What is Operation London Bridge and How is Hounslow Actually Doing?

Chiswick Homefields councillor Gerald McGregor reports back on a momentous week

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Hello again to a sad and turbulent week with a huge loss in our midst, a new government formed and political, social and economic (financial) problems impacting across the board locally and nationally. We need quiet reflection at the moment to gather our collective strength to make the difference for all our population

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN 1926-2022

Homefields Councillors joined in tributes to our Late Monarch and Head of State Queen Elizabeth ll after the sad news of her unexpected death on 8 September. The sombre pictures of the Royal Family arriving and leaving Balmoral bore mute witness to the nature of the love and respect her nearest and dearest had for her.

The uplifting scenes of King Charles lll and his Consort greeting the crowds outside Buckingham Palace and accepting the offered condolences and sympathy of a broad cross section of the both British and Foreign members of the Public is a welcome harbinger of the future attitude and role of our new Sovereign and his wife.

NATIONAL MOURNING

A full briefing from Hounslow Borough Council officers took place at 3.00pm on 9 th September covering the Hounslow Contingency plan for the death of A NOTABLE NATIONAL FIGURE also known by a code as London Bridge. It is a detailed plan covering ten days of official activity. The role of the council is broadly to facilitate first the official proclamations of the start of the new reign, and to organise and take part in the Official Borough Ceremony of Proclamation for King Charles lll, to be held two days after the death of the previous sovereign.

The local Proclamation will be at Holy Trinity Church, Hounslow High Street on Sunday 11th September. This will take place at approximately 2.00pm – subject to the timings of the national Proclamation . The council will be involved subsequently organising the route of the coffin of our late sovereign through the borough after the funeral service from Central London

The degree of public concern, support and outpouring of sympathy for the Royal Family is duly catered for in the plans with public access to the route of the cortege and to the Proclamation Ceremony being a major element.

CHISWICK BOOK FESTIVAL

Torin Douglas MBE, Director of the Festival and noted broadcaster introduced an evening event as the Chiswick Book Festival got under way at St Michael and All Angels Church in Bedford Park with a book talk and interview with Chris Patten. It was preceded by a showing live on a big screen of King Charles’ address to the nation on the death of his Mama and his commitment to all the people of his realm.

This was very moving and a round of applause in the Church and general appreciation marked the close of his dignified and memorable words. The Book Festival was dedicated by the organisers to the memory of our Late Queen

Lord Patten then gave a series of answers comments and anecdotes to a rapt audience which led to a lively question and answer session. Finally there was a huge and hugely patient queue to obtain the recent book publication of his Hong Kong Diaries and then to get the purchased book personally signed. It was good to get someone of his level of experience, knowledge and intellectual wisdom as a Book Festival Anchor. He made some very positive comments about King Charles and the role played by both of them in the hand-over of Hong Kong.

Earlier we found ourselves looking at a different perspective. Forming part of the Chiswick Book Festival was the opening of the WB Yeats Memorial, a Project centred on Bedford Park, commemorating a local Nobel Prize winner.

WB YEATS MEMORIAL PROJECT

I have to declare an interest as the Treasurer of the project committee alongside noted literary figure Polly Devlin, Mathew Fay and Torin Douglas MBE, but getting the artwork installed and opened was a real treat for us all after the hard work put in by all of the committee over the last several years. The hardest work was done by Cahal Darlat (Chairman of the Project Committee). Father Kevin Morris was pleased to have a memorial to WB Yeats at the church where the poet worshipped for many years whilst living locally.

Cahal Darlat and the former Archbishop of Canterbury Most Reverend Rowan Williams were amongst speakers and school children reading his poetry prior to the declaration from Dr Williams that the artwork memorial was now officially in place. The meeting was very well attended and the work by Conrad Shawcross, the sculptor also in attendance, excited a great deal of interest.

Here is our friendly neighbour Cllr Andrew Steed from Ealing at the opening event in Homefields Ward Chiswick.

We were very happy to have the support at the celebrations of the Mayor of Hounslow Cllr. Raghwinder Siddhu who represents Bedfont Ward

The support of Hounslow and Ealing councils has been critical to this project .

THE CHURCHES IN CHISWICK AND THE ENVIRONMENT

As part of our council duties councillors are frequent visitors to the sites and facilities operated by Hounslow Council and its’ affiliate Lampton Group. Last Thursday I lead a small group from two Chiswick Churches, St Nicholas Parish Church and St Michael and all Angels Bedford Park who are keen to support the Church of England programme in leading environmental studies. We were hosted by the staff at the waste management handling centre at Southall Lane in Cranford for a conducted tour and series of detailed Q&A sessions. It was a complete success and the staff from Director downwards were most helpful.

Robert Jozwiak, Rev Eileen McGregor, Cllr Gerald McGregor, Dr Cathie James Carlos Reefer

Chiswick residents are unique in Hounslow for their care in selecting waste for disposal and have the highest percentage of sustainable waste recovery in the Borough. For example most residents know that the blue waste box is for paper and cardboard products and the disposal takes place via the waste management team. The team notices that Chiswick residents divide their blue box with cardboard stacked at one end and paper separated at the other. The value of waste recovery in £ per tonne can be huge when there is no contamination with fluids or food waste

Cllr Ron Mushiso should not be forgotten as he continues to support Christ Church Turnham Green in their efforts to manage local litter picking in public areas of Chiswick Town Centre; they are hosting regular sessions of volunteers and local councillors including Cllr Ranjit Gill, Cllr Jo Biddolph and Cllr John Todd amongst others also attend.

MEANTIME THE NEW FACE IN DOWNING STREET

The election of Liz Truss as Leader of the Conservative Party: Liz, the third woman to hold this position as Conservative Leader and Prime Minister has a bold Conservative plan to deliver for the country and economy:

• Helping families with the cost of living: 1

•            Scrapping the National Insurance tax rise, providing people with immediate support for the cost of living and helping businesses.

•            Introducing a temporary moratorium on green energy levies, bringing household energy bills down to help families through the winter.

•            Holding an emergency fiscal event as soon as possible, building on the support already provided to help families through the challenging times ahead.

We must only hope that these policies work quickly and effectively to reduce the natural fears of all the population for their personal and financial well being

• Helping families with the cost of living: 2

• The government has launched a consultation which could lead to social housing tenants in England being protected from soaring rents through the introduction of a temporary cap. A proposed rent cap, which the government claims could save vulnerable households an average of £300 annually and give four million families financial stability, is being discussed with renters and landlords of social housing.

• The interim limitation would be in place from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, and the consultation, which has just opened, would also ask for opinions on whether a ceiling should be imposed for 2024–2025.

• The temporary rent cap would come on top of the current £37bn support package already pledged by the government, which includes a £150 council tax rebate, a £400 energy bill discount to support households over the coming months and £1,200 awarded to the most vulnerable eight million households.

So far so good. She and Penny Mordaunt, another outstanding minister, were prominent in the proclamation process in London Today and both are already grappling with the serious challenges facing the United Kingdom under its’ new monarch.

Cllr Gerald McGregor

gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk

07866 784821 

SURGERIES IN CHISWICK AND GUNNERSBURY

We are back to our usual routine of holding face-to-face surgeries in Chiswick and in Gunnersbury.

Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the eight Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).  

We are awaiting guidance about the surgery in Chiswick on Saturday 17 th September. Please see note in dates for your diary below:

Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery). 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Please see the Hounslow and Ealing Council websites for meeting plans during the period of official mourning for our Late Sovereign

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS and CONTACTS

Chiswick Gunnersbury (was Turnham Green) ward

Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 703446

Cllr Ranjit Gill ranjit.gill@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702956

Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887

Chiswick Homefields ward

Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017

Cllr Gerald McGregor gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784821

Cllr John Todd john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784651

Chiswick Riverside ward

Cllr Peter Thompson peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 395810  

Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823 

September 11, 2022