Donna Ferentes
jubliado
Well, I don't use it, and I signed all right.
Lambeth attempts to cancel Cannabis Festival
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186 now!!! Keep going!! 
Sign!
Sign!
<incompetent edit> 
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
!
fe gawd sake YES!!!!!Stobart Stopper said:
Petition signed....that was the easy bit.So whats to happen then? Assuming the march goes ahead. The venue at the end of the march at Brockwell park is not going to be acceptable to the the Feds. Does that mean we should not decamp there? Accepted,stages and normal J day stuff might not be allowed,despite best efforts of organisers and petition. We as members of the public still can access the park,right? Is this what everybody wants to do?
I'm up for it,how about anyone else? We are not gonna lie down on this are we? We can still march can't we? Forget the speech's and all that,lets go to the park. Anyone got a better suggestion?
I'm up for it,how about anyone else? We are not gonna lie down on this are we? We can still march can't we? Forget the speech's and all that,lets go to the park. Anyone got a better suggestion?
I'm still hoping Lambeth's authoritarian and secretive decision can be challenged. Is anyone close to the campaign able to say anything here about that at this stage?
Jezza -- I'm going to try and remember to chat with you about this on Thursday. Was going to last Friday, but forgot ....
You can trust me with in confidence stuff ....
Jezza -- I'm going to try and remember to chat with you about this on Thursday. Was going to last Friday, but forgot ....
You can trust me with in confidence stuff ....
christonabike
Elm Park Bencher
I got an e-mail back from the Whelan fella
Says there's a meeting today
That was all
Says there's a meeting today
That was all
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
I believe shane and co are meeting them today. I have been giving shane 'unofficial advice' on how to handle this, so as to get best results
Report back: Meeting with Police and Lambeth Parks Monday 7th
Greetings,
Well the good news is that Lambeth are not going to try and ban the march as suggested in their letter to us. So the 7th Annual march to Re-legalise Cannabis will happen on Sat 7th May.
However they have not given permission (yet?) for the march to start or finish anywhere. But we can be optimistic and presume that they will allow us to use a park to start and finish otherwise we'd be on the road.
We have consulted with our security firm (Select Security) and the police to try to come to some arrangment which the Council will be happy with.
At the heart of the problem is the Council does not want to see anyone consuming or trading cannabis at the festival. It does not fit in with their Sports and Recreation Strategy. However the police have in the past taken a more pragmatic view and policed with the consent of the community. i.e. they realised that to arrest every person smoking and or dealing would have very likely led to a public order situation, - thereby causing a bigger problem than it solves.
In the opinion of the organisers, apart from 2003 where we had communication problems, we feel the police have done a good job, and we have said so at the Community Police Consultative Group meetings. That said we really do not want lots of dealers on the pathways, and recognise that the Council do have a valid concern.
The police will be getting back to us and the Council with their arrest policy for this year.
We have requested a meeting with the Council Parks Dept to talk about our updated security plans.
Meanwhile we need the petition in as many shops, pubs etc etc as possible. If you can put a petition anywhere they are on the website. We will hand them in on Friday 8th April 5pm Town Hall.
regards
Shane
Greetings,
Well the good news is that Lambeth are not going to try and ban the march as suggested in their letter to us. So the 7th Annual march to Re-legalise Cannabis will happen on Sat 7th May.
However they have not given permission (yet?) for the march to start or finish anywhere. But we can be optimistic and presume that they will allow us to use a park to start and finish otherwise we'd be on the road.
We have consulted with our security firm (Select Security) and the police to try to come to some arrangment which the Council will be happy with.
At the heart of the problem is the Council does not want to see anyone consuming or trading cannabis at the festival. It does not fit in with their Sports and Recreation Strategy. However the police have in the past taken a more pragmatic view and policed with the consent of the community. i.e. they realised that to arrest every person smoking and or dealing would have very likely led to a public order situation, - thereby causing a bigger problem than it solves.
In the opinion of the organisers, apart from 2003 where we had communication problems, we feel the police have done a good job, and we have said so at the Community Police Consultative Group meetings. That said we really do not want lots of dealers on the pathways, and recognise that the Council do have a valid concern.
The police will be getting back to us and the Council with their arrest policy for this year.
We have requested a meeting with the Council Parks Dept to talk about our updated security plans.
Meanwhile we need the petition in as many shops, pubs etc etc as possible. If you can put a petition anywhere they are on the website. We will hand them in on Friday 8th April 5pm Town Hall.
regards
Shane
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
Shane - you got my office D/L; any help you think I can give - bell me. I'll get the petition clerkenwelled, so to speak
christonabike
Elm Park Bencher
Nice work people
Here's hoping
Cheers
Here's hoping
Cheers
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
can I suggest everyone prints it out, draws up a 'signing' grid' and gets it punted around?
aurora green
Tectonic
christonabike said:
I still haven't had a reply yet.
christonabike
Elm Park Bencher
It just told me about the meeting today
No secrets
I've heard Hawkwind are headling, though, or was it Bowie?
No secrets
I've heard Hawkwind are headling, though, or was it Bowie?
christonabike
Elm Park Bencher
Deleted due to double post
aurora green
Tectonic
christonabike said:
I'm not asking for sectrets, just a simple thankyou but bog-off politely, would suffice. It's just the total ignoring that I find extreamly rude.
Ol Nick
beer in Brixton
Honestly. I was just meaning to browse and now I've had to go and sign a petition for something I don't even do. Is there any more good I have to do on these bulletin boards before bedtime?
PS I saw your ed down the Trinity a couple of Sundays ago. I thought it was too rugby shirt?
PS I saw your ed down the Trinity a couple of Sundays ago. I thought it was too rugby shirt?
aurora green
Tectonic
Well, I finally recieved this rather unapologetic email:
****************
Lambeth Council does not condone the illegal sale or use of drugs in its
parks and open spaces or anywhere else in the borough. At last year's event
the council's monitoring officers witnessed and recorded a number of
incidents involving open drug dealing and drug taking. Concerns at the level
of open drug dealing and associated incidents were conveyed to the
organisers at a subsequent debrief meeting. After reviewing the application
for this year's event officers concluded that measures to prevent drug
taking and drug dealing were not sufficiently addressed by the proposals.
We absolutely support freedom of speech and the right to campaign for a
change in the law but this is a different issue altogether. Dealing cannabis
is illegal and while that remains the case the council cannot appear to be
encouraging it.
The council also has a duty to balance applications for events with the
protection of parks and open spaces for the enjoyment of all residents.
After reviewing the application from the Brixton Cannabis Coalition officers
made the decision that the application should be refused on the grounds of
the documented incidents at the event and the lack of concrete measures to
ensure that similar incidents do not occur again. Executive members were
consulted and support the officers' decision.
Cllr Peter Truesdale & Cllr Clare Whelan
**************
...
****************
Lambeth Council does not condone the illegal sale or use of drugs in its
parks and open spaces or anywhere else in the borough. At last year's event
the council's monitoring officers witnessed and recorded a number of
incidents involving open drug dealing and drug taking. Concerns at the level
of open drug dealing and associated incidents were conveyed to the
organisers at a subsequent debrief meeting. After reviewing the application
for this year's event officers concluded that measures to prevent drug
taking and drug dealing were not sufficiently addressed by the proposals.
We absolutely support freedom of speech and the right to campaign for a
change in the law but this is a different issue altogether. Dealing cannabis
is illegal and while that remains the case the council cannot appear to be
encouraging it.
The council also has a duty to balance applications for events with the
protection of parks and open spaces for the enjoyment of all residents.
After reviewing the application from the Brixton Cannabis Coalition officers
made the decision that the application should be refused on the grounds of
the documented incidents at the event and the lack of concrete measures to
ensure that similar incidents do not occur again. Executive members were
consulted and support the officers' decision.
Cllr Peter Truesdale & Cllr Clare Whelan
**************
...
Wow what an amazing coincidence.. I also got this email...original huh, nice to see they are taking time to actually read our emails..
Thank you for your email.
Lambeth Council does not condone the illegal sale or use of drugs in
its parks and open spaces or anywhere else in the borough. At last year's
event the council's monitoring officers witnessed and recorded a number of
incidents involving open drug dealing and drug taking. Concerns at the level
of open drug dealing and associated incidents were conveyed to the
organisers at a subsequent debrief meeting. After reviewing the application
for this year's event officers concluded that measures to prevent drug
taking and drug dealing were not sufficiently addressed by the proposals.
We absolutely support freedom of speech and the right to campaign
for a change in the law but this is a different issue altogether. Dealing
cannabis is illegal and while that remainst the case the council cannot
appear to be encouraging it.
The council also has a duty to balance applications for events with
the protection of parks and open spaces for the enjoyment of all residents.
After reviewing the application from the Brixton Cannabis Coalition officers
made the decision that the application should be refused on the grounds of
the documented incidents at the event and the lack of concrete measures to
ensure that similar incidents do not occur again. Executive members were
consulted and support the officers' decision.
Cllr Peter Truesdale & Cllr Clare Whelan
Thank you for your email.
Lambeth Council does not condone the illegal sale or use of drugs in
its parks and open spaces or anywhere else in the borough. At last year's
event the council's monitoring officers witnessed and recorded a number of
incidents involving open drug dealing and drug taking. Concerns at the level
of open drug dealing and associated incidents were conveyed to the
organisers at a subsequent debrief meeting. After reviewing the application
for this year's event officers concluded that measures to prevent drug
taking and drug dealing were not sufficiently addressed by the proposals.
We absolutely support freedom of speech and the right to campaign
for a change in the law but this is a different issue altogether. Dealing
cannabis is illegal and while that remainst the case the council cannot
appear to be encouraging it.
The council also has a duty to balance applications for events with
the protection of parks and open spaces for the enjoyment of all residents.
After reviewing the application from the Brixton Cannabis Coalition officers
made the decision that the application should be refused on the grounds of
the documented incidents at the event and the lack of concrete measures to
ensure that similar incidents do not occur again. Executive members were
consulted and support the officers' decision.
Cllr Peter Truesdale & Cllr Clare Whelan
And my response to that was...
Dear Ms. Whelan,
I am exceptionally annoyed that in reply to my considered email to you and other councillors, in return I received a general mailer. I realise that you are no doubt exceptionally busy, however so am I - I work full time, study part time and yet still found the time as a Lambeth resident to make a considered reply. I can't understand so why I have not received the same courtesy, the residents employ the council, surely it is your job to listen to the residents and consider their viewpoints?
I am disgusted that it appears that my email was not even read! Obviously you have made up your own mind and have no interest or respect in the views of Lambeth residents. Naturally at a Cannabis festival there will be open drug taking!! This festival has been going on for years - what has changed this year for the counsellors to turn against this wonderful festival enjoyed by the majority of the community except for the counsellors own agenda's?
2 years ago your party's agenda was different, when it has suited your political colleagues they have used their experimentation with drugs to show themselves as been 'down with the people'. Tory MP David Prior - son of former cabinet minister Lord Prior confessed he had smoked cannabis when young and wrote "I associate my experience with drugs (soft ones) not with Mick Jagger or Aldous Huxley but with passing my law degree and working in a bank."
It saddens me that the council is making more of an issue out of protecting 'all residents' who can choose to avoid the park that day or not instead of concentrating on protecting all residents on a daily basis who walk the streets of Lambeth Borough. If you had read my email you would seen my views on the importance of community development in creating a respectful relationship between Lambeth residents and how I felt the cannabis festival contributed to that development.
Unfortunately gross lack of respect and consideration of your residents is not illegal and the council does appear to be encouraging it! I am very saddened that the council are contributing to the break down of community and fostering further breakdown of open communication and respect within the community.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Carey
Dear Ms. Whelan,
I am exceptionally annoyed that in reply to my considered email to you and other councillors, in return I received a general mailer. I realise that you are no doubt exceptionally busy, however so am I - I work full time, study part time and yet still found the time as a Lambeth resident to make a considered reply. I can't understand so why I have not received the same courtesy, the residents employ the council, surely it is your job to listen to the residents and consider their viewpoints?
I am disgusted that it appears that my email was not even read! Obviously you have made up your own mind and have no interest or respect in the views of Lambeth residents. Naturally at a Cannabis festival there will be open drug taking!! This festival has been going on for years - what has changed this year for the counsellors to turn against this wonderful festival enjoyed by the majority of the community except for the counsellors own agenda's?
2 years ago your party's agenda was different, when it has suited your political colleagues they have used their experimentation with drugs to show themselves as been 'down with the people'. Tory MP David Prior - son of former cabinet minister Lord Prior confessed he had smoked cannabis when young and wrote "I associate my experience with drugs (soft ones) not with Mick Jagger or Aldous Huxley but with passing my law degree and working in a bank."
It saddens me that the council is making more of an issue out of protecting 'all residents' who can choose to avoid the park that day or not instead of concentrating on protecting all residents on a daily basis who walk the streets of Lambeth Borough. If you had read my email you would seen my views on the importance of community development in creating a respectful relationship between Lambeth residents and how I felt the cannabis festival contributed to that development.
Unfortunately gross lack of respect and consideration of your residents is not illegal and the council does appear to be encouraging it! I am very saddened that the council are contributing to the break down of community and fostering further breakdown of open communication and respect within the community.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Carey
Surely the angle to take in challenging this is that the decision was taken without any consultation with the organisers re improving stewarding etc., and more importantly that the decision was taken behind closed doors without the Police having any say in it, and without a full licence hearing (in which the organisers could have had an opportunity to respond to any challenges to how they ran it last year, and promise refinements).
I'd really like to know if this shoddy rule by Whelan diktat is able to be or is going to be challenged legally ....
I'm a tad worried from the tone of Shane's press release on the previous page, that the response is going to be passive, with a gang of stoners at the end of the march just showing 'dumb insolence' in taking over a corner of the park for a musicless picnic. This will be fine, and fun
but I''d like to be satisfied that all angles for legal challenge have been exhausted first ...
I do appreciate it if all the details of any potential legal challenge can't yet be posted here, but a hint or two in confidence would be nice
I'd really like to know if this shoddy rule by Whelan diktat is able to be or is going to be challenged legally ....
I'm a tad worried from the tone of Shane's press release on the previous page, that the response is going to be passive, with a gang of stoners at the end of the march just showing 'dumb insolence' in taking over a corner of the park for a musicless picnic. This will be fine, and fun
but I''d like to be satisfied that all angles for legal challenge have been exhausted first ...I do appreciate it if all the details of any potential legal challenge can't yet be posted here, but a hint or two in confidence would be nice
aurora green
Tectonic
William of Walworth said:
Yeah totally William, these were the points I raised in my e-mail.
aurora green
Tectonic
And thats a great response Niko. I'll maybe have another go at writing to them again myself later, although Im reluctant to have to go through it all yet again, only to have my points totally ignored.
Thanks Aurora,
I figured so many people going to be taking the one angle..might be good to let them see some reasons other than the fact that they did not go through the right channels to make the decision (my original email was on the benefits that the festival brought to the community).
As far as a legal challenge goes, I'm with William - its the best route to take.
I figured so many people going to be taking the one angle..might be good to let them see some reasons other than the fact that they did not go through the right channels to make the decision (my original email was on the benefits that the festival brought to the community).
As far as a legal challenge goes, I'm with William - its the best route to take.
Donna Ferentes
jubliado
Oh, it's obviously a political decision and the closeness of the proposed date to the probable date of the election is anything but irrelevant to the decision.
As plenty of people have said already, if there was anything straightforward about this decision it would not have been taken in the manner that it was and without the simple courtesy of informing the organisers of any alleged concerns the council had. Presumably the real reason for this is that there were no serious concerns and to raise any others would have exposed how weak they were. This, too, is a point that should be made clearly in any campaign.
We expect no better from Goody Whelan and her chums, but the Lib Dems' gutlessness and lack of principle may be opening the occasional eye or two.
As plenty of people have said already, if there was anything straightforward about this decision it would not have been taken in the manner that it was and without the simple courtesy of informing the organisers of any alleged concerns the council had. Presumably the real reason for this is that there were no serious concerns and to raise any others would have exposed how weak they were. This, too, is a point that should be made clearly in any campaign.
We expect no better from Goody Whelan and her chums, but the Lib Dems' gutlessness and lack of principle may be opening the occasional eye or two.
Reply received today from Clare Whelan
Thank you for letting me have your further views. I can assure you that I did read it but felt we needed to clearly state why officers had made the decision to refuse permission for the festival to go ahead - a decision that was backed by the councillors who make up the Executive. I am really sorry if this is disappointing. We do listen to residents' views including those both for and against this event. I am afraid there were a lots of complaints and unhappiness last year.
yours sincerely
Clare
Cllr Clare Whelan
Thank you for letting me have your further views. I can assure you that I did read it but felt we needed to clearly state why officers had made the decision to refuse permission for the festival to go ahead - a decision that was backed by the councillors who make up the Executive. I am really sorry if this is disappointing. We do listen to residents' views including those both for and against this event. I am afraid there were a lots of complaints and unhappiness last year.
yours sincerely
Clare
Cllr Clare Whelan
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