New Look for the Chiswick Area Forum

Supporting young and old and the future of transport on the agenda

New Chiswick Area Forum aims to more away from 'them-and-us' feel

After a gap of eight months, the Chiswick Area Forum is back on Tuesday 14 September and it has been given a makeover.

Its current chairman, Councillor Joanna Biddolph, is aiming to more away from an agenda dominated by council business to make it more community-focused and forward-looking.

There are two new sections on the agenda. Firstly Chiswick Community Matters will provide an opportunity for local less well-known local organisations to promote their work, discuss challenges; and inform councillors and residents about how they can help them. This year councillors are also very keen to know how the pandemic has affected them and their work. Secondly, Chiswick Future will aim to explore in more depth local policies that affect our lives.

At this first meeting, the focus of Chiswick Community Matters is supporting young and old in Chiswick with presentations from Age Concern and the Hogarth Community Centre.

The Chiswick Future section will look at the future of public transport in Chiswick with Nicholas Rogers, London Assembly member for the south west area and member of the GLA transport committee. His session will not include discussions on C9, Streetspace road schemes or LTNs.

"We don't need another self-selecting, unrepresentative discussion on these highly contentious issues", Cllr Joanna Biddolph said. "Issues such as the lack of access, and the lack of step-free access, for disabled people at our tube and train stations, the Piccadilly Line stopping at Turnham Green tube station, buses and reduced bus routes have all been neglected and need to be put back on the agenda for Chiswick. Hearing from Nicholas Rogers AM will give us valuable insights from a broader perspective and put concerns about public transport into context.

"The two Chiswick Community Matters sessions are short but will, I hope, improve knowledge about what is going on in Chiswick, often behind the scenes. I am so pleased that these two significant organisations, which improve the lives of residents at opposite ends of the age spectrum, can join us this time.

"The area forum meetings in October and January will have fuller agendas. This September date is additional – I wanted to hold at least three meetings this year, given how long a gap there has been since the area forum last met. That meant we weren’t able to give much notice for this first meeting. We are lucky that these two important organisations were free to take part."

This first meeting of this council year will be held in person at Chiswick Town Hall with strict social distancing measures in place. Seats must be booked as LBH is managing numbers due to social distancing. The area forum will be held in the main hall, the largest room at Chiswick Town Hall, to provide extra space. There will be 60 seats for those attending. Masks must be worn when moving around the room and the Town Hall. You can book your seat by emailing: chaspal.sa ndu@hounslow.gov.uk.

Even the layout of the room will be different, Councillor Biddolph explained. "When I attended area forums before I was elected, it felt very them-and-us, very formal and with a large gap between residents and the top table of councillors. I have tried to soften that feel with a different layout though it will still feel a little separated as we must ensure social distancing. I'm working on other changes, to make it more welcoming, but that will take longer to achieve. My aim is to make it much more obvious that we councillors want to hear from residents in a public forum."

The meeting will not be broadcast on Youtube or recorded. Hounslow council can only broadcast and record from Hounslow House and has decided that, even though one area forum takes place at Hounslow House, it, too, will not be broadcast or recorded, to ensure all area forums are treated equally.

"I have already said that the lack of broadcast/recording is a huge disappointment. After meeting virtually throughout the pandemic, residents now expect council meetings to be broadcast online and the council should ensure it happens," Cllr Biddolph said.

The meeting takes place at 7pm on Tuesday 14 September at Chiswick Town Hall. To see the meeting agenda click here.

September 9, 2021