Forum Topics

Let's keep some perspective

A sovereign country is invaded, the aggressor country using outrageous lies to justify the invasion in the face of massive public opposition and zero provocation – civilian infrastructure is routinely targeted, and prisoners mistreated and not given the protections of the Geneva Convention. Putin in Russia or Blair (and Bush) in Iraq? Boris just went to a party – he shouldn’t have, and he’s been prosecuted for his error. But let’s get some perspective – nobody died because of the party. The only people keeping this non-story alive are those with a political axe to grind (incl. Guy Lambert). Boris hasn’t been our best Prime Minister, but he’s a long way from being the worst!

Graham Thorpe ● 1609d11 Comments ● 1605d

Recycle collection mess

How is it Brentford streets look worse off every time the recycle collections are complete?The mess of paper and plastic on the pavements and roads is incredible. Surely when the tender is put up there should be a clause stating the same company should provide a post collection street clean.

Jai Williams ● 1639d31 Comments ● 1606d

Grand Union Canal Walk blocked?

Hi all, does anybody know how long the Grand Union Canal Walk at the north end of Brentford Lock has been blocked by what looks like construction hoarding? I wanted carry on towards Boston Manor via the Brent and there was no obvious way to proceed. Unless I’ve missed the tow path, which is a possibility I suppose…

Craig Owen ● 1636d3 Comments ● 1609d

Hope you cheered when you saw today's result

Chelsea   1Brentford 4!

Jim Lawes ● 1622d8 Comments ● 1609d

Free GCSE Biology Lessons

GCSE BIOLOGY REVISIONSamia Mirza posted this on W4 and has asked that I post it on TW8. It seems like a fantastic offer to me:AT THE GARDEN MUSEUMAPRIL 2022Content covered will only include topics that AQA have statedwill be examined in Paper 1 and Paper 2 of the 2022 exams forboth Combined Science (Biology) and Triple Biology for bothHigher and Foundation tiers.Revision will include recap of topic, revision mats, past papersand model answers.There will be a chance to carry out a required practical:The effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesisAvailable dates: 5, 7, 11, 14 April | 12pm - 5pm12pm - 1.30pm Photosynthesis1.30pm - 2pm Break for Lunch2pm - 3pm Plant organisation3pm - 4pm Digestion4pm - 5pm Organisation of an ecosystemPupils can attend one session or the entire dayAddress: Garden Museum, 5 Lambeth Palace Road, SE1 7LB

Anne England ● 1613d1 Comments ● 1611d

Yet more baloney!

Hounslow's selection process has made it into 'Private Eye's Rotten Boroughs column yet again - two editions running!This time it concerns the re-running of the selection meeting that saw Jagdsih Sharma (87) de-selected, only for that decision to be overturned because of 'unspecified procedural irregularities'.'Colleagues believe Ms. Siddhu (the successful candidate) was "leaned on" to withdraw so that an "uncle" 50 years her senior could continue to have the council seat he regards as his birthright.'Needless to say the useless London Labour party have bought into the baloney that Ms. Siddhu made the decision and it was not made 'under any duress or influence.' Yeh right!

Vanessa Smith ● 1611d0 Comments ● 1611d

Boston Manor Park Canal Footbridge closed.

As of this morning Sat 23rd Oct the footbridge at the bottomof Boston Manor Park across the canal is closed,So anyone hoping to walk across the park from Boston ManorRoad and continue their walk along the canal will bethwarted *.I'm only posting this because the closure only becomes apparent once you reach the foot of the bridge on either side. Where to add insult to injury you're giventhe standard *advice* to use another route. (What elsewould you do ? Remain there in perpetuity/ ) When it would have been nice had someone thought to post notices of the closure at the gates of the Park to save people an unnecessary walk. As it happens all that's wrong with the bridge is that one of the plywood panels that forms the decking has worked loose. A half hour job for a man with a box of screws and a battery powered drill driver.However given the bridge is possibly a shared responsibilitybetween LBE and the relevent Waterways body this probably meansa 3 month consultation process followed by a report recommending that four of the plywood panels should be replaced. Now two men with their drill driver and box of screws taking four hours.Instead of which conultation and report total cost £20,000.Follwoed by 3 years of arguing betwen LBE and the Waterwaysbody as to whis going to pay for the four plywood panelsthe screws and the two mens wages for four hours.* The barriers consist of the standard 4ft brightly coloured plastic jobbies. The cross member across the bottom make them resonably scalable even by a reasonably fit 74 yrs old, Only don't try this at home childrenmichael adams  

Michael Adams ● 1783d40 Comments ● 1615d

Hounslow Public Transport Guide

I am looking for one or two copies of the guide. Before Covid there were lots of them in the local library's. Post covid no one has given me an answer as to what has happened to them. Are they in some storage area or recycled some where? I've asked staff and and no one knows. I just need one or two to show residents in a couple of sheltered homes where they can visit to get them mobile again. Yes it's on line but to big for the elderly .

David Squire ● 1625d8 Comments ● 1617d

Vote of no confidence rules out of order

Steve Curran Leader of the council made a shock announcement to the Borough Council last night citing health reasons for standing down from the council. Theo Dennison was going to move a vote of no confidence - which was ruled out of order, but said what many of us have been thinking for a long time."STAGGERING ABUSES." MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE IN STEVE CURRAN DISALLOWED. CALL TO RESIGN BEFORE HE ANNOUNCES HE IS STANDING DOWN BECAUSE OF ILL HEALTH."I would like to request that it be voted on in a secret ballot to avoid any attempts to bully or intimidation of members." – Cllr Theo Dennison.Before Council Leader Steve Curran's shock resignation tonight, Tuesday, a motion was submitted to Hounslow Labour Group. It was ruled out of order by the chair Cllr Sue Sampson. Cllr Dennison decided to resign as a result.Here is the motion:This Group expresses its profound concern at the staggering abuses that have taken place at every stage of the candidate selection process and the actions of the unaccountable cabal who have been responsible for them.We note:• Whip and branch reports being written by people who are candidates with a direct and personal interest in the outcome• Trumped up charges and false allegations about sitting councillors and prospective candidates• Rigged interviews by what should have been independent panels• Spiking people who pose a threat to preferred candidates• The failure to stop people paying membership fees in return for the votes of members in key wardsThese abuses have denied party members a genuine choice of many able candidates and skewed the selection results in a significant number of wards.We express our serious concern at the breach of the trust and neglect of our public responsibilities symbolised by the mockery of holding the Labour Group’s consideration of the council budget just 60 minutes before the council meeting at which it must be determined - yet whipping all Labour councillors to vote for it.In stark contradiction to the our values and principles, the budget contains yet another move to reduce the help we give to some of the poorest residents of our borough via changes in the council tax reduction scheme which will mean a massive hike in their council tax bills and is presented alongside proposals for annual increases in councillor allowances.This is no way to lead a party or a council and we hereby resolve that that we have no confidence in Steve Curran and call on him to resign.

Vanessa Smith ● 1653d21 Comments ● 1617d

Waterman’s Playground Vandalised.

How many of us have an angle grinder to hand?Perhaps the criminals stealing catalytic converters  in the area are responsible for the vandalism in the park. No conscience just steal metal and sell it.

Maria Hastings ● 1618d0 Comments ● 1618d

Building award for Ballymore!!?

Poor  Brunel. He would be mortified and no doubt spinning in his grave.His works which have endured and meet functionality with aesthetic excellence and incomparable build quality are a rather perverse comparison to this building which carries none of the above qualities. It's a bog standard concrete and steel structure with cladding and nothing endearing and certainly not something that will last 200 years plus.But then this is an awards circuit that is funded by developers for developers, just another r bit of Ballymore's marketing budget which props up other entities for marketing purposes.Must think we were all born yesterday!

Raymond Havelock ● 1622d5 Comments ● 1618d

Free tickets for Dinosaur event..

... are being given away in Ealing Broadway today.Presumably, they will be doing the same in Brentford?

Raymond Havelock ● 1622d0 Comments ● 1622d

Armenian Community Centre

What was the Princess Royal pub and also the old Brentford Football Club shop have been bought and are to be an Armenian Community Centre. The man I spoke with yesterday said that the community centre would be open to all.I hope that the pub is given a good face lift and remodel first - it certainly needs it.Out of interest, I just googled and an Armenian Community Centre has also opened quite recently in Cardiff.

Anne England ● 1636d22 Comments ● 1627d

Brentford's Parks

I don't have anything to say re Gunnersbury Park, by and large because I rarely go there. Is the burned out cafe (or an equivalent) again up and running?I would, however, like to say that the two parks I do visit, St Paul's in Brentford and Redlees in Isleworth are well maintained and good community assets. St Pauls has been looking fantastic with the daffodils in bloom - yes, I know they were planted by volunteers (not sure where the bulbs came from though). I see that there is currently some construction work going on around the basketball area.The work in Waterman's Park is also looking fantastic after years, admittedly, of decline and neglect.  

Anne England ● 1639d7 Comments ● 1628d

Something to be really proud of...

The former public park known as Gunnersbury.Now the Junta running it not only want to screw you for using it's facilities from overpriced refreshments from over levied caterers, an over expensive sports facility, over expensive 'events' and late drinking licences no doubt selling overpriced beverages but now they are to charge £1 an hour to visit by car.To boot a 4 hour maximum stay.A public park.Is this management who do rather nicely from their 'impoverished' income answerable to anyone?Something those who created this nice gravy train for the few can be really proud of.I wonder which electoral candidates will be claiming such a masterpiece of cronyism?

Raymond Havelock ● 1639d6 Comments ● 1630d

The Kew Eye penthouse for sale!

This is a cyberspace tip off. Quick before an incomer snaps it up before you.An introductory fee welcome.(thanks to a gentleman on Brentford Friends Facebook page for the lead.Pity it won't be open to the public..as was once suggested (A champagne bar and all that)

Jim Lawes ● 1701d12 Comments ● 1637d

Repair Cafe Opening in Twickenham  & Ealing

https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/life/14022022-repair-cafe-opening-in-twickenham/Hurray - here's a Repair Cafe back where a volunteer will help you to mend your belongings.Ealing also has a couple Repair Cafes which are concentrating on mending/sewing.  They have a Facebook page and are working with Ealing Transition.

Philippa Bond ● 1668d7 Comments ● 1638d

North Brentford and South Ealing have become a car park

There is a very large sign on the A4 stating "Match Day Parking" with a very large arrow pointing up Windmill Road, when were our very narrow roads made into Football Parking Streets? I don't remember being asked! Anyone else? Or was I out that day.

Sharron Clarke ● 1664d13 Comments ● 1638d

Over-development versus rainwater run-off

I see another large development has been shoe-horned into a tiny piece of land on the corner of Windmill Road and the A4 – where there used to be a small car lot. The development looks totally out of place in terms of its character and size – I’m wondering what people would want to live practically within touching distance of the M4 flyover with the noise and pollution this generates. It wasn’t long ago that Windmill Road and the surrounding area was badly hit by flash floods – it would seem to me a good idea to use this parcel of land as an open area to help alleviate flooding, rather than over-developing the site which will only increase rainwater run-off and flooding. We often see accusations in this forum of those in the council who make planning decisions being in the pay of developers. I’m sure this can’t be true – surely not all of them. But one wonders what their motives are for allowing such inappropriate development – who do they think is being helped by these decisions? Not the poor people who will have to live next to a motorway fly-over, and certainly not the environment. I hope we can all send a strong message in the May elections to get rid of these people who would wantonly vandalise our communities. This is very much the thin end of the wedge – the Tesco and Gillette Corner developments dwarf this one – good to know that the council has ear-mark thousands of pounds of OUR money to fight the objections!

Graham Thorpe ● 1645d10 Comments ● 1639d

A VISION FOR BRENTFORD - PUBLIC MEETING ON 15 MARCH

This meeting, open to all, will take place at the Holiday Inn, Brentford Lock, from 6.00 to 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday 15th March.At the request of Brentford Voice, the meeting has been arranged by LB Hounslow. A presentation will be followed by an hour of discussion and questions. This will focus upon two documents - the Vision for Brentford and "Prosperity and Place". The latter is a recent draft place-based strategy from LB Hounslow.The Vision for Brentford can be read here:https://brentfordvoice.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/LBH-Vision-for-Brentford-Town-Centre-FINAL.pdfThis meeting is a rare opportunity for all of us, both residents and businesses, to learn something about current plans for our community. More importantly, it is an opportunity for us to shape and to influence a very significant part of our future.Brentford Voice await further background information from LB Hounslow and we will post this as soon as if it available.Please try to make it along to the event at Holiday Inn on 15 March. Our own "Local Conversation" on 29 March will provide an opportunity to reflect on what we learn and to discuss our priorities and next steps.

Jim Storrar ● 1643d0 Comments ● 1643d