Council Meeting Report

11th November 2003

HCTC attended the Council Meeting in order to deliver a statement on behalf of Harrow residents opposed to the forthcoming Tax rises. Although (or because) we were expected, the council Cabinet decided to meet in a room that couldn't possibly hold the very large number of residents attending. Archie Foulds and his Labour supporters then outvoted the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats  on the cabinet (which is dominated 7-3 by Labour) in order to prevent our statement being read.

Click hear to read the statement that Labour suppressed

(Letter to  Harrow Times from Keith Araujo)

Today , hundreds of Harrow residents tried to attend the council meeting and were treated in a truly disgusting manner. The Harrow Council knew there were going to be hundreds of people to argue against more punitive tax increases but deftly decided to limit the meeting to one mediocre cabinet room. They also ensured that the other adjacent cabinet room (that could have been linked to the main one) was booked for some vague meeting for the 'National Institute of Chartered Accountants 'therefore limiting the total number of people who could attend.

Some of the OAPs travelled across Harrow but were then stopped at the door and told 'no-entry'. There was a feeling of great anger and tempers were lost . None of the Labour party councillors even bothered to apologise or speak to the people left stranded in corridors and stairwells. The situation could have ended very nasty indeed.

We were told that Archie Foulds (Harrow Council Leader) mumbled and waffled around direct questions and basically couldn't give a damn about the concerns of people who quite literally cannot afford to pay any further increases in Council Tax. It seems that it is really pointless to try and change this situation by peaceful debate any more.

We have unanimously decided to stop ALL our direct debits. This will cause catastrophic failure to the councils infrastructure and then we will get all that wonderful publicity in some of the major tabloids.

I can see the headlines now ' Harrow Council In Crisis' , 'Harrow Council Bankrupt' ,'Council Tax Demos To Spread Across the Country' , 'Council Tax Riots' , 'Brent East Voting Trend To Destroy Labour Influence in London Boroughs', 'Labour Party Lose Their Deposit' .

If anyone wishes to contact 'Nick Raynsford MP' or the 'Deputy Prime Ministers Office', their email addresses are fss@odpm.gsi.gov.uk and seabeckaj@parliament.uk

IF THEY HAD ANY SHAME AT ALL , THEY WOULD CALL THE HARROW LABOUR RUN COUNCIL TO ACCOUNT AND CAP THEM.

Mr Raynsford/ Mr Prescott

The time for debate is now over as far as most of us are concerned . Do something NOW or face the wrath of peaceful people who have no other option but to resort to more desperate measures.

Keith Araujo