CENTRAL HILL: VIEW FROM THE GALLERY – “I DON’T REALLY SEE WHY WE’RE HERE” SAYS LABOUR COUNCILLOR
It was one of those meetings where, as usual, Lambeth Labour were just going to go ahead, do what they want to and stuff what the masses thought.
Cllr Bennett again referred to the ‘so-called’ Architects for Social Housing. But this overview and scrutiny committee meeting of the so-called Lambeth council provided a new face. Step forward Cllr Iain Simpson.
Cllr Simpson (Lab. Streatham Hill) said he was intrigued by something else Cllr Bennett had said – that it was a consultation not a ballot.
“It would be helpful if we could hear from the officer what does the word mean? “To me consultation means you have a range of options and the response from that feeds in to the decision-making process.”*
Officer: “That’s correct. “It’s a legislative requirement.
Simpson: “These surveys are not binding in terms of the actual decision? It doesn’t feed into it?
Officer: “All the council has to do is take it into consideration.” (Heckler: “So you can ignore it.”)
Simpson: We can survey the 5,000 people in temporary accommodation….
(Later) “When it gets into the financial stuff we’re chasing out tails. (Heckler: “You might be speaking. “You’re not saying much.”)
Simpson: “I don’t really see why we’re here.”
(There was a whole subtext to Wednesday’s meeting about dictionary definitions. Consultation wasn’t one of the words featured. So, for Cllr Simpson’s information: It’s the action or process of formally consulting or discussing. Not that Lambeth do any discussing with people whose views differ from theirs.)
And there was only one option on the table: Demolition.