Tarmac Versus Paving On Devonshire Road
Local councillor John Todd 's blog reports on his busy week
Saturday 1st October
Helping the Abundance team produce wonderful apple juice outside St Michaels Church, Turnham Green. Karen and Sarah Cruz helped set up and manage a number of stalls one of which had some wonderful chickens in attendance, totally unperturbed by the large number of visitors.
Sunday 2nd October
Family day at home.
Monday 3rd October
I met with Aubero, a professional gardener at the Chiswick Parochial Charity flats in Edensor Road with a view to getting a quote for their garden which requires radical work to reduce the boundary greenery and some work on the beds. He showed me how he could help and how to bring greater light into the garden by a number of light breaks. He pointed out that the lack of sunlight has caused significant moss growth in the lawn.
Some of the residents spotted me and joined in with vigour and lots of ideas.
In the afternoon I went to the Civic Centre Hounslow, attending the Dukes Meadow Operation Board with officers in attendance. We reviewed the project work done so far and drafted ideas for consideration based on a recent consultant's report and other data.
I then crept into the Constitutional reform committee meeting (I'm not a committee member), hoping my earlier report to them seeking change in the draftiOctober 8, 2016inet members to individually implement action, change of process etc, would be successful. I said they were currently too legalistically drafted, difficult to interpret, and that this confusion inhibited effective challenge.
I was invited to speak and I made my case as best I could. The senior lawyer present, speaking in a wonderfully judicial measured fashion, eloquently rebutted my suggested changes, but at the end of his speech gently mentioned that the Chief Executive agreed with me and that he had been instructed to implement the change suggested. The committee agreed too.
With other Councillors I was due to be a member of a licensing panel to consider a possible review of a licensed premises post a police visit. This however didn't take place so I went home earlier than intended.
Tuesday 4th October
I visited Chiswick school as the Governor with special responsibility for pupils with special educational needs and or who are disabled.(SEN-D) I met with the teacher responsible for this provision, her teaching assistants and a number of pupils too.
The staff were most welcoming and the pupils were polite and well behaved. The room used was bright and cheerful with numerous fresh posters and information.
By way of contemporary background SEN-D reforms introduced by the Children and Families Act 2014 aim to ensure that children with special educational needs and disabilities are 'able to fulfil the same vision that is held for all children and young people' - and that they 'achieve well in their early years at school and in college and make a good transition to adulthood'.
This new legislation amongst other things, introduces a new document to replace the SEN statement called a Education Healthcare Plan. I later drafted a report to be reviewed by the school' governing body.
Wednesday 4th
In the morning I went to a pension seminar held at the British Film Institute building just off Tottenham Court Rd. Others attending were trustees of other pension funds including the chair of Hammersmith and Fulham Council Pension Fund. A number of presentations were given including a scheme providing student accommodation in Dublin and Cork.
Our own LBH pension fund has awaken from its valuation slumber and gained £100m in the last few months. Impressive and welcome.
Thursday 5th
Spending what seemed hours drafting possible questions and a motion to be used at a forthcoming Council meeting where all Councillors are present. These have to be submitted and approved by 4pm. We are allowed three questions with each one posed allowed a further supplementary question, the content of which is not provided pre meeting.
In the evening attending the Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussing the first tranche of suggested savings.
Friday 6th
Our dear dog Rosie had two days earlier found and eaten a big bag of grapes. We rushed her to the vet, quickly recovered most of them but kept her for two nights using morphine, charcoal, a drip, and blood tests as part of the treatment to minimise kidney damage. She seemed in great condition when we picked her up and we stopped at Gunnersbury Park for a walk on the way home which she clearly enjoyed.
Case work
Devonshire Road
For a number of days I've been batting on behalf of the residents of 24 houses out of 196 who Hounslow Highways have unilaterally decided will have a tar pavement covering whilst the rest of the road gets paved blocks. See my photograph of the pavement/tar boundary and the written instruction 'Tar' nearby. The residents concerned and other supporters have incredibly quickly produced a Petition sent to the Mayor and I have emailed numerous LBH and HH officers including the CEO. Our client side officer is clearly on board too. We'll keep up the pressure.
New on -line CPZ. Permits scheme
I sought clarification about the process for residents who have lost or not received their renewal letter containing their PIN. This is the guidance from LBH;
Lost PIN reminders
If you have lost or not received your renewal reminder letter containing your PIN number, you will need to email LBHEasiPermits@serco.com and request it to be resent. Your email will need to include:
• your permit number
• your vehicle registration number
• one proof of residency from the following options:
o tenancy agreement
o council tax bill
o one utility bill (gas/water/electric/landline telephone - issued within the last 3 months)
o photo driving licence
New Cabinet paper on Waste and recycling services
To keep up with contemporary developments please see the link
The new in-house LBH waste collection service starts at the end of this month.
Many costs are still unknown including the cost of a new recycling depot which will open late next year. The underlying notional contract is to be initially run 'at cost' by a subsidiary of Lampton 360 Ltd our trading company owned by LBH. Many including me and some Labour councillors are concerned about the unquantified project costs, the absence of a procurement process to display best value and the failure to evidence any material increase in our recycling rate -currently one of the poorest are matters of serious concern.
October 8, 2016