Taking Time Out From The Election Canvass To Plant Trees

Sam Hearn blogs about his week as a local councillor

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Friday, 28th November: Terrible news from London Bridge. A man shot dead by the police and several people stabbed. Yet again, horrific events during a general election that are so hard to make sense of. We are told to suspend campaigning until further notice. Attended a hustings organised by the Hounslow Chamber of Commerce at the Clayton Hotel on Chiswick High Road. Our candidate, Seena Shah, once again delivers a clear message and answers all the questions
clearly. There have been so many hustings but I have only been able to make a few of them.

Saturday, 29th November: To Harvard Hill with my colleague Cllr Gabriella Giles and our candidate Seena Shah where a community tree and shrub planting event has been organised as part of National Tree Planting week. The plants have been provided by the council but the tree planting itself is a genuine well-supported community effort. Interesting to see parents with young children making the effort to lead by example.

Sunday, 30th November: A catch-up on councillor casework and preparations for another busy week. Tactical plans change frequently during election campaigns and it’s important to stay on top of things. As well as the general election there are council by- elections in Feltham North and Heston
West. Both seats were held by Labour and have been vacant for some months. Thankfully there is time to fit a walk in with friends who promise not to talk politics. Fat chance.

Monday, 1st December: I note that the current planning application for the Old Station House Pub has been brought forward for consideration with a recommendation for refusal by the planning officer. Some residents are campaigning for the pub not to be downsized out of existence. My councillor colleagues and I are happy to lend our support. The pub as it stands is certainly a good venue for music and celebratory events. It forms a key element of the so-called Grove Park Piazza that is likely to receive funding from the Liveable Neighbourhoods Project.

Tuesday, 2nd December: Chiswick and Brentford councillors have received formal confirmation that enabling works on the Kew Bridge junction section of Cycleway 9 will begin on 12th December. Work will not be completed on this section until the autumn of 2020. There will be lane closures from 22nd December. Chiswick’s Conservative councillors are united in believing that this work should not begin until Hammersmith Bridge has been reopened to traffic. There are currently 2,000 additional cars a day crossing Kew Bridge because of the closure to traffic of Hammersmith Bridge.

Wednesday, 4th December: A fire at the Brentford Travelodge in the early hours of the morning. The early indications are that there are no casualties and that 160 people were evacuated safely. This is a tribute to the skills and dedication of the emergency services. It will be interesting after the election to review how well things went and if the lessons highlighted in the recent resilience training course for councillors have been learnt.

Thursday, 5th December: Finishing off local leafleting deliveries and canvassing. As in every election, there are streets and residents that we just do not manage to get to, try as we might. This evening we canvassed in Riverside ward with our candidate Seena Shah.

DATES FOR DIARIES
● General Election: Thursday, 12th December
● Borough Council: Tuesday, 28th January 2020 at 7.30 pm at Hounslow House
● Chiswick Area Forum: Tuesday, 4th February 2020 at 7.00 pm at Chiswick Town Hall

SURGERIES
● Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library in the upstairs room.
● Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Triangle Club, The
Ridgeway, W3 8LN. It is usually a group discussion but privacy can be arranged.

Councillor Sam Hearn
Chiswick Riverside Ward
Email: sam.hearn@hounslow.gov.uk
Phone: 07833 376222
Twitter: @samhearn53

December 5, 2019