Construction workers in Belmont Street

• DESPITE Cllr Danny Beale’s reassurances (Contractors’ best practice, April 30) and his claims that “companies would need to show they are working under social distancing rules” at a “virtual” meeting on Monday, it was finally confirmed by Neil Vokes, director for development for Camden Council, what residents of Chalk Farm had suspected for a long time, it’s costing Camden too much to postpone construction work for any longer.

And, in the case of Crogsland Road, Hardington and the Denton estates, our health, safety and wellbeing fades into insignificance next to the completion of the 38 flats that will make up the New Charlie Ratchford House.

In fact, with the amount of construction in the area, Camden seem to be under the impression that Chalk Farm is a Covid-19-free zone.

Work restarted on the Charlie Ratchford site on Wednesday April 29 and five working days later, Camden have already received three complaints against the contractors; but work continues unabated and unrestricted.

Camden seems to have taken us from lockdown to “lock in”; the strain is beginning to tell.

We are constantly told that the new centre is providing a much-needed resource to the elderly and vulnerable in the community.

What the council shouldn’t need to be told is that there are “elderly and vulnerable” people already in this community and they need help now. Not a further influx of 30 contractors wandering the streets and increasing the risk of infection to those trying to help.

It is also quite shocking that a strong, Labour-led council, in the ward of Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, is hiding behind a Tory government’s guidelines, and they are only guidelines not law, to satisfy its own policies.

Council leader Georgia Gould’s bland rhetoric that “Camden Cares” is insulting. This community needs strong leadership to protect us, not fey encouragements from the sidelines.

I am writing this on behalf of a number of vulnerable residents living in Hardington on Belmont Street. They wish to remain anonymous.

The photograph (above) clearly illustrates what they had to contend with from the contractors.

This was taken nearly two weeks after they had voluntarily gone into self-isolation on government recommendation and nearly two weeks after social distancing had been introduced.

It was reported but they have been ignored. They are petrified that because the council are allowing site workers to go unchecked, this will happen again. People feel trapped!

STUART EVANS
NW1