Cllr Danny Beales

• WHAT exactly does the term cabinet member for “investing in communities and an inclusive economy” really mean?

The title’s bearer is Cllr Danny Beales who penned a letter published about Euston and HS2, (HS2 Ltd must do a lot more to honour their commitments to mitigate construction disruption in Camden, February 20). It was hubris personified!

He puffed up his chest about “…the 100 plus assurances we secured together in parliament and now work tirelessly to ensure these are implemented by HS2”. Fat lot of good they’ve done.

Look around. Camden Council has been about as useful as a chocolate teapot in safeguarding the community.

There’s a dozen local residents that have been diligent at the HS2 coal face who warrant far more recognition for their quiet perseverance and vigilance year after year, viz Steve Christofi, Mary Burd, John Myers, Luisa Artslettres, Hero Granger, David Auger, Jeff Travers, Dorothea Hackman, Jo Hurford, Ursula Brown, Fran Heron, Slaney Devlin. They all put our invisible and ineffective councillors to shame.

The fact is that HS2 has been stripped of responsibility for Euston and it’s back to the drawing board. Network Rail has, at last, been instructed to co-operate in planning a single integrated station, which means there’s little chance any high-speed train departing Euston before 2035.

At least they’ll be incorporating the dismal 1960s classic station, which was to be left until the mid 2030s.

But what makes me think that the beneficiaries will remain unchanged – the Master Developers Lendlease and Camden Council – with the community remaining a poor third consideration?

Plus ça change…

PAUL BRAITHWAITE
Bartholomew Villas, NW5