Letter for publication : rebuttal re Cllr Thomas and NIMR site call in
Conservative Cllr Thomas, in his comments on the London Mayor’s ‘call in’ of the NIMR site, Mill Hill, says of the figures I quoted, ‘We have no idea where he got his figures from’. This is yet another example of Cllr Thomas’s failure to master the detail and why Barnet are so bad at providing affordable homes. Cllr Thomas may chair the Regeneration Committee — but he clearly does not read or master the papers.
Before commenting on the Mayor’s reasons for call in and my welcome of it, Cllr Thomas might first have read the call in report itself, as I did. If he had bothered to do so, he would have seen on page 5 of that document Barnet’s figures clearly set out in tabular form : total homes given planning consent, 10,459 (years 2013/14 to 2015/16); but affordable homes consented in the same period, just 779 (including a mere 34 in 2014/15) – that is actually just under 7.5% affordable. These are the numbers I stated. (The figures also appear on the London Datastore).
As Barnet are clearly unwilling to provide the affordable homes local families in dire need desperately want to see, I expect most Barnet residents will be pleased that the Mayor has stepped in to force the pace.
Incidentally, I agree with the comment of Mr Gillett of the Mill Hill Forum about car parking ratios, and I previously put forward objections to this effect. However, until the London Plan has been redrawn (regrettably a long process needing extensive consultation), we have to work to the ratios prescribed by the previous Conservative Mayor of London.
Cllr Thomas also makes a sarcastic comment about my decision not to stand in the General Election. Perhaps I could remind him that he lost to me in the London Assembly election last year; and I also understand even failed in his bid to unseat and replace the unpopular Mr Offord as the Conservative candidate by a mere 1 vote in the local Conservative Association; so better not throw stones in glass houses, Cllr Thomas!
Andrew Dismore AM
Labour London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden
