UPDATE Break-in at Gifford Street school

Posted on July 25, 2006 by William Perrin

Schoolkeepers_house_gifford_st_1 The Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) from the local Safer Neighbourhood Team have just telephoned.  They  have attended the old school keepers cottage and talked to some local residents who described many people coming and going from the site.

The PCSOs were able provisionally to identify by description two rough sleepers well known to them.  The PCSOs are now getting on to the council (who own this corner of the old school site) to board up the entrance.  But they are having some trouble finding who is responsible.

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CEMEX noise update and more video

Posted on July 25, 2006 by William Perrin

Readymixplantruffordst_3 The CEMEX plant on Rufford Street has caused local noise pollution for many years.  Recent contact with CEMEX and some history are detailed at this link. 

I have now had a short letter back from the President of CEMEX UK operations, Ignacio Ortiz.  He acknowledges my letter and  pins  resolution of the issue on  an internal environmental compliance investigation by  Joanne Wilson.  (My scanner is not connected so i can’t scan the letter in yet).  I would expect the investigation to finish in the next couple of weeks and then there will be a correspondence between CEMEX and the Council.

It is a small but important achievement to have recogntion of the issue from the CEMEX UK’s overall boss and a formal internal investigation.  But the proof of the pudding is in the eating – when we know what the investigation reveals and what actions will be taken to eliminate the noise.

I have also shot some more short video clips of the CEMEX plant that try to get across the wall of sound made by tipping gravel.  You cann see the videos by clicking here .  In the latest clip at that link the tipping noise even drowns out a passing diesel intercity train labouring up the hill under full power as it accelerates away from Kings Cross (and we know how noisy they are…….). 

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Rufford Street – moles?

Posted on July 20, 2006 by William Perrin

Rufford_st_molesThe large pile of earth on Rufford Street and the digging on Randell’s Road are electricity works that eill last for about 10 days.  There is an electricity sub station at the end of Randell’s Road/in Bingfield Park.   The substations steps down high voltage current from the grid to supply domestic voltages.  The grid/high voltage network runs under York Way.  The high voltage cables that connect York Way to the Randell’s Road substation were put in in 1947 (accoprding to the workmen) and need replacing.  The York Way cables were replaced when York Way was realigned.

There will no doubt be some disruption from these works but it is an important piece of long term maintenance that will help keep our electiricty supply reliable.

The workmen were friendly and i am sure woudl be happy to talk to anyone direct who has a problem with the works. 

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SORTED – T-mobile mast graffiti removed

Posted on July 20, 2006 by William Perrin

Tmobile_mast_graff Before

After

Graffiti_be_gone The T-Mobile mast was reported here Barrie Turner-Smith of T-Mobile helpfully got his cleaning colleagues to give a scrub.  Much cleaner now though the mast still is not exactly a pretty sight (it beams 3G signals mainly at people using Kings Cross and St Pancras stations).  This graffiti generator is a more sociable way of venting a graffiti urge.

I have asked the council if they could look at a telecoms mast plan for the Kings Cross area to stop our pavements becoming a mast forest as Kings Cross mobile phone use expands with all the new people who will come thorugh – but i never heard back.  WIll pursue again.

Posted in Street Tipping, Mess, Trash | 2 Comments

North Kings Cross Environmental Task group

Posted on July 19, 2006 by William Perrin

Nkxlogo The minutes of the task group have now been published here

Download minutes_of_etg_28_june_06.doc

The groups problem-solving appoach is described here.  The group has done a lot to focus resources on the area and generally clean it up.   We need to broaden representation of residents, Councillors, Council officials and the local voluntary sector on this group – the next meeting will take palce as follows:

Wednesday 30th August at the I-recycle centre, 1 Cottage Road, opposite Caledonian Road Tube station. The meeting will start at 10.00am and finish by 12.00pm.

We shall make an effort to invite more people to that meeting, publicise it and canvass views on problems using local resident’s groups, local email lists etc.  The meeting is in the daytime so that we can get the right working level council officers there from ICSL who are effective in solving problems.  But this can make it difficult residetns and Councillors with ‘day-jobs to attend.

Posted in How to get things done locally, Street Tipping, Mess, Trash | Leave a comment

Cally ‘Police Camera, Action’

Posted on July 17, 2006 by William Perrin

Cally 'Police Camera, Action'
the police CCTV van makes a welcome appearance outside the Cally Co-op on Monday evening.

It is good to see some heavy duty police hardware in the neighbourhood – no doubt due to the SNT.

There was a murder at the chip shop a few years ago, a recent gun robbery at co-op, armed raid at iceland (£16k guard shot), violent robbery at off licence and subsequent revenge attack on a witness there.

The street drinkers who blight this area were sitting on Tilloch St around the corner from the van and out of its shot. Though they weren’t drinking and looked v miserable.

The van is great but there is a case for the council to provide a permanent installation.

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Break-in Gifford Street School

Posted on July 16, 2006 by William Perrin

Schoolkeepers_house_gifford_st

The delapidated old Schoolkeeper’s House at the Gifford Street school site has been broken into in the last few days.  Will try to work out who the new owners are and see if it can be boarded up before some mischief starts to happen there.  The police have had a look but nothing nefarious seems to have happended there yet.

Posted in Anti Social Behaviour, Crime etc | 1 Comment

Bollard off Pembroke Street N1

Posted on July 16, 2006 by William Perrin

Bollard

Someone has gone to some trouble to smash this substantial concrete bollard off Pembroke Street next to Sparkplug and Crumbles.  Expect some tipping there now access has been opened up.  Not sure if it will be easy to get it fixed as ownership of this bit of land is complicated.

Posted in Broken Stuff on the Street | Leave a comment