Forum Topic

The new residents' association on Ivybridge - in response to the Chronicle

Anybody who had the misfortune to read the article in yesterday's Chronicle would have been left with the impression that the sole abstainer from the new association is about to launch a one-man rival residents' group.The author of the article also misquoted me in such a way as to give an impression that I had met resistance from members of NITA in my efforts to help bring the new association together. In actual fact had he not chopped my comment in mid-sentence it would have been clear that I was referring to the opposition which I had encountered from the New Labour Party working in collusion with the old management at Hounslow Homes, who were pathologically opposed to the concept of a united association on the estate.  NITA have always been entirely helpful and it was a real pleasure to work with them throughout the process.Under the circumstances I think the negative comments attributed to the Vice Chair of the new association, Al Ayoby, should likewise be taken with a large pinch of salt, and seen in the light of the reporter's apparent and unexplained determination to talk up a division which doesn't exist.The new association is a fact of life and I have every confidence that it will go from strength to strength.  However there are of course those who will work against it for their own selfish, political ends and I'm grateful to the author of the Chronicle article for flagging this up so that the residents can be alert to it.

Phil Andrews ● 6567d29 Comments

May i wish the new URA for Ivybridge all the best for the future. At last Ivybridge gets the Residents Association they deserve and have fought for, for a long time.

Tony Smith ● 6558d

DavidI didn't realise the Third "Riech" ever came to Isleworth.  Thank you for enlightening me.Fyi I never possessed a pair of jackboots.  I once came second in a fancy dress competition in Brentford dressed as an SS officer, but in the absence of said jackboots I wore a pair of long wellies.  Fortunately nobody seemed to notice.The winner was a young lady who turned up wearing nothing but a pair of black gloves and black shoes, who claimed to be the five of spades.Your continued interest in the progress of the tenants' movement in Isleworth is noted.  However, inconceivable though it may seem to you things are actually getting along fine without you or the influence of your party.We'll let you know if you are needed, but don't hold your breath.  Despite your best efforts to cling on to what you once had, the residents are doing it for themselves now.  Sorry to disappoint you.

Phil Andrews ● 6565d

Phil Andrews ● 6566d

... good grief.

Sarah Felstead ● 6566d

Your Very welcome SarahHave a lovely weekend.Simon

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

.. thank you for taking the time to type the article out for us to read.

Sarah Felstead ● 6566d

Paronoia or what Phill, the labour party conspiracy again, I was working with TAs when you where still marching about isleworth in your Jack Boots with the rest of the Third Riech, sorry to say Phill I have allways believed in TAs being a force for good and not Political band wagons for people like you.

Dave Hughes ● 6566d

PhilI agree with you I do.But you started the Topic off i just made a few honest comments about the Article as you did but some on here feel everyone who posts on here can post and say what they want but when it comes to me different matter they bring in their personal feelings towards me on here then has the nerve to tell others not to engage in any disputes with me, isn't that basically starting a dispute against someone??Ive NEVER at anytime attacked or criticised the New R.A I've wished it the best for the future on all forums like you have done.Why would i attack or criticize something that i played a huge part in getting it don't make sense mind you this certain individual would probably blame me for everything if they could.I am in TOTAL agreement with you that the new R.A should move forward without any outside interference from anyone and i can assure anyone out there thinking of trying to interfere that there are several residents on that group now who will make certain that this will not happen now or in the future.The days of dictatorship on Ivybridge is well over now thanks to the determination and hard work of all that was involved.

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

SimonI am not dictated to by anybody, however it is uphelpful to be engaging in disputes about who did what when we have such an exciting new venture up and running at long last.  David Hughes' interjection merely confirms my suspicions that there was active Labour Party involvement at a borough-wide level in the divisions of the past, and it is therefore crucial that the new association is allowed to move on in a spirit of unity and goodwill without outside interference.Let's just wish them all the best and leave it at that.

Phil Andrews ● 6566d

Why should we be answerable to Mr Lawes?This is a discussion Board and is open to anyone to discuss anything.Its the case of this: If Mr Lawes doesn't agree with what you have wrote you get attacked by him.He seems to want to dictate who posts on here and what!!What happened to freedom of speech??Lets be honest here all joking aside Mr Lawes doesn't like me (fair enough) and wants to turn others against me it reminds me of being back in the playground " Don't be his mate or i wont be friends with you" Stick to posting nice comments about the local Area and posting your nice photos, stop attacking me and i will do the same!!

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

PhilI wasn't arguing with you either i was praising the New R.A.All i was stating was that the paper article makes out it was a 20yr feud between IVYTAG and NITA and that IVYTAG wasn't formed till 2003.I agree there has been problems on Ivybridge with the old Resident Group NITA before then regarding politics and the way it was runned and by whom.This is why i jumped at the chance to run IVYTAG and help you and the residents on Ivybridge get what they deserved a new UN political Resident Association.The only other thing i stated was about the article was that i supported what Mr Ayoby said about the estate should of been balloted .And lastely that i agreed with Dave Hughes by saying people should leave the new R.A alone, and that ALL political groups should not interfere with it whats wrong with that?Its Mr Lawes who keeps coming on here and accusing me of stuff like his comments about a made up name i used years ago on here which everyone must be tired of reading about now.If i was the one who built IVYTAG up to help you fight to get a new R.A on Ivybridge and resign from the Group and talked the IVYTAG members out of doing a petition to have me back which would of stopped the peace plans would i try to destroy it as Mr Lawes is stating.Oh Lastely Mr Lawes i didnt start this thread Cllr Andrews did get it right!!

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

JimYou say i am Childish!!I think people are fed up with you constantly blockin the Forums up with you continuing attacks and Sly Remarks on meKettle, pot and Black always spring to my mind when it comes to you.

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

JimI have replied to Simon to clarify a few things for him, but rest assured I will not be entertaining any arguments.

Phil Andrews ● 6566d

SimonI'm not going to engage in an argument with you.  If your objectives were the same as mine then I can't understand what all the anger is about, as they have been achieved.  However for clarification I referred to your "erstwhile colleagues".  "Erstwhile" means former.  I was referring to the people whom you worked with at NITA prior to your falling out with them, not the people at Ivytag.I don't know what you mean by blaming you.  I was crediting you.  As far as I can see I haven't blamed you for anything.

Phil Andrews ● 6566d

""CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT ARGUMENTS I AM HAVING WITH AND WITH WHICH COLLEGUES?""Here we go, here we go again!! Hopefully Cllr Phil will refrain from responding to this difficult correspondent and giving in to the temptation of going over all these characteristic exchanges again. These SA matters have clogged up ..and in some cases spoilt local forums all over the place for several years...and we all get no-where having been much "battered  in the head".If they were really truthful postings..well that's fine in my book...but next we'll have Jason Stanley delivering tributes and praising the correspondent's good services..then we'll have denials that it's the same person.  We know otherwise.Don't get caught up in a possible "bullying" trap. I've been told by several people that "this correspondent is a danger your mental stability"!Best wishes to the new Resident's Association.

Jim Lawes ● 6566d

I did a Check.IVYTAG was Formed in 2003 and the Chairman was Gareth Evans not George Burrell.

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

Hi PaulNo i don't mate..lolI did it For Sarah as she asked nicely..lol

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

Phil Replies below:SimonWith due respect the disagreements on Ivybridge didn't begin the day you joined Ivytag.  As a member of NITA prior to that you must surely be aware that there were major divisions already.  Indeed Ivytag was formed some time prior to your joining it, by George Burrell and Gareth Evans.  This is how you were able to join it.I DIDNT SAY IT WAS...I WAS STATING ivytag WAS NOT 20YRS OLD.YES YOU ARE RIGHT THAT THERE HAS BEEN PROBLEMS ON IVYBRIDGE FOR SOME TIME I DONT DISSAGREE I WAS JOINT POINTING OUT THE PAPER MAKES IT READ LIKE THE 2 GROUPS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR 20YRS THATS ALL.I JOINED AND TOOK OVER IVYTAG AFTER MEETING WITH YOU TO DISCUSS MY DETERMINATION OFF NITA, YOU OFFERED ME IVYTAG AND I MET WITH YOU AND GEORGE (GARETH ALREADY HAD RESIGNED FROM IVYTAG BY THEN) AND IT WAS HANDED TO ME.Indeed in my view most of the battles were fought by people who are no longer involved.  One of the leading political activists involved has since passed away, another has moved off the estate.  To a very large extent the NITA which disbanded last week simply inherited problems which had been caused by others.  Your own disagreement with the more recent leadership of NITA was, to some degree, peripheral.POPPYCOCK AND YOU KNOW IT PHIL.WE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE MORE RECENT LEADERSHIP OF NITA AND YOU WERE IN THE SAME OPINION AS ME WHY IS IT NOW THAT PEOPLE PLAY BALL WITH YOU, YOU REFUSSE TO ADMIT WHAT YOU HAVE SAID AND DONE BUT MAKE OTHERS TAKE THE BLAME COME ON PHIL YOU WANTED RID OF NITA JUST AS BAD AS I DID FOR THE SAME REASONS.You were not with Ivytag when Tom Reader (its first Vice Chair) was alive and active on the estate.  You were barely out of short trousers when Tom and a whole host of other residents were excluded from NITA in a politically-inspired putsch back in the 1980s.  The ICG itself was born in 1994 out of these incidents and it is quite literally no exaggeration to say the new administration at Hounslow has come about as a direct result of those events.IF I RECALL IVYTAG WAS FORMED A FEW YEARS BACK AND CHARED BY GEORGE AND VICE CHAIRED BY MR EVANS.MR RREEDER DID FAR MORE FOR THAT ESTATE AND HIS WIFE THEN ANY EX MEMBER OF NITA PAST AND PRESENT AND LIKE ME, GEORGE, GARETH HE WAS A VICTIM OF THE PAST TO.You don't need to remind us of your own role, your energy and dynamism reinvigorated Ivytag and played no small part in ensuring that a united association eventually came about.  Your selflessness in letting go when you did was crucial to that process.  But to portray your personal argument with your erstwhile colleagues and your subsequent parting of the ways as though it were Year Zero falls rather short of the truth.I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THE NEW R.A I AM PLEASED ITS BEEN FORMED AND I WISH IT LUCK I WOULD OF NOT STOOD DOWN FROM IVYTAG OTHERWISE.BUT I WILL SAY THIS PHIL WITHOUT ME GETTING THE RESIDENTS ONTO IVYTAG THE NEW R.A WOULD NOT OF HAPPENED AND ITS THEM WHO SHOULD BE CREDITED NOT YOU OR ME.I JUST CANT STAND THE FACT THAT NOW YOU BLAME ME AND OTHERS FOR THIS AND THAT WHEN WE BOTH KNOW YOUR PART IN IT ALL.CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT ARGUMENTS I AM HAVING WITH AND WITH WHICH COLLEGUES?

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

Have you not got a scanner Simon LOL, fair play for bothering to type all that out.

Paul Fisher ● 6566d

Sarah I wrote it ALL out for you:Peace breaks out at Ivybridge EstateWarring Residents' groups join forces for community.By Joe JacksonAn Uneasy peace descended on the Ivybridge Estate in Isleworth this week, fuelling hopes that 20years of hostilities between two residents' groups may finally be over.The ceasefire came after battle-weary residents agreed to dissolvetheir rival organisations and form anew front at a peace summit in theBridgelink Centre last ThursdayEvening.At the meeting members decidedto decommission the New Ivybridge Tenants'Tenants' Association (NITA) and the Ivybridge Tenants'Action Group (IVYTAG) and cre-ate a joint body - the United residents AssociationOf Ivybridge (URA).But the good-will may be shortlived, with fears of splinter groups high aftera former NITA treasurer made a last-ditch attempt to disrupt thepeace process.Albert Haddaway allegedly put forward a motion calling for thecontinuation of the group, but was unable to win enough backing from the 40 people gathered.And in a sign of the difficulties of reconciliation, former deputy Chairman of IVYTAG Al Ayoby, 66 - now Vice-Chair of URA - criticised the former regime of NITA.He told the Chronicle: "They wanted to run things their own way withoutConsulting anybody, like a dictatorship. We were for the residentsand not and political party, while NITA was very political."An election to the new URA body selected one independent, a former IVYTAG and twoprevious NITA members to the senior positions of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, secretary and treasurer.The new Vice-Chairman said he was disappointed with theVote>"I am not happy about how the election went, as it did not get theconsent of all residents. I would like to see a ballot. The result couldhave been different if more people had participated," Said Mr Ayoby.But the resident of Easedale House described the developments as "a step in the right direction" and saidhe was optimistic about having "better and more opendiscussions" in the future.Ward Councillor Phil Andrews - who chaired the gathering - also risked reigniting skirmishes with his commentsfollowing the meeting.He hit out at the "indescribable hostilities from politicalelements and other members of the old guard" which he claimed to havefaced in trying to unite the two sides.But he added: "i have immense confidence in those who have beenentrusted with running the new groupto deliver a first-class service to the community."

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

"Also the article states that it was a 20yr fight between the 2 groups but IVYTAG was set up in 2002/03 i believe so i don't know where 20yrs came into it."SimonWith due respect the disagreements on Ivybridge didn't begin the day you joined Ivytag.  As a member of NITA prior to that you must surely be aware that there were major divisions already.  Indeed Ivytag was formed some time prior to your joining it, by George Burrell and Gareth Evans.  This is how you were able to join it.Indeed in my view most of the battles were fought by people who are no longer involved.  One of the leading political activists involved has since passed away, another has moved off the estate.  To a very large extent the NITA which disbanded last week simply inherited problems which had been caused by others.  Your own disagreement with the more recent leadership of NITA was, to some degree, peripheral.You were not with Ivytag when Tom Reader (its first Vice Chair) was alive and active on the estate.  You were barely out of short trousers when Tom and a whole host of other residents were excluded from NITA in a politically-inspired putsch back in the 1980s.  The ICG itself was born in 1994 out of these incidents and it is quite literally no exaggeration to say the new administration at Hounslow has come about as a direct result of those events.You don't need to remind us of your own role, your energy and dynamism reinvigorated Ivytag and played no small part in ensuring that a united association eventually came about.  Your selflessness in letting go when you did was crucial to that process.  But to portray your personal argument with your erstwhile colleagues and your subsequent parting of the ways as though it were Year Zero falls rather short of the truth.

Phil Andrews ● 6566d

Lol.....

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

Can somebody post the actual article as I can't make head nor tail of what you are all going on about.  One thing is clear there is definitly spin - my head!  :-(

Sarah Felstead ● 6566d

I agree with you Paul.A lot of People did work REALLY hard to achieve the new R.A including myself who lets face it started it all off 3yrs ago with Building IVYTAG up and getting residents to fight for what they wanted and deserved a new R.A.Its Clear by the article that this is all been put down to two groups fighting but IVYTAG was fighting for what we have today on Ivybridge a new R.A, IVYTAG was not set up to be in competition with NITA.Also the article states that it was a 20yr fight between the 2 groups but IVYTAG was set up in 2002/03 i believe so i don't know where 20yrs came into it.I do agree with Dave though, that ALL political groups should keep out of the running of the new R.A on Ivybridge and allow the residents to run it themselves now and in the future.Its a fantastic thing that's happened on Ivybridge and no one should interfere or start attacking the new R.A everyone should leave it alone and let the members get on with working for everyone on Ivybridge.

Simon Anderson ● 6566d

Dave while I appreciate your concern on matters regarding Isleworth,with all respect you do not know the full facts.I can honestly say hand on heart that it has taken much work from all parties concerned and residents both past and present to get where we are today and I assure that is not any form of spin.

Paul Fisher ● 6566d

U r sOOOOOO not Funny Jim

Simon Anderson ● 6567d

Sometimes I have to wonder who Phill is trying to kid, there are many of us in the labour party who want to see a united Isleworth where residents can work for the benefit of themselves in trying to improve the area that they live in.The only person who has had a vested interest in creating divison in order to gain political power is your good self.I have not seen the paper yet but I will in a short while I suspect the article is about one of your members who untill recently you where singing the praises of in the expediancy of keeping political control you have dumped one of your followers, no doubt this is another Labour party conspiracy you will spin, is it not time to let go and let the residents run a TA without political battles from your self with the labour party and let the TA become the voice of the estate.

Dave Hughes ● 6567d

Let's hope that the fictitious Jason Stanleys of this world don't muck things up for the new residents' association.

Jim Lawes ● 6567d

What was wrong with the article?I thought it was a great piece and the Truth??

Simon Anderson ● 6567d