Here’s a question: who do you trust more, Tower Hamlets councillors or our beloved security services?
Tricky one isn’t it?
Well, it seems from an email sent by the council’s head of communications on Saturday night that the MoD was either incompetent in how it went about its plan to put missiles on top of a crumbling Grade II-listed water tower in the Bow Quarter conservation area, or it read this blog and concluded our politicians couldn’t be trusted with classified information.
This was sent by council communictaions head Takki Sulaiman at the request of interim chief executive Aman Dalvi on Saturday night:
Dear Councillors
The Interim Chief Executive has asked me to inform you that Sky News are reporting that missiles and troops are to be sited at Bow Quarter during the Olympic Games. This follows the MoD’s decision to leaflet the area informing residents of their decision. There are a number of important elements that Aman is keen to impart to you as local representatives:1. The security services met with council representatives on two occasions – the last being late on Thursday afternoon2. The MoD sought permission to use the privately owned building directly from the landlord3. The information was deemed to be classified4. It was agreed that councillors would be notified of the decision first then residents. However it appears residents were notified first by leaflet today.5. The security measures including troop deployment and missile sites are also being used in other host boroughs and around the capital during the GamesAman is offline at the moment but able to talk by phone tomorrow if you require further information.
So it seems that all the MoD has to do if they want to put a few missiles on private rooftops is to ask the permission of the owner. I said it on Twitter yesterday, but here it is again: they are more than happy to put them on my rooftop (although I would like some say in where they’re aimed).
Trial by Jeory 
The Army is not your enemy. The installations will be there for your protection. Do you really want islamist controlled air liners aimed at the Olympic site to get there unopposed?
It’s nice to know that the MOD asks permission first. If I wake up to find a Sherman tank perched on my neighbours chimney, I can rest assured they have permission.
Battery of Patriot Missiles beside the water feature? I’m sure Mrs Jones gave the go ahead.
The question is: who was involved in the agreement to notify councillors first and then residents?
If the agreement was reached at a meeting with councillors and the MOD, without the landlord present, then it is entirely probable that the landlord (in ignorance of any agreement higher up/elsewhere) will have acted within their responsibilities by notifying the owners/occupants of the flats and put the cat among the pigeons.
Normally I imagine this sort of thing might require all sorts of statutory consultations between the landlord and tenants under the requirements of leasehold law, with statutory notice periods to be observed (none of which could be met with the Olympics so close now).
I presume that the overriding (overweening?) importance of the Olympics throws all statutory planning permission, leaseholder consultation, etc etc law out of the window in the interests of security.
Also, the leaflet says that missiles (or dummies) will be deployed at Bow Quarter and other sites during a practice exercise from 2nd May to 7th May. It also invites residents to a meeting with the senior officer on 5th May.
Today is 30th April – 2 days away from the start of the exercise. If councillors and residents hadn’t been informed by Saturday, precisely when was the council or MOD going to notify them?
And how did they think they were going to get a surface-to-air missile into the grounds and onto the roof without notice or alarm?
Whoever issued the leaflets, maybe they thought it was about time to do so.
Yadda, yadda, yadda, grumble moan. They are the British Army! They are not some middle-eastern rabble with weapons fighting the locals. They are there for your protection. Any damage will be paid for or fixed. Who brought up this “planning permission” b*ll*cks? 3 weeks in July plus a bit of practice time beforehand for YOUR safety. What is your problem, apart from a big mouth which can’t stop complaining?
Newspaniard – the water tower is occupied, so even you might have to concede that the people living in it are not just concerned with potential “damage” to their building.
Let’s face it, the tower is now a target itself, having been publicised with a handy photo by the BBC and any counter-counter(?) terrorists could now identify this local landmark and take it out with their own missiles.
Surely the MOD can find some unoccupied industrial towers or chimneys in Hackney Wick/Fish Island they can shimmy up to create their temporary missile posts and keep them secret? Or have Orange, Three etc. taken all these plum positions for their mobile communication installations for the Games?
Stick them on Anchorage House or Mulberry Place – safest place in the Borough by miles. 🙂
Yadda, yadda, yadda! Don’t ask questions and anyone who does is a grumbling moaner! Blimey, it’s the BRITISH army and that should be enough for all you big mouths who can’t stop talking b*ll*cks! They’re spending somewhere around £1.7billion of our money on security to protect you by shooting down any hijacked airliners to make sure they don’t crash into the stadium and to avoid them killing all those Olympic dignitaries and politicians, etc. Of course that could mean they will crash into your house!
What is your problem?
[…] Trial by Jeory points out that the MOD seems to be cutting the local council out of the loop despite committing to them that they would talk to them first before going public with their plans to place deadly weapons in their borough. For some people of Newham and Tower Hamlets the Olympics must seem like a monster that they’ve never had any control over. […]
Ted – Looks like you’ve got some ninny with two identities commenting on this post. Yadda Yadda is the give away. Do ask him to decide which one he wants to be.
Has anybody noticed how if the news is negative our illustrious Mayor is nowhere to be seen and the CEO is the one who has to deliver the message?
So what exactly does our Mayor think of all of this? Has he said anything? Has he done anything about it?
I note he got beaten to airtime on the BBC by Rushara Ali who seemed to be doing a pretty good job in banging on about the way in which this has been handled is incompetent http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17896266
I like the suggestion of TheTruthHurts. If it’s all absolutely and completely safe then the missiles on the top of Mulberry Place – excellent idea!
Or maybe the Mayor could show some support for the British army and go and visit the soldiers while they’re waiting for the terrorist attack – now that everybody knows precisely where they are going to be……..
I just can’t help thinking that if it’s now necessary to have missiles on top of residential accommodation then its’ time to stop holding the Olympics in cities – it’s just not worth it.
Send them back to Greece – they could do with the economic activity!
I agree with Newspaniard. It is crazy what people will moan about – these security measures are for the safety of Londoners and visitors. They can stick some missiles on my roof in Camden if they like. Patriotic duty and all that.
@You couldn’t make it up! @juliancheyne was taking the p*ss and copied/junked my comment to put his opposing point across. I thought it quite amusing.
As Ted points out seems that local politiians along with residents have been left out of any comunication until the last minute after all decisions have been made about what goes on in the borough.
As someone with some experience insecurity matters I would predict that control of all five Olympic Boroughs will soon be handed over to Central Government for safekeeping. This will give the Mayor and other public figures plenty of time for photo opportunities with our brave boys both at thier gun emplacements and at the paralympics.
@You couldn’t make it up! The legacy left in Greece is in fact acres of badly mantained buildings surrounded by litter, covered in graffiti and a fair number of breaches in local planning law. Remind you of any where?