Resisting Polling Station Change, Scams and Car Thefts

Chiswick Homefields councillor John Todd reports back

Cllr John Todd

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April 23, 2023

I seem to have spent so many days and evenings recently at Hounslow House attending Audit and Governance, the Pension Fund Panel and Planning Committees and Grove Park, Staveley Road and Burlington Lane traffic scheme meetings.

Audit issues

Audit had an item where they sought our authority to change the current polling station located at St Michael’s and All Angels Parish Hall to the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Stamford Brook Road Chiswick.

A local school uses the hall for lunch breaks and the church authorities say they are no longer able to act as a polling station.

I spoke against this recommendation and asked officers to see if they can persuade this venue to continue as a polling station.

It’s very convenient for so many, with excellent transport links and a wonderful community ethos. Many locals vote outside school hours.

Our auditors still haven’t signed off the accounts for the last two years. The issues are related accountancy standards and guidance from CIPFA and others regulatory bodies who have yet to rule on disputed precedents. Many other Local authority accounts are not signed off too for the same reasons.

Part of the auditor’s role is to make comment on VFM, Value for Money. I asked him with over 400 empty council houses and 152 ‘significant or repeated failure’ complaints received by LBH regarding council house repairs, will he raise this in his findings.

He advised he wasn’t aware of this matter and would consider it carefully.

Case work

Assuaging the good residents of Paxton Road. Their road still had leaves clogging the kerb with fallen branches too. Hounslow Highways put their hands up and have ordered a belated vibrant spring clean.

Helping a council tenant whose been waiting nearly six months for a visit from a Hounslow Homes Officer to address the damp issues in her home.

Scammers

I’m frequently asked what to do when you receive a dubious telephone call or text.

Please take the following steps:

• If you've already responded to a scam, end all communication immediately.

• Call your bank directly and cancel any recurring payments – or, for speed and ease, you can call the new 159 hotline.

• Report the scam to the police through Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or report a scam anonymously on the  Action Fraud website . If you need more help, contact the Citizens Advice helpline on 0808 223 1133 or  via their website .

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) sets out a number of different ways to report scams depending on the type:

• Emailed scams.  If you get a dodgy looking email, you can report it to the NCSC by forwarding it to  report@phishing.gov.uk . Remember not to click on any links within these emails.

• Text scams.  If you get a suspicious text message, you can forward it to the number 7726 – this will allow your provider to track the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender if it's a scam. You can also report scam text messages to  report@phishing.gov.uk  – remember to provide a screenshot of the text message.

• Website scams.  If you notice a website or URL that doesn't look quite right, you can easily report the web page to the NCSC directly via its  online form .

• Scam adverts, including ads on newspaper websites, paid-for search engine ads, or ads appearing on social media.  These can currently be reported to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) through its  online form . 

Car thefts

Two top of the range SUV cars were recently stolen from flats near Chiswick Pier at the same time. Other high value cars stolen from Richmond and Barnes too.

Electronic keys and their security are vital to deter the loss of these vehicles. A Faraday Pouch, a key signal blocking pouch are a valuable aid recommended by the police.

Dukes Meadow Bridge

The bridge is on two short lists for a community based award and being a high quality steel construction. Judges are revisiting the site next week

The following picture shows that the architects assessment of the high tide level was accurate.

Cllr John Todd

john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk

07866 784651

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY  

Tuesday 9th May at 7:00pm: Overview and Scrutiny  

Tuesday, 23rd May at 7.30pm Borough Council AGM

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES

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

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). 

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