Here’s a good idea. Instead of just trying to ram through an incredibly unpopular scheme like Liveable Streets, well known LTN of this parish, why not get something organised to talk to residents about it?
And so the Wapping Liveable Streets Online Tribunal (via Zoom) came to be, soon to be followed by similar events for Bethnal Green (Weavers and St. Peters), Bow (Bow West and Bow East) and Shadwell and Whitechapel
The first meeting covers Wapping and is being held on 7-8pm Thursday 25th February 2021 (yes, this Thursday!) and all you need to do is click this link to join in.
Not only will you be listened to but you will be heard too. The Wapping Mole personally guarantees this.
Nothing to do with the council
This tribunal is nothing to do with Tower Hamlets council or Tower Hamlets Labour Party but is organised by Cllr Rabina Khan (Liberal Democrat, Shadwell), Cllr Andrew Wood (Independent, Canary Wharf) and Cllr Puru Miah (Labour, Mile End).
Councillors who do a professional job
Excuse the headline but many borough residents have (a) never seen their councillor because (b) they have never seen any councillor. The three above and Cllr. Peter Golds are the quality of person our borough needs.
Just saying.
(The Enquirer can almost hear the childish comments that the idle Labour councillors will make when reading the above words. And they wonder why they are so unpopular and soon heading for Dod Street? Muppets.)
A lot of the debate about Liveable Streets has been concern that, Tower Hamlets council may be in breach of the Public Sector Equalities Duty under the Equality Act 2010.
The equality duty aims to make sure public authorities think about the needs of people who are disadvantaged or suffer inequality when they make decisions about how they provide their services and implement policies including of Liveable Streets instead of just doing what the hell they want and anyone with disabilities or suffering from other disadvantages can sod off.
(Not that this would ever happen of course.)
Equality what?
The equality duty covers the nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
Councillors Rabina, Wood and Puru say that the Tribunal’s role is to investigate whether Tower Hamlets Council met those equality duties and to make recommendations on how the Liveable Streets programme should proceed especially as regards the consultation process.
“We need to find a way of improving air quality across the Borough but without compromising on our equalities duty to those with protected characteristics,” they say.
It’s the Wapping bus gate!
Wapping went first in the Liveable Streets process with the introduction of the bus gate so the tribunal wants to learn lessons from the experiences of Wapping residents not just with the original consultation but also with the subsequent implementation.
Please contact one of the councillors if you have any questions.
Cllr Rabina Khan email – rabina@rabinakhan.com
Cllr Andrew Wood email – cllrandrewwood@gmail.com
Cllr Puru Miah email – Puru.Miah@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Remember 7-8pm Thursday 25th February 2021, click this link to join in.
The next online meetings will be;
- Thursday 18th March 2021 Bethnal Green (Weavers and St. Peters)
- Thursday 8th April 2021 Bow (Bow West and Bow East)
- Thursday 20th May 2021 Shadwell and Whitechapel
Related Internet Links
- Public Sector Equality Duty – Citizens Advice
- Public Sector Equality Duty – Equality and Human Rights Commission
- Public Sector Equality Duty – UK Gov
