Barnet Press: "Conservatives seek legal advice as Coleman defies apology order"

Link to web site

"THE Barnet Conservative group is seeking legal advice, after Brian Coleman defied orders to apologise for accusing members of the public of anti-semitism.

"Council leader Richard Cornelius said he is awaiting advice from party lawyers before deciding what action to take against the controversial councillor, who was told to say sorry for showing disrespect to two residents.

"... Last week Mr Coleman was detained by police on suspicion of assaulting a woman on Finchley High Road. He has been bailed to return to a north London police station in late October."

"Don’t let bats or dormice delay your [Pinkham Way waste plant] development"

Link to Stephens Scown Solicitors

"When you are planning a building development, it is sometimes the smallest issues (or creatures) that can hamper your plans. An issue which can cause serious delays is failing to conduct a proper wildlife survey. The next date developers need to be aware of is the end of September, which is the last chance to carry out bat activity surveys before next April.

"... It is not possible for Local Authorities to lawfully grant planning permission 'subject to an ecological survey' due to the requirements of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010. This could mean a wait of at least six months until the survey season commences again."

Friern Barnet Library: colourful language

+++++++

Friern Barnet
 Community Library

+++++++
 

Open Mic in Friern Barnet Library tonight,
Thursday 27th Sept - 7-9 pm

Amongst others:

Arnie playing jazz,

Laraine with belly dancing show

and other special guests;

everyone welcome!

All performers welcome!

FANTASTIC NEWS over 3,000 books have been donated, **thank you** everyone. We also need SHELVERS! CHAIRS! TABLES! COMPUTERS!

Meeting with council officials, Friary House, Friary Park WEDNESDAY 3^rd Oct 3.00pm (tbc) - all welcome. Various working groups have been set up, come into the library and join us.

Please bring food to share - evening meal every night at 7pm

Tues 6.30pm-7.30pm Pilates

Wed 6.00pm-7.00pm New Author - reading from his novel

7.00pm-8.15pm Yoga – come, enjoy some peaceful exercise

Thu 11.30am-12.15pm Teddy Bears' Picnic - stories and activities

7.00pm-9.00pm Music night - open mic

Friday 4.00pm-5.00pm French - beginners and advanced

THIS Sat:

10.00am-12noon Chemistry Lesson GCSE/A level

7.00pm- 9.00pm Mr Reasonable and the Magic Box – one of Barnet’s famous five bloggers - tells us about "ONE BARNET" plans for privatisation + discussion

also Pete the Temp: http://www.petethetemp.co.uk/
and Catherine (Cat) Brogan: http://catherinebrogan.wordpress.com/

Get involved!

We need your help to save the library:

Sign up to the rota: the library will only be able to stay open if we have enough people to staff it. We need people to volunteer for two hour slots to check books in and out, accept donations, etc. If you can spare the time, please stop in at the library and sign up to the rota.

Make yourself heard: phone, email, text, tweet and visit Barnet Council and the media explaining why the library is important.

Spread the word: tell friends and neighbours about us.

Come and meet us: we have organising meetings each Monday at 6.00pm - 7.00pm

Date for diary - Wednesday 10th October 8.30pm - Come and hear the fabulous Digitalis group!!!

The Guardian: "Plastic debris reaches Southern Ocean, previously thought to be pristine"

Link to web site

"The first traces of plastic debris have been found in what was thought to be the pristine environment of the Southern Ocean, according to a study released in London by the French scientific research vessel Tara.

"... The fatal impact of plastic pollutants on the marine environment has been widely observed, as birds and fish regularly consume waste products, which can be easily mistaken for jellyfish or other prey but cannot be degraded in the stomach. Plastics also slowly release toxins and other chemical substances that work their way up the marine food chain.

" 'It's too late to do much about what's already out there at this stage, as this stuff is going to hang around for thousands of years,' said Bowler. However, he says the best way to mitigate future pollution is to advocate the use of biodegradable technologies, while emphasising a shift in consumer practices."

Sustainable? Should we build High Speed Two?

Link to web site

"This new report, commissioned from Greengauge 21 by the Campaign to Protect Rural England, RSPB and the Campaign for Better Transport,* examines the impacts of HS2 on carbon emissions.

"The report highlights that the first phase of HS2 will lead to a modest reduction in carbon while adding substantial transport capacity. Greater carbon reduction can be achieved by sensible complementary policy measures and by making full use of the capacity that HS2 will release on the existing railway. In addition, the beneficial carbon effect is increased fourfold by the planned extension of HS2 further north.

"Government’s plans for high-speed rail can therefore help meet carbon emissions targets — if supported by a set of bold policy initiatives."

* London Group

Barnet Press: " 'Waste plant plan on course,' says North London Waste Authority chief

Link to web site

"NLWA chairman Clyde Loakes said on Monday: 

"The planning application for the site at Pinkham Way was put on hold, to allow the 'North London Waste Plan' process to run its course. 

This has now happened, and it is open for the authority to pursue an application for a waste management use at the site. 

A further announcement will be made in due course. We acknowledge the issues raised by the 'Pinkham Way Alliance', and will communicate directly with them on these and other matters."

The Guardian Diary, on Brian Coleman

"Brian Coleman, former chair of the London Assembly, former chair of the mayor's fire authority in London, and until recently one of the highest remunerated councillors in the country, has been less fortunate [than Andrew Mitchell].

"A contretemps last week with a long-time rival in Barnet, his north London fiefdom, saw Cllr Coleman arrested on suspicion of common assault. She had accused the man who led the parking restriction regime in the borough of himself parking illegally.

"Things got out of hand. There was a tussle for her cameraphone, it was said, and his car apparently hit a truck. His version may conflict. 'Law and Order' day at Tory conference should be interesting."

---

Link to web site

Barnet Times:
"Barnet Council could take action against Conservative Councillor Brian Coleman for ignoring tribunal order over rude emails"

"Disgraced senior Tory Brian Coleman has ignored tribunal orders telling him to apologise for sending rude emails to members of the public.

"Barnet Council is looking into the matter and has asked the tribunals service for advice on possible sanctions for the Totteridge representative.

"Former GLA member Councillor Coleman was given 28 days from August 8 to retract remarks made to father-of-three Ron Cohen and Doctor Charlotte Jago."

---

Link to web site

Evening Standard:
"Brian Coleman: I won’t say sorry for 'Blackshirt' slur"

"Tory firebrand Brian Coleman’s future was in 'uncharted territory' today after he defied orders to apologise for likening a constituent to a 'Blackshirt'.

"The veteran Barnet councillor was told to say sorry within a month of being found to have broken the local authority’s code of conduct. But as the deadline elapsed, he was defiant, saying he was not obliged to retract the jibe, written in an email to Dr Charlotte Jago."

Journal goes digital-only as Ham & High Broadway launch is revealed

"The Hornsey Journal series is set to go digital-only later this month, with a new print edition of the Ham&High Broadway launched in the west of Haringey, the paper’s owners have announced.

"The Hornsey, Crouch End & Muswell Hill Journal and the Tottenham & Wood Green Journal will print their final editions on October 4. The Journal, originally established in print in 1879, will continue to provide its readers with the latest news via its websites only.

The Ham&High Broadway, a paid-for weekly newspaper in the Ham&High stable, will launch on October 11 as part of a relaunch of the Ham&High newspaper brand, and will cover Muswell Hill and Crouch End. The changes are part of a strategic review of the portfolio of newspapers owned by Archant London.

Its managing director Will Hattam said:

"London is an ever-changing city, with its series of ‘villages’ constantly redefining themselves. Our products need to evolve to reflect the needs of each area in which we publish, which means that we need constantly to review our circulation areas, formats and distribution."

The Ham&High series is to be relaunched with a new design, additional pagination, and with expanded free distribution of 3,000 copies via letterbox distribution in Hampstead Garden Suburb.

The redesign will focus on the layout of key sections including the front page and its arts and entertainments section, with more pages, a vibrant new look and exciting changes to content.

As a result of these changes, and others in Archant London, staff will work on different titles, and a single editorial role is at risk of redundancy.

Mr Hattam added:

"Our newspapers play a pivotal role in the community life of north London by providing a vibrant, effective and sustainable media. We are committed to continue to play this key role in producing both print and digital formats."

BBC: "Satellites trace sea level change"

Link to BBC web site

"A major reassessment of 18 years of satellite observations has provided a new, more detailed view of sea-level change around the world.

"Incorporating the data from a number of spacecraft, the study re-affirms that ocean waters globally are rising by just over 3mm/year.

"...Currently, the most significant contributions are identified as being the expansion of the world's oceans due to their absorbing more heat, and the melt water coming from eroded glaciers and ice sheets."

Alexandra Palace: "And Hello to Lookers-in, Everywhere!"

Link to set of photographs

Max Madonia

Open House 2012 - BBC Studio (Alexandra Palace)

"After about one hour queuing, I managed to visit the old BBC studios in nearby Alexandra Palace (North London), where the first television broadcast was made in 1936. The old Victorian theatre, now closed, was also open to the public, but unfortunately, it didn't have time to visit it. Anyone has pictures?

"Hopefully, if ever the Alexandra Palace is restored as planned, then the theatre could be put back into use, which would be great."

"If you're interested, here are more details:
http://www.alexandrapalace.com/about-us/hidden-gems/bbc-studios/ "

---

Link to HOME (see all posts).

[Reposted] Barnet Times: "Protestors call for rethink on Pinkham Way waste plant at North London Waste Authority meeting"

Link to Barnet Times

"Protestors fighting stuttering plans for a major waste plant on the Barnet and Enfield border are calling for a rethink from the project’s directors.

"... Next week’s meeting represents the first opportunity for interested parties to gauge the reaction of the NLWA to what many see as fatal setbacks to their current plans.

"Bidesh Sarkar, chairman of the Pinkham Way Alliance, fighting the proposals, believes the meeting will provide an opportunity to redesign the strategy:

"We want them to engage in some real consultation with the community and waste providers, to come up with a new, sensible, sustainable strategy for north London and beyond."

NORTH LONDON
WASTE AUTHORITY

TUESDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2012
AT 10.00 AM

COMMITTEE ROOM 1, 
CAMDEN TOWN HALL,

JUDD STREET, WC1H 9JE

Public part of meeting

8. STRATEGY UPDATE

Report of the Director of Procurement.

The report provides an update on policy and strategy issues that are relevant to the Authority and its current procurement exercise.

Private part of meeting

15. SITES AND PLANNING

Report of the Director of Procurement.

This report brings members up to date on recent developments on planning matters related to the procurement.

16. PROCUREMENT UPDATE

Report of the Director of Procurement.

This report updates Members on the procurement of Waste Services and Fuel Use contracts.

Followed by tea and biscuits.
But not for the Plebs. 

Link to NLWA

Ham & High

Independent on Sunday: "Lynne Featherstone: 'We are the whipping boys, even though we're the good guys'"

Link to web site

"Lynne Featherstone's constituency office in north London is above a pub called the Three Compasses, perhaps an apt description of the equipment needed by the Liberal Democrats to navigate the next two-and-a-half-years of coalition.

"... She is now the most experienced Lib Dem woman in the Government, yet was not promoted to the Cabinet earlier this month.

"When asked why she missed out, she says:

"I am always disappointed that there are no female Lib Dems in the Cabinet. The real roadblock to this is that the male Lib Dems around the Cabinet table are brilliant men doing brilliant jobs. If they were mediocre men, I'd get a contract out on them."

Pinkham Way Alliance message

"Tickets are now available for another fantastic Dame Emma Kirkby fundraising recital on 7th October, but first... we've had reports that the North London Waste Authority have been conducting so-called research local to the Pinkham Way site."


1. North London Waste Authority telephone survey

"Residents local to Pinkham Way have been receiving research phone calls from an agency working for the North London Waste Authority (NLWA).

We’ve spoken to the NLWA, and they claim that this is standard - the sort of research they commission all the time. This is clearly disingenuous; it is no coincidence that it’s going on now, and so close to the site.

The NLWA are trying to suggest to us that our opinion matters, and remind us that they care about green issues.

As is often the case, set multi-choice questions are used to avoid answers that the research client doesn’t want to deal with. Or that won’t give them the results that fit their PR agenda.

However, it is probably better that we engage with the researchers than simply refuse. If not you, they’ll just speak to someone else - someone who may not be as aware of their client’s motives.

There may well be questions that don’t provide enough information or options to make a satisfactory response. In which case, decline their options, and ask the interviewer to take down your opinions word for word. Ask questions of your own.

Here are a few simple thoughts on the areas of debate that the NLWA survey doesn’t want to engage with. Please have a quick read in case they call you."


2. Emma Kirkby fundraiser on 7 October

"We once again have the privilege to confirm that Dame Emma Kirkby will be performing to raise campaign funds. A local resident and long-time opponent of the plans for Pinkham Way, her assistance is invaluable. But, that aside, let's not forget that it'll be a wonderful recital in an intimate venue - a genuine bargain at the price - and we urge you to book now, because her concert last year sold out.

As before, Emma Kirkby will be accompanied by world-class lutenist Jakob Lindberg.

The recital will be at 4pm on Sunday 7 October, at St Andrew's Church, Alexandra Park Road, N10 2DD. It's £15 for adults, and £10 for under-16s.

Find out more and book your tickets now."


"We'll be in touch again soon with a very important request that you take part in another quick Haringey consultation about the site.

If we needed any more proof that the NLWA are still hell bent on going ahead with this misguided waste plant, their current  telephone research is it. Please keep up with the news, and spread the word.

Don't forget you can follow us on Twitter, join the Facebook Group, and make a donation here."

Kind regards,

Bidesh Sarkar

Chair,Pinkham Way Alliance

Evening Standard: "Tory councillor Brian Coleman arrested over parking space assault allegation"

Clink for Evening Standard

"A controversial London councillor has been arrested after an alleged assault following a dispute over a parking space.

"Tory councillor Brian Coleman was held in police custody, following his arrest last night in connection with the alleged incident yesterday afternoon."

---

Link to:

"Charlie Richardson, gangland rival of the Krays, dies at 78"

---

Link to:

BBC: "Barnet councillor Brian Coleman arrested over assault"

Lazybones Brian Coleman, ex-AM

ITN: "The campaign to save Friern Barnet Library"

Link to ITN web site and video

"A row over the future of Friern Barnet Library will be decided in court, after a group of squatters were told they would be allowed to present their plans for the building to a judge.

"Barnet Council closed the library in April because of budget cuts. But the squatters then moved in and, thanks to books and computers donated by local people, have reopened it, and are running it with the community's help."

Daily Telegraph: "Are manufacturing jobs back in fashion?"

Link to Daily Telegraph

"An international jobs index reveals students are increasingly aspiring to work in car manufacturing and consumer goods companies, with careers in banking becoming more unpopular.

"Google is the world's most attractive employer for the fourth year running, according to Universum's latest index published on Thursday.

"But companies within the car industry, including BMW, Volkswagen and Toyota, climbed in the top 50 rankings this year, with seven belonging to the automative industry."

Barnet Times: "Pinkham Way plans 'unaffected' by inspector's decision"

Link to web site

"Campaigners fighting plans for the Pinkham Way plant today called on senior managers of the NLWA to rethink their strategy on Monday in the wake of the North London Waste Plan inspector’s decision.

Cllr Clyde Loakes, chair of North London Waste Authority, believes the inspector’s decision will have no bearing on the authority’s own plans for the Pinkham Way site. In a statement, he said:

"The recent planning inspector’s decision does not in any way prevent the authority continuing with its proposals for the site."

RAIB: "... The locomotive entered the tunnel, and the fire blew back, filling the cab with flames"

Link to RAIB
(which also allows you to discover what that is)

"At 11:04 hrs on Sunday 27 May 2012, train 1Z54, the 09:38 hrs special service from Finsbury Park to Rowsley operated by West Coast Railways (WCR), suffered a blowback of the locomotive fire as the train entered Wood Green tunnel in north London. 

"There were three staff on the footplate at the time, and all of them were injured by the flames. Two of them, the fireman and a member of the support crew, were taken to hospital for treatment to their burns."

Barnet Labour: "Friern Barnet Library ‘Licencees’ Secure Court Adjournment"

Link to web site

"Following news on 'Barnet Eye' that the Judge has granted the 'licencees' occupying Friern Barnet Library a 21-day adjournment to prepare their case to remain in the Library, Leader of Barnet Labour Group, Cllr Alison Moore said:

"We’re really pleased for the local community. It is unfortunate that the council is persisting with their move to evict the ‘licencees’ – the legal action could cost thousands in council tax-payers money, when the occupiers are saving the council £600 per day in security costs for the building, and they are also providing a library service to local people.

The eviction action should be stopped while negotiations with the 'licencees' continue."

"Stop the Incinerator"

Link to web site

(Oh, it's in Croydon. And you only have until tomorrow.)

"WHO ARE WE?"

"We are a campaign group made up of local residents, business owners and members of various political parties.  We are not aligned to any political party, and have come together under one common goal...
[Sounds familiar.]


... which is to stop the Beddington Lane Incinerator.  The web site and campaign is being run and funded by members of the public, who do not want to see their health go up in smoke."

Channel 4: "What has Occupy done for us?"

"A year ago, activists pitched tents in New York's Zucotti Park and the global Occupy protest movement was born. But has it actually changed anything? Channel 4 News takes a look." 

Link to Channel 4

"... In the UK's Friern Barnet, Occupy has lent its name and its firepower to a group campaigning to save the local library.

"Last week, the protesters reclaimed the building and opened it to the public. There have also been events over the weekend, with more expected today in the United States and elsewhere, to mark the one-year anniversary.

"But in a way, at the moment at least, it seems Occupy – which began as a facilitator for public debate – is now acting as little more than a facilitator for publicity for other protests. Certainly it is now longer the notorious, challenging daily presence it was a year or so ago – either on our streets or in our heads."

The Independent: "David Blanchflower: Unravelling puzzle of jobless 'fall' that isn't"

Link to The Independent

"To give my readers a clue what life is like in my neck of the New England woods, our local paper shared the front page between the following two headlines: 'US Sends Elite Forces to Libya' and 'Fire in Hanover, Destroys Sheds, 12 Chickens Perish'. 

"The next day news of the Fed's announcement of QE3 was relegated to a single paragraph on the second page, bottom left.
... ...

"That leads me to the jobs data in the UK, which was published by the Office for National Statistics this week and showed a decline in unemployment of 7,000 and an increase in employment of 236,000 on the quarter. Well actually it didn't. These estimates arise from the bizarre way the ONS reports the jobs data – which compares a three-month average with the next three-month average.

"No other country in the world does it this way, as it covers up the true underlying picture of what is going on. It turns out that figures by single month are available, and I report them in the graph in a comparable way to the US. 

"So according to the ONS, unemployment fell from 2,599,000 to 2,592,000. But quite to the contrary it rose between June and July by 113,000."

OccupyLondon: "Reclaim Friern Barnet library"

Link to web site

"... Local campaigners [are] adamant that this building was built to be a library, used by the community, alongside ten local schools.

Local resident Satbir Allman said:

"I think it’s very important to keep this as a library, I was aware of it closing, but today I have enjoyed just dropping in with my son, and meeting people."

"Frances Briers of the Save Friern Barnet Library Campaign also agreed how important the library is to the community. She said:

"After talks with the occupiers last week, we decided to open the library on Saturday. Since then, the occupiers and members of the campaign group have been working together in scheduling workshops, and organising rotas."

Evening Standard: "Tory bruiser Brian Coleman calls female hecklers 'two old hags' at council meeting"

Link to web site

"A local politician was at the centre of a storm today after calling two members of the public 'old hags' during a fiery council meeting.

"Barnet Tory councillor Brian Coleman faced calls to apologise after his outburst against the two women, who heckled him [disputed in the comments] as he spoke about the authority’s cost-cutting project.

"In footage posted on YouTube, the former mayor of Barnet is heard responding by saying there were 'sad, mad and bad ... and a couple of old hags in the gallery'.

Barnet Times: "Mayor of Barnet Brian Schama accuses victims of councillor's rant of bringing the insults on themselves"

Link to web site

"The Mayor of Barnet has accused the victims of a verbal rant by Councillor Brian Coleman of bringing the insults on themselves.

"... In Barnet Council’s latest attempt to avoid the issue of the 'sexist' remarks from one of its elected members, Mayor Schama today deflected blame onto the public gallery.

"Despite repeated requests for an interview from the Times Series , Mr Schama simply sent out this nonsensical statement: ..."

Ham & High

Barnet Times: "Barnet Labour group lodges formal Brian Coleman complaint to Barnet Council"

Link to web site

"A formal complaint about offensive remarks made by controversial Councillor Brian Coleman has been lodged by the leader of the opposition group. 

"The Conservative politician described members of the public gallery as 'sad, mad and a couple of hags' during a full council meeting on Tuesday.

"Leader of the Barnet Labour Group, Councillor Alison Moore, has made an official complaint to council leader Richard Cornelius."

Barnet Bugle video: "Brian Coleman: 'The sad, mad and a couple of old hags are in the gallery'"

Published on 11 Sep 2012 by barnetbugle

"Barnet Full Council Meeting, 11 September 2012. Councillor Brian Coleman delivers anti-Union speech supporting outsourcing and cuts, and turns on those in the public gallery."

Barnet Times: "Mrs Angry makes complaint about Cllr Coleman's 'sexist' comment at Barnet Council meeting"

Link to web site

"Barnet blogger, Mrs Angry, has written to the leader of Barnet Council and to the mayor, to complain about the “sexist” comments made by Councillor Brian Coleman at last night’s council meeting.

"During the meeting, which took place at Hendon Town Hall, Cllr Coleman caused outrage by referring to the people in the public gallery as 'the sad, mad and a couple of hags'."

Barnet Times: "Blogger Roger Tichbourne 'shocked" by Cllr Coleman's 'sexist' remarks at Barnet Council meeting"

Link to web site

"Barnet blogger, Roger Tichbourne, has spoken of his 'shock' at the 'sexist' comments made by Brian Coleman at last night’s Barnet Council meeting.

"Cllr Coleman caused outrage at the meeting, which took place in Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, by referring to people in the public gallery as 'the sad, mad and a couple of hags'."

The Guardian: "Squatters reopen Friern Barnet library after council closes service"

Link to The Guardian web site
- NOW WITH A VIDEO!

"A group of eight squatters entered the north London library last week, through an open window. Since the law changed on 1 September, making it a criminal offence to squat residential properties, they have turned to commercial properties to find a bed for the night.

"The occupation has the blessing of many local residents, who are delighted to see the locked doors of the library flung open once again. It's the first time that squatters have morphed into 'community librarians', by occupying and reopening a public lending resource in this way. Book loans will be manually recorded and stamped."

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Getting fined by Barnet.

'Let's Recycle': "Home counties welcome North London ruling"

Link to web site

"Planning authorities outside of London have welcomed the ruling that north London boroughs must discuss the North London Waste Plan with them.

"... Deborah Sacks, convenor of the South East Waste Planning Advisory Group (SEWPAG) said she believed an agreement could be reached between the regional bodies and the North London councils:

"This is a big deal, and we are itching to talk to them. We have our data and we would like more discussion.

“There are important issues to talk about especially as authorities outside of London have made provision to take in waste from the capital. And, we are looking at a picture where we will see waste movements, possibly with Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex having less landfill space, and London waste being sent more to landfills in Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes and Bletchley."

"THE GREAT NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD FLOOD" of 2012

Link to 'Brent Cross Coalition' web site

Ham & High, and Haringey Journal (2), and Camden New Journal

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"Let’s chatter about waste"

Published: 6 September, 2012

"WHAT happens to the domestic waste we put in our bins?

Camden Council must be worried that its North London Waste Plan was thrown out by a planning inspector last Friday.

It will take at least two years to go through the whole planning process again. [The document is at http://www.nlwp.net]

The ruling may affect a proposed incinerator-fuel plant, at Pinkham Way, Muswell Hill. This site was going to process 300,000 tonnes of our black-bag waste every year, turning most of it into fuel for burning elsewhere.

In addition, Barnet planners have already given permission for a domestic waste incinerator at Brent Cross, including a 140-metre chimney. You may be downwind of it!

However we can make good use of a two-year delay in the North London Waste Plan. We need to rethink how we deal with our waste, since burning it is just as bad as land-fill. (On the other hand, robotic machines in 50 years’ time could maybe recover the valuable materials we bury. With incinerators, we just destroy it forever.)

Signing 30-year contracts for new incinerators also means we are stuck with supplying enough waste for decades, which reduces incentives for waste reduction and for recycling. Local authorities elsewhere in the UK are already paying contract penalties (‘fines’) for exactly that.

Two years – beyond the next council elections – means we can demand more ambitious reduction targets for domestic waste from Camden politicians and other north London boroughs. We can dramatically reduce quantities if we redesign consumer goods and their packaging. The difficulty is in gaining enough political momentum to achieve that!

Lobbying politicians by the 'chattering classes' of north London, one of the most influential and articulate parts of the UK, is a good place to start.

Improvements in public procurement and in legislation and taxation can force manufacturing changes.

This will only happen if we, the public, start actually to care about the deadly boring subject of domestic waste."

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