Remembrance, the River Wall and Deja Vu on the Fountain Leisure Centre

Chiswick Riverside councillor Peter Thompson reports back

Remembrance Sunday on Turnham Green

November 16, 2024

We will remember them….

It was a great privilege to be asked by the Mayor of Hounslow, Cllr Karen Smith, to represent her at last week’s Remembrance Sunday Service in Chiswick.  It is right that we come together and remember the service and sacrifice of all those who have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life. 

Listening to the church bell of Our Lady of Grace and St Edwards tolls eleven times and beginning at Chiswick Cenotaph the two-minute silence is always a moving and powerful experience.  Over my years as a councillor in Chiswick, the number of ex-servicemen and women who fought in the Second World War attending the service has decreased.   

But we must remember the core principles of personal and political freedom, basic human rights, the rule of law and democracy, over which wars were fought, and work to uphold them.  

The Parish Priest of Chiswick’s’ Catholic Community, Fr Michael Dunne, reminded us in the parish newsletter this week that Chiswick has another war memorial for those who died in the two world wars, namely the bell tower of Our Lady’s Church.   The inscription at the base of the tower reads: “The Catholic pastors and people of Chiswick laboured to build this tower to the glory of God and in honourable memory of all brave faithful men who died for their country during the Great War, especially of those who were members of this parish or boys in its schools. Requiescant in pace.”

The Church itself was twice damaged by air raids. In 1917 several women and children were sheltering in the church when a bomb fell through the roof and embedded itself in the floor.  Thankfully no one was injured. 

On 19 February 1944, a second bomb hit the church at night damaging both it and the Presbytery. It is testimony to the local community that debris was cleaned up and a wedding occurred in the Church at 11 o’clock the next morning in the half-ruined church.


Damage caused by the bomb to Our Lady's Church 

Strand on the Green Wall

Since 2021, my colleague Cllr Gabriella Giles (Chiswick Riverside ward) has been tirelessly working with the Strand-on-the-Green Association (SOGA), to address the long-standing issues with the towpath and retaining wall at Strand-on-the-Green. Despite Hounslow Highways being the legal owner, maintenance of this vital area had been neglected since 2008, when the council excluded it from the Hounslow Highways PFI contract, citing financial risks.

Due to the upkeep and maintenance of the towpath and wall being excluded in the Hounslow Highways PFI contract, this has led to piecemeal repairs over the years, with just £300,000 invested in the wall over two decades—an amount far short of what is required. As a result, the retaining wall is now collapsing under Compass House, 61 Strand-on-the-Green, threatening 88 properties, three pubs, and several historic listed buildings.

Thankfully this week we heard that the Council’s Capital Strategy Board has agreed on the allocation of funds to the value of £400,000 to commission detailed surveys, inspections, and the design of further works on the retaining wall located at the footpath of Strand on the Green.  The Council in a briefing note for Councillors states that “Following a regular inspection in 2023, it was found that the retaining wall at Strand on the Green had deteriorated drastically and beyond reasonable expectations.”  

A 190m panel section of the wall between Ship Alley and Post Office Alley is a main critical concern, but other sections also need repair.  Estimates suggest that the Council will need to find between £1m and £10m to repair or rebuild the wall.  All of us who live value this amazing piece of Chiswick will be grateful that action is being (belatedly) taken.  Special thanks again to the Strand on the Green Association for keeping pressure on the Council and to my ward colleague Cllr Giles for bringing her expertise to the project board, representing the Riverside councillors, and using her knowledge from the Thames Landscape Strategy and Kew to Chelsea Strategy to ensure that this critical issue receives the attention it deserves. This vital work underscores the importance of collaborative efforts between residents and their elected representatives in safeguarding the heritage and infrastructure of Strand-on-the-Green.

‘Building Beautiful’ Agenda Scrapped

I am disappointed that the Government has announced that it will shut down the Office for Place which was established by the last Government to promote beautiful, community-friendly housing.  The initiative was originally designed to ensure that new developments enhance, rather than destroy, the character of neighbourhoods across Britain.  We desperately need to build more homes but we need thoughtful, beautiful developments that respect local heritage and help communities retain their character and charm. We have enough unattractive, poorly planned developments across London.  

UK Charities say NIC increases will cause ‘life-changing’ cuts.

Businesses have warned tax hikes announced in the Budget offer nothing but "pain" and will leave employers with less cash to give pay rises and create new jobs.  However, these increases will also impact charities that provide vital services to residents across the borough. 7,361 charities and voluntary organisations have co-signed the National Council for Voluntary Organisations open letter to the chancellor.  In it they remind us that “Charities employ almost 1 million people, meaning charities of all sizes will severely feel the impact of the employer NICs increase. NCVO’s initial estimates have found the increases will create an annual additional bill of £1.4bn…. Many of us will have to make difficult choices in the coming months as a result. The harsh reality is that many organisations may be forced to reduce staff, cut salaries, and most importantly, scale back services for the very people they strive to support.”  

Although these groups often win contracts from organisations such as local authorities – and provide important services - they won’t be reimbursed for the rise in NI contributions, unlike public sector organisations such as the NHS and councils themselves. The Labour budget’s approach has placed Hounslow’s charity sector in a challenging position. With no additional support to help cover these rising expenses, charities are being asked to do more with fewer resources. Without further support, this increased financial burden could lead to cutbacks in services, leaving residents without access to vital assistance.

“Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre engagement and feasibility plan gets the go-ahead” Again!

This was the headline of a Council press release issued last month. After nearly four decades of service, the Fountain Leisure Centre in Brentford is approaching the end of its useful life we were told. Our Labour Cabinet approved a community engagement and feasibility study to explore what sort of new leisure centre should replace Fountain Leisure Centre.  They also allocated a budget of £983,000 for feasibility work to Royal Institute British Architects.  

In September 2016 the then Labour Cabinet was told in a report that the Centre “requires significant investment or replacement to provide a good quality facility and to secure long-term viability” and that it wouldn’t be fit for purpose in 2020!  It was agreed to deliver a like-for-like leisure facility with a property developer – they would build a new centre for us and loads of private homes to fund this on the same site. An initial budget of £150,000 be made available for professional and legal fees, to bring the site forward to a contractual agreement. The last homes on the site would sell in March 2021.  I don’t know why this scheme fell through, but the Council knew that the Centre would not be fit for purpose in 2016.  

Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre

Many of us have fond memories of the water slide and wave machine at the Centre and perhaps less fond memories of the changing rooms! I clearly remember one occasion when the fire alarms went off mid-swim and we all had to huddle and shiver outside until they were switched off!  I was delighted, when I was Leader of the Council many moons ago, that we were able to fund a new design for the entrance and reception at Brentford Fountain, plus refurbishing the changing areas and toilet facilities. We were also able to remodel and extend the fitness suite to create a state-of-the-art 100-workstation gym. The Centre was only built in 1987 – let’s hope that its replacement is built to last. 

Christmas (Lights) is Coming

The Christmas film channels have arrived, the John Lewis Christmas advert is out and the supermarkets are full of Christmas food and gifts!  I have always been opposed to “Christmas creep” when retailers introduce Christmas-themed merchandise or decorations at a seemingly earlier point every year.  However, I am a big fan of Christmas lights to bring a bit of much-needed cheer.  It has been gloomy over recent weeks. I am not referring to politics for once, but we only had 130 minutes of sunshine during the first 10 days of November.  The experts call this an anticyclonic gloom. It sounds better in German “dunkelflauten” or “dark doldrums”!   So a date for your diary is Tuesday 19th November at 5 pm by the tree on the corner of Annandale Road and Chiswick High Road when Chiswick’s lights will be switched on.  Chiswick School Choir will be singing, and Father Christmas will be taking a break from his busy schedule to say hello.  Thanks to residents, ably assisted by Cllr Jo Biddolph, for making this happen. 

This year there is also a Scavenger Hunt for Children aged 5-11 with family prizes.  Children are invited to take part in the scavenger hunt by spotting unexpected items in the windows of participating local shops. Pick up a competition form, a list of participating shops and details of prizes to be won, which include treats and goodies donated by local businesses from Chiswick Lighting and return it by 5pm on Friday 13th December.

Cllr Peter Thompson

peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk

07977 395810  

COUNCIL DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Tuesday, 26 November : Borough Council

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

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

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