All posts by andrew.dakers@blueyonder.co.uk

Sustainable Communities Act: Where next for Hounslow?

Sustainability
Some of you may remember that last Summer I was encouraging local people to feedback throughTakeBackPowerHounslow.org on the Sustainable Communities Act. Unfortunately Hounslow did not consult local people and get local ideas in before the “wave one” deadline. However a commitment was made that Hounslow will make a submission in the “second wave”.
It is not clear at present when this will take place and concern that it was not clear in the original legislation that there would be a second wave has caused some MPs to table a Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill. This would require governments to consider proposals at frequent intervals, which I welcome.
However a total of 301 proposals were submitted during “wave one” by about 100 local authorities across the country. The primary legislation gave the LGA a “selector” role and it has now forwarded a shortlist of proposals to John Denham, the Secretary of State for Communities.
Its very long list, rather like a bible of where central government diktat cripples local government’s effectiveness in supporting local communities. There are 199 proposals which the LGA selector panel considered have merit and is asking Government to consider implementing.
Two person favourite proposals are:
1) It is generally accepted that a diverse mix of retail services (including shops, pubs and cinemas) contributes to the vitality of an area. However, the planning and licensing system gives councils little ability to influence the retail offer in their local areas. So a short-listed proposal is that local authorities are given powers to limit the concentration of certain types of businesses within a geographic area through changes to licensing policy.
2) Revising allotment legislation to encourage and facilitate local authorities to provide more allotments, community gardens, community orchards or market gardens; and a change to the Allotment Act enabling the sale of grown produce. This will allow allotment holders to sell their surplus product to local shops.
The LGA is now pressing Government for a decision before the Easter recess (ahead of the General Election). Cllr Paul Fisher has been making inquiries on this matter at London Borough of Hounslow (which prompted me to make this posting!) and I really hope London Borough of Hounslow will advance a supportive motion at full borough council endorsing some of the short-listed proposals. The Council could then make some supportive public statements and lobby the Secretary of State to progress proposals that will most benefit the people of Hounslow.

Thames Water to fight Mogden abatement notices

Development
Just before Christmas the battle for a fair deal for residents over Mogden entered its latest phase as three Abatement notices were finally issued. This was a key milestone in the battle for better treatment of local residents by Thames Water. MRAG and Cllr Jon Hardy are to be congratulated in their persistence. It was good to see Jon get the recognition he deserves in the Hounslow & Brentford Times as Thames Water, unsurprisingly, announced they will be appealing against the Abatement notices. In my view the Leader of the Council was unduly credited for Jon’s work in the local media before Christmas.
Along with my colleague Vince Cable MP I have argued that given the unfortunate expansion of the plant approved last year it is essential the six storm water tanks are covered.
For residents that witnessed the Mogden expansion S106 agreement coming back to the Sustainable Development Committee last Autumn it would have been a depressing experience – any meaningful debate was quashed. Some days after the meeting I am pleased to say that one of the key concerns that Cllr Hardy and I pressed on was addressed with the agreement text being revised to read: “……which will be undertaken by an external INDEPENDENT specialist consultancy TO BE JOINTLY AGREED BETWEEN THAMES WATER AND THE LONDON BOROUGH OF HOUNSLOW.”
This revised text seems like a good step forward. In implementing this clause though it is vital is that the procurement process is open and transparent and that a cross section of local councillors are involved. I wonder how quickly the Terms of Reference will be drafted?
Cllr Hardy is rightly – at times against the odds – trying to get the different stakeholders to work together to control the blight that is the Mogden stench. It is tough, but thank goodness someone with his tenacity is ensuring residents’ concerns are heard within the council.

Primary school funding crisis: What do Alan and Ann Keen have to say as Government ignore Hounslow’s plight?

Education

The Council’s education department currently advise that “Hounslow’s current predictions show that for September 2010, the council needs to plan for 245 new reception class places, or eight additional classes. Between 2000 and 2007 the number of births in the borough increased from 3081 to 4082, a 32 per cent increase. Historically, the number of children beginning school has been approximately 75 per cent of those born five years earlier. If this carries on the borough will need 2866 reception places by 2010 and 3050 places by 2011.”

Hence Cllr Peter Thompson was right to hit out yesterday at the news that whilst sixteen local authorities in the capital will receive a total of £140 million in government funding to provide new permanent classrooms this does not include Hounslow. Might it have something to do with the borough not being Labour controlled?

It is an area that I have been watching very closely on Isleworth & Brentford Area Committee with other local councillors over the past few years.

Come on Mr and Mrs Keen – what are your views? What representations have you made to right this injustice for your constituents?