St Clement's Hospital Site - Tower Hamlets Council considers planning application 11 December 2013

Councillors will consider the report on the planning application

REDEVELOPMENT OF ST CLEMENT’S HOSPITAL SITE

At the meeting of the Council’s Development Committee

On Wednesday 11^th December

In The Council Chamber

At Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London E14 2BQ

The meeting is open to the public

MERA will be representing the views of local residents as one of the two people selected to speak on the application at committee

The meeting starts at 7pm and finishes when all business is done or 11pm

However The report on this planning application is the last one of the agenda and

consideration may not start until as late as 10pm

The MERA Brokesley Street Representative will be there from 8.30pm

MAIN COMMENTS / OBJECTIONS:

Concerns about the impact on local residents living in Brokesley Street with respect to:

·      Noise from 4 years of construction in particular late night deliveries to the site and impact on children’s sleep

·      Overshadowing and loss of light due to building new units up to the boundary wall separating Brokesley Street homes from the hospital site. Omission of Brokesley Street housing from lighting assessment

·      Adequacy of local school provision to meet demand from people coming to live in the new housing

·      Impact of construction traffic on safety of entry/exit from Brokesley Street

DETAILS OF DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AGENDA 

AND OFFICERS REPORT  pages 165 – 212 of the publicreports pack

EXTRACTS FROM THE FORMAL MERA RESPONSE TO THE PLANNING APPLICATION

Below you can read the summary of our detailed response which was submitted in August

Overall conclusions

In general, we are broadly supportive of the proposed development. 

·       It’s very important to increase the amount of affordable social housing in the borough

·       It’s important to integrate social housing with opportunities for shared ownership and private accommodation to promote better communities

·       We welcome new initiatives involving the Land Trust and the Ricardo Trust and see these both as positive new initiatives.  We trust they will grow and develop to fulfil their aspirations.

·       We very much endorse the use of the building fronting onto Mile End Road as a suitable place for community focused activities.

·       We agree it’s very important to preserve the character of our local heritage – particularly that within a recognised and existing Conservation Area. 

However we remain concerned about a number of aspects of the planning application.  Some of these can be dealt with under delegated powers as part of the Construction Management Delivery Plan. 

Others need a clear steer from the Committee as to what is and is not acceptable in relation to assessing

·       The impact of the construction contract on local residents

·       The assessment of the impact of the development given some serious omissions of data and serious misunderstandings about the nature of the neighbouring properties

Clearly, it’s inappropriate to build new quality homes while having a serious impact on the quality standards of recently built new homes and other neighbouring properties.

Our concerns – in summary

Matters that concern us about the planning application for the proposed development on the St Clements Hospital site include:

·       Noise control:  It’s expected this project will be on site for up to 4 years. We are now much more aware than we used to be about how intrusive and wearing noise can be when experienced on a daily basis over a period of years. It’s vital to the wellbeing of the community to ensure that the disruption to amenity and people’s quiet enjoyment of their homes is minimised during the construction process.  We’re not yet convinced that the developer has thought through how this can be as considerate a construction process as is possible.

·       Site traffic management and site deliveries:  In our view it completely inappropriate and insensitive to ask for an extension in normal working hours for site deliveries.  Some 30+ children live in Brokesley Street and the proposals means intrusive levels of noise when parents should be able to reasonably expect that they can get their children to bed and to sleep. There is no option appraisal presented the planning application with respect to alternatives and it’s clear other alternatives have either not been examined or need to be revisited.

·       Overshadowing and impact on natural light and sunlight levels

o   There are very serious inaccuracies and omissions in the data used in the report with respect to the lighting assessment. It excludes both residential units and back gardens which will be seriously affected by the development.

o   Adding height and building up to the boundary wall has considerable implications for light. Overshadowing has an impact on the wellbeing of families and their ability to provide fresh vegetables for their families

o   The development also appears to place more priority on retaining a low level building of extremely limited heritage value over the needs and wellbeing of existing local residents. 

·       Opening up the site – and use of gates: we need to recognise that this development proposes a change of use from long-term incarceration to habitation.  It’s imperative that this site is also opened up to promote integration with the rest of the local area. The use of gates in this context is inappropriate and we would like to see the gates only retained as heritage features rather than as ways to create a boundary around the site.  We’d also like to see more reduction in the height of the boundary wall next to the British Street estate and Hamlets Way.

·       Design and usage of the buildings at the front (John Denham Building and Bungalow): We think this aspect needs to be looked at again so that it better supports the objectives of the core strategy for this area.

·       Adequacy of local school provision:  We’re concerned that the development may aggravate the existing deficit in provision of local primary school places for local children who are currently being schooled all over the borough.  We can find nothing in the application that identifies the impact on demand for local schools and we can see nothing from Education that identifies scope to meet demand.  The failure to make a connection between creating homes for families and checking to see whether local infrastructure can meet the demand it creates is irresponsible.

 

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Mile End Station is a Hot Spot

During the Olympic Games, local residents need to be aware that Mile End Station will be exceptionally busy and is an OFFICIAL HOT SPOT.

2012 Games hotspot
Mile End Underground StationThis station is likely to be exceptionally busy between 7-9:30am and 4-10:30pm, including weekends.

This is what Transport for London (TfL) says

• up to one million extra visitors are expected every day during the Games and there will be travel hotspots across London.
• More of London will be affected than you think. The situation will change daily and often throughout the day. To avoid delay and disruption to your journey, you will need to plan ahead.

To plan your Games time journey 

and to see which stations will be busier, 

please visit tfl.gov.uk/2012planner

London 2012 has provided the Get Ahead of the Games website.  

• This map shows you how public transport in London will be affected
• This map shows you how roads will be affected and where roads will be changed

TIPS for managing your travel

• Start out earlier and allow extra time for your journey - you may find you're queuing to get into Mile End Station between
• 7am - 9.30am
• 4pm - 10.30pm
• use the TfL 2012 Travel Planner to plan your journey via public transport
• Use the Get Ahead of the Games Travel Planner website to plan journeys by car across and around  London and home counties within the context of Olympic events
• We've added links to both these sites to the right hand column
• Here are some of the suggested ways to make your journey easier

Management of crowds leaving the Live Site in Victoria Park

Mile End will have lots of extra visitors due to the BT London Live Site in Victoria Park.  Many of these will be leaving the site late at night.

MERA made strong representations at the Licensing Committee about this matter and will be keeping a very close eye on how crowds are managed and whether this is to a standard which keeps people safe from harm and residents sleep undisturbed.

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies will cause particular problems for people trying to catch a tube late at night.  

• Some 20,000 people will be leaving the park late at night and many of them will come to Mile End Station and bus stops in the area.  
• Those tubes going west will already be full of people leaving the Olympic Park.  

Management of Crowds at Mile End Station

Committee members have already noted that the Station is already becoming swamped by large groups of people visiting the area.  They are

• blocking the entrance to the station and pavement along Mile End Road
• causing an obstruction by waiting around in the ticket hall

We will be asking TfL what plans they have to ensure that:

• the entrance to the station and the ticket area remain accessible and managed to a standard which 
• ensures health and safety for all those using the station
• maintain a satisfactory standard as an emergency exit from the station
• the pavements remain accessible and do not necessitate people walking into Mile End Road

At present nothing is being done to manage the additional traffic and large groups but the management of flows both into and within the station will need to be radically improved as the numbers using the station increase if both local residents and visitors are to be kept safe from harm.

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3rd Annual General Meeting of Mile End Residents Association

The 3rd Annual General Meeting of the 
Mile End Residents Association
 will be held on 
Thursday 8th March 2012
6.45pm for registration - and 7pm actual start 
at
East London Tabernacle Burdett Road E3

MAKE A NOTE IN YOUR DIARY of this annual meeting all residents living within the MERA area ie south of Mile End Road, East of Burdett Road, north of Bow Common Lane and west of the British Street Estate.

The Meeting is an opportunity for us all to look back at what has happened in the last year, to identify and listen to your concerns and to prepare for next year.

The agenda covers

• Minutes of the last Meeting: Here are the minutes of last year’s AGM - held at the Broke/Boheme night club 17 February 2011
• Reports from MERA officers on what has MERA worked on and achieved.  This includes updates about what has happened in the area in the last 12 months.
• Reports from MERA Area Reps
• Residents Concerns - your chance to say what's bugging you!  (see what aspects MERA covers at the end)
• Elections of MERA Officers: Nomination form for officers, reps and committee members is here. 
  • For officer posts there’s a deadline: Friday 2 March. 
  • For other posts just print, fill in and bring along to the meeting.
• Keynote speakers (more details below)
• Metropolitan Police & the Mile End East Safer Neighbourhoods Team
• Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations

Leaflets about the AGM will go out to all households next week so keep an eye out for a small yellow leaflet. Remind your neighbours. We're emailing everybody on our mailing list. If you, or neighbours, would like to be reminded by text let us know your mobile number by calling

Metropolitan Police & the Safe Neighbourhood Team

Sgt Mick Redmond from the local Safer Mile End East Safer Neighbourhoods Team will be talking to the AGM about anti-social behaviour in the area, what can they and we do about it.

http://content.met.police.uk/Team/TowerHamlets/MileEndEast

Main phone number: 020 8721 2848
Contact SNT by Email

Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations

The Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants and Residents Association has been around for about 3 years.  During that time it's become a very active residents organisation.  Representatives of various Tenant and Residents Associations within the Borough, as well as interested individuals, meet monthly.

Check them out the THFED website and blog if you want to see what they do prior to the AGM.

• a website http://th-federation.org.uk/
• a blog http://thtf.wordpress.com/

Some of their current activities include:

• developing a Residents Charter and presenting it to all Councillors for endorsement. See details here and pictures of the councillors who have already signed.
• Organising a workshop which will be held at the Tabernacle on Neighbourhood Planning / The Localism Bill next Saturday 25 February 10.30am. Details here and how to book 

Proposals for the development of Mile End
see MERA website - Managing Development DPD – consultation

What MERA covers

MERA's activities include:

• emphasising quality of life issues relating to Mile End Residents

• scrutiny of all regeneration and development in Mile End and affecting Mile End - in particular matters relating to planning and licensing

• scrutiny of anything/everything which affects the look and wellbeing and safety of the place we live in: social housing performance, waste management, local green/open spaces, health and safety issues associated with street and traffic management and crime reduction issues and initiatives associated with safe neighbourhoods.

• campaigning on all matters which have an adverse impact on the safety and residential amenity of our neighbourhood in Mile End.

• promoting the positive aspects of and activities within Mile End eg community events for people living in our area.

You can keep updated about MERA activities on 
the MERA website 

and/or the Mile End Residents News blog

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The Proposed "Eric and Treby Residents Association"

If you live on the Eric, Treby and Brokesley Estate you may have seen this handout (right click to open in a new tab and see a larger image)

Why not come along to a meeting of the residents association?

MERA wishes to make it clear that this is nothing to do with the Mile End Residents Association which up until now has been the ONLY active and effective residents association covering the Eric and Treby Estate - and continues to be the only residents association in the Mile End area which uses proper processes.

Next week, the "Eric and Treby Residents Association" is to hold its first meeting.

MERA has always anticipated that some blocks, streets or estates within the MERA area might want to set up their own residents associations and we have absolutely no problem with that whatsoever. People can of course belong to two associations if they choose.

We initially thought the intention of this new association was to do the same sort of things as MERA had to do when our residents association was set up over two years ago.

In fact, the MERA Chair has been helping out by advising on the proper processes required to set up a new Residents Association. Although it might seem longwinded, it is ESSENTIAL for any residents association trying to be openly democratic, representative and accountable to the people it aims to serve to:

• give people adequate notice of meetings (normally about two weeks)
• ask for nominations for officers

However it rather looks as if the Eric andTreby RA wants to get started fast and

• has called the first meeting with less than a week's notice
• elected its officers BEFORE announcing its existence to residents of the Estate and calling for nominations

Having said that we wish the new association well in making progress towards becoming a proper and representative organisation, We know only too well that starting an effective new residents association takes a lot of hard work and lots of time and effort on the part of those involved.

Setting up the new association

Meeting: This meeting will be held on Wednesday 28 September 2011 at 5 Wager Street, off Bow Common Lane starting at 6pm.

Notification of residents: We understand that all EastendHomes residents will be notified by a leaflet drop which started to arrive on Saturday.

Status and Independence of the RA in relation to EastendHomes (EEH): One question that people have been asking us is how independent this new residents association will be given the nature of the relationship between EEH and the new RA.

• Will the new RA be dependent on EEH for financial help and other support?
• Will it be wholly independent of EEH or will it become part of their formal framework for engagement with tenants?
• Will it stand up for the rights of all local residents - including challenging the actions of EEH as and when required?

Note in particular that EastendHomes have provided the group with a suggested draft constitution.

• CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CONSTITUTION RECOMMENDED BY EASTENDHOMES.
• You might like to compare it to the Constitution of Local Boards see the EastendHomes website
• Ask yourselves also where does this leave the Mile End Estate Management Board.
• Do all revisions to the Constitution need to be agreed with EEH? (see wording "in negotiation with EastendHomes (the landlord)")
• Note that
• EEH has been trying to rationalise its liaison and dialogue with other EastendHomes Estates' Residents associations in order to reduce the level of officer time spent at their meetings.
• EEH now wants one framework and everybody working to the same rules - and also recognises that it needs to address the problems experienced in relation to the Eric and Treby Estate - as highlighted by MERA!

• We suggest you have a good read and bring your feedback to the meeting.

Please also note that the proposed constitution is very DIFFERENT to the constitution of the Mile End Residents Association which was

• written after we researched best practice employed elsewhere
• was made available on the MERA website for two weeks prior to the first AGM
• was (and is) made available on request to anybody who wanted a paper copy
• approved by local residents after formal consultation.

The role of the Mile End Residents Association

For the record, and in case of any doubt, the Mile End Residents Association (MERA) is wholly independent of East End Homes. We were created because of actions relating to the redevelopment of the Estate by EEH but we do not exist solely because of EEH.

• MERA will remain independent for the foreseeable future - which means, if necessary, we are able to voice your concerns and challenge what EEH does or proposes to do as our funding and existence are in no way dependent on EEH
• MERA will represent the interests of ALL the people living in the MERA area to the best of our ability - including ALL the people who live on the Eric, Treby and Brokesley Estate. Our members will continue to be our members.
• MERA will always focus on ALL matters affecting the quality of life of people living in the MERA area. We do NOT limit our activities or interests to those of a social housing landlord. So if you are concerned about housing matters (irrespective of who your landlord is), the rubbish, anti-social behaviour, green space in the area, the education of your kids and any other local services then MERA is always interested to hear from you. We will endeavour to help you or provide you with the information as to the individual or organisation best able to help you. Our experience in the past has been that this is NOT the organisation set up as the nominal representative of tenants of the Estate ie the Mile End Estate Management Board.
• MERA will raise concerns about matters relating to Eastendhomes and their contractors which are seen or thought to have a negative repercussions for any local residents in the way we see fit - and not the way EEH would like us to - eg through the Mile End Estate Management Board which has failed to act in a credible manner to address issues which needed prompt action. If, after trying to get action at a local level, we get no satisfaction and MERA wants to raise matters direct with Council Officers, Councillors, MPs, local newspapers etc then that is what we will continue to do. One of the reasons being that it's very fast and very effective - and that means we make things happen!

The successes we have had - as documented on our website and this blog - speak for themselves.

Just a reminder of what it says at the top of the right hand column of this blog.

MERA's activities include:

• emphasising quality of life issues relating to Mile End Residents
• scrutiny of all regeneration and development in Mile End and affecting Mile End - in particular matters relating to planning and licensing
• scrutiny of anything/everything which affects the look and wellbeing and safety of the place we live in: social housing performance, waste management, local green / open spaces, health and safety issues associated with street and traffic management and crime reduction issues and initiatives associated with safe neighbourhoods.
• campaigning on all matters which have an adverse impact on the safety and residential amenity of our neighbourhood in Mile End.
• promoting the positive aspects of and activities within Mile End eg community events for people living in our area.

KEEP UPDATED: Subscribe to MERA - Mile End Residents Association Blog by Email

St Clements site: Housing and Community Land Trusts

This post is about a local Public Meeting on 11th May 2011 at Bow Methodist Church to discuss one way forward for the development of the St Clements Hospital Site

Context

Within the MERA area there are two major sites which are ear-marked for the development of housing - including social housing.

• the St Clements Hospital site - which is in a conservation area and includes Grade II Listed buildings.  This is the St Clements Hospital Planning Brief - written in 2005.
• the Southern Grove site - which is likely to also accomodate a relocated Beatrice Tate School

Housing Development

Housing will be built on these two sites and this will include social housing.  This is not in any doubt.  This will help to reduce the numbers of people on the waiting list and overcrowding for families.

In planning terms there has been no formal Council consultation whatsoever to date - in respect of either site - with the residents living locally and/or the Mile End Residents Association.

Tower Hamlets Council - as the relevant planning authority - will decide what will be permitted development on the site - AFTER the requirement for formal consultation with local residents.

The Homes and Communities Agency will decide who gets to develop the St Clements Site.

The major questions which still need to be answered - in respect of both sites - are:

1. How many homes in total will be allowed on each site?
2. How many private dwellings and how many social housing dwellings will be allowed?
3. What type of social housing will be constructed and will this be suitable for families?
4. Will the proposed social housing be affordable for local people (bearing in mind the changes to the housing benefit system)?
5. What other facilities and activities will be permitted on the site?
6. Which organisation will develop the site?
• the Long List:  organisations bidding to develop the sites
• the Short List: organisations identified to have the ability, skills and funding to deliver a cost-effective result  
• the contract winner: the organisation with the best design and the most cost-effective proposal.

The St Clements site

Two organisations - The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO) and the East London Community Land Trust (East London CLT) are proposing that the approach used for the St Clements Hospital site should involve a Community Land Trust.

A Public Meeting is being held on Wednesday 11th May 2011, 7 – 8:30pm at Bow Road Methodist Church, 1 Merchant Street, Bow, London E3 4LY (Corner of Bow Road and Merchant Street).

The aim of the meeting is to explain what a Community Land Trust is.

• What do they do?  
• How do they work?  
• How can they make family-sized housing permanently affordable?

The speaker will be John Davis.  This is what the letter we have received says about his background and experience in developing Community Land Trusts.

Back in 1984, John helped the City of Burlington in Vermont establish the world’s most successful CLT to date.  Created to promote affordable, safe housing for families and individuals with low to moderate incomes,  today it provides the state with over $220million of permanently affordable, owner-occupied homes.


John will give a 45 minute talk, entitled ‘What is a Community Land Trust?’: starting from its most basic principles, charting its rise as a tool used by the Civil Rights Movement, and through to its modern day incarnation in over 200 cities across the US.  He will then be open to questions and comments from the floor.

MERA will be attending and if you live locally you can also attend.  Please RSVP to David Smith, Project Director – East London CLT

You can read more about what TELCO has done for people living in East London here

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Broke / Boheme Nightclub Licence REVOKED!

The Tower Hamlets Licensing Sub-Committee has agreed to REVOKE the Premises Licence for the nightclub at 562a Mile End Road where Kelvin Easton was murdered on 27th March (aka Boheme London; aka Broke London)

The Hearing heard overwhelming evidence cataloguing breaches of the premises licence, lies and incompetence.  Both the Police and the Committee concluded that Benn Wilson cannot be trusted to hold a licence.  The Committee revoked the licence on the grounds of concerns relating to the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and prevention of anti-social behaviour and public nuisance

Yet another apology from Benn Wilson?

The Review Hearing was held yesterday evening.  Benn Wilson the Licensee attended and was accompanied by Ray Jezard, the Head of Security.

The Police Evidence

PC Cruickshank gave evidence for the Metropolitan Police and provided a catalogue of ways in which the licence had been breached.  We've tried below to relate the points made to the relevant licensing objectives

Prevention of crime and disorder / Public safety

1. It was confirmed that the post mortem established that Kelvin Easton had been stabbed in the chest by a knife - three times (ie he was NOT stabbed by a broken champagne bottle as alleged by club management)
2. A security policy was in place however the way it was operated and breached meant that it failed to detect the knife which was brought into the club.
3. There was no CCTV in the club however the CCTV had NOT been stolen.  Benn Wilson had lied to the Licensing Officer, the Investigating Officer and the First Hearing of the Licensing Sub-Committee about the so-called theft of the CCTV by a member of the public.  The absence of a working CCTV system in the club at the time of the murder is due to the fact that the hard drive and monitor had both been removed in mid-March due to a non-payment of a debt (see yesterday's post on this blog for more details - Murder Club should NOT have been open!)
4. Dante Williams, the Manager of the Club, concocted a story to explain the missing CCTV on the instructions of Benn Wilson
5. Officers have stated that they are confident that if the CCTV system had been in place, the whole incident leading up to the stabbing would have been captured on camera
6. Several customers alleged they entered the building without having their ID checked and scanned. (When questioned Mr Wilson subsequently alleged that all customers were checked and that ALL the witnesses were lying)
7. A CCTV video (from a street camera) had been shown to the members of the Committee "in camera" prior to the start of the meeting.  This showed various timed episodes which clearly indicated that the Licence was breached on a number of counts including 
• people entering by the side entrance rather than through the "security controlled" entrance at the front 
• people entering the club after it should have been shut
• mysterious packages being passed into the club
8. The event in question was an outside promotion which is something which the Police had been assured would not take place
9. A risk assessment had been completed by "Jay" who had forwarded it to Dante Williams on the understanding that he would forward it to the Police.  However the Vice Squad had not received any risk assessment and were not aware of the event in question

Prevention of public nuisance / anti-social behaviour

1. The licensing hours were breached.  The phone call to the Police occurred at 04.32am - which is well over an hour after the club should have been closed.  At 2am the clocks moved forward to 3am and the club should have then closed.  The club's assumption that they didn't lose an hour from their licensing due to the clocks going forward was an error.  They had not checked the situation with Licensing.
2. It was noted that advertisements for the event indicated that it finished at 5am which was well outside the approved licensing period (ie shut by 3.30am) and misled people as to what they were paying for

In conclusion, it was stated that the licence had 30 conditions and a number of them had been breached.  It was pointed out that it was impossible for either the police or licensing officers to be continuously monitoring all licensed premises all the time which is why licensing is essentially a "matter of trust".  The licensee must be a person both the Licensing Authority and the Police can trust.

In mid February, at a regular Police/Council Meeting with the Club it became apparent that Dante Williams, the Manager of the Club, was unaware of what the licensing conditions of the club were.  He was given a copy and asked to study them and discuss them with Benn Wilson before the next meeting.

So far as the Police were concerned many vital licensing conditions had been breached.  The most important ones were that

• there was no CCTV working
• the risk assessment had not been completed and made available to the Police as required
• the licensing hours had been breached
• the security was very slack on the night in question and the security systems in place did not detect the knife which was brought into the club

All of these enabled the murder to take place.  Some are now thwarting the investigation by Police.  Police considered that it was not possible to say the murder would not have happened if some of them had been in place.  However it was pointed out that if the Club had been closed at the correct time Kelvin Easton would not have been murdered.

The murder would not have happened if the event had closed at the appropriate time.

In addition the licensee and manager concocted the story about the stolen CCTV and repeated it to the police, the press and the public

The overall conclusion was that Mr Wilson could not be trusted.

The Police also noted that they had never been called to pick up any knives, guns or drugs for disposal. The Licensee and Head of Security subsequently confirmed that they had never ever confiscated any knives, guns or drugs since the Licence had been approved.

The residents' perspective

Brief representations were made by Ward Councillors and Residents Associations which largely focused on the Public Nuisance aspect of the club's activities and the behaviour of its customers in local streets - details can be found in the written representations made to the Hearing.

Those speaking on behalf of residents were:  Cllr Joshua Peck (Bow West), Cllr Rachael Saunders (Mile End East), Mark Taylor (Chair of MERA) and Stuart McCran (Chair of Eaton Terrace Residents Association).

Mark Taylor, Chair of Mile End Residents Association (MERA), said

It’s very clear to us that the club should have been SHUT on the night Kelvin Easton was killed.  If the licensee and manager had acted responsibly in the interests of public safety then the murder of a young man would not have happened. 

and

Benn refers (in his revised statement) to the relationship we had with him which was at times a positive relationship but now in hindsight I see we were fed a lot of words – a lot of lip service - a lot of window dressing and I am personally feeling as if I've been strung along. We can now see what has been really going on - a lack of competence to run a nightclub - a lack of compliance with the licence requirements - a licensee and a manager who both totally lack credibility as people to run licensed premises.

Stuart McCran, Chair of ETRA, referenced the practical operation of the "Broke" business model and its impact on the local community

They have broken their promises about car parking to the local community and the night wardens have all but disappeared. They've broken the business model they promised the magistrates....  It's now gone back to the old days of the Club E3 which had a violent and dangerous history and we certainly don't want that.

The Licensee

Benn Wilson was then given the opportunity to respond.  He spoke to his revised statement which said

I sincerely regret making this incorrect statement (about the theft of the CCTV) due to panic but I gratefully ask to please consider the extreme pressure and circumstances that led me to waste your time before you negatively judge me.  Although I do not believe my actions would have changed the tragic outcome of the evening, I am aware I have contradicted one of the conditions on the licence albeit the circumstances that led to this were not through irresponsible choice  but by financial default

The general conclusion of those listening to him was that Wilson simply didn't "get it" and was in complete denial over the fact that he could have prevented the death.  He was full of glib words about things he would do in the future - but we had heard that all before!  Residents found it particularly galling to listen to Wilson treating the fact he lied to the Police, Councillors, Press and the public as simply a matter of wasting police time.  There was no recognition whatsoever that he passed up on two huge opportunities to prevent the death of a young man - by not opening the club because he couldn't comply with the Licence and by sticking to the licensing hours and shutting the club on time.

His designated Head of Security (Saber Security) also added some comments - having given notice to his client that he wouldn't like some of them.  One comment was that he had some considerable sympathy with the residents comments!  Another was

If you ain't got the money to do it, then don't do it.  Bail out

We assume he was referencing Wilson's apparent inability to finance the club, pay his bills on time and run a properly conducted operation.

The Committee's questions

Members of the Committee - Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Councillor Zara Davis and Councillor David Snowdon (Chair) asked various intelligent questions about specific aspects raised by the Police and those representing residents before retiring to consider their decision.

It was very clear to us that the Committee gave some considerable weight to the perspective represented by the many written representations submitted by local residents and the large number (25+) of local residents who had turned up for the Hearing.  Interestingly Wilson's view was expressed at one point as "if the residents are truthful...." it would be seen that the real state of affairs was according to what he said, not what residents said in letters or verbal presentations!

The decision - Licence REVOKED!

The Chair summed up the Committee's decision at the end by saying

The Committee has listened carefully to both sides.
On balance we find that:
- the Club is in breach of licensing conditions 9, 10 and 13
- the security protocol was not operating properly
- Mr Wilson has admitted that he was in breach of licence conditions 5 and 11
A young man had been fatally stabbed at the club by a knife brought into the club which was not detected......

The Committee is unable to accept that Mr Wilson will honour his obligations as a Licencee.

The Licence is revoked on the grounds of concerns relating to the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and prevention of anti-social behaviour and public nuisance

Now we wait to see if Wilson appeals this decision!

The Mile End Residents Association will be sending a copy of this blog post and the Committee's decision to District Judge Jacqueline Comyns who granted Ben Wilson the Premises Licence at the Magistrates Court where he appealed the Licensing Authority's original decision to refuse the licence on 27th August 2009.

NOTE:  The detailed Licence conditions breached and referenced in the Committee's decision are as follows

5. CCTV Conditions:
(a) A digital CCTV system shall be installed to cover all areas where dancing will take place.  All cameras shall continue to record whilst the premises are open to the public and the video recordings shall be kept for a minimum of five weeks with time and date stamping
(b) tape recordings shall be made available to an authorised officer or police officer, together with facilities for viewing;
(c) the recordings for the preceding two days shall be made available immediately upon request.  Recordings outside this period shall be made available on 24 hours notice
9.  Search wands, search arch and club scan will be in place at all times at the premises
10. All persons to be searched upon entry to the premises
11. There shall be a last entry time at the premises of 02.00 hours Thursday to Saturday inclusive
13.  There shall be an electronic search arch installed and an elctric serach wand used to search every customer entering the premises.  Installation of either device shall be to the satisfaction of the police and the Licensing Authority

Links:

MERA News Blog:

• Police Appeal for witnesses to murder in Mile End
• Review of Night Club Licence - what happens next
• Large blade used in murder at Mile End
• Police Appeal for Information continues
• Murder Club should NOT have been open!
• Previous posts about the nightclub 

MERA website:

• Man Murdered in Mile End Sunday Morning – Boheme license suspended
• Murder at Mile End: Have your say
• Police appeal for information
• Catalogue of lies and incompetence from Boheme
• Previous posts related to Broke Club

Anti-social and rowdy behaviour

which wakes local residents 
will NOT be tolerated in Mile End

Click the link here to send any information and comments
info@mile-end-residents.co.uk

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