Cllr Strickland flirts with the truth 1

[Adrian Essex]

Cllr Alan Strickland has today sent an email to the very, very, very many people who emailed him and other councillors asking for a stay of execution on the Town Hall decision. In it he states "that Hornsey Town Hall Appreciation Society were involved in the unsuccessful bid and therefore have a clear interest in one proposal over another, but the Council’s role is to take a fair view."  

 Well, there's a hint of a sniff of a clue of a grain of truth in it. HTHAS were involved in ALLthe bids. Haringey made sure they were by recommending to all the bidders that they be contacted as part of the voice of the community. So what Cllr Strickland, who seems to live in a looking glass world, has mistaken for a vested interest on the part of HTHAS is actually a responsive and thoughtful bid from the runner up, as compared to a total lack of interest in what the community wants from the team representing the Cayman Islands. He's got it backwards on, arse about face, bunt to frack.

He's flirting with the truth, something that happens quite often in politics.

Ooh, Cllr Strickland, you are awful, we'll try to like you.

Just in case you are one of the few who did not get Cllr Strickland's circular, here's the little note, this is what he wrote,

Dear Mr Essex,

 

Thank you for your email regarding the forthcoming Cabinet decision on Hornsey Town Hall.

 

The Council will not be delaying a decision on Hornsey Town Hall, as securing a sustainable future for this iconic building is critically important if we are to save the building for future generations and open it to the public.

 

The council has been working since 2007 to find a new future for the Town Hall, but the very high costs of running and restoring this Grade II* listed building have made it very challenging to find a partner. As you’re probably aware, from 2011, we worked hard with Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts who were keen to turn the building into their new permanent home.

 

Unfortunately, after four years of work, Mountview announced in 2015 that they simply could not make the Town Hall work financially, and pulled out of the project.

 

Following this, we launched a bidding process in 2015, to look for another partner. The council followed the thorough public procurement process followed by all councils and government departments. Following this rigorous 18 month process of assessing and challenging bids, council staff and advisors are recommending a partner to Cabinet.

 

Given the extensive work since 2015 on the choice of a partner, and the formal completion of the procurement exercise, a month's delay would serve no purpose at all. Bids were scored by a range of expert panels and scores combined to produce a recommended bid. A delay in the report being considered would not change the outcome of this objective process. In addition, further delay simply allows the building to further deteriorate and denies the town hall the secure future it badly needs.

 

I am aware that Hornsey Town Hall Appreciation Society were involved in the unsuccessful bid and therefore have a clear interest in one proposal over another, but the Council’s role is to take a fair view.

 

Contrary to what is set out in your email, the proposed bid includes proposals for significant community use. The FEC bid being recommended to Cabinet is for a mixed development, with a community arts centre, a small boutique hotel, a restaurant/café and investment in the town hall square. Public access to the historically significant parts of the town hall and to the square are guaranteed.

 

FEC have also committed to ongoing community engagement - setting up a community steering group to involve residents directly in overseeing the arts centre and the use of the town square green.

 

As set out in the Cabinet report, the Tischman bid scored less well because it proposed a new planning application to develop higher residential blocks at the rear and was unable to guarantee long term community access and use. I’m sure you will agree that these are very important factors that were rightly taken seriously by the assessment panels.

 

If you would like to read the report being present to cabinet, this is accessible via the following link:

http://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/documents/g7846/Public%20reports%20pack%2018th-Oct-2016%2018.30%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10

I hope that this answers the questions from the Hornsey Town Hall Appreciation Society that you raised.

 

Best wishes,

 

Councillor Alan Strickland

Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Housing and Planning Councillor for Noel Park (Labour) London Borough of Haringey