National Grid and the masterplan

Hackney Council has finally responded to a Freedom of Information request submitted on 28 January regarding its contract with National Grid for its substation on Millfields. How's that for a lack of commitment by Hackney to the FOI legislation which requires them to respond within 20 working days?

The response confirmed, as was previously known, that National Grid pay £34k per annum for 7 years from 1 October 2007 and that  Hackney has so far received received payments totally £119k. What was not disclosed previously was that National Grid also paid Hackney £71k in 2009-10 for easement to lay electric cable within Millfields. Hackney have therefore confirmed that there is £190k available for spending on Millfields masterplan projects - not the £120k figure previously circulated by the Millfields User Group (MUG) Committee.

Interesting that the papers for next week's MUG  meeting (Monday 11 April @ 7 for 7.30 at Nye Bevan Comunity Hall, Overbury Street E5 0AH) suggest the masterplan projects are not going to be discussed (the focus is just to be on the biodiversity work), despite some of the projects getting ready to go - such as the pathway through the orchard on south Millfields.