I wrote my last newsletter in March just before the Corona virus pandemic became a major issue and we were subject to lockdown. How the world has changed! I do hope you are all well. Please accept my sympathies if you or your family has been ill or if you have lost anyone close to you. This is a horrible virus and we must all do our very best to ensure it is contained. I know it is difficult not to see family and friends. I haven’t seen very little of my family including grandchildren since March but we have a Zoom meeting every Sunday which allows us to keep in touch.
Fundraising for computer tablets for Hackney schoolchildren
Many of you will know about my fundraising efforts to help children at my daughter-in -law;s school in Hackney who do not have a laptop or tablet to enable them to access on line school lessons and the relevant work. I have been astonished by the generosity of Labour Party members, Barbican residents and some of my friends. To date I have managed to buy over 60 tablets! The school has been marvellous in downloading the appropriate programmes, installing security programmes, teaching the children how to use the tablets and getting parents to sign agreements on behalf of the children. We all know that less advantaged children have been left behind since the lockdown and I hope these gifts will enable them to make progress. Thank you to everyone who contributed so generously.
The Corporation
Committees
I am pleased to report that I have been co-opted on to the Professional Standards and Integrity Committee of the City of London Police Authority Board. The committee is responsible for scrutinising the Force’s handling of complaints. I am looking forward to contributing to this important work.
My other Committees remain as before: Barbican Residential Committee; Board of Governors of the City of London School for Girls; Community and Children’s Services Committee; Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee; Health and Wellbeing Board; Licensing Committee; Port Health and Environmental Services Committee; Standards Committee; Assessment Sub (Standards) Committee;
Dispensations Sub (Standards) Committee; Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Sub Committee; Housing Management and Almshouses Sub Committee; Integrated Commissioning Sub Committee; Safeguarding Sub Committee.
I am also a Trustee of St Luke’s Community Centre in Islington which also provides its services to the Golden :Lane estate.
Running track proposal
Some of you may have seen details of the proposal by John Edwards, Common Councillor for Farringdon Within campaigning for a running track including around the Barbican podium. I know that John has modified his plans and taken out much of the Barbican proposal. I have written to John strongly opposing this idea. Most residents I have spoken with are very much against the propisal. It would be a running track inset in the Podium with a special running surface. It is generally felt that the Podium is not that wide in many places and would impede pedestrians, wheelchair users, pram and buggy vehicles etc. Although John thinks we could all share the track the danger of being knocked down by some athletic fast runner is too risky. John himself is a runner and I can see the attraction for him but for the majority of residents of the Barbican there is no appeal. John’s website has been misunderstood by many residents who thought that the Corporation was supporting this idea. I can assure you that it has no official support and at a meeting of Cripplegate councillors and Alderman we were all opposed. Neither would I support any proposal to put the track in any other ward. If we don’t want it in Cripplegate we should not foist it on any other City ward.
Residential issues
I haven’t been able to continue with my regular calling on residents on both the Barbican and Golden Lane on Saturday mornings due to the lockdown. I look forward to resuming these sessions as soon as possible. I have had several residents contact me about issues which I hope I have been able to help with. Please let me know if I can help in any way.
Mary Durcan
Common Councillor
Cripplegate Ward
City of London Corporation
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September 2020