It's been a sad week for all of us who knew Alan, the news of his passing came almost without warning. It seems not so long ago that Jagdish and I met him at Portcullis House, and again at BA Engineering. At those meetings he was full of energy but we now know that his remission was just a short respite.
Alan and I were first elected onto Hounslow Council together in 1986, but he served just the one term and went on to Parliament in 1992, where he was one of our 2 Labour MPs (with Ann) ever since.
Alan was down-to-earth and great fun with a mischievous sense of humour. As a politician he was Labour to his core, without being a tribalist. He understood there were seldom two easy sides to an issue and this sometimes got him into trouble! He always wanted the best for his constituency and for the borough, and he cared deeply about the needs of the people he represented.
Ann, David and all the family, our thoughts are with you.
- I will really miss your "Aya"
Monday, 21 November 2011
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Aviation Debate - Westminster Hall 15 November
Both Labour and Conservative front benches have moved considerably in the last few months, and "get" the needs of our residents who woud experience continous overflying if it was not for runway alternation.
With thanks to John Stewart - HACAN for putting this together.
Theresa Villiers on the trials in yesterday’s Commons debate on aviation:
Theresa Villiers "we are trialling the tactical use of greater operational freedoms at Heathrow. This is very sensitive, because those freedoms mean that occasionally there will be some incursions into the respite period, with occasional use of both runways for departures, or, occasionally, use of both runways for arrivals. However, I emphasise that that is not mixed mode and the Government remain committed to runway alternation and the benefits it brings. Very careful consideration will be given to the impact of the trial on local communities. I emphasise that the measures being trialled are only to be used to improve resilience, and prevent or recover from disruption, and not to increase capacity, which remains capped at current levels".http://www.publications.parlia
Other highlights from the debate:
Aviation Minister Theresa Villiers: Heathrow 3rd runway "absolutely wrong approach to the UK economy" http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm111115/halltext/111115h0002.htm
Labour's Maria Eagle confirms opposition to Heathrow 3rd runway and calls for tougher national emissions targets:http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm111115/halltext/111115h0002.htm
Strong performances from Mary MacLeod & John McDonnell in yesterday's Commons debate on aviation:http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm111115/halltext/111115h0002.htm
Yesterday's Commons debate: Theresa Villiers says interested in working on 'cross-party' basis on aviationhttp://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm111115/halltext/111115h0002.htm
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Heathrow - the speech I didn't make in full at Borough Council last night
HEATHROW - the Speech I didn't make in full at Borough Council tonight.
This Council has had cross-party support for many years, for policies to protect the interests of borough residents in the face of continuing pressure to expand Heathrow.
In recent years we have been joined with other boroughs in 2M, and by the Environment lobby of Greenpeace and WWF, and as a result of our work, one of the first announcements of the Coalition Government was to stop the building of Runway 3, and retain runway alternation at Heathrow.
But make no mistake, we cannot sit back and relax. BAA were devastated by that decision, and have been working tirelessly and expensively to get it reversed. They are lobbying, they are seeking relaxation of the alternation regime with the first trials in November, and they are attempt to soften up the business sector – such as the articles in the Telegraph last weekend.
Most of our residents suffer the noise of plane noise every 60 seconds for half the day when the airport is operating on Westerlies, and those within a couple of miles of the perimeter fence have noise almost continuously irrespective of the wind direction. We have around 16 747s arriving every morning before 6am. Surely the noisiest environment in the UK, yet Heathrow provides the worst noise insulation schemes of any UK airport.
Whilst we know residents who say they don’t notice the planes overhead, I have never had any doubts about the insidious effects of continuous plane noise and of night flights. Remember, in the UK, only Heathrow has communities living in a built up area right up to the perimeter. And there is a growing body of knowledge of the health impacts of living close to a busy airport and Heathrow in particular. Cardio/respiratory, mental health, children’s learning, not to mention the long-term effects of living in an area of very poor air quality
In November we will see the first trials of the "Operational freedoms" – we have to ensure this is not mixed mode by stealth – we are demanding proper monitoring, proper information and survey of the communities affected, and the ability to contribute to the design of the trials. They start in November, to date we have not had a proper response to our demands on this.
-This is why the respite that runway alternation brings is so important,
- This is why a ban on night noise is essential
- And this is why a proper insulation scheme that is at least as generous as the other other UK airports is only fair to our residents.
We will continue the work I started in 2002 to lobby politicians in all 3 main parties of the case for better mitigation for our residents, a decent night’s sleep, that period of peace that alternation brings, and decent insulation. I met about 15 senior Lib Dems on Sunday and yesterday at their conference and will meet many senior Labour people in Liverpool. Cllr Reid will be in Manchester talking to senior Conservatives. This work paid off off over the years but it takes time but – we are up against the million pound communication budget of BAA and BA which used in promoting a set distorted economic arguments. Remember that in the night flights court case, they could produce no economic data to support their case.
They tell us that the UK economy will fail if there isn’t another runway in the South East to take the growing demand from the Far East – yet they fly half empty planes across the Atlantic on a daily basis and hundreds of short-haul flights that could be replaced by rail journeys.
The majority of passengers are transfer passengers, contributing little to the UK economy. And our local economy is so over-dependent on the airport that firms in other sectors struggle to compete for land, appropriately skilled staff and road space, Furthermore, as we know when ash clouds or snow close the airport, many thousands of local cleaners, baggage handlers, and catering staff are the first to lost their jobs, sometimes with a few hours notice. It is an unhealthy over-dependence on a single employment source, which has no need to expand further. But it does need to improve its offer to the local workforce;
- more local recruitment,
- better training and apprenticeships,
- supply chains with local small and medium businesses.
Hounslow sits where the Silicon Valley meets London – our economy can afford, and indeed needs, to diversify.
We seek to have as our neighbour, a better airport, not a bigger one.
This Council has had cross-party support for many years, for policies to protect the interests of borough residents in the face of continuing pressure to expand Heathrow.
In recent years we have been joined with other boroughs in 2M, and by the Environment lobby of Greenpeace and WWF, and as a result of our work, one of the first announcements of the Coalition Government was to stop the building of Runway 3, and retain runway alternation at Heathrow.
But make no mistake, we cannot sit back and relax. BAA were devastated by that decision, and have been working tirelessly and expensively to get it reversed. They are lobbying, they are seeking relaxation of the alternation regime with the first trials in November, and they are attempt to soften up the business sector – such as the articles in the Telegraph last weekend.
Most of our residents suffer the noise of plane noise every 60 seconds for half the day when the airport is operating on Westerlies, and those within a couple of miles of the perimeter fence have noise almost continuously irrespective of the wind direction. We have around 16 747s arriving every morning before 6am. Surely the noisiest environment in the UK, yet Heathrow provides the worst noise insulation schemes of any UK airport.
Whilst we know residents who say they don’t notice the planes overhead, I have never had any doubts about the insidious effects of continuous plane noise and of night flights. Remember, in the UK, only Heathrow has communities living in a built up area right up to the perimeter. And there is a growing body of knowledge of the health impacts of living close to a busy airport and Heathrow in particular. Cardio/respiratory, mental health, children’s learning, not to mention the long-term effects of living in an area of very poor air quality
In November we will see the first trials of the "Operational freedoms" – we have to ensure this is not mixed mode by stealth – we are demanding proper monitoring, proper information and survey of the communities affected, and the ability to contribute to the design of the trials. They start in November, to date we have not had a proper response to our demands on this.
-This is why the respite that runway alternation brings is so important,
- This is why a ban on night noise is essential
- And this is why a proper insulation scheme that is at least as generous as the other other UK airports is only fair to our residents.
We will continue the work I started in 2002 to lobby politicians in all 3 main parties of the case for better mitigation for our residents, a decent night’s sleep, that period of peace that alternation brings, and decent insulation. I met about 15 senior Lib Dems on Sunday and yesterday at their conference and will meet many senior Labour people in Liverpool. Cllr Reid will be in Manchester talking to senior Conservatives. This work paid off off over the years but it takes time but – we are up against the million pound communication budget of BAA and BA which used in promoting a set distorted economic arguments. Remember that in the night flights court case, they could produce no economic data to support their case.
They tell us that the UK economy will fail if there isn’t another runway in the South East to take the growing demand from the Far East – yet they fly half empty planes across the Atlantic on a daily basis and hundreds of short-haul flights that could be replaced by rail journeys.
The majority of passengers are transfer passengers, contributing little to the UK economy. And our local economy is so over-dependent on the airport that firms in other sectors struggle to compete for land, appropriately skilled staff and road space, Furthermore, as we know when ash clouds or snow close the airport, many thousands of local cleaners, baggage handlers, and catering staff are the first to lost their jobs, sometimes with a few hours notice. It is an unhealthy over-dependence on a single employment source, which has no need to expand further. But it does need to improve its offer to the local workforce;
- more local recruitment,
- better training and apprenticeships,
- supply chains with local small and medium businesses.
Hounslow sits where the Silicon Valley meets London – our economy can afford, and indeed needs, to diversify.
We seek to have as our neighbour, a better airport, not a bigger one.
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Boundary Review - Weakens Political accountability
The boundary review retains Brentford and Isleworth parliamentary constituency more or less intact (just losing Hounslow Heath ward), but Feltham and Heston disappears altogether. Its ten wards will be split 3-ways with the 3 Heston wards, Cranford and Hounslow West going to Ealing Southall; Feltham North and West and Bedfont wards go to a new Feltham and Hayes constituency; and finally Hanworth and Hanworth Park go into a new Teddington and Hanworth constiuency, where Hounslow Heath will also go.
This means that Hounslow will be represented by four MPs instead of the current two. What's more, 3 of them will face outwards to the borough where the majority of their voters live, ie Ealing, Hillingdon or Richmond upon Thames. Hounslow's residents will therefore be poorly served by their MPs, as the Council will now need to brief and work with 4 MPs, not two, made more difficult when 3 of the MPs have their majority interests in other boroughs. This obsession with equally-sized constituencies ends the assumption that there is co-terminosity of constituencies with local authority areas, and weakens democratic accountability. Is it too late to revise the basic criteria?
This means that Hounslow will be represented by four MPs instead of the current two. What's more, 3 of them will face outwards to the borough where the majority of their voters live, ie Ealing, Hillingdon or Richmond upon Thames. Hounslow's residents will therefore be poorly served by their MPs, as the Council will now need to brief and work with 4 MPs, not two, made more difficult when 3 of the MPs have their majority interests in other boroughs. This obsession with equally-sized constituencies ends the assumption that there is co-terminosity of constituencies with local authority areas, and weakens democratic accountability. Is it too late to revise the basic criteria?
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Message from the Leader of Hounslow after last nights disturbances
The statement from Councillor Jagdish Sharma, Leader of the Council, is as follows:
"The scenes from around London over the last few nights have shocked and saddened us all.
"These actions are purely criminal and have devastating consequences for the innocent bystanders who have seen their homes and businesses destroyed. Very dangerous situations have developed across London and have quickly become life and death situations.
"We worked with the police last night to monitor the situation across the borough of Hounslow and will continue to do so for as long as is necessary. We, alongside the police, the fire service and other partners, will do whatever we can to provide support to residents and businesses.
"I want to urge young people and other residents right across the borough to continue to refrain from taking part in this kind of criminal behaviour - either here in Hounslow, or anywhere else. I also urge everyone who has an influence in our communities - whether as family members or community leaders - to help maintain calm across our borough."
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Matt Harmer's monthly Update - news from my fellow Brentford Councillor
(Written before the Reynard Mills news.)
Welcome to the July email bulletin from Brentford ward councillor Matt Harmer. You’re getting it because we have communicated on local issues.
Well, the nights are deawing in and the temperature is dropping so the football season can’t be far away.
With that in mind, here is a fixture list for you to cut and paste, print out and stick on the fridge. Start here...
Below are the fixtures for Brentford FC for the 2011-12 season. Bad weather, cup ties and television can change things so call the club first on 08453 456 442 or visit www.brentfordfc.co.uk to make absolutely sure. Saturday games kick off at 3pm and weekday games at 7.45 except where indicated and all games are League 1 unless it says otherwise.
Fri 22nd JULY STOKE CITY (Friendly)
Tues 26th JULY WATFORD (Friendly)
Sat 6th AUG YEOVIL TOWN
Sat 20th AUG LEYTON ORIENT
Sat 27th AUG TRANMERE ROVERS
Tue 13th SEP COLCHESTER UNITED
Sat 17th SEP PRESTON NORTH END
Sat 1st OCT HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Sat 15th OCT SCUNTHORPE UNITED
Tue 25th OCT STEVENAGE
Sat 29th OCT CHESTERFIELD
Sat 12th NOV FA CUP 1st ROUND – Possible home game
Sat 19th NOV CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Sat 10th DEC HARTLEPOOL UNITED
Mon 26th DEC AFC BOURNEMOUTH (3pm)
Sat 31st DEC MILTON KEYNES DONS
Sat 28th JAN WYCOMBE WANDERERS
Sat 11th FEB OLDHAM ATHLETIC
Sat 18th FEB CARLISLE UNITED
Tue 6th MAR EXETER CITY
Sat 10th MAR SHEFFIELD UNITED
Sat 24th MAR ROCHDALE
Sat 7th APR BURY
Sat 14th APR NOTTS COUNTY
The email format that these bulletins get sent in may have made the list go a bit wobbly - apologies if so. It seems to depend on which browser you use, or something.
* Planning ahead *
Thank you to everyone who has emailed me about the planning application for 315 homes on the Reynards Mill site on Windmill Road. Long term fans of this email will recall that this was the site of the BBC archive. However they have moved and the owners of the site are bringing forward a planning application. Around 80 people and households have contacted me.
One of the frustrations that councillors have is that we are constrained on what we can or cannot say regarding planning applications. If, for example, I was to say here that I thought the application was concerning me on a number of matters including density, design and the respect for the local context then I could be disbarred at a later stage from sitting on the committee that takes the final decision. The same would apply if I felt that the application was a wonderful addition to the street scene.
This is frustrating for us and, I daresay, for you. The process is sometimes given the snappy title quasi-judicial and should be treated in the same way as sitting on a jury – basically, you don’t turn up on the first day convinced that the accused is guilty (or at least you don’t let on).
I have to say that the quality of responses has been very high, nearly all concentrating on solid planning issues. Following a request from Ealing councillors – the site is very close to the boundary with our neighbouring borough – the area being consulted has been expanded and the time extended. And even though there is a ‘closing date’ for responses, this is to fit in with the law and, in effect, our council planning officers will take account of objections pretty much up until the day of the planning committee.
We don’t yet know when that will be but if you have written to the council you will get a letter saying when that committee will be heard. It’s what we call a meeting in public – speaking opportunities are limited but you are absolutely entitled to be there.
* Diary time *
Just a couple of dates to note before I go. On Weds 4th August you are invited to the Picnic in the Park in St Paul’s Rec Ground from midday to 4pm. Bring picnics and playthings and have a great time.
There are two great events to choose from on Sunday 4th September. It’s the traditional date for the Brentford Festival in Boston Manor Park and if you’ve been to this event in the past you’ll know how good it is and if you haven’t, then you are missing something excellent. For one year only it shares a date with the London Mela in Gunnersbury Park. Usually this is in August but with Ramadan taking place in August this year it would plainly be inappropriate to have the Mela during this important festival.
I know that the Mela is not universally popular, particular with residents on streets adjacent to the park, but my personal feeling is that it’s good to see the park used by people across London on this one day. The organisation has improved, I would say, and I hope that you get to try both events.
Other than that, can I wish you a great summer from me and my two Brentford Labour colleagues Mel Collins and Ruth Cadbury. You can spend the summer reading Ruth’s blog at www.ruthcadbury.com and following her twitters @RuthCadbury. Enjoy!
* Can I help? *
As a councillor, my first task is to try and assist residents with problems. Please get in touch if you think I can help, either by replying to this mail or calling 020 8560 7033.
In the meantime, thanks for reading.
Welcome to the July email bulletin from Brentford ward councillor Matt Harmer. You’re getting it because we have communicated on local issues.
Well, the nights are deawing in and the temperature is dropping so the football season can’t be far away.
With that in mind, here is a fixture list for you to cut and paste, print out and stick on the fridge. Start here...
Below are the fixtures for Brentford FC for the 2011-12 season. Bad weather, cup ties and television can change things so call the club first on 08453 456 442 or visit www.brentfordfc.co.uk to make absolutely sure. Saturday games kick off at 3pm and weekday games at 7.45 except where indicated and all games are League 1 unless it says otherwise.
Fri 22nd JULY STOKE CITY (Friendly)
Tues 26th JULY WATFORD (Friendly)
Sat 6th AUG YEOVIL TOWN
Sat 20th AUG LEYTON ORIENT
Sat 27th AUG TRANMERE ROVERS
Tue 13th SEP COLCHESTER UNITED
Sat 17th SEP PRESTON NORTH END
Sat 1st OCT HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Sat 15th OCT SCUNTHORPE UNITED
Tue 25th OCT STEVENAGE
Sat 29th OCT CHESTERFIELD
Sat 12th NOV FA CUP 1st ROUND – Possible home game
Sat 19th NOV CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Sat 10th DEC HARTLEPOOL UNITED
Mon 26th DEC AFC BOURNEMOUTH (3pm)
Sat 31st DEC MILTON KEYNES DONS
Sat 28th JAN WYCOMBE WANDERERS
Sat 11th FEB OLDHAM ATHLETIC
Sat 18th FEB CARLISLE UNITED
Tue 6th MAR EXETER CITY
Sat 10th MAR SHEFFIELD UNITED
Sat 24th MAR ROCHDALE
Sat 7th APR BURY
Sat 14th APR NOTTS COUNTY
The email format that these bulletins get sent in may have made the list go a bit wobbly - apologies if so. It seems to depend on which browser you use, or something.
* Planning ahead *
Thank you to everyone who has emailed me about the planning application for 315 homes on the Reynards Mill site on Windmill Road. Long term fans of this email will recall that this was the site of the BBC archive. However they have moved and the owners of the site are bringing forward a planning application. Around 80 people and households have contacted me.
One of the frustrations that councillors have is that we are constrained on what we can or cannot say regarding planning applications. If, for example, I was to say here that I thought the application was concerning me on a number of matters including density, design and the respect for the local context then I could be disbarred at a later stage from sitting on the committee that takes the final decision. The same would apply if I felt that the application was a wonderful addition to the street scene.
This is frustrating for us and, I daresay, for you. The process is sometimes given the snappy title quasi-judicial and should be treated in the same way as sitting on a jury – basically, you don’t turn up on the first day convinced that the accused is guilty (or at least you don’t let on).
I have to say that the quality of responses has been very high, nearly all concentrating on solid planning issues. Following a request from Ealing councillors – the site is very close to the boundary with our neighbouring borough – the area being consulted has been expanded and the time extended. And even though there is a ‘closing date’ for responses, this is to fit in with the law and, in effect, our council planning officers will take account of objections pretty much up until the day of the planning committee.
We don’t yet know when that will be but if you have written to the council you will get a letter saying when that committee will be heard. It’s what we call a meeting in public – speaking opportunities are limited but you are absolutely entitled to be there.
* Diary time *
Just a couple of dates to note before I go. On Weds 4th August you are invited to the Picnic in the Park in St Paul’s Rec Ground from midday to 4pm. Bring picnics and playthings and have a great time.
There are two great events to choose from on Sunday 4th September. It’s the traditional date for the Brentford Festival in Boston Manor Park and if you’ve been to this event in the past you’ll know how good it is and if you haven’t, then you are missing something excellent. For one year only it shares a date with the London Mela in Gunnersbury Park. Usually this is in August but with Ramadan taking place in August this year it would plainly be inappropriate to have the Mela during this important festival.
I know that the Mela is not universally popular, particular with residents on streets adjacent to the park, but my personal feeling is that it’s good to see the park used by people across London on this one day. The organisation has improved, I would say, and I hope that you get to try both events.
Other than that, can I wish you a great summer from me and my two Brentford Labour colleagues Mel Collins and Ruth Cadbury. You can spend the summer reading Ruth’s blog at www.ruthcadbury.com and following her twitters @RuthCadbury. Enjoy!
* Can I help? *
As a councillor, my first task is to try and assist residents with problems. Please get in touch if you think I can help, either by replying to this mail or calling 020 8560 7033.
In the meantime, thanks for reading.
Reynard Mills applicants to be told to withdraw their application
On Thursday I met our senior planning officer. Many residents of north Brentford will be pleased to know that the applicants will be asked to withdraw their application, on the basis that it represents significant overdevelopment on the site. If they insist on pursuing it they would be refused planning permission by officers under their delegated powers. This means that it won't be coming to the planning committee.
We would expect that if they want to redevelop the site they would return with a much reduced scheme, with much less impact on the local area.
This issue has given us one of the biggest "post-bags" we have had on a local issue for a very long time, so I hope people can rest assured that whatever happens on that site, we will ensure that it is in scale and keeping with the local area.
Olympics Planning - One year to go
As Hounslow's lead on the Cabinet for the Olympics, on Friday I attended Lampton School's amazing end of term Olympic assembly. Khulbir Bhaura, GB Hockey team, Seoul and a member of the Indian Gymkana club in Osterley, brought his medals and described the elation of finally winning gold after years of struggle. On Wednesday I'd met Ade Adepitan, GB Wheelchair Basketball, who had fought bullying at school and 12 years of struggle, to get onto the Olympic bronze medal winning team in 2004. Both were inspirational speakers, ordinary youngsters who'd been given a chance, saw the end goal, and fought against all odds to get there. The year 7-10s at Lampton had spent 3 days learning about the Olympics, with workshops and a massive range of taster sessions of different sports (including wheelchair basketball). It culminated in the assembly and balloon launch before the students were sent off for the summer, hopefully taking a bit of that enthusiam and aspiration with them.On the Council side, we're getting our heads around the implications of the 2012 Olympics for the borough over the next year. We set up the Olympics Project Board which I chair in the spring, bringing together the various officers, Council and others, who will have a role to play. We are required to make sure everything we are responsible for runs smoothly, to have contingency plans in case things go wrong, ensure our core services continue to run as normal, as well as the more exciting work of making the place look nice and welcoming, and co-ordinating the many regular and special events that will take place in hte borough over the next year. It's going to mean taking people off their day job some of the time, even full-time for one or two - very difficult when resource pressures are so tight at the Council now.
The most important theme will be ensuring there is a legacy from the 2012 Olympics in the borough. We have no Olympic venues in Hounslow, but we hope to use the opportunity of the Olympics to increase participation in sport, physical activity and culture, raise the borough's profile and promote our towns and villages as places to visit and for businesses to invest. The lesson from the Sydney Olympics is that, the more you plan for this "soft" legacy, the better the long-term impact. Once the opening ceremony is upon us, it will be too late to invest in anything long-lasting.
We've got a lot to do from a standing start, and it's going to need a lot of co-ordination and planning.
- On Friday I met Ruth Williams, a maths teacher at Lampton, who has used the national "Get Set" programme to plan a whole programme of activites from this week through next year. She is really keen to link up with other schools through Get Set and to set up a schools network - so that's now on the agenda for the first Deputy Heads meeting of next term.
- The torch relay will be going through the borough on or around the 24th July - a massive event that will bring thousands onto the streets and selected local people will get the chance to carry the torch
- The Big Dance - is going to be a massive West London series of events on Hounslow High Street, and culminating in a record breaking Bollywood dance spectacular at Lampton Park on the 7th July.
- Traffic officers have been working for some months now on the Olympic Route Network - our bit is the A4 through Chiswick and there'll be some restrictions on that for most of the summer.
- There's also the Queen's Diamond Jubilee to plan for, and many other events, annual such as the Barrio and the Mela which will be bigger than usual, and one-off cmmunity events.
Thursday, 30 June 2011
My Letter in Times re Heathrow and some others
Sir, You appear to be trying to relaunch the failed campaign to expand Heathrow Airport.
People in Hounslow want the aviation industry to be successful — many work at Heathrow or depend on it economically — but we do not want the airport to consume us.
Aircraft noise already makes Hounslow the noisiest London borough. We will not allow it to be increased even further.
Your reports set out a questionable economic case for more aviation, then systematically eliminated all the potential sources of additional capacity, leaving the impression that only expansion at Heathrow would solve the problem of congestion and avoidable carbon emissions. The case for low-carbon alternatives such as high-speed rail was hardly explored.
We are ready for a rational dialogue with the aviation industry but we will fight vigorously against any renewed attempt to pressurise the Government into abandoning its moratorium on Heathrow expansion.
Councillor Ruth Cadbury
Deputy Leader, London Borough of Hounslow
John
Our correspondents disagree on the best way forward for aviation in the UK, although most concur that it plays a key part in the economy
Sir, Heathrow is so overloaded that airlines are talking about leaving Britain (“Airlines plan flight from Britain”, June 28). No wonder, when the same airlines insist that almost all flights from other UK airports route via Heathrow or another London airport. If the airlines offered more direct flights from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Liverpool there would be fewer passengers transiting London and more space for those who need to.
I. Young
Edinburgh
Sir, You quote Theresa Villiers, the Aviation Minister, saying that “it is untrue to suggest that Government does not have a strategy to help UK aviation grow and prosper”.
The UK’s Air Passenger Duty is the highest in the world, and is to rise in 2012. The Government’s new Aviation Framework won’t be consulted upon and implemented until April 2013, meaning the UK will have gone 35 months without a policy — costing jobs, business growth and international connectivity in the meantime.
Darren Caplan
Chief Executive, Airport Operators Association
Sir, John Stewart of HACAN Clear Skies (“Veto will not harm the economy”, June 28) is wrong to say that a block on expansion at Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted will not hurt the economy. Heathrow serves as the UK’s only hub airport and it is full. As a result, it has been losing routes to rivals for the past 20 years — it serves just 171 destinations compared to Amsterdam with 222, Paris with 223 and Frankfurt with 262, all of which have room to grow at our expense. Even more worryingly, our potential to trade with such important economies as Brazil, Russia, India and China is threatened by the UK’s inability to expand its hub airport. China will build 97 airports by 2020. By contrast, no full-length runway has been built in the South East of England since the war.
At a time when the UK economy needs all the help it can get, it seems perverse to signal that London is closed to new business.
Simon J. L. Buck
Chief Executive, British Air Transport Association
Sir, John Stewart is misleading when he argues that our economy is not dependent on airport expansion in the South East. Aviation is a substantial net contributor to the Exchequer — even more than the much-vaunted bank levies. It supports the employment of 1.5 million people. It pays for all its own vehicles, airports, policing, security and terminals — even its regulator, the CAA, makes a 6 per cent return to the economy.
Yet with the decision to abandon plans for a third runway, London Heathrow risks becoming a branch line rather than a major hub.
To make matters worse, the Government’s punitive approach to managing aviation’s emissions means that Air Passenger Duty now acts as a £2.7 billion burden on the industry. That is enough to offset all UK emissions four-fold yet there is no Cruise Liner Passenger Tax.
The aviation industry is committed to improving fuel efficiency by 1.5 per cent per year to 2020, capping net emissions from 2020 through carbon-neutral growth, and cutting net emissions in half by 2050, compared to 2005 levels, but it is still pilloried. The aviation industry can only take so many knocks before the damage is permanent. At that stage, the people who will benefit most will not be the green community but rather our international competitors.
Andrew Brookes
Director, The Air League
Sir, A new hub airport would take decades to be fully operational. Extra capacity is needed now even though it may require unpopular decisions.
We are operating in a competitive market, where talented individuals and institutions are highly mobile. London and the UK cannot afford to stand still while our rivals across the globe are building for the future.
Stuart Fraser
Policy Chairman, City of London Corporation
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Brentford News from my fellow Labour Councillor - Matt Harmer
June news from Cllr Matt Harmer
Welcome to the latest email bulletin from Brentford ward councillor Matt Harmer. I hope that this finds you well. If you would prefer not to get these emails then please use the Unsubscribe link at the foot of the email.
* A4 latest *
It looks as though we have some progress on the A4. It’s some while now since parents of young children contacted me regarding the safety of A4 crossings. They told me that there had been a number of near misses and asked me if it wasn’t possible to do something.
As always, these things cost money and I asked council planners to look for funds that we could spend. They looked and found some money stemming from planning permissions that had been given in the area. Some of the time deadlines had expired and I’m happy to say that they managed to negotiate an extension where deadlines has passed.
Anyway, I spent a couple of mornings walking up and down the A4 with council traffic people and their colleagues at Transport for London (TfL), who manage the major roads in London. They were then charged with making what improvements they could, and last week they came back with some proposals.
What people wanted most of all was longer time to cross. And it looks as though we’ll get some positive changes there. Unfortunately, extending the time dramatically simply isn’t possible – not because of any decisions by the Council but following a decision of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. However we should be abl to reduce the time that people have to wait to cross.
But there are other things that are on the list. Something that has always bothered me is the state of the crossing points on the A4. The only light is above the traffic lanes. We’re told that lighting will be improved for pedestrians. At present it’s hard to cross Windmill Rd and Clayponds Avenue because there are no controls to stop the traffic and tell pedestrians that it’s safe to cross. One crossing of this kind will be put on each road.
There’ll also be some changes to what is charmingly called the street furniture – the railings, traffic signal push buttons etc. At the moment, people waiting to cross at Windmill Road stand in the middle of the cycle lane, worryingly close to the corner. It’s a bad layout and asking for trouble. There are also proposals to change some of the traffic signals, which have got a bit grimy (understandably, given where they are). I’ve asked that this be funded from TfL’s own budget, as they’d have to do it anyway.
A couple of caveats. The work will happen, and I will be pressing for it to happen quickly, but there is very little political accountability at TfL – it’s hard if not impossible to insist that things happen. The M4 has been deemed a Priority Route for the 2012 Olympics and will probably get first call for maintenance work – very annoying, but a fact of life. However the London Mayor and London Assembly elections are less than a year ago and if this has to be made an election issue then i’m sure we can make it one.
Finally on this, thanks again to everyone who contacted me and has signed petitions to ask for it to happen – it has definitely helped move things up the agenda.
* Cycling changes *
Staying with transport things but getting on our bikes. You may remember that our area was down to become some kind of cycling hub. Last week councillors discussed some changes to roads and payments that should help cyclists. Here are some of the main ones:
• A cycling lane to allow left turns into Lateward Rd from Boston Manor Road. That’s the road just north of the police station. If you are cycling from the station to, say, St Paul’s School then at present you need to go a very long way round. A small cycle-only lane will make it possible to go directly without messing up traffic flows.
• Some changes on Green Dragon Lane to make the road safer for cyclists where the slaloms that are there to slow down cars are located.
• A cycle path through the Haverfield Estate
• A route through The Butts and lowered kerbs around Tallow Road. You will know where this is if you cycle – parallel to the High Street, just to the north, and a useful link down to the canal area of the High Street.
• A new cycle lane along the High Street and along from Morrisons to the junction with Ealing Road and beyond.
• Some dropped kerbs to enable cyclists to get from the canal towpath to the A4 cycle lane (via Transport Avenue).
• Better cycle storage facilities, stands etc.
I cycle short distances and these changes will make things easier. There’s sometimes a belief, I think, that ‘becoming’ a cyclist involves ridiculous amounts of lycra and knowing about WD40. It doesn’t. Going down to Richmond via the towpath on a nice day beats the 65 anyday.
If any of these changes strike you as poor decisions please let me know, and do let me know if there are any other changes we should try and make.
* St Pauls update *
After all that cycling, we might like to go and sit in St Paul’s Rec Ground. The playground seems to be very popular, and what is supposed to be a cycling track has become an exercise area, which is good. The people charged with maintaining and improving the park will be meeting some local campaigners this Thursday. So if you have any ideas for the park – and many of you have contacted me regarding litter bins and a couple of the rides that need fixing – then please let me know.
One thing that will be discussed is the mural, and plans are in place to repair/replace the parts affected by graffiti. I understand that plans are in place to restart an active Fiends group, and I’m sure volunteers will be welcome.
* Funding available *
Finally for now, a call for applicants for a Council fund for community initiatives and development projects at a local level. The maximum grant is £500 and you get more details at http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=60335 and see a report on things funded previously at http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=60342 If you want to apply, get in touch and I'll let you know who to contact.
* CPZ latest *
I expect to get an update on the situation regarding any potential Controlled Parking Zone on Enfield Road and the surrounding roads. A reminder - rather than go into another consultation following the petition that requested this I asked for some empirical work to be done on the present parking situation - are the cars parked during the day from the local area, is there a particularly beneficial time to have parking controls and other questions. We'll still go through a normal consultation process but the idea is that anything we consult on will be based more in fact than guesswork.
Unfortunately it took rather longer than expected to get three quotes to this work, as required. Anyway, that's now been sorted. As I said, there'll be no CPZ without a majority of support but the new petition scheme requires us to answer the request made by residents of the area.
* Can I help? *
Finally, please get in touch if you think I can help, either by replying to this mail or calling 020 8560 7033.
In the meantime, thanks for reading.
My mailing address is:
Matt Harmer
153 Ealing Rd
Brentford, Middlesex TW8 0LF
My telephone:
020 8560 7033
Welcome to the latest email bulletin from Brentford ward councillor Matt Harmer. I hope that this finds you well. If you would prefer not to get these emails then please use the Unsubscribe link at the foot of the email.
* A4 latest *
It looks as though we have some progress on the A4. It’s some while now since parents of young children contacted me regarding the safety of A4 crossings. They told me that there had been a number of near misses and asked me if it wasn’t possible to do something.
As always, these things cost money and I asked council planners to look for funds that we could spend. They looked and found some money stemming from planning permissions that had been given in the area. Some of the time deadlines had expired and I’m happy to say that they managed to negotiate an extension where deadlines has passed.
Anyway, I spent a couple of mornings walking up and down the A4 with council traffic people and their colleagues at Transport for London (TfL), who manage the major roads in London. They were then charged with making what improvements they could, and last week they came back with some proposals.
What people wanted most of all was longer time to cross. And it looks as though we’ll get some positive changes there. Unfortunately, extending the time dramatically simply isn’t possible – not because of any decisions by the Council but following a decision of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. However we should be abl to reduce the time that people have to wait to cross.
But there are other things that are on the list. Something that has always bothered me is the state of the crossing points on the A4. The only light is above the traffic lanes. We’re told that lighting will be improved for pedestrians. At present it’s hard to cross Windmill Rd and Clayponds Avenue because there are no controls to stop the traffic and tell pedestrians that it’s safe to cross. One crossing of this kind will be put on each road.
There’ll also be some changes to what is charmingly called the street furniture – the railings, traffic signal push buttons etc. At the moment, people waiting to cross at Windmill Road stand in the middle of the cycle lane, worryingly close to the corner. It’s a bad layout and asking for trouble. There are also proposals to change some of the traffic signals, which have got a bit grimy (understandably, given where they are). I’ve asked that this be funded from TfL’s own budget, as they’d have to do it anyway.
A couple of caveats. The work will happen, and I will be pressing for it to happen quickly, but there is very little political accountability at TfL – it’s hard if not impossible to insist that things happen. The M4 has been deemed a Priority Route for the 2012 Olympics and will probably get first call for maintenance work – very annoying, but a fact of life. However the London Mayor and London Assembly elections are less than a year ago and if this has to be made an election issue then i’m sure we can make it one.
Finally on this, thanks again to everyone who contacted me and has signed petitions to ask for it to happen – it has definitely helped move things up the agenda.
* Cycling changes *
Staying with transport things but getting on our bikes. You may remember that our area was down to become some kind of cycling hub. Last week councillors discussed some changes to roads and payments that should help cyclists. Here are some of the main ones:
• A cycling lane to allow left turns into Lateward Rd from Boston Manor Road. That’s the road just north of the police station. If you are cycling from the station to, say, St Paul’s School then at present you need to go a very long way round. A small cycle-only lane will make it possible to go directly without messing up traffic flows.
• Some changes on Green Dragon Lane to make the road safer for cyclists where the slaloms that are there to slow down cars are located.
• A cycle path through the Haverfield Estate
• A route through The Butts and lowered kerbs around Tallow Road. You will know where this is if you cycle – parallel to the High Street, just to the north, and a useful link down to the canal area of the High Street.
• A new cycle lane along the High Street and along from Morrisons to the junction with Ealing Road and beyond.
• Some dropped kerbs to enable cyclists to get from the canal towpath to the A4 cycle lane (via Transport Avenue).
• Better cycle storage facilities, stands etc.
I cycle short distances and these changes will make things easier. There’s sometimes a belief, I think, that ‘becoming’ a cyclist involves ridiculous amounts of lycra and knowing about WD40. It doesn’t. Going down to Richmond via the towpath on a nice day beats the 65 anyday.
If any of these changes strike you as poor decisions please let me know, and do let me know if there are any other changes we should try and make.
* St Pauls update *
After all that cycling, we might like to go and sit in St Paul’s Rec Ground. The playground seems to be very popular, and what is supposed to be a cycling track has become an exercise area, which is good. The people charged with maintaining and improving the park will be meeting some local campaigners this Thursday. So if you have any ideas for the park – and many of you have contacted me regarding litter bins and a couple of the rides that need fixing – then please let me know.
One thing that will be discussed is the mural, and plans are in place to repair/replace the parts affected by graffiti. I understand that plans are in place to restart an active Fiends group, and I’m sure volunteers will be welcome.
* Funding available *
Finally for now, a call for applicants for a Council fund for community initiatives and development projects at a local level. The maximum grant is £500 and you get more details at http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=60335 and see a report on things funded previously at http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=60342 If you want to apply, get in touch and I'll let you know who to contact.
* CPZ latest *
I expect to get an update on the situation regarding any potential Controlled Parking Zone on Enfield Road and the surrounding roads. A reminder - rather than go into another consultation following the petition that requested this I asked for some empirical work to be done on the present parking situation - are the cars parked during the day from the local area, is there a particularly beneficial time to have parking controls and other questions. We'll still go through a normal consultation process but the idea is that anything we consult on will be based more in fact than guesswork.
Unfortunately it took rather longer than expected to get three quotes to this work, as required. Anyway, that's now been sorted. As I said, there'll be no CPZ without a majority of support but the new petition scheme requires us to answer the request made by residents of the area.
* Can I help? *
Finally, please get in touch if you think I can help, either by replying to this mail or calling 020 8560 7033.
In the meantime, thanks for reading.
My mailing address is:
Matt Harmer
153 Ealing Rd
Brentford, Middlesex TW8 0LF
My telephone:
020 8560 7033
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Hounslow - the Biking Borough
Hounslow's been granted £324,000 to boost cycling initiatives, which should help towards getting more people cycling.
The money will a fund a community bike
pool trial with a 'dock' at the Civic Centre, the creation of community cycling
'champions' and the delivery of adult cycling training. We also had a presentation at Isleworth and Brentford Area Committee of a load of little physical changes to roads and paths that will make cycling away from heavy trafic a lot easier. Hopefully all this will mean more people will consider riding a bike, more often.
My colleague Cllr Corinna Smart, Hounslow's lead member for environment said: "This is the fifth
including improved cycle routes across Isleworth and Brentford; clearer signage;
better cycle parking facilities; and a trial of the innovative 'Brompton Dock' cycle hire
system in partnership with Brompton Bicycles who themselves are based in Brentford,
"This investment will help build on work we've already completed to promote cycling
as the first 'Biking Borough in London - including the hosting of the successful
Skyride in Brentford in 2009 which attracted 11,000 participants.
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Hounslow politicians unite for a fairer Heathrow Airport
Today a cross-party delegation of MP (Mary Macleod), myself and Cllr Barbara Reid (Tory lead on Heathrow issues) went to the Transport Department, where we discussed the way forward for an improved climate around Heathrow Airport with the Aviation Minister, Theresa Villiers. It was the first time we have formally met
the her since the Coalition government announced that Runway 3 would not
be built and runway alternation maintained. We've had no doubts as to the pressure she will be under from the aviation industry to revert to the previous Government's policies, so it was therefore gratifying that she was not only willing to listen, but to offer us hope that she took the needs of residents in Hounslow seriously - sadly (for me) the first Aviation Minister I have met, who is prepared to do this. We discussed the impact of night
flights, asked for an expanded noise insulation scheme for local people and also proposed a number of measures
to improve conditions for the local community including; more protection for
schools from noise, a total ban on night flights, maintaining runway
alternation schemes to reduce persistent noise, and improvements to getting to
and from the airport using more sustainable modes of transport. We have also asked that noise insulation schemes
for homes and community buildings are not only more generous than the present schemes, but also more
accountable to local people and easier to access.
It was pleasing to hear that the Minister has promised to consider carrying out
a full health impact assessment of the effects of planes on local residents. We know for definite that sleep deprivation
affects health but we need to know what the costs are to our residents who live
in one of the noisiest places in the UK.
Watch this space for further developments . . .
Monday, 6 June 2011
Adobe Outdoor Classroom - not an igloo!
Today we celebrated the opening of the Adobe outdoor classroom at Hounslow Heath Infants and Nursery School - one of serveral local schools in the worst noise environment in the country. The school raised money from BAA and other sources to build the classroom and surrounding landscaping. The school is within the 63 dB LeQ contour line which means it's very noisy and outdoor play and teaching is continuously disturbed by the noise of a flying aircraft. Frequently this is every 60 seconds and it takes about 30 seconds for a plane to go overhead.At the centre of the scheme is a large dome room big enough to seat 30 children. It's cool in summer and warm in winter, and quiet inside. Surrounding it is a range of play surfaces and the children playing in a really do seem to join enormously the landscaping which also serves to absorb some of the sound. The rooms and other structures are made from coils of rammed earth, built up and covered with render, and the design is inspired by Nader Kalili of California, the guru of natural earth buildings.
Thursday, 5 May 2011
GREG LOSES ARGUMENT HANDS DOWN
The Tories in Parliament launched an unprovoked attack on Hounslow this lunchtime. Minister Greg Hands MP, accused the Borough of using ‘slash and burn’ tactics, while Cameron said Councils didn’t need to cut front-line services. They obviously havn’t been looking at many Tory authorities. The Tories running Hand’s local Council, Hammersmith and Fulham, have massive cuts to front line services, selling off community centres, youth clubs, Children’s centres and schools.
Well – Unlike Hammersmith, Hounslow is not closing any Children’s Centres, or Youth Clubs. An unlike many Tory authorities we are not closing Libraries or Sacking School Crossing Patrol staff.
On March 1st we set the budget with a grant cut from government for the first time since before 1997, and were forced to make £18m of cuts and savings –the worst budget ever.
Let’s remember that these cuts were enforced on us by Mr. Hands’ Government. Too far, too fast and grossly unfair. £20bn has been taken from Councils across the country, systematically destroying public services, cutting jobs and risking local economies. There has been no time to invest service change meaning inefficiencies and more cuts than necessary. And finally, nearby Councils – Richmond and Surrey County and other well-heeled places - have had minimal grant reductions.
Our borough budget protects services for the most vulnerable, those that keep people safe, and help people back into jobs. And we are delivering on our 5 pledges:
· 2500 new affordable homes,
· a dedicated grime-busters phone-line to report fly-tipping and graffiti
· Uniformed community safety teams so that people feel safer
· investing in new school places
· Working with employers to deliver training and new jobs
· Investing in the CAB to provide much-needed high-quality advice to those affected by the various benefit changes and struggling with housing or debt issues.
· Improving services through a Modernisation fund to get better value for money for taxpayers in a time of reduced funding.
· Getting our buildings working harder – fewer of them, used throughout the week, accessible, energy efficient and near to where people are.
We are working with other Councils and other organisations across West London to share services and pool back-room costs. But to say we can make savings of this level, and not impact on some front-line services is fantasy-land, as authorities from across the political spectrum have been trying to tell the government for months now. What Labour authorities have tried to do is come up with a package of measures that is fair, has least impact on the most vulnerable, and cuts out waste.
On budget night the Tories in Hounslow couldn’t even provide viable amendments, let alone an alternative budget.
So get your facts straight Cameron!
Friday, 25 March 2011
Hounslow's Labour Budget 2011/12
The Labour-led Council set the budget with no increase in Council tax at the start of March. However with a grant cut from government for the first time since before 1997, we are forced to make £18m of cuts and savings – it has been the worst budget ever.
We know that savings have to be made to address the national deficit, a deficit triggered by the international banking crisis. But Mr Pickles’ response to local Councils can be summarised as cutting too far, too fast and grossly unfairly
Our budget for Hounslow reduces as much as possible the level of direct service cuts – and protects our services for the most vulnerable, those that keep people safe, and help people back into jobs.
We are:
· Building 300 new Council homes, as part of 1200 affordable homes in the pipeline now working towards our pledge of 2500 new affordable homes.
· Launching a dedicated grime-busters phone-line to report fly-tipping and graffiti
· Launching 100 uniformed officers on the streets and CCTV in crime hotspots
· Retaining Childrens Centres, so investing in Children at the start of their lives, and investing in new school places
· Working with employers to deliver training and new jobs
· Investing in the CAB to provide much-needed high-quality advice to those affected by the various benefit changes and struggling with housing or debt issues.
· Improving services through a Modernisation fund to get better value for money for taxpayers in a time of reduced funding.
· Getting our buildings working harder – fewer of them, used throughout the week, accessible, energy efficient and near to where people are.
Following the all-borough consultation we withdrew proposals to cut the youth service, to close libraries until after a full review, and decided not to cut the street cleaning and the school crossing patrols.
However the closure of some day centres will continue – these were part of a long-term programme to provide more appropriate and less institutionalised services to elderly and disabled residents and specialist support to those with dementia
We are working with other Councils and other organisations across West London to share services and pool back-room costs. These are already bringing some savings.
On budget night the Tories couldn’t even provide viable amendments, let alone an alternative budget, and they were all over the place in the Council debate
There is no doubt that this has been an incredibly difficult time for the Labour Group. Cuts mean having to make around 150 posts redundant, some will have to take compulsory redundancy – not something that we got elected to do. But to refuse to make a budget would mean Eric Pickles forcing a budget on this borough.
We now start planning the 2012/13 budget, where we are expected to need to make another £18m savings.
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Read-In at Brentford Library
Well the campaigners took over the library this afternoon and I read my two pages, after Anna Ford and Mary McLeod MP, who promised to have a little word with Eric Pickles, SoS for Communities and Local Government. Last week she was defending the youth service in the Chronicle and this week it's the libraries, what will it be next week Mary? Who put us in this position? What would YOU cut Mary? Oh yes - your quote in the Chronicle suggested the environment; ie roads, parks, increasing parking charges! But we're doing those too. ITV London News were among the press there today.
Mary - we have no room to move thanks to your government's inspired decision to cut local government spend by 25% over 4 years. You said you were going to lobby Eric Pickles, but why not the Treasury too - and what good do think it will do? Are you prepared to admit your Government has got it wrong?
Tuesday night's Executive will agree the cuts package for Hounslow's 2011/12 budget. The papers show that we have taken on board many of the issues raised by the public consultation, so youth services and the libraries are two areas where we have reduced the level of cuts for next year, but only at the expense of other things. And we are NOT going to turn our backs on those who most need public services, but who don't shout out out or send press releases: the children facing danger, the disabled and elderly needing high-cost care, etc, etc
Mary - we have no room to move thanks to your government's inspired decision to cut local government spend by 25% over 4 years. You said you were going to lobby Eric Pickles, but why not the Treasury too - and what good do think it will do? Are you prepared to admit your Government has got it wrong?
Tuesday night's Executive will agree the cuts package for Hounslow's 2011/12 budget. The papers show that we have taken on board many of the issues raised by the public consultation, so youth services and the libraries are two areas where we have reduced the level of cuts for next year, but only at the expense of other things. And we are NOT going to turn our backs on those who most need public services, but who don't shout out out or send press releases: the children facing danger, the disabled and elderly needing high-cost care, etc, etc
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Libraries or Youth Provision, Special Needs teachers or support for the Frail Elderly?
I see there is a discussion on BrentfordTW8.com about saving the Libraries. Some of the participants make the connection with the other cuts we are making, and why we are making them. What do you think?
When public libraries started local authorities did not run the range of services they do now. There was not the tension between supporting services for all, against those for the most vulnerable (who we don't often see as we go about our daily lives).
The consultation closes this week so please get your responses in to the budget consultation - budgetconsultation@hounslow.gov.uk
When public libraries started local authorities did not run the range of services they do now. There was not the tension between supporting services for all, against those for the most vulnerable (who we don't often see as we go about our daily lives).
The consultation closes this week so please get your responses in to the budget consultation - budgetconsultation@hounslow.gov.uk
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Happy New Year - not
Residents are receiving through their doors the list of cuts we (Hounslow's Labour Councillors) are considering in order to make the £18m budget reduction imposed on us by withdrawal of Government grant. It's on-line "http://tinyurl.com/3x329mo" £18m is far more than anything Hounslow, and most other authorities, have ever had to find before.
Too Far - Too Fast
As the Council's leadership, we have been left with no choice but to cut services and jobs next year - Government grants make up c70% of Council income and the spending review and subsequent local government settlement forces Hounslow to make 25% reduction in spend over the next four years. Dressed up as part of deficit reduction strategy, these cuts in our Government grants are an ideological attack on public services, yet the difficult decisions as to how to deliver the cuts are being forced on local Councils to make. Grant reductions have been far worse for urban authorities - whilst Richmond borough, Surrey County, and Cameron's Whitney have got off very lightly, and some northern authorities, along with Hackney and Islington, fare far worse.
The proposals in the consultation represent the least worst possible, and try and protect services to our most vulnerable residents, the frail elderly, disabled people, and vulnerable families and youngsters. We are also trying to reduce the number of redundancies to Council staff.
We will continue to drive out inefficiencies and unnecessary costs. But Mr Pickles is in fantasy land to suggest that joint work and cutting out chief executives can bring the kind of savings we have to make. Even the 3-borough grouping of Hammersmith, Westminster and Kensington reckon their radical efficiency proposals around joint services will only find £15 savings between them in four years.
Hounslow is investing time and expertise into redesigning how things are done so residents get a better service, for less. But it takes time for that change to be implemented, and time is what the Government has not given us
So we cannot avoid making real cuts that will impact on local people and local services. We remain committed to a tax cut and will freeze it again next year if we are not able to cut it. We also remain resolute on our 5 pledges – crime and community safety, schools, new homes and jobs, cleaning up, and cutting Council Tax.
We'll also be working closely with our local health, education and police partners who are also facing funding cuts - to ensure that we don't make cuts in one service that end up costing other partners more.
Please do respond to the consultation to budgetconsultation@hounslow.gov.uk
Too Far - Too Fast
As the Council's leadership, we have been left with no choice but to cut services and jobs next year - Government grants make up c70% of Council income and the spending review and subsequent local government settlement forces Hounslow to make 25% reduction in spend over the next four years. Dressed up as part of deficit reduction strategy, these cuts in our Government grants are an ideological attack on public services, yet the difficult decisions as to how to deliver the cuts are being forced on local Councils to make. Grant reductions have been far worse for urban authorities - whilst Richmond borough, Surrey County, and Cameron's Whitney have got off very lightly, and some northern authorities, along with Hackney and Islington, fare far worse.
The proposals in the consultation represent the least worst possible, and try and protect services to our most vulnerable residents, the frail elderly, disabled people, and vulnerable families and youngsters. We are also trying to reduce the number of redundancies to Council staff.
We will continue to drive out inefficiencies and unnecessary costs. But Mr Pickles is in fantasy land to suggest that joint work and cutting out chief executives can bring the kind of savings we have to make. Even the 3-borough grouping of Hammersmith, Westminster and Kensington reckon their radical efficiency proposals around joint services will only find £15 savings between them in four years.
Hounslow is investing time and expertise into redesigning how things are done so residents get a better service, for less. But it takes time for that change to be implemented, and time is what the Government has not given us
So we cannot avoid making real cuts that will impact on local people and local services. We remain committed to a tax cut and will freeze it again next year if we are not able to cut it. We also remain resolute on our 5 pledges – crime and community safety, schools, new homes and jobs, cleaning up, and cutting Council Tax.
We'll also be working closely with our local health, education and police partners who are also facing funding cuts - to ensure that we don't make cuts in one service that end up costing other partners more.
Please do respond to the consultation to budgetconsultation@hounslow.gov.uk
Ed Milliband - "Deceit about the past endangers our future"
The Labour Leader challenges Cameron's endless, and wrong, assertion that the Labour Government was to blame for the Global economic collapse.
This article was first published in the Times on Thursday, 6th January.
" This week you will have heard some heated exchanges between Labour and the Conservative-led Government over the decision to impose a permanent increase in VAT.
"Behind all the sound and fury, however, it is important to remember this is not just an argument about whether VAT is fair. A bigger debate has begun over whether the Government’s approach is the right way to support jobs and get back to strong growth. David Cameron and George Osborne are making the wrong judgements about our economy. In their politically motivated desire to propagate a myth about the last Labour Government, they are ignoring the real lessons of the global financial crisis.
"Politics is a rough trade and if all I was doing was to complain about such misrepresentation, I should expect little sympathy from readers of The Times. Instead, my concern is that a great deceit designed to damage Labour has led to profoundly misguided and dangerous economic decisions that I fear will cause deep damage to Britain’s future.
"What is this deceit? It is that the deficit was caused by chronic overspending rather than a global financial crisis that resulted in recession and a calamitous collapse in tax revenues. One pound in every five of corporation tax disappeared in 2009-10. Their deceit ignores the evidence from around the world that a global credit crunch caused deficits to rise on every continent. The US and Japan face deficits of the same scale and for the same reason.
"Their deceit seeks to rewrite history, airbrushing out the fact that Britain’s debt at the outset of this crisis was the second-lowest in the G7; lower than it was under the Tories in 1997. And it forgets that neither of the two parties now in government called for lower spending at the time. It is this deceit about the past that leads Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne to make the wrong judgements now. They want to say that Britain’s difficulties were caused by chronic overspending and, therefore, the right response is simply to cut the deficit as far and as fast as possible.
"That, rather than simply debating myths from the past, is what matters today. The real debate is not about whether or not to cut the deficit: Labour has been clear that we need to reduce borrowing from levels that are far too high. Where we differ is how that is best done in the world as we find it, not as we would like it to be.
"Mr Osborne is gambling on a rapid rebalancing of the economy through a steep rise in VAT and swift cuts to public spending. He is staking much on those steps being matched by increased investment, driven by low interest rates and an export boom on the back of a devalued currency.
"We hope that his gamble pays off. But we take a different view about the balance of risks. We recognise that no other developed country is taking such an extreme approach. That is why we say Mr Osborne is going too far and too fast on the deficit. This is not a political slogan, it is our economic judgement.
"The big question is whether the Tory approach will leave us with low growth and squeezed living standards in the short term, as well as deeper economic problems in the long term.
"On growth, our concern is that conditions are not right for the rapid rebalancing that the Chancellor is hoping for and that Britain will be left without the jobs and growth we need. He is fond of referring to the experience of Canada in the 1990s, where public sector retrenchment was matched by an export-fuelled private sector boom. But exports need a market. Canada had a booming US economy. But the UK’s main export market is Europe where growth remains sluggish.
"New investment relies on business confidence and available credit. But with interest rates at record lows there is little evidence of pent-up demand for investment. And the banks, having just emerged from the worst financial crisis for generations, are not providing the credit that businesses need to grow.
"Rising prices, pushed higher still by the VAT rise, will squeeze living standards for those on middle and low incomes, threatening consumer confidence and undermining demand. Some might shrug and say that low growth and squeezed family budgets are a price worth paying. But we know from Britain’s past how this approach stores up problems for the future.
"Mr Osborne’s failure to have any credible growth strategy means that we will not address the real lesson of the crisis: that we were too reliant on financial services and did not have a broad enough industrial base. His approach risks prolonged unemployment, wasting the talents of future generations, while a strategy based on VAT risks stoking inflation, especially when oil prices are high.
"For all the political noise, these differences of judgement are at the heart of the real choice Britain faces. It is not true we oppose every cut. Labour is clear that spending is not the answer to every problem. But neither is it true that Labour is to blame for the deficit or that the deficit-reduction programme being pursued by this Government is necessary and fair.
"Because this Conservative-led Government is trying to deceive people about the past, it is making the wrong judgements about the future. By misleading you, Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne are leading our country in the wrong direction."
This article was first published in the Times on Thursday, 6th January.
" This week you will have heard some heated exchanges between Labour and the Conservative-led Government over the decision to impose a permanent increase in VAT.
"Behind all the sound and fury, however, it is important to remember this is not just an argument about whether VAT is fair. A bigger debate has begun over whether the Government’s approach is the right way to support jobs and get back to strong growth. David Cameron and George Osborne are making the wrong judgements about our economy. In their politically motivated desire to propagate a myth about the last Labour Government, they are ignoring the real lessons of the global financial crisis.
"Politics is a rough trade and if all I was doing was to complain about such misrepresentation, I should expect little sympathy from readers of The Times. Instead, my concern is that a great deceit designed to damage Labour has led to profoundly misguided and dangerous economic decisions that I fear will cause deep damage to Britain’s future.
"What is this deceit? It is that the deficit was caused by chronic overspending rather than a global financial crisis that resulted in recession and a calamitous collapse in tax revenues. One pound in every five of corporation tax disappeared in 2009-10. Their deceit ignores the evidence from around the world that a global credit crunch caused deficits to rise on every continent. The US and Japan face deficits of the same scale and for the same reason.
"Their deceit seeks to rewrite history, airbrushing out the fact that Britain’s debt at the outset of this crisis was the second-lowest in the G7; lower than it was under the Tories in 1997. And it forgets that neither of the two parties now in government called for lower spending at the time. It is this deceit about the past that leads Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne to make the wrong judgements now. They want to say that Britain’s difficulties were caused by chronic overspending and, therefore, the right response is simply to cut the deficit as far and as fast as possible.
"That, rather than simply debating myths from the past, is what matters today. The real debate is not about whether or not to cut the deficit: Labour has been clear that we need to reduce borrowing from levels that are far too high. Where we differ is how that is best done in the world as we find it, not as we would like it to be.
"Mr Osborne is gambling on a rapid rebalancing of the economy through a steep rise in VAT and swift cuts to public spending. He is staking much on those steps being matched by increased investment, driven by low interest rates and an export boom on the back of a devalued currency.
"We hope that his gamble pays off. But we take a different view about the balance of risks. We recognise that no other developed country is taking such an extreme approach. That is why we say Mr Osborne is going too far and too fast on the deficit. This is not a political slogan, it is our economic judgement.
"The big question is whether the Tory approach will leave us with low growth and squeezed living standards in the short term, as well as deeper economic problems in the long term.
"On growth, our concern is that conditions are not right for the rapid rebalancing that the Chancellor is hoping for and that Britain will be left without the jobs and growth we need. He is fond of referring to the experience of Canada in the 1990s, where public sector retrenchment was matched by an export-fuelled private sector boom. But exports need a market. Canada had a booming US economy. But the UK’s main export market is Europe where growth remains sluggish.
"New investment relies on business confidence and available credit. But with interest rates at record lows there is little evidence of pent-up demand for investment. And the banks, having just emerged from the worst financial crisis for generations, are not providing the credit that businesses need to grow.
"Rising prices, pushed higher still by the VAT rise, will squeeze living standards for those on middle and low incomes, threatening consumer confidence and undermining demand. Some might shrug and say that low growth and squeezed family budgets are a price worth paying. But we know from Britain’s past how this approach stores up problems for the future.
"Mr Osborne’s failure to have any credible growth strategy means that we will not address the real lesson of the crisis: that we were too reliant on financial services and did not have a broad enough industrial base. His approach risks prolonged unemployment, wasting the talents of future generations, while a strategy based on VAT risks stoking inflation, especially when oil prices are high.
"For all the political noise, these differences of judgement are at the heart of the real choice Britain faces. It is not true we oppose every cut. Labour is clear that spending is not the answer to every problem. But neither is it true that Labour is to blame for the deficit or that the deficit-reduction programme being pursued by this Government is necessary and fair.
"Because this Conservative-led Government is trying to deceive people about the past, it is making the wrong judgements about the future. By misleading you, Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne are leading our country in the wrong direction."
Hounslow's Labour Leader adds his Name to London Labour Statement
Jagidsh Sharma joined MPs, GLA Members and Council leaders on the following statement issued before Christmas:
"Following the Local Government Finance Settlement it's clear London has suffered a raw deal, with its councils facing average cuts of 11.25 per cent. The average for the rest of England is 9.93 per cent.
"So much for Conservative Mayor Boris Johnson's claim to have mounted a ‘Stalingrad like defence' of funding for London.
"We must be clear - the size and the speed of these cuts are a choice the Conservative-led government is making. Councils in London are being forced into making the heaviest cuts in the next year because of the decisions taken by George Osborne and Eric Pickles, damaging frontline services and putting jobs and the recovery at risk.
"Our first responsibility is to protect the communities we serve, pressing the government to abandon its course and minimising the pain of the government's cuts for residents. However the scale of the cuts in funding for councils is so big that in many cases this will not be enough to protect many vital services.
"There is little doubt that local government cuts of this size, imposed this quickly and frontloaded in the first year will hit many of the important frontline services families and communities rely on. Roads already damaged last winter could go unrepaired this year too. Potholes could go unfixed, pavements unswept. Streetlights will be turned off. Youth clubs will close. Libraries will shut down. As more people than ever need help with social care, fewer will find their local council able to help.
"Whether from local government, Parliament, City Hall, the trade unions or local Labour parties, London Labour's approach will be based on uniting everyone in London opposed to the way the government has handed these cuts to councils and focusing our campaign where it deserves to be focused - on the government.
"We urge the government to carefully reconsider the serious impact of policies on the quality of life of millions of Londoners, rethink the settlement and give the capital a fair deal."
Yours sincerely
Ken Livingstone, Labour's candidate for Mayor of London
Harriet Harman MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
Tessa Jowell MP, Shadow Minister for the Olympics
Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney
Linda Perks, UNISON Regional Secretary
Steve Hart, UNITE Regional Secretary London and Eastern
Paul Hayes, GMB London regional secretary
Richard Ascough, GMB Southern regional secretary
Alan Tate, CWU London Regional Political Secretary
Len Duvall AM, Leader of London Assembly Labour Group
Claude Moraes MEP
Nicky Gavron AM
Val Shawcross AM
Murad Qureshi AM
John Biggs AM
Joanne McCartney AM
Navin Shah AM
Jennette Arnold AM
Diane Abbott MP
Heidi Alexander MP
Rushanara Ali MP
Karen Buck MP
Lyn Brown MP
Jon Cruddas MP
John Cryer MP
Jim Dowd MP
Clive Efford MP
Mike Gapes MP
Meg Hillier MP
Jim Fitzpatrick MP
Margaret Hodge MP
David Lammy MP
Siobhan McDonagh MP
Andy Love MP
Stephen Pound MP
Teresa Pearce MP
Nick Raynsford MP
Joan Ruddock MP
Virendra Sharma MP
Andy Slaughter MP
Stephen Timms MP
Gareth Thomas MP
Emily Thornberry MP
Malcolm Wicks MP
Cllr Liam Smith, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council
Cllr Ann John, Leader of Brent Council
Cllr Nasim Ali, Leader of Camden Council
Cllr Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council
Cllr Doug Taylor, Leader of Enfield Council
Cllr Chris Roberts, Leader of Greenwich Council
Cllr Jagdish Sharma, Leader of Hounslow Council
Cllr Claire Kober, Leader of Haringey Council
Cllr Bill Stephenson, Leader of Harrow Council
Cllr Catherine West, Leader of Islington Council
Cllr Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council
Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham
Cllr Stephen Alambritis, Leader of Merton Council
Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham
Cllr Peter John, Leader of Southwark Council
Cllr Chris Robbins, Leader of Waltham Forest Council
"Following the Local Government Finance Settlement it's clear London has suffered a raw deal, with its councils facing average cuts of 11.25 per cent. The average for the rest of England is 9.93 per cent.
"So much for Conservative Mayor Boris Johnson's claim to have mounted a ‘Stalingrad like defence' of funding for London.
"We must be clear - the size and the speed of these cuts are a choice the Conservative-led government is making. Councils in London are being forced into making the heaviest cuts in the next year because of the decisions taken by George Osborne and Eric Pickles, damaging frontline services and putting jobs and the recovery at risk.
"Our first responsibility is to protect the communities we serve, pressing the government to abandon its course and minimising the pain of the government's cuts for residents. However the scale of the cuts in funding for councils is so big that in many cases this will not be enough to protect many vital services.
"There is little doubt that local government cuts of this size, imposed this quickly and frontloaded in the first year will hit many of the important frontline services families and communities rely on. Roads already damaged last winter could go unrepaired this year too. Potholes could go unfixed, pavements unswept. Streetlights will be turned off. Youth clubs will close. Libraries will shut down. As more people than ever need help with social care, fewer will find their local council able to help.
"Whether from local government, Parliament, City Hall, the trade unions or local Labour parties, London Labour's approach will be based on uniting everyone in London opposed to the way the government has handed these cuts to councils and focusing our campaign where it deserves to be focused - on the government.
"We urge the government to carefully reconsider the serious impact of policies on the quality of life of millions of Londoners, rethink the settlement and give the capital a fair deal."
Yours sincerely
Ken Livingstone, Labour's candidate for Mayor of London
Harriet Harman MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
Tessa Jowell MP, Shadow Minister for the Olympics
Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney
Linda Perks, UNISON Regional Secretary
Steve Hart, UNITE Regional Secretary London and Eastern
Paul Hayes, GMB London regional secretary
Richard Ascough, GMB Southern regional secretary
Alan Tate, CWU London Regional Political Secretary
Len Duvall AM, Leader of London Assembly Labour Group
Claude Moraes MEP
Nicky Gavron AM
Val Shawcross AM
Murad Qureshi AM
John Biggs AM
Joanne McCartney AM
Navin Shah AM
Jennette Arnold AM
Diane Abbott MP
Heidi Alexander MP
Rushanara Ali MP
Karen Buck MP
Lyn Brown MP
Jon Cruddas MP
John Cryer MP
Jim Dowd MP
Clive Efford MP
Mike Gapes MP
Meg Hillier MP
Jim Fitzpatrick MP
Margaret Hodge MP
David Lammy MP
Siobhan McDonagh MP
Andy Love MP
Stephen Pound MP
Teresa Pearce MP
Nick Raynsford MP
Joan Ruddock MP
Virendra Sharma MP
Andy Slaughter MP
Stephen Timms MP
Gareth Thomas MP
Emily Thornberry MP
Malcolm Wicks MP
Cllr Liam Smith, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council
Cllr Ann John, Leader of Brent Council
Cllr Nasim Ali, Leader of Camden Council
Cllr Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council
Cllr Doug Taylor, Leader of Enfield Council
Cllr Chris Roberts, Leader of Greenwich Council
Cllr Jagdish Sharma, Leader of Hounslow Council
Cllr Claire Kober, Leader of Haringey Council
Cllr Bill Stephenson, Leader of Harrow Council
Cllr Catherine West, Leader of Islington Council
Cllr Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council
Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham
Cllr Stephen Alambritis, Leader of Merton Council
Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham
Cllr Peter John, Leader of Southwark Council
Cllr Chris Robbins, Leader of Waltham Forest Council
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