Councillor Sam Hearn outlines next stages of the process

Following Monday's Public Meeting to discuss proposals for a CPZ in Grove Park and Strand on the Green areas, we asked Councillor Sam Hearn to outline the next stages of the process.

Cllr Hearn told ChiswickW4.com, "The next step is for the officer's report on the preliminary consultation to be updated and brought back to the Chiswick Area Committee (Planning), probably week commencing 6th December. A decision can then be made by all nine Chiswick Councillors on whether or not to proceed with the second stage of the consultation process.

"If Councillors decide to proceed with the second stage of the process they will also have to agree who will be consulted and on what options. Following that, a great deal of detailed work will then have to be carried out by the officers prior to a consultation document being sent to residents.

"We confirmed at the meeting that if the decision is made to proceed to the second stage that we will hold another public meeting after the consultation document has been issued - only this time in a larger venue, with more publicity and more notice of the date.

"I apologised unreservedly at the meeting for the late notice to the public of the meeting and poor publicity. This appeared to be accepted in good part by the vast majority of the people in the room. It was understood by all concerned that this was far from being the last opportunity that residents would have to express their views on the subject of the CPZ proposal.

"For the record, many of the difficulties in organising the event related to the problem of inserting an additional, independently chaired meeting, at a new venue, into the extremely busy diaries of both councillors and officers. All three councillors had to ask permission to be absent from other council business in order to attend this public meeting.

"It was good to witness the civilised way in which local residents, many with sharply divergent views, were able to debate the complex issues that a CPZ raises. I would single out for praise the contribution to the meeting of Satnam Sahota the Officer from the Traffic Department. The ability of this naturally shy man to give straight answers to difficult questions was in my opinion quite exceptional. Paul Lewis, of course, played a blinder as the independent chairman.

"Finally I would like to place on record the very strong support that the meeting gave for the bringing forward, as soon as possible, of firm proposals for controlling the parking at the five retail areas in the Ward. This confirmed what the preliminary consultation had already told us."

There is an ongoing discussion of the pros and cons of CPZs as well as alternative suggestions on the ChiswickW4.com. If you wish to participate in the discussion you will need to register as a member of the site.

CPZ - Other Solutions

Public Meeting Grove Park / Strand on the Green CPZ

November 7, 2009