• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

There are quite a number of community groups there who have already set up their own forum to discuss these issues at very much a local grass-roots level. In terms of setting up our own consultative body what account can we take of those grass-roots organisations? I am concerned that we should not offend those organisations by appointing someone from amongst our number in that way.

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

Which do you think is more likely: that it remains as Metropolitan Open Land, or that, as you said to Bob earlier in the question before, there would be some sort of trade-off with the sports centre which would result in a development on the top site?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

I am glad that you did not require me to refuse your very kind offer to take the chairmanship from you, but I am sure you will ensure that those who actually represent the area in which it physically is are involved. I welcome your recognition of the complexities of the issue, which Bromley Council have had to grapple with for many years. I welcome your recognition that it is not anything like as simplistic as Darren makes out. Would you agree that the real answer to Darren's question is, if development of the top site is necessary to make...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

How are you going to kick start that process of listening?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

Do you recognise at the moment though that there is strong opinion in favour of keeping the site as open parkland rather than building on it?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

How are you going to take things forward? You have mentioned some sort of consultation process with the local community.

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

You say there is no quick solution, no quick process, but surely if you were to restore the site as open parkland and do it properly and integrate bio-diversity in the plans and all the rest of it, that would be a lot quicker than wrangling over a development for years and years to come.

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

Two of the neighbouring boroughs are actually led by the Liberal Democrats. I do hope that in all respects we will keep political harmony. Would you not agree?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

As someone who grew up in the area, my father before me remembers using Crystal Palace and he actually saw the fire. I can still remember him describing what he witnessed when he grew up in Beckenham where he was living. Is the Mayor aware that both personally and politically we will be very supportive? Can I urge him to be careful of the politics of the thing? I think Val would be the last person who would want this to be entangled in the forthcoming election. Clearly, she has an electoral interest.

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 17 December 2003

I suppose I should declare an interest as a resident of the Crystal Palace area, we are going into this so intensively. Would you agree that in terms of any discussion about the top site that we do not just need to have a safety assessment done in terms of the soil chemistry, but there are also potential structural issues on the terraces? If we are going to make the park serve the people of the area we will need to have a proper safety assessment done, as well as an environmental impact assessment before we can decide how to...