Forum Topic

No vote of No Confidence from the "Opposition" at LBH Borough Council meeting

But I do hear the cherry trees in Staveley Road are coming along just fine.And they say having a legislature dominated by major parties, without small parties or independents, makes for "strong government".  Ye gods, what a waste of good oxygen.

Phil Andrews ● 3306d37 Comments

Ha,ha very droll!

Vanessa Smith ● 3298d

Which, if you think about it, brings us neatly back to my own comment - Charles' scenario and mine being not altogether dissimilar.

Phil Andrews ● 3298d

You've reminded me of the recording of Prince Charles's phone call to Camilla when he said that he would like to come back as a certain female sanitary product.

Anne England ● 3298d

Now that's sad.

Vanessa Smith ● 3298d

I would love to be reincarnated as Jennifer Annistons shower gel

Paul Fisher ● 3299d

Sod that! I want to come back as a cat. Infinitely nicer and far more courageous.

Vanessa Smith ● 3299d

If there's such a thing as reincarnation I think I am going to ask the big man if I can come back as a Chiswick Tory councillor.

Phil Andrews ● 3299d

Sometimes life is not fair but until you make a complaint the situation is not going to resolve itself of its own accord. Perhaps you should talk to the Citizens Advice Bureau?

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3299d

I haven't spoken to my local councilors about this, 1 off them hates me and wont help anyway. I have not made a complaint yet. I have a advocate to help me on these issues i have Phil handling things for me. I just do not feel its fair i am being treated in this way. Its 1 person's word against another's.

Simon Anderson ● 3300d

Simon happy to help if I can. But before I "tred on the toes" of your Ward Councillors - have you taken this matter up with your them and at what stage your complaint is and who exactly is your complaint against?

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3300d

As you know Phil as my advocate on these issues i am going threw with the council i cant understand a few things maybe Cllr Hearn can answer these for me:A false complaint was made about me by a member of council staff, the allegation took place in the street with no evidence so how can they continue with this?The complain-tie left the council a week before Phil and i met with the Manager of the Langdale Center (from what i was told by his colleagues he left before being pushed, that he was lazy, never did his work and lied about people to try and make himself look good). so if this person is no longer a employee of the council why is it still being investigated?The Complaint-ie statement was signed by his colleague, at the meeting it was confirmed he was not there at the incident, he told me that it was at the end of a long shift and he was tired and did not know what he was signing and if he did he wouldn't off signed it. But the Langdale has recently told me his manager has stated he witnessed the alleged event. He was 100% not there and i have provided them evidence off this but they are still pursuing this...Tell me why and is not a case of bullying and someone out to get me just because i run a Residents Group that certain person doesn't want or like its members??

Simon Anderson ● 3301d

"The 2015/16 Annual report of the Local Government Ombudsman says that 96% of their clients were happy with the outcome of their complaint and the service that they received from the Ombudsman."If the LGO charged for its services I have no doubt at all that it would find itself prosecuted under the Trade Descriptions Act for making such a claim.You must know Sam that when a complaint is made to the LGO, once it has passed through the various processes at Council level and not been satisfactorily addressed, the LGO gives local authorities a further opportunity to rectify any malpractice or maladministration before recording its findings.  When a Council undertakes to address a problem which it has been ignoring for months following the LGO's intervention this is then logged as a complaint which has been satisfactorily resolved - in other words brownie points for a Council which has allowed complaints to build up to this level in the first place.It is a con Sam, basically.  Why then try to sell Simon a pup?

Phil Andrews ● 3301d

"{the weaknesss of] the council's own complaints procedure is that the officers who are the problem also deal with the complaint! What is worrying they don't seem to understand what 'conflict of interest' means. As for the Local Govt. Ombudsman - what a complete waste of time, no teeth, as much good as a chocolate teapot."Hounslow's complaints procedure is essentially that introduced by the Conservative led Administration 2006/10. The aim was to radically improve customer satisfaction with the process and reduce the number of complaints ending up with the Ombudsman. This aim was achieved.There are three stages in the Council Complaints Procedure. You can stop at either stage one or two if you believe that your complaint has been dealt with in full and you are satisfied with the result.At the first stage the Manager of the Department concerned investigates and if necessary puts remedial actions in place (including compensation). This is sensible way to deal with complaints - the officers concerned are likely to have a good hands on understanding of the the issues and be able to pout them right quickly. Most complaints are now sorted out to everyone's satisfaction at this Stage.If the complainant is not happy with the result of the first stage then the complaint goes to the second stage where typically the matter is escalated to the Assistant Director Level. Yes there is a potential conflict of interest but only a fool would try and hide mistakes or maladministration in their department.At the third stage a complainant who is still dissatisfied can have their complaint adjudicated by a panel of three councillors (drawn from wards in which the complainant does not live).I have sat on a number of these panels and complainants are almost all very happy with the results.The fourth stage would be to appeal to the Ombudsman.***********************    The 2015/16 Annual report of the Local Government Ombudsman says that 96% of their clients were happy with the outcome of their complaint and the service that they received from the Ombudsman.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3301d

This has nothing to do with the lead member of the council. This is to do with lies being made against me to discredit me just because i run a R.A. and i am now feeling very bullied and had to go see me GP today as i feel so stressed about it and i already have mental health issues.

Simon Anderson ● 3301d

I would think you could try the Constituency Labour Party Chair, or the Standards Board of the council. My somewhat cynical view would be that you've got between a snowball's chance in hell or bugger-all hope of getting anywhere. 1st commandment - You shall not criticise the Dear Leader nor hold him responsible for anything whatsoever. 2nd commandment - And if you ignore commandment 1 - then we'll just ignore you! However, having said that do remember we all get to vote for the local council, if a week is a long time in politics, then a couple of years may bring great possibilities.

Vanessa Smith ● 3301d

LOL....

Simon Anderson ● 3302d

Have you contacted your local Councillors Simon as they might be able to help?

Paul Fisher ● 3302d

Who should i go to then as i feel so bullied at the moment.

Simon Anderson ● 3302d

My experience is that the council's own complaints procedure is that the officers who are the problem also deal with the complaint! What is worrying they don't seem to understand what 'conflict of interest' means. As for the Local Govt. Ombudsman - what a complete waste of time, no teeth, as much good as a chocolate teapot.

Vanessa Smith ● 3302d

Thank You Cllr Hearn, trouble is i do not have faith in using the councils complaint procedure as i just feel they look after each other thats why i want to do it independently. Thank you for the info though much appreciated.

Simon Anderson ● 3302d

"Occasional untreated discharge" from Mogden ?http://sdn.rivertac.org/shows 13 rower notifications of pollution incidents since 1st January.I wonder if Thames have done any post-audit work on the project to eliminate this with modified storm-tank capacity. How did they get their sums wrong ?

Tim Henderson ● 3302d

Your complaint should be made to the Local Government Ombudsman.  www.lgo.org.uk/make-a-complaintHowever, you will first need to demonstrate that you have used and exhausted the Council's own complaints procedure. Details of the Council complaints procedure can found on the Hounslow Council website.If you are a council employee being bullied at work there are separate procedures.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3302d

I have a question, if someone feels they are being bullied by the council is there an independent body that you can go to to make a complaint against the council?

Simon Anderson ● 3303d

.... and the issue that you held up the budget approval process for related to wards that your party represented. the point is therefore clear - you (when an elected councillor) and I both take the interests of the residents in our wards very seriously indeed.The point made about Mogden is a good one. The clean water and occasional untreated discharge of sewage into the Thames does affect many residents in my ward (and many other river users). That is why I have since being first elected taken a keen interest in Mogden and the activities of Thames Water.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3304d

We're in danger of running off-topic Sam but I have some bad news for you.  A budget submitted by one coalition partner (with 24 seats from a total of 60) without any prior communication whatsoever with the other coalition partner is not an "agreement".What it is, at best, is a display of unfathomable innumeracy.  At worst, it is an act of grotesquely absurd (and in this instance quite unnecessary) macho posturing.Either way, considering we are dealing here with a £600m+ local authority budget and the consequences for local residents of getting it wrong, I see little evidence of the "grown up" behaviour of which you speak.

Phil Andrews ● 3304d

It is stories such as this which bring about suggestions of pocket politicians.  How would Thames water gain such support when the people of this borough and Richmond borough are suffering so?  I heard that MRAG won their case but why did that not change anything?  Meanwhile the smell and stake air expands across Brentford, Isleworh and Chiswick.

Sarah Felstead ● 3305d

The reason we failed Sarah was because we were obstructed constantly by Officers from the Environment Dept who did not dare take on the might of Thames Water and these same Officers have still got highly paid jobs with HounslowWhat we did though was 100% support MRAG who took their own action against Thames Water at the High Court and won hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation for residents who were affected and yet the new Administration in 2010 completely blanked the victory and instead bent over even further in allowing the stench to continueAt the Planning Committe I mentioned earlier I forgot to add that it was our very own Ruth Cadbury who proposed approval for the expansion despite the numerous warnings that the stench would increase and who has since walked away from the whole matter which affects so many of her constituents

Paul Fisher ● 3305d

Actually, at this point I don't think that a suggested comment by anyone at Council meetings is very fair.  It is better to say that absolutely nobody has taken this topic on board in order to sort it out.  You for instance, Paul, did not manage to put a lid on the issue when you were in office?  Why was that?Maybe there are residents in the worst affected area who could offer a few nights board to our Council members and then ask their opinion.  It won't be long before the good people of Chiswick realise the sour smell in the air is often caused by Mogden.

Sarah Felstead ● 3305d

A prominant Chiswick Councillor Felicity Barwood once stated at the planning committee which she sat on to discuss the expansion that she had no idea where Mogden was and had no interest in it but voted for approval anyway

Paul Fisher ● 3305d

Cllr Hearn.  I noticed your comment about the visit to Mogden sewage works.  The recent years expansion of the site means that the spread of smell has also expanded and is very noticeable in Osterley and on the side of Syon Hill, going towards Gillette corner.  This must mean the sour edges of that smell of discharge must encroach along the river towards and in Chiswick.  The effluent in the river certainly affects the rowing clubs in Chiswick.  Mogden is certainly in your area.

Sarah Felstead ● 3305d

The rule that makes Steve Curran Leader of the Council for 4 years is not a Labour Party one but part of the Council's own constitution.Oh dear Phil having a bad day are we? The Conservative Group of course works hard for the residents in the wards that we were elected for. Is that not what you did when you held up the agreement at the last minute of our last council budget whilst you wanted to discuss extra spending in wards that you represented. Nothing parochial or petty about that I suppose?  You twist these arguments to suit yourself. The Conservative Group however takes its responsibilities as the Hounslow Opposition party very seriously and fields good candidates in every ward unlike other strictly "local" parties. We are more than happy to talk to anyone who wishes to organise in their area.This morning I will be on a visit to Mogden Sewage works that is not actually anywhere near Chiswick. However holding Thames Water to account for how it runs Mogden is crucially important for residents elsewhere in the Borough.The real opposition is on the streets? Really? Running a complex organisation like a local council on whom many local residents depend for the most basic of services is an activity for grown ups who are prepared to do the hard graft that yes it can be boring and dispiriting at times and does involve detailed research and reading huge quantities of printed matter. It is not all glamourous visits to sewage works .....

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3305d

I don't know whether Councillor Hearn realises it or not but his comments  just serve to underline everything I have been saying about the "Opposition" on this Council for some time.I have no doubt that the residents of Staveley Gardens are well served by their ward councillors, and indeed that other Chiswick Conservative councillors represent their own constituents with equal diligence.  But when you are, as Councillor Hearn himself puts it, the only opposition party on the Council your task is to speak up not only for residents in your own ward but for people across the borough, taking the administration to task on issues on which Hounslow residents across the board are being let down. This emphasis on strictly parochial issues to the exclusion of all else suggests that the local Conservatives have now completely given up any hope of ever forming an administration in Hounslow and are instead concentrating all their energies upon ensconcing themselves ever more deeply in their own W4 comfort zone.  An "Opposition" which is content to feed upon the scraps thrown to them from Curran's table, not quite haute cuisine but enough to sustain them in their own little backyards in perpetuity whilst the Dear Leader gets a blank cheque to wreak havoc everywhere else.I ask you, would a councillor who had any interest whatsoever in the wider borough seriously suggest that residents who wish to become involved should travel to the Civic Centre and listen to a bunch of politicians in their natural habitats droning on about fiscal policy?  How about said politicians spending some time in the community attempting to find out what the issues are that actually concern people rather than the dull tedium which seems to inspire them?Hounslow does not have an "Opposition" in the Council Chamber, just an administration on one side and its own little brother sitting opposite, quietly nodding.  The real opposition is on the streets, and that is the only opposition which seems willing to hold Curran and his cronies to account - hence his crude attempts to silence it.

Phil Andrews ● 3305d

They could have even proposed a motion condeming Currans actions to be heard at Borough Council which at the very least would have been on Public Record

Paul Fisher ● 3305d

I think that the rules of the Labour Group nowadays mean the Leader is a fixture for the life of a council, 4 years. I don't think that would prevent anyone putting forward a vote of no confidence, and at the very least the Tories could have caused maximum embarrassment and publicity to Curran, perhaps they could even have requested that he apologise to Mr.Slattery. Just sitting on the side-lines and making out that there's nothing the opposition can do doesn't wash, if the political will is there it's surprising what you can do.

Vanessa Smith ● 3305d

''It is virtually impossible to remove him from his post if he does not want to go - does this perhaps remind you of another Labour Leader? '' Surely if the Labour group wanted to elect another leader they could do - viz the incidence where Ken Livingstone replaced Andrew Mackintosh as the GLC Labour Leader and thus Council Leader in 1981, which appeared to be against Mr Mackintosh's wishes. So the responsibility is clearly partly that of the Labour group as a whole and not just Mr Curran. The concern about Mr Curran is that his version of events on the night Mr Slattery was arrested does not exactly concur with others, and councillors of both parties should at least be asking whether this falls within a reasonable margin of error or not.

Ian Speed ● 3305d

A few facts:Steve Curran was elected leader of the Council for a four year term. It is virtually impossible to remove him from his post if he does not want to go - does this perhaps remind you of another Labour Leader? Steve Curran was elected to his role by the Hounslow Labour Councillors. In the first instance it is up to them to indicate that they wish him to stand down or lose the Party whip. It is up to the local Labour Party if it so chooses to censure him and/or not to re-select him as a candidate in May 2018.The Slattery Case that I assume you are referring to only indirectly relates to Steve Curran's position as Council Leader. Some say that that his reaction in a stressful situation was inappropriate. However it a quite a large mental leap to say that his actions in this single case (not directly part of his role as Leader) should lead to him being asked to stand down as Leader of the Council.If "concerned local residents" really wish to see what Hounslow's only Opposition Party is doing then they should turn up at Borough Council meetings. This week they would have seen some constructive collaborative working but also much constructive criticism based on detailed research and meetings and discussions with officers.      It is becoming increasingly obvious that after ten years of a council tax freeze Labour's financial plans are unravelling as evidenced by the £8.9m overspend in 2015/16 and the recent admission that many key cost savings are now regarded as unachieveable and that there are NO contingency funds to draw on. Labour complains that local government is being starved of funds does not remove from councillors the responsibility to provide comprehensive and high quality local services. If Labour Councillors cannot deliver on this they should not have stood for election in the first place.Labour's commitment to more citizen engagement, fully supported by the Conservative Group, has finally resulted in the publication of a Consultation Charter. However it will come as no surprise to long time residents of Brentford that the Lead Member confirmed that if the residents chose the "wrong option" in a consultation then the Council will simply override the wishes of residents and impose their own preferred solution. Citizen engagement and local democracy at work or just more of the same old same old "we know best"?  So its not all about "Cherry Trees".I presented a petition from 61 residents of Staveley Road at this weeks Borough Council meeting. Yes it was about Cherry Trees. Punch "Chiswick Cherry Trees" into Google and you will see what the fuss is about. I had to present the petition by hand because it appears that the original petition (sent by recorded delivery) has been lost within the Civic Centre. I did this to try and ensure that residents' complaints would be answered as speedily as possible and not be delayed by apparent administrative malfunctions.     

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 3306d

I am sooooooo shocked - not! What a shower, there are some decent people in the Tory ranks so what's with the silence? Do they know they are supposed to be an 'opposition'?Perhaps this will help - or then again perhaps not.resistance or dissent, expressed in action or argument."there was considerable opposition to the proposal"synonyms: resistance, hostility, antagonism, antipathy, enmity, objection, dissent, criticism, defiance, non-compliance, obstruction, obstructiveness, counteraction

Vanessa Smith ● 3306d