Urgent Call Out – Fight For The Aylesbury.

Eviction Eve Demo this Thursday!

Over the past few days and nights, we have seen an escalation in intimidating behaviour and actual violence from the security guards.

They claim to be following orders from Southwark Council, to deny access to the ‘First Development Site ‘ (FDS) area, which is now entirely sealed off with a large fence. Not just deny access to us (we who continue to occupy in Chiltern) but also anyone else trying to visit the area.

There are still around twenty households (both leaseholders and tenants) who haven’t been ‘decanted’ yet, and they are also suffering from the fencing. Despite the presence of security guards at each of the seven gates around its perimeter, they are not allowed to enter or leave through six of those gates. Instead they are forced to make a lengthy detour, all the way over to the gate on Westmoreland Road, every time they leave their homes or come back in.

If guests want to visit them, the security guards insist that the residents must come all the way to that one gate to fetch them. This had made it impossible for many elderly friends and relatives to visit at all, and has left at least one woman housebound.

Whenever asked about the fencing/ security arrangements, the council trot out a line about how they did this because those residents asked them to. From our conversations with the residents, it’s clear that this is a lie. Some of them asked for doors to be fitted to the actual blocks they live in, with an entry-phone system to let their guests in, but they didn’t ask for this. They had no wish to deprive people from walking their dogs, or travelling across this corner of the estate, and hate the fact that they now live in what is effectively a big cage.

The council ignored their requests, and built the fence without any consultation, without any planning permission (neither for the fence nor for the proposed development) and without obtaining ‘stopping up orders’, even though its construction has prevented members of the public from using rights of way across the estate.

When they first fitted the gates, the residents were told they’d be given keys, so they could continue using the gate nearest to their flats/ most convenient for them. However this hasn’t happened.

Not content with abusing their power at the gates, the security are also now prowling the enclosure, chasing anyone they see and challenging them in an intimidating manner. They are telling people that this is now a “dead zone” and that nobody may walk through it. They have physically attacked anyone they suspect of supporting the protest, including some people who were making legitimate visits to lawfully occupied flats, and were therefore not trespassing in any way.

There have been a number of unprovoked attacks on people within the enclosure, with security guards going well beyond any notion of “reasonable force” when restraining/ frogmarching/ dragging them out of the enclosure/ down stairwells/ down from trees and ladders and buildings. They have kicked, punched and attempted to strangle people.

They have stolen items – including a laptop belonging to a supporter of the campaign – and on Friday night criminally damaged a rope ladder belonging to us (after grabbing it while one of our friends was standing on it, with absolutely no regard for his health and safety).

Although we have filmed some of these incidents, we haven’t captured them all on camera because in some cases we were caught unaware, or because these things took place in dark corners to isolated people, or because we only have a limited number of cameras at the occupation.

Call-out for cameras!  And for solidarity action!

Rather than asking supporters to come along to Lambeth County Court on Thursday morning, we are instead calling out for a demo around the estate itself on Thursday evening.

In solidarity with the remaining residents trapped behind the fence.

Eviction Eve Demo on Thurs 2^nd April:

Gather from 6.30pm onwards at the western end of Burgess Park

(the main gate onto Camberwell Road, near the tennis courts).

We will move off at 7pm sharp!

THE GRENFELL ACTION GROUP SUPPORT THE FIGHT FOR THE AYLESBURY CAMPAIGN AND WE URGE OUR READERS TO ATTEND THIS IMPORTANT PROTEST.

West London Stable petition! You all know what to do…..

SAVE WEST LONDON STABLES

TO: THE WESTWAY TRUST

Guarantee that West London Stables will continue to provide equestrian services to the local community beyond the current 6-month lease extension.

Fully and honestly support West London Stables initiatives for improving current facilities.

Why is this important?

Local community supporters are strongly united in confirming that this is the only local facility providing affordable equestrian services to the community at large, who otherwise would not be able to enjoy and participate in such activities.
West London Stables has been in operation for almost 20 years and during this time has provided affordable and subsidised riding and equine therapy for residents of inner city London, including disadvantaged children, young carers, disabled children and adults, individuals undergoing rehabilitation for addiction and other people that would not normally be able to experience the pleasure of being around horses.
Many of those riding at West London Stables can share heart-wrenching stories about how this facility has helped them in their everyday lives, some even say it has saved them – we now need to save West London Stables so that it can continue to support the community in its own unique way.
West London Stables also greatly desires to revamp its current facilities to provide an even better service offering. To do so, it needs to raise funds and its hands are somewhat tied due to the lease extension only being granted until July this year.
A 2,000 strong petition was launched last year in a bid to prevent closure sending a clear message to the Westway Trust leadership that there is both a requirement in the local community for equestrian services and that there is also support and desire for the current operator to continue to provide such services.
The Trust have still not got the message, its time for them to pay attention and give the community what it wants and more importantly, what it needs.

The Grenfell Action Group are urging all our supporters to click on the link below, sign and share… Thank you!

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-west-london-stables?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1427053929

A Collective Voice For Residents As “Grenfell Community Unite” Is Formed!

On Thursday 26th March 2015 representatives from approximately 20 households in Grenfell Tower meet to form “Grenfell Community Unite” and to put an end to the TMO/Rydon hated policy of “divide and rule”. After years of being denied a “collective voice” tenants, leaseholders and renters have now asserted our rights to “commune” and we intend to make our views known to our landlord (KCTMO) and the Grenfell Tower Improvement Works building contractor (Rydon) who have treated us with complete contempt.

The first decision taken by “Grenfell Community Unite” will be to call on the TMO and Rydon to meet with our members as a matter of some urgency, to acknowledge that their consultation has been well below acceptable standards and to apologise to us for treating us with such a lack of respect. We have agreed to draft a series of questions for Rydon (based on information obtained from the minutes of Grenfell Tower Emergency Meeting on 17/03/15 and feedback from meeting on 26/03/15) and we have a list of specific outcomes that we wish Rydon to guarantee for us.

Furthermore, “Grenfell Community Unite” are demanding that the TMO/Rydon recognise us as a community/resident group and that they respect our right to speak with a “collective voice”. The “Grenfell Community Unite” meeting also demonstrated strong support for the role played at our last meeting by Pilgrim Tucker and suggested that we may wish to pursue and strengthen our links with Unite Community Membership:

http://www.unitetheunion.org/how-we-help/listofregions/londonandeastern/community-membership-in-london-and-eastern/

There may be many good reasons for us joining with Unite Community Membership but none may be more pressing than the strong rumours circulating around Grenfell Tower that the TMO/Rydon are using threatening and intimidatory tactics to scare residents into allowing them access into our homes. We despise these underhand and bullying tactics from the TMO/Rydon  who have been telling residents that if they do not co-operate that they will have no heating from sometime around May 2015 and that they will lose their tenancies unless access is granted so that Rydon can come in and simply butcher our homes. It is ridiculous that the TMO can even be thinking of threatening us with legal action when all that we have requested is that they don’t enter our properties without first giving us a guarantee that the work will undertaken in a professional manner and to a high standard.

These strong-arm tactics being perpetrated against our community by TMO/Rydon are leaving residents, tenants and renters scared to put up posters requesting that their homes are not accessed by Rydon. However, we are requesting that residents “hold their nerve”, remain strong and deny the contractor access until we gained the legitimate assurances that we are seeking.

We will be writting on behalf of residents in Grenfell Tower to the TMO/Rydon to request a public meeting and we invite all tenants, leaseholders and renters to join Grenfell Community Unite and ensure we put an end to TMO bullying.

Minutes from the Grenfell Tower Emergency Residents Meeting (17/03/15)

Minutes from the Grenfell Tower Emergency Residents Meeting held in the Lancaster West Estate Community Rooms at 6.45pm on Tuesday 17th March 2015.

This is to record that the meeting was attended by upwards of 100 residents from Grenfell Tower and we have recorded that in excess of 55 households were represented.

****** opened the meeting by stating that we had called tenants, leaseholders and renters together to discuss our concerns regarding the Grenfell Tower Improvement Works.

Mr Edward Daffarn gave apologies from a number of residents who had been unable to attend the meeting and informed residents that a local Labour Councillor, Beinazir Lasharie, and a reporter from a local newspaper had been invited but were also, regrettably, unable to attend on this occasion.
It was pointed out to residents that our meeting was being held in cramped circumstances since the TMO had commandeered our more spacious EMB Community Rooms without consultation and are now forcing residents to commune in the caretakers old office.

Mr Edward Daffarn then informed the meeting about past attempts by residents to gain a united voice for the Grenfell Tower community and how the RBKC Council and the TMO have worked to prevent tenants and leaseholders from forming any form of collective resident representation.

Pilgrim Tucker (Unite Community) introduced herself and briefly explained the nature of her role as a community organiser. Residents then agreed to split into a number of smaller groups and to discuss how the Grenfell Tower Improvement works have impacted on individual residents lives, to identify what are residents primary concerns with regards TMO/Rydon and to explore options of how residents want to respond to these issues?

Feedback as follows:

• Impact on community and main concerns.
• Lack of meaningful consultation with residents and feeling of total disregard for tenant and leaseholders well-being.
• Information provided to residents by TMO/Rydon keeps changing without any consultation or agreement from tenants and leaseholders.
• Residents not satisfied with standard of works carried out in communal hallway and will not allow this vandalism inside our homes.
• Grave concern’s at standard of works that have already been carried out inside a number of residents properties by Rydon.
• Concern that TMO/Rydon are using cheap materials and workmanship “cutting corners”.
• Residents repeatedly given mis-information by TMO/Rydon (for example: residents informed boiler was going to be positioned in kitchen and has now been re-located to hallway without consultation).
• Concern that boiler will be placed in hallway above main electrical fuse box and may pose a health and safety risk.
• Position of boiler in hallway will prevent furniture being entered or removed from homes. Why can’t boilers be placed in the same position as current boilers?
• Concern that hot pipes are going to be left exposed inside our homes. This was not agreed to by residents and does not follow the example provided in the showroom.
• Concern from residents that exposed pipes may cause a health and safety risk especially to infants and children.
• Unsightly nature of pipes in our properties.
• Concern regarding the impact on fuel bills for residents once individual meters are fixed inside properties.
• Early starts by workmen and noise nuisance caused by the use of power tools outside of agreed times.
• Lifts used by workmen preventing use by residents and causing children to be late for school.
• Workmen creating hazard in lift when building materials are being transported.
• Lift not cleaned and general levels of dust on landings left by workman at the end of the day.
• Workmen breaking lifts and then blaming this on residents.

Other issues:

• Unacceptable levels of noise,
• changing floor numbers without consulting,
• radiators being removed and not replaced,
• no outside flue for boiler is possible health and safety risk,
• lack of privacy from cranes and no advance warning given to residents of when they will be in use,
• will residents be able to re-fix blinds/curtains to new windows,
• problems with access into Grenfell Tower and lack of sign-posting,
• satellite dishes thrown away by TMO/Rydon,
• rent rises @10% for next 5 years,
• loss of spacious Community Room without consultation,
• TMO charging residents for cable tv that is not even connected.

What action do residents want to take?

At this point Pilgrim Tucker asked residents what actions we would like to take to get the concerns that we have identified as a community responded to by TMO/Rydon.
Residents agreed that we all want the works to continue but that we are demanding that the works are carried out in a professional manner and to a high standard and that we are treated with respect by the TMO and that tenants and leaseholders are properly consulted with.

Residents held a vote to determine whether we wanted to stop Rydon workmen with continuing with their works inside our properties in Grenfelll Tower. A overwhelming majority of tenants and leaseholders voted to stop Rydon from entering our homes until some of the above issues are resolved. Some residents expressed a fear that they could become victimised by the TMO if they do not do what they are told by our landlord.

Residents have agreed to display a poster outside their properties informing Rydon that they will not be allowed entry to our homes. Posters will be distributed to residents over the next couple of days. It was suggested that residents display this poster as a sign of solidarity.

A number of residents agreed that we would like to consider holding a meeting (possibly on Tuesday 31st March) with representatives from RBKC Council, TMO, Rydon, Studio E and Max Fordham to address serious concerns raised at tonight’s meeting.

A group of Grenfell Tower residents have informally agreed to meet and work together to identify most pressing issues and how to take these forward in addition to discussing which stakeholders (TMO, RBKC, etc ?) we would like to invite to any future meeting. It was suggested that we might like to re-invite a local Labour Councillor and members of the Press next time we convene a meeting. If you would like to be involved with this steering group please contact eddiegrenfell@hotmail.co.uk or call 07957 187147.
Residents agreed that we need to get our own independent advice with regards issues concerning health and safety and to examine if the TMO desire to place our boilers in the hallway are being driven purely by cost cutting motives. We may try and identify a heating engineer/plumber/electrician to assist with this evaluation.

A Grenfell Tower representative has been in contact with the North Kensington Law Centre and are seeking advice about residents legal position.

Residents have suggested that it would be a good idea to take photographs of works already completed inside properties and to compare these with examples demonstrated in the show flat on 14th floor.
Residents are also demanding that TMO/Rydon fully complete the show flat on the 14th floor and provide a written works plan for tenants and leaseholders that is then faithfully honoured.

Residents may wish to consider strengthening our solidarity by joining Unite Community.
Agreement that we will try and keep residents informed of future developments by posting notices in the lifts and around Grenfell Tower and further door knocking.

Thank you very much to everyone who attended meeting on 17th March and have shown that Grenfell Tower has a community and that we are coming together to make sure that policy of “divide and rule” by the TMO is defeated.

Russell Brand Joins Sweets Way Resistance

A “sleepover” protest at the Sweets Way Estate occupation in north London, organised by comedian Russell Brand, attracted more than 150 people on Tuesday night .
According to Russel’s website :

“Sweets Way Resists is a campaign led by residents of the Sweets Way estate in Barnet and their supporters, to prevent the social cleansing of our north London community by Annington Homes and Barnet Homes. At a time when residents are being told there are no truly affordable homes left in Barnet, Annington should not be allowed to bulldoze our homes to make way for luxury flats!”

Read the full Guardian article (including video) here :

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/19/sleepover-protest-led-by-russell-brand-draws-150-to-sweets-way-estate

WHO YOU GONNA CALL? – RYDONBUSTERS!

Over the weekend Grenfell Tower residents will be door-knocked and provided with posters, letters, etc to display on their front doors informing Rydon that their workmen are not welcome in our homes. The below text details what happened at the Emergency Residents Meeting and the action our community has decided to take:

Last Tuesday 17th March 2015, nearly one hundred residents, representing over fifty households in Grenfell Tower, gathered in the Community Rooms to discuss problems with the Grenfell Tower Improvement Works. The meeting was facilitated by Pilgrim Tucker from Unite the Union’s Community membership.

Problems with the works:
Residents discussed how RBKC Council and our landlord the TMO have prevented residents coming together to form a collective voice.
We discussed what problems the TMO/Rydon and the Grenfell Tower Improvement Works were causing to residents. Many issues were identified, including:
• Lack of meaningful consultation from TMO/Rydon and how information keeps changing all the time,
• Concern that Rydon intend to position boilers in residents entrance hallways,
• Concern that exposed hot pipes will provide a health and safety problem and will look unsightly in our homes,
• Concern at the appalling standard of work undertaken by Rydon in communal areas and inside a number of residents properties,
• Concern that the workmen commandeer the lift, create unacceptable levels of noise and do not clean up after themselves.
(A full list of concerns will be circulated via the minutes of Tuesday’s Meeting and will shortly be put on display in Grenfell Tower and made available via this blog)

Action we are taking about the problems:
Residents agreed that we want the works to be carried out in a professional manner and to a high standard, that we should be treated with respect by the TMO, and that tenants and leaseholders must be properly consulted.

Residents voted by an overwhelming majority that we will not allow Rydon into our homes until we have had the problems with the works addressed by the TMO and Rydon.

We have agreed to display posters on our front doors in an act of solidarity and to notify Rydon that they are not welcome in our properties until we are satisfied we will be treated with respect.

Residents may wish to consider strengthening our solidarity by joining Unite Community so we can form an organisation that gives us collective voice and strength.

A number of residents have volunteered to give some time to help out with organising a further Emergency Residents Meeting with Rydon so that the problems can be addressed.

We will be knocking on doors over the next few days to talk about what we will be doing next. Thanks to all residents who attended Tuesday’s Meeting and for returning some power back to tenants, leaseholders and renters.