Forum Topic

Last night's Area Meeting,Police, then Jazz at the Brewery Tap!

It was like a family gathering at the likeable Brentford Free Church Hall last night..with so many familiar faces..all working hard for the local community. It was the Isleworth and Brentford Area Meeting (monitoring)Chairman Paul Fisher has certainly opened up the meeting for audience participation..with opportunities for asking questions all night...just put up your hand..no questions in writing 14 days before the event!As you may know there are 4 wards under this Committee Umbrella, Isleworth, Osterley and Spring Grove, Syon and Brentford..3 Councillors for each..and together with two Civic Centre administrators, the Brentford Police chief, her 4 Ward Sergeants, three officers from the Council to give reports..and 15 of us in the audience..there was a enough to make it all worthwhile.Each of the Police Officers introduced themselves..several with 19 years experience..and their communications skills were excellent. It was most re-assuring to hear of their plans to explore each ward in detail, to chat to residents, traders and to attend to key problems.Each Safer Neighbourhood team had identified their own three priorities and some success stories were told.One ward aimed to get rid of drug dealers and related crimes  like theft from motor vehicles.  Motor vehicle theft,pinching number plates,and general burglary was prevailent in my ward...and graffiti,nicked bicycles,and more was another ward's concern.I came away thinking that our local Police are making a big effort to  get down to the local detail of crime and that they were very accessible at places like this meeting...even if contact by phone or e-mail was a little more problematical. I have respect for them.Trees, S106 money, giant advertisements on the GWR were also discussed..and I'll report later..not that I took many notes.It was tea only ..no biscuits!There are 4 political parties represented on the Committee  but you wouldn't have realised..they were all so friendly!

Jim Lawes ● 6819d16 Comments

The Hounslow web site has the agenda / report pack (and eventually when "agreed", the minutes).seehttp://213.210.33.3/ieListMeetings.asp?CId=215&Year=2006&J=3My skim reading of the tree report didn't leave me a lot wiser about how things would change under the new system. Possibly the big plane trees in the borough would get a more severe pruning more regularly - but I found it hard to see what other things would happen.On Sunday I called in at Park Royal to see what remained of the brewery buildings (not a lot !) - but also mourned the hawthorn hedge that enclosed the footway path between the tube station and the brewery. Presumably to make the path "safer" and wider, the hedge on both sides has been grubbed out and replaced with bark chip and corporate shrub planting. Alas the bluebells and blackberries are no more!I hope Hounslow protects its hedges.

Tim Henderson ● 6815d

I will put a post up in plenty of time.

Edward Fitzgerald ● 6815d

Well done Edward..good clear pictures.Yes, apparently number plate crime is up to 12% approx of vehicle crime I believe it was said..in a local ward.  I could do with knowing when the next session (number plate screws..not jazz!) will be.

Jim Lawes ● 6815d

Some of the Brentford SNT and staff from GSK changing the screws on staff members cars these are new style screws that cant be removed with a screwdriver, so the chances of number plates being stolen for criminal use are cut drastically.

Edward Fitzgerald ● 6815d

Say what you like about buildings and playgrounds and whatever, but don't be having a go at Hancock's Half Hour, sir...

Matt Harmer ● 6816d

You take everything said far too seriously Ollie..we can all accuse everyone else of having a 'narrow view' but how narrow minded is that?The remark was not particularly aimed at you .It is just a general truism. Chill out a bit,why don't you?

Keith Iddon ● 6816d

in your narrow world keith you only deem a view that coincides with your own to be a 'relevant' one.

Click here to enter name ● 6816d

It's not how you send a message that is important Ollie.It is more important,imho,to have something interesting and relevant to say.

Keith Iddon ● 6816d

Quite possibly, I also wonder what he was into before the radio came along. (Probably a dab hand at smoke signals).

Click here to enter name ● 6816d

I wonder if Jim was a radio ham before the internet came along?

Andrew Sibley ● 6816d

tres amusant, though i suspect that this quip was lost on Jim -- he's more of a "hancock's half-hour" man i'm afraid.

Click here to enter name ● 6816d

Jim, I'm afraid I was one of the group that went off to the social club. Jazz just isn't my thing but for those of you that are into it I'm sure it was "nice".

Andrew Sibley ● 6816d

One group was going off to a Social Club in Isleworth...but I'd promised myself some jazz at the Brewery Tap..with a big pint,some crisps and peanuts..and a chill out.Nigel, Brentford's foremost canalboatman, came along with me to..and no sooner had we entered Catherine Wheel Road...we could hear the sounds from the cosy bar ahead of us.As the door of the Brewery Tap is pushed open ...one seems to walk straight onto the "live stage of the action" ....trombonist looking down his pipes at you..and the drummer giving an extra loud bash as if to acknowledge ones arrival!!But friendly faces..and the presence of the Major..sorry I mean the Colonel.. meant that a jolly time was to be had. Lots of ladies there too listening to the swinging sounds.I prefer more traddy jazz myself..you know banjo..Chris barber etc..but this Group had one tapping away.What all this has to do with Politics in Brentford..I've no idea..but it was a good night out..and I slept well! And some Area Committee members had been so cheeky and friendly!

Jim Lawes ● 6817d

Helen;There were some 15 people in the audience and of those about half spoke and asked questions..some on on three or four occasions ;0)I recall some 30 being at a Brentford Planning meeting recently..when 21 Jersey Road residents attend to support a reversal of a traffic order!""Fiends of Osterley?""Tim , I missed that as I didn't have a copy of the minutes..and because such corrections happen immediately the Meeting starts..and I was 5 minutes delayed. Paul is our expert..as he oversaw that part of the proceedings.However, in view of the fact that the Friends of Jersey Gardens have managed to line themselves up for a £1,300,000 Heritage Lottery Grant..I kid you not(!) compared with local parks getting £5000 and £10,000 from S106's, it would seem that fiends are alive and well ..over here in Osterley!At this Area meeting there was a review of all S106's awards and progress reports about how much had been spent for each allocation. A Council Official was in attendence ..and he had all the answers at his fingertips.  A shopping list is being prepared for improved facilities that are needed in the Area..that can be financed by any future S106 awards.Mr Richard Lee, from thr Civic Centre gave a presentation about TREES! The Tree Survey in the Borough and in the Area was well explained..and the spoken delivery was interesting. There are some 1950 trees in TW7 and TW8 that have each been registered and surveyed. Excluded from this figure are trees under the Umbrella of TfL, the Railways, and the Main Parks. So the 1950 is mainly street trees.  I'm sure the minutes of the meeting will explain all...and will highlight the concerns of some of the Committee members. This is a poor report of what happened and what was said. I took few notes..but thought a report of some sort should appear on the Forum!

Jim Lawes ● 6817d

Jim,Do you know if the minutes of the last meeting were corrected with the unfortunate misprint that Cllr. Carey had an interest in the "Fiends of Jersey Gardens" ?

Tim Henderson ● 6818d

Thank you for your comments Jim,it has always been my intention to let anyone who wants to speak the right to do so.Afterall we are only your representatives and if any member of the public has something they wish to raise then I feel that is their right to do so.

Paul Fisher ● 6818d

Glad you enjoyed it Jim were there many members of the public in attendance? I could not make it myself but I would most certainly of enjoyed the Brewery Tap.

Helen Fogarth ● 6819d