Forum Topic

Vanessa Smith · 3/23/2017 11:36:00 PM

new.BrentfordTW8.com Communtity Forum Topic posting

Isleworth stabbed in the back once again, the night democracy died.

Well didn't our councillors do us proud tonight over the Church Street decision? After a lot of speakers for and against the closure, councillors had their say. Theo Dennison concluded the data from the consultant and traffic department was 'inconclusive', but, the majority in favour of re-opening were 'guilty' of ruining Church St. by driving through it. Katherine Dunne almost sent the assembled locals to sleep with her ramble about how she likes cycling and on and on. Peter Carey was the only person who mentioned the fact that the vast majority (over 70%) of those who responded to the consultation wanted the road opened, and he had heard nothing to persuade him that that should not be upheld. The Dear Leader told the - by now weary - audience that in spite of what we may think they do have make hard decisions and they are not based on whether or not the electorate were in favour. (It had been pointed out earlier that the 700 odd people who wanted the road re-opened were half of some of the councillor's votes at the last election). According to him they are not swayed by their popularity (or not), if he really thinks that he's in the wrong game, politics is all about winning if you don't win you can't put your policies into play. There is always a political dimension, which clearly has passed this bunch by.Chief backstabber was Cllr. Mayne who moved the recommendation of officers, he rides a bike, he walks, he drives a train, and he obviously doesn't give a stuff for anyone who hasn't the physical wherewithal to do as he does. Thanks should go to Tony Louki who at least brought to officer's attention that there are three new schools going to be built locally two of which have no public transport links for children from this end of Isleworth, so will be transported by - car! And one another free school which will have children from all over, again probably coming in cars, thus adding to the horrendous conditions on Twickenham Rd. Sheila O'Reilly and Peter Carey also voted against the motion. Cllr. Sampson voted for and Cllr. Green abstained. For sheer pomposity it would be hard to beat Cllr. Collins, enough to make you scream, what no-one mentioned at all was that in a democracy the will of the majority must prevail. Roll on May 2018.

Vanessa Smith ● 3064d44 Comments

"But, hey, at least he's keeping us informed. We are truly grateful."Yes its a bit like we should be grateful to Trump for tweeting updates on his own self importance. It was certainly a quick transition from a person with interesting, and often helpful, posts about Hounslow Borough to an uncaring backstabber with only self interest at heart. How these people get sucked into the rot is beyond belief.

Steve Taylor ● 3040d

Didn't count Mel as he was Chair.

Vanessa Smith ● 3046d

I thought the vote in favour of making the trial closure permanent was 7 - 4 with 1 abstention (Mel Collins was omitted from your list).The four councillors voting against the permanent closure were the three from Osterley and Spring Grove and Myra Savin.

Tim Henderson ● 3046d

Walking around there on Sunday I noted many cars parked on the single yellow lines in Church Street. Possibly the vehicles belonging to the residents or their visitors? Surely the Council should now be ticketing them? The sign says no parking 10am to 11pm. Or does the fact that the road is now permanently closed mean that it can be used as a free parking lot for everybody 24/7?

Steve Taylor ● 3046d

For the permanent closure:Curran, Dennison, Dunne, Lambert, Mayne, Sampson. Mayne and Sampson being the Isleworth councillors, Lin Green (Isleworth) abstained.

Vanessa Smith ● 3047d

Can somebody provide the names of the councillors who voted for this closure, ignoring the views of local residents, please?

Julie Evans ● 3047d

A lot of people have been asking for treatment at these two junctions ever since that stupid mini roundabout went in at the junction of South St. So what you are saying is pretty much what a lot of us thought - had a more comprehensive look at traffic in the area been undertaken - the Church St. closure would not have been necessary.

Vanessa Smith ● 3056d

The Worton Rd and Mogden junction work funding will probably partly come from TfL, and should be instead of closing Church St, not as well as. Improve traffic flow on Twickenham Rd and you'd probably see less people skipping down Church St anyway.

Ian Speed ● 3056d

Not sure thinking was on their agenda Steve - I recall the Head of Traffic saying they didn't think that the large Nazareth House development had had any noticeable impact on the area! Yeh right!

Vanessa Smith ● 3056d

And what about the hundreds of new residents who will be moving into the new apartments next to the Town Wharf? Did nobody think about the impact of the additional traffic in south street and Twickenham road?

Steve Taylor ● 3056d

I am appalled by Cllr. Lambert's reporting of the IBAF meeting with regard to the Church St. question. How noble of him to do what he considered 'the right thing to do', never mind that he had a report in front of him saying that over 700 people thought the exact opposite! I understand there have already been some reports of cyclists and pedestrians thinking they have the right of way along this particular stretch of road. That's not to mention the effects on local businesses, no doubt putting people out of jobs is to be welcomed. The meeting was a farce, chaired by someone who was so pompous he'd give Rees-Mogg a run for his money. Wait until those three new schools come on stream, two of them in a location with no public transport, then they might see the error of their ways. This now of course leaves Hounslow with a very large bill if they really are going to take steps to deal with the traffic explosion on Twickenham Rd. and the junction at Worton Rd. and Mogden Lane, and all this from a council so hard-up they've had to resort to sacking their lollipop patrols. We can only hope the 66 homes in Church St. are worth it.

Vanessa Smith ● 3056d

“I hope and expect people will look back in a few years and say it was the right decision, as has been the case with several other ‘anti-car’ changes in London.”Quite shameful when a party is so blatantly undemocratic. I hope and expect people will look back in a few years and say how nice it is that this arrogant bunch of despots is no longer in power even though it will take years to repeal all the ridiculous changes this lot has made in it’s quest to ensure Hounslow remains the country’s most rotten borough.

Steve Taylor ● 3057d

Quite Phil - Hounslow's green policies are once again exposed as very a la carte this week, by the unnecessary despoliation of the old White Lodge sports club site by the council spending £6m on behalf of Grasshoppers Rugby Club, as well as the previous decision to site the Nishkam School in a remote middle of nowhere location most parents will have to drive to.

Ian Speed ● 3057d

I see Guy has covered this briefly in his weekly update on this site and, predictably, it appears they have decided to try to market this shameful decision as some kind of enlightened environmental initiative by a progressive, forward-thinking council as opposed to a band of cronies standing by a dodgy colleague in a dodgy relationship with an equally dodgy resident on the make.In order to do this it is necessary to pretend that there is no adverse impact on the surrounding area - on schools, on the local hospital and so on, and so this inconvenient fact is simply not mentioned.But, hey, at least he's keeping us informed. We are truly grateful.

Phil Andrews ● 3057d

Well Done Hounslow Council 4 ignoring ALL the local people.

Simon Anderson ● 3058d

Well done Hounslow council for ignoring all the moaners lol.

Nicki Drick ● 3058d

Have none of them learned the lessons of the Keens?_ Apart from how not to get caught?Once diligent and popular, but became consumed with power and then the fiddles.Curran and Co are exactly the same, they are either power obsessed or on a fiddle or two. But either way it is the old adage Power corrupts and consumes and politics is at the heart of it. Either way, whether it is fiscal or pure ego, it is nonetheless corrupt when the will of the people is ignored - even if the people are wrong - which is very seldom.It won't change. The silence of the opposition shows it is no different within their regime. They cannot even find candidates affable enough to canvas or take on and grasp local issues or support the many groups in the borough who have various issues. Ironically, most of the dissent and unrest in the community seems to be among long standing Labour and socialist supporters, so one would think the message would be getting through.The only way is a new wave of non aligned independents who stand in every ward and oust all these bigots, cowards and crawlers.Then those good and earnest councillors (and I do believe they exist ) might stand on their own two feet and be the councillors they set out to be, no longer scared of the bullying Nazi like spiv culture, full of lies and distortions, that Messrs Curran, Mann, and Mayne and their brown nosing associates within LBH thrive on.It won't happen of course and we are stuck with these sorts. You get what you vote for and there ain't no choice.

Raymond Havelock ● 3059d

It really is like something out of some banana republic. Why they bothered even telling us that 74% of respondents objected to the closure I'll never know, why not just go the whole Kim Jong-un and declare 105% support for the project amongst the good folk of Isleworth and be done with? Maybe they could have consulted Guy's bulging post bag for inspiration?If I knew a bit more about video technology I would love to produce a spoof of Steve Curran in the guise of Chemical Ali, standing along the Twickenham Road insisting there is no traffic at all, while car horns sound impatiently in the background as he slowly disappears in a cloud of diesel fumes.Couldn't make it up? Hounslow just did.

Phil Andrews ● 3059d

Hounslow council has just put out a Press Release claiming that air quality on Twickenham Rd, has improved since the trial closure of Church St. So lies are to be added to their treachery - the biggest example of backstabbing since Julius Caesar was done for. The person responsible for the air quality report was challenged by an objector over the positioning of monitoring equipment and AGREED that some of it was placed in entirely the wrong location. But in Hounslow's version of la-la land majority views don't count and erroneous reports suddenly become the truth. This lot must be taking lessons from Trump.

Vanessa Smith ● 3059d

"Bring back the ICG...."Good thought but it wouldn't have worked. If the ICG wanted the road opened ALL the Labour and Tory Cllrs would have voted to close just to spite them as they did in the MOGDEN expansion vote. Even the Lib Dems sided with Ruth Cadbury and Sheila O'Reilley just to put the ICG in its place. These people don't vote with any brainpower - they vote to spite others and they love it!! The little bit of temporary power is all they have in their lives and they bask in it while they can.

Steve Taylor ● 3059d

Some would say thats even worse Simon

Paul Fisher ● 3060d

At least Cllr Green abstained!!

Simon Anderson ● 3060d

I was interested to read in your report about how Ed Mayne found the argument about 'Quietways' a 'deal breaker' that helped him move the officer's recommendation to keep Church St. closed. What a jolly good idea - 66 households get to live in an isolated traffic free environment and over 700 of Cllr. Mayne's constituents get the traffic thereby dispersed. We can only hope that come the local elections next May Cllr. Mayne remembers this betrayal, 66 votes (if indeed the well-heeled even vote for a Labour candidate) is a pretty poor deal when compared with over 700. Most of the councillors spoke absolute tosh, and rambled on about what they did and didn't do - who cared? Much of their boring narrative was irrelevant and oh! don't they like the sound of their own voices? They seem to feel that as they've taken the trouble to turn up they should speak - even if it is nonsensical, convoluted rubbish. Peter Carey and Tony Louki voting against, were the only ones who picked up on the salient issues. The majority were against the closure, and no account had been taken of the impact three proposed new free schools in the vicinity will undoubtedly make to traffic conditions. Who wants to bet that these 'Quietways' are all situated in leafy, refined areas across London? The rest of us apparently can put up with increasing inconvenience and poorer air quality for ourselves and our children.

Vanessa Smith ● 3061d

There was a considerable groundswell of opinion after the IBAF meeting the other night about mounting opposition for next year's elections. The hurdles to that would seem huge - you are up against a well-oiled and well resourced political machine, it would need tight organisation, money and committed individuals. There are just about fourteen months to achieve that.

Vanessa Smith ● 3063d

Bring back the ICG....

Simon Anderson ● 3063d

Is this the same Councillor that blocked a memorial bench bought by local residents in memory of the young man murdered on the estate nearly 1yr ago..making them a Mayor is a complete Joke!!

Simon Anderson ● 3063d

Or advisedly even :)

Phil Andrews ● 3063d

I used the word "demonstrably" advisably. They should reflect upon this.

Phil Andrews ● 3063d

The Church St. faction showed a short video which had talking heads from Imperial College, London Cycling Campaign and a group from Herne Hill - the other side of London! The fact our local councillors were more swayed by those contributions rather than listen to people who actually live here should tell us all something.The Dear Leader compared this issue with Brexit in its divisiveness but neglected to understand that with Brexit the majority carried the day, unlike in Hounslow where obviously the least number prevail. Ruth hasn't done herself any good with this silly intervention they must think they are all unassailable. Given the lack of a credible opposition they might have a point.

Vanessa Smith ● 3063d

"You'll never believe this Vanessa, but there's a daft rumour doing the rounds that this councillor's colleagues are about to make her Mayor of Hounslow!Needless to say I don't believe for a moment that the good people who represent us would knowingly foist a person with such a demonstrably poor acquaintance with the truth upon this borough, especially in election year."Funnily enough I heard this again the other night, so rumours abound - nothing surprises me with this lot - they have no shame.

Vanessa Smith ● 3063d

suggest LBH rename selves and omit "democratic" from democratic services as totally undemocratic for a mere majority of 2 elected councillors out of total of 12 to overturn the will of 74% of electorate to re-0pen Church st. Brexit referendum had smaller majority but is being upheld by elected representatives. How come that Ruth Cadbury MP is now advocating "win win situation" re closure when last year urging councillors to consider shortening trial ? What caused her complete change of position ?

Diana Vivienne Keay ● 3063d

Because there is no viable opposition.

Phil Andrews ● 3063d

Why do people vote for them? We had wheelie bin saga, horse grazing saga, now Church street saga, multiple appearances in Rotten Boroughs, Space Waye closure, every inch of land is being built on, local streets are strewn with litter and fly tipping, lollipop ladies being made redundant, cash-grabbing CPZs everywhere, and the list goes on. At the same time taxpayers money are spent on expensive planters, meaningless public consultations and traffic consultants who can’t come to any meaningful conclusions.

Eliza Wood ● 3063d

You'll never believe this Vanessa, but there's a daft rumour doing the rounds that this councillor's colleagues are about to make her Mayor of Hounslow!Needless to say I don't believe for a moment that the good people who represent us would knowingly foist a person with such a demonstrably poor acquaintance with the truth upon this borough, especially in election year.

Phil Andrews ● 3063d

The very same.

Vanessa Smith ● 3063d

Was that the councillor who denied any knowledge of the incident, only for a Freedom of Information request later to reveal that her signature was on the authorisation document?

Phil Andrews ● 3063d

Quite - Cllr. O'Reilly asked the very same question and they have promised to give a breakdown, plus the costs of the consultants and air quality testing. I thought the whole evening was really daft - given that over 70% of people consulted wanted the road re-opened all the other nonsense - and it was nonsense - was pretty immaterial. Either you do meaningful consultation or save the taxpayers money and do as you damn well please - which seems to be the case - this is just insult to injury. On the other hand we practically had to drag Hounslow kicking and screaming to make them consult us when a councillor's mate was able to stick her horses in our park behind our backs, funny that.

Vanessa Smith ● 3063d

No surprise, we knew they were going to do this. What i want to know who paid for the consultation that we filled in as that was a waste of money...

Simon Anderson ● 3063d

That's twice now in two separate addresses that I have lived that a well to-do street has received special treatment from Hounslow council that divided a neighbourhood and in which the council voted in direct opposition to the majority. First in Grove Park in Chiswick, in which Ed Mayne took a single member decision to implement a single street CPZ against the wishes of the residents of Grove Park despite not recusing himself as his parents lived on the street (quelle surprise; see the sage on the W4 forum). And guess who's name should appear again here? This lot are a joke.

Scott Doyle ● 3063d

This issue has now gone far beyond a single road remaining closed or open.The local Labour councillors have shown utter contempt for their electorate, and their “I know better” attitude in the absence of any meaningful conclusion on the impact of this trial is simply baffling. Cllr Dennison stated he would vote for the “underdog” - in this case "the underdog" being a few residents of multi-million pound houses versus thousands of local residents trying to go about their daily lives, and schoolchildren spending hours every day breathing the extra pollution from stationary traffic on Twickenham road. I heard one of the Osterley councillors raised concerns about the “flawed process”, and well done to all three Osterley cllrs for supporting views of the local people they represent.This shambles is only possible due to absence of any meaningful opposition to the blatant abuse of power by Labour majority.I personally am not affected by the closure as I don’t live in Isleworth, but the whole saga just beggars belief.

Eliza Wood ● 3063d

The Dear Leader had the brass nerve to compare this issue with Brexit. The fact that many MPs voted the way their constituencies had, even against their own personal view, was seemingly lost on him. What happened to 'the will of the people'?

Vanessa Smith ● 3064d

The sheer arrogance of Hounslow's Labour politicians puts me in mind of the poem “The Solution” by Berthold Brecht"After the uprising of the 17th JuneThe Secretary of the Writers UnionHad leaflets distributed in the StalinalleeStating that the peopleHad forfeited the confidence of the governmentAnd could win it back onlyBy redoubled efforts. Would it not be easierIn that case for the governmentTo dissolve the peopleAnd elect another? "

Mick Brent ● 3064d

I had to laugh at the chutzpah of Councillor Steve Curran, whose style of leadership invokes visions of Ledru-Rollin when he famously declared: "There go my people, I must find out where they are going so I can lead them".His "people" in this case being those whose votes sustain him in his position of office, the price of their continued support being his acquiescence in every dubious venture embarked upon by those whose talent seems to be to identify and home in on the dodgiest elements amongst those they represent like sniffer dogs and to enter into alliances with them, for reasons often unknown but which one can assume are beneficial to those concerned, and which invariably work to the detriment of the wider community.Far from being unconcerned about the electoral consequences one can be certain that the first thing he and they will have done will have been to take stock of the local situation - of their majority and of the likely future opposition - and to conclude that they will be able to get away with it.The simple fact is that in order for them to lose their seats somebody else has to win them. The default position in these parts is that they triumph. Wrapping such arrogance in a cloak of altruism only serves to demonstrate how untouchable they believe they have become. They are laughing at local people and taunting you to do your worst.

Phil Andrews ● 3064d