We urge everyone to attend the Planning Committee meeting on 20 May 2009. All details are here but I copy them below:
Date: Wednesday 20 May 2009 – 7.30pm (we advise you to come earlier, possibly 7-7.15pm).
Venue: Wandsworth Borough Council, The Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London SW18 2PU (more details how to get there on the website).
So it is very important that you make the most efforts to attend the meeting, especially after the blessing of the Planning Officer on the two 42 storey towers.
Author: Cyril Richert
A few days ago I asked two questions regarding the organisation of the planning committee meeting on 20 May. I received the following answer from the Committee Secretary (in blue):
1- Is there any rule regarding presentation/speaker ?
I can confirm that public speaking is not allowed at the Planning Applications Committee. The only speakers are members of the Committee and, with the Committee’s consent, ward members who are not members of the Committee that particularly wish to speak on an issue affecting their ward.
2- Would it be possible to make a video of the meeting (in line with our call for democracy in action, and as per the public debate)?
I have discussed your request for recording the meeting with the Chairman, Councillor McDonnell. The Committee have occasionally received similar requests in the past (although not for a video recording) and the policy has previously been not to agree such requests. After due consideration, the Chairman has asked me to inform you that he intends to proceed with past convention and to not accede to your request to record the meeting. However, I can confirm that because of the possibility that a large number of people will wish to attend next week’s meeting, and the fact that Committee Room 123 can only cater for around 50 members of the public, additional seating is to be provided in Room 122 opposite and a camera positioned in Room 123 will relay sound and vision to a screen in room 122, thereby ensuring that everybody who wishes to attend and hear the discussions and decision on the application will comfortably be able to do so.
I then asked if it was possible to record video in Room 122, and/or to have the official video from the Council made available afterwards.
Bearing in mind the Chairman’s decision on your request to film the meeting I think the answer would also have to be no to filming in Room 122, as the meeting would be being broadcast in this room and allowing you to film there would give you the opportunity to record the proceedings as they are relayed onto the screen in that room.
I am not aware of any intention to make the Council’s transmission from the meeting available after the meeting – the equipment is being used solely to ensure that any members of the public that do attend the Town Hall and are unable to get in to Room 123 due to numbers attending are able to see and hear the debate and decision as it happens.
When we were fighting for the retention of the Museum and for it to remain in its location of that time, it was such a poular cause that the Council used the main debating chamber, which I guess coincidentally fascillitated the crowd in making its opinions know in one way and another.
This new CJ situation will of course be better controlled by using two rooms where half the groans (or shouts of approval for that matter) will not be heard by Councillors. Maybe the main chamber is already taken that evening. All I am saying is that it is convenient for Councillors not to see those who may be judging them.
Julia> I must give them credit for trying to accommodate. I was told that the main Chamber is under refection so cannot be used unfortunately.