A New Job Chairing The Hounslow Pension Board

A week in the life of a local councillor as told by Sam Hearn

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

Friday 10th July: Into the Civic Centre to be interviewed for the job of chairing the Hounslow Pension Board. Subsequently learnt that I was successful and have been appointed. Need to find time to prepare for the first meeting on the 20th. Had a quick run through the papers for next week’s Borough Council meeting.

Saturday 11 th July: A pleasant afternoon wandering around a Buckinghamshire wood with two local archaeologists looking at the amazing results from a LIDAR survey paid for by the Woodland Trust. Ten years ago a campaign by local residents prevented this ancient wood from being carved up into yet another golf course. Arrived late at the Strand on the Green association Summer Party and therefore missed the speech by our new MP. Had a somewhat testy conversation with a resident whose phone messages I had not picked up.

Sunday 12 th July: Looking at papers for Borough Council. Good to see the results of the work done by the task force to review the operation of the complaints policy coming forward as recommendations for improvements. Cllr John Todd was an active member of the task force. The Special Licensing Policy report being brought to the meeting by Cllr Foote looks like a barrel of laughs.

Monday 13 th July: Group meeting to run through our thoughts on the agenda for the Borough Council meeting. Councillor Dennison helpful as ever runs through the item on the agenda about the revisions to the Council’s Complaints Policy. Good to be joined in our deliberations by a representative from the Feltham Association. The wards covered by this Association currently are not represented by a single Conservative Councillor.

Tuesday 14 th July: A straight forward agenda with little that could be described as contentious. Two colleagues were however unhappy about the authoritarian aspects of the special licensing policy being proposed for Hounslow and North West Isleworth. There is a serious problem (in a well-defined area of the Borough) with alcohol fuelled anti-social behaviour that needs to be dealt with. A couple of interesting motions were discussed including one from Councillor Thompson seeking reassurance that planning conditions connected with the Chiswick Business Park Bridge will be enforced. Cllr McGregor asked for an update on the progress in the preparation of asset registers for Hounslow Housing and Cllr Curran offered to speak to him outside of the meeting.

Wednesday 15 th July: Attended as an observer at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Call In meeting arranged at short notice to consider the Cabinet’s decisions relating to the construction of a “temporary” school on metropolitan open land and the granting of a 125 year lease for that land for only £64k. Not sure what was actually achieved. The matter will return to Cabinet next Tuesday but this will clash with the Chiswick Area Forum.

Friday 17 th July: Revisiting the agenda for next Tuesday’s Area Forum meeting. Our Town Centre Manager has agreed to join the meeting to make a short report and answer questions. Time allocated as usual for the public forum.

NOTE: Chiswick Area Forum meets in Chiswick Town Hall at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 21 st July.

July 17, 2015