Personing a Silent Auction and Wearing a Silly Hat
Local councillor Sam Hearn writes about his week
A week in the life of …..
Friday 18 th May: My in tray daily brings me fresh requests for a new CPZ (or two) in Grove Park. As Ward councillors we are trying to move the process forward but the consultation process has a logic all of its own. We hope very much to see the non-statutory consultation before the end of June.
Saturday 19 th May: Up bright and early to help with the setting up of the Right Royal Garden Party event in the vicarage garden of Saint Paul’s Grove Park. My role for the day is to man (person?) the silent auction and wear a silly hat. It’s a beautiful day to while away the afternoon with music from the indefatigable BGM and the impeccable Chiswick Rock Choir. Hounslow Mayor Sue Sampson was on parade and was the judge of the best crown competition. Amazingly between 400 and 500 people attended this free entry event organised by the Grove Park Group and St Paul’s Church.
Sunday 20 th May: More complaints from irate residents issued with penalty notices for not moving their vehicles when Hounslow Highways (HH) attempted to deep clean various streets. Both HH and residents claim the moral high ground. Ultimately however HH are contracted to provide a service to residents and not to harass them. It is hard to get SERCO to reverse penalties and councillors have no locus over the quasi-legal appeals procedure.
Monday 21st May: The Chiswick councillors gathered for the Group’s first AGM of the new administration. With six “new-kids-on-the-block” this was a meeting bursting with ideas and energy. Clearly we have a lot on our collective plate but there is a great willingness to get stuck in. Cllr McGregor was elected Chair of the Group and Cllr Gill Whip. I snuck in as Leader for another year. There was a general consensus that we could not wait until September for the first Chiswick Area Forum scheduled by Hounslow Council. However, it was not clear how this could be fitted around the comprehensive councillor induction programme.
Tuesday 22 nd May: The first Borough Council meeting of the new administration. Largely a ceremonial affair where the main concern is to appoint as many individual councillors as possible to specific posts. Sadly, the minority group (i.e. us) have absolutely no say in the selection of the new mayor. Cllr Samia Chaudury who were told has many sterling qualities was duly elected mayor.
Wednesday 23 rd May: More training. The Chief Executive, Mary Harpley, delivered an overview of the Council’s work. It is quite daunting to be reminded just how many services the council is responsible for.
Thursday 24 th May: To the Civic Centre for the first of two Planning Committee training sessions. I was pleased to see that so many Conservative councillors had decided to attend this training. These sessions are only mandatory for those sitting on the Planning Committee, but all councillors end up dealing with planning queries of one kind or another.
Most of us rushed off after the training to get back to Chiswick and join in a Conservative fundraising event at a magnificent riverside venue. The guest speaker was Dominic Raab MP, a minister in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. A great chance to catch up with candidates who did not cross the winning line on May 3 rd including many from our sister Association in Feltham and Heston.
Corrections to my last diary: May 4 th: It was Turnham Green Ward that was declared first and not Homefields. Councillors Joanna Biddolph, Ron Mishiso and Ranjit Gill.
Cllr Sam Hearn
May 31, 2018
