In a London-wide tactic that has seen councils use the excuse of rent arrears to remove community spaces for the vulnerable, the Caribbean Senior Citizens Association (CSCA) have been left with little option but to protest against closure following actions sanctioned by local government bureaucrats.
The elders association has been forced to leave The Welbourne Centre, in Chestnut Road, Tottenham and pay almost £18,000 in arrears as a court ruled in favour of the councils’ request for repossession earlier this month.
The group that had over the last year been struggling to pay the council its £1,600 a month rent has been established at the centre for over 25 years.
In 2008, former CSCA chairman Ken Walcott was reported to have put a bid together to purchase the centre but the offer was rejected by Haringey council who remains determined to either sell or demolish the building to the detriment of the group which has almost two hundred members.
It is believed that the council is placing profit before the well being of its local residents and has plans to make money from demolishing the community ethos of the centre where a core number of elders regularly met to eat meals, hold social gatherings, funerals, community events and educational classes.
On 21 September a group of the elders marched in protest from Wood Green Tube Station to Haringey Civic Centre calling for “a reversal of the decision to close the Welbourne Centre and Larkspur Close”. The pensioners held banners with the rally cry “Haringey, don’t kill our community”.
This is not the first time this year the council has led an assault on vulnerable communities. In May 2011, over a thousand angry parents signed a petition after Haringey Council axed funding to four children centres in the area.
It is believed that now the council has seized the community centre, they have become emboldened to next seize the sheltered housing block Larkspur Close and have earmarked it for demolition or redevelopment.
CSCA chairman Paul Leslie has said: “We are not going to let this lie.”
A council spokesperson speaking on the topic has claimed officials had been in “regular contact with the charity” in an attempt to reach a “mutual agreement” but the council has not made any concrete offers to relocate all the vulnerable groups and cancel the odious debt.
In a similar incident, the Mission Dine Club (MDC) was demolished earlier this year by Harrow Council. The MDC had been founded in 1986 by Dame Betty Asafu-Adjaye in response to the needs of the elderly and disabled in the community. Its community Centre based at Fry Road, Harlesden served the local community for about seven years.
External Links
Caribbean Senior Citizens Association to march on Haringey Civic Centre todayOld folk hire princess’s lawyers to fight councilHaringey senior citizens go into battle against cutsPensioners march against closure of Tottenham community centreBlack senior citizens protest over council eviction order
Council to demolish elders community centre
The elders association has been forced to leave The Welbourne Centre, in Chestnut Road, Tottenham and pay almost £18,000 in arrears as a court ruled in favour of the councils’ request for repossession earlier this month.
The group that had over the last year been struggling to pay the council its £1,600 a month rent has been established at the centre for over 25 years.
In 2008, former CSCA chairman Ken Walcott was reported to have put a bid together to purchase the centre but the offer was rejected by Haringey council who remains determined to either sell or demolish the building to the detriment of the group which has almost two hundred members.
It is believed that the council is placing profit before the well being of its local residents and has plans to make money from demolishing the community ethos of the centre where a core number of elders regularly met to eat meals, hold social gatherings, funerals, community events and educational classes.
Fight back: Caribbean Senior Citizens Association march in protest of community centre closure
Elders march in protest
On 21 September a group of the elders marched in protest from Wood Green Tube Station to Haringey Civic Centre calling for “a reversal of the decision to close the Welbourne Centre and Larkspur Close”. The pensioners held banners with the rally cry “Haringey, don’t kill our community”.This is not the first time this year the council has led an assault on vulnerable communities. In May 2011, over a thousand angry parents signed a petition after Haringey Council axed funding to four children centres in the area.
It is believed that now the council has seized the community centre, they have become emboldened to next seize the sheltered housing block Larkspur Close and have earmarked it for demolition or redevelopment.
CSCA chairman Paul Leslie has said: “We are not going to let this lie.”
A council spokesperson speaking on the topic has claimed officials had been in “regular contact with the charity” in an attempt to reach a “mutual agreement” but the council has not made any concrete offers to relocate all the vulnerable groups and cancel the odious debt.
In a similar incident, the Mission Dine Club (MDC) was demolished earlier this year by Harrow Council. The MDC had been founded in 1986 by Dame Betty Asafu-Adjaye in response to the needs of the elderly and disabled in the community. Its community Centre based at Fry Road, Harlesden served the local community for about seven years.
Sunset over the Welbourne Community Centre, Tottenham
External Links
Caribbean Senior Citizens Association to march on Haringey Civic Centre todayOld folk hire princess’s lawyers to fight councilHaringey senior citizens go into battle against cutsPensioners march against closure of Tottenham community centreBlack senior citizens protest over council eviction order
Ligali is not responsible for the content of third party sites
Council to demolish elders community centre
Speak Out!
Are council excuses such as rent arrears and need to make profit valid excuses for demolishing community centres that provide essential social spaces and services for vulnerable groups?Click here to speak out and share your perspective on this article.
The pensioners held banners with the rally cry “Haringey, don’t kill our community”.
See Related:
Get involved and help change our world