A Week In The Life Of A Chiswick Councillor

Sam Hearn discusses issues of local interest

Cllr Sam Hearn, who represents the Riverside ward in Chiswick, is chairman of the Chiswick Area Forum. He has written this account of his life as a busy local councillor.

Saturday – 18th October: Did I really spend the evening stuffing Diwali cards into envelopes with Councillor Robert Oulds?

Sunday – 19th October: In the evening to St Nicholas’ church to listen to the reflections of the deliciously indiscrete Frank Field MP. As a lad he had been a choir boy at St Nick’s and the memories clearly came flooding back. Interesting to hear about the Anti-Slavery Bill and the way that new legislation emerges.

Monday – 20th October : I promise not to mention Diwali cards again.

Tuesday – 21st October: A visit to the Feltham Arena site with other members of the Housing and Environment Scrutiny Committee. A burst of answering emails, followed by a short meeting with Paul Lynch and an Officer to discuss the arrangements for housing homeless people in Riverside Ward. I attended the start of a meeting of the Thomas Layton Collection’s trustees, but had to leave to attend the Scrutiny Committee. Feltham Arena was one of the two topics discussed by the Committee. The Hounslow Highways PFI contract may be coming to the Committee’s December meeting . Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Wednesday – 22nd October: Into Central London for a workshop on the prospects for Local Government after the General Election. Don’t ask. In the evening an amazing talk at St Paul’s Vicarage by Pat Davies on her WW2 experiences as a “Wren”. Taking down Enigma coded messages from German shipping and French Lighthouses and passing them on to Station X at Bletchley Park. Then I made a quick dash to a fundraising event across the A4 in Turnham Green Ward. Guest speaker Rory Stewart MP, Chair of the Defence Select Committee, is clearly a man to watch out for.

Thursday – 23rd October: Sad news from Canada. A Canadian relative tells me that Sergeant at Arms, Kevin Vickers, despite all his years of distinguished service with the RCMP had never before had to use his weapon in the line of duty. A brave and modest man. Hosted a meeting for party members resident in Chiswick Riverside Ward. We elected a new Ward Chair.

October 24, 2014