No politics please, we're in an election period? Sheltered housing march, Saturday 9 May

I have just been compiling dates for the May residents forums and information on how people might submit questions. I was going to send this out to friends of the campaign to save the sheltered housing wardens. Then I received an email from Barnet council democratic services:

Cancellation of Resident Forums: 11, 12 & 13 May 2009

I write to inform you that due the Totteridge and Edgware By-elections and the Elections to the European Parliament on 4 June 2009, the Residents Forum meetings scheduled to take place in May have been cancelled. Items that have been submitted for those meetings will go forward to the Residents Forum meetings scheduled for June.

Of course, I emailed back expressing my dissatisfaction and received this prompt response:

Yes I know – some pressing issues were going to be raised and I suspect that many residents will be slightly unhappy, it would seem that the June forum will be loaded with issues as well. However discussion or promotion of politics is not allowed in particular during this period especially at forums.

Rules is rules (although this does seem to be one of the more absurd).

This makes the march this Saturday 9 May, to defend the sheltered housing wardens scheme, more important than ever: assemble 11.30am in front of Finchley Central station. We will march to Victoria Park: that's not far, but we hope that many sheltered housing residents will be on the march - distance is not so important as holding this protest at all.

Please attend, please let people know about it; and if you would like more details please email wardens@barnettuc.org.uk.