I am slightly befuddled with this topic – and not entirely sure what to say next. Looking back over the thread and the other associated threads, it is difficult to put ‘real time’ into the postings, but that is quite an important aspect of what has been going on. So, bear with me, and can I ask you to step back and consider the following.When I started this thread, newly posting on this forum, I did not think that it would develop as it has. My original question was set out of exasperation not to set a ‘campaign’ in motion.The word ‘campaign’ was in an e-mail sent to me recently by one of the people who have been receiving copies of more detailed photographs and written communication about this subject, which I had directly addressed to ‘enforcement’ officials at the Council.The point of copying e-mails sent to these people within the Fortress was so that they could follow the trail of what was, and more importantly what was not happening, to correspondence from me the tax payer. And that has, in itself been a real eye opener.I don’t see myself as on a campaign. I actually see myself as a regular tax payer, as most people are, valuing the area and Borough in which I live where hopefully my money is spent wisely and distributed with some real value to support the development and improvement of services we all need.I know I am a regular tax payer because one thing which has been repeated to me on many occasions, when I have had occasion to talk to neighbours, is they tell me of how they too have written/telephoned in about this subject and got to the point where they have given up, probably because nobody has given them a considered response or an ‘end answer’.Several people without prompting spoke of the dangerous pavements, in a vulnerable way in that it is something which really affects them.Several people have floated ‘not paying their Council Tax’ – an idea or consideration which they would not follow through because they won’t step out of line or make a fuss, but ‘saying’ it does express a sentiment. People in general if they make a comment do it positively and wish it to be explored and considered fairly. If they aren’t going to get an individual reply then it would be nice to have a general reply from the ideals which the Council are working to, so we can all keep up with which is workable and which is not. We are not an unreasonable bunch. I suppose these ideals are the policy documents and the interpretation of how these should be applied so everyone knows how to use them. I imagine this is all written down and maybe applies to a great deal of what goes on ‘within’ but it certainly has no place in being applied, from my experience, in my dealings over this matter.IMHO it might be useful to define communication. In my case it has been phone calls and letters and more phone calls and letters. I had officials out on tour. They said they would do this that and the other. None of which happened. I then used this forum as a method of detailing some of what was going on. I sent e-mails and I even hand delivered a CD of photographs in to the Chief Executives office with a request that he view it and then pass it on to the Area Committee. This all happened before my Mother–in–law had a serious fall on the pavements I had been talking about. It may or may not be the case that another elderly lady has also fallen on a raised slab. Her husband will tell you how dangerous the pavements are – he told me. He pointed out to me the area she fell across a garden –the other side of the wall ‘between those two bushes’. I popped around the other side (it was pouring with rain) and although the pavement is quite flat – right where he pointed there is a raised slab.We have lived in this area for a long time – and moved here around 18 years ago. We had an extension and our builder (a family guy who still works in the area) took great care with his way of working. He didn’t work past the hours he was allowed to. He made sure he was here, on site, when a delivery was made. He laid down boards on the footpath to protect the paving slabs. It wasn’t difficult to do – and if he couldn’t be here, he had somebody else on site to do this. We had skips, mixers, deliveries, just as would be expected, but at the end of the project – there was absolutely no damage to the pavement or road outside. I imagine this way of working was incorporated into his costs and he would not and did not cut corners to cut costs to him at the expense of anyone else.When the trees started to die off and more and more cars were using the street, a new pattern of driving developed – along the pavements. Often it was associated with delivery lorries to the houses with casual labour being used on building work. To begin with it wasn’t too much of a problem. People would ring or write in (well I have been told by lots of people they have written about the trees) and ask for the tree to go back and complain about the broken paving slabs. The tree bit was ignored (later developing into - it isn’t a main road so we ‘no can do’ trees) but the pavement replacement service went into action, replacing whole runs of slabs at a go. These didn’t last long. The cable company did a grand job at smashing ones which had never seen a wheel arch, and nothing was done to sort this out.I had been going off on evening walks with a friend and as soon as a development started, the pavements were, within days, smashed. As the development progressed we used to divert out into the middle of the road to avoid the area as it was very difficult to walk across them as they became irregular, and uneven, stepping stones. At the end of the development the area behind the wall, on the development was absolutely beautiful – very expensively and nicely developed. The other side of the wall was a total mess. The next thing would be the appearance of white arrows drawn on the ground, and shortly after this the pavement replacement service would pop up and the area would be reinstated to its flat state.We got quite cross about this as it appeared that the pavement purse was picking up the tab. At this point I wrote and phoned the Civic centre – the point being that I thought at the start of a development they could agree the state of the slabs – and agree a way of working which protected the slabs and then at the end of the development, if there were any broken, the developer, not the public, should fork out. I knew it could be done!I forget the order of the conversations and the discussions I had – or when and where the officials came out with me. It isn’t really important to this stage, anyway.What was important was the damage to the pavement at the upper part of Wood Lane which sparked off the latest run of pavement communication.The whole stretch of pavement at that end of the Lane had been really neatly replaced and looked – well, smart. Must have cost a bob or two but the difference was significant. I was pleased to see some money being spent which made that difference.Driving along one day, as it was happening I saw a development where the HGV’s were crossing the pathway and destroying the paving. Using this new fangled technology I e-mailed Cllrs on the Brentford & Isleworth committee and wrote to the Fortress asking that they take a detour and view it for themselves. I had a variety of replies from Cllrs and several saying that they had difficulty getting anywhere with this sort of destruction, when making comments about similar events in their area. To cut a long story short, and after lengthy discussions with a variety of people I had officials out who I discussed what I had seen, and was seeing day by day. The fortress said that they would charge the developer. Somebody could check if this happened as it was left and only a couple of months ago a lump of tarmac was used to mend the damaged bit. I have a photo somewhere of the damage – it may have been on the CD.If I had said to you, I was getting this sort of a response to comments I was making and letters and phone calls I was detailing, you might not have really taken it on board. Viewing this thread, with this in mind should however (I am seriously am not doing an I told you so) give you some understanding of how something is not working. The other thing which might be useful to explore is how the communication goes ‘within’. I mean a CD to the Chief executives office? And not even an acknowledgement that he looked at it. On here I think I said something about being concerned that he might have been using it as a Frisbee to take out pigeons in the park? Where do you think a comment such as that might have a basis? I know that Cllr Smart and Cllr Reid did quite a lot of talking about it, Cllr Reid was responsible for the officials popping up to talk to me. Cllr Smart spoke to a Helen Kent and she sent me some stuff which my e-mail couldn’t cope with – and I didn’t receive it by snail mail which might have been a starting point when having difficulty with e-mail. So, having raised the subject with the Chief Executive and the Brentford and Isleworth Committee – how did the officials get on with working out the issues and a resolution?Councillor O’Reilly has also been out in the short time she had held her post, taken lots of information and has some ideas about our road in particular. I have just received a phone call – and because of this call I am not sure who I am having a pop at now – I don’t really care – as you will understand in a minute.I did send a number of e-mails to Adam Beamish as well as David Palmer. The copies went to a number of other people, as I said previously These e-mails were to Mr Beamish and to David Palmer. I had several responses from David Palmer – and none from Adam Beamish – until I mistakenly oversized the last lot of photos and filled his mail box. At which point he wrote “Dear Mrs. Felstead,Without wishing to be rude, I would be grateful if you would remove my personal email address from your distribution list. Should you wish to contact me regarding planning enforcement matters, my email address is adam.beamish@hounslow.gov.uk or you can telephone me on (020) 85835173.Thank you.”So maybe somebody can correct my etiquette. An e-mail addressed to an individual is surely the same as a letter to that individual? CC as in copies circulated are incidental information unless a person wishes to take the matter up?If the broken pavement are caused by developers from a lack of concern and are attached to planning permission, surely that is planning enforcement? If not, maybe he could have written and explained. I am not having a giggle here – I may be writing about it slightly off beat but this is a real issue.I have just heard been told that the other lady who I spoke about was mentioned in church this morning. They are arranging her funeral.
Sarah Felstead ● 7407d