Councillor Rodwell, do you remember saying this about the residents of Marks Gate?
"What we find is they get grumpy after it's finished because their ignorance hasn't allowed them to take part."
Cllr Darren Rodwell was speaking at a meeting of Barking and Dagenham Council's cabinet at the town hall on Tuesday, November 12, 2019.
He was commenting after a question from Cllr Sade Bright who asked whether people in Marks Gate who weren't online would be able to take part in a public consultation over a proposal to build 200 homes on a strip of open grassland next to Padnall Lake.
Cllr Rodwell, commenting on public consultations, said: "What we find is [people] get grumpy after it's finished because their ignorance hasn't allowed them to take part, rather than the council not wishing [them] to take part."
Cllr Cameron Geddes, who put forward the proposals, quipped beforehand: "I look forward to the computerisation of Chadwell Heath. I would have thought the majority [of people in the area] have access." Barking and Dagenham Post
So Cllr Rodwell, what have you done to educate the ignorant? Cllr Geddes rather than try to belittle Marks Gate residents that don't have internet access what have you done to improve it?
We are proud to see that the Residents of Marks Gate formed an Action Group, ran petitions (over 600 signatures) for those without internet access. Yes Cllr Bright was right!
44 written objections were sent in by those you call ignorant. Yes we are sticking to 44 because we believe that at least 6 were 'lost' due to the technical issues with BeFirst planning portal. See here
Yes Marks Gate reportedly have a high level of residents with either no qualifications or qualifications equal to 1 or more GCSE at grade D or below, than the national average and yes Marks Gate has 20% less Higher and Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional households than the national average.
But they have a community, they pulled together, their Action Group empowered them and they took part, despite every effort made to thwart them, advertising meetings on non existent dates, only holding meetings during a workday so working residents couldn't attend. They will always remember what you said.
Your disparaging comments show a complete lack of understanding, as well as a lack of compassion for the people who live here.
Lastly, 'educated' people know how to apologise ... we await yours.