There is a big campaign at the moment to oppose the redevelopment of the Edgware Broadwalk centre. What many locals don't realise is that it the campaign is doomed to failure. In truth, the decision was made around two years ago, when the previous former Conservative administration approved the SPD (the area plan the decreed the local planning rules and priorities for Edgware). What we are now, in reality, arguing about, is the size of doors, finishes of windows and how many trees will be planted. It is a done deal. The only way that the Broadwalk will not be soon bristling with shiny towers, is if we have a UK wide economic collapse and a recesion. Careful what you wish for.
What frustrates me is that many of the people who are now protesting, completely ignored the warnings I gave them in 2021 when I stood as a Lib Dem candidate in the by-election. I put all of the info on the blog here, but I was told time and again when canvassing, that it was Lib Dem scaremongering! They had all been reassurred by the friendly local Conservative Councillors that there were no plans for what we are now seeing. It is hilarious seeing some of the same people who screamed liar at me in 2021 on the doorsteps, shouting on Facebook about how terrible "Sadiq Khan's plan for Edgware is", when it was their own Tory Councillors Nick Mearing-Smith and Sarah Wardle who were championing the plan in 2020 and 2021.
Some people have recently asked me how decisions are made at Barnet Council in regard to planning. I would say that in 99% of cases I've seen, the rules are followed and the concept that there is corruption would seem a bit silly. I have seen some rather perverse decisions over the years though, I'm sure it's all as above board. There are a few that there seemed to be cast iron planning reasons for rejection, but to everyones surprise they were passed (BTW rejection would be almost impossible in Edgware since the SPD was passed by the Conservatives in 2021 and proposals are only rejected on planning grounds).
The talk of shenanigans that I've heard emerging, reminds me of a story my mother told me back in 2008, when I first started ruffling feathers at the Council by writing a blog on the Barnet Times. She had a friend who was a very attractive lady, who was also a self made millionaire. My mum recounted a story when she was trying to get a business loan for the family business. She was chatting to her friend and saying how worried she was that her bank manager would turn down the proposition. Her friend enquired which bank my parents banked with. When my mum told her, she laughed and said "Don't take your husband to the meeting, and wear some flattering black boots". My mum told me she was shocked. Her friend said "Oh you won't have to do anything, just make sure he see's your legs, he's a foot fetishist and likes boots. He'll just sign anything then". They then started to discuss business and her friend confessed that she'd been sleeping with the chair of the planning committee for ages onthe sly and that ensured she got all manner of dodgy property schemes passed. Mum was even more shocked, much to her friends amusement. Her friend said "Oh, men are all the same, once you've got them interested, you'll get anything you want". My mum assurred me then that she never used her femine charms to secure any such deals. But she told me that if you want to understand how Barnet politics works, all you need to do is learn three things, who is sleeping with who, who is working for who and who makes money out of the decisions that are made.
Now all of these shenanigans my mum described happened decades ago and I am completely unaware of any such naughtiness these days. I am most sure that the current Labour administration and the previous Conservative one would not stand for any conflicts of interest where people personally benefit from decisons which they influenced. When we see odd decisions taken, I am completely satisfied, that no one was having a quickie behind the council office bins to ensure something they had a vested interest in was passed.
I've concluded that the only reason that seemingly perverse decisions have, on occasion, been made is because I am far too thick to understand the real reasons, and having a smutty mind, I've drawn completely the wrong conclusion. I can say with 100% integrity that I've come to the conclusion that, by and large, the voters of Barnet have got exactly the Councillors they voted for and deserve. If people are too lazy to actually read the council papers and hold councillors to account, when the truth is staring them in the face, then why should I give a fig!
