HOUNSLOW’S COUNCIL MEETING REPORT – 17 JULY 2012

The key issue of the night was at the end of the meeting, in answers to questions about the rise in the use of Bed and Breakfast, and the ending of Council Tax benefit.  They allowed Steve Curran and I to spell out in words of one syllable the impact that the raft of benefit changes will have on over 15,000 low-income households in this borough.  Growing debt, rising homelessness, greater stress on families, people having to leave their jobs to move to somewhere cheaper, children being taken out of school, and greater risk to vulnerable people.  We will not only have to allow for more time in our surgeries, but long term we will have to build in additional costs to deal with the inevitable long-term costs.  

The meeting started with a minutes silence in memory of the soldiers based in Hounslow recently killed in Afganistan.  Other announcements:

• Lily Bath announced that Brentford’s Torron Lee Dewar has received an achievement award and will be a torch-bearer on Tuesday (in Hillngdon unfortunately)
• I announced the torch relay arrangements, thanked staff for all they have done to assist with our part in welcoming the Games to London, but expressed anger at TfL for the way they have, without consulting the Council, changed the phasing of the lights on the A4, thus causing long delays on roads approaching it, and disproportionate disruption across the road network. 
•  I welcomed Brentford FCs news that they have been able to buy the land at Lionel Road so can proceed with their plans to develop a 15,000 seater stadium, a home for Brentford FC Community Sports Trust
• Steve Curran – all Hounslow’s secondary schools are rated Outstanding or Good
•  Ajmer Grewal – 6 Borough Parks now have Green Flag status, including Boston Manor Park
• Sachin Gupta – the borough's population is up 17% since 2001, now over 250,000 for 1^st time

Petitions: from parents of children with Type 1 diabetes with high maintenance issues, seeking proper support at school; and from residents wanting a CCTV camera to stop burglary and arson.

The Medium Term Financial Strategy shows that with sound financial management, Hounslow is tackling the consequences of Government grant cuts, is reducing depbt and growing reserves.

The full agenda of the borough Council can be found here