A Purer More Active River, Dodgy Leaflets and PollCheck Nonsense
Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert reports back
Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert
April 30, 2026
On Friday I was back to W Middlesex for another bout with A&E. This time, all they needed from me was a blood test, which was done at about 9.15. Sometimes I am too polite because I know they have to wait for blood results to come back and it was mad busy. Eventually I politely enquired of the receptionist. He scrolled down his list and seemed surprised. He said he would talk to the doctor. 5 minutes later doctor called me and apologised (I had obviously fallen through the net). The good news was that my bloods were back to normal and I did not need any more of the rather evil looking injections I had had earlier. It was reassuring to be out of the clutches of the medical profession with a clean record.
We had a meeting in the Digital Dock on Friday evening, about the proposal to make Brentford London's first Heritage Harbour. We started that a year or two ago but it has not made the progress we wanted, partly because we have lost a couple of the key people in the development team.
There have also been a number of hiatuses on the river side such as the collapse of the plan to build a marina at Watermans Park and the (thankfully temporary) departure of Brentford Community Boat House charity. Now back and buzzing - see below.
I had called for a new meeting to move this forward and we made some progress, but we do need a new secretary and more river-related people (or anyone who cares about Brentford!) so if you're interested let me know!
So here's a political bit.
I found out years ago that I actually find local politics a bit tedious and often pointless. I don't like it. I don't like having a go at my council colleagues but it is a kind of rule of politics. I'm here to serve local people, primarily, so political shenanigans are a distraction.
So I will do 2 or 3 political paragraphs. Partly because I'm fighting for my life as a councillor, but more because I think this borough needs a big shock. I don't want that shock to come from Reform, or Theo's band of Independents but if we still have a Labour administration it must be much more democratic and much more honest. So if you find this as tedious as I do, skip the next 3 bits! I have put them in italics to give you a pointer!
I saw a leaflet from one of my 'political rivals', Scott Illman from the Magpie and Crown. A friend of mine (not in any way political) had received this at home and was a bit shocked by it.
I have plenty of issues with Shantanu but this caricature, which may have involved AI because it is not like any picture I've seen of him immediately made me think 'racist'. I have no real idea what Scott's politics are, but of course he is now a member of the Theo party, and Theo has been aggressively critical about councillor allowances for many years. I don't recall him complaining whilst he was still a Cabinet member until 2018. He lost his seat in 2022 and then failed narrowly to win in Brentford West but finally got back in his old ward Syon in 2024 I think.
During at least one of those campaigns he made a point, if I (and some others) remember that he was not planning to take any Council allowances. So I wrote to Theo in March: “ I remember when you stood at (at least one) by-election you pledged to donate your council allowance to charities. Is my memory right? And if so, which charity or charities benefited?" I guess he's busy, but he hasn't replied.
I actually think he (or is it Scott??) has a point about councillor allowances, but it is poorly directed. I'm neutral about pension provision because many don't need it but others who make a long career as a councillor and may have little other income may well deserve it. My issue with allowances is about allowances doled out for very little action (2 recently in Brentford immediately spring to mind) and there are a lot of payments for minimal additional work which are doled out to all but about half a dozen Labour councillors. I have thought for a long time that this is partly about buying votes for the leader. Of course, roles are attached to these payments but many do very little.
As someone who spent most of my working life employed by professional companies, I had to go to reviews with my boss at least once a year, and evaluated against my Job Description or goals. In 11 years as a councillor nobody has ever evaluated my performance nor suggested needs for development – certainly not in an honest or open way. Of course, in theory councillors are ‘evaluated’ by their ward residents but in reality in many wards their re-election has been a formality (probably no longer!)
On Saturday I held what will be my last surgery before the election. Few people go to surgeries and on this occasion, a resident rang me and asked if I was there and whether she could come. Of course she could. Turned out she made a special journey to see me and give me a home-made Thank You card. It is touching to be thanked like this for small services I have performed for her over 11 years. It is entirely unnecessary, but is very much appreciated. So thank you back - you know who you are. I hope I have provided a decent service.
At lunchtime I was away to the canal by the Holiday Inn. My colleague Tony was testing the water purity in the canal. He was actually quite heartened I think to find it was a bit better than the last time he tested. My role was limited - have my picture taken, do the timing for the tests and pretend I had some idea what I was doing. This is an important facility for a councillor.
I won't bore you again with canvassing but suffice to say we are out most days and have by now knocked one virtually every door in the ward, at least once. I do feel some sympathy for the residents: not like the good old days when it was just Lab and Con with the odd Liberal (no I am not suggesting they are odd) ond Green. Now they have a large set of politicos seeking their favour. I reckon we are doing pretty well, but I will find out on Thursday!
Earlier on Saturday I was down at Ferry Point where Brentford Community Boat House was having its Open Day. They are opening low key, because they are still getting (as far as I can see entirely unjustified) criticism from the rival outfit now moved to Chiswick. It was a lovely day, and lovely to see (mainly) young people out in various craft , having a whale of a time.
So pleased that Brentford is back on track reclaiming its river.
And here's a bit of active recycling at my flat.
A Syon and Brentford Lock resident taking recycling seriously. More fun when it's a full slice of stale bread when poor chap looks seriously unbalanced.
On Sunday it was the Steam Museum. This still offends against the Trade Description Act because there are no fleas on sale but it was a lovely Brentfordy event with lots of people, many whom I know and many more that I should know but have forgotten (never my strong point and that's a special challenge for a councillor!)
Even a skinflint like me failed to resist buying something there and it was a lovely morning out. In the evening it was the Green party monthly meeting. Cakes at the South Street Cafe are good but there are really too many of us. But the O2 was not available.
On Monday I joined the occasional update for Brentford Voice from Ballymore. I turned out to be in grumpy mode. Yes, the new pub is progressing, as is Merlin's thing (whatever it is!) at the bottom of the car park and there is a gym/pilates thing coming soon. But not much more and the new things we were promised (well, not promised, anticipated) last October have not progressed in any visible manner.
Their big challenge is the old listed facade known as McIlroy Terrace,129-134 Brentford High Street. They have found it a bit more fally-downy than they expected and have had to add various reinforcements .
I thought that staircase rather wonderful, but nobody there knew whether it is protected. It must be, surely!
The blue stuff is mainly done as is the grey council bit. They still have a few flats to sell whilst the orange bit, or much of it, is under construction. Nothing about the yellow bit. Of course the iconic car park, designed by an award-winning architect (he told me that when I said it was horrible) was mainly finished years ago, but they have not even got a plan for the only nice bit - town houses a bit like Dutch canal houses that we were promised to shut me up about the car park.
To be fair, they have only had about 11 years to get this done. At the current rate the construction period will outlive my time as a councillor, even if I succeed in extending my service for 4 years from next Thursday.
Not much more this week. Went up to 'my' Lambert Lodge as I do from time to time to chat with the residents there. It seems I have frightened most of them away as only the 2 faithfuls came but always good to chat with them. One of them still in dispute with the council and its plumbing contractor about the illness he suffered after they nearly cooked him in his flat! No doubt this will be concluded this millennium - even this century.
On Wednesday evening I drove up to Heston, where a husting was on. It was a bit of a mouthful, with 9 Labour candidates and about 8 others. that included 2 Greens (hurrah) I think 3 independents. I didn't catch the names or parties of the 2 other ones. Somebody told me that the one hidden by the man right in front of me is Reform, first time one has come out of his burrow to face the real people! The two next to the man standing up, are Daniel and Jasmine, our fabulous Green candidates.
This week Brentford TW8 published some nonsense from an outfit called PollCheck , who suggested Brentford West would be taken by Reform. I had never heard of this outfit (and I am a polling geek) and nor had any of my polling geek friends. I think they had decided that the people who voted Theo when he stood in a by-election would go Reform. I think that is utter nonsense and I'm delighted to see PollCheck are more realistic now, suggesting Labour will win with Green second. Of course, the PollCheck nonsense made a couple of people I know who are Labour turned Green to be tempted to move their vote to Lab to be sure to keep Reform out. From my canvassing they would be better advised to move from Labour to Green because I have spoken to dozens of Labour loyalists who are voting Green, for exactly the same reason I made the change - Labour need to change radically to be worthy of votes in Brentford!
Well now, who knows? This may be the end of an era, or perhaps I will be back here in 2 weeks. I certainly hope so, and I hope in a new, democratic, hopeful era. I'm an optimist by nature but the last 4 years have been a challenge for that. As a Green, especially if there are a few of us, we will improve this council no end. That's up to you, folks!
The last few weeks have been very validating for me. A lot of people have thanked me for the small services I have provided. Some have even appreciated my blog. I have loved working with the people of the town I have come to love. Thank you, and thanks for all the fish.
Councillor Guy Lambert
| Brentford West Candidates - 7 May | |
|---|---|
Name |
Party |
Bob Ayres |
Reform UK |
Joe Bourke |
Liberal Democrats |
Radhesham Chauhan |
Conservative |
Husna Hashmi |
Labour |
Scott Anthony Warren Illman |
Brentford Independent |
Guy Lambert |
Green Party |
Jeremy Christian Larsson |
Conservative |
Craig Owen |
Labour |
Gary Sydney Padbury |
Liberal Democrats |
Gordon Turner |
Reform UK |
Rashid Wahab |
Green Party |
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