THE BIG ISSUE - ALWAYS ONE TO READ

“The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.” Abraham Lincoln

He Said - We Said

*Update 1/5 - Enormous pressure on Clr  Lavender by ELAG & Matthew Laban has won the day - Details & 'Thanks' on Current Issues page now!

You thought There Was Nothing Left To Sell & No Room For More Housing - You asked us to 'Go Large' on this - So we did!

Click to see what ELAG wrote to Councillor Laban & to Councillor Lavender who replied in a day - See what 'He Said' by 'Clicking Here'

Kettering Hall isn't new - We know it needs a lot of improvements - Inside & outside need renovation - It needs equipment & money - It doesn't need to be another block of flats (the fate due the pub next door)

We saw it on an Approved Disposals Report in December 2006 (Sadly we check to ensure the rest of the Lock isn't being sold for pennies) - So we wrote to Councillor Matthew Laban - Cabinet Member for Housing - The 'He Said - We Said' saga starts in January 07 presented chronologically to this week:

We said: 'This is the only true community hall in the Lock - Is well used - Is in need of the funding promoted by LBE many months ago for repairs & equipment - With Mark Bellas - The Lock Youth Team - ELAG & CAPE further youth provision will be accomplished in 2007'

Finally: 'We look forward to LBE providing funding to ensure that the Lock is not become a forgotten wasteland devoid of youth provision - Community provision & most other provision' - ELAG would like a firm & unequivocal statement that it will not be disposed of and will be supported in 2007 by LBE'

Matthew replied in a day  (better than the year or so from other members) explaining there was a suggestion of linking the pub sale to a 'possible' re-development of the Hall but any re-development must provide a new hall & be fully consulted on with residents.

He said: "I can assure you that the Council will NOT be selling off Kettering Hall - It is the most well-used of our community halls - This is the agenda I am pursuing."

He confirmed Boleyn (Hoe Lane) & 2 out of Borough halls would be sold  & proceeds would be ring fenced for Enfield Halls. (We hope there are some left by then)

Finally He said: "Let me repeat again that Kettering Hall is not under threat - It is a very important community facility in the North East of the Borough."

Call us cynical (can't think why) we were concerned that Cabinet were still calling Kettering a 'Joint Disposal Opportunity' (It's a community facility - They always had trouble with that phrase) & that the 'Disposal List' was still where Kettering Hall resided (as has much of the Lock has in recent years despite many promises) - So at the local Forum the next  week we asked Clr Laban.

We said: 'Will you commit to remove Kettering from any disposal list - Confirm it will Benefit from funding & be retained solely as a community facility with no housing?'

Matthew replied - He said:  "Let me make it clear to that Kettering will not be sold - 2 halls out of Borough & Boleyn Hall will be sold & proceeds used to refurbish some of the remaining halls in the Borough - Kettering will get the money it needs."

We said: "Will you go back to Cabinet & have it removed from the list?" 

He said: "I guaranteed that Kettering Hall will not be sold - I will go back to the next Cabinet meeting & it will be removed - I will say again Kettering Hall will not be sold - I will ensure it is removed from the list."

Residents at Forum were pleased - ELAG were pleased (We thought 'How Refreshing') & true to his word Matthew went to cabinet the following night - He said he had attended a forum meeting where we had expressed concern at the potential disposal of Kettering Hall & asked that Kettering Hall be removed from the potential disposals programme.' (So far so good)

However Councillor Michael Lavender (Deputy Leader &  Cockfosters Councillor) appeared not to be as agreeable as Councillor Laban when it came to our facilities (a long way from leafy Cockfosters perhaps?)

He said:  'It was intended to dispose of the Ordnance Pub next to Kettering Hall & there was potential for an increased capital value of the site if Kettering Hall was also included for disposal' (Yes we guessed that - Always a profit from selling the Lock)

And: 'However should the Hall be disposed of this would only be on the basis of the Hall being re-provided elsewhere.' (Elsewhere - Where - Leafy Cockfosters perhaps?)

And: 'Undertook to discuss the matter with Property Officers but wished to keep the Council's options open for the time-being.' (Yes - The option to sell it we know - It's not a 'property' Michael it's a community facility)

Matthew Laban re-stated his view to the Lock CAPE group where this was raised on March 22nd - CAPE & ELAG made it clear Kettering must be removed from the disposal list.

He said: "I will say it again for the record - Kettering Hall will not be disposed of - It is the model for the Borough & I have no intention of selling it - When the 2 halls are disposed of there is money available & a good amount will be ring-fenced for Kettering."

And: "I did take it to Cabinet & it is true Clr Lavender did say he wanted it to remain on the list but it was evident he did not fully understand the reasons for my request - He did agree privately to have it removed from the list."

We said: "When will it come off & minuted by Cabinet?"

He said: "It will be raised & be approved by Cabinet at the next meeting."

We ALL said: "Good!"

But ELAG wrote to Councillor Lavender again on the day of the Cabinet Meeting just to be sure (as we are apt to do) - Details on Current Issues page with the outcome!