tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post5058565270396204908..comments2023-10-09T11:27:46.098+01:00Comments on Shepherd's Bush: Eviction Wednesday in Hammersmith for charitiesChris Underwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03026438313352911527noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-61679572680988257792012-01-27T10:21:21.344+00:002012-01-27T10:21:21.344+00:00I don't mind, really. I doubt it took much tim...I don't mind, really. I doubt it took much time to pen a quick letter...Alexanderhttp://www.bromptonrhodes.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-43267638127525140832012-01-27T09:37:16.263+00:002012-01-27T09:37:16.263+00:00A quick look at the Iranian Association's entr...A quick look at the Iranian Association's entry on the Charity Association website (http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends05/0001120205_AC_20100331_E_C.PDF) shows both the kind of work they do and their sources of income. It's clear that a large chunk of their income comes from government in one form or another and most of the rest from other charities or grant giving organisations (e.g. the National Lottery), not donations from businesses or the public. So it's not at all clear that they are - as you suggest - saving public money, as opposed to spending it. Tarring people you disagree with as "Daily Mail readers" strikes me as a peculiarly pitiful debating strategy, incidentally. Either the Iranian Association has been dealt with in accordance with the terms of its lease or it hasn't. The fact that they have consulted solicitors would imply that they will make sure they are dealt with correctly.<br />As for linking this issue with the Free School - that was done in the first paragraph of Chris's post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-8062029709008676742012-01-27T01:43:23.288+00:002012-01-27T01:43:23.288+00:00Perhaps I for one sounded harsh when discussing th...Perhaps I for one sounded harsh when discussing this and I would not want to be unjust to anyone. I am sure Andy Slaughter is a very good and sincere MP in his actions and does very good work (and I'm not being sarcastic).<br /><br />Although I do care how my taxes are spent I cannot stand the Daily Mail either and on reflection I do not begrudge Andy Slaughter one penny of his salary.<br /><br />In Andy's letter there is no connection made with the Free School but there is a connection, in terms of the building itself, indeed Chris referred to the school in his article so presumably that is why the debate has widened to include it. I guess people want to discuss it because they have heard or read past criticisms politicians have made about the Free School.<br /><br />It's heartening to have a civilised debate but I suppose when I feel so strongly I can accidentally use the wrong words sometimes and others do too.<br /><br />I have noticed that Chris has been very open when he feels he has made an error of judgement about something and you have here Tom, so I will follow-my-leader and take the point too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-64610608030152407772012-01-27T00:56:48.526+00:002012-01-27T00:56:48.526+00:00Chris,
I was only asking questions not "descr...Chris,<br />I was only asking questions not "describing" anyone!<br />But point taken - I don't wish to be rude to anyone. The debate needs to be civilised and coherent.<br />Having said that I think politicians will inevitably get a bit of stick - it's often difficult to resist! Throwing rotten fruit at public figures is a long and honourable tradition. I think most of them cope with it. <br />But the issue here wasn't one of politeness - it was that so many of your contributors were - for what reason I cannot tell - writing about something they imagined they had read rather than what was printed. People like Slaughter get enough stick without making up stuff to slag them off about. I've rarely seen a starker example of so many people just following my leader, holding forth without even having read what they were criticising. It was a sort of eMob. <br />Perhaps you've hosted the first eRiot?! <br />I don't mind what opinions people express - I'm big enough and certainly ugly enough to stick up for myself - but if it based on an untruth or a misconception, then I will point it out - a debate based on a fiction is no debate at all.<br />Anyway - keep up the good work. You're providing a great service!Tom Dartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-59578470579890424112012-01-27T00:15:13.029+00:002012-01-27T00:15:13.029+00:00I wasn't going to, but as I need to apologise ...I wasn't going to, but as I need to apologise for leaving the words "or vice versa" in the last post by accident, I will:<br /><br />This Council's USP,if it has one, is its canniness with your Council Tax. Or they'd like you to think so.<br />But if the Council HAS spent £655,000 of YOUR MONEY on these new facilities, and there are no phones and the Post Office won't deliver mail, shouldn't you really be asking yourself whether the Council are competent to be trusted with your money?Tom Dartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-83300268326481678002012-01-27T00:02:33.070+00:002012-01-27T00:02:33.070+00:00Tom
I dont think I'd agree with your descrip...Tom <br /><br />I dont think I'd agree with your description of the critics of Mr Slaugheter, they have the right to air their views and should do so, but I am a bit concerned about the level of personal attacks that do sometimes take place. I dont have any censorship on here, needing to 'approve' things before they are published because I trust people to behave responsibly. Please can people remember to be a bit more respectful so I can carry on with this arrangement<br /><br />Now ... carry on debating!Chris Underwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03026438313352911527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-83500210876825098012012-01-26T23:55:49.327+00:002012-01-26T23:55:49.327+00:00Are you all mad? Or stupid? Or perhaps politically...Are you all mad? Or stupid? Or perhaps politically biased?<br />Read Slaughter's letter again - he doesn't mention schools, free or otherwise, not once, neither explicitly nor implicitly. <br />Yet these comments have become a series of inane rants about what you imagine Slaughter is saying about free schools!<br />The letter is actually accusing a council of turfing out several charities (who as far as I know, raise their own funds, and pay rent to the council - so the xenophobic jibes about scavengers are just that)with neither enough notice, nor an adequate place to go.<br />It's very simple - either Slaughter is right and the council has treated these charities unfairly, or it hasn't. Perhaps the council will produce some evidence to help us decide. But these organisations provide vital services,that would otherwise cost public money, and one at least holds a major central government contract, so their well-being is a legitimate matter of public interest. or vice versa. Of course we all knew they were going to have to leave sometime,but there's a very real difference between knowing that and having timely and precise information to arrange moving a large business across town. Doubtless the council will be happy to publish copies of the letters of notice it sent to clear the matter up.<br />In the meantime I hope commenters on your blog read things properly before turning this usually civilised and intelligent forum into a sort of W12 Daily Mail.Tom Dartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-53692616254129375352012-01-26T20:39:06.831+00:002012-01-26T20:39:06.831+00:00Chef lennie, you are honourable in your sentiments...Chef lennie, you are honourable in your sentiments but you are confusing morality with office admin.<br /><br />The fact that such a charity is allowed to exist, raise funds and operate in a country that tolerates it says a lot about the people of that country.<br /><br />However, it is not right to expect those same people to devote their hard-won resources into sorting out the charity's office problems for them.<br /><br />And it does not make it right for the charity to refuse to move when they have known for 18 months that a school is going to want to move in as soon as possible.<br /><br />And it does not make it right for others to use their publicly funded resources to frustrate that move or suggest that the charity is the victim and perhaps the school is being unreasonable just to score personal or political points.<br /><br />This is not a good use of the income tax you pay.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-30680569692064396152012-01-26T18:56:32.716+00:002012-01-26T18:56:32.716+00:00Right. Interesting. You'd think Andrew Slaught...Right. Interesting. You'd think Andrew Slaughter would be appreciating the importance of giving similar opportunities to all local children.<br /><br />But although he's benefiting from it even now, it would seem he begrudges that same sort of education when it arrives for others.<br /><br />If what you say is true and assuming he then went on to a free university education, he is now an MP and so he has done very, very well indeed out of other people's tax money over the course of his life. That might explain an apparent inability to see how others might find this attitude to spending it so insulting.<br /><br />Easy come, easy go. It's other people's money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-7063272048533597502012-01-26T17:55:38.037+00:002012-01-26T17:55:38.037+00:00Chef lennie,
In defence of anonymous 03.58, he did...Chef lennie,<br />In defence of anonymous 03.58, he did not make the insensitive comment to which you reacted so hysterically - I did.<br />You're quite right, of course, in the sense that my lack of empathy does not make their cause (whatever it is) any less valid. But equally, my lack of empathy, as expressed in a sarcastic comment on a blog, doesn't stop the Iranian Association from getting on with their work; I would suggest that the biggest obstacle in their path is their inability to organise a piece-up in a brewery. After all, the sale of Palinswick House was flagged some 18 months ago!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-19357558872332415342012-01-26T17:45:04.707+00:002012-01-26T17:45:04.707+00:00To bend over backwards to Mr. Slaughter, he would ...To bend over backwards to Mr. Slaughter, he would have probably have attended Latymer Upper when it still enjoyed direct grant status - i.e. it was independent, but all fees were paid by the local authority so it was free to attend; iirc Godolphin and Latimer was also direct grant. The direct grant was done away with in the 70s. The irony of course is that Free Schools and Academies are much like direct grant schools, except that the latter were allowed to practise selection on academic grounds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-57399766106963547672012-01-26T15:07:59.483+00:002012-01-26T15:07:59.483+00:00So why has this letter been made public?
It's...So why has this letter been made public?<br /><br />It's more a private legal matter I would have thought.<br /><br />It cannot surely be because Andy Slaughter thinks it will make the council or Free School look bad by association. Are they looking too good?<br /><br />Didn't Andy Slaughter go to independent Latymer Upper school?<br /><br />That's now an exclusive, very expensive school right next door to Pallingswick House. I bet the old school doesn't welcome the competition the Free School will bring. It might outshine Latymer and make locals think more than twice about opting to pay their fees.<br /><br />Yours sincerely, Old School Ties.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-23422778119468972632012-01-26T13:49:52.782+00:002012-01-26T13:49:52.782+00:00Dramatic? yes you're right. But I was reacting...Dramatic? yes you're right. But I was reacting to your insensitive comment. The point I was making is that just because you have no empathy towards this group of volunteers and their work doesn't make their cause any less valid. True, no one is coming for you, but where does it end? Do we have to wait until they get to someone that you do have sympathy for, a old peoples charity, an animal charity or heaven forbid an armed forces charity, before you drop your snide and sarcastic stance and stand up to the bullies? This city is diverse and culturally rich and and we should celebrate, embrace and support that. By the way, if they do ever get around to you... you can count on my support!chef lenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368820000550924906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-28086872426512621252012-01-26T13:40:07.191+00:002012-01-26T13:40:07.191+00:00This is not about charity.
This is about your MP ...This is not about charity.<br /><br />This is about your MP spending his time and other people's time with a long, rambling letter complaining because organisations are being told repeatedly to leave a building that is needed as a school - when they have been aware of this for a long time and have not sorted themselves out in time. Not only that, he is complaining that the publicly funded space they have been offered in exchange isn't smart enough.<br /><br />I don't think this is a good use of his time if I am helping to pay his salary.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-53223057101968238352012-01-26T11:58:47.796+00:002012-01-26T11:58:47.796+00:00Chef lennie,
You are a being a bit of a drama que...Chef lennie,<br /><br />You are a being a bit of a drama queen here. Noone is coming for anyone. An association has to find new premises. Happens all the time and I am sure they will sort it out and carry on doing what they were before.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-1735570023001295282012-01-26T11:28:52.863+00:002012-01-26T11:28:52.863+00:00John - you are absolutely right... very well put!John - you are absolutely right... very well put!Tnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-40803257456920460982012-01-26T11:04:48.880+00:002012-01-26T11:04:48.880+00:00Ian Muir, Anonymous is 'on about' this I s...Ian Muir, Anonymous is 'on about' this I suspect:<br /><br />The principle of state funding for privately run schools, or Academies, was a controversial, radical departure from previous governments' policies and was a Labour flagship that broke new ground. The Free School idea is just taking that newly established Labour principle further.<br /><br />For decades LBHF has been desperately short of non-selective secondary school places for boys and the Labour administration failed to provide them. Toby Young's school was very badly needed by the children in the borough, as is the new Academy.<br /><br />Yes, schools cost a lot of money. Yes, the Borough needs to raise cash. Organisations all over the country are having to take emergency action to stay afloat, selling things they would rather not sell. There is one reason for that: the Labour government did not put money aside in the good times that we could be using now. It spent it instead.<br /><br />The sale and conversion of Pallingswick House into a school has been on the cards and in the news for months on end, as has the full knowledge that the Free School is currently in unsuitable temporary accommodation and needs to move as soon as possible.<br /><br />If you are running a charity in a building that you know for months on end is going to be sold because it is needed to educate local children, it is just plain common sense that you make plans for finding suitable alternative accommodation in case you need it. It is in everyone's interest to do that and it is your responsibility to assist yourself. It should not be for tax-payers to do your work for you.<br /><br />You do not wait to the last second and refuse to move, put up legal obstacles or expect someone else at public expense to sort out your problems that you knew were in the pipeline - particularly when children need those school places now.<br /><br />They may have the right to do these things, but that doesn't make it the right thing to do. And many people will see an attempt to manufacture 'outrage' against a school or council for political ends as not only a waste of public money, but a misuse of time and energy.Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-12089851171886214212012-01-25T22:57:09.946+00:002012-01-25T22:57:09.946+00:00@AnonymousJan 25, 2012 11:49 AM
What are you on ab...@AnonymousJan 25, 2012 11:49 AM<br />What are you on about? Free schools were never a Labour project, A former advisor to Michael Gove set up the Network and was given shedloads of money to promote the idea. Toby had searched for a site for his Acton based school but Tory Ealing and Tory Hounslow would not play. Both boroughs went Labour, next thing is LBHF desperately struggling to find him a site. Co-incidently they had already decided to sell off community assets such as Shepherds Bush Village Hall, youth clubs and community centres including Pallingswick.........<br />Toby was not responsible for the sale of Pallingswick and the eviction of the 30 various voluntary groups but he is a beneficiary.<br />As to the failure of some of the groups to vacate on time I suspect this might be due to the alternative premises on the Edward Woods estate being, not suitable, too expensive and crucially not yet available.<br />The free school argument is lost for good or bad. The main concern is how LBHF tories are selling off key resources for community support for a minor financial return to reduce debt at a time of long term minimal interest rates. Ideology over common sense..... Iain MuirAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-265290872880936162012-01-25T20:28:14.151+00:002012-01-25T20:28:14.151+00:00Charity is soooooo last year.Charity is soooooo last year.Alexanderhttp://www.bromptonrhodes.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-61734350978281046042012-01-25T20:02:44.377+00:002012-01-25T20:02:44.377+00:00The above was meant as a reply to "Am I getti...The above was meant as a reply to "Am I getting this right?" by Anonymous.<br /><br />Chef Lennie jumped in front of me!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-57282858832895570212012-01-25T19:49:32.240+00:002012-01-25T19:49:32.240+00:00Agreed above. It was Labour who came up with the p...Agreed above. It was Labour who came up with the policy to fund the Free School. It was Labour who went to war. Now it's Labour complaining about the consequences of both.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-80140206047209917462012-01-25T19:41:26.573+00:002012-01-25T19:41:26.573+00:00Yes, you have got it right.
It's absolutely t...Yes, you have got it right.<br /><br />It's absolutely typical. They mention someone they don't like alongside a "hard luck" story, so to imply that one caused the other.<br /><br />A school should not be used in connection with eviction in a suggestive way that delivers doubt on the good intentions, integrity and reputation of the school.<br /><br />It would be wrong in the same way to suggest 'Labour sympathisers support Iranians in resisting eviction, while school cannot use its own building' for example. That would lack integrity, just be a cheap shot and it isn't true.<br /><br />This is not a hard luck story it's a "tough luck" story. <br /><br />It back-fires because it's insulting to tax payers and only someone tax-funded themselves would lack that understanding and expect us to be sympathetic.<br /><br />They just don't see the irony of what they're saying because they think they have a god-given right to use our money supporting any little cause, scheme or project that sounds socially correct.<br /><br />I for one am sick of it, and I think most other ordinary folk feel the same way. I want my MP and other politicians to use my hard-won, hard-grafted tax properly - as if it were coming out of their own personal life savings. I do not want it spent supporting someone else's social projects.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-49706507567134310862012-01-25T18:44:59.893+00:002012-01-25T18:44:59.893+00:00Another view: relatively speaking the H&F LA ...Another view: relatively speaking the H&F LA is pretty hands off. They are not the 'control freaks' that proponents say they are. Concerns about free schools are a) they are essentially the charitable arm of a profit making company in many cases (which contracts running the school to the company), b) they are not accountable to the taxpayers that fund them nor to the parents whose children go to them etc. People should take more responsibility, but carving out large amounts of public money from an already tight education and children's budget in order to fund these schools...it takes the possibility for real and responsible action on the part of communities and parents away from them....at taxpayer expense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-84765460484571427182012-01-25T18:42:42.494+00:002012-01-25T18:42:42.494+00:00A lot of people complaining about tax payers money...A lot of people complaining about tax payers money going towards left wing do-gooders, but no one seems to care much about the amount of tax payers money being thrown at these so called 'free' schools. At a time when everyone in the country is supposed to be tightening our belts, the government can still find millions of ponds of our money for these 'free' schools, but not for the repair and maintenance of existing state schools. My son's school desperately needs its playground resurfaced… it is very uneven and dangerous and would cost at lot less to repair than the £48.000 given to local parents just to market their 'free' school less than 500 metres from my son's school. That school never did open.... not enough interest in a borough that has more than its fair share of very good primary schools. But they still spent all that tax payers money. As for the sale of Pallenswick house and eviction of the charities from the building... just how much did Hammersmith & Fulham council sell it for? I have never seen the figure... if the sale of Wormholt library, to another 'free' school, is anything to go by it would have been at a price well below what it should have beenchef lenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368820000550924906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-36242586226215970112012-01-25T17:28:56.535+00:002012-01-25T17:28:56.535+00:00am I getting this right, Labour party sympathisers...am I getting this right, Labour party sympathisers are using victims of Labour initiated wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as examples of who is being effected by Conservative cut backs?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com