION IS OUT DATED AND SMALL MINDED AND IN BREACH OF THE SAID POLICYS THAT GOVERN IT. THE ACTION GROUP IS NOW THE VOICE OF TENANTS WHO ARE ALL SERVED AND CLEARLY REPERSENTED BY ITS DIRVERSITY.
I ATTENDED A MEETING ON THE 3rd OF APRIL AND SET APON TACKALLING NHHT
BY NOW TENANTS WERE AWARE OF MY POSTERS AND WERE OPENING THEIR EYES TO THE DECIET THAT WAS BEING PLAYED OUT. WE MADE OUR FEELINGS CLEAR.
WE STATED THAT WE THE TENANTS NEEDED TO TALK WITH OUT NHHT PRESENT.
IN RESPONSE TO MY POSTERS AND WEB SITE , MARTIN CHEESEMAN SENT A LETTER OUT TO TENANTS STATING THAT NHHT WERE OUR ONLY CHOISE AND REDEVELOPMENT THE ONLY OPTION IN achieving A DECENT HOME. HE STATES THAT BRENT PARTNERSHIP ONLY HAS FUNDS FOR MINOR REPAIRS AND MODERNISATION. AND NOT THE FULL REFURBISHMENTS OR REDEVELOPMENT.
ONE OF THE CHOICES WE COULD TAKE IS A ALMO,WHICH IS EXACTILY WHAT BHP ARE, MARTIN FUTHER CLAIMS THAT I WAS MISLEADING TENANTS ,THOUGH FROM THE ABOVE STATEMENT ITS CLEAR WHOS MISLEADING WHO. I PUT OUT A INVITE FOR NHHT AND MARTIN AND PAUL TO HAVE IT OUT WITH ME IN FRONT OF THE TENANTS TO SEE WHO IS MISLEADING WHO. THEY DECLINED. AND IN A E-MAIL WENT ON TO EXCEPT THAT I WAS TELLING THE TRUTH.
NOW WE DISCOVER THAT THE 90% WHO VOTED FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND THE 50% WHO VOTED FOR NHHT WAS NOT TAKEN FROM THE 214 DEWELLINGS. BUT FROM 70 ALEDGED TENANTS WHO FILLED OUT A QUESTIONAIR. PAUL McCONNELL STATES
We can only count those who turn out and it was important that they came to see the proposals and talk to the three RSLs, so we could not go and knock on all the doors.  It is usually only a  minority who do turn out to meetings etc., like govt elections.
THE ACTION GROUP HAS TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO KNOCK DOORS AND TAKE A BALLOT. WE HAVE GOT A MORJITEY VOTE OF 152 TENANTS OUT OF 213(THIS WAS 214 BUT NHHT HOUSING ASSOCIATION HAS MOVE IN TO A MUCH NEED COUNCIL ACOMMADATION.) THIS IS A CLEAR NO VOTE TO NHHT OVERDEVELOPMENT AND DREADED BACKWARDS DESIGN THAT IS BEING PULLED DOWN ELSE WHERE,CHURCH RD,STONEBRIDGE AND CHALKHILL.
WE PRESENTED THIS BALLOT TO OUR LIB/DEM CLLR BOB WHARTON ON THE 130506 AT THE BARHAM PARK TENANTS OFFICE. CLLR BOB WHARTON WHO IS WELL KNOWN AND RESPECTED BY TENANTS
WILL PRESENT THIS BALLOT TO THE COUNCIL. THE FUTURE OF THIS ESTATE REMAINS UNCLEAR, BUT WHAT EVER IT IS IT WILL BE THE TENANTS CHOICE THOUGH CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION. WE HAVE FOUND OUR VOICE NOW LET THE COUNCIL HEAR IT. JOHN DIGGINS. BARHAM PARK ACTION GROUP MEMBER