The Exhibition in question...
The 'rabble' outside!
Unite(d) in their cause.
Artwork on Corn Exchange reminds us who the venue was ACTUALLY intended for.
Is this all you can now afford in Cambridge?
TentCam!®
A Left Unity contingent were also there.
Spot the unintended ironic humour...
Placard art #1
Placard art #2
Placard art #3
Placard art #4
This has led to a situation where, despite there being at least 2,500 people awaiting homes on local social housing lists, these same local people are being priced out of the market (either for renting or buying) by the artificially exaggerated prices we are currently witnessing, with Cambridge now being one of the most expensive places in the country outside of London to (attempt to) buy or rent a home.
This problem has been exacerbated by the post-Thatcherite Right To Buy scheme started in the 1980s, which has seen a significant depletion of Council housing stocks, which have not been replaced with enough new stock for a generation.
Meanwhile, as if to rub salt into the collective wound Thursday saw the whole Corn Exchange (a venue originally intended to be a meeting place for more humble working people other than millionaires and so-called nouveau riche) hired to host a property exhibition to encourage even more 'investment' of this nature in the city.
This exhibition was itself sponsored by the very same local newspaper that has recently reported stories like this:
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Fears-foreign-buyers-leave-hundreds-Cambridge/story-26278702-detail/story.html Just really pile on the irony, there seemed to be far more protestors outside the building than potential punters actually going in, with the venue being virtually empty!
Those that did dare to show up and go in were promptly jeered at by the people assembled outside, including a rather large number of BMWs and 4x4s that hastily sailed past on Corn Exchange Street!
As for the protest itself, it was a good natured (and good humoured) affair with a decent cross-section people there to represent the actual residents of the city.
No police showed up, although there was a private security team at the entrance of The Corn Exchange, and I found myself (as a long term resident of Cambridge) in the bizarre situation of being effectively blocked from entering a venue I've previously been allowed into to attend other events.
The message I got from this (whether intended or not) was if you ain't got enough money you ain't welcome inside today.
Need I say more..?
*************************************************************************************************
HOUSING CRISIS IN CAMBRIDGE
PUBLIC MEETING
Tuesday April 28th, 7:30pm
Ross Street Community Centre.
Comments
Hide the following 7 comments
Resistance is required whoever wins the election
19.04.2015 13:38
Regan
Bring back Council Housing to the East End, bring back democratic Councils too
20.04.2015 09:12
It was on air in April 2014.
If you haven’t you can still see it online.
Take a look.
The programme is proof that they have scrapped Tower Hamlets council.
Known s the country’s most reprieved bright, the programme was a neo liberal plant arguing for social; cleansing on the ground that people were poor!
None has objected to that line.
Not even Tower Hamlets councillors.
Not Mr Galloway.
Not Mr Ken Livingstone.
Not anyone from the Labour arty, the Tory party or no party.
Mr Kenneth Livingstone and Mr G Galloway are known backers of the Council, claiming that it is a democratic Council.
If so, how is it that the same Council is silent when Tor
DefendCouncilHousingDefendDemocracyforCouncils
Missing something
22.04.2015 04:00
Went to Uni in Cambridge
Good points, there is an answer
22.04.2015 09:18
There is simply no need for people to own the house they live in.
Problem solver
Fully agree, great report, good comments.
22.04.2015 11:51
The theory of the public ownership of all housing is one that is gaining in credibility and support all through Europe, I recently spoke in Greece at the University of Athens on this very subject and we had an interactive session after where students talked through ideas and concepts.
We thought the following would be a good start.
1) All housing of all types becomes the property of the State but only where the State is the true representative of the people and controlled by the people's oversight commitee
2) Housing will be allocated on the basis of need and work, social and educational requirements. Students to be given priority for housing near places of education including quiet spaces for reflection and study.
3) No compensation will be paid for housing taken by the people for the people
4) All future private ownership of property banned
5) All future private building of property banned
6) Exceptions to the above only made in the case of extreme political requirements related to Party activity.
This we felt was a good start for further discussion and thought.
Clive Allenby
A couple of questions for you Clive to make things clear to me
23.04.2015 09:37
@ Who gets to decide who sits on the "oversight commitee"
2) Housing will be allocated on the basis of need and work, social and educational requirements. Students to be given priority for housing near places of education including quiet spaces for reflection and study.
@ Who decides need ?
3) No compensation will be paid for housing taken by the people for the people
@ What will you do when almost the entire country objects to this ?
4) All future private ownership of property banned
@ How will this be enforced
5) All future private building of property banned
@ See point 4
6) Exceptions to the above only made in the case of extreme political requirements related to Party activity.
@ Interesting - a few examples please of these "political requirements related to Party activity" - shades of Animal Farm methinks !
Take your time Clive, it's not like these ideas have a snowball's chance in Hell of being adopted by anybody in the near future but I guess you knew that already.
Interested bystander
Some additional concerns with Clive's "final solution"
28.04.2015 17:14
==> What if someone refuses to handover their house? Will bailiffs and the police be sent around to force them to leave and handover ownership? I imagine a lot of people will have A LOT to lose and will not go down without a fight. You will probably need an armed army to enforce this rule.
2) Housing will be allocated on the basis of need and work, social and educational requirements. Students to be given priority for housing near places of education including quiet spaces for reflection and study.
Does this mean that a single person in a big house will be asked to leave so that a family can move in? If so, what if the person refuses to leave. Will the police be sent around to forcefully evict this person?
3) No compensation will be paid for housing taken by the people for the people
What if people refuse and start riots? People will have a lot to lose. You will need to hire extra police officers to enforce order. Also, have to asked other people if they are happy with this?
4) All future private ownership of property banned
Who will enforce this? People have owned houses for thousands of years. What if people disagree and refuse to follow these rules?
5) All future private building of property banned
What if someone wants to build a house for their family? Who put you in a charge?
6) Exceptions to the above only made in the case of extreme political requirements related to Party activity.
That sounds elitist. One rules for them, another rule for us?
Good luck with your "final solution". My suggestion would be to get a lot of funding and then hire some mercenaries who will go around with big sticks and beat anyone who disagrees with you.
Dave