I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute this evening.

I did not have this at the last forum held at East Finchley.- (2nd time lucky)

I would like to comment on the consultation of local residents.

Some people may have seen my letter on this matter which I wrote to the both the Barnet Times, and the Finchley Press

I would like to thank the editors publicly for having considered my letter important enough to print

I will very briefly summarise the content of the letter:

Contents

I discussed:

• the very wide variety of possible schemes and uses for the Tally Ho site

• how ideas could be sought and developed

• how residents could contribute

• how public opinion could be tested

I then pointed out:

• that no meaningful consultations had taken place

• that the local postal poll on this matter was without statistical significance

• that the subsequent Barnet Council newsletter had summarised the result of the poll in an article that had a headline that was, at best, in error, and with text devoted to explaining how almost everyone approved of the proposal.

Conclusions

I concluded by asking if anyone could explain to me the nature of the agenda of the group that was intent on rushing forward,

and imposing its concept of a tower block, on the residents

-- as quickly as possible, and

-- without any genuine consultation



Questions

I would now like to ask 5 question:

1. Is it true that that the Labour group is 100% in favour of the tower, without there being any dissidence? - which would suggest that the tower was party policy



2. Does this group consider that the residents can be deemed to have accepted the proposal by virtue of the fact that it was mentioned in the their election manifestos?



3. Does the council consider the idea of consulting residents to be

-- unreasonable

-- unnecessary



4. Does the council consider that

-- residents’ opinions are irrelevant, and that

-- they do not understand the issues, and that

—they get confused easily, and that

—they can become obstructive.



Finally -

5. Why the sudden haste

A suggestion for further Action

As a beginning,

-- I would like to request that Barnet Council commissions a public opinion poll on this matter -- from an independent organisation -- with a selection of questions that is previously agreed on by both

--- proponents and

--- opponents of the tower

I would like to add that I find myselfl astonished by this whole affair

Thank you Mr Chairman