Shepherd's Bush MP Andrew Slaughter released documents in the summer that he obtained under the Freedom of Information which track the evolution of a so-called "bulldozer policy" and Greenhalgh's attempts to sell it to the Conservative Party nationally. Greenhlagh leads the Conservative Councils Innovation Unit, which is developing Tory local government policy ideas. The documents show:
- Extracts from a presentation given by Greenhalgh to Eric Pickles, Chairman of the Conservative Party and Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government, and to Grant Shapps, Conservative Shadow Minister for Housing. Greenhalgh proposes that local authorities should provide homes only for those who are unable due to age, infirmity or disability to provide it for themselves. Everyone else should instead be given welfare payments sufficient for them to find their own accommodation in the private sector, for example a room in a shared house.
- Extracts from a presentation Greenhalgh made in January to James O'Shaughnessy, Conservative Party Director of Policy, saying that what is needed is "a solution to pockets of deprivation." His solution in Hammersmith and Fulham appears to be to demolish all or large parts of at least seven housing estates, including the White City, which contains 2,027 housing units, and two other smaller ones nearby; the Ashcroft Square and and Queen Caroline estates in Hammersmith (just over 500 units between them); and the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates in the Earls Court area (663 units). It not not clear what would become of the people currently living in these places.
- Possible blurring of the non-political roles of Council officers into performing political functions, and recruitment of political activists to do work normally undertaken by Council officers. For example, invitations to a round table discussion in March about "creating mixed communities in concentrated areas of deprivation" were sent jointly from the Council and right-wing think tank Localis, which hosted the event. The material for discussion was prepared by Council officers.
- A connection with Richard Blakeway, Boris Johnson's housing adviser, who wrote an email responding to a summary of the round table discussion asking "Are you thinking of reconvening this group again? Impressive group," and indicating that City Hall might be able to assist in the development of the policy.
- An awareness of the possible political implications of pressing ahead with the policy, which would involve breaking up communities containing many natural Labour voters. Material prepared by Council officers recognised the risk of being accused of [Shirley] "Porteresque" gerrymandering or social engineering and the need to rebut it.
This plan would end up with the re-housing of thousands of Somalis with old style private lanlords [the likes of Rachman of Notting Hill Gate in the 1960s springs to mind] and the gentrfication of the borough with a view to changing the make-up of those who live in the area [hence the reference to Dame Shirley Porter and what she did in Westminister under the watch of the Thatcher government in the 1980s]. All of these developments are happening beyond the vision of the public eye and this could be part of a wider national plan which could be implemented if the Conservative party enter government after the elections in 2010. This will be raised by the Somali Advocacy and Advice Network at the LBHF Community Relations Group meeting on Monday 12 October. An update will be posted on the blog once we receive assurances about the status of those 75% of people who are reliant on the social housing in the White City/Wormholt/Hammersmith area who are largely made up of people of Somali origin.
People need to act now or cry later!
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