[matilda] regeneration challenges...

[dan thomas]

hi

People in Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool have
organically been creating broad creative campaigns
aginst regeneration and all it entails. One can argue
its a little late, (but still fantastic its happening)
but in Sheffield the process of regen is just
starting, maybe we can still make interventions, so is
a campaign group viable here?, 

ideas, etc...

regards

audio



 A coalition of tenants, residents, public sector
workers, trade unionists are trying to launch a
city-wide anti-privatisation campaign. There is a
meeting tomorrow night in the Little London estate.

Tenants and residents from across Leeds affected by
Leeds City Council’s disastrous regeneration
programmes are holding a public meeting this Wednesday
(19 July) at 7pm in Little London to tell of the
horrors of PFI and joint-venture scheme and form a
city-wide anti-privatisation network to campaign
against the loss of affordable council housing, the
destruction of their communities and the suspension of
democracy in Leeds.

The meeting has been organised by Save Little London
Campaign, a coalition of tenants, residents and local
supporters opposed to the £90m PFI scheme in Little
London that will see 435 council homes sold off or
demolished and hundreds of tenants forced to leave
their homes and community to enable private developers
to make £millions in profit.

It will feature a presentation by Ron Grahame from
Swarcliffe Tenants and Residents Association on how
the grand promises of PFI in the Swarcliffe estate
haven’t matched the reality. He will explain how,
after taking five years to sign a contract, Swarcliffe
PFI contractors simply ripped up the original
refurbishment and regeneration model in order to cut
costs and make more profit.

A similar story will be told by tenants at
Osmondthorpe who are watching their community being
deliberately run down with the loss of community
centres, schools and other public facilities as part
of the massive East and South East Leeds (Easel)
regeneration project. This is to clear more land for
developers to build private housing and take
refurbishments to community spaces out of the
joint-venture contract, which will be signed later
this year between Leeds City Council and Bellway
Homes.

The meeting will also hear from Dick Banks from Amicus
trade union, who are sponsoring the meeting, and Celia
Foote, a teacher who will talk about the controversial
role played by PFI in school re-building programmes
and the creation of City Academies.

Save Little London campaigners aim to link these
different struggle against the destruction of
communities, social housing, schools, hospitals and
other public services, and launch a city-wide
anti-privatisation network. Its first aim will be stop
the PFI regeneration scheme in Little London and
support all other campaigns to defend public services
in the city.

The meeting will take place in Space@, a community
building behind Little London Community Primary School
on the Little London estate. It begins at 7pm.

SLL 


		
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