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Whats in Wapping

Wapping Town Council Public Meeting – 28 July

by What's in Wapping on July 25, 2010 in News Archives, Town Council

Wapping Town Council Public Meeting – 28 July

Public meeting to discuss the viability of a Wapping Town Council:

7pm WEDNESDAY 28TH JULY

RAINES HALL WAPPING

Invitation: open invite to all as the next stage.  Also see discussions on the Wapping Website […view previous articles] and coverage by the local press (links below).

Venue: Raines Hall, Raines Street, Wapping (on the left walking down Wapping Lane towards the station. Turn left in to Raine Street and the Tenant’s hall is there on the right. [...view map]

Statement from Geoff Juden

The Wapping Town Council Proposal being put forward is an attempt to give a local voice to local people by giving representation to the local community. It intends to be a non-political entity that embraces the desires and aspirations of the people of Wapping and will actively strive to achieve that goal.

It will be representative of the entire community and be a listening ear and helping hand for local businesses. It will operate with the vested interests of gaining Wapping residents a fair share of available finances.

Recent Press Coverage


Information from Previous Comments

Useful resources and links posted on previous articles; let us know of others and we’ll get them added.

[Update 29 July]

We’ll update oficial minutes when available.  Resident recording of the meeting in 6 parts is available on YouTube starting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BRLrx3BfBo


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  • http://www.WhatsinWapping.co.uk What’s in Wapping
  • Geoff Juden

    Wed 28th July 2010 a meeting was held to ascertain going forward with a proposal for a Town Council in Wapping. There are always views for and against any change, however the people of St. Katharine’s & Wapping are being given the right to decide, any idea of what powers to take in hand, or indeed any cost to the people of St.Katharine’s & Wapping .

    I personally will be happy to be involved with this venture should the people wish. This website will be kept informed of the progress. The next step is to gain sufficient signatures for the petition, in order that this may be presented to Tower Hamlets Council for a governance review of the area.

    The final decision on all matters rests with the public of St. Katharine’s & Wapping and nobody else, so far the only people in London to be given this opportunity. Use it wisely.

    Geoff Juden

  • http://www.paulbrockphotography.co.uk Brock

    Also from the “Power to the People” document Geoff mentioned at the meeting
    http://www.nalc.gov.uk/Toolkits/Create_a_Council/Power_to_the_People_Your_guide_to_Creating_a_Local_Council_for.aspx

    “HOW ARE THEY FUNDED?
    The local council decides what it will need for the coming year and a sum of money called a precept is collected locally through the local council tax. This money is invested back into the local community to
    improve facilities and services.”

    “WHAT DO THEY DO?
    Local councils get involved in a broad range of projects and activities, the purpose of which is to make the local area a better place to live. A local council might provide, maintain or contribute to the following range of services for their community:
    Leisure facilities
    Allotments
    Local youth projects
    Community safety schemes
    Bus shelters
    Litter bins
    Car parks
    Illuminations (e.g. Christmas lights)
    Community centres
    Parks and open spaces
    Community transport schemes
    Planning
    Crime reduction measures
    Street cleaning
    Cycle paths
    Street lighting
    Festivals and celebrations
    Traffic calming measures
    Tourism activities

  • http://www.paulbrockphotography.co.uk Brock

    John, you seem to be under the impression that a parish council can replace the councillors like-for-like; this is not the case; they have different powers and responsibilities under law; the ONLY decisions parish councils can make is how to spend *their* funding, which is collected separately to the council’s budget. They won’t be able to make decisions on planning, they won’t be able to override the allocation of council-run parking spaces to car clubs. They will be able to provide allotments, community centres, additional security such as CCTV and PCSOs, but these will be paid for separately, by US, not by LBTH money.

    e.g. Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 pt 58 (slightly paraphrased)
    “A parish or community council shall not have power to provide a parking place ….In a road which is a highway…except with the consent of the Metropolitan District Council/County Council”

  • john

    The fact of the mtter is Brock, we will now be paying a very large sum for our new mayor and his cabinet, a lot of money that us as ratepayers will be paying for. The mayor and his cabinet will be making the decisons, not our councillors. So we will be paying twice for the same service and our councillors will have no say in anything. Our local councillors cannot do anything and thus they are an unecessary financial burden on the taxpayers.
    An unpaid committee can use the same council premises for meetings or surgeries and the views of local people would have a stronger front as the people would be versed in the area. I see no reason why it would cost the taxpayers. What is needed is a say in what is actually going on in the area. The councillors involved cannot prvide that.
    I can’t comprehend how having a mayor and cabinet all being highly paid isacceptble, come next April you will be paying through the nose for that but then be so worried about people doing a job for no remuneration.

  • http://www.paulbrockphotography.co.uk Brock

    But John, I’ve no reason to believe removing the councillors will put money back into our pockets, and every reason to believe, that like almost every other parish council in the land, it will cost us an additional amount on top of council tax.

  • john

    PaulieK said:”For instance, with regard to planning permission parish councils can issue an opinion to the principal authority (i.e. LBTH in our case), but do not have delegated statutory planning authority powers.”
    That would thus be on a par with our paid local councillors, one who admitted last night that she had no say in the decision made in Wapping with regards costcutters. The councillors don’t seem to be involved in the decision making about vanishing disabled bays or car club bayssprouting up on double yellowed lines.
    So if this is the case and there is some differing opinions on it then we are paying councillors who cannot make any decisions. So just on that one point you make it would be financially prudent to remove costly councillors and replace them with unpaid local people with an interest in the local area.

  • Ross

    Why has Geoff not responded to any of the comments raised? And how is he contactable? I tried Google but it only came up with this site and the East London Advertiser

  • Paulie-K

    Can I suggest that ahead of future meetings the steering group read thoroughly the guidance from DCLG and NALC on the process and powers of parish councils. A strong distinction should be made between what the parish council can discuss and what the parish council can actually decide upon. For instance, with regard to planning permission parish councils can issue an opinion to the principal authority (i.e. LBTH in our case), but do not have delegated statutory planning authority powers.

  • Robin

    @John – I am not saying that anyone on the Steering Group is a BNP member. I am saying that it is not good practice for its members to be anonymous, and used the “BNP straw person” as an example. It might have been helpful to the discussion if more Steering Group members had been present (or maybe they were, but didn’t speak?) to stand up and be counted, offer a few words on why they were involved and on the tangible benefits to St Katherine and Wapping residents of pursuing this option.

  • John

    Listen Brock I am not that happy with this either, the more it goes on then the more it looks like, oh it don’t matter it’s John Rush he can front it. I don’t give a toss, I am more than willing to carry the can.
    As for the liberal connection, it was supposed to be the conservative Peter Golds giving information.

    We were never going to get the facts from our labour councillors in situ.

    I am not affiliated to any political group and I lose it when denise jones plays political football but then Geoff being affiliated with libdems means its a fine line to tread.

    My perusal of the entire night was that it was not the success hoped for.

    If people look at the whole picture then it could still be a resounding success

  • http://www.paulbrockphotography.co.uk Brock

    For example – 2 out of the 3 speakers tonight have stood as Lib Dems and don’t live in Wapping either…are they an accurate representation of the steering group composition?

  • John

    Brock said:”Costcutters whilst detrimental to living right next to it, would provide a service (possibly a not needed service) to people much further afield, or those passing to/from the tube, so many of the 19000 should have a say.”

    They all had a chance to have a say, the majority, vast majority who replied said No!

    It’s the old tory chestnut on HARCA if they don’t vote they vote yes. Amazing how Tory policies decried by the looney left are acceptable if put forward by the looney left.

    19,000 didn’t say Costcutters will deprive local businesses of money, so it wonm’t deprive local business.

    Yes indeed there’s a lot to be said for getting shot of certain factions of this council.

    Looking forward to the replies. Seems to me the council are coming out their shell.

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