Local councillor Sam Hearn writes a blog about his week
Friday 12th August: Although I have been back from the Edinburgh Festival for a few days I am still catching up on my Council and personal emails. This is a little strange since I was receiving and answering emails whilst in Scotland. I really enjoyed “local boy” Daniel Crainer's one man show at the festival – I understand that he has appeared at The Tabard. Mark Steel was brilliant – much funnier live than on the radio. It was however hard to take his grovelling to the mainly Scottish audience about “The English” voting for Brexit. In fact over a million Scots voted to leave the EU.
Saturday 13th August: My turn to the run the Councillor's Surgery at Chiswick Library. No constituents turned up so I was able to answer a few Council emails and post a few dates in my diary. I am still puzzling over the concerns being highlighted elsewhere in the Borough about payments being made by the Council to certain Registered Social Landlords. Off to meet two constituents in Oxford Gardens to discuss Hounslow Highways failure to re-plant street trees that they have removed and the filling in of tree pits. Hounslow Highway's failure to answer emails and be contactable by phone is a source of much frustration.
Sunday 14th : Some email correspondence about the implementation of additional street charging points for residents. To Chalgrove in Oxfordshire to walk parts of the 1642 battlefield. The walk is led by Simon Marsh of the Battlefields Trust and the John Hampden Society. South Oxfordshire District Council's Local Plan for 2032 includes an option to build “at least” 3,500 homes on the airport at Chalgrove. This will radically change this largely rural landscape and will make interpreting the battlefield very difficult. For those who are interested Simon Marsh will be leading walks on the battlefields of Brentford & Turnham Green in November. Those visiting Chalgrove should darken the doors of The Red Lion with its well-kept London Pride and wonderful, inexpensive food.
Monday 15th August: I need to write a Chairman's opinion for the first Annual Report of the Hounslow Pension Board. There are no precedents to follow and the hot weather is sapping my capacity for original thought – well that's my excuse anyway.
Tuesday 16th August: Contacted by a resident who has a “bad smell” in his bedroom and is worried that it is coming from the adjoining property. I visit the concerned resident and discuss the options. It is amazing how much of my in-tray from constituents relates to ‘problem neighbours'. A local journalist has obtained the stats for the amount of casework done by individual councillors. I caution him to look beyond the raw statistics in drawing any conclusions.
Wednesday 17th August: A Kew Bridge resident asks me to ‘pontificate' about their pontoon. It is not in my Ward so I have to tread carefully. At a Thames Boat House in the evening for an event to welcome all our new Conservative Party members. The star turn is James Cracknell, newly back from Rio, who gave us an insight into several of the races that he had commentated on. The key note speaker was Lord Popat who is a similar age to me - but the comparisons end there. At sixteen he fled Uganda with his family and subsequently not only built a successful career in business but has also been an adviser to three Conservative Prime Ministers, and a Whip in The Lords. He paid for his night school studies at Kilburn Poly by working as a dishwasher, waiter and grill chef at a Wimpy Bar.
Thursday 18 th August: A constituent arrives on my door step with an invoice purporting to be from a roofing contractor. His wife appears to have been scammed by con-artists claiming that there was something wrong with their roof. I advise him to contact the police immediately. In the evening we gather for a farewell dinner for my daughter and boyfriend who are off to America to pursue their academic careers. This is a bit of a milestone for me and a time for reflection on life's blessings – the good times that we have had, and the new opportunities opening up.
August 20, 2016