Headstone North's failed funding bid is "a tragedy" (From Harrow Times)

Headstone North's failed funding bid is "a tragedy"

10:03am Wednesday 1st February 2012 in News By Anna Slater

A councillor has slammed the Government's decision not to award Headstone North funding as "a tragedy", despite Harrow Town Centre receiving a whopping sum.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, announced early last year to help regenerate declining high streets and town centres in boroughs not directly benefiting from CrossRail or the Olympics.

Round one of the Outer London Fund bids saw Harrow receiving £860,000, with £360,400 going to North Harrow.

The money was used to fund new parking bays and to support the Traders Association to help promote local businesses.

Earlier this month, the successful Round 2 bids were released, and while Harrow Town Centre was awarded £1.8 million, Harrow North was left with nothing.

Councillor James Bond, (Independent, Headstone North), expressed anger about the situation.

He said: "I don’t understand why this has happened, as it had widespread support. I am so disappointed – it’s such a tragedy and a missed opportunity by the Mayor of London."

Harrow North’s main proposal was to fund a Community Hub in what was previously the Harrow Children’s Service Building in Pinner Road.

Councillor Bond said: "It was going to be used as a new headquarters for the Citizen Advice Bureau and for MIND, because they are currently in a cramped office space in central Harrow, but now there is no funding to do that.

"The money would have been a good investment as it would have created a domino effect, boosting the North Harrow economy and also help the voluntary sector.

"The money Harrow Town Centre received could have been downsized to £1.3m, and there would have been plenty left over for North Harrow to fund the Community Hub.

"On this occasion, I do feel that the Mayor has badly let us down."

Latha Kaphirkamathamby, chairwoman of North Harrow Trade Association, said the decision would "drastically affect traders."

She said: "We were fighting to revitalise North Harrow and I’m so disappointed that we didn’t get the funding, especially given that Central Harrow is far more developed than North Harrow.

"Economy in North Harrow has been dreadful enough as it is, and it’s put a layer of the coffin as far as the traders are concerned."

Prakash Shah, manager for Saville Pharmacy , Station Road, said: "I’m worried because now that North Harrow hasn’t received the funding it needs, we may start seeing a decline in customers here as people will choose to go to central Harrow instead.

"When will the Mayor wake up and see what the area needs? If you don’t do anything about it, the area is going to decline."

But Cllr Keith Ferry, portfolio holder for planning and economic development on Harrow Council, said Harrow would not cease to support traders in North Harrow.

He also said that the £360,400 awarded to North Harrow last year was “already being used to support local traders.”

He added: “It will leave a lasting legacy with new parking bays, planters, notice boards, festive lights, a website and business directory, as well as practical help for advice and businesses. The local traders association is also growing and strengthening all the time.”

He also acknowledged that the application process was heavily oversubscribed and that only 23 of the 80 bids across London received funding.

A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority said: “Due to the volume of applications received for round two of the Outer London Fund we weren’t able to find funds for every project that applied.”

He added that all bids were assessed on how they would benefit the local community, including “increasing footfall to local shops, supporting existing activity in town centres and demonstrating economic uplift.”