Forum Topic

Decision Day. June 4th

DECISION DAY for Brent Lea Recreation Ground. Thursday June 4thPlease can as many people as possible go and make some noise at the meeting of the planning committee at Hounslow Civic Centre, Lampton Rd. 7.0pm. Doors 6.30I know it would appear that our fab councillors have already made up their minds but let's not give them the satisfaction of giving up quietly.

Joanna Russell ● 3721d20 Comments

Gill you must stand again. You are sorely missed.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3717d

You get hat you vote for

Gill Hutchison ● 3717d

Oh really? Come and here and listen to the utter B/S the Isleworth councillors have tried feeding us since they purloined our local small park for the sake of horses grazing. We've used the FOI act to get to the bottom of some of the cobblers we've been fed, and I have no hesitation in saying that we were lied to by our councillors as that proved. Full credit to those councillors who voted against this outrageous proposal, the councillors who were party to this should hang their heads in shame - if they had any that is. As for the Isleworth councillors it is fair to say they are conspicuous by their absence around here.

Vanessa Smith ● 3717d

Hi Vanessa - I agree with your conclusion "this does not  bode well for other green spaces in the borough" but I think your accusation that Hounslow  Councillors are bloody liars is out of order.  There was a split decision so who exactly was lieing? What was unacceptable in my opinion is that several councillors failed to speak at all including I think I am correct in saying the one who seconded the motion. Surely residents are entitled to know why he seconded the motion. Well done councillors Todd, O'Reilly , Collins and Leuki and even Liza Hughes who made the best of a bad job.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3717d

Its quite hard for the council. They need to offer a new school in the area, and land is so hard to come by. its a no win situation for them.

David Rose ● 3717d

This is the whole problem with Hounslow's councillors they are just bloody liars, this does not bode well for other green spaces in the borough, they are a disgrace.

Vanessa Smith ● 3717d

I was speaking on behalf of the residents. The split was 7/4. In favour. The reasons not to reject this outnumbered the reasons to pass it by 99-1. 7 sets of very deaf ears. Deeply depressing but we have to battle on. The application for the permanent building will be out soon!!!

Joanna Russell ● 3717d

Thanks AdamThis is the thin end of the wedge I think and the Council will I expect reveal many more applications they have kept quiet until the outcome last night

Paul Fisher ● 3717d

I receive a regular summary of committee proceedings from an independent company, and this is what it says about last night."In Hounslow, residents were out in force waving placards about over a contentious application to build two temporary units for a free school on a council recreation ground. The applicant suffered a particularly long grilling from impassioned councillors from both sides of the chamber, but after two hours councillors voted the item through."

Adam Beamish ● 3717d

I am presuming that the application was approved but has anybody got an account of how the meeting went last night?

Paul Fisher ● 3717d

I might add that there are some really good hard working officers in Councils who seldom get any sort of recognition.But there is another breed, highly ambitious who have anything but service to the community and integrity in their agenda.Like so many other organisations, these sorts seem to have a habit of finding their way to powerful positions and somehow the really capable people get overlooked.

Raymond Havelock ● 3718d

Very interesting insight .Yes I get angry at the obvious limitations in the ability of some elected councillors to comprehend issues and thus vote discerningly.More so at those who are clearly limited on ability but when it comes to politics and bending protocols they seem to be masters.But I have to remind myself that they are ordinary citizens probably a bit to consumed with party politics but cannot be experts on all the stuff councils have to deal with.But does this lay them prey to officers who can influence them?  Do officers do their dirty work for them?It is the pure arrogance and contempt for those they represent that is the most insulting to residents.And yes, I really wish people would look beyond party colours to see just exactly what kind of person they are really voting for.Because there are good diligent people out there who have the right degree of honour and tenacity to see through the manipulation and petty politics.Big changes are needed to bring these kind of people in and flush out the detrius.

Raymond Havelock ● 3718d

Funnily enough my first job was at Epsom & Ewell, dealing with RA Councillors was certainly 'interesting' and you never quite knew how they were going to vote on applications etc.

Adam Beamish ● 3719d

It works differently in Epsom & Ewell which is interesting:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residents_Associations_of_Epsom_and_Ewell

Philippa Bond ● 3719d

Only a quarter of the Borough's Councillors sit on the Planning Committee so there are 45 of us who have absolutely no "legal" or "regulatory" excuse for keeping silent. There is however a convention that Councillors do not get directly involved in the affairs of an Area/Ward with which they have no connection.It would however be relatively easy for Councillors not on the Planning Committee to become involved in "popular" campaigns in order to drum up local support and gain party political advantage. Personally I do not think that this would be a good thing. However many of the more long standing Councillors are very aware that planning matters are often complex and that the task of colleagues on the Planning Committee can be extremely stressful when the applications under review are controversial.  Ultimately the decisions made by the Committee must comply with planning law and guidance and this can have little to do with what residents actually want or common sense dictates. Planning decisions made by Councillors can be appealed to and overturned by the Planning Inspectorate at considerable expense to the Council Tax payers.Unfortunately when individuals ask to be considered/selected as candidates few have any idea of the complexities of planning law. The training given is also fairly basic with no requirement to pass a test that would confirm that key matters have been understood.When residents vote for a candidate do they actually ask themselves does this bloke/woman have the skills to make good planning decisions? We know from research that in most of Hounslow's council wards fewer than 10% of residents can name more than one of their councillors. From this I conclude that most people choose candidates because of the colour of their rosette and not because they know anything about their actual abilities to perform the role of councillor. Sad but true.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3719d

Many thanks for the clarification Adam and yes it has certainly changed since I sat on these committees when at that time we all took real care to keep our voting intentions strictly to ourselves until the actual vote took place

Paul Fisher ● 3719d

I know the point was made at last week's meeting that many councillors who sit on the planning committee haven't a clue about the areas that they are being asked to take decisions on. I know that several of us when councillors used to spend the Sunday prior to a planning meeting visiting the various sites on the agenda if we weren't familiar with them, in many cases the report was an eye opener and the differences between what was in the report and the actual situation was varied to say the least. Pontificating on something you know nothing about and which may affect the lives of a lot of people is not acceptable, councillors need to take a more responsible view of their duty as members of the planning committee.

Vanessa Smith ● 3719d

A common misunderstanding Paul.  The predetermination rules changed a couple of years ago and effectively now there is nothing to prevent a Councillor actively campaigning for or against a planning application prior to it being reported to the Planning Committee they sit on for determination, and then taking part in the discussion/vote, as long as they vote on the issue purely on the basis of the content of the Officer's report and any presentations from speakers, questioning and subsequent discussions that took place at the committee meeting.Of course in practical terms one can hardly envisage the scenario where for example a Councillor would actively campaign with local residents against an application, and then when it came to committee for determination do a complete U-turn and vote in favour !.In my experience I usually see Councillors playing it very safe when it come to predetermination.

Adam Beamish ● 3719d

I would have thought that if a councillor had stated their voting intentions in public before the planning meeting then they would have to decalre an interest that they had done so and withdraw form the meeting?Or perhaps it different rules for these guys since I was a councillor?It may be worth the objectors looking in to the protocol and see if the councillors can be barred from voting

Paul Fisher ● 3719d

It's sadly a done deal. What needs to be done is to go to the government, the media,and highlight the shenanigans of the workings of this council and when the election comes up name and shame those councillors in each ward they stand for re-election in.And it's not just the ruling party, the silence from the opposition is deafening on issue after issue.  The whole system is more stagnant than Mogdens filter pools

Raymond Havelock ● 3719d