New Portobello High School - PPAG Judicial Review

[Porty]

[seashell]

Oh, that rather forelorn little list of three whole "successes". Rather sad, really.
And that plaintive cry of "there is support out there."
It does contrast rather strangely with the claim that they "represent the significant majority", but why let their own facts damn them?

And what happened to those tablecloths? Why aren't they for sale in one of the local craft shops? they sound super...

[Bob Jefferson]

Admit it seashell, you're just jealous because you didn't get invited to dinner with Marjorie and Sheila.

[Makaveli]

I really don't know where to begin with that. Really I don't.

Some interesting names on that list too - thanks Porty

[Pal of Porty]

You could post for a month commenting on that list but I will just take one:

5) Portobello golf club is holding an open competition 17th – 22nd (The Harry Lauder Trophy)This is a great opportunity to warn the golfers that this may be its last year.

This is a lie that PPAG are still continuing to pedal ( nearly a year later) with a complete lack of evidence and also ignoring the fact that the golf course is common good land. Indeed just the other day Lashylass was stating on this site that building the school on the park increases the risk of losing the golf course. She has yet to take up the offer of providing some evidence for this view.

[seashell]

[seashell]

[Bob Jefferson]

I believe Marjorie is stock-piling vol au vents in case of such an eventuality.

[Mark Cameron]

That is truly incredible. At least 4 names I recognise as being on the community council. How can they seriously turn up and pretend to represent the views of our community when churning out blatant lies.

Whatever happens with the appeal the actions of these individuals needs to be borne in mind when the next community council elections are due.

[seashell]

Along with the fact that they send letters to the council that may be regarded as misrepresenting the actual views of PCC - as discussed on other threads about planning permission.

[storky]

I wrote to all our local councilors about 'raising the heat' on PPAG. I truly believe even with the pursual of legal costs etc., they will still attempt to delay things enough to render the current tenders useless, with the hope that retendering will increase costs enough to cancel the whole project.

I have suggested that EC should sue PPAG for the cost delta between current build costs and retendered costs - unless they drop their appeal immediately. Had some interesting responses. Ewan Aitken believes the building of the new school should proceed immediately and this is what he'll be pushing for at the next full council meeting (end of this month).

Perhaps we should push all our councilors in this direction?

[Mark Cameron]

Do you have list of email addresses and a template people could use Storky?

[Pal of Porty]

There was a PPAG letter in the Scotsman today - I am unsure how to post a link so I will leave that to someone who does. As usual the comments section produced statements from both sides of the argument but I thought the one I have posted below sort of sums it up really.

delayanddeny
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 02:29 PM
Seannie- you may as well sit back and enjoy a delayed high school. Some years ago I informed a public meeting at the town hall PPAG would delay the school by at least five years. We are on track for stopping it altogether and won’t rest until the costs of a school on the park exceed those for a rebuild on site. Our pockets are deep be warned.

Howay the Lads

[Maria]

[Porty]

[gillian]

Letter: Portobello Park
Published on Thursday 5 April 2012 00:00


THE sad thing about the Portobello Park saga is the way hatred has been stirred up against the protesters by painting them as “anti-school”.


All they want is to preserve the original agreement never to build on the park and for the council to find somewhere else to build the school.

It is not good to teach children to break agreements.

John Kelly

Park Avenue

Edinburgh

[Maria]

Here's the so you can view some of the comments.


And for good measure here's

[seashell]

thanks, Marya.
Makes interesting (!) reading. Is it just me, or does Mrs Angry sound awfully familiar?

[Pal of Porty]

[Porty]

Thanks for the link Marya.

On the subject of support from quite a few members of PCC. They do appear to support PPAG quite strongly, which seems totally at odds with the outcry in the community. Not very surprising, but you'd think that the decent people they undoubtedly are would wake up to what's going on? PPAG have been afforded every opportunity to voice their opinions and failed to persuade, the public, council officials, politicians and the courts. The ONLY support they have in the community is PCC- how bizarre is that??

[Bob Jefferson]

Leaving aside Cairns, Hawkins and Sutherland, who are obviously in the PPAG camp, there are a few 'moderates' in there who are probably having something of a moral dilemma. They certainly won't like all the fuss that has been caused and probably wish it would all just go away so they can get back to discussing planters outside the Town Hall. Even if they feel uneasy over PPAG's increasingly bizarre conduct, and must read all the universally negative publicity they are generating, they will find it difficult to say so. I doubt many of them would have the courage to abstain let alone vote to censure PPAG, should the situation arise. But, who knows, perhaps I will be proved wrong and they will agree with the vast majority of the community they are supposed to represent that enough is quite enough. Having said that, not a single member has signed the petition since it was circulated this morning.

[Makaveli]

This goes to show that a few of the PCC members are out of touch with the feelings of the community - a couple in particular seem to be doing everything they can to hold Portobello back!!!

[storky]

[wangi]

[seashell]

And here is the only response so far:

"I am very concerned at the increasing cost to Edinburgh Council tax payers caused by a minority of people who cannot accept a planning decision, a court judgement and the needs of the community. The last court judgement was very clear, and was delayed as PPAG waited until the last minute to take it to court. They have repeated this now by appealing, but as yet have not revealed their grounds for appeal and will no doubt wait until the last moment to do so. I strongly believe they should demonstrate they have the money to cover costs before going to court. I don't want to pay it from my council tax as it is an unnecessary action. As it is the young people and the teachers across Edinburgh wait for the school to be started so that other schools can also be actioned. Until then PPAG are delaying all development in Edinburgh school buildings, and everybody in the city has to be aware of that. One very small group of people with a very narrow field of vision are behaving in a very despicable manner, with regards to education and progress."

[wangi]

[Bob Jefferson]

Colour copy of the flyer we have produced. Please feel free to print and distribute.

flyer_colour.pdf

(70.71 KiB) Downloaded 291 times

Folds to A5

[wangi]

And here are copies of those build our school now posters. Click on them for higher res versions. The - if you want to print your own.




And the flyer, click for PDF:


L/

[Makaveli]

[seashell]

[Makaveli]

I also note that I am no longer allowed to comment on the SPP Facebook page!!! Talk about censorship at the top level!!!

I think I wrote down too many facts - PPAG don't like facts. Fact.

[Bob Jefferson]

[Bob Jefferson]

emailsig.jpg (9.36 KiB) Viewed 8375 times

[Lashylass]

Desperation is a word that comes to mind when I see your new poster campaign.

[seashell]

I think you are forgetting the small matter of the court case - which decided in favour of the Council.
Oh, and the fact that PPAG are going to be hit for costs.
And then there is the small matter of a lack of support for their NIMBY cause.

PPAG are the ones who are desperate.
they were wrong and they were found to be wrong in law.
They are now engaging in a spoiling action, like a petulent toddler stomping its feet.
They need to wake up and smell reality.
And then remortgage their houses to pay for the mounting costs.