silverlands action
campaign
Newsletter
7
Friday Night Candle Lit Vigils Continue
Every Friday night
Silverlands. Please support if you can, every person
counts.
Also this is where you are guaranteed to
find out the latest
developments
and information. See you there.
Home
Office Decision Date
Tony
Raban, the Project Manager from the Home Office, was contacted last week to
find out when a decision would be made, we were told “in a few weeks”. This should be read as, any time of their
choosing. We were also told that
Silverlands is one of three locations under review. Though pressed, Mr Raban declined to share
details of the other locations.
Why
Does an
Last
week there were deliveries of kitchens, bathrooms and security fencing complete
with electronic gate. We were told that
“only work on the fabric of the building” would be carried out before the
decision was made. So why are these things
still being delivered?
This
information came from those who have been picketing Silverlands. If you can help at any time it’s a great way
of finding out what is going on at the site.
Please feedback any info through the phone number below.
Council
Activity
As a
result of the information gathered by those picketing the site the Council were
contacted. The Council sent two people
from the Planning Department to check that only work on repairs to the fabric
of the building had been carried out.
Well the first journey was wasted as the security staff refused the
Council officials access. It then took
the intervention of Runnymede Chief Executive Tim Williams to clear the way for
the Council officials to gain access. Feedback from the visit to the site is that
the building is “uninhabitable” and that fittings have not been fitted. Local councillors have now been told they can
visit the site.
Planning
Permission
The fence that has been erected around Silverlands, a grade 2 listed building, has not got planning permission. Why has Runnymede Council not enforced its removal?
4am Protest
The 9th January was the original
occupation date put forward for the Wolvercote Clinic to move to
Silverlands. A group of 12 intrepid
campaigners keen to ensure that this date was not still on the Home Office’s agenda, picketed the site from
This was followed up with a
As mentioned above the group would welcome any
one else who can support them with picketing at any time of the day. The information gained in this way provides
us with real ammunition to go back to the Home Office with.
Well done you insomniacs!
Philip Hammond Debate With
Minister
Philip Hammond MP had an adjournment debate with
the Home Office Minister Beverley Hughes on 18th December. Philip Hammond was supported in the debate by
Andrew MacKinlay, the Labour MP for
-
PH
requested that data underpinning the final decision and the locations
considered should be published for scrutiny.
-
PH
sought assurance that work on the building was just repairs to the fabric of
the building.
-
BH
spent the majority of her allotted time going over the work of the Wolvercote
Clinic, which is already understood and not in question.
Newsletters
Any further newsletters are dependent on there
being significant news. There is a cost
to the newsletter and we need to manage this against the possibility of
expensive legal activity in the event the decision goes against us. Be assured that the work of the Silverlands
Action Campaign (SAC) is continuing. SAC
is just one avenue for challenging these proposals. As individuals you may wish
to consider what else you can do. As
ever you can contact us for, or with information.
Contact Us At:
Silverlands
Action Campaign, Moorewell House,
By
phone on 07960 828113 By Fax 01932 874547
e.mail to silverlandsgroup@hotmail.com Internet -
WWW.chertsey.org.uk/silverlandsgroup
Everything
in this newsletter is provided in good faith and we accept no responsibility
for any inaccuracies in any information provided to us in good faith. If we
have made any statement which is incorrect in any way please contact gus and we will correct it as soon as possible.