Brentford Conservative Council Candidates 2010

Refreshing Father’s Day Service at St. Faith’s with a Free Pint of Fullers at the Lord Nelson

2010-06-10T01:50:00.000-07:00

With Father’s Day fast approaching, the weather breaking into an early summer, we were pondering in the Vicarage over a glass of wine sorry tea how we might bring this secular event to St. Faith’s to celebrate the local Dad’s, in the way that we celebrate our local mum’s on Mothering Sunday (which is a Christian event…hope you’re keeping up?!).

Posies and cups of tea were perfect for our Mum’s, but for the Dad’s, we needed to give some serious thought to that one.

And serious thought over a glass of wine lead us to our family friendly local pub, The Lord Nelson; quite literally.

So let me explain! The Sunday service, 10.00am on June 20th will focus on the Dad’s and the important role they have within our families, friendships and local communities. Our Sunday School will be making a special gift for the Daddy’s (my lips are sealed on the detail) for any child who comes to St. Faith’s that Sunday.

And for the first 50 father’s who attend the Father’s Day service, there will be a token for a free pint of Fullers, down at the Lord Nelson on Enfield Road, Brentford after the service.

Nelson Landlord Lee Bartlett adds ‘Father's Day at the Lord Nelson is a relaxed home from home with delicious home made food (without the washing up),a great range of Fullers ales & wines, garden bar with a 50” plasma & children’s play area topped off with our family friendly service. It's clear to see why The Lord Nelson is the pub you always dreamed would be at the end of your street!’

Head of Press at Fullers, Tony Johnston added ‘As a company with a history stretching back hundreds of years, Fuller’s is an integral part of the communities in which it operates. Brewing has taken place on the brewery site in Chiswick, West London, since at least the 17th century and some of our pubs have been in the company’s ownership for over 150 years. We understand the role that our pubs take in their local area and are delighted to support their initiatives whenever we can’.

As the Reverend Durkin says ‘So come and enjoy our friendly, relaxed service, bring the children to make something special for Dad, meet and bump into other local families and don’t forget to tell Dad to come and collect his free pint token…often the dad’s in church get neglected, and although we tend in church not to consciously celebrate fatherhood and its vital role in bringing up children –we really do appreciate them. So having this initiative this year to celebrate dads will hopefully redress the balance and show our dads how much we value them and appreciate them – and we’re putting our pints where our mouths are!’

The Brentford Festival strikes a partnership with the HayesFM!

2010-05-24T03:44:00.000-07:00

The Brentford Festival attracts a large swathe of locals from across the borough of Hounslow and what better way to reach them and give them a taster of the Festival and our live music stages than an exciting partnership that is a first both for the Festival and local radio station 91.8 HayesFM.

We are delighted to announce that for the very first time, we’ll be broadcasting live on radio during the Festival. 91.8 HayesFM with their Breakfast Show host Chris Chilvers will be broadcasting live in Boston Manor Park on September 5th from midday.

Managing Editor Sutish K Sharma adds, "this is wonderful example of partnership working at its best, Hayes FM with the Brentford Festival team bring communities together showcasing the best of our local talent in West London'

Not only will we have Chris Chilvers broadcasting at the event, but HayesFM
will be MC’ing the live stage. We will be bringing a waft of the live radio road shows of Radio 1 past and present to Brentford, as over 10,000 people pour through the gates.

The Brentford Festival plays host to two live stages (in the Meadow and the Walled Garden) showcasing the best, primarily local bands that many people will have heard at gigs in the area.

Breakfast Show DJ Chris Chilvers says I'm tremendously excited about presenting a show live from what is set to be a fantastic Festival, all about the great and good of West London. A bit of Reading & Leeds on your doorstep? Count me in!

We are excited to offer an exclusive preview of the bands we’ll have performing in a 6 WEEK series we’ll be running on air in the evening shows with HayesFM from late July, right up to show-time on September 5th.

Festival Music head Dave Viney says ‘we are selecting the best local musicians across a broad range of styles to represent the rich diversity of the Brentford community and to suit the moods of the 2 stages – we also hope to stage ‘fringe’ performances of additional local musicians in local venues during the week leading up to the Festival – watch out for announcements on our website during June’

Brentford Festival celebrates Charity Award

2010-05-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

The organisers of the Brentford Festival can wipe the perspiration from their brows and breathe a communal sigh of relief now that they have received a charity award from Ealing & Brentford Consolidated Charities (EBCC) towards the ever popular Brentford Festival. In order to accommodate a wide range of local and national charities at the Festival, Brentford Festival offer especially low fees (£10.00) for charities to take stalls who, in turn, provide games, raffles, entertainment, advice and assistance to festival visitors.

Unfortunately, this fantastically low price for official charities comes at a cost to the festival. The award from EBCC will, therefore, provide a buffer and, if you will excuse the pun, consolidate a long association between EBCC and the Brentford Festival, being the third year that EBCC has substantially supported this major event.

In the words of Maggie Pound, Grants & Quality Performance Manager with
The Ealing & Brentford Consolidated Charity, following last year’s Brentford Festival:

“"EBCC had a very successful day with our stall and from what I could tell the other stalls were also well frequented. I was able to meet a number of stallholders whose group EBCC had funded, which was a nice bonus. ... Everyone I spoke to was genuinely enjoying themselves and there was a lovely family atmosphere. Even the weather co-operated. So again a big thank you to all involved. "

EBCC is a major grant provider and has delivered over 30 grants totalling £1,010,000 since 2004 to groups and charities within the Ealing and Brentford area. These have included grants to the Log Cabin, BFC Sport in the Community, Open House and Ealing Abbey. In addition EBCC provide sheltered homes for the elderly and owns two allotment sites. For mor information please visit their website http://www.e-bcc.org.uk.

The Brentford Festival, which takes place in Boston Manor Park, on the border between Ealing and Hounslow, on the first Sunday in September each year, is one of the major community events in the West London calendar, attracting 10,000 visitors – and growing! For full information about this year’s event, please visit the website at www.brentfordfestival.org.uk/BF2010.htm. The organisers of the Brentford Festival all contribute their time on a voluntary basis and any funds raised are used to improve facilities in Boston Manor Park and surrounding areas.

Brentford Festival Update

2010-05-14T01:50:00.001-07:00

The first few weeks of spring have given way to the dappled light and warmer days of May and in the Festival planning office the atmosphere is hotting up as the work is piling on and you know what, that’s just how we like it!

The Festival last year welcomed 10,000 visitors. This year on September 5th at midday, festival goers will be treated to live music from two stages, row upon row of stallholders selling hand crafted children’s toys to delicate jewellery, cards, gifts, toys, children’s clothing, arts & crafts, plants and much, much more.

The Festival aims to draw together the community, locals business, local bands and catering foodies to bring the atmosphere of a relaxed festival where the blend of shopping, delicious food and drink and the best of the Borough bands waft through the summer air and the grand trees of Boston Manor Park, to the backdrop of the grandeur of Boston Manor House.

The Festival wanted to partner with a local newspaper group that talked to the same locals as the Festival and shared our aspirations to share all the latest Festival news from our rides to stalls, to exciting displays from the Army to delicious fare from German sausages to fresh cupcakes. Working with the Hounslow Chronicle, we are looking to share the highs and lows of organising such a big event with our exclusive in the Life of a Festival Organiser column. The column will appear monthly in the Hounslow Chronicle from May introducing the event, through to September, culminating in the Festival itself on 5th September.

Last year stallholders selling their wares were joined by a swathe of food stalls covering a variety of tastes from gastro pubs to Indonesian delicacies, Spanish paella, German sausage through to cupcakes and ice-cream and of course being in West London, Fullers. And in true English Fayre style, tea and cakes and refreshing Pimms were served from within the walled garden.

Linda Massey, Brentford Festival organiser adds we have longed for the opportunity to get our message across the entire borough of Hounslow and thanks to the Hounslow Chronicle, this has been made possible and we look forward to sharing all the latest news with their readers.

Adrian Seal, Multimedia Content Manager of the Hounslow Chronicle Series said: “We are delighted to be supporting this year's Brentford Festival and are looking forward to working with the organisers to ensure that it is a tremendous success.
“ The Chronicle sees itself at the forefront of the community in terms of news coverage both with the Hounslow Chronicle Series of papers across the borough and its website www.hounslowchronicle.co.uk.

“We are always keen to support and promote local events through the paper and our website and our partnership with Brentford Festival is an ideal fit for us in terms of the Chronicle being seen as a keen supporter of the local community and being associated with a successful local event.”

The Hounslow Chronicle Series is published every Friday and has three editions covering: Hounslow and Heston; Brentford, Isleworth and Chiswick and Feltham, Bedfont and Hanworth. For all the latest breaking news from across the borough go to: www.hounslowchronicle.co.uk

Proportional Representation – What’s It All About?

2010-05-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

As this article is written (the morning of Tuesday 11th May) the issue of proportional representation stands as the potential deciding factor upon which parties will govern our country during the current parliament. So what is it and why are people so split over the issue?

Proportional representation (PR) is a voting system aimed at matching the percentage of votes that groups of candidates obtain in elections with the percentage of seats they receive. This is in contrast to the current voting system where seats are won or lost in each constituency via the "first-past-the-post" method. In this case, the votes for the non-winning parties in each area are disregarded, and therefore the percentage of votes does not directly relate to the final number of seats.

Many people favour proportional representation as the concept of matching actual votes cast to the number of seats gained per party feels like a fairer system to many. It would also give higher numbers of seats to the Liberal Democrats with smaller parties such as the Green Party (and the BNP and UKIP), who would be expected to gain seats.

However, critics argue that proportional representation would lead to a hung parliament after every election, meaning that the closed door negotiations of the last few days would become the norm after every election, with the government being decided by politicians rather than voters. The risk is that compromises may be negotiated which may bear no relationship to what electors want, which were never discussed in front of them, and which they may have no opportunity to pass judgement on at the next election as the parties will then stand again as independent parties.

Critics of PR also argue that the smaller parties in a hung parliament have disproportional power. In this election, the Liberal Democrats will decide soon who the next government will be, even though they came third in the election in terms of votes and seats, and only 1 in 5 people voted for them.

Another issue is that a hung parliament means the end of party manifesto’s – as parties can only state in advance of an election what they intend to do if they will then rule under a parliamentary majority. Under the current system, the winning party sets forward a programme of public policy before the election for which it can be held to account at the next election. This would be lost, as public policy would be decided in a post-election compromise between the ruling parties.

Of course, as we have seen, our electoral system facilitates but does not guarantee the return of a single-party government. It can on occasion result in a hung Parliament, as we are presently experiencing. However, this is an exception. Under alternative systems, it is likely to be the rule.

No electoral system is perfect, but the first-past-the-post system has a number of real benefits. Much attention at the moment is focused on proportional representation, but please do take a moment to consider if you feel that our current system is also worth fighting for.

Labour Will Keep Third Runway

2010-05-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

The Labour government and Gordon Brown have backed a Third Runway all the way and will continue to do so.

The Conservative Party has made clear its opposition to a third runway and the Conservative led Council has successfully and tirelessly campaigned with neighbouring boroughs against the third runway.

As the Conservative Candidates for Brentford we have made a commitment, alongside the local Conservative party, to resist any expansion of Heathrow and will campaign to keep runway alternation and to ban night flights.

What are Brentford Conservatives Doing Locally?

2010-04-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

We wanted to give a flavour of some of the things we have been up to over the past few weeks (aside from canvassing and putting lots of leaflets through your door!). It’s important that as prospective councillors we really understand local issues and with that in mind we have:

• Toured the ward with Sergeant Fane and the Brentford Safer Neighbourhood Team
• Attended a street meeting in Enfield Road to discuss local crime concerns
• Met with the owner of Hamilton Road's Brentford Stores to discuss the recent robbery and prevention of crime in the area
• Met with residents to discuss the proposed CPZ in the Hamilton Road area
• Attended the Brentford High Street Steering Group Meetings
• Walked Boris Johnson down Brentford High Street to highlight the needs of small businesses
• Met Ballymore to discuss Brentford High Street regeneration
• Met with Isis to discuss the Commerce Road development
• Discussed the Kew Bridge development with St George
• Discussed the Kew Bridge development with residents of the Eco Village
• Attended Council planning meetings
• Visited Brentford School for Girls
• Joined the local Hounslow NHS Link to learn about local health issues
• Held a street stall outside Morrison’s
• Met with fundfinders at St Paul’s Open House Cafe to see if we could help with grant applications and PR
• Held a local quiz night at the Lord Nelson
• Worked with the Brentford Festival Team to help out with fundraising ideas
• Attended friends of Boston Manor meetings to understand the concerns of local residents
• Met local businesses at the Brentford Chamber of Commerce
• Met with Brentford football club to discuss their plans to relocate to Lionel Road
• Met with Brentford FC Community Sports Trust to see the great work they are doing in providing sports to children in the community

But we can always do more! If we have missed out an important policy, issue or local concern, please do get in touch! Our contact details are:

Tracey Bleakley: traceybleakley@hotmail.co.uk, 07989 853074
Nicola Dykes: nicolad1983@hotmail.com, 07899 928916
Colin Ford: colin_n_ford@hotmail.com, 07970 936182

Pakistan Welfare Association & Hounslow Muslim Forum Hustings on Sunday

2010-04-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Pakistan Welfare Association (PWA) in partnership with the Hounslow Muslim Forum (HMF) are pleased to announce the London Borough of Hounslow Hustings, that will take place on Sunday the 2nd of May 2010, 6.30pm at the Jinnah Centre, 136-146 Hounslow Road, Feltham TW13.

Prospective parliamentary and local council candidates have been invited to attend and discuss their manifestos and their views on local and national issues. With most invitees having accepted and only a few confirmations remaining, it is anticipated to be an exciting evening of debate and conversation. Mary Macleod has confirmed her participation in the event and Brentford Conservative Council Candidates will attend.

Mr Mohammad Chaudhry the current Chair of the PWA and HMF which constitutes some 15 local Hounslow community organisations said, ‘We are privileged to be holding this unique and collective civic event at the Jinnah Centre, it will see participation from all the main parties, the local community should embrace the opportunity to meet their prospective representatives and relay their sentiments and concerns. Myself and the HMF membership look forward to welcoming all of Hounslow’s residents on the day.’

Our Local Brentford Conservatives Manifesto!

2010-04-27T01:53:00.000-07:00

It’s been a very busy 20 months since we started the campaign, and we have been meeting as many people out and about and on the doorsteps as possible. So what have we learned about what matters to people in Brentford?

Firstly school places at secondary school level, especially for boys continue to be a real concern. Parents feel that the distance criteria used for selection damages their chances of a successful application to the nearest mixed secondary school. This year many parents were disappointed with the school allocated to their child, and there are worries the situation will escalate with the projected rise in Brentford’s population.

Residents are also concerned about crime (particularly car and property related), the proposed Heathrow Airport expansion, Gunnersbury Park and how the national debt will affect their family. Brentford is very green, and issues such as recycling and sustainable development are important. Finally, most residents want to see a clean-up of the political system in terms of expenses and transparency. Brentford has a thriving community spirit and politics plays a significant part in that. Regular local surgeries and a high level of political interaction will continue to be valued.

So what do we plan to focus on if we are elected? Well, we have put our heads together and drafted a local Brentford Conservatives Manifesto.

Our Promises to Brentford! If elected, Tracey, Nicky & Colin promise the following: -

• To be a loud, positive and passionate voice for Brentford, working in partnership with community groups and third parties to respond to resident’s concerns with practical solutions and action.

• To champion and promote everything that is brilliant about Brentford!

• To hold regular no-appointment surgeries in different parts of the Ward.

• To continue to support keeping Council Tax lower.

• To support local residents in improving school provision in Brentford. We will set up a new Academy school that is open to all. In the interim, we will work with local parents to find a workable solution to the issue of schools places in the ward.

• To continue to passionately oppose Heathrow expansion plans

• To support childcare provision in Brentford and continue to support the successful roll out of sure start centres in the Borough.

• To maximise the opportunity of the waste and recycling service in Brentford. We will also regularly visit all streets in the borough and create a “Cleaning Up Hounslow” blog where residents can report problems and monitor the Council’s response.

• Support the Police in issuing dispersal orders and anti ¬social behaviour orders and encourage a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour and support the Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

• To promote home ownership and improve housing services in Brentford. We will support the Council in increasing the development of low cost housing to make home ownership a reality for the many, not just the few. We will work closely with Hounslow Homes to protect the needs of Brentford residents.

• To work closely with our community and with Ealing, English Heritage and others to find a viable solution for Gunnersbury Park, including lobbying for funding.

• To continue to work closely with and support local community groups such as the Brentford Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Boston Manor, Brentford Festival, Open House at St Paul’s Church, and to continue to be actively involved in consultations for new Brentford developments.

• To deliver a half yearly progress report to residents at least every six months and to continue to communicate through a range of channels including our blog, articles on Brentford TW8 and twitter.

Have we missed anything out? Please do let us know!

Conservatives launch Quality of Life Manifesto

2010-04-26T06:40:00.000-07:00

David Cameron has set out the Conservative Party's agenda for improving the quality of life for all.

The agenda includes the following pledges:

* Make Britain the most family-friendly country in Europe
* Improve health and well-being
* Fight back against crime
* Promote a more liberal, tolerant and open society
* Support the arts
* Help people to go green
* Create a low carbon economy
* Create a green transport system
* Protect and improve green spaces
* Hand power from Parliament to people
* Hand government power back to neighbourhoods, communities and local councils
* Roll back the intrusive state
* Protect our basic freedoms
* Stop Labour’s database state

David Cameron said "Whether you've been a Lib Dem voter or a Labour voter or a Green voter – if you care about the environment, if you want action to improve your quality of life, if you care about civil liberties, if you care about people power, if you want a clean break from the past – vote Conservative". We couldn't agree more!

Brentford Festival Opens its Doors for Business!

2010-04-21T01:01:00.000-07:00

Sunny days are on their way and the Brentford Festival has opened the historic gates of Boston Manor Park to their first set of stallholders that will eventually fill the beautiful park grounds, as they have for the wonderful West London local event since 2005.

The Festival last year welcomed 10,000 visitors. This year on September 5th at midday, they’ll be treated to live music from two stages, row upon row of stallholders selling hand crafted children’s toys to delicate jewellery, cards, gifts, toys, children’s clothing, arts & crafts, plants and much, much more.

Last year stallholders selling their wares were joined by a swathe of food stalls covering a variety of tastes from gastro pubs to Indonesian delicacies, Spanish paella, German sausage through to cupcakes and ice cream and of course being in West London, Fullers and in true English Fayre style, tea and cakes and refreshing Pimms from within the walled garden.

We are delighted to welcome back S.I.T Dog training, bringing the very popular Dog Show, which this year will move to the meadow area. More details on this and the entry categories over the coming weeks.

We have plenty of room to welcome more stallholders, so please get in touch.

Linda Massey, Brentford Festival organiser adds each year we rise to the challenge of improving on the previous year. We are always excited by something a little different and feel sure that we will not be disappointed this year. Check out the website for latest people who have signed up. www.brentfordfestival.org.uk
Amongst our first stallholders to be signed up, we have both old friends to the Festival as well as welcoming exciting new businesses.

Bells ringing out across the country to celebrate St. George’s Day!

2010-04-19T05:55:00.000-07:00

St. Faith’s Brentford will be joining the joyous peals across the country this Friday from 6.00 to 6.30pm to celebrate St. George’s Day. For this extraordinary event, as a Parish blending the old and the new, we have advertised for volunteer ringers on the web and twitter. We had an instantaneous and very positive response. The lucky ringers, taking part in this historic half hour of bell ringing are Julia Quilliam and her team.

The Reverend Derath Durkin adds “we’re really pleased to be able to participate with the rest of our Nation, as the day is celebrated. Fortunately you can’t hear me singing ‘the bells ring out on St Georges Day’ to the tune of the Pogue’s Fairy Tale of New York… and “Ring out those bells Julia” to the tune of Little Donkey!!!
The central council of church bell ringers writes that early in 2009 a campaign was initiated to encourage the celebration of St George's Day,23rd April by ringing out bells from as many English church towers as possible. It received positive coverage in both the Sunday and weekday National Press and throughout many local papers.
It would be great to build on that initiative in 2010 and this can only be achieved with the participation of many more bell ringers.

Bell ringing is universally identified as the quintessential 'Sound of England'. The unique cascading sound of our bells announces not only Christian feast days, but for generations has played an integral part in the Nation's pageantry at times of sadness and joy; notably Coronations and momentous events such as the end of the two World Wars.

Bells celebrate the culture and architecture of our Nation in a very special way. They are brought alive by the skills of ringers and the art and science of change-ringing; created in England and practised now in many parts of the world that have strong connections with our country.

What a splendid and rich inheritance. Some towers already have a long-standing tradition of marking St George's Day with dedicated ringing. This year it would be wonderful to encourage as many Ringing Associations as possible to participate in this event with special peals, quarter peals or general ringing. The ideal would be to start ringing at an agreed time on Friday, 23rd April - say 6pm in the evening - in a collective act of celebration of England, St George and change-ringing. Whether you can ring for half an hour, an hour or three hours - it will be greatly appreciated.

6.00 – 6.30pm Friday 23rd April
St. Faith’s, Brentford
122 Windmill Road, Brentford
E2 bus stops right outside
www.parishofbrentford.org.uk/stfaiths.htm
www.twitter.com/Revdurkin

Childrens Centres - Setting the Record Straight!

2010-04-17T00:19:00.000-07:00

Local Conservatives have backed David Cameron’s recent condemnation of Labour's negative approach to campaigning and governing. "They’re going to spend this entire election trying to frighten people", he said, referencing Labour's misinformation about Sure Start, winter fuel payments, and cancer treatment.

In recent weeks in Brentford, we have seen a number of ‘scare stories’ from the local labour association, including a claim that three local Sure-Start centres would be under threat from the Conservatives. In truth, the Conservatives have opened 14 Childrens Centres in Hounslow over the past four years, with four more soon to open including a new location in Green Dragon Lane, Brentford in May.

Councillor Lin Davies, the Conservative Lead Member for Children Services and Family said, “I feel very strongly about the good Children Centres do for families, and we are totally supportive of the programme. Now we have achieved our target of 18 centres, the focus is on increasing the number of people attending and benefiting”.

The Conservative Party is committed to keeping Sure Start because the network of Children’s Centres is of enormous value to parents across the country. But we believe Sure Start needs to work better to support the people who need it most. Therefore we have pledged to provide 4,200 more Sure Start health visitors – giving all parents a guaranteed level of support before and after birth until their child starts school.

Sadly, Labour is determined to create undue concern around the issue. Ann Keen has obeyed Labours spin-doctors and started a curious online survey to ‘save our sure-start centres’, even though they are not under threat from a Conservative administration. But even Ruth Cadbury doesn’t buy the labour lies. In a recent Brentford Labour party leaflet she commented “I cannot believe the Tories will simply cut these centres”. For once, she is quite right.

It takes a village to raise a child…just ask Kitty Dutton

2010-04-16T02:23:00.000-07:00

When you are West London 17 year old, with the world at your feet, Top Shop and Portobello Market on your doorstep what would you do next? University? Work? Watch TV and schlep around with your friends? Not Kitty Dutton…Kitty had other plans.

Kitty decided to head off to Ethiopia with the Fulcrom charity. She travelled out to Ethiopia for 17 days in the summer of 2008 when she was 17 years old. She went as part of a group of 30 young adults, from schools across West and North London.

The first week was spent trekking, then the team got down to the task in hand of building a school, from foundations and walls through to plastering and making furniture. The school then, had 300 children aged 2-9 years. Only the older children spoke English (their first language is Amharic), but Kitty and her team mates built camaraderie and friendship whilst among other activities, teaching the children the song and actions to ‘Heads, shoulders, knees and toes’!

Kitty was also able to take time out to visit the local Church there on a feast day, Angel Gabriel's Birthday – very different to the Sunday Service at St. Faith’s!

The trip was done as part of level 3 COPE (certificate of personal effectiveness), where participants had to plan, achieve and evaluate the trip. The building of the school was an amazing challenge, combining fun with very hard work. For any 17 year old, or any adult, it was a truly once in lifetime opportunity.

Kitty is a Brentford girl through and through and has been a member of St Faith’s since she was 7. Kitty attended the Green school.

As Kitty says ‘The Fulcrum Challenge was my opportunity to have an adventure whilst helping others. The challenge of raising the funds to build a school, plus the prospect of getting to visit an amazing country, getting to know the people and of having the time of my life all inspired me to take part and every moment lived up to my expectations’.

So, if you are in your teens, wondering what challenges life could throw at you next, perhaps Kitty’s path could be one for to follow?

As Reverend Durkin says Having chatted with Kitty and seen some of her ‘photos I’m so looking forward to having her with us on Sunday morning, as she shares with us her trip to Ethiopia . It is fantastic to have a young person who has worshipped with us since she was 7 years old speaking to us from the pulpit so to speak! Do come and share Kitty’s experience!

To hear Kitty’s story for yourself, come to St. Faith’s this Sunday 18th April at 10.00am, where Kitty will be talking about this life changing trip.

www.parishofbrentford.org.uk/stfaiths.htm
www.twitter.com/Revdurkin

Hounslow Conservative Group Manifesto

2010-04-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

The local Conservatives have today published our manifesto for the area, building on the success of the last four years.

Since taking power from Labour the Conservative led administration has, in the face of rising demand for services and cuts to funding have, through driving out inefficiency and waste, released over £100 million for reinvestment in local services and delivery of our key promises. In the Local and National Elections on May 6th we have a chance to get our country moving and put Britain back on her feet, an opportunity to further improve the quality of lives of the residents of this wonderful part of West London.

Key Pledges

Housing

promote homeownership
improve the quality of all housing services in the borough including housing management both in the public and private sectors.
set tough targets for Hounslow Homes to improve and increase satisfaction levels.
work with tenants and leaseholders to explore all options when the deal with Hounslow Homes ends in 2012.

Children’s Services

set up a new Academy school – that is free, non-selective, high-quality state school that is open to all. The new Academy will be run by either a charity, parent and teacher groups, a trust, voluntary groups or a co-operative.
supporting heads and teachers when they exclude a pupil.
create a technical schools in the Borough.
do all we can to support school choice
fully committed to supporting faith schools
focus on early intervention work for children, young people and families in need.
tackle the problem of teenage pregnancy rates and sexual health problems across the borough and safeguarding is a priority for all sectors.

Leisure and Culture

we will increase the quality, quantity and diversity of volunteering opportunities.
invest £500k every year in new library books for the whole of the Borough.
continue with the refurbishment of all of the libraries in the Borough.
build on the investment programme for allotments ensuring they are fit for purpose and uptake levels remain high.
develop a parks and open space strategy to allow continue upkeep and development of our parks and open spaces.
continue our investment in our play facilities with a view that each ward will have a new play facility.
invest in our historic properties such as Boston Manor, Hogarth House to ensure their future survival.
work closely with our community and with Ealing, English Heritage and others to find a viable solution for Gunnersbury Park.
Continue to work closely with Brentford FC and support their ambitious plans for a new community stadium

Heath and Adult Social Care

continue to work with Hounslow NHS towards merging part or all of their organisations.
continue with modernisation of our care facilities in the Borough.
give people choice and control over their care so that people are able to live their own lives as they wish; confident that services are of high quality, are safe and promote their own individual needs for independence, well-being, and dignity.

Environment

we will continue to resist any expansion of Heathrow and will campaign to keep runway alternation and to ban night flights and for decent insulation for our homes and schools.
we will strive to maximise the opportunity our new waste and recycling service and will increase our current rate of 34% to 50%.
we will continue to make our streets cleaner and smarter. We will continue to invest more money into making our streets safer for all. We will continue to regularly visits to all streets in the borough and create a “Cleaning Up Hounslow” blog where residents can report problems and monitor the Council’s response to their report.
regenerate our town centres.
tougher enforcement against those you break planning and environmental laws.

Finance

we will strive to freeze our share of the Council Tax for a further two years.
we will publish the full remuneration package of all senior staff, earning above £58,500, including names and post; all items of expenditure above £500; all contracts and tender documents in full.

Crime and Disorder

support the Police in issuing dispersal orders and anti social behaviour orders and encourage a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour.
keep tighter control on licensing and planning design and listen to the needs of local residents.
continue to support the Neighbourhood Watch scheme.
work with schools to tackle bullying and classroom violence.
Work with the Police and schools to educate young people about the dangers of knives.
work to improve the basic skills of young offenders supervised by the Council.
introduce a “Making A Difference Week” into every ward in the borough.
introduce a Junior Citizens’ Scheme to provide an opportunity for youngsters to pick up important safety tips.
work with the police and local supermarkets and off-licences to tackle the problem of street drinking. We will urge high street drinks retailers to agree to stop stocking super-strength lager and cider drinks in certain parts of the borough where there have been problems with street drinkers plus associated problems with drug-dealing, begging and street urination.

For more information on our manifesto pledges plase follow the below link:

http://hounslowcouncilconservativegroup.yourcllr.com/

Another Busy Week in Brentford!

2010-04-05T01:12:00.000-07:00

Well, last week was very busy again in Brentford!

On Monday lunchtime, Boris Johnson came to Brentford for a visit and was grilled at Brentford School for Girls over such topics as the environment, recycling, the olympics, crime and transportation. Following this, we went on a walk down Brentford High Street, where Boris visited several local shops (including Quilliams, who presented Boris with a 'Brentford is Brilliant' badge!)

That evening saw the packed launch of the Mary Macleod election campaign in Chiswick. Mary has been a hard-working candidate in Brentford & Isleworth for three and a half years now, so it's very exciting to be in the final stages of the campaign and we can't wait to get to the general election!

On Thursday we had our fundraising quiz-night in the Lord Nelson in Brentford with Syed Kamall MEP. The event was packed, the food was superb, and we had great fun! First prize went to the 'Absent Vicars', but it was a very hard fought contest!

Finally we've just celebrated a very wet Easter with another leafleting drive and Team Brentford did another sterling job! All guns blazing to next week now, which hopefully will see Gordon Brown going to visit the Queen tomorrow - fingers crossed!

Join the Swimathon in Brentford!

2010-04-05T01:03:00.000-07:00

Swimathon 2010 aims to get everyone in the pool for the world’s biggest swim. Whatever your ability, Swimathon has a challenge for everyone. You could try the individual challenges of 1.5k, 2.5k or the ultimate 5k. Alternatively you could join up with friends or family and take on the team 5k challenge.

All you need to do is choose your challenge and invite your friends and family to either join you in the water or to sponsor you in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre is holding swimathons at the following times: 16th April (7pm - 10pm) and 17th April (9.30am - 12.00am). Time to get swimming!!

Brentford Safer Neighbourhood Team

2010-03-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

This week we had the opportunity to meet with the Brentford Safer Neighbourhood team which is headed up by Sgt Nathan Fane. It was a great way to understand how the team works and look at the work they do to create a safer community in Brentford.

We started the evening by attending a street summit on Avenue Road. This had been organised by the safer neighbourhood team to listen to residents concerns about crime in the area, in particular vehicle crime. We welcome this open engagement with residents as it is important for people to know what is happening in thier area and hear from the team what they have been doing.

Following this Sgt Fane kindly took us on a drive around the ward, giving us the opportunity to ask about crime in the area and what issues residents are concerned about. Although statistically Brentford is a relatively safe area incidents do happen and it is important these are reported so they can be addressed.

We are keen to help residents address crime in the area. Two pledges made by the Conservative led Council was to increase investment in community safety working alongside the police and local partners and to introduce CCTV into the borough. The new CCTV system that was launched just a few months ago is proving to be a valuable tool in helping local police fight crime. Community safety CCTV operators have been helping police crack down on a range of crimes. If there are places where you feel CCTV is needed the Council is keen to hear from you.

The safer neighbourhood team are keen to hear from residents if there are any aspects of comunity safey or crime that they are concernced with. If you need to contact them their details can be found here: http://www.met.police.uk/teams/hounslow/brentford/index.php

Alternatively do feel free to contact us, and we will endeavour to help.

Holy Week at St. Faith’s and St. Paul’s

2010-03-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

Holy Week at St. Faith’s and St. Paul’s in Brentford is being celebrated through a week of services offering the opportunity to step out of the fast lane for an hour of quiet reflection, a chance to celebrate with family and friends and bring the children for some fun amongst the worship to make something for the Easter period.

Do come and join Derath and the congregation at any of the following services or events:

Sunday March 28th (10am) Palm Sunday (At both St Faith’s and St Paul’s)
Tuesday March 30th (7pm) Passover Meal at St Paul’s (Adults £5, Children £3)
Wednesday March 31st(10am) Communion at St Faith’s Church
Maundy Thurs April 1st (1pm) Lunchtime “Open to God” service at St Paul’s Church, (a quiet reflective service lasting for aprox 30 minutes)
(7.30pm) Holy Communion at St Paul’s
(8.00pm) Holy Communion at St Faith’s followed by vigil.
Good Friday April 2nd (10am) Service with meditation at St Paul’s
(12-3pm) Meditation St Faith's
(12-1pm) All age childrens activity in church
Easter Day April 4th (10am) Celebration Communion at both St Faith’s and St Paul’s

Possible CPZ in the Hamilton Road Area

2010-03-21T02:14:00.000-07:00

Hounslow Council consulted last October on a possible residents’ permit parking scheme, or controlled parking zone (CPZ) for the Hamilton Road area in Brentford.

The result was a detailed scheme design be prepared for further consultation in the areas of support.

This consultation closes on March 29th.

If you have any views on this scheme, it's really important that you fill in the forms and let the council know. Every view will be read out and discussed in the review meeting, so this way you will get your say. Having discussed the proposed CPZ with a number of residents it is clear that many people have good ideas around the design and layout of the parking bays, and it is important that you pass these on.

If you would like to discuss these matters in more detail please contact us, or contact the council on on 020 8583 4869 or email traffic@hounslow.gov.uk. The forms can be found here: http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/hamilton_road_cpz_consultation.pdf

Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy

2010-03-21T02:05:00.000-07:00

Hounslow Council is reviewing the voluntary and community sector (VCS) strategy and want you to be involved.

The strategy will define how the council works with the third sector for the next four years, so it is really important that Brentford is well represented and that local ideas are well represented.

You may have made initial suggestions during the consultation event held at the Civic Centre last April, and these have been taken on board when producing the first draft of the VCS strategy. Find out more about what happened at the event.

http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/index/community_and_living/voluntary_sector/vs_events.htm

You can have your say about this first draft until Monday 29 March when the consultation closes. There is also an opportunity for you to discuss the proposals on Friday 26 March, 12.30-1.30pm, at the Civic Centre.

To make any comments or suggestions on the draft document, email community.development@hounslow.gov.uk before the end of the consultation period.

Conservatives Pledge a New School in the Brentford / Isleworth Area

2010-03-16T02:44:00.001-07:00

Hounslow Conservatives have announced that a key pledge for the May 6th elections will be to build a new Academy in the borough and raise standards in schools, in response to parents concerns over limited school places in the borough.

We will build a new Academy secondary school in the Brentford/ Isleworth area – a free, non-selective, high-quality state school that is open to all.

In addition, if parents want to establish their own school then a Conservative local authority will do all we can to support them, so that parents get the best education for their children. We are also committed to transforming and modernising our school buildings in current schools.

Finally, a Conservative Government will make sure that Head Teachers are given a greater say in school discipline and are empowered to set high standards.

Yet another reason to vote Conservative in the upcoming local and general elections!

Free Legal Advice for Brentford Residents

2010-03-16T02:13:00.001-07:00

From 1 April, Brentford residents can get free legal advice on a range of issues including debt, employment, housing, welfare benefits and family law from ‘Law For All’. The Brentford-based organisation was last week (11 March 2010) given a one year grant to provide a community legal advice services for borough residents.

Cllr Peter Thompson, leader of Hounslow Council, said: “A good quality community legal advice service gives residents free access to independent information on welfare and other related legal issues when they need it most. I am delighted that we have been able to find a local organisation to offer this service and meet the needs of the borough’s residents.”

The service will run five days a week (Monday to Friday) from 9.30am - 5.30pm, with legal advice provided by qualified legal advisors. The location is 121B High Street, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 8AT, and it is important to call 020 8600 3100 to book an appointment in advance.

Youngsters get a sporting chance in Brentford!

2010-03-16T02:07:00.001-07:00

Youngsters in Brentford are in for a sporting treat this Easter thanks to a funding of £5000 from the 2010 Balfour Beatty Sports Development Grant Programme Awards, with 95.8 Capital FM’s Help a London Child.

The funding will be used to increase the numbers of girls and disabled youngsters in sports where participation is low. The project which is expected to benefit more than 800 children across the borough will include taster sessions for girls in hockey, squash and volleyball and coaching sessions for boccia and disability football.

Hounslow's sport and community development team has formed partnerships with local clubs Richmond Volleyball Club, Indian Gymkana Hockey Club and Brentford FC to help deliver this project.

We think the funding from Balfour Beatty and Capital FM is great news and will be of real benefit to the young people of Brentford! Taking part in sports is not only a good way to get active and stay healthy but also a great way to meet and make new friends. Lets make sure lots of children take up this fantastic opportunity!

To get involved in this year’s Balfour Beatty London Youth Games, go to www.londonyouthgames.org or contact the Community Sports Development team on 0845 456 2857.

Recycle more and earn £50!

2010-03-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

During March 2010 Hounslow Council is running a competition to encourage residents in the borough to recycle more, and regular recyclers will be rewarded to thank them for their efforts!

If you use the kerbside collection service and comply with the following criteria, you could be in with a chance of winning £50. Here's how:

1. Place your recycling out by 7am on your collection day
2. Make sure that all containers are left at the edge of your proper
3. Make sure that materials are left in the appropriate container

And that's all you need to do! You must be placing recyclable material in at least your food waste bin and recycling box to be eligible for a reward, and five rewards will be issued across the borough.

More information can be found at the following website: http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/index/environment_and_planning/recycling/household_recycling/thank_you_recycling.htm

Good Luck!!

Happy Mothers Day!!

2010-03-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

This morning, alongside Mary Macleod ,we attended the mothering sunday service at St Faiths church. It was a lovely service and good to see so many people there.

The congregation was treated to some hymns sung by the Lionel school choir and they did a great job! The children later made some beautiful presents in sunday school - lucky mums!

Thanks to Reverend Durkin for a lovely service and to the whole of St Faiths for being so welcoming. The flowers given out by the chidren was an extra treat.

The People's Millions 2010 - now open!

2010-03-10T02:33:00.000-08:00

The People's Millions - the popular partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV is now open for applications for 2010.

This is our chance to win up to £50,000 to improve Brentford, and we can be totally innovative! If you can think of a new and original idea that will make life better for people in Brentford, you could be on ITV this November, competing for viewers' votes.

The application form and further details can be found at www.peoplesmillions.org.uk Please do let us know if you have an idea and we will give you all the support we can!

Be quick though, the deadline for entries is 12pm on 14 May 2010.

New Tax Threat to Local Brentford Pubs

2010-03-08T23:13:00.000-08:00

Grant Shapps, The Conservative Shadow Housing Minister has warned of a ‘tax bombshell’ faced by community pubs this April.

New research by the Conservatives reveals that Gordon Brown’s tax inspectors are hiking up business rates for local pubs across country. Friendly community pubs with darts and pool tables face the biggest threat.

This comes as figures show 3,690 local pubs in the UK have closed under Labour, according to official records held by tax inspectors.

"Gordon Brown has pushed local community pubs to the wall", Shapps said, pointing out that at the same time Labour has ignored "the binge-drinking dens that have wrecked our town centres and fuelled violent crime".

The three key elements of the tax bombshell are:

• New tax hikes on local pubs: Pubs, face above-inflation hikes in their Rateable Values – and thus their tax bills. This will be on top of Brown’s above-inflation rises in alcohol duty imposed in the Budget.
• Stealth tax on pub sports: According to the tax inspectors’ guidance, features such as a pool room, skittles alley, bowling green, children's play area and darts have been targeted. Pubs showing sport will not escape, as Sky Sports will be taxed extra, Ministers have admitted.
• Stealth tax on nice pubs: The tax manuals tell the state snoopers to take photographs inside and outside the pub, and record "Does the pub appear friendly and popular?". Factors being logged include good beer cellars/stores (thus taxing real ale), "rare and unspoilt pubs", and beer gardens (taxing those which have ducked the smoking ban).

"Not content with a council tax revaluation to tax people’s home improvements and scenic views, Gordon Brown also wants to hammer the nice local pub with higher local taxes", Shapps said. "Only Conservatives will stand up for the local community pub".

Brentford has some fantastic pubs and they are part of the heart and soul of the community. We are completely against measures that unfairly put these local businesses under threat.

Focus on a Local, Green Success Story - Green Tomato Cars

2010-03-08T23:05:00.000-08:00

You’ve probably noticed the iconic Toyota Prius cabs with the curious green tomatoes printed on the side, but did you realise that the company is based in Brentford? Green Tomato Cars believe that having safe reliable transportation does not mean that the environment has to suffer, and are a great example of an innovative local business.

The company launched in 2005 and was the brainchild of Tom Pakenham and Jonny Goldstone. To buy the first four vehicles, Tom sold his flat, his mother invested some money, and Jonny put in his inheritance.

The company has been hugely successful, and Green Tomato’s fleet has now grown to 110 cars and averages 500 bookings a day (mostly within London and the home-counties). It has been profitable since 2007, with more than three-quarters of the company’s turnover coming from corporate clients.

Using an eco-friendly taxi service can, over the course of a year, can shave a good slice off your carbon footprint, whether you are a corporate or an individual, and Green Tomato Cars are a great way to get around whether you've got an environmental state of mind or just loads of errands to run around the city!

To find out more, contact Green Tomato Cars at http://www.greentomatocars.com/

Third Conservative Candidate for Brentford Ward

2010-03-07T02:58:00.000-08:00

We are delighted to welcome Colin Ford as the third Conservative Candidate for the Brentford Ward. Many of you will have met Colin over the past few weeks in local meetings or when he has been out and about canvassing and leafleting, but there will be plenty more opportunities in the coming weeks.

Colin’s history with Brentford spans 35 years during which time he has both lived and worked in the ward. Colin is an engineer at WorleyParsons and has two daughters. He has completed the London to Brighton cycle ride three times and enjoys golf, skiing, sailing, cycling watching rugby.

Colin can be contacted on colin_n_ford@hotmail.com or 07970 936182.

Welcome Colin!

Why Vote Conservative in Brentford?

2010-03-06T01:16:00.000-08:00

With the election now only two months away, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on what the council has achieved over the past four years and why we believe it is so important for Brentford residents to make their mark and vote Conservative at the local elections.

Hounslow Council has been under Conservative control now for the past four years (following 35 years of labour rule), and residents have seen substantial improvements in services. However Brentford has no Conservative representation. We would like that to change and for the residents to have a stronger voice in the borough.

So why vote Conservative?

• We have frozen Council Tax for the past 4 years
• We have increased spending on childrens services by 20% in 2010
• We have put an extra £200,000 into the voluntary sector for community investment this year
• We have improved schools and achieved record GCSE and A-level results
• We have transformed borough waste and recycling services, delivering massive reductions in landfill waste
• We have allocated an extra £1M to improve our roads this year
• We have backed a cross-party motion to reject the third runway at Heathrow
• We have planted 1000 new trees, halved graffiti, improved leisure centres and parks delivered brand new commercial library service.
• We have invested in CCTV and community safety to reduce crime
• We have planned affordable family-sized homes for growing families.

Over the past four years the Conservative controlled council has worked with residents and communities to build pride borough wide, by listening, by taking residents concerns seriously, and by promising to do more without taking more. We have begun to show how bright a future this borough and its people can have. It is time for Brentford to have a Conservative voice.

When the Conservatives took control of the council, Hounslow had the fifth highest council tax in London. We now have the fifteenth highest in London, saving residents £210 per year based on the average increase previously seen under Labour in Hounslow.

Please make your vote count in two months time and bring Conservative representation to Brentford!

Why not come along to our fundraiser quiz night at the Lord Nelson on the 1st April (from 7.30pm). Tickets are £10 (including dinner), and can be purchased on the evening.

We look forward to meeting you in the coming months!

Fourth year freeze for council tax

2010-03-03T05:15:00.000-08:00

Last night the Conservative/ICG led Council passed their budget which means residents will be left with more money in their pocket as council tax was frozen for the fourth year running.

The budget includes an extra £2.3 million investment in children’s services, an additional £1 million in highways maintenance, and more money for voluntary and community groups.

Conservative Leader of the council, Cllr Peter Thompson, said: “This budget means we are one of very few authorities in the country that have been able to freeze council tax for so long.

“We have fallen from having the fifth highest level of council tax in London, to fifteenth, thanks to sound leadership and strong financial controls.

“By reducing bureaucracy and improving efficiency we’ve been able to make sure we don’t add to the burden of hard working residents in the difficult economic climate".

All three existing Brentford Councillors voted against the freeze. Andrew Dakers (of the Liberal Democrats) instead requested a small increase in council tax, and the Labour Councillors declined to offer an alternative budget proposal.

However, we believe this freeze is great news for Brentford residents in this tough economic climate. We are pleased to see that the Council is committed to providing excellent services without increasing the tax burden on residents.

Message from Julia Quilliam - St Georges Day in Brentford

2010-02-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

St Georges Day in Brentford ‘What England Means To Me’, Friday 23 April

We are celebrating St George's Day in Brentford this year with lots of fun to include music, entertainment, food, drinks, local history exhibits, stalls selling art and crafts, books etc etc.

The event is being organised through the Brentford High Street Steering Group.

The event, which includes the theme 'What England Means to Me' will start at around 3.00pm on Friday 23 April in the Market Place, High Street, Lion Way and The Butts. The programme will start with some family fun followed by entertainment for the grown ups later on and finishing probably around 9.00pm.

We are hoping you may like to come along and join in the fun. An exhibition sort of thing or simply just a presence.

Julia Quilliam
Brentford High Street Steering Group

Should you like to have a chat Julia's mobile number is 07958 332806 and her office number is 020 8847 0332. Alternatively please contact Tracey or Nicky for more details.

Heathrow Plans on trial at the High Court

2010-02-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Starting today, the Labour Government’s plans to expand Heathrow stands on trial. A coalition of local authorities and other opponents of this potentially disastrous policy have taken the Government to the High Court.

Put simply, their case is that the consultation on Heathrow expansion was flawed and that the creation of a third runway is at odds with climate change targets.

Our local Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Mary Macleod, and the Local Conservatives (including ourselves) have been helping in this fight for a long time now with many others. It is clear that the majority of local residents don’t want the third runway and it will only lead to more noise, pollution, congestion and environmental damage.

A third runway can only mean a lower standard of living for too many local people and we am against it. We are backing the campaigners in court today in their efforts to stop this potentially disastrous policy.

We would urge locals to remember that a vote for Ann Keen is a vote for a Third Runway. A vote for Conservative candidate, Mary Macleod will stop a third runway.

Creative Industries Network Event at Watermans, Wednesday 24th February 7pm

2010-02-23T08:37:00.000-08:00

Headlining the agenda, Chenine Bhathena, the Creative Programmer for the London 2012 Olympics will discuss the Cultural Olympiad vision and her role. Her presentation will include discussion around some of the major 2012 projects including Open Weekend activity and the 2012 Inspire Mark.

Following this, Erin Barnes (Project Manager for West London Story) will discuss a bursary scheme which will give West London artists and emerging artists’ development awards to explore unique ways of telling a relevant West London Story.

Finally there will be an opportunity to network and exchange ideas over drinks and canapés. Sounds like an excellent evening!

Brentford's Amazing Architecture

2010-02-21T03:18:00.001-08:00

On our regular canvassing sessions in the ward we are continually surprised by how many architectural gems are to be found in Brentford. The ward is blessed with many examples of the work of Victorian architect Nowell Parr, who was a gem with his terracotta adornments. It is fitting that soon we will be celebrating the centenary of his colleague Thomas Layton who died in 1911. They both served Brentford well.

The number of jewels in Brentford's treasure box continues to grow and there are many other examples. The world-class buildings on the Great West Road (including GSK and Audi) are of course soon to be followed by the skyscraper Skylon Hotel and the development on the Agfa-Laval site.

The hard working groups working in the Community embrace pride for the town and its citizens. Brentford is certainly an exciting place to be!

Sustainable Development Committee approves St George's Development at Kew Bridge

2010-02-17T13:17:00.000-08:00

We've just returned from the SDC meeting at the Civic Centre where the St George's development at Kew Bridge was just given the green light. Local feelings ran high through the meeting, which was well attended by local residents on both sides of the debate.

Proponents of the scheme argued that approving the development would encourage more much needed development into Brentford, and that St George's had listened and made a number of significant changes over the past 5 years of consultations.

Voices against the scheme included the Strand on the Green Association (representing a number of local Amenity Groups) and residents of the Eco Village. Arguments against included the view that the design did not fit into a conservation area, a concern that the site contained too many residential units, and debate over the amount of property available to lower income groups.

Whilst the scheme could still be blocked by the Mayor of London if they choose to intervene, this ruling marks the start of the site's regeneration. Clauses to allow the Eco Village reasonable time to relocate were included in the agreement, and it was proposed that a local working group be convened to work with the developer over choosing appropriate building materials.

Whatever your opinion on the subject, this was a landmark evening for Brentford!

Busy Week in Brentford!

2010-02-17T01:24:00.000-08:00

Well it's been very busy in Brentford this week! Here's a summary of what's been happening:

Sunday: Nicky and Tracey went to the seed swap at the Eco Village, where Nicky recieved some valuable advice and new seeds to try in her allotment. This was followed by a Guerrilla Gardening talk, where we were treated to pictures from around the world showing some very unusual locations for growing vegetables!

Monday: The Brentford High Street Steering group was very well attended. We agreed that the Christmas Lights would be start from the 19th November this year, and the plans sound fantastic (especially the lanterns and the plans to sync up with Syon Park!) We also started planning the St George's Day festival (for which the Council has offered £2000 funding) - more details to come, but block out the 23rd April in your diaries!

Tuesday: We attended the Brentford Chamber of Commerce meeting, as did many local businesses, and had a great evening! Brentford FC Community Sports Trust gave a presentation of the brilliant work they do with the community, and we were all treated to a curry supper by a number of local sponsors!

Tonight: It's the Sustainable Development Committee meeting at the Civic Centre, where the main item of interest for Brentford Residents is the planning decision on the St George's Development at Kew Bridge. More to follow later...!

The Lucozade sign is back!

2010-02-16T05:09:00.001-08:00

The landmark Lucozade sign is back on the M4 at Brentford! The original sign stood for 50 years before being taken down in 2004 and displayed in Gunnersbury Museum. Now, after a successful campaign by local residents, an exact replica was switched on near the original on Monday. This is yet another example our strong community and goes to show again why “Brentford is Brilliant!”

Hounslow Adult Social Care Services Achieves Excellent Rating!

2010-02-15T04:43:00.000-08:00

The Health Watchdog (CQC) has released the latest Annual Performance Assessment Report for Hounslow Adult Social Care Services. The report is a summary of the performance of how the council promotes adult social care outcomes for people in the council area.

The overall Outcomes Assessment states that Hounslow council is performing "Excellently"!

Out of the 7 different grades (areas of care provision), Hounslow achieved 4 performing excellently (overall delivering well above the minimum requirements for people) and 3 performing well (consistently delivering above the minimum requirements for people).

The report can be found at the following link – well done Hounslow!

http://www.cqc.org.uk/_db/_documents/hounslow_APA_report_2009.pdf

The Hounslow Local Involvement Network

2010-02-14T13:28:00.000-08:00

We have just joined the Hounslow Local Involvement Network and so can you!

The LINk has brought an exciting and different way for people to have an impact in improving health and social care services in their community. Anyone can be part of Hounslow’s LINk, which will be representative of communities living in the borough.

Hounslow’s LINk is able to look at all aspects of health and social care and really put services under the microscope no matter who they are provided by. The LINk is a loud voices with meaningful powers to be able to bring about positive change.

Why not join too and have your say? For more information about the Hounslow LINk contact hounslowlink@hapuk.co.uk or telephone 0845 094 9497 or 01225 701120

Community safety: what's important to you?

2010-02-14T11:24:00.000-08:00

Protecting our community and making it safe for Hounslow residents is critically important.

Let the council know your priorities and enter a prize draw, with four chances to win £50 worth of vouchers!

The Council need to understand the problems you may have experienced. Your information will help to identify and implement initiatives that matter to you and benefit the community.

Winners of the prize draw will be selected at random. Only winners will be contacted. The closing date for completing a questionnaire is 26 February 2010.

Please enter at: http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/index/council_and_democracy/consultations/community_safety_survey.htm

Well Done to Brentford School for Girls!

2010-02-14T01:03:00.000-08:00

Government figures published recently showcased the exceptional performance of Brentford School for Girls. The school has improved by an unprecedented ten per cent on last year’s performance, further widening the gap above the national average for GCSE results.

Conservative Council Candidate for Brentford Nicky Dykes commented:

“We are immensely proud of Brentford School for Girls and the fact that the exceptional progress has been praised at a national level”.

Her colleague Tracey Bleakley added:

“Teachers, support staff, parents and pupils at Brentford School for Girls should be congratulated on what is a fantastic achievement”.

William Hague comes to Brentford!

2010-02-11T03:52:00.000-08:00

We were delighted to welcome William Hague MP to the Audi Quattro Rooms in Brentford in January to give a talk on local issues. The Shadow Foreign Secretary reiterated the Conservative Party's opposition to the third runway, and condemned the Labour Party for its support for the policy. He spoke passionately about regeneration in Brentford, and praised the range of businesses in the ward and the warmth of the people he had met.

In a wide ranging speech, the Shadow Foreign Secretary also covered a range of other issues including foreign policy and the economy.

The Audi Quattro rooms provided the perfect backdrop for the evening, affording a panoramic view over Brentford. The distinctive building (designed by Wilkinson Eyre) contains a range of classic cars, designer furniture by Fritz Hansen and technology from Bang & Olufsen.

Local Conservatives - action against Heathrow

2010-02-04T14:05:00.000-08:00

Since being selected 18 months ago, we have had the opportunity to talk to many people on the doorstep and listen to their concerns. Fom this it is clear that Heathrow expansion is a big issue for local residents.

With this in mind you may be interested to view the below clip on how you can take steps against a third runway at Heathrow. Cllr Barbara Reid, a Hounslow Councillor and long term campaigner against Heathrow expansion, explains what local Conservatives have been doing and how you can get involved.

Gunnersbury Park Joint Advisory Panel Meeting

2009-12-13T03:38:00.000-08:00

Last week, alongside Mary Macleod, we attended the meeting of the joint advisory panel where the report by Jura consultants were presented.

The report has some interesting findings. With almost 50% in favour of the sale of land to developers and approx 40% against the sale of park land to raise funds, it is not going to be a clear cut decision. It is evident that the two Councils are going to have to look further into how the £39 million needed is going to be raised and explore the findings in more detail. Unfortunately the consultants made it clear that the Councils would not be eligable for funding from external agencies such as English Heritage due to the scale of the work needed.

We understand the frustration of residents that the decision over the future of the Park has been going on for too long. Now is not a time for political point scoring but for the two Councils to work together at arriving at a feasible solution which will allow residents to enjoy the park for years to come via a solution that is acceptable to most.

We look forward to hearing your views on how you feel the Park should be funded and what measures you would find acceptable.

To read the reports findings in full please use the below link:

http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/Published/C00000505/M00005793/AI00050060/GUNNERSBURYPARKFINAL1.pdf

The next Panel meeting is scheduled for early next year.

St.Faith's Traditional Christmas Fayre

2009-11-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday we popped along to the St Faith's Christmas fair, joined by Mary Macleod. We had a great time, particulaly enjoying the delicious food and mulled wine!

It was a wonderful event and a great way to showcase the great local businesses which included jewellery,gormet hampers, books, christmas puddings and cakes, skincare & beauty and arts products. We were also able to listen to local choirs throughout the evening.

Well done to Ilika Copeland for working so hard to organise the evening and to the church for hosting the fair. We are now getting in the Christmas spirit!

Gunnersbury Park Joint Advisory Panel Meeting

2009-11-24T09:16:00.000-08:00

The rearranged Gunnersbury Park Joint Advisory Panel meeting will now take place on Monday 30th November at 7.00 p.m. in the Terrace Room, Small Mansion, Gunnersbury Park. Members of the public are very welcome, so please do come along if you are interested. We will post an update following the meeting.

Third Council Candidate Selected

2009-11-19T03:01:00.000-08:00

We are very happy to tell you that Jeremy Luck has been selected as the third conservative council candidate to stand with us for the Council elections next year.

Jeremy Luck has already started campaigning in Brentford, joining us in canvsssing and delivering literature. The blog will be updated shortly to include more information on Jeremy.

As well as working locally we are also helping Mary Macleod (conservative parliamentary candidate) deliver her leaflet in Brentford which outlines her committments to the constituents of Brentford and the wider borough. This includes not claiming for a second home or day to day living costs and making all expense claims availbale for the public to examine.

If you see us out canvassing or delivering please do come and talk to us about any issues of concern or just to chat!

Autumn has arrived!

2009-11-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

This Saturday we made the most of the lovely autumn weather to speak to local residents in Brentford. Mary Macleod, Brentford’s Parliamentary candidate and some local volunteers, joined us.

It was great to meet the residents of Brook Road South, Hamilton Road and Clifden Road. Thank you for speaking to us and telling us the issues that matter to you. We always take residents concerns seriously and are here to help in what way we can.
We will be out again this week, and look forward to meeting more residents then!

Hello to York Road!

2009-10-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

We just wanted to say thanks to all the residents of York Road that we were able to meet last night to discuss local issues - it was lovely to meet so many friendly new faces! We have been out and about over the past year meeting as many people as possible, and we look forward to meeting lots more of you in the coming months!

Visit to Brentford FC

2009-10-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

Last week we were lucky to visit Brentford Football Club alongside Mary Macleod, Brentford and Isleworth Parliamentary candidate and Jeremy Hunt MP, the Conservative Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport.

The visit was an opportunity to hear from members of the board their plans to move and improve the football ground. The football club has been working in partnership with Barratt Homes and is hoping to move to a brand new community stadium to Lionel Road.

In addition to hearing about the development plans, we learnt more about the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. The Trust has been doing amazing work in delivering sports to the community. The Trust has extended the sports it teaches beyond football and helps provide sport to local children who may otherwise never experience the benefits that sports participation can bring.

To demonstrate the great work the trust does first hand, we were able to visit The Archway at Kew Bridge. St George secured the lease for the archway under Kew Bridge and has converted it as a new base for the club. As well as hearing from the staff the various work they do with children in the community we saw a canoe lesson in process and could see how much the children loved being able to play on the river.

The trip finished with a visit to the learning zone, an innovative centre that combines sport and education. Around 2,300 children go through their education programme every year - mainly children excluded from schools and heading for pupil referral units. We watched a lesson that was underway and the value the children get from the centre is easy to see.

We thoroughly recommend you look at t he work the trust is doing. You can view their activities via their website http://www.brentfordfccst.com/homepage.html.

Do you have any views or concerns about the proposed move of the football club to Lionel Road? If so please feel free to pass on your comments on to us.

Brentford Chamber of Commerce (Tuesday 13th October)

2009-10-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to the Brentford Chamber of Commerce for making us feel so welcome last week! The evening began with a spirited debate between the three political parties covering local issues such as the planning process and the regeneration of the High Street. Following this, a number of local residents took to the floor to present their local events/ businesses. We would particularily like to mention Ilika Copeland, who is organising a traditional Christmas Fayre at St Faith's Church on Tuesday 24th November.

The evening will provide an opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping whilst enjoying demonstrations of traditional craftsmanship with many of our best local businesses under one roof for the evening. The event will be set to the backdrop of an evening of West London Choirs singing carols and hot seasonal fare and mulled wine served by the Lord Nelson, Brentford.

Buy beautiful gifts, cards, wrap and toys from Darch & Duff, Lleixa Art, The Bijou Box, Gravey the Collector Toy Emporium, seek exquisite jewellery from Jane West & Dabs Jewellery. The ultimate pampering gifts from Kempson & Beck salon, with mani manicures on offer to all those passing their stand. Watch traditional Christmas butchery displays by Richardson's, stock up with stollen, Christmas pudding & cakes from Plum Duff and watch Christmas Cake icing & decorating and much much more.

St. Faith's Christmas Fayre

Tuesday 24th November 2009

18:00 - 21:00

All the details are on the web site.

http://www.parishofbrentford.org.uk/stfaithschristmasfayre.htm

And all the stallholders are listed here

http://www.parishofbrentford.org.uk/fayrestallholders.htm

Nicky and I will be there and we hope to be able to meet many of you there on the evening!

Brunch at The Weir

2009-10-19T13:38:00.001-07:00

Nicky and I were busy working through our ward plans on Saturday and popped into the Weir on the High Street for lunch. Not only did we get the usual warm welcome, but were delighted to discover that the fantastic brunch menu was available until 1pm! After a huge 'second breakfast' of poached eggs and lots of tea and coffee we were well equipped to spend the rest of the afternoon walking round Gunnersbury Park!

Visit to Gunnersbury Park

2009-10-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we took the opportunity to walk around the beautiful Gunnersbury Park and estate which is currently the focus of an extensive consultation. We also looked around Carville Park North. Some local residents’ have called for it be valued for a possible sale to raise capital funds that are needed to restore the estate.

From talking to the museum staff it was evident that the future of the park is an emotive issue with everyone having a different opinion on what the best option is.

We welcomed the recent consultation document that was sent to residents. It was an important step forward in establishing a solution for the historic estate. It is crucial that local residents have the opportunity to express their view on such an important historic estate. We recognise the need to invest substantially in the park and museum and look forward to the results of the consultation in the next couple of months.

The museum is currently showing an exhibition on Spencer Perceval, the only Ealing resident to become Prime Minister (in 1809) and the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated (in 1812). It’s a fascinating exhibition and we thoroughly recommend that you visit if you can.

We will be attending the Gunnersbury Park Regeneration Board/Gunnersbury Park Joint Advisory Body meeting on Wednesday, 28 October. We look forward to meeting you there if you are able to attend.

The Great West Road - Your Thoughts

2009-10-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

The fortune of the Great West Road has varied over the last 20 years, and a large number of former employment sites have become vacant and subject to development interest for mixed-use proposals in recent years.

We think that a balance needs to be struck between the need to regenerate existing sites, improve the quality of the environment, preserve and enhance the historic qualities of the area and attract prestigious development to enhance its role as London’s gateway.

What do you think? What changes would you like to see on the Great West Road?

Meet Nicky and Tracey - Social Events

2009-10-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

Your local Conservatives have planned a series of fun events in the lead up to Christmas. Please do come along to meet your local candidates and hopefully have a great evening!

Tuesday 20th Oct, Drinks with the Rt Hon William Hague MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, in Chiswick, 7-9pm, £35. Please email hbi@btconnect.com for details.

Monday 2nd Nov, Chiswick Homefields drinks party with Ed Vaizey MP, Shadow Arts Minister, kindly hosted by John Benson, 24 Addison Grove, Chiswick W4 1ER , 7-9pm, £12.50.

Friday 13th Nov, Association Annual Dinner at Cafe Rouge, Chiswick High Road, 7.30 for 8pm. £45.

Thursday 19th Nov, O&SG drinks with Rt Hon Theresa May MP, Shadow Work & Pensions Secretary and Shadow Minister for Women, kindly hosted by Laurence & Michelle Hawcroft, 162 Wood Lane, Osterley TW7 5EH, 7-9pm, £15.

Meet Tracey and Nicky at Brentford Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday Night

2009-10-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

Tracey and Nicky will be at the Brentford Chamber of Commerce meeting on Tuesday evening supporting local Parliamentary Candidate Mary Macleod in a public debate. The meeting will be held on Tuesday 14th October at Heidelberg Graphic Equipment Limited, High Street, Brentford, and opens at 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start. The agenda includes Pre-Election Candidates discussing Brentford Business Issues, and we look forward to meeting as many of you as possible on the night!

Swyncombe Avenue - Traffic Concerns

2009-10-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

Your local Conservative candidates are out and about every week meeting as many local residents as possible in the run up to next years local elections, and actively lobbying on issues of local concern.

We were delighted to be able to help the residents of Swyncombe Avenue who were concerned about traffic flow on the street, which has become a problem following traffic-calming measures on adjacent roads.

After speaking with the council it emerged that funds would be available for a pedestrian crossing if there was enough local support. We setup a petition for residents of Swyncombe Avenue and have presented the results to the Council for consultation. We look forward to celebrating making the borough a little safer!

Parking in Brentford - Have Your Say!

2009-10-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

A consultation has been issued by the Hounslow Council Development and Parking Team to ask residents to vote to be included in a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) and to comment on parking provision in their area. The proposed CPZ could cover just two hours, a full day, or specific periods (such as match days at Brentford Football Club).

The closing date for the consultation is 23 October 2009 and we are hoping that as many people as possible will participate. As a CPZ will only be introduced where there is majority support so it is really important that everyone gets their say.

The proposed area isits between the High Street, Ealing Road, Hamilton Road/ New Road, and Half Acre/ Windmill Road. If a CPZ is introduced, the charges will be £60 per year for the first Residents' Permit, £15 for a Visitor Permit and £400 for business permits. Residents Permits for a short duration scheme cost £40.

If you require any further information please contact the Parking & Development Team on 020 8583 4875 or email traffic@hounslow.gov.uk

Conservatives Pledge to Stop Heathrow Third Runway

2009-10-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

A Conservative government will stop plans for a third runway at Heathrow and will instead develop a high speed rail network. If you want to stop expansion, then a Conservative vote will achieve this.

For more information, please see: http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_we_stand/Transport.aspx