UCLs proposed Newham campus is being challenged by the local community. Residents on the Carpenters Estate oppose the UCL-Newham Borough Council plan, which would see their homes demolished and their community disbanded. They intend to take legal action against the Tenants Manage- ment Organisation overseeing the consultation process.
UCL has been in nego- tiations with Newham Council since last November, when they signed a contract to explore the possibility of a new campus ad- jacent to the Olympic Park. Back then UCL insisted that residents would be consulted, though in- teraction with the community has been limited to a handful of ‘community drop in ses- sions’ — where residents could hear but not comment on plans — and a public meeting in Janu- ary, which many residents were forcibly barred from entering by hired bouncers.
Consultation? What consultation?
The consultation process is being conducted by Carpen- ters’ TMO, which consists of an elected board of residents and a full time staff funded by Ne- wham Council. Asked why bouncers were hired for the UCL meeting, Eddy Ben, Chairman of the TMO board, said: “there were threats of disruption so we made sure there wasn’t any dis- ruption.” He also detailed how residents wishing to enter the meeting had to sign terms and conditions set by the TMO.
Paul Reeves the riot act
Paul Reeves, originally hired by the TMO as an independent advisor to liaise with residents was sacked following alleged mis- conduct. Ben claimed that Reeves was dismissed after a meeting in which he “lost the plot completely” but refused to explain fur- ther. When contacted Reeves declined to comment, but residents believe that his dismissal was a result of his doing ‘too good a job’ for the Council’s liking. Joe Alexander, Vice Chair of Carpenters Against Regeneration Plans has described Reeves as their “unsung hero”.
Un-chartered territory
The consultation process boils down to the drafting of a Residents’ Charter that sets out the Council’s obligations if regen- eration takes place. Reeves had submitted a draft in July. The draft currently under scrutiny by the Council has been significantly amended by Reeves's successor Tony Bird, amid cries of opposi- tion from residents.
Bird’s removal of a clause stipulating that the Charter would be legally binding means that the current draft requires only the Council’s ‘commitment’ to respect residents’ wishes. The Council is therefore not obliged to prevent the break-up of the estate, nor provide the opportunity for current residents to return after re- generation is complete.
If it does go ahead, the Council would no longer be obliged to take into consideration the demands of freeholders who as of November 2011 represented 35 percent of the estate’s residents. According to Eddy Ben, they are not eligible for representation. However, the rules that stipulate this have not been made avail- able to members of CARP or this magazine.
Small Fish in a Big Pond
CARP was established last year when residents became disil- lusioned with the TMO’s consultation process and Reeves’s dis- missal. It has in excess of sixty members — over one fifth of resi- dents. Alexander has described the regeneration project as “social cleansing”.
Following his dismissal, Reeves and a number of residents sent a letter to the Council and TMO, stating that the TMO and consultation were “null and void” and should be “immediately disbanded and reformed.” It stated: “there is a serious risk of suc- cessful legal actions on breach of contract (at least) against the TMO and the Council by residents.” The letter accuses the TMO of “misuse of or recklessness in spending Housing Revenue Ac- count resources” and the chair of the working group of attempting to crush dissent in meetings.
Residents accuse the TMO of acting unconstitutionally in league with Newham Council, who want regeneration to proceed. CARP intends to take legal action against the TMO and is rallying support among other campaign groups. With Newham Council’s regeneration of Canning Town resulting in the demolition of $00 council houses, Carpenters residents have good reason to be wor- ried.
On Tuesday 20th March, Union Council passed a motion 19-1 that committed UCLU to press College to take more humane action. Representatives will also partake in non-violent direct ac- tion.