Election Day 22nd May 2014 and Thornton's Budgens re-launch

Relaunch of Thorntons Budgens

Belsize 

A big thank you to Andrew Thornton for inviting me to the store relaunch event which I was pleased to step out of my busy election schedule to become the first Independent Councillor in Belsize today.

I wish Andrew together with his iconic Budgens store continued success.

My community achievements here in Belsize since 2006

I am very proud to have been quietly serving you here in Belsize as your Prospective councillor and candidate since 2006, yes thats an amazing 12 years! I can hardly believe it myself.

As a Belsize resident I become actively involved in my local landlord meetings. I attended my first meeting back in 2006 where I was horrified at how the council and contractors actually allowed a virtual fight to take place amongst the residents to lose valuable consultation rights!

I quickly changed all that as I was within months elected the leaseholder representative for the Chalcots estate. A position that I still hold today 12 years later as a co-opted member of Burnham TRA as position that I have help for 8 years. Since the problems of the evacuations. I was voted in by more than 55 residents in the largest vote that a block has ever had. Such is the strength of support for me and my colleagues.

Together with my other representatives we have saved countless shoddy unsafe GAS pipe installations and expensive GAS meters installations that would have cost everyone £700 each. I got that cost waved. I also obtained more value from the developers for each resident that has been greatly appreciated by all and I still receive thanks from people who remember my input which took months of free volunteer time.

I was elected by Camden councillors in 2010 to be a co-opted member of the Camden Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee and re-elected in 2011 again where I specialised in leaseholder matters on the special Leaseholder Scrutiny panel. Again all volunteer positions. I was also School Governor from 2009 to 2013 at the Outstanding rated Primrose Hill School, where I become elected to be on the recruitment panel to select a new head when the situation arose. A task that I was very honoured to do which again I gave up all my free time to discharge my duties.

Yes I take civic duty very seriously, what I say I will do I do and more. I have a track record since 2006 of doing precisely this. Some weeks I have clocked up around 20 hours of voluntary time to our community. It amazes me that in the party political machine some candidates can sweep to election as a local councillor without either living in the ward nor actually doing anything apart from canvassing and simply being with the right party at the right time! Very often it is the true warriors who give the most who simply do not get elected. This is unfortunate and with this in mind I believe that standing as an Independent allows more scope to be equally accessible to all residents without party associations standing in the way.

I have been asked by many of you if I am or was already a councillor well it seems like it to me and I am sure that if you elect me tomorrow to be the first INDEPENDENT councillor here in Belsize it will feel more of a natural development from the positions I currently hold to be an actually elected councillor.

I am sure that together with the other two councillors that you elect that we will form a very effective team. Having me as an Independent will provide a useful balance and check on any party politics that councillors from the political groups will face due to their requirements to often toe the party lines and support their National party policies, which as the Mayor Boris Johnson has demonstrated is not always in the best interest of either Camden and especially Belsize with closure to the Hampstead Police Station, the Belsize Fire Station, loss of 4 community police from a team of 6 and worst of all that remaining small team of 2 being co-joined with Haverstock Hill where they often spend a lot of their time due to policing needs there. Which leaves Belsize more exposed to becoming a future trouble spot if not carefully patrolled as before by the local police with local knowledge.

One thing is clear that I have really enjoyed meeting as many of you as was humanly possible these past six weeks. I have covered virtually the whole of Belsize, walked thousands of steps and walked hundreds of collective miles, completely warn out a new pair of trainers and was invited into many of your homes for a rest and a cup of tea more than at any other time that I have stood as a candidate.

So a special thank you to all that offered such warm hospitality and support. Win or lose I will remember that support for a very long time. Actually it is not just about wining because finding making associations, friends and discovering new thoughts and ideas is just as vital.

I am planning to do a another new film production probably a documentary on the Chalcots here in Belsize later in the year so I expect that I will being seeing many of you whilst out filming.

"Doppeldecker" im Belsize! postscript for 2018

Image copyright (c) with http://www.londonbasement.co.uk

"Double Decker" down is the new trendy word in Belsize, Frognal and Fitzjohns and Hampstead wards. Dubbed the "what do you do with a spare few million earning next to no interest in banks", answer build a double decker basement excavation (BE) under your property.

Gym, sauna, spare offices, swimming pool and cinema to name just a few uses.

So thats the sales pitch tag-line! Now the environmental impact reality of such schemes here in the Belsize area.

Since campaigning Belsize from 2009 through to the present time I have observed the growing trend for increasingly more ambitious basement excavation projects in Belsize. We have reached the stage with the advancing technologies from companies like for example the London Basement Company, one of the leading specialist firms doing state-of the-art designs.

However, this is where the romance of the concept can and does literally tear apart local community creating feelings of complete "utter" despair amongst Belsize resident home owners.

Four weeks ago I spoke with most of the affected residents in the Lawn Road area over two current BE projects and now with a third one pending opposite the recently saved Belsize Library and in front of the Children's Park, where my daughter used to play often. The mood on the ground is one of gritting determination by a consortium of residents coming together to take on the council planning department over its seemingly reekless decisions to approve it would appear nearly all BE proposals regardless of community consultations.

Back in 2014 whilst campaigning after attending and speaking at the excellent Belsize Residents Association (BRA) Hustings for candidates there in the BRA areas, including Belsize. This was a very hot topic again with seemingly precious little currently that existing councillors are able to do.

I disagree that this is a lost cause. I know that it seems difficult to take-on the developers directly once the council planning permission are given. But I have been doing some research on this matter over the years and believe that some legal remits may exist to bring about Action with a capital "A" result. 

I have found three more pending BE project applications yesterday afternoon just by canvassing three streets. The anger is raw and comes out loud and clear from affected property owners. Within there own situation they have at a stroke been placed in a pending virtual HS2 doom and gloom prospect next to their homes.

They spoke to me at length about the immediate worries of years of BE works which may use the new Doppeldecker construction. which goes deeper, takes a lot longer  and has more potential for neighbouring foundation instability issues, which in may manifest years after original build.

I have written to Camden council planning officers on this very subject and although I am unable for legal reasons to state either the properties or officers in question, I am able to outline a generic analysis of my findings thus far.

Planning permission is the start of the process but on approval this is only the basis on which to pursue any knock-on problems of the development proccess. Most people that I have spoken with have cited many examples of environmental problems. 

Noise, Dust, Pollution, Health and Safety on site, refuge such as concrete sludge spill-off causing blocked drains to name just a few notable examples.

These are the build problems, which depending on complexity may extend several years.

Then there are the recorded instances, especially in Hampstead area of soil drainage and water table modifiers caused by very deep concrete structures causing basement neighbouring water ingress and destabilistaion to local properties. Many of these worst affects can be prevented by excellent design practices from the very best practitioners in the industry. But sadly this is probably the exception rather than the rule.

What I propose is simple clear and straightforward. As your elected councillor I would advocate for changes to initial planning permission process that would build in more rigorous local community consultation which allows community to give legally frame worked challenges and increase scope window to allow these challenges to take place.

In the words of a property owner I had a very long talk with yesterday. The planning permission consultation appears to disregard the feelings of the local community and once the permission is granted (which it now appears always is) there is precious little that can be done apart from enduring for years the related blight or packing up home and move to the countryside.

I think you will all join in with me and agree that we would like to keep our Belsize friends and neighbours actually here in Belsize!

Please show your support for my pragmatic approach to these problems by helping me become the first elected Independent councillor where I will then have the mandate to advocate on your behalf.

What Belsize needs is a tough minded independent and not pithy moderated civil servant approach as appears to generally be the norm due to need to toe-party political lines of most party elected councillors.

Postscript in 2018 Nothing has changed but with the increasing wishes of landowners wanting to expand their properties downwards multiple floors this trend is a curse for most residents.

No Vote means you will not be told of HS2 plans in Belsize

No VOTE No SAY!

I am shocked and appalled to have canvassed many local Belsize residents, especially if they are not on the voting register, simply appear to have been ignored by Camden and all the political parties in relation to HS2 consultation.  To further evidence my concerns I have only on Tuesday 16th May discovered that the recently announced HS2 Belsize Workshop with Camden Officers of 19th May 2pm to 8pm at Swiss Cottage Library was actually as reported to me by a Camden officer at the request of a Belsize councillor which smacks of political opportunism just 2 days before the local elections and only three days to the deadline for petition submission on the 23rd May. 

What is so scary that many of our local residents still do not know of the highly disruptive tunnelling and air ventilator shaft plans that will unless the HS2 route changes will go ahead through Belsize in 2019 with massive “utility” preparation works from 2016 – 2018 in Fellows Road, Eton Avenue and other surrounding streets, it is not yet known the full extent of the collateral disruption to our iconic leafy area. I call this the community party political disconnect. No Vote No Consult. How often have local politicians seen every day asking at the doors to find out if the electorate lives at an address, when told they don't have voting rights for what ever reason, the politician hastily makes a retreat. Is this a "true" sign of democracy. NO. When I have canvassed a non voter, I still capture their local concerns and inform, especially on matters such as HS2, which most certainly effects them on Eton Avenue. This is the BIG advantage of being Independent.

The disruptions to Eton Avenue will adversely affect the local school run to the large number of private schools there. Also Fellows Road together with parts of Adelaide Road will see the bulk of the disruptive preparation GAS and water mains replacement works ahead of the tunnelling operations currently scheduled to start anytime around 2019. The disruption to Belsize could last a decade,

Those that have been notified by local political party communications have been told that HS1-HS2 Link through Camden (Camden Town) has been cancelled, which it has, But many have been therefore by use of clever wording been falsely given wrong impression that Belsize HS2 route has been changed or cancelled, which it has not.

I am also surprised by the large number of people asking me about the phoney Tory referendum and the official HS2 petition. It is clear to many that the former is nothing more than a shrewd ruse to gather email, phone number, voter intentions intel-op, as for the later which is being promoted by Camden council is a “real” petition direct to Government Select committee, which must be delivered to Portcullis House together with a payment of £20. Many of the economically challenged families most likely to be hit along the council estates route from Euston all the way past Kilburn simply do not have spare money or access to legal advice on making the highly legalised worded formatted petitions. This is a very divisive and undemocratic process.

Groundhog Day Talks on HS2 revisited!

Copyright of (c) 2012 Ham & High, Cartoonist Ken Pyne

This cartoon about the stupidity of so-called HS2 Consultation was created by cartoonist Ken Pyne of Ham & High back in 2012 to accompany a letter that of mine that the paper had published about the craziness of HS2 and the "Deja Vu" effect that I later coined the phrase "Groundhog Day Talks"

This is the letter I wrote back in 2012 at yet again another HS2 Community forum. Not much progress has been made from 2010 to 2012 and little if any progress has been made to the present Day with now the consultation over and "only" the petition which is a very specific legal instrument that must be formatted and written in a very precise way, delivered to Portcullis House, House of Parliament by 23rd May 2014 and a submission fee of £20 to boot!

Just in case you are wondering "Deep Piles" is a technical expression and not actually a medical condition from sitting in so many consultation meetings, but one could easily think both was true!

--------------------------------
As I reported several weeks ago after attending a HS2 Primrose Hill to Kilburn route consultation HS2 Community Forum on 28th March 2012 at Swiss Cottage Library. I made several points.

Which the HS2 meeting chair / facilitator agreed with me;

1. Consultation is not making progress and learning in what has previously been gained from previous consultations.

2. The route has endless "wriggle room" possibilities with no real drive to create an effective and minimal impacting route.

3. Engineering uncertainties skewing route on risks based on "Deep Piles" and "Boggy Pockets" along the route, creating much uncertainty for the residents Gloucester Avenue and King Henrys Road, Primrose Hill.

A few days ago circulated to all meeting participants, I received a draft "Primrose Hill to Kilburn Notes" by email.

Where I was compelled to make this reply:

-----
"Dear HS2 Community Forum Chair HS2 Ltd.

If this is an example of a quality document (I am taking draft edition into consideration when I say this) capturing the views and opinions expressed at this highly activated and mobilised meeting then I am now compelled to revisit all my copious notes from the said meeting.

What has been attempted here is a distillation of thoughts and real concerns into a bubble diagram of key tag words.

'Boggy Pockets', 'Deep Piles' and numerous other concerns are there but statements from representatives on the almost unanimous consensual view that no one felt that this consultation process came anywhere close to being a meaningful actual consultation process is notable by its exclusion.

Please also note you have me listed as representing a Co-Op Housing Association at Camden Council!

I am a co-opted member of Camden Council Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee.

Clearly, it appears that there is a cohesive luck of focus with attention to details on all HS2 Limited consultation processes this far. Which let me remind is essential to the of 'Duty of Care' and Due Diligence of HS2 consultation as stipulated in legal framework of consultative law.

Regards

Nigel Rumble
Co-Opted member of
Camden Council Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee."
-----

I received this statement from the HS2 Community Forum secretariat by email.

"I have amended the notes to cover members’ scepticism around the overall forums process."

So I have achieved a victory of sorts as I have managed to get recorded that there was members scepticism at the HS2 consultation meeting!

I will not pass judgement here of the response but just go back to my opening line "Groundhog Day Talks" you may have seen the movie, imagine every day starting again over and over. That's HS2 Consultation.

I was going to use the Möbius Loop as another metaphor, but settled on "Groundhog Day" due to its more closely fitting the point I was articulating.
--------------------------------

Pithy nature of political truths a retrospective of 2010-14 promises!

Cartoon (c) of http://www.mikhaela.net

It has become a sad reality to us all that politicians whether at national or local level uses a form of English language which at best can be described as "Pithy". It has become very apparent to me reading all the manifestos of the political parties from there barrage of leaflets through our letterboxes here in Belsize Park, that this is happening.

They use words like manifesto, pledge, even daring to utter the word "promise" at out door steps!

What does it all mean, surely we all happy in Belsize "right" well apparently not, they promised us a new pedestrian crossings on a Eton Avenue and Winchester Road in 2010, was it built after the Conservatives were elected, no, they promised us a new community garden at Blashford near the Adelaide Medical Centre was it built well no.

They told us that they will keep council tax down and keep our essential services intact. What did the Conservatives do to Belsize. Close the Hampstead Police Station, not even bothering to secure the property from squatters moving in! They closed "our" beloved Belsize Fire Station, which in the words of Camden Fire Commander places Belsize at the epicenter of highest respinse times in Camden.

All Belsize councillors have written to and sent emails to the 8,500+ voters to explain that Camden is "now" safe from the HS1-HS2 Camden Link. which is true of itself. But for the vast majority of voters that I have spoken to at the door steps there is the mistaken belief that was taken to mean that HS2 would no longer affect Belsize! It will starting 2019.

Naturally, they were very shocked to learn that would sadly not be the case. It must be said that Camden council together with its councillors have been asking residents to sign a petition which must be delivered in person to Portcullis House together with a £20 payment, which I think was an outrage in itself, but in the words of government that is to prevent vexatious claims !

Pithy Politics - The Conservatives and Liberal Democrates back in 2009 through to election 2010 were campaigning "against" HS2. Most of us remember the clear statements back then of that intent that become acceptance !

The party whips have been very busy of late in keeping the party discipline on those key mutated pledges!

Author Nigel Rumble 2014

My "HAPPY in BELSIZE" film for Belsize concept taking seed

A lot of interest is being shared with me whilst campaigning with you since my announcement last week on my idea to do a HAPPY Pharrell Williams film through the streets of Belsize, especially from the students of The Royal Central School of Speeches and Drama based at Eton Avenue here in Belsize.

I have meet a number of students expressing a real interest to do this with me if I can put together the film crew .....

..... Guess what whilst calling on door steps I have meet several local Belsize based film makers so this is now beginning to look as if this project that started as one of my many concept films may grow wings during the summer, hey we need the sun right! 

I am also exploring getting sponsorship for this from film companies so we can get access to a RED epic or BlackMagic with there brand new 4K systems to do this in super crisp cinema quality.

Much to do after the elections, but most important will be the street performers and that's YOU! Calling all the youth from Belsize that have interest in dance, break-dancing and singers. You have seen the multitude of Pharrell Williams Happy music videos, so you know what the look is. 

I am looking to create something hopefully unique for Belsize, something that is a statement of all that is cool in this area of Belsize and especially our treasure of having the world famous "Central" as our neighbours. Perhaps the disused Fire Station and especially that fireman's pole may feature in this film! If I can get filming permission for this Grade II listed building and also the setting tenant still living there.

Just to get all of you thinking here is a great high end example from Berlin that is the sort of take I have in mind, but naturally scaled down for Belsize!

Media links included are copyrighted with original "embedded" website owners

#HAPPY in BELSIZE

Watch my #HAPPYDAY film HAPPY in BELSIZE

#HAPPY in BELSIZE filmed in Belsize Park and surrounding area as part of the International Day of Happiness.

Many thanks for the wonderful music that Pharrell Williams has made available for this #HAPPYDAY event.  It has been the biggest hit ever in its inspirational qualities to all and especially the young that it has inspired to great things.

As part of this I am planning and hope to make a "real" #HAPPY in BELSIZE music / dance film later in the year.  With that in mind I call upon all the local dancers, break dancers and generally fit youth that would like to offer their free time for this venture.  I also call upon all my film making community to again offer their free time to help make this the very best that Belsize community can offer to the world community in the spirit of the Pharrell Williams series genre of countless films from nearly every free country in the world.

Thank You

Nigel Rumble

Postscript: 

It is hoped that the community will be able to enjoy the peaceful and calm atmosphere that continues to draw the multicultural community to wish to live in Belsize Park for years to come and not have this wonderful area "blighted" by a decade of civil engineering madness with HS2 train link.

The Horrors of basement excavations and extension works in Belsize

Whilst out campaigning and talking to many of you yesterday I have picked up a disturbingly high level of case-work all to do with property basement excavations and extensions in and around our wonderful leafy and normally quiet neighbourhood. It appears that not only are planning permissions now due to the changes introduced by Conservatives to local laws having become more relaxed with local consultations to our local areas appearing to be cavalierly dealt with by Camden local planning officers who to be fair are over stretched and overworked due to reductions in there numbers, in relation to affected local neighbouring properties.

What is so sad is that the lives of many of our long standing Belsize citizens now in retirement and naturally wishing to enjoy the tranquility of their Belsize homes are being "bulldozed" into a frenzy of required complaints and potential legal challenges to these property developers that have in recent years moved into Hampstead, Frognal and Fitzjohns and Belsize with apparent alarming ease as a way to earn higher rates of returns on monies that receive virtually nothing from the banks. Most of these repackaged homes are not actually lived in whilst these works can last many months or years.

Some examples of the issues that I have picked up yesterday are:

Concrete sludge being dumped into street drains, causing blockage and local flooding with very expensive repairs being required to be actioned by Camden council services.

Excessive environmental noise and dust pollution to local area. Some residents have reported to me that sound recording meters designed to measure noise have recorded at times in well in excess 100db of sound and this is in a residential area. By way of an example I have researched that close proximity to a jet on take off is around 120db!

One of the biggest complaints however is hours of building works being extended by contractors outside of the consulted permitted times, again with total disregard to local residents who may me home retired or those many residents who seek to work from home locations who find that they are unable to do so for months if not years with out disruption from noise pollution.

I had another particularly sad example last week of two older retired homeowners living in a row of three houses, where the middle house owner (who naturally does not actually live there) wish to develop an over the garden extension between the two very lovely gardens who will not only lose their valued garden views and being able to exchange in dialogue but have a virtual brick wall out house for a view with loss of security by enabling would be criminals to cross over the erected garden house roofs to enter upper level windows.

On this particular example it is hoped that by pending legal mitigation will be prevented from happening!

I would love to share actual examples with you but for legal reasons must refrain from doing so as most are or may enter a legal proceedings.

It is clear that I will have a busy time with Camden council planning officers next week after the holidays.

It is hard to be photographed in leafy Belsize without someone recognising their own house. So in the avoidance of any doubt the background in my photograph bears no relation to this piece.

England's Lane "Time-Lapse Belsize "and HS2 facts.

Time-Lapse Belsize

Many of you may have seen and engaged with me in England's Lane when shooting my film "Time-Lapse Belsize" on March 9th 2014.

1 Day, 1 Junction, 3855 photographs, 1 film and 1 Independent.

A Day at the central hub of Belsize life, which will if HS2 goes ahead could be devastated for up to 10 years, with all Adelaide (main road) traffic being re-routed around this already busy junction.

Please join me on my venture and support me to become the first ever "true" Independent councillor in Belsize, Camden representing the area which is my home for more than 45 years.

The film has started to be widely seen and has earned a lot of hits on my YouTube channel. Which was the whole point to help raise awareness in and out of Belsize of the beauty of Belsize and to set the scene of allowing people to imagine the whole of Adelaide Road traffic being diverted through one of the hearts and souls of Belsize. We may not be able to enjoy a cafe late post 2016 / 17 with 100s of juggernauts driving in the area and diverted traffic past constantly.

It is highly expected that the Sulphur Dioxide SO2 and nitrate pollutants known to be responsible for thousands of premature deaths each year and countless asthma bronchial related diseases from vehicular construction and re-routed traffic will actually force many of these business to have to close there doors and have installed air filter scrubbers to purify the air to meet the "strict" European Health and Safety standard for air quality.

The so-called wise politicians of the Conservative and Liberal Democrats parties  "fail" to fully comprehend either the health risk associated with heavy re-construction in built up London areas namely Camden, or simply don't care. Other "No 2 HS2" campaigners like me are scattered up and down the whole planned route from Euston to Birmingham.

I am all for improvements to essential infrastructure in my country and to build for the future but at what cost? This "white elephant" of a project is in the view of Conservative Boris Johnson Mayor is quoted as saying;

HS2 'will cost over £70billion', says Boris Johnson

The cost of building the high speed HS2 line will cost around double the planed official estimates, according to Mayor Boris Johnson.

I would venture further, in my analysis of any very large government infrastructure project the start estimate always goes up by three to four times. Why? you may well ask, its because the scope of the project uses a linear planning model, it does not have a time line dependent and non dependent modular "Sand Boxed" build concept as is used by large multi nationals like Microsoft, Apple or Google. I should know,  I have worked for multi nationals as a project manager for many years and have actual "real-world" experience at project delivery.

Does CEO of Apple Tim Cook give out a blank cheque no off course not, but it appears the UK government does! Not in name but in practice. Once the HS2 tunnels core boring starts, does it stop no it goes on until finished, it can't stop. Any problems or snags on route will have to be reprogrammed into the project plan - called project creep, also known as "Cost PLUS" Cost PLUS was actually used by the UK government in project procurement, especially the Ministry of Defence projects back in the 70 and 80s. Later it became the favoured modus operandi for the Thatcher (last term of office for Conservatives) and even through the Blair and Brown Labour Government. But under a new name PPP (Public-Private Partnership) better known as PFI.

The commercial risks are still present but deflected away from the public body (Government) to private investors. But then as I have said above does a project like HS2 stop half way between Euston and Birmingham, no off course not. Again Cost PLUS and the TAX Payer pays the meal at the end of the banquet!

Oh did I write that the private Investor taking the risk is ultimately the British TAX payer, well it is each one of us will be footing the final bill one way or another for many years to come.

Will the HS2 "white elaphant" project truly create British jobs for British people, well no, why should it? Private enterprise will use thousands of contractors to deliver against the aggressive delivery schedules. Personnel will be brought-in, in ways that is completely out-side of Government's control.

The workforce will come from accross Europe all the way from North America and Canada, specialist workers with special advanced skills sets. It is expected that workers will come mostly from Europe, where the skill to wage ratio is at a premium currently in the construction industry.

An old adage. It is not the flow of the worker from deprived and unemployed UK to deliver but it is the flow of the cheapest wage ratio to employment market work force that will dominate. It is not expected that the UK jobs for British workers will feature as an overriding concern of the private investment companies wanting to bring in the project on-time and in-budget, especially where fixed delivery contracts are in force. 

Nigel Rumble, Cinematographer, Filmmaker and Photographer

Copyright (C) 2104 Nigel Rumble

The concept of first Independent candidate resonates in Belsize

Photo of me as photographer doing a shoot of Recall of House of Commons for vote on Syria

Nearly all the Belsize residents and business owners that I have so far met really love the idea that a "true" Independent who actually lives and works in the ward that he wishes to represent.

When I tell people that the Rumble family has lived several generations in Camden and that here in Belsize has been my family home for more than 45 years, I can sense how this really resonates with people.

Many of the older Belsize residents would have known my Family well back in the day, especially as my Mother Denise Rumble was a very long standing member of staff working for Camden Libraries, although she was based principally at Kentish Town Library, she worked on rotation at both Swiss Cottage and Belsize Libraries often for nearly 40 years of service. In fact she was awarded a long service medal from the Camden Mayor of the day. We were all very proud of her amazing achievements and dedication.

I love Belsize and always have and always will, since owning my own home here I have helped many other leaseholders and residents in general as I am a co-opted member of a large successful TRA in trying to get a "fair" deal from there landlords, which at times is not always very easy!

I am particularly proud of my work with the Belsize SNT Police panel which I first made attendance back in 2007/8. I never realised that after all those years that first that I would still be making regular attendance and that second that I would be elected vice chair of the panel, a position I still hold today.

Served as School Governor for a full term at Primrose Hill where I had many very gratifying involvements there. I am especially proud that was selected to be on the recruitment board for finding, interviewing making selection of the new head for the school. It was a full time commitment spanning several weeks at the school and was very gratifying to have the honour of selecting an outstanding head teacher. My term of appointment which was as a LA school Governor sadly came to and end in 2013 following my resignation from the Conservative Party, since I was an Conservative appointed LA Governor. But I leave Primrose Hill school in the sound knowledge that I had made a real difference there.

Back in 2009 I started my No 2 HS2 campaign that I still do today. Back then I was a Conservative and actually I am not afraid to admit was proud to have been associated with the local Hampstead and Kilburn Conservatives back then when the Conservatives actually campaigned against HS2!, having been personally head hunted by Chris Philp where we got to know each other very well at the Housing and Adult Scrutiny Committee were Chris was Committee Chair and I had made several high level deputations representing all residents of the Chalcots here in Belsize.

I will always be pleased of working together with Chris and allowed him to convince me of joining the Conservatives and actually stand as a Candidate for Belsize in 2010, where I very nearly made it only losing out by a mere 52 votes.

I was also honoured to be selected to stand in the Camden Town and Primrose Hill By-election in 2012, where I was allowed to campaign independently in regards to my No 2 HS2 campaign, which was why I was selected especially in Primrose Hill area of CTPH.

However, not all was peaches and roses. Although I run my own campaign, for example all electronic social media, such as website, blogs and Twitter, the party wrote most of my paper electoral works, which I had no or very little editorial control.

I became highly compromised and made to feel humiliated at residents doorsteps when people explained to me that they could not understand how I appear such a pleasant and polite candidate would write such negative and slanting comments against the Labour candidate, but yet offer no alternative reasons to vote for me.

I had to agree with them and gave personal apologies for this situation. Towards the end of this campaign I had to carefully judge which leaflets to actually use, unknown to my party I had thrown most of the offensive material in the rubbish recycle bins where it belonged and substituted my own "Independent" version linked exclusively to one of my blogs which I had full editorial control.

The decision worked and paid-off. I got the highest share of the vote that any Conservative had ever achieved for CTPH ward in recent years! Since I was exclusively doing all the canvassing, campaigning and delivery I was able to circumvent an utmost certain poor result at the Poll. In the end despite all the difficulties I managed a highly credible 2nd place.

The most gratifying thing to me personally was that after the postal count was completed when the Conservative group knew that I was doing much better than they had expected I started to get some volunteers "feet on the ground" to help canvass in the last days to election day!

I remember telling more residents back in 2012 I would consider standing probably as an Independent for the 2014 Local Elections next time round.

Never in the field of all campaigns will I ever be managed, told what to say and have no editorial control with campaign leaflets again.

The Conservative party had its chance with me and lost it badly. I will never to this day understand exactly why the Camden Group leadership decided to write such utter contemptuous and potentially damaging leaflets allegedly supposed to bolster the best chances of securing victory in Camden Town with Primrose Hill By-election 2012. It was as if the Tory Camden party only had a hate campaign with Labour. I rather suspect that if H&K CA leadership did same in fighting the Brent (Labour held) wards back in 2010 that almost certainly would explain why sadly Chris Philp lost there by 42 votes, he was a good chap and he may not have known of the "nasty" hate tactics when fighting Labour!

As a matter of principle I later made a stand alongside with Labour on the BIG rally through London on No to the CUTS protests as a way of atonement for the very poor level of respect and dishonourable manner in which "they" were treated in the CTPH By-election. They rightfully deserved to win that election. The Labour leadership personally acknowledged me at the count for all the hard "positive" work that "they" knew had put into my campaign.

So I hope if you managed to get through this diatribe that you understand better why and what motivates me to stand again as your longstanding local active campaigner for Belsize as your prospective councillor for 22 May 2014 elections.

If you have any thoughts or ideas that you wish to share with me don't hesitate to contact me on my publicly advertised email address.