New Portobello High School - PPAG Judicial Review

[Bob Jefferson]

Cheers Charlie, that's exactly the type of viewpoint I was looking for and I hope it will encourage others to post. And I'm right behind you on the dogs issue. Though personally I blame the owners. But that's another thread for another day.

[Bob Jefferson]

[Porty]

Welcome Charlie.

Don't know where to start, you raise a quite a few issus, all very reasonable and in no way offensive.

The topic has to do with the judicial review so maybe best to stick with that for now. I agree that PPAG have the right to challenge the matter in court, they could have done it three years ago, without disruption to the school timeline. A lot of people are angry at that and a few hundred kids will be deprived of at least some time in a new school as a result. I accept that there are quite a few people who find that little or no consequence. Like you I hope PPAG fail. It would be fitting if it were due to delay, it would be more gratifying if the legal advice,paid for by the council, in 2008 were proved correct.

I don't think its fair to say that the council "took it as read" . They doled out a substantial amount of cash to both senior and junior counsel and then followed their advice. So they backed themselves and their legal advisers, it wasn't a given.

Activists- regardless of the merits of previous campaigns, this time around the activists have been acting against the will of the majority of local people and the city as a whole. As demonstrated by responses to the planning application and the votes of our elected councillors.

The activists have conducted a despicable and irresponsible campaign fueled by lies, falsehoods and misrepresentations- against what? Not a superstore or waste transfer depot its a new community school. Previoulsy they could, perhaps justifiably, claim to be "community activists"- they helped galvanise the community who were broadly against the proposals and let us not forget the council were too. This time around the activists have been recruited by a NIMBY hardcore. They are fighting the council AND the vast majority of the city. They've brought nothing positive to this party.

[Porty]

[seanie]

[Epykat]

[seanie]

[Porty]

[wangi]

[Chas]

[Chas]

[Pal of Porty]

[Paxetamor]

I know this may sound controversial, especially to the Messrs Bombastic, but I love the park. When you step inside it can give you a sense of peace, away from the traffic even though it's just feet away. In my(vast)experience it doesn't have a major problem with dog shit. It seems that everyone who is for building on the park wants to paint it as a piece of wasteland that nobody cares about unless you live in Park Avenue or Milton Road. It is not the case.

[Bob Jefferson]

May I enquire how often you visit the.park. and what you do while you are there? Do you walk a dog, for example? Or jog?

[Paxetamor]

I walked my dog there, usually twice a day, for years until they dug it up for their findings. I don't walk him there any more because the ground is so uneven I'm afraid he'll break something. The football pitches look like they've had the same treatment and I would suspect that they are now unplayable. How often do you go there?

[Porty]

[Paxetamor]

I would think that they are unavailable because they have been rendered unplayable by the digs. I could be wrong.

[Porty]

I'm sure you are right.

[Paxetamor]

As for being little-used, there are maybe 4 benches, all situated at the Milton Road side with none at the Golf Course side. I'm sure there would be some Health & Safety nonsense about this but I have never been close to being hit by a stray ball and with the Millennium whatsitsname there I think it would be extremely unlikely. If you compare the amount of benches there to other parks in Portobello there is a huge discrepancy. I think this accounts for it's lack of use by anyone apart from dog walkers and joggers.

[Betty Windsor]

[seanie]

No. You were barred for a post that was gratuitously insulting.

[wangi]

[Betty Windsor]

[Porty]

[wangi]

[seanie]

[Bob Jefferson]

[Betty Windsor]

[seanie]

Refute? How exactly?

[Betty Windsor]

[Porty]

Pity your friend didnt have a PPAG friend to keep her in the know, these last five years or so.

Maybe she's known all along but she's in refutal?

Is the busy mother of two still pro school on the park?

[seanie]

[seanie]

[Betty Windsor]

[Paxetamor]

In response to BJ's post. You choose to go to other parks. It's not that I haven't been to any of them, I know exactly what they're like. Brighton Park, in my opinion, is a disgrace dogshitwise. This is where our children have their sports day. I choose to go to Portobello Park.

How long does it take you to drive past? Unless you're sitting in the numerous traffic jams, which are bad enough just now, you should really be keeping your eyes on the road. You could knock over a child.