• CAMDEN’S “special operation” vision for Gospel Oak proceeds apace.

The main targets are its infrastructure; the latest being St Dominic’s Primary, joining Carlton school, two nurseries, three community centres, around 30 small workshops, 30+ less council rent houses, a huge derelict building site – now empty for almost 10 years – a once thriving, community-run, street market and a road closure system which creates considerable problems for deliveries and transport for people needing taxis.

What is left? Well, our much-needed library which has had two defeated closure proposals a couple of decades ago, a city farm, a youth and community centre, TRA halls, and continuing delays in essential repairs to council flats, streets and pavements.

But the council has spent huge sums on consultants and phoney consultations to produce its “vision” for Gospel Oak, seeming blissfully unaware that we are about to enter a prolonged period of extreme austerity with, no doubt, further swingeing cuts in local authority budgets.

It continues to force voluntary agencies, including some food banks, who try to fill the gaps in services, to pay high rents and business rates and will no doubt be forced to reduce whatever limited direct funding to voluntary organisations is left.

Many people tell me they fear to protest. I am coming under increasing pressure by… some councillors, especially demanding to know where I get the information from which they want to be kept secret.

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