From Sheffield Town Hall to Chiswick Town Hall

Chiswick Riverside councillor Peter Thompson reports back

Cllr Jack Emsley, John Todd, Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, Cllrs Ranjit Gill, Peter Thompson, Jo Biddolph and Gabriella Giles (left to right)

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Sheffield Town Hall

My earliest experience of local politics was sitting in the visitors’ gallery in Sheffield Town Hall in the 1980s listening to a council meeting.  In those days there were still several Conservatives making up the Council – we even had a Conservative MP in the city.  The debates were heated with national issues creeping into what on paper looked like purely local matters.  At the time this was all rather exhilarating to this sixth former. After all these were the heady days of the Miners' Strike, the near demise of the steel industry and the People’s Republic of South Yorkshire.  (Just in case anyone is thinking that I was some total political geek in my youth my teachers had suggested that observing a council meeting would be useful for my A Level Government and Politics! I don’t think it was but maybe it sowed a seed that led me to where I am today?) 

These memories flooded back as I sat with my brother in the Victorian splendour of Sheffield Town Hall this summer. Those Northern Victorians knew how to translate their wealth into civic pride and impressive urban architecture! The occasion was a sad one as we were there to register my mother’s death.  Grief for the death of a mother is one of the hardest things we face in life and how well the Sheffield Registry Office looked after us.  Their tact, discretion and calmness were well appreciated.  Registering births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths are one of these things that councils just get on with without any fuss or bother or publicity.    They all certainly deserve a shout-out for their wonderful public service.    

Best Part of the Job

I ended up doing two councillor surgeries in a row recently.  Much of our work is done online these days but people clearly value our weekly drop-in surgeries which give residents the chance to discuss their problems or concerns in person as on both weeks people were queuing to get in! The cases included housing benefit and council tax issues, securing a permit to add a name to a gravestone, housing repairs, anti-social behaviour, PCN concerns, planning applications, a request to move to sheltered accommodation and so on. The privilege of being able to meet, help and advise residents is certainly the best part of the job!

Third Police Meeting

Local Conservatives held our third Police Meeting this week in Chiswick Town Hall.   Cllr Gill wonderfully made it happen and I was kindly asked to chair the evening.  Chiswick is now part of the West Area Basic Command Unit which covers Ealing, Hounslow and Hillingdon.  This was our first opportunity to meet Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson the new Borough Commander.  He was joined by Superintendent Antony Bennett, Sergent Sean Limebear and PC Clare Carvervill-Rourke.  

London's Metropolitan Police is in special measures following a string of scandals including the murder of Sarah Everard, the Stephen Port inquiry and the strip search of Child Q.  Chief Superintendent Wilson outlined the new Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s plans to restore trust and increase the visibility of the police.  A large section of the meeting centred on transport related issues such as anti-social and illegal driving and cycling.  The call for a police presence to stop cars driving down the wrong side of the road on Sutton Court Road, cars blocking bike boxes or cyclists jumping red lights make sense.  But the police response that they don’t have enough officers now (more are coming) to send on such tasks and that they need to prioritise other duties is true. Local visibility will increase however when more officers arrive and the deal is finally done, fingers crossed, to create a base at the Chiswick Fire Station. 

Several people reported that they don’t feel safe walking around Chiswick at night. People raised issues such as cycle thefts, drug use and begging on Chiswick High Road. It was interesting to hear from our Liberal Democrat colleagues from Southfields Ward, Cllrs Gary Malcolm and Andrew Steed, that Ealing Council has agreed to increase the level of lighting after their long campaign.  I was staggered when Sam Hearn, who represented Chiswick Riverside until last May, told the meeting that in a Borough Council in Hounslow it was categorically stated by the powers that be that lighting had no impact on crime!  We were also joined by Ruth Cadbury MP who spoke at the end of the meeting about the need to get the key safety messages to local people about doing basic checks before opening your doors and installing things like spy holes.  Cllr Ajmer Grewal, who is the Cabinet Member for Safety, was also present.   If you haven’t already sign up for OWL - Online Watch Link – which sends out about crime & local issues happening right now in our area please do so.   It helps prevent burglary, finds missing people, makes people feel safer, and also catches suspects!  (www.owl.co.uk)

And finally

The Hartington Road and Staveley Road restrictions will be reinstated on 24 October, at the end of phase 2 of the works on the A4. Having discussed the works programme with TfL, phase 3 of the works is expected to be less disruptive and the Council has decided that the need to suspend the restrictions any longer needed.  In our view, the Council should not suspend the restrictions in Grove Park and its surrounds until the works are properly completed on the A4, which by the comments raised by TfL themselves could be well into next year!  

Cllr Peter Thompson

peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk

07977 395810  

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

13 October  7:00 pm   Planning Committee

18 October  7:00 pm   Cabinet

3 November  7:00 pm   Planning Committee

8 November  7:00 pm   Overview and Scrutiny Committee

15 November 7  :00 pm   Cabinet

22 November  7:00 pm   Chiswick Area Forum

29 November  7:30 pm   Borough Council

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 

October 8, 2022