Roy Chamdal

Listening to people on the streets this week, it’s clear that neither Labour or the Tories are giving Hayes the respect it deserves. One lady I spoke to had lived in this area for over 40 years and was adamant that the problems we find on the streets here are all down to a lack of respect. Unfortunately, she felt that the situation is getting worse and worse. It is true that a lot of these problems are caused by anti-social youngsters, with not a police officer in sight to stop them. However, many young people also feel just as intimidated as the more senior citizens here. One mother I spoke to told me that her son had been mugged TWICE and that nothing was being down to make this area safer for her family. Just what are the Labour councillors and Tory council doing to stop these unacceptable events from happening? Why can we not see anything being done? When will they show Hayes the respect it deserves?

I want to work with everyone in this community to make it safer for all of us. I want police, not gangs of teenagers, on our street corners. It’s about time Hayes had someone who can get it done.

When talking to people on Hayes doorsteps this weekend, I had the good fortune to come across a great lady who had lived in Hayes for more years than she cared to remember! I listened to her worries about the area she had lived in all her life and what I heard was something everyone here was saying: We need more police in an area that is being ravaged by drugs and street crime.

While money is being pumped into other parts of the Borough, including a £16,000 PAY RISE into the pockets of Tory Cabinet members on the council, Hayes loses out. Spending time in these Avenues, Lanes, Roads, Greens, Crescents and Walks has made it clear to me that someone needs to stand up for this part of Hayes. We need drugs off these streets and money spent on them, which neither the Tories or lacklustre Labour are delivering. That’s why I’m standing as a candidate in the upcoming Townfield by-election: to get things done.

When I thanked the lady for her time she turned to me and said, “You’re a big guy. We need a big man for this job”. I’m sure she meant it in a good way! I know, though, that that is exactly what Townfield needs, which is why I will fight for the people who live here as much as I physically can.

On a daily basis we get one horror story after another about the tragic consequences of knife crime. In the last week a young man was stabbed 3 times round the corner from where I live and another was violently attacked near the Grapes where I once lived.

There is outrage and despair in equal measure by politicians and the public. It’s too easy to come up with half baked populist measure to counter this problem. The fact is that the problem and therefore the solutions are more complex and deep rooted.

There is a London youth charity called the Kids Company founded by Camila Batmanghelidjh which does the some fantastic work with the most violent and problematic kids. She argues we are dealing with a public health issue NOT a criminal justice issue. These children lack parents who can provide social and emotional support. Emotional deprivation is a lethal weapon. Adrenalin rushes are used to counteract their fears.

One of the solutions her charity advocates is to provide non violent adrenalin rushes for the kids which enables them to channel their energies and frustrations into other areas. I have spent most of my working in and around Youth Sport. I have witnessed many children whose lives have been transformed by the physical exercise and competitive sport.

The London Borough of Hillingdon is accumulating a dreadful record for demolishing successful sports and activity centres who provide just the type of adrenalin rush young people need. Building a new long overdue swimming pool with a grant from Sport England is great but beware the consequences of closing a sports facility which its predecessor helped fund. Where I come from that could be biting the hand that feeds you.      

It is with great sadness that we report that Norman Nunn-Price, councillor for Townfield ward, Hayes, has died aged 81.

Norman, a retired scientist and magistrate, was first elected as a councillor in Hillingdon in 1994, and was leader of the Labour Group from 2002 to 2003.

He served first Botwell ward and then Townfield ward.

Cllr Mike Cox Leader of the Hillingdon Council Lib Dem Group said

” I knew Norman both politically and socially. He was a gentleman in every way. He fought hard for what he believed to be right and also for anyone who asked for his help. He will be greatly missed and our condolences go to his family and friends” 

It’s been a difficult week one way and another for Hillingdon Council.

Many will have followed the controversy over the Conservative Cabinets decision to liquidate the Hillingdon School of Gymnastics. I have spent much of the month trying to stop them.

Hillingdon’s initial case was that the School owed £300,000 in rent and rates, but the fact is these are backdated invoices designed purely to liquidate the company and force the return of a valuable lease. It will never recover any monies for the tax payer.

Appalled that someone should dare to fight back Hillingdon then spend hundreds of pounds writing to petitioners many of them children. This letter contained so many distortions and inaccuracies it could have been prepared by Stalin’s propaganda department.

Hillingdon then inform the BBC they are concerned about the Health and Safety of the building and yet forgot that they were provided with all the documentation months before.

The case took place on the 30^th April at the Royal Courts of Justice. The Hillingdon Cabinet sent along 3 senior officers plus a highly paid barrister. They were humiliated by the judge who adjourned the meeting because Hillingdon had failed to submit the correct papers. The Cabinet then inform the press it had been adjourned because of additional late information.

On May 1^st hundreds of excited children and parents gathered in Hayes for the Hillingdon Swimming Gala organised by Hillingdon Council. It was abandoned because of concerns by Hillingdon’s Health and Safety regime.

The phrase Hillingdon could not organise a Swimming gala in a swimming pool comes to mind. Sadly in the case of parents and children who use the Swallows that is a fact.

At a hastily convened planning meeting to decide the fate of Yiewsley the proposed Tesco superstore was put up for approval by officers, despite massive objections from local residents, councillors and the MP.

The meeting started with officers spending 45 minutes praising the development while residents had to sit and listen. This was followed by 4 petition objectors being given strictly 5 minutes to outline their detailed and technical objections. Any overruns were ruthlessly cut short by the Tory Committee Chair. The 2 petitions in favour as well as the Tesco representative were not subject to the same time restraints and allowed to overrun.

After a grilling from a few members of the committee the Conservative group gave in and agreed to recommend the plan for approval At this point the Councils legal representative stopped proceedings after it was discovered the plans were being changed “on the hoof” to accommodate basic errors in planning. The application was then suspended for another day in order to seek clarifications.

Cllr Mike Cox, who spoke as a petitioner representing local traders, said:

“This was the most shambolic planning I have ever witnessed. The officers had been clearly rushed into making this decision, objectors were ridden roughshod over and the whole democratic and planning process was compromised. This plan should now be withdrawn and Tesco told in no uncertain terms to sell up and go home. Your super store is not wanted and not needed”

I have a confession to make. I like Boris Johnson. I like him because he makes me laugh. He has no respect for people or places. He uses his buffoonery to good comic effect. Tommy Cooper had a similar (though much funnier) gift. 

In less than a months time we have an opportunity to vote in the next Mayor of London. I will make one prediction. It won’t be Ken. He has had his day and whilst I would admire some of the things he has done, the antics of some of his clique of friends and his ability to offend rules him out for too many now.For some people the only alternative may seem to be the clown from

• Our streets need to be safer
• Our transport needs to be cheaper
• Our gardens need protecting, and
• Our children need to be safe and able to live their childhood years as children.

No-one should live in fear of crime, but many in Hillingdon doOn May 1^st I will be giving my 1^st preference to a life long Londoner with 30 years service in the Metropolitan Police, the former deputy commissioner Brian Paddick. 

Following the news that Swallows Gymnastics Club in Ruislip is under threat of closure, Cllr Mike Cox and Ealing-Hillingdon GLA candidate, Nigel Bakhai, have given their support to the proprietors, Mike and Tania Swallow, and are calling on Hillingdon Borough Council to honour previous agreement and withdraw outrageous demands for back rent and rates which is could bring an end to 30 years of Gymnastics excellence in Hillingdon.

Prospective Lib Dem MP, Cllr Mike Cox commented:

“Mike and Tania Swallow have provided over three decades of service to the local community. For all that to come to an end now would be a tragedy and will leave Ruislip and Hillingdon the poorer for it. The Council have refused to meet with the club to resolve the problems with the lease. The Council appear to be holding the club to ransom in order to get their hands on prime development land which once belonged to Queensmead School. I want an unequivocal statement from this administration that they will work with the Hillingdon School of Gymnastics to secure the future of this Club at this site.”

Nigel Bakhai added:

“The Swallows is a recognised centre of sporting excellence not just in West London but also in the country. With the Olympics coming to London , and at a time when there is real concern about child obesity, it would be absurd for the Council to force the closure of such a well-established club like Swallows. If the Council continues to act in this unreasonable and provocative way then they will be doing irreparable damage to Gymnastics in Hillingdon and West London as well as damaging the country’s prospects for 2012.”

Over the last few years there has been a transformation in the way our communities are policed. The introduction of the Safer Neighbourhood Teams has brought back the old concept of the “Bobby on the Beat” and with varying degrees of success local sergeants and their teams are building knowledge and data on each local ward. This is good news.

Last year however there were a few changes which have seen a backward step to delivering high quality local policing.

Calls to 999 are dealt with through a centralised exchange which has led to frustration and delays in dealing with members of the public. Responses to serious incidents are not being dealt with appropriately or speedily enough.

Hillingdon’s Police Patrol cars now operate out of just one hub in Hayes. Ruislip’s station has ceased to be operational. This is leading to the north of the borough being known as a “patrol free zone”. The traffic time delays and the additional problems in Hayes have had a detrimental affect on policing north of the A40. The local teams will do their best but faced with gangs of youths of 20 plus strong patrol back up is needed

We now have an asset management plan which will inevitably mean a further reduction in physical resources of the police such as police stations and a diminution in the service the public receive. If you want your say then write directly to the Police Commander in Hillingdon or alternatively write to me c/o the Civic Centre.

Hillingdon Liberal Democrats have launched a petition in an attempt to save the post office at The Pavilions shopping centre in Uxbridge town centre. The busy post office is due to be closed in a few weeks time and replaced with a much smaller facility on the first floor of W H Smith.

The petition calls on Hillingdon Borough Council to put pressure on the Post Office to put a halt to the closure until a proper public consultation has been carried out.

Lib Dem Councillor, Mike Cox, said:

“Closing this post office makes no sense at all. It is always busy; even with twelve counters open there is still often a queue. The new post office in W. H. Smith will be much smaller and will be difficult for elderly and disabled people to access as the lift to the first floor is very small. We have launched this petition to try to make the Post Office and the Council see sense.”

Lib Dem campaigner Gay Brown said:

“We have already had a fantastic response to this petition. We spent two hours outside The Pavillions and received some five hundred signatures. Many of the people we spoke to said that they had no idea that the branch was due to close and were very concerned when they found out.”

An online version of the petition is available at:

http://ourcampaign.org.uk/saveuxbridgepostoffice