Petition for reasonable rents from Dulwich Estates

[bumpy]

In case anyone wanted to sign it...

https://www.change.org/p/dulwich-estates-behave-reasonably-charge-reasonable-rent?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=504138&alert_id=LotTjlzGIP_b70JwH8mIvVumxdv7D1dxiVU8odLKS2DVs6IqHoAdHI%3D

[DadOf4]

I've just signed this.

This story makes my blood boil. The Dulwich estate has two primary functions:

(1) to educate "12 poor scholars?

(2) to conserve and protect the heritage of this area

If you want background on how well they?re doing on (1) read this previous thread

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1396133,page=1

I guess this news on rent increases confirms how much they really care about (2)

[rupert james]

Since when has commercial shops, rents , toy shop been part of the heritage of the area.

Devalues the value of a petition.

[Otta]

rupert james Wrote:

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> Since when has commercial shops, rents , toy shop

> been part of the heritage of the area.

^^^ THIS!!!

Not that I think DE are acting in a reasonable manneer, but a toy shop that's been there a few years is not the heritage of an area.

[Jeremy]

The area's character, maybe.

[Loz]

DadOf4 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've just signed this.

>

> This story makes my blood boil. The Dulwich estate

> has two primary functions:

>

> (1) to educate "12 poor scholars?

>

> (2) to conserve and protect the heritage of this

> area

Actually, if you go to the Charities Commission and search for Dulwich Estates, you will see that DE has ONE function which it must, by law, fulfil:

"To manage the endowment assets of the charity in the long term interests of all the beneficiaries of the charity. This is measured by the increase in the annual income distribution to the beneficiaries and the maintenance of the value of net assets."

The beneficiaries of the charity are:

The Chapel in the heart of Dulwich Village

- Christ?s Chapel of God?s Gift at Dulwich Charity

Almshouses adjacent to the Chapel

- The Dulwich Almshouse Charity

Schools in Dulwich:

- Alleyn?s School

- Dulwich College

- James Allen?s Girls? School

School Foundations:

- Central Foundation Schools of London

- St Olave?s & St Saviour?s Schools Foundation

[Otta]

"St Olave?s & St Saviour?s Schools Foundation"

Didn't know that.

Also I've always thought it was St Saviour's & St Olave's. Oh well.

[Loz]

Weirdly, the foundation is St Olave?s & St Saviour?s but the school is St Saviour?s and St Olave?s.

Obviously, Olave and Saviour had a bitter feud about who got first billing and this was the solution. These saintly types let their halos slip every now and again.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Yep, the Dulwich Estate's only aim is to maximise income in order to subsidise a number of elite schools. Charity eh?

[spider69]

They only become elite if you cannot go there.

[Jeremy]

It's the charitable status that really sticks in the throat. Charitable status for private schools (and their associated assets/investment vehicles) is pretty scandalous.

[Sue]

Loz Wrote:

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> Weirdly, the foundation is St Olave?s & St

> Saviour?s but the school is St Olave?s & St

> Saviour?s.

>

Shome mishtake here, shurely

[Loz]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Loz Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Weirdly, the foundation is St Olave?s & St

> > Saviour?s but the school is St Olave?s & St

> > Saviour?s.

>

> Shome mishtake here, shurely

Oops! Yes. Now fixed.

[redjam]

Signed. Thanks for sharing.

[Loz]

rahrahrah Wrote:

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> Yep, the Dulwich Estate's only aim is to maximise

> income in order to subsidise a number of elite

> schools. Charity eh?

Christ?s Chapel and the Dulwich Almshouse Charity aren't schools. Central Foundation School and St Saviour?s & St Olave?s Schools aren't, AFAIK, elite.

[edhistory]

Another junk thread like "Save Southwark Woods".

Let's evict the old folk from the alms houses.

And stop visiting the art gallery.

Let's boycott everything else the Charity does - the things not mentioned by Loz.

Should be in the Lounge as it has nothing to do with East Dulwich.

John K

[Earl Aelfheah]

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> rahrahrah Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Yep, the Dulwich Estate's only aim is to

> maximise

> > income in order to subsidise a number of elite

> > schools. Charity eh?

>

> Christ?s Chapel and the Dulwich Almshouse Charity

> aren't schools. Central Foundation School and St

> Saviour?s & St Olave?s Schools aren't, AFAIK,

> elite.

Add in the word 'primarily' if you want.

[bumpy]

I didn't start the petition, just sharing it in case anyone wanted to sign it! :)

[edhistory]

Sharing it three times.

[DadOf4]

edhistory Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Another junk thread like "Save Southwark Woods".

>

> Let's evict the old folk from the alms houses.

>

> And stop visiting the art gallery.

>

> Let's boycott everything else the Charity does -

> the things not mentioned by Loz.

>

> Should be in the Lounge as it has nothing to do

> with East Dulwich.

>

> John K

Oh- the "they do loads of good" argument

of the ?9.66M that they made in revnue in 2015 (mainly from local rents) , ?8.2M (86%) of it was given to the 3 very wealthy private schools.

The scraps were divvied up between the almshouses, chapel and 2 state schools (note: not the picture gallery)

I agree that ED is not "in the Dulwich estate" - but if anybody here usees any sports facilities or shops on their patch - you're indirectly funding these schools.

I find that hard to swallow

[Loz]

DadOf4 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I agree that ED is not "in the Dulwich estate" - but if anybody here usees any sports facilities or

> shops on their patch - you're indirectly funding these schools.

>

> I find that hard to swallow

Well, stop doing it then.

[Penguin68]

The only case that could be made about the rental increase (to the Charities Commission) is that the rents are being increased to a level where traders are being excluded (with no substitutes appearing) such that the underlying value of the estate is being jeopardised (through empty properties etc.) such that the Estate's primary focus (to raise monies for its objects) was being impeded. This is, in effect, a charge of poor management. The Estate has no general duty of care to the neighbourhood (other than standard H&S issues) save where its management is seen to be reducing its capacity to provide long terms incomes for its objectives. Clearly a blighted Dulwich and East Dulwich would do that. So if you can show that its actions are blighting the neighbourhood sufficiently to impact underlying property values - even in a time of generally rising values a slow(er) local rise could evidence that - then a case could be made to the Commission.

Other than that, just because you don't approve of their 'charitable' aims (which are legal) or like what they are doing to your favoured traders, this isn't sufficient to leverage any changes to their trajectory.

[edhistory]

> The Estate has no general duty of care to the neighbourhood

No, but it does have discretionary powers written into its current Charities Commission document, to maintain and improve the amenities of its lands so as to preserve and enhance its revenues.

John K

[rupert james]

Dulwich estates are landlords who provide the facities for business to operate from.

If people are not prepared to pay for these facilities what is the problem?

Move else where, seems simple enough.

If properties are let for what the estate asks this only confirms the commercial value.

Is people are so worried form a co-op and rent the shops for the going rate and put what ever business they want in.

I doubt if their pocket will match their mouth.

[Jules-and-Boo]

Edward Alleyn origially created a charitable foundation and gave to it his property to support the education of the poor.

AS the schools which are the beneficiaries of his foundation no longer support education of the poor and are only for wealthy families, I hope the man is not turning in his grave. His original intention was clear.

The charity has become a business to support the wealthy.