Freedom in the City

There’s an interesting event coming up in a couple of weeks. The Freedom Association are hosting a talk by Anthony Scholefield entitled “Freedom, Not Free for All” subtitle “The four false freedoms of the EU”.

Now, following on from the earlier post “Mind Your Language” I am wondering what exactly they mean by “Not Free for All”? That public services should not be free for all at the point of use? Or Not “Free for all” as in anarchy or an unfettered free market? They are certainly not referring to this meeting because it is Free for All, as there is no charge for entry, although they do ask for an RSVP so they can estimate numbers of attendees. I might just pop along to find out and while I’m there also get a better grip on what is meant by the following soundbytes.

The Seven Principles of a Free Society

Individual Freedom
Personal and Family Responsibility.
The Rule of Law
Limited Government
Free Market Economy
National Parliamentary Democracy
Strong National Defences

Tuesday 22nd September 2009, 12.45 for 1.00pm

The Function Suite, The Counting House,

50 Cornhill, London EC3V 3PD
(reached by stairs at back of the main bar)

Further details on website.

Founded on 31 July 1975, The Freedom Association believes that a free society can only be properly maintained if there is an understanding of the economic, constitutional and moral principles that alone can sustain that society.

"When the Government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the Government, there is tyranny" - Thomas Jefferson

August Spring Clean

My notes file for the blog is getting a bit cluttered with tit-bits that I have not posted on, so I thought I’d sweep them all up into one post.

But before I do that I want to remember Honey, who died today. Barkingside’s most famous and loved dog has gone to the kennel in the sky. Our commiserations to Harry.

Our biking Mayor has launched bicycle Fridays. “There will be a series of bike convoys led by experienced riders who will be on hand to guide novice commuter cyclists into central London. For a full list of the routes, click here.” All very well Boris, but what about getting home? Meanwhile, New Scientist profiles a new personal and portable cycle lane to “keep bikes away from cars”. Er, shouldn’t that be to keep cars away from bikes and does it work in daylight?

I said earlier that I might do a post on Citizen’s Income, but Matt at Anglo-Buddhist Combine has done it for me. It’s a bit like “£200 for passing Go” but it has it’s merits as the more people in the game the better it is. And I read somewhere that the Thatcher government were seriously considering this in the 1980s. So it’s not just a trendy leftie concept, unless Mrs T was a trendy leftie in disguise?

In a personal message to Wilson “Wheelie Bin” Chowdhry here is why we don’t have and don’t want Wheelie bins here in Redbridge.

Coxsoft posts on Art and the Politics of Cruelty. Shark Fin Soup.

On a lighter note, Hannah in Sarf London is none too pleased with the habits of foreign exchange students who seem to fondle each others bottoms and go in for alpha male crotch displays.

Sian Berry is launching a new book – Mend It. I’m looking forward to the follow up “Make It”. It must be a generation thing? Make do and mend was the culture I grew up in and now we have the retired Mate’s favours network. We’d pass our skills on to the young if only they were interested.

Talking of books Penguin have offered B21 a complimentary copy of “Waste” about the amount of food we waste, by Tristram Stuart to review and post on the blog. Hmmmmm… Dear BMW, about your new eco 100 series…..

And talking of food waste, Melanie Reid highlights the “sell by” and “Use by” food scams. I can just see modern housewife getting a joint out of the freezer and on seeing the use by date is 3 months gone thinking I will have to throw this away and go and buy a fresh one and a spare to put in the freezer. We have noses for a reason and it’s not just for assessing the fruity aroma of a fine wine.

Food security is in the news, with the government’s consultation suggesting a "radical rethink" is required on how the UK produces and consumes its food. And the opposition are in on the act too with Future Countryside. Not had a chance to delve into this site yet but it looks interesting. Molly, the Greens spokeswoman on Economics, writes about land ownership and the problems we would have to overcome if we ever need to feed ourselves again.

Onto energy, or rather insulation, I’ve got a whole bunch of stuff on that. There was the mini-house built on the green outside the Houses of Parliament. Charles Clover laments that The energy war is being lost on the home front. Not looking good for the existing housing stock, but a small builder in the west country is challenging the big boys on new build. He’s built a row of 3 terraces with no heating. In fact it’s so hot inside that the heat has to be extracted and is used to heat the water. And get this, he did it for cheaper than the big boys! All this when the government have dropped plans to implement stringent energy efficiency requirements on home extensions and major refurbishments.

So, having started with Boris I will round off with Boris, and policing. The Redbridge Police budget has been slashed. Detective Inspector Monkhouse is investigating and has a lead on a suspect with blond hair. Meanwhile Ilford Town Centre Businesses are taking matters into their own hands. But do not despair. The MPA have produced a spanking new glossy brochure called MetForward talking about what they should be doing rather than actually doing it. Get a copy so you can show it to the thug who is just about to mug you. And be very careful this weekend. The Met are all down at Blackheath taking photographs of Climate Campers who are taking photographs of the police taking photographs of them taking photographs…..

Have a good Bank Holiday Weekend, ya’all.

Mind Your Language

Only about 10% of communication is conveyed by words, so the psychologists tell us. The other 90% being context, tone and body language. This may well be true but it does rather underplay the richness of the spoken or written word. Not everyone is adept at simulating or recognising tone and body language in written text, but it can be done, although few achieve it. That’s why there are so many rows on internet message boards. I digress.

The local papers are reporting that Redbridge council has had to apologise for using racist language. The term “Paki” appearing in a spreadsheet produced by a minor employee. Oh my gosh, what a calamitous event, the skies are about to fall in upon us all. You’d think that there were no other serious problems facing humanity, globally, nationally or even locally. Please get a grip you people. Paki is just a word, I use it myself just as I use the words Kraut, Yank, Frog and Pole and sometimes Nigger as well as Nazi, Fascist etc…… words are not racist. It is only the intent that can make them so.

They are all part of the rich diversity of language. A Language that is gradually being strangled by the Politically Correct Thought Police.

Here’s Kevin from the “anti-racist” Newham Monitoring Project:

"The council must know that a generation of Asians in east London grew up in the 1970s with the threat of violence from 'Paki-bashing' and with its association with skinhead gang culture.

"Indeed, it was one such horrifying racist incident, the brutal murder of teenager Akhtar Ali Baig in East Ham by skinheads, that led to the creation of Newham Monitoring Project in 1980. It is almost impossible to believe that, nearly 30 years on, anyone would fail to understand how racially charged the word Paki is, or that it would ever be appropriate to use in council records, internal or not."

So, because a bunch of racist thugs used a word with specific context, tone and body language 30 years ago, the rest of us are banned from using that word ever again in any other context with any other tone or body language.

The racists are setting the agenda on the way we ordinary people are allowed to use language and they are being supported by so-called anti-racists. Why should we give them exclusive rights to certain words? Have we given the racists exclusive rights to our flag, or homophobes exclusive rights to words like queer or poof?

What we should be doing is to racially discharge such words by allowing them to be used in everyday speech and writing. If you can take away racially charged words from the racists then you undermine their message.

Discuss

Council under attack for 'deplorable' language

Council apologises for using racist language

New Feature

While John and Roy were slugging it out in the Fairlop Oak last Monday week on the subject of the Poll Tax, I was having a polite conversation with Mira, our resident Learning Technologist. She was explaining that Barkingside 21 should have a Twitter Account and that it could increase the reach of this blog. I still haven’t got me heid round it yet, just as I haven’t quite figured out how to use Facebook, but that’s another story.

It seems to me that Twitter is for people on the move. So you can Tweet [that’s a post, cute, eh?] things like “I’m stuck on a 123 bus approaching Gants Hill roundabout”, or “just seen ????? entering the local sex shop”. But to do this you need an iPhone, a Blackberry [or is it a Blueberry?] or a Netbook with mobile internet access and a 3 year old grandchild to explain how to use them. Fortunately for you I don’t have any of the first three so you won’t be getting that sort of message. What I have done is to automatically link this blog to the Twitter account so that as each post is published here, a summary and a link will appear on Twitter within minutes.

So, for those of you who are techno mobile, you can “follow” Barkingside 21 while you are on the move and be interrupted by me while you are doing something really important or personal.

I’m not quite sure what the value is for the rest of us. If you decide to follow B21 on Twitter, you have to put it on an RSS feed, but you can do that with this blog anyway. So, if you already have an RSS feed why bother with an additional one on Twitter?

I’m really not sure what I could tweet about that doesn’t go on this blog. I suppose I could tweet on some of the local gossip or on things that I just can’t be bothered to do a proper post on, but we shall have to wait and see.

Here’s the link.

Under the Radar

On Wednesday 12th August the BBC reported on “Sectarian violence hits Pakistani town” an event that took place on 1st August. However, it was tucked away in the South Asia news section and was not deemed significant enough for the main world news page. It is an event that has gone largely un-noticed in the UK media and on the blogosphere. Even a post on the subject published on our own Red-i forum was withdrawn an hour or so later.

It was brought to my attention by a local activist who happens to be a Pakistani Christian and he attended the protests outside 10 Downing Street and later outside the Pakistani Embassy in London. Also, as far as I can tell, not reported on mainstream media.

The story has been picked up since, [after I prodded an email discussion list] and Adrian gives a far more eloquent summary than I could, so just go and read that.

It is of course distressing that such events take place at all, even in far away places, but that’s not what is worrying me right now. Given the amount of column inches devoted to other conflicts and injustice around the world, it seems strange that this event and its background has had so little in the way of commentary from the mainstream media or those in authority. It’s almost like they don’t want to talk about it.

Is it because we don’t want to upset the Pakistani government or we don’t want to upset the Muslim community here? As for the former they can take care of themselves. As for the latter, why should they be upset? The Muslims who live here don’t behave like that and are just as likely to condemn such behaviour as anyone else.

This is just the sort of sweeping under the carpet that fuels division, racism, fascism and Islamophobia. Let these things out into the open. Only through open and accurate information, comment and debate can understanding and trust be developed and the diversity of our population live side by side in harmony.

Hot Air Rising

Well, they say that hot air rises and we do seem to have quite a lot of Anthropogenic Global Warming round these here parts. Especially those heated debates in the Fairlop Oak. This years Top Green Blogs as voted for by you the readers on the annual Total Politics poll. Barkingside 21 is up from 10th to 5th and your editor’s personal blog is a new entry on the list too.

But this is not the only local blog to be recognised. Roger Evans moved up from 22 to 17 in the Top Councillor blogs. Well done him.

A big thank you to everyone who voted, mwah, mwah, I love you all.

Disclaimer: The list is for “Green” blogs, not “Green Party” blogs. Although as you would expect the Green Party does feature heavily. Barkingside 21 is, or tries to be, non-party political.

Morris Dancing

Those words will open up the imagination for us locals, but it’s traditional Morris Dancing with bells and sticks at the Seven Kings and Goodmayes Allotment Garden Festival I’m referring to.

Sunday 6th September 2009, 1-5pm

Goodmayes Allotment Garden Festival, Goodmayes Lane, Ilford

Admission only 50p (accompanied children free) but generously supported by Area 5 committee.

Lots going on including English apple tasting, Newham City Farm [the George Orwell variety?], vegetable competition [councillors only?], wildlife rescue and conservation, beekeeping and honey [not Harry’s dog], composting demonstration, hedgelaying demonstration. Music from Eastbury Concert band and of course Morris dancers. And open allotments!

Nearest railway station: Goodmayes (Great Eastern)

For further details please contact Roger Backhouse 020 8553 3739 evenings or email.

And the dancing is not just a boy game.

Taxing Times

This week I have mostly been thinking about Taxation, a word that has taken on a whole new depth of meaning since 1997.

This was a result of a “debate” in the pub last Monday night. In the blue corner was John speaking for the Poll Tax. In the red corner was Roy speaking for Council Tax. Of course they were both wrong, which I will come to later, but I didn’t think it was appropriate to intervene at the time.

Taking out all the pointy fingers, ad-hominems and swearwords the respective arguments can be summarised as follows.

Poll Tax: Taxing a property takes no account of the number of people who live in the house and who use council services. What John forgets is that the bulk of council revenue comes via a central government grant which is funded through general taxation, so those people who live in a house will be making a contribution provided they pay general tax.

Council Tax: Is a progressive tax. [I’ll come to that term later] If you buy a big house you pay more tax just the same as if you buy a big car you pay more VAT and Road Tax, irrespective of how many passengers it carries. It is a choice. What Roy forgets is that VAT and Road Tax are the same wherever you live in the UK. Council Tax depends to some extent on whether the local authority is the same colour as the government who dishes out the grants. I am minded of a piece on News At Ten a few years ago where a bloke up north was complaining that his council tax had gone up TO £300, whereas mine had gone up BY £300.

Now let’s have a think about taxation in general. The vast majority of taxes are directed at your current account. That is your income is taxed as you receive it and then taxed again when you spend it. Taxes do not as a general rule tax your capital, because you’ve already paid tax on it when you received it. It doesn’t matter whether you have £100 or £1million in the bank it is not taxed. The income [interest, not that you get much these days] on that capital is taxed and the millionaire will pay a lot more than the bloke with just a ton. As far as I can tell there are only two taxes that tax capital – Inheritance Tax and Council Tax. Note that Capital Gains Tax taxes the gain, or notional income from an asset not the asset itself.

Leaving aside Inheritance Tax, because the subject is dead, we are left with Council Tax on someone’s home. [Isn't there some rule that says essentials like food and children's clothing are not taxed? Is a home not essential?] There is no relationship between the tax bill and the tax payer’s current account. It may well be true that when a house is purchased the purchaser takes that into account but if circumstances change, like excessive increases and/or retirement, it may not be later. Whilst someone may be able to dispense with a car they cannot dispense with a home – they still need somewhere to live. Poll Tax is similar in that it is a flat rate tax paid equally by the student and the millionaire. Taxes should be based on the ability to pay from the taxpayers current account, and if you accept this as true then both Council Tax and the Poll Tax are wrong.

All current account taxes are progressive, that is the more income or expenditure you have the more taxes you pay on a pro-rata basis, it is implemented as a percentage. Double your income, double your tax. [after allowances, of course] But that’s not what most people on the left are thinking of when they use that term. What they mean is that the more income you have the higher rate you pay. So, for top earners to double their net income they have to quadruple their gross income. And that’s exactly what happens. It is part of the equation that fuels so called excessive salaries. If a 5% pay increase only yields a 1% net increase they are gonna want a bigger pay increase. What do you think Bob Crow would do if he was charged with representing them?

So, these high earners get big increases and therefore pay even more tax. But consider where this money comes from. If they are in the public sector their pay and the tax they pay comes from everybody else’s tax, including those who demand that they pay more tax and those on low incomes who they think they are helping by doing so. If they are in the private sector their pay comes from the consumer of the product or service. That’s right, you and me, including people on low incomes who will be paying more for those products and services. It ain’t easy is it?

Discuss.

Next week I might do something on Citizen’s Income. Another subject which ain't easy.

Redbridge X-Files

This is a guest post from cigarette man.

The Wanstead and Woodford Guardian report - Bizarre details of UFO sightings over Redbridge have been released in newly published Ministry of Defence files. Well, it is August and there’s not much going on, even B21 has only published 9 posts so far this month and traffic stats are down. This should liven them up a bit.

However, living as I do in the vicinity of Charlie Brown’s roundabout I can categorically state that last year’s report of a jelly fish like object descending from the sky over the roundabout was in fact a large pair of underpants that had escaped from a washing line in Roding Lane North due to a rather fierce gust of wind.

The real Redbridge X-files as compiled by local investigators Richard Head and Christine Cross are much more interesting. There was the mysterious case of the disappearing councillors in May 2004 and the many simultaneous sightings of them in various car parks all over the borough. They have since reappeared but suspicions remain that they have been replaced by reptilian aliens.

Then there is the councillor whose appearance seems to change every time he is seen – a changeling? Or just make-up? Who knows? Dick and Chris! Actually, come to think of it, he’s not been seen for some time. Has he been eaten by the Star Goat?

The personalised number plate of a councillor that suggests his birthday was 5th April 1700 has not yet been proved to show he is indeed that Count. [Checks spelling!] But he is never seen in the Mirror. Every other newspaper yes, but not the Mirror.

Other investigations include:

Councillors seen floating from one side of the council chamber to the other without any visible means of support or propulsion.

By election literature that has been dragged through space-time and warped the bar charts.

Councillors who appear to be made of Lego.

A local toilet that appears to be a hologram.

Green slithery types involvement in the disappearance of Miss Piggy’s right leg [pictured].

Councillors who have free rein through Redbridge border controls without being shot by the BNP.

Police seen arresting motorists for using a hand held mobile phone whilst driving.

A consultation not involving consultants.

Plus many more……..

Catch Cigarette man outside the New Fairlop Oak and he may tell you?

Fullwell Green

A couple of weeks ago we had delivered to our house a Green Garden Waste bag, like the one pictured. Today I had a walk and they are everywhere. Loads of them all full up with garden waste. Much more than there were before the new bags were issued.

Our Town Hall mole tells us that this is a trial in a couple of wards and that there is no extra cost to the council – it’s all part of the contract with Shanks.

Now, COMMUNICATION. You put a leaflet through somebody’s letterbox, chances are they won’t read it. You deliver a big green bag to somebody’s door with instructions printed on it, chances are they will take notice.

Problem is that the service will probably have to ramp up a few more gears again and there will be some delays. But nevertheless WELL DONE Redbridge council and/or SHANKS, whoever’s idea this was.

Health of the Nation

"When Health is absent - wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied" - Herophilus, (335 BC to 280 BC - Greek Physician - The Father of Anatomy).

This applies just as much to our Health Service, and our society and government as it does to each of us as individuals. It is not just people who can be obese.

I am sure you will have seen reports of the spat between the USA and the UK over our National Health Service. President Obama wants to introduce some form of universal health care system in the USA and there have been some “negative” comments about our NHS, prompting an outpouring of UK love for this jewel in our crown. Or is it?

Wat Tyler reports that in the USA they spend 15.3% of GDP on health, and we only spend 8.4% (2006). Now since the USA do not have a state provided system, presumably this figure is the result of what individual Americans spend on health care either through insurance or directly purchased. Whereas I suspect the UK figure reflects what the government spends on the NHS and does not include those UK individuals who go private. Wat also points out that the 5 year survival rates for a range of cancers is much higher in the USA than it is in Europe and that our cancer survival rates are well below the European averages.

Dizzy takes a similar line:

……………. we probably wouldn’t have [that] structure if we built it today, and I say that not because I want to see a system like America currently has, but rather because I see systems in other European countries that are not structured like the NHS but have equal and better outcomes with lower central costs and less centralised bureaucracy. Interestingly, I rarely see anyone over here complaining about the harsh healthcare inequalities of Germany or France, but dare to say Britain might want to examine a route like that and you'll be hounded like a witch in Salem.

Meanwhile the Observer reports that some evil Tories are planning to dismantle the NHS and the non-resident Redbridge-i troll [a NHS Nurse] criticises the Conservative “measures” to “improve” the NHS, but even he admits elsewhere that all is not well. So, clearly the system can and should be improved. The question is how?

In principle I have no objection to the State providing services, whether it be rubbish collection, education or healthcare. The problem is that when they do they tend [increasingly] not to do it very well and at a cost far in excess of what it should be. In a [effectively] monopoly situation it is easy to produce “figures” to show how good things are simply by dumbing down. And the temptation of Ministers to interfere and do just that seems to be what is happening. What is missing is the rigours of the marketplace, the competition that drives excellence in performance and mediocrity out of business.

A system where state provided services compete with private services and where the consumers of those services decide where state funding is directed does seem attractive.

Dizzy comments:

... all you're doing is changing from a single payer to a multiple payer system. Everyone is still covered with the same basic provision, no one is denied access because they lack the ability to pay, and private and public hospitals continue to co-exist as they already do.

The danger here, of course, is that it could increasingly lead to a system where those who are able to top up their contributions will feed the expansion of the private sector leaving the poorest with a second rate state system.

Whatever, it is clear to me that some parts of the NHS are not up to standard let alone excellent and these matters have to be looked at dispassionately and without political preconception for what is going to work here in our culture. We could do well to look east rather than west. Please do discuss in the comments.

All of this of course does not address some of the more fundamental issues surrounding health, like prevention rather than cure. Richard Lawson, a GP and psychiatrist puts it thus:

I find it difficult to write about the politics of health, partly because it is my day job, and partly because I spent a year writing a book about what makes people ill, showing that about one fifth of healthcare spending is devoted to treating illness caused by unnecessary conditions as a result of bad political decisions, such as unemployment, poverty, poor housing and pollution. That is another undiscussed elephant in the room.

There is also the cost to the NHS of dealing with Car carnage as a result of failure to enforce the law on speeding or driving using a hand held mobile phone, the regular Friday and Saturday night binge drinking fisticuffs, fast food and stress/depression/anger at the failure of our politicians to get it right. The problem is that if they did it would reduce GDP and they have a vested interest in not wanting that.

Instead they pontificate and lecture us on health while ignoring the unhealthy state of their own creations.

Redbridge Communications

New legislation [the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007] means that Redbridge Council has to change the way it operates, and it is keen to find out what residents would prefer - Says the Wanstead & Woodford Guardian on its website last Friday. Oh Yeah! You try finding it on the Council website without the link below. And when you do please notice that the “consultation” started on 23rd July. We note that the word “Communications” no longer appears in any portfolio title of the current cabinet so it is perhaps not surprising that they have not exactly gone out of their way to publicise it. Hands up those who are now thinking of that scene* from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy?

Anyway, the background. In 2000 the council had to change to accommodate new local government legislation. They were given a choice of models to choose from and they chose the Cabinet system, as did most other councils. This apparently was the wrong choice – the preferred option of the government being an elected Mayor. This is not the same as the Civic Mayor whose functions remain under a different title. So, all those naughty councils who failed the test back in 2000 are now being given the test again.

The two options are:

1. Leader and Cabinet – the Leader would still be elected by full Council but this would be for a term of four years. The Leader would also decide on the size of the cabinet and appoint cabinet members. They would appoint a deputy leader also for a four-year term. If option 1 is selected, Councils are given the option of including in their constitution the ability to remove the Leader during the four-year term.

2. Directly elected Mayor and Cabinet – where the Mayor would be directly elected by the residents of the Borough to serve a term of four years. An elected mayor would not be a councillor, but would choose a cabinet of no more than ten councillors.

The full Council at its meeting on July 16th 2009 agreed in principle and subject to consultation, that the Council should change its executive arrangements to option 1, including the option to remove the Leader in the four year term. You can view the full report and minutes of the meeting.

There are a number of functions that can be undertaken by either council, cabinet or non-executive committee. These are referred to as local choice functions and are set out in our constitution. The Council has the option to alter these responsibilities, but the preferred option is that they remain the same.

Seems to me they have made up their mind; as a senior [now ex] councillor said to me at the time of the 2000 modernisation when I pointed out that they had not followed the result of the consultation: “a consultation is not a mandate”.

Oh, that link to the consultation. Do have fun in the comments.

* Scene: the contractor is about to knock down Arthur’s house and informs Arthur that plans had been on display to which Arthur replies along the lines “oh yes, they were displayed all right; in the basement, where the lights had gone out, in a locked cabinet in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Tiger’”

London City Airport - Background

Letter to Redbridge Planning Department:

In May 2008 you kindly confirmed that the LB Redbridge Planning Department had not been consulted by LB Newham's Planning Department regarding a proposed increase in flights from London City Airport from 70,000 to 120,000 per annum. This is now a very important issue which extends to a wider area and concerns not just two of our local MPs but also MPs in other London boroughs. Whether or not the increased flights go ahead Redbridge residents are already very concerned by a considerable increase in both aircraft numbers and planes flying at a much lower altitude over recent weeks. Many residents who live beneath the flightpaths to and from City and Heathrow airports find the noise intolerable. I realise this is a standing issue at Area Committee 1 but feel it is now time for the London Borough of Redbridge to pursue Newham for a vastly improved dialogue on not just the effect of aircraft noise on its residents but also on issues relating to the Olympic games. We are, after all, one of their immediate neighbours!

You may find the following background information useful:-

June 2008: In reply to an e-petition HM Government stated ....'as part of any planning proposal the local authority are required to consult with ALL (my italics) the relevant bodies and local residents affected by the proposal (to increase flights from City Airport to 120,000 per year).

June 2008: A spokesperson from London Borough of Newham said: 'Several local authorities have been consulted about the proposed expansion of London City Airport. Those consulted were selected because they would be affected by additional take-off and landing of aeroplanes at the airport.' 'The routes taken (my italics) by planes departing from and flying to LCA are not part of the planning permission process, therefore the London Borough of Newham is not required to consult the London Borough of Redbridge and have not done so.'
This poses the question when does a take-off or landing change to or from a route and at what height.
Have they sought guidance from the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) or the Civil Aviation Authority?
Would it not at least be a courtesy to consult with Redbridge's Planning Department so that they can brief their residents.

One also questions whether Government guidelines have been correctly interpreted or is this deliberately left as another grey area by central government. It is noteworthy that in an answer to an e-petition the Government said ...'at other airports (such as London City) the Government believes that local issues, such as any noise impacts of any airport operations, are best discussed locally.' Discussion? What discussion!

Finally, just a few of very many items of interest:-

*Newham Council failed to disclose that they are shareholders in AIG, previous owners of London City Airport.
Newham Council failed to disclose that they are shareholders in General Electric, 50% owners of London City Airport.
Newham Council failed to disclose that they are shareholders in Credit Suisse, the other 50% owners of London City Airport.
Newham Council failed to get London City Airport to stay within the Section 106 Agreement.
Newham Council failed to monitor London City Airport flights allowing thousands of additional flights outside of planning regulations.
Newham Council failed to get the airport to take noise readings over a period of eight years.

I would appreciate being advised of any further communication from Newham over the last twelve months and any representations made by the LB of Redbridge concerning the proposed increase in flights from London City Airport.

Kind regards

Vic Danzelman

* List extracted [there's a lot more] from Here and repeated by a Tower Hamlets Councillor here.

Also note the comment on Phil Briscoe's blog - "3/4's of the councilors could not vote on the night as they have a vested interest in LCY or have been given gifts by LCY."

Enviro Mall 2009

24th – 29th August 2009

The Exchange Mall, Ilford

Once again The Exchange Mall Ilford will be holding an event on the 24th of August for 1 week to help raise awareness of Environmental issues.

Riverford Organic Fruit & Vegetables joins EnviroMall Week!

Eating out can be expensive and buying the same things every week from the supermarket can get boring. Riverford grows and delivers seasonal organic fruit and veg to help inspire you in the kitchen - Discover veg that's so fresh and full of flavour you'll want to cook and share it with your friends and family. And it's more affordable than you might think - Riverford's veg boxes are cheaper than the supermarket equivalent and they're delivered free. The farm also delivers milk, eggs, meat and other organic produce to help you cut down on supermarket trips.

Redbridge Council support EnviroMall

Redbridge council will be running a greener living stall with staff from the council's environment partnerships, recycling, nature conservation, sustainable transport and Fairtrade teams who will be present throughout the week to provide information to all our customers on simple ways to ‘green’ your life style.

The Energy Saving Trust comes to EnviroMall

The Energy Savings Trust will be present at the Mall Ilford for the EnviroMall week and will be providing free home energy surveys, which could have the potential to save you around £340 off your energy bills.
The trust is a non-profit organisation that provides free impartial advice tailored to suit you. Their advice can help you save money and fight climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions from your home.

Green Driving School

Will be in the Mall Ilford from the 24th August for 1 week giving advice on how changing your driving can help the environment and cost you less!

EnviroMall 2009

As part of this year's EnviroMall Week, The Mall Ilford is asking shoppers and retailers to recycle their coathangers and help cut the 100 million that are sent straight to landfill each year. The Mall Ilford will be providing bins for people to deposit their unwanted hangers and is hoping to recycle more than a quarter of a million nationally over the course of the week. To encourage shoppers to bring in their hangers The Mall Ilford is giving shoppers the opportunity to win a years supply of locally grown organic fruit and veg.

Damp Scam

Please be aware of a recent crime which occurred in Endsleigh Gardens, which could spread throughout the Borough.
A male called at the address stating he was a building inspector and was required to check the internal walls for damp due to the neighbouring property having damp walls. After the 'Inspection' the male told the resident that he would require a de-humidifier which would cost £2.500.00. The victim attended his bank, withdrew the cash, handed it over, but no de-humidifier.

Fullwell SNT

More on London City Airport

I have now had a response from London City Airport, via Lee Scott’s office. You can view it here.

They say that current transport movements for 2009 are approximately 20% down on the same period in 2008 and that there have been slight adjustments to their arrival and departure routes. Yesterday I had the back doors open and I noticed two small to medium sized jets, very low heading North and North-north east, i.e. coming from LCY. Not noticed anything today though, but I do tend to be a late riser.

Meanwhile the Wanstead & Woodford Guardian report that the Wanstead LibDems are seeking to build on their recent good show at the Wanstead by election by launching a campaign against Newham Council’s decision to allow an extra 50,000 flights per year.

And Lord Adonis plans to ground short haul flights with high speed rail.

Get the latest here on Fight the Flights.

McKinnon’s Law

Gary McKinnon has been in the news lately. He is the chap who hacked into 97 [that’s Ninety seven] American Military computers at the Pentagon back in 2001-2. It was nothing to do with terrorism, he was looking for evidence of extra-terrestrial life, you know, Roswell stuff.

The American authorities now want to extradite him so that he can be tried over in the good old USA. A High Court appeal to have him tried here in the UK has recently been lost.

Now, it seems to me that our Gary has got quite an extraordinary skill here. I can think of a few national leaders around the world who would dearly love to be able to hack into Barack Obama’s emails. And you can bet their security services have tried. That’s what they do. You’re not telling me that the Pentagon have not tried to hack into all sorts of computers belonging to “the axis of terror” states and even so called friendly ones – like us. They even monitor you and me, passing legislation requiring our Internet Service Providers to keep records of all our emails and our trips around the Internet.

So, methinks it is in our National Interest to keep Gary in this country and put his skills to use. I’m sure MI5 can find something useful for him to do, rather than his skills be exploited by the Pentagon – they will exchange his skills for perks while he’s in prison. You betcha!

Mr McKinnon is Autistic, he suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, and The Wanstead & Woodford Guardian report that a local Autism charity the UKAF, (UK Autism Foundation) is calling on local residents to sign a petition to keep him here in the UK. Unfortunately the link provided from the WWG does not work, but there is one on the Number 10 website. Mr McKinnon has won backing from politicians, such as Ilford North MP Lee Scott, David Cameron, Peter Hain and Boris Johnson.

Note: Beware the link to the WWG website. It has been “re-designed” and yesterday was sending my processor into overdrive with the fan sounding like an F-111 in full throttle - due to 2Mbit Shockwave Flash advertisements. It seems Ok today though with the SWF files only about 30Kbits.

Recompense

The Ilford Recorder reports that we can look forward to yet another disruption to our already beleaguered transport systems later this week. Yes, it’s another train strike. Of course local resident Bob Crow doesn’t mind because he’s down on the Isle of Wight supporting the Vestas occupation. A worthwhile cause in my opinion but what’s it got to do with railways? And I suppose it is the silly season with most off on their jollies. Master H, his missus and the witchling are in Florida. Bah! What can I do? The in-laws are paying for it. Anyway, I’m not and I’m not going to get into central London on Thursday to do my voluntary work. Bugger!

So, I’m thinking. If you can’t make a journey, or are delayed unreasonably, and it is the fault of London Transport you can claim a refund on your fare.

Now, if you are of a certain age and have a travel pass that pass is paid for by your Local Authority at a standard rate. That is, it is paid for out of your [and everybody else’s] Council Tax. So should Local Authorities be seeking a pro-rata reduction in what they pay or mount a legal challenge to the rail unions for compensation?

I have no objection to people going on strike – it is their choice and they lose their wages. That’s the free market. What I object to is that I and you continue to pay for a privilege we are not receiving.

On the subject of Vestas this is what Denmark looks like from here.