Newsletter #1

A "newsletter" has been delivered across the Cremorne Estate in the last couple of days.

A newsletter from the Residents Association. Possibly.

The newsletter appears to be from the Residents Association. It doesn't actually say it is so we're guessing. But having spoken to several Committee members it appears that none of them were aware that it was even being produced. Everything ship shape there then!

The contents of the newsletter make interesting reading, revealing much about the interests and concerns of those who wrote it. More on that at a later date.

One very short article in the newsletter makes interesting reading.

Under the heading "Resident Safety" the newsletter states:

"Concerns have been raised by some residents about vehicles being parked near gas pipes. Council officers have investigated and found there is no cause for concern." 

What's wrong with this you ask? Well, aside from the fact that no "Council officers" are named, the problem is that the "vehicle" often parked near a gas pipe, and likely to be the subject of these concerns, is a motorbike belonging to none other than the newly anointed Chairman of the Residents Association whose face happens to be plastered all over the newsletter.

The Chairman (photo taken in the Council's offices)

That's right, the owner of the offending "vehicle" is writing to let us know that it's perfectly safe for him to continue to park his motorbike on the pavement next to the gas pipe outside Riley House.

The Chairman's motorbike parked next to the gas pipe outside Riley House. As usual.

We have nothing to worry about.

Because "Council officers" said so.

Is this appropriate? We think not.

Have "Council officers" really investigated and determined that it's perfectly okay to park a motorbike next to a gas pipe?

Who are these "Council officers"? Why aren't they named? Why aren't any contact details provided?

If anyone should be writing to the residents about this it should be Council. Not the owner of the offending motorbike.

There's more than a small conflict of interest here. That no one at the Council appears to have spotted it is worrying. That it did not occur to any of them that this might not be a good idea really does call their judgement into question.

The motivation of the Chairman (motorbike owner) is clear for all to see. He wants to carry on parking where he does. The Council's is a bit of a mystery.

But given that it appears that the Council did in fact have a role in the creation and distribution of this "newsletter" the words "clueless" and "learnt nothing from the Grenfell fire" do come to mind.