We feel we must reply to Gordon Nicholls' letter (Councillors have failed to tackle issues', April 24).
On the proposed entrance to New Southgate Station, the Friern Village Residents' Association certainly did take the lead in bringing parties together and deserves much of the credit. We ensured sufficient officer time was available and helped overcome initial police objections. Planning permission was granted in April 2002, as stated in the letter. What he has forgotten to mention is the local election that May.
The work was not started in the three weeks Labour were in power, and not in the 50 weeks the Tories have been in power.
Yet Mr Nicholls says this is a failure of Labour and not the Tories. The only explanation is that he expected nothing of the Tories, so they could not fail.
We are proud of the fact that Labour ensured some social housing on the site, enforced wildlife trails and have handed over to local people one of the few new public parks in the capital. None of this would have happened without Labour councillors.
Barry Rawlings, Paul Rogers, Soon-Hoe Teh, Labour
Coppetts Ward
April 29, 2003 12:30
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