Leafletting at Brentford Station

Yesterday I was one of hundreds of people across London taking part in Labour's 999SOS Day of Action to highlight deep cuts to London's frontline emergency services being forced through by the Conservatives.

The reception I had at Brentford station was positive - people are becoming increasingly aware of the cuts in police numbers and counters, in the closure of hospital facilities and the cuts to the ambulance service, and feel they are too far and too fast.

On the day the Mayor of London forced through his Budget which will mean deep, risky cuts to our 999 services, local campaigners were out early leafleting at tube and rail stations from Chiswick to Hounslow.

Labour members of  the London Assembly have a fully-costed plan which shows the money is there to keep frontline police stations open, and retain the Safer Neighbourhood teams..

Runway Closures - Noisier Nights until October for Many Thousands

Residents living under the landing path for Heathrow's northern runway won't get any night-time peace between March and October, as the resurfacing works are carried out on the southern runway.  All alternation will stop between 10.30pm and 6am, so those 16 flights coming in from 4.30 am will be overhead every day, every week until the autumn - there's a useful explanation on BrentfordTW8.com.

These next months will be a useful taster for what life would be like without that essential alternation pattern, practiced at the airport for decades and essential for making life bearable for the hundreds of thousands of residents living so close to the airport - in communities that were there long before the airport was even thought of (1944). 

Of course for those living under the approach to the southern runway, there'll be peaceful nights until the autumn, but no doubt Heathrow will need to resurface the northern runway next year!

Hounslow Council has been campaigning for years for decent mitigation for residents living near Heathrow.  Our lobbying ensured that the Civil Aviation Act of 2006 retained alternation and the restricted night flights regime, and the Government ensured additional bedroom noise insulation for thousands of homes.  With the current debate about the future airport capacity in the south-east, we continue to fight for the right to periods of peace and a quiet nights sleep for the noisiest communities in the UK.

BRENTFORD & FELTHAM POLICE STATIONS SET TO CLOSE - Chiswick Fire Station gets a (temporary?) reprieve

Brentford Police Station

999SOS London –  UPDATE

The safety of borough residents is at risk as a result of cuts to emergency services being pushed through by the Conservatives in Government and at City Hall.

.   

Brentford & Feltham Police stations are now set to close, and Chiswick station’s opening times scaled back to a weekday 9-5 service, as part of the Mayor of London’s  20% budget cuts.  Only Hounslow station will remain as a 24/7 service.  The Met suggest that the public can meet the police in cafes, supermarkets  and Council offices. There has been no consultation with the Council about these proposals.  Police counters provide safe space for the public - with an outer waiting area, going through to a separate space at the counter, protecting people from the waiting area.  This is particularly valuable for those in fear of attack when reporting crime to the police.  I cannot see how this can easily be replicated in shops and supermarkets.  Most shops are very tight for space, and supermarkets need flexibility in their space and may be reluctant to cover the cost.  These cuts are on top of force the loss of 90 Police and PCSOs and  concern about changes to the Safer Neighbourhood teams in the borough.

The  Met Police consultation on their proposals is  Wednesday, 6 February, 8pm at Hounslow Civic Centre       More details at www.london.gov.uk/policingevents

NHS: The London Ambulance Service has received a 19% cut.  A&E Services at Ealing, Charing Cross, Central Middlesex & Hammersmith hospitals are set to close, leaving West Mid with a 70% increase in its catchment area.  With further NHS cuts, will West Mid cope without longer waiting times?

Chiswick Fire Station has won a reprieve since Labour’s intervention, but it could remain at risk of closure.

The cumulative effect of these changes needs investigation say Labour members of  the London Assembly, to fully understand the local impacts of these cuts.  And we need to address the impact for our borough too.