Brixton Somerleyton Road development, Ovalhouse and Brixton Green - funding, proposed rents etc

[ViolentPanda]

This is what they say about their future involvement

That's nice, general and meaningless. They're making a promise that isn't really a promise - "Brixton Green" being an industrial and provident society whose "involvement" anywhere should be decided by the membership, not the board.
Even if Brixton Green as an entity is no longer involved in the "new community body", it's likely that some of the same names and faces will be.

 

[teuchter]

So really you'd only be satisfied by Brixton Green to making a commitment now, as an organisation, that none of its current board members will be involved in the new community body.

 

[editor]

Did I say that Brixton Green are a bunch of liars who posted up some seriously defamatory comments signed by all the board and then quietly and cowardly removed them when challenged?

I did? Oh well. It's always worth bearing that in mind when discussing them. It tells you a lot about their credibility.

 

[ViolentPanda]

So really you'd only be satisfied by Brixton Green to making a commitment now, as an organisation, that none of its current board members will be involved in the new community body.

No, I'd be satisfied by the current board members making such a commitment.

 

[snowy_again]

Which depends on general members votes - as you say it's a traditionI I & P - all of which they will have member records for.

We've all always questioned the boards representative role - now is your chance to question them again about that - given that we will be in a due diligence stage.

Fundamentally that will have a longer term impact than ed using u75s strong seo profile to reiterate his statement that the bg board (but not its members) lied or misrepresented an incident, and then tried to change their story after challenge. No one of local or national govt influence will frankly give two hoots what's posted on here, despite Google rankings. But like Peter Andre (God bless his soul) if you're going to claim defamation - please pursue it, and win it.

 

[editor]

Fundamentally that will have a longer term impact than ed using u75s strong seo profile to reiterate his statement that the bg board (but not its members) lied or misrepresented an incident, and then tried to change their story after challenge.

Not 'misrepresented.' They posted up a defamatory account saying that I disrupted a meeting that I wasn't anywhere near and there's video evidence to prove that. They're fucking liars. A post on Buzz might alert more people to that fact.

 

[snowy_again]

Fair enough - I wasn't there so can't claim to know the details from either perspective. If it was defamation, what did a solicitor say to you about redressing it?

 

[Tricky Skills]

There is some unfinished business from the events at 6 Somerleyton Road over the summer months being completed this morning.

Croydon Magistrates Court, 10am:

"Using threatening abusive behaviour with intent to provoke unlawful violence."

Answering the charge is someone who was involved in the management of No 6 at the time, but appears to have since changed their name.

 

[editor]

Fair enough - I wasn't there so can't claim to know the details from either perspective. If it was defamation, what did a solicitor say to you about redressing it?

Sadly, pursuing damages for defamation in the UK is famously expensive, vastly time consuming and rarely worth the bother. It's a rich man's pastime.

 

[Tricky Skills]

Michael Groce of Green Man Skills Zone was found guilty this morning with the charge of using threatening abusive behaviour with intent to provoke unlawful violence outside No 6, whilst he was managing the space "on behalf" of Brixton Green.

He will be sentenced in the New Year.

 

[snowy_again]

He's Cherry Groce's son?

 

[editor]

Michael Groce of Green Man Skills Zone was found guilty this morning with the charge of using threatening abusive behaviour with intent to provoke unlawful violence outside No 6, whilst he was managing the space "on behalf" of Brixton Green.

He will be sentenced in the New Year.

That asks real questions about Brixton Green's judgement. Have they made a statement?

 

[leanderman]

That asks real questions about Brixton Green's judgement. Have they made a statement?

Is there a report of this court case?

 

[CH1]

Michael Groce of Green Man Skills Zone was found guilty this morning with the charge of using threatening abusive behaviour with intent to provoke unlawful violence outside No 6, whilst he was managing the space "on behalf" of Brixton Green.

He will be sentenced in the New Year.

No wonder I could never get a CV for myself out of the so-called Skill Zone.

As the Rap PR guy once said to Louis Theroux "Where's your danger?"

A career in engineering followed by charity accounting is clearly well wide of the mark for that lot.

 

[teuchter]

If one looks for mention of Michael Groce on urban75, previous to this incident, the impression seems to be that he is firly well regarded as a community-minded good guy, albeit with a tricky past. And now this has happened and questions are being asked about Brixton Green's judgement in employing him to manage a community-oriented facility. Who knows the full story here - who provoked who and how and why. But it seems fair to say the situation with no. 6 probably wasn't quite as simple as some have been trying to portray it, in terms of who is to blame.

 

[editor]

One thing is for sure: Brixton Green's statement about Number Six - the one they hastily pulled down and then quietly republished while making no mention of the sections they'd removed - contained several malicious lies and untruths.

Posting up defamatory comments about locals and then acting in such a sneaky, underhand and frankly dishonest manner surely raises many questions about how fit they really are to represent the local community.

 

[leanderman]

If one looks for mention of Michael Groce on urban75, previous to this incident, the impression seems to be that he is firly well regarded as a community-minded good guy, albeit with a tricky past. And now this has happened and questions are being asked about Brixton Green's judgement in employing him to manage a community-oriented facility. Who knows the full story here - who provoked who and how and why. But it seems fair to say the situation with no. 6 probably wasn't quite as simple as some have been trying to portray it, in terms of who is to blame.

Yep. Hard to judge without context.

 

[SpamMisery]

Sounds like they were on the receiving end of some nasty behaviour - seeing as it ended in a prison sentence!

 

[Gramsci]

If one looks for mention of Michael Groce on urban75, previous to this incident, the impression seems to be that he is firly well regarded as a community-minded good guy, albeit with a tricky past. And now this has happened and questions are being asked about Brixton Green's judgement in employing him to manage a community-oriented facility. Who knows the full story here - who provoked who and how and why. But it seems fair to say the situation with no. 6 probably wasn't quite as simple as some have been trying to portray it, in terms of who is to blame.

In what sense are you using the word "provoke"?

Having a disagreement with someone does not mean that one should be on the receiving end of abusive and violent behaviour. Or that one brought it on oneself by "provoking" them.

 

[Gramsci]

He's Cherry Groce's son?

Yes.

 

[teuchter]

In what sense are you using the word "provoke"?

Having a disagreement with someone does not mean that one should be on the receiving end of abusive and violent behaviour. Or that one brought it on oneself by "provoking" them.

In the sense that it was used in the charge he apparently pleaded guilty to.

 

[Gramsci]

Even if Brixton Green as an entity is no longer involved in the "new community body", it's likely that some of the same names and faces will be.

That is likely.

Always been aim of leading lights of BG to be main players in finished scheme.

 

[Gramsci]

In the sense that it was used in the charge he apparently pleaded guilty to.

In that case I don’t understand your post.

The police arrived at the incident and he was charged.

The other party was not charged with the same behaviour.

 

[Gramsci]

No one of local or national govt influence will frankly give two hoots what's posted on here, despite Google rankings. .

Local government officers do take notice of whats posted here.

 

[Gramsci]

My issue is that the long term management of the site should not be decided by Brixton Green. There are parallels with whats happened up at LJ.

The Council decided to work through one group in LJ its LJAG and in Brixton its BG.

This is not how it should be done.

If the Council want a "community body" to manage the site they- the Council- should be asking / consulting people on it. Not "outsourcing" it to BG.

What I do not really understand is what the Council appointed development manager for the project Igloo are doing. I thought it was part of there brief to work with local community:

Lambeth Council has appointed igloo as their development manager to lead the delivery of a major mixed-use regeneration scheme at Somerleyton Road, Brixton.

Acting as retained development manager to Lambeth (as funder and client) and their community partners, igloo’s role will see the project through from initial concept stage to completion. We will lead development delivery activity including the selection, appointment and management of the project team (including Metropolitan Workshop as architects), the development and evolution of the project brief, community engagement, design management, development delivery vehicle creation, sustainability and energy strategy, planning processes, tender, contractor selection and construction.

 

[ViolentPanda]

My issue is that the long term management of the site should not be decided by Brixton Green. There are parallels with whats happened up at LJ.

The Council decided to work through one group in LJ its LJAG and in Brixton its BG.

This is not how it should be done.

If the Council want a "community body" to manage the site they- the Council- should be asking / consulting people on it. Not "outsourcing" it to BG.

What I do not really understand is what the Council appointed development manager for the project Igloo are doing. I thought it was part of there brief to work with local community:

Igloo are doing much the same job as the companies that tendered for the "masterplanning" project management brief at Cressingham recently. The "community engagement" boils down to (non-binding) consultation about design and public-use space - if you're really lucky it includes dedicated community space too - and that's about it.

 

[Gramsci]

Twice this week I have had to explain to people that the planning application for Somerleyton road is not the "Brixton Green planning application".

Its an application by Lambeth Council

BG have been doing a big push going around telling local groups and individuals that this is there planning application. Also I have seen them do this- at last meeting of the Brixton Neighbourhood Forum.

Fact is its not there application. This is misleading people.

Its most annoying that they are trying to get credit for it.

The Council are paying for the architects. Its Council officers with the Council appointed design team that have developed the planning application. Oval House theatre are paying for there architects and seeking there own funding. The scheme is a Council led project.

The actual status of BG is they are the community partners that the Council decided to choose to represent community on the Somerleyton road steering group.

The reason imo they have been doing this is that the leading lights are positioning themselves to take major roles in the community body that runs the finished site.

After the debacle of Number 6, the chance that the the Council gave to BG to show that they can manage a community space and act as broker for other community groups,ended in failure I am not at all happy with what will happen in the future.

I do not want whatever the management body is to be given 250 year lease on the finished project. Which the brand new BG website implies.

I have no reason to support the Council given what happened to my community. But choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea I would rather the finished project was under the control of democratically elected Cllrs not "community" leaders.

 

[SpamMisery]

Do you know what involvement they have had in the planning application?

Do you know that they are not using the term in the collective sense?

 

[leanderman]

If anyone has an exaggerated sense of the importance of BG's role it could be because of the weirdly exaggerated importance they are accorded in this thread.

And then there is reporting like this on Buzz over a criminal court case that has an undetermined link to BG, and which ends:

'Earlier this week Lambeth Council passed the planning application for the future regeneration of Somerleyton Road, with Brixton Green still working alongside the Council as a trusted partner.'

 

[ViolentPanda]

If anyone has an exaggerated sense of the importance of BG's role it could be because of the weirdly exaggerated importance they are accorded in this thread.

And then there is reporting like this on Buzz over a criminal court case that has an undetermined link to BG, and which ends:

'Earlier this week Lambeth Council passed the planning application for the future regeneration of Somerleyton Road, with Brixton Green still working alongside the Council as a trusted partner.'

An "undetermined link"? Only if you ignore the obvious.
Mr Groce was a contractee of Brixton Green, charged with managing the community asset that Brixton Green were responsible for - i.e. Number 6. The link is clear - contractee of Brixton Green engages in moody behaviour.
That's not to say that Brixton Green are responsible for Mr Groce's actions, but there's no escaping that he acted as he did as someone paid to apply Brixton Green's policies and wishes regarding that community asset.