Camden News: Cllr Jonathan Simpson

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Camden News - by LIZ BENNETT
Published: 19 March 2009

Cllr Jonathan Simpson and the offending generator

Town Hall power supply generates noisy response

Racket produced by temporary generator described as ‘totally outrageous’

WHILE the Town Hall might be the seat of power in the borough and home to the Camden’s political “big noises”, power and noise came together in a more literal – and unwelcome – way over the weekend.
After an electricity supply unit to their main headquarters in Judd Street, King’s Cross, was cut off over the weekend, an emergency generator has been wheeled in by power providers EDF to keep the juice flowing into their offices. Other parts of the neighbourhood are also relying on the whirring machine.
And while the generator is keeping things ticking over at the Town Hall, it hasn’t been lighting up the lives of residents and passers-by who claim the deafening sound is making life unbearable.
The offending generator in Argyle Street has been the subject of furious emails from councillors to council chief executive Moira Gibb, urging her to take action.
But residents were warned last night (Wednesday) that they face at least another day of thunderous noise.
Labour councillor Jonathan Simpson said: “The level and scale is absolutely monstrous and they seem to have forgotten that Argyle Street is a mainly residential area and Argyle School is located nearby. I can barely hear myself think when I walk past.”
People with noise complaints are normally directed to the council but residents fear complaining would simply amount to the Town Hall investigating the nature of its own power supply.
Labour councillor Sue Vincent said she was angry that complaints were not being taken seriously. “It’s just an unacceptable level of noise,” she said. “The council haven’t reacted appropriately. The council urgently needs someone to address this.”
James Monahan, an architect who travels through the area on his way to work, criticised the council’s attitude as “totally irresponsible”.
He said: “You get besieged by the noise. The council has done this without thinking about people in the area. They’re just behaving outrageously. It’s an attitude of total arrogance.”
He complained to Camden environmental health officers, but they claimed to have no power to follow up his complaint because he did not live or work in the area.
A council spokeswoman said: “Camden Council has been working closely with EDF to ensure disruption to local residents and businesses is kept to a minimum. The generator will now be shut down on Thursday evening rather than Sunday as had been planned.”

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