Forum Topic

Cherrygate news: consultation results and Monty Python

https://chiswickcalendar.co.uk/chiswick-residents-vote-for-more-cherry-trees-on-turnham-green/

Michael Robinson ● 1682d34 Comments

Presumably the results of the consultation can be safely ignored since, as we know, plebiscites are not recognised in the London Borough of Hounslow.

Bruce Hammal ● 1682d

The tone of this is becoming even more unpleasant and, while not defending Cllr Biddolph's actions, she deserves a bit more respect than she is getting. Neither side of this dispute is emerging with much credit.

Felicity Caborn ● 1682d

Hear hear.

Francis Rowe ● 1681d

£2,000 spent on this. How much spent on consultations about cycle lanes etc the findings of which are ignored ?

Maggie Dodge ● 1681d

and the award for tenuous cycle lane link goes to.....

Chris Jenkins ● 1681d

LBH have previous in ignoring the results of consultations, and I asm not commenting on any individual councillor.In politics, if the cap fits it should be worn.

Keith Iddon ● 1681d

Call it tenuous if you like. I think it’s relevant. You just need to join the dots.

Maggie Dodge ● 1681d

So funny, how Michael works.

Russell Pearson ● 1681d

He’s one of the dots 👍there are others

Maggie Dodge ● 1681d

Indeed. So tiresome, seeing the same old Chiswick Colander “BBC repeats” played out, over and over, again. But ‘A nod’s as good as a wink’.

Russell Pearson ● 1681d

Paul Campbell is telling people not to vote for Joanna Biddolph on the Nextdoor site, following a version of this story being posted . I always understood that Cllr Biddolph took up the case of the planting on behalf of constituents who voiced concerns. I’m not totally sure of the facts but I do believe there are two sides to every  story. The version being touted by the cycle lobby,MichaelRobinson and Paul Campbell doesn’t make much sense. Seems to me there are people who think they run Chiswick and don’t like opposition on any matter.

Maggie Dodge ● 1681d

Ah, the "cycle lobby", of course. Clearly the source of all ills.

Chris Jenkins ● 1681d

"All reactionaries are paper tigers. In appearance, the reactionaries are terrifying, but in reality they are not so powerful."

John Hall ● 1681d

Wasn’t Cherrygate started by someone complaining to JB that her shoes would be ruined ? Happy to be corrected.

Stewart Jones ● 1681d

"Wasn’t Cherrygate started by someone complaining to JB that her shoes would be ruined ? Happy to be corrected."Think about this rationally for a second. Would any sensible person actually believe that might be true?

Felicity Caborn ● 1681d

"Jill Spencer raised the objection that fallen cherries were messy and commented that she had ruined a pair of shoes walking through them.""Jill Spencer, complained that she was not consulted before the AGM. She raised the issue with Cllr Biddolph. "https://chiswickcalendar.co.uk/cherrygate-saga-continues/

Michael Robinson ● 1680d

This is all a bit juvenile. Clearly, even by this not particularly impartial account, the whole thing was never about a pair of ruined shoes but nevertheless two groups of people who seem to have lost all sense of perspective about a relatively trivial matter.

Francis Rowe ● 1680d

"Jill Spencer, complained that she was not consulted before the AGM. She raised the issue with Cllr Biddolph."And in turn Cllr Biddolph raised this matter with Cllr Steve Curran and it he who postponed the planting of the Cherry Trees c.2 years ago, this is my understanding, but if I'm inaccurate in anything I've written I apologise.Cllr Biddolph did not have the authority to delay the planting of those trees, she acted on requests from Turnham Green Ward residents for help, she only did what a responsible and caring local Councillor was elected to do and took the matter to a higher level ie Cllr Curran.The witch hunt of Cllr Biddolph is an excellent example of online trolling, stalking and vindictiveness. Unfortunately the sensational, misleading/inaccurate reporting by Chiswick Calendar only fuels the likes of Michael Robinson to stir up more discord which is unacceptable and unnecessary.

Loraine Pemberton ● 1680d

Crisis management plan activated I see. Clique mobilised for Operation Save Jo (OSJ). For anybody living in the Gunnersbury Ward you have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to save us all from the "running ******* commentary" (as somebody once put it) and eradicate this divisive and destructive busybody from local politics. It doesn't matter who you vote for in the May local elections:Anybody But Biddolph

Paul Campbell ● 1680d

Criticising a councillor for taking up issues of concern raised by her constituents is the action of an extremely silly person (to continue the Monty Python theme). Have you actually read Cllr Biddolph's statement on the Cherrygate issue ? https://www.chiswickgunnersburyconservatives.org.uk/news/cherrygate-statement-councillor-joanna-biddolph-about-trees-turnham-green

Richard Greenhough ● 1680d

I think that you are just proving the point Richard.Cllr Biddolph showed poor judgement thinking that planting a cherry tree was something that should be escalated to the leader of the council. People really should read Cllr Biddolphs turgid, overlong, pedantic screeds on the matter as they show that she has learned nothing.

Michael Robinson ● 1680d

Not satisfied with all your nasty comments on Nextdoor about a dedicated, hardworking Councillor, you're now visiting your bile about her here... what has she done to you personally  ? Nothing except disagree with you and the Robinson's etc about C9, but that wasn't personal, your rants are very personal as well as a abusive.

Loraine Pemberton ● 1680d

You've  learned nothing either ! Reading and Comprehension would be a useful start

Loraine Pemberton ● 1680d

It's a shame that the aggressive protagonists on either side didn't pay heed to Francis Rowe's post. I'm sure most sensible people are heartily sick of these pathetic exchanges.

Robert Fish ● 1680d

A councillor does what a councillor should and represents their constituents. And LBH does what it should do and presses pause while the matter gets resolved.Damn democracy. Hate that.No surprise to me, I don't see any vitriol for anyone else involved including other councillors nor the folks at LBH nor, for that matter, the other members of FoTG who may not have agreed with the proposal in the first place.

David Lesniak ● 1680d

"Cllr Biddolph showed poor judgement thinking that planting a cherry tree was something that should be escalated to the leader of the council."If the only way to get a decision on the matter was to refer it to the Leader of the Council, then the fault lies with the Council's command structure, not with the councillor acting on behalf of her constituents.

Richard Greenhough ● 1680d

Indeed. I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition.

Russell Pearson ● 1680d

Yes Richard, so clearly telling the complainant this was a trivial internal matter for Friends of Turnham Green to sort out amongst themselves and it would be a waste of everyone's time and effort to escalate to the highest levels of council never occurred to Cllr Biddolph.Given Cllr Biddolph was determined to shoot herself in the foot, I think Steve Curran wasn't likely to stop her.As I said, poor judgement.

Michael Robinson ● 1680d

On second thoughts please do vote to re-elect Councillor Biddolph in May. It is hard to think of a better lightning rod for opposition to the good things in Chiswick. Better for me and other supporters of such things that is.

Paul Campbell ● 1680d

Anyone rolling their eyes at comments about the cycle lobby just needs to look at the people trying to make Cllr Biddolph look bad for just doing her job. All linked to the aggressive cycle lobby.  They would pee their pants if they managed to get a Labour Councillor in place of Cllr Biddolph and they don’t care how they do it. So I make  no apology for highlighting their role in this. Paul’s post on Nextdoor was hateful

Maggie Dodge ● 1680d

Paul good.Others bad.Says it all, really.

David Lesniak ● 1680d

Felicity...err...

Stewart Jones ● 1680d

Oops

Stewart Jones ● 1680d

Maggie, Cllr Biddolph will never look bad in comparison, they do more harm to themselves.

Janice Evans ● 1679d