WALPOLE WARD FORUM NOTES Thursday 10th May 2012
WALPOLE WARD FORUM NOTES
Thursday 10th May 2012
7.00pm-9.00pm
Pitzhanger Manor – The Georgian Eating Room
Walpole Park, W5 5EQ
Members: Councillors Ann Chapman - Chair (AC), John Cowing (JC) and Ashok Kapoor (AK).
Officers in attendance: Tan Afzal (TA) - Neighbourhood Governance Coordinator and Sam Parkinson
Attendees: 8
Papers available at the meeting:
Notes from the previous meeting
Ward forum budget summary
Agenda
1. Welcome and Introductions
Councillor Chapman welcomed everyone to the meeting, introducing herself, her colleagues and officers in attendance. Reference was made to the publicity for the meeting, as the agenda and information on the website had been published very late.
Tan Afzal explained that the arrival of new I.T. systems had made it very difficult to publish the information; there was still a lack of clarity as to how the system functioned. She hoped this would be resolved within the next few weeks.
Res: Local residents associations and neighbourhood groups would be happy to publish this information on their various publications and websites.
Action: TA to provide dates of next two meetings to RAs and to publish minutes of this meeting and next two dates on LBE website by end May.
2. Actions from the previous meeting
No actions from the previous meeting.
3. Improvements to Leeland Road
Councillor Cowing reported on an allocation of £450,000 from LIP funding to improve the Uxbridge Road corridor between Hanwell and the lido junction. As part of the plans, officers had identified St James Avenue and Leeland Road, along with Green Man Passage, as locations that could be improved. A meeting between West Ealing Neighbours, council officers and councillors, took place to note down ideas and thoughts about St James Avenue. An initial concept was drafted up by the Council, which Sam Parkinson presented to the meeting.
SP stated that local businesses had suggested pedestrianising Leeland Road, but this option was not likely to be adopted as it would present access difficulties.. The road could be improved with the following features:
- Conversion to a one-way system
- Widening the footpaths, improving the pedestrian experience
- Adding street trees
- Remodelling parking spaces to include new spaces at the junction with Leeland Terrace.
Res: What is the perceived problem?
Res (David Highton): It’s not so much solving a problem. It’s a matter of making the area better, improving the shopping experience for locals and improving the cultural offering.
Cllr Chapman: This is a well-used North/South route, people are coming from West Ealing and Hanwell. It would be better to consider a one way system than closure.
Res: Have you spoken with the manager of the farmers’ market?
SP: The attitude survey has not been carried out, however, your initial feedback would add value to developing concept plans, which can then be considered by the businesses and farmers’ market.
Res: Parking supports retail; we have already lost a multi-storey car park. Many of the properties have red circles around them for possible demolition and rebuilds. You need to take a holistic approach. At Melbourne Avenue the lorries are driving over the pavement, which were installed at very large expense to the taxpayer.
Cllr Cowing: Officers asked to meet with us to discuss initial ideas and plans, we had a meeting with WEN, St James’s Church and A2 Dominion Housing. Some of their requests included a busking stand and more seating. The intention is to turn the area into an inviting and cultural space.
Cllr Chapman: We are always asked to engage with residents before plans are considered for implementation which is why we are advising you today, to ensure that you heard about it early.
Res: Holistically please look whether the East side will be developed. I believe it’s going to be sold. I don’t think pedestrianisation is suitable; a one-way system would be better.
Can we have the build-outs paved with timber as a pilot. Please consider timber and decking before exorbitant sums of money are spent.
Res: Will the improvements disrupt local businesses, please ask the businesses whether they are able to absorb the disruption.
SP: Disruption is always minimised for shopkeepers.
4. Update on Special Council Meeting – Waste and Recycling
Cllr Chapman reported on a full Council meeting called by the opposition, regarding the disastrous start to the new waste and recycling contract. I was an acrimonious debate on an importantsubject. It is true to say that residents were not impressed by the reassurance given by the Leader of the Council and the portfolio holder.
Res: Your administration was very good.
Res: My garden waste was not collected on the allocated day, Tuesday. Instead they collected it on Thursday.
Cllr Chapman: Please report missed collections to the customer services team. We have asked for the matter to be addressed by Overview and Scrutiny.
Localism Act – Eric Leach
Mr Leach reported on the Localism Act and its impact on communities. It empowers local people to design the areas they live in. To establish a neighbourhood forum which can influence neighbourhood plans, the forum must be made up of faith leaders, businesses and developers, but it is not limited to this list. We have identified 35 people. Two areas of Ealing will have established NFs, Central Ealing and West Ealing. Councillors can sit on the panel but not council officers.
The council has to approve the group and their plan, a referendum to accept the plan would have to be agreed by at least 50% of residents. Nationally 230 forums have been set up, 14 of which are in London. The forums have been awarded £40,000, which will be split equally between the two forums. The money has been allocated to the Council to administrate. We would like to set up a website page for which a contribution from the ward forum would be welcomed.
Cllr Chapman: As long as you have defined proposals for the money, the council should release the funds, they are purely the trustees. The ward forum will provisionally allocate a sum of £3,000, which will need to be divided between the two neighbourhood forums. This will be recommended to the Leader of the Council once you have provided us with a clear constitution and plan for your neighbourhood forum.
5. Park Updates
Cllr Chapman reported on the torch relay which will take place on 24 July 2012, with an event to celebrate the arrival of the torch held at Walpole Park the same evening. The event has been organised by LOCOG.
The fountains at Walpole Park are now functioning, but the pump enclosure still requires repair work.
Res: What was the cost and is the power the same?
Cllr Chapman: I can find out what it cost, and have been given assurance the power is the same as before.
Action: AC to confirm cost.
Cllr Chapman reported the majority of parks within the borough would not be locked, but Lammas Park and Walpole Park would continue to benefit from this service.
Presentation on Beekeeping - Vivienne Cane-Honeysett (Walpole Friends)
There are about 25 people involved with the beekeeping at Walpole Park. We put in an application to Capital Bee, which was offered by the Mayor of London in a bid to boost beekeeper numbers in the city and halt the decline in bee populations. With the money we were able to have one person trained and five frames of bees.
On a regular basis we check that bees are disease free and have not been infected by varroa, The bees collect nectar, pollen water and propolis. All the worker bees are female. To easily identify the queen bee, we mark her. There are currently 50,000 bees, the queen bee mates with up to 12 drones at one time, which die immediately. The queen bee can live for 5 years and is able to lay more than 1,000 eggs every day.
There is a set pattern with bees, it takes 21 days for the egg to become a bee, another 21 days for the housekeeping bees to look after the queen of the hive and a further 21 days during which the bees go out to forage.
See PowerPoint presentation for more information.
6. Transport Updates
Cllr Cowing reported on the extension to Controlled Parking Zone JJ, which is going live on 1st July, which will include but not be limited to Leyborne Avenue, Glenfield Road and Elers Road. There has been extensive discussion with the responsible council officer to ensure the objections were resolved.
Res: It is important that businesses are able to park in the area, which has been accommodated in St Aidan’s Road. There also needs to be provision by the doctor’s along Dudley Gardens and the Catholic church.
Res: There will be an increased population with the completion of Green Man Lane Estate. There will be greater parking pressures when there are fewer spaces available. CPZ’s don’t take into consideration the needs of shoppers, retail staff welfare and the impact it has on local businesses.
Cllr Cowing reported on the works at the Lido junction which had commenced, they will continue for several weeks during 9:30am-3:30pm.
Res: Has an appraisal system been set up, to review the amendments?
Action: TA to address this with the respective Council officers.
7. Ward Forum Projects
Cllr Chapman reported on the restoration and repair of the milestone at Uxbridge Road, which had been completed. The electricity points at Melbourne Avenue are still being discussed.
TA reported on a meeting with economic regeneration and highways officers which took place to establish actions to enable the delivery of this project. Highways will first attempt to include the installation and maintenance within the PFI. The costs for maintenance will have to be absorbed by traders along with the utility bill.
Cllr Chapman reported the street name carved into a wall at the junction of Somerset and Churchfield Roads has been badly repaired by the landlord. TA is to procure a suitable contractor to repair the wall properly.
Cllr Chapman reported on the need to bring Felton Road to an acceptable standard in order for it to be included within the CPZ. Negotiations with highways officers to adopt the road have failed, and residents are not able to pay to see the road adopted. Minimal resurfacing will cost £8,300; the ward forum will accommodate this cost if attendees agree.
Attendees agreed to have the ward forum budget pay for the improvements to Felton Road.
Cllr Chapman reported on other projects to be considered for the 2012/13 Walpole ward forum budget:
Christmas lights at Northfield Avenue - £3,500
Deployment of CCTV - £2,000
Set up costs for Open Ealing at new site - £10,000
Leeland Road Craft Market- Gazebo and chairs -£500
WEN food and music festival - £3,000
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Trees - £13,800
Leeland Terrace/Melbourne Avenue Stop and Shop - £3,000
Northfields Welcome Signs - £3,000 to be considered in partnership with Northfields Ward
Lammas Enclosure orchard trees - £2,300
Servicing for Lammas Park recycling units - £800
Lammas Park dog bone bedding - £2,000
8. Have Your Say –Q&A with Councillors
Matters raised were mentioned within the agenda items.
9. Dates for future meetings
Monday 1st October – St John’s Church Lounge
Monday 11th February 2013 – St John’s Church Lounge
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