13 October (Part 2) - Places. Yet more Cabinet Members’ reports
I had forgotten that rearranged Cabinet responsibilities mean that the Places
Scrutiny Committee now needs three Cabinet Members so Councillor Brian Bishop (Blackfen and Lamorbey) was asked to make his case.
He said that it was National Hate Crime Awareness Week and a campaign against
gender based violence “kicks off” on 25th November. There was a reference to the
new Crime and Policing Act and then as 10 p.m.
approached he drew to a welcome close.
He was questioned about the new facility to seize empty homes after six months
instead of two years and he was of the opinion it would make very little
difference to the homelessness situation. “There are many hoops to be jumped
through before a house can be taken.”
Both the Chairman and the Cabinet Member objected to questions which were not
about what the Cabinet Member had said which was a near untenable position given
that he had not announced what he was going to say in advance and he said very
little. Councillor Ball (Labour, Erith) not unreasonably objected to the
decision because his questions were thereby disallowed. Councillor Bishop responded that
his portfolio was so wide that he could go on for 40 minutes and that would be
impractical and the Agenda would become Any Other Business.
[The ruling means that any Cabinet Member with something to hide has the double
protection of avoiding questions by keeping his mouth shut.]
After Councillor Bishop’s slightly bad tempered retort, Cabinet Member Cameron
Smith said he had some good news but then disappointed every resident by saying
he “would email it around”. Why would he want to hide good news from public view?
Thames Water is spending £150 million across the borough (and likely hitting its
economy for even more) and he said he knew where all its projects are, but once
again residents are to be kept in the dark. His list will go to Councillors by
email. All we learned is that the five biggest projects involve 14 kilometres of
trunk main and 21 kilometres of more ordinary mains expected to last for 150 years.
Consultations are underway for four new pedestrian crossings. Danson Lane,
Halfway Street, Wickham Street and Manor Road in Crayford. Penhill Road may be
added to the list in the future. Erith Pier will be
improved with new lighting and CCTV to deter vandalism. The river bed is
littered with paving blocks and shopping trollies.
The Government has restricted the public’s ability to contest planning
applications resulting “in less transparency in decision making”. The Government
has continued to erode local democracy with a new ability to override Local
Plans. “Bexley’s will be given very little weight.” Green Belt protection is
similarly eroded by the Socialists in Westminster.
The revised London Plan will reduce Bexley’s housing target from 685 units a
year to 622. The Government has accepted that its promises are not deliverable
and of those planned only 12% will have more than two bedrooms. Bexley’s need for
family sized homes is 62% and the local assessment has been dismissed by the Mayor.
He imposes rules designed for Camden on every borough. There is bad news on parking allocations too but Councillor Smith did not elaborate.
In response to a question critical of the Prime Minister the Cabinet Member
said we will soon have “the best trained but least influential” planners ever. “It is thoroughly wrong.”
Councillor Frazer Brooks (Conservative, Blackfen and Lamorbey) asked if residents could at least have a rough idea
when the Thames Water created chaos might come to an end. Cabinet Member Smith
disappointed every resident by once again deciding to answer via an email to
Councillors. However it was revealed that the project running from Oxleas to
Blackfen via Sidcup will not end until 2030.