Another Trick in the Game of Traffic Mismanagement in Chiswick
Chiswick Homefields councillor Gerald McGregor reports back
Cllr Gerald McGregor
June 13, 2023
Poor administration from Hounslow Labour Party
In my last blog I questioned the actions of the Chair of Hounslow Scrutiny Committee who blocked the Chiswick Grove Park Traffic Scheme Review
“Did he receive the hundreds of E-Mails in support of Labour Policy (which he claimed)? Could he prove it? If not, he should resign immediately”
The last edition of Private Eye magazine had a report which answered the issues raised above. Unfortunately, not to the advantage of the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Labour Councillor for Hounslow South Sayyar Raza.
A Freedom of Information request by the journal asked for the number of E-Mails received and the analysis of support.
The Result, the FOI request revealed only 75 e-Mails received on the subject (not ‘hundreds)….72 against the schemes…..That is a massive 96% who stated their contrary views about the treatment they were receiving at the hands of the London Borough of Hounslow and, in particular, the Chair of the Committee.
What are we to do with people like this?
He should resign immediately as Chair of the Committee and should go on a training course about the responsibilities of holding a paid public office after he has apologised for his misleading comments and poor decision making.
Update on Fighting the International Curse of People Trafficking
The Anti-slavery movement in Chiswick, being supported by Chiswick Churches as part of their outreach is now organising co operative efforts and research to assess how we can assist in the fight against this evil.
Update on Pakistan and Ukraine
Please remember the Pakistani communities who lost so much in the flooding last year in a natural disaster in the Indus Valley. The losses are still being counted and the restoration effort is in need of inter governmental support
We can now see a man-made catastrophe in Europe in the breaching of the barrage on the River Dnipro. Please support the Ukrainian relief effort by making your voice heard and helping with funding. Also please remember the large numbers of Ukrainian refugees living amongst us in West London, many of whom are anxious and doubly concerned particularly about the Kherson Region.
The people of Chiswick ask: Are we a Backwater?
The leader of Hounslow Council recently made a dismissive remark about Chiswick and it is interesting to note the proliferation of post covid activity and the return to normality, Chiswick is a living community of culture, dramatic, artistic and literary values, employment and great ambience.
Two Festivals of note:
Two regular parts of the Chiswick summer are now firmly back on the agenda, the two items pictured are representative of the voluntary activity that is such a part of Chiswick.
The 15th Chiswick Book Festival will launch with an ‘in conversation’ event between acclaimed garden writer and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh and Rosie Fyles, Head of Gardens at Chiswick House & Gardens Trust , The talk will be held in the Garden Pavilion at Chiswick House & Gardens at 7pm on the evening of Thursday 7 September 2023, followed by a book signing.
Doors will open, with books and drinks on sale, at 6pm.
Don't miss the 57th annual Bedford Park Festival and Green Days Fete & Craft Fair! Running from Friday June 9th to Sunday June 25th 2023, it will bring you art, crafts, music, photography, food, drink, talks, gardens and children's events -all in aid of the work of St Michael & All Angels Church (the Parish Church of Bedford Park) and its three chosen charities .
Both Festivals have active websites and programmes of the events and activities.
The Chiswick Time line, (SEE ABOVE) produced by the Book Festival Team and sponsored by Chiswick Cinemas, was launched at a hosted event in the Members Bar at 94-96 Chiswick High Road, kindly introduced by the Cinema’s Marketing Executive Chris Parker.
The Writers Trail forms part of an online archive of more than 400 notable writers, dramatists and poets who have lived in or are connected to the “back water“ of Chiswick. The yardstick for entry to the archive, which is chronological, is to have had a book written and published
It is actually a wonderful backdrop to the Book Festival, now attended by major authors and supported by notable publishers, book agents and book stores. www.chiswickbookfestival.net .
The Bedford Park Festival Bookings and details of events, visit www.bedfordparkfestival.org
Exhibitions in June and July
One of the good places in Chiswick to meet friends, neighbours and acquaintances is one of the many cafes, particularly of the family-owned variety.
This is the Post Room named after the former Post Office on the site run for many years by the well-respected Lad Family
The Cafe Proprietors are happy to support locally oriented artists
This is a great example of the live culture of Chiswick, recognised by the Post Room coffee shop at Bedford Corner, opposite St Michael and All Angel’s Church.
The exhibition of landscapes and streetscapes provide a lovely backdrop to a quiet chat with friends. It is planned to have exhibited art changed bi-monthly, giving six different exhibitions annually.
2 Bedford Corner, S Parade W4 1LD, Mon -Sat, and Sun 9am – 4:00pm
Your Conservative Councillors, Delivering support and value for the people of Chiswick.
Traffic and Transport in Hounslow Powered Bikes (Again!!!)
Woodstock Road and Priory Avenue, Bedford Corner, Chiswick
A conservation area, of course, in Homefields Ward .
This is a noted hotspot for drug dealing and has been reported to the authorities. Local people want closed circuit cameras as they do not feel safe.
The proliferation of powered hire bicycles continues as Hounslow and Ealing councils accelerate into the past. These are on the pavement and get in the way of those who are disabled and lack sight. The actual storage space (now imposed on residents who were voluble in their opposition) is on the road at the corner behind.
The metal bench (frequented in the evenings as a rendez-vous point ) makes late night time walkers uneasy and apprehensive. I have called for it to be moved closer to the church and better lit roads.
The provision of a camera has been urgent for the last fifteen months, and I am still hopeful of a Community Grant to get the installation
Your Conservative Councillors in Chiswick are all familiar with the area and this local knowledge is helpful and necessary and essential in keeping Hounslow Council under scrutiny.
But the Council Scrutiny panel does not have that interest at heart.
Similar inertia pervades Ealing and its attitudes to Southfields Ward with its three Liberal Democrat councillors. The Labour Party in both Boroughs appears to be very tribal at present.
Cllr Gerald McGregor
gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk
07866 784821
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES
Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the eight Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).
Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery).
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS and CONTACTS
Chiswick Gunnersbury (was Turnham Green) ward
Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 703446
Cllr Ranjit Gill ranjit.gill@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702956
Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887
Chiswick Homefields ward
Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017
Cllr Gerald McGregor gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784821
Cllr John Todd john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784651
Chiswick Riverside ward
Cllr Peter Thompson peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 395810
Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |