Voluntary Groups Come Together On Common Concerns

Twenty local organisations now form the G15+ grouping

Several local voluntary organisations, whose interests range from planning, to civic, heritage and amenity issues, have joined together to engage with Hounslow Council on a wide-ranging number of issues that affect communities across the Borough. The group has provided a briefing on its background and objectives:

G15+ came about initially through a couple of residents’ groups meeting together. This established threads of concern and local interest common to various associations and amenity groups. Participating groups quickly grew to eight, then 15, hence the title.

Now 20 organisations Borough-wide are involved. The over-riding expressed desire is to work in a constructive and positive way with London Borough of Hounslow in furtherance of the Borough’s Corporate Governance Statement that it will take informed and transparent decisions which are subject to effective scrutiny and engage with local people and other stakeholders to ensure robust public accountability.

G15+ is non-political and non-sectarian. It is an informal grouping of voluntary organisations with the collective ambition of achieving an improved dialogue between LBofH its residents and residents’ organisations, civic and amenity societies. The current emphasis is on planning and related issues with the continuing aim of being another resource available to LBofH in times of limited finances.

To date principal objectives are to:-

  • safeguard and improve the Borough’s infrastructure, environment, and character of the various diverse areas, and preserve and enhance the Borough’s heritage and Conservation Areas;
  • contribute to planning policies such as the Local Plan and Context & Character Studies;
  • monitor and assist in implementing the Statement of Community Involvement;
  • secure open and transparent decision-making processes which enable and encourage the public and community groups to offer their views and influence planning policies and application decisions at Planning Committee and Area Forums;
  • improve lines of communication and decision-making processes in dealings with LBofH out-sourced services, with an emphasis on Hounslow Highways.

 

G15+ comprises:-

Bedford Park Society Brentford Community Council;

Butts Farm Working Together Group; Chiswick High Road Action Group

Glebe Estate Residents’ Association; The Grove Park Group;

Heston Residents’ Association; Hounslow & District History Society;

Friends of Hounslow; Heath Independent Community Group ;

The Isleworth Society ;The Old Isleworth Four Roads Residents’ Association;

Old Chiswick Protection Group; Osterley & Wyke Green Residents’ Association;

St John’s Residents’ Association; St Stephen’s Residents’ Association ;

Strand on the Green Association; Thornton-Mayfield Residents’ Association;

West Chiswick & Gunnersbury Society; The West London River Group

 


September 9, 2013