Save Our Square

The protest went very well.....

Three days to go! And it’s looking good for the Occupation on Saturday See below the plan for the day and the material for distribution Here is the Facebook event for the Occupation – let’s do a last blast of everyone and every community page calling for Waltham Forest to unite against this undemocratic land grab. Last night's organising meeting Another successful organising meeting of the campaign last night - including some media interest from student reporters. And the meeting was pleased to celebrate the victory secured by tenants and local campaigners at Fred Wigg and John Walsh towers. Again we started with the reports and a lot is being done with the response getting warmer, people especially responding to the idea opposing the developers’ land grab and more people indicating they're coming to the occupation. Those who went to see Sadiq Khan reported he has said he will follow up on the letters he’s received. The campaign is pursuing a meeting. He will have the opportunity to refuse this scheme permission so we must keep the pressure up. The campaign also agreed to prepare a submission to the mayor’s consultation. A Labour member reported that council leader Clare Coghill had been asked about the sale of public land to the developers Capital and Regional at a recent meeting and had said she didn’t know but would find out. Since the meeting we have had this report via Linda Taaffe: Great news. It was reported from the Growth Scrutiny Committee held on Tuesday evening, that Labour Cllr Gerry Lyons asked a question, referring to the escalated costs of the Fred Wigg John Walsh Towers regeneration, about the possible repetition of this regarding the Mall development. It was expected that there would almost certainly be new building regulations brought in for high rise towers arising out of the Hackett Review about Grenfell. The Mall plans include high rise flats. The portfolio holder was not present, but a senior council officer responded by committing to give the information as soon as possible. Labour Councillor Saima Mahmood was also there. She made an impassioned contribution at the Planning Committee Hearing opposing the Mall application back in December. We hope all Labour members and councillors who oppose the Mall regeneration plan will join the Occupation on Saturday 24th in the Square. Plan for the day We agreed a plan for the day (weather forecast is for a dry day btw –but fingers crossed) which will start with some piped music, go on to the speeches, then we occupy the area they plan to build on. This will be followed by a march around the square and then we have all the festival activities that are planned, including music (but no amp) and children’s activities. A very impressive list of speakers has been drawn up including campaigners from Luton who are fighting the same developer, from Haringey where they are fighting a massive development that will destroy £2bn of council homes, and representatives from the street markets and many more. The artists will meet at 12 to mark out the trees for the chop and the part of the square under threat. We are still in need of volunteers to steward so please get in touch if you’re up for that. There will be a meeting for stewards at 12.30am Leafleting sessions were agreed as follows: Leyton College: 8.15am Thursday Leytonstone tube: 8am Friday James Street station: 8am Friday This morning Walthamstow Central, Blackhorse Road and the bus station were done and some schools will be done in the afternoon. Campaign material for the day (click to view image): We have a new banner! We will also have some campaign placards and signs We have the leaflet produced as per last week’s discussion And a petition We also have a letter for distribution calling on Labour councils to oppose this development in words and deeds Save Our Square campaign activities and updates Press coverage You can read some of the news reports – including in the national Guardian - about and pertaining to the campaign here Please donate to help cover costs - leaflets, etc To donate to our Fighting Fund please go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/adrian-stannard Social media links Please visit us @SaveSquareE17 and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/savewalthamstowtowncentre/ Material depots You can pick up leaflets (now updated with JustGiving and Facebook links) from: David and Jean's place, 55 Elmsdale Rd, E17 6PN in the porch Rose and Crown Pub, 53 Hoe St, E17 4SA on leaflet table Today Bread, 6-10 Central Parade, Hoe St E17 4RT in leaflets corner Star of India, 875. Leytonstone High Road, E11 1HR Campaign resources: You can also sign the petition to Clare Coghill You could also display this prettier poster Please bring this model motion to your trade union, trades council, Labour meeting or other labour movement bodies Model letters: Letter to Sadiq Khan: this is to request he uses his power to call in the planning application on the basis that it does not meet the affordable housing threshold but people should keep sending it Letter to John McDonnell: to request his support for the campaign was handed to him at the Trades Council meeting. Rachel from Momentum will follow up on this Letter to Stella Creasy: this was hand-delivered on Friday. This is here response. Letter to Labour councillors to request they oppose the development with a pledge to reverse the decision and push for an emergency meeting to reverse the decision. Read More Tuesdays - open planning meetings Every week there is an open planning meeting where the campaigns decisions are taken. Join us at the William Morris Community Centre Map Join us on social media There is a constant flow of reports, updates and more on the campaign's Facebook page and here's the Twitter Reaching out to young people Campaigners balloted students at Leyton Sixth Form - and guess what? 95% want to see the council use its powers to build council homes not handing land to private developers!