The Bristow Blog

Threat to new Fulham Post Office days after opening

It really is beyond parody - the Post Office ignores public opinion and closes the Crown Post Office in Farm Lane, Fulham, promising the service is safe after a deal with WH Smiths in North End Road.  However just days after moving into their new home, council officials received an application from the North End Road site owners - Fulham Properties Ltd - to knock the building down.

The deal with WH Smith is supposed to be a 7-year agreement (a deal that will see closures and mergers across the country) which would have at least retained a post office facility in Fulham.  However, it appears that this site could be bulldozed - what will happen to the Fulham Post Office?

Hammersmith & Fulham council together with local residents, opposed the move from its historic and well used location in Farm Lane every step of the way.  The service offered at WH Smith is smaller, will see more queues, and will not be a multi purpose Crown Post Office.  This was a cut of a crucial support service.

In efforts to save the Post Office, we offered measures that would have meant sharing costs and space with the local council - at Fulham Town Hall or Fulham Library - but these were dismissed without serious consideration.  They told me that the deal was too far advanced with WH Smith and the location was suitable.

So much for that!  The location could be knocked down if planning permission is given.  Even if the application is refused (which I hope it is) they could appeal to the Planning Inspectorate and get the permission to knock down the post office.  I am pressing the Post Office for urgent answers.

We have suffered a long series of post office closures in H&F but we’ve never had a situation where a proposal to knock down a new Post Office comes in within days of it opening.

Renew your Parking Permit online in H&F

A big step forward in customer service has taken place at Hammersmith & Fulham council this month with the launch of online renewals of parking permits.  It has proved a great success with plenty of residents already taking advantage of the new service.

The annual trip to the town hall is now a thing of the past.  I have been there and know what a chore it is for busy people.  This is about bringing the system in to the 21st century.  When we can bank and shop online, we should be able to access services like this online too.  So many local people use the internet regularly - it makes sense that we can offer council services in this way.

It only takes about half a minute to complete and is extremely easy.  I hope as many people as possible take advantage of the convenience of this new system.

Not everyone is eligible for the service - the prevention of fraud is a major priority.  It requires users to have a registration number sent to them in the post.  Only those who have previously supplied proof of residency and are on the council tax register can renew.  This is a renewal service, not a new application service. 

For more information on parking, go to www.lbhf.gov.uk or phone 020 7371 5678.

Apollo's early morning event/alcohol licence blocked

Last month I blogged about the Carling Apollo's application to hold a number of events with alcohol until 2am - this provoked significant reaction from ward residents who asked me to go along to the licensing meeting and speak out against these proposals.

I am pleased to state that the early morning licence was blocked at a meeting this morning in Hammersmith Town Hall.  I went along and - with other local residents and councillors - spoke against the application.  I stressed the impact on parking, probable increase in litter and noise, and the potential for more anti-social behaviour.  Frank Banfield park is already used by people as a place to hold late night drinking sessions that disturb local residents.  The potential for this to go on into the early hours of the morning as a result of revellers leaving the Apollo at 2am is considerable.  Moreover, the tubes stop running at around midnight and nightbuses would be unable to cope with thousands of people at this time of night.  Our pleas were successful and the application was thrown out. 

Although the Apollo is likely to appeal and the case will then be heard by a magistrate, this is an example of the council listening to the arguments and the views of local people - and then putting 'residents first'.

There is no doubt the Apollo is a landmark in London and it is a venue enjoyed by people across London (including H&F residents).  The vast majority of people attending the venue are law abiding and just out to have a good time.  However, the needs and concerns of local people (the venue is in a populated area) have to be taken into consideration.  This is what this council is all about. 

I think the message to the Apollo is loud and clear.  Show that you have solved issues of noise and litter caused by queues, and anti social behavour by late night revellers, over a sustained period of time before you ask to extend your licence.

One year of blogging

Blogging has been a bit thin recently as I have been abroad on business, and I am now on holiday for a week!  Back to the routine on Monday!

However, I did not want to let the one year anniversary of the Bristow Blog pass without comment.

I have really enjoyed blogging over the past twelve months.  What started off as a bit of an experiment, turned into an obsession, and now is a fun pass time and useful way of updating ward residents.

I have tried to keep it a way of updating people about my activities/campaigns in Fulham Reach, as a Cabinet Member, and about council news in H&F.  However, it has inevitably strayed onto my views on other political issues, commentary on local news, and a few personal posts.  I have been told by other political bloggers that a blog is very personal - and ultimately reflects you.  I hope readers have enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it.

Posts which got the most views were:

• My thoughts and activity when applying for the Hammersmith & Dagenham & Rainham parliamentary candidate positions
• Posts that have highlighted Labour hypocrisy or ineptitude (such as the disgraceful dodgy dossier on Hammersmith Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey)
• Big local stories about H&F such as the council tax cut

Onwards and upwards to the next twelve months of the Bristow Blog and a higher position in Iain Dales top UK political blogs!

Another council tax cut in H&F?

Earlier this year council tax went down in Hammersmith & Fulham.  This as welcomed not only locally by residents, but by commentators across the country.  H&F was cited as an example of how you can reduce tax but improve services at the same time.

Well, we are looking to do it all over again next year.

Despite low funding settlements from central government, we are planning to give residents back some of their money by finding savings and delivering value for money.  Labour will claim that we have done this through a generous grant from central government.  However, we are campaigning with the Local Government Association to press the Government to fund local government properly.  West London gets a raw deal!  Many councils are preparing for inflation busting council tax increases - not Hammersmith & Fulham.

Tax was hiked year on year when Labour ran things here locally.  Council tax bills in London have risen by 86% since 1997.  However, Conservatives do not consider tax as government money - it is taxpayers money - if we can find savings after service improvements, we have a duty to give it back to taxpayers.  This is an important ideological difference.  I passionately believe in low tax.

Local residents have been hit with rising household bills.  Interest rates have risen, fuel bills have risen, and food prices are getting higher.  If they can, local authorities must give some money back to households struggling with rising costs.  This is exactly what we hope to do in Hammersmith & Fulham.

 

Heathrow Airport report ignored

I know it will not suprise anyone but I wanted to highlight yet another occasion when the views of west London residents are being ignored despite a consultation clearly showing opposition to government policy - this time concerning Heathrow Airport.

A six year study measuring local residents' attitudes towards aircraft noise has been ignored by the Government.  It shows that people have become significantly more annoyed at aircraft noise over the past 20 yrs (the last report was done in 1985).  The Department of Transport in 2001 said that this study would undepin government policy on aircraft noise.  This at a time when the Government is about to launch their campaign for a third runway.  This can only go ahead if ministers are able to show that expansion will not breach EU law on noise and air quality.

The report shows that people become annoyed at levels above 50 decibels.  This covers Hammersmith & Fulham - lords knows how the people of Hayes and Harlington feel.  It covers more than 2 million residents stretching from Slough to Hammersmith.

Of course - the Government is unmoved.  Transport Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick says that "It does not give us the robust figures on which it would be safe to change policy."  Sound familiar?  Exactly the same response we got with the congestion charge and the Uxbridge Road Tran (until the recent embarassing climbdown). 

The government has said it will publish the latest expansion plans at the end of December. The current annual movements limit at the airport is 480,000. If both runway alternation were ended and a third runway built the number of flights each year at Heathrow could rise to around 800,000. This is equivalent to building a new airport the size of Gatwick.

Sign up to stop uncontrolled Heathrow expansion by clicking on: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopheathrowexpansion/?e

21st Century library for Shepherds Bush

Design work has began on a new 'state of the art' public library in Shepherds Bush, due to be located next to the much anticipated Westfield shopping centre.  It will be fitted out with the most innovative technology and provide new exciting services.

It is hoped the new building will be ready by Christmas 2008 (along with the rest of the shopping centre) and will be ideally located to attract new users.  It will have self service facilities, brand new IT facilities, DVD/CD hire as well as traditional book lending services.

Library services come under the 'Residents Services' department and I am the cabinet member responsible for this exciting project (hence the picture).  The whole concept is shaped around residents' needs.  This ground breaking public library will serve the local area well into the 21st century. 

In addition to a brand new library, our existing libraries are going through a reform process bringing then up to 21st century standards.  They will soon be open for longer than ever before - increasing to 318 hours (an overall rise of 39.5 hours a week). 

We are doing what we promised.  We are delivering efficiency and improving services.  It is no longer acceptable for libraries to be open standard office hours and to be closed on Wednesdays if we hope to attract a broad range of users.  We are also extending opening hours on Sundays and increasing the number of IT facilities.

Libraries provide crucial local services.  It is vital that they are made relevant and attract as many local residents as possible.  This is what this new Shepherds Bush library and longer opening hours are all about.

Labour try to hijack the fireworks celebrations

A poor show I thought at the weekend from the local Labour Party who decided to use the annual Fireworks/Bonfire event in Ravenscourt Park as an opportunity to hand out party political leaflets.  This is the second year running they have done this.

As a result thousands of leaflets were strewn over Ravenscourt Park and surrounding streets.  Labour activists made no effort to clean up after themselves as is standard practice at tube station action days by the two political parties.  There is a case for asking them to contribute to the clear up costs - we will be cracking down on private companies who do this sort of thing so why not a political party?

Moreover, the fireworks event should be an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy a show away from party politics.  The Conservative Party could have mustered activists and made the same effort.  However, people do not come to a community event to bombarded by politicians and party political leaflets.  It went down badly last year and I had hoped they had learnt from this.  This was a poor call by the local Labour Party. 

This has the finger prints of Andrew Slaughter MP all over it.  Again he decides to focus in Hammersmith & Fulham despite the fact most of his constituency is on the Ealing side of the border.  Ravenscourt Park is not even in his constituency.  Incredibly poor judgement by a man almost consumed by personal animosity to the council.

Cllr Bristow goes to Washington

I went to Washington DC a fortnight ago with work - and I have a few pictures of my visit.  I had some free time where I was able to see the sights.  Here I am outside the White House (which was suprisingly small).

I was not able to uncover corruption in the political system like the famous flim, but I did manage to meet up with a friend who works for Senator John Kerry.  My friend Liz Richardson is his press secretary - a job she was made for as her passion for U.S politics and the Democrats was certainly not lost on me while I worked with her in the UK.

Politics is getting more interesting in the U.S with the race for the Republican and Democrat nominations for President hotting up.  It would be fun to see Rudy Giuliani (Republican) take on Hilary Clinton (Democrat) simply because of the reaction both candidates evoke amongst the public. 

Giuliani is respected by many for the statesman like stance he took when Al Qaeda terrorists attacked the twin towers in 2001.  He was at the time mayor of New York.  He transformed a city ridden with crime into one of safest large cities in world.  He is a formidable candidate and is popular with the public.  However, he has his drawbacks.  Critics point to a colourful private life (this matters much more in the U.S than in the UK) and his liberal stance on social issues which will not play well in the socially conservative southern U.S states.

Hilary Clinton is a polarising figure.  She evokes big positive reactions from many, but also considerable negative reactions from a sizeable proportion.  You either love her or hate her.  She will motivate many on the 'left' to go out and vote but also might motivate those opposed to her.  She has raised more money and has poll leads over the other candidates.

This of course is not a two horse race: John Edwards and Barack Obama are strong Democrat candidates and John McCain will prove to be competition for Giuliani in the Republican nomination contest.

Politics next year will be dominated by the U.S Presidential election.  I am looking forward to it. 

Firework Displays

It is 402 years since Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament - this audacious plan was folied, and as tradition dictates there will be bonfires and fireworks across the country to celebrate.

There will be two big fireworks displays this weekend in our borough - one in Hammersmith and one in Fulham.

This year - the displays take place this evening (Friday 2nd October) at Bishops Park, Fulham - and on Saturday 3rd October at Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith.  Gates open at 6.30pm with both events climaxing at 8pm with a fantastic fireworks display.  There will also be a bonfire at Ravenscourt Park.

These events are always a great night out and attract plenty of families and residents looking for a good time.  At both displays there will be food and drink stalls, plus a funfair.  It is prohibited for you to being your own fireworks, sparklers or alcohol.

The postive benefit of a council organised fireworks display is that things stay SAFE!  Annually there are up 400 injuries relating to fireworks.  Watching an organised firework display is the safest way to enjoy the November celebrations.