Fighting for the Future of the EMD Update 1: Spread The Word Its Not Just Me Who Cares!

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I intend to update this blog with the details of the discussions I've had with the UCKG regarding a public meeting. Below is the full transcript of my last email correspondence with them. You'll see I've declined the offer of a personal briefing in favour of a public meeting because I believe everyone who is interested in this issue needs the chance to ask questions - not just me! To make sure that the UCKG understand the strength of feeling in Walthamstow on this matter we need to show the strength of interest in this matter. So far I've had over nearly 200 responses from people wanting to come to any public meeting on this issue. Please help me to show the UCKG that its not just me but hundreds of local people who care about the fate of the EMD Cinema building by posting the link to this correspondence/Re-Tweeting it/Facebooking it/RSS feeding it to other local residents and asking them to sign up to attending a public meeting on this matter by emailing me.  I will update this blog as and when I hear more from the UCKG.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: stella creasy <stella@workingforwalthamstow.org.uk>
Date: Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Subject: Re: 186 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London E17
To: Pr Paul Hill <pph@uckg.org>
Cc: Neil Gerrard <gerrardn@parliament.uk>, Terry Wheeler <cllr.terry.wheeler@walthamforest.gov.uk>, Nick Rule <ruleco@dial.pipex.com>, Jennifer Walton <jenniferwalton@remarkablegroup.co.uk>, Matthew Turpin <Matthew.Turpin@remarkablegroup.co.uk>


Dear Paul,

Thank you for your email and for setting out your intention to engage with the community. I think it is important for me to be clear about my requests and my interest in this matter and to state that I would have to decline an offer of an an individual briefing on this matter. Given the interest in the future of the EMD cinema building, I believe it is vital any discussions are open to as many local residents so I would prefer to equally participate in a public meeting along with other local residents.  Therefore if you are available to come to Walthamstow to give such a briefing I would urge you to use the time this would take to accept the offer as made by Neil Gerrard to chair a public discussion on your plans that could be open to all interested parties. Indeed, as I appreciate how much work goes into a planning application I believe you may find it useful to have such a discussion early on in your project planning so that you could gather feedback from local residents and ideas for how best to use this much loved local landmark. My experience of working with local residents in Walthamstow shows that they can often challenge and inspire in ways which bring fresh and valuable insight and ideas to any project!  

I look forward to hearing from you as to whether you will accept the offer, even in only in principle, of such a public meeting as chaired by Neil Gerrard. I will as you request pass on your views to the local community and would of course be happy to help with identifying dates, venues and times for such a public meeting as and when appropriate in the planning process.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course,

kind regards

Stella




On Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 12:15 PM, Pr Paul Hill <pph@uckg.org> wrote:


Dear Stella

It concerns me that you appear to be making assumptions about the content of our ongoing public engagement programme.

In acknowledging your email I wanted you to appreciate that you, Neil Gerrard MP and the constituents of Walthamstow are important to us.  

As I said, it is our intention to offer you and Mr Gerrard an individual briefing at the first possible opportunity within a wide ranging consultation programme that started with the recent informal meeting with Waltham Forest Council members and officers.  

For the interim, I would advise that we are fully committed to communicating widely with the community and stakeholders as soon as possible, and will provide opportunities for local people to understand our proposals, question our development team and receive individual answers.  

As regards timing, I'm sure you will appreciate that there is a lot of work in preparing and drafting a planning application to the stage where it is ready for public consultation.  We are working on proposals that will deliver a range of high quality facilities for the community including performance space as reported in the local media, within a fully restored Art Deco building. The UCKG HelpCentre is strong on community outreach and conservation as demonstrated by the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park.

If you wish to update the people who have contacted you with the content of this email, please do so.  For our part, we will contact you about a briefing date within the next few weeks.

Should you have any further questions in the mean time, please feel free to call me on the number below. Alternatively, you are always welcome to speak to Matthew Turpin, a member of the project team, on 07887 846 699.


Yours in Prayer


 | Pastor Paul Hill  United Kingdom  | pph@uckg.org    www.uckg.org


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This page contains a single entry by Stella Creasy published on February 23, 2009 10:28 PM.

Fighting For The Future of The EMD: Neil And Stella Call For Public Meeting was the previous entry in this blog.

Freewheeling: Walthamstow's Family Bike Club is Back is the next entry in this blog.

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