28 June 2009

Another Tory con

Residents of Lakeside and Netherwood Roads in Addison ward are fed up with Tory H&F council's new parking restrictions.

Residents' only parking on Saturday and Sunday was introduced earlier this year after concerns about the overspill from the Westfield shopping centre.

But now Westfield has introduced free parking, local residents have been left with restricted parking at weekends, when their friends and family want to visit them. Visitors have to fork out huge amounts to H&F council just to come and see people living in these streets.

27 June 2009

Selling off the community silver

A former community centre building has been sold off by Tory H&F Council for almost three quarters of a million pounds. The property, at 59 Godolphin Road and formerly home to The Hut Association, was sold by auction this week for £735,000.

The Hut Association is a registered charity providing social, educational and recreational facilities and services to the local community - activities such as parent and toddler groups, parent support groups, Saturday schools, senior citizens' social and lunch club, outings, family day trips, fun days and festivals.

Two years ago, community groups campaigned to save The Hut and other borough resources such as the South Lodge of Margravine Cemetery in Hammersmith, the Castle Club in Broomhouse Lane, Fulham and Wormholt Community Centre, all of which were slated to be sold off by the council as part of cost-cutting measures.

However, The Hut closed down last year and the building has been boarded up for several months. The Tory council has already reduced its workforce by 18% and sold off several buildings.

24 June 2009

Tories abuse power (again)

He wasn't on the agenda for the AGM of the Cathnor Park Area Action Group on Monday this week, but at the start of the meeting up stood Tory H&F council leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh. He proceeded to speak for some 20 minutes on issues like the so-called 'super sewer' and the third runway which also were not on the agenda.

The local ward councillors were only notified of the meeting on Monday afternoon. And they have not been consulted by the council about proposed developments to Cathnor Park which were announced at the meeting.

Perhaps it's not surprising therefore that the secretary of the Cathnor Park Area Action Group will be a local Tory candidate in next year's council elections. Will she now stand down from this residents' group?

Another victory for Avonmore residents

The controversial West Kensington nightclub, The Crescent, – where a man was stabbed to death outside its entrance last week – has been refused a longer license.

Local residents are angry that The Crescent – which was initially intended to be a lap dancing club – has been causing a rise in anti-social behaviour and disturbance in the area.

The club had applied to vary its hours so that it could stay open for an extra three hours until 5am from Thursday to Saturday, until 3am on all other weeknights and until 2am on Sundays. Hundreds of local residents objected to the changes.

Residents who spoke at the council hearing this week said that the club had brought drug dealing back to the area, and that it often broke its licensing conditions by allowing customers into the bar after midnight, when there is a no re-admittance policy. Others said customers frequently fought in the street, and vomited and urinated on their doorsteps and in their gardens.

The council’s environmental health department has received 20 complaints since the opening of the club in November last year, relating to noise coming from the club or patrons leaving the premises.

On Tuesday the council's licensing committee turned down the request for longer opening hours. Another victory for local residents in Avonmore.

18 June 2009

Have you been invited?

In celebration of H&F council’s major achievements, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, Tory Leader of the Council, invites you to a reception on 9 July 2009 at (DETAILS BLANKED OUT TO AVOID EMBARRASSMENT!) to thank you for your contribution.

What achievements? What contribution? What a way to spend council taxpayers' money!

15 June 2009

Sign up or else!

H&F council staff have been given until 22 June (yes, next Monday) to accept new terms and conditions of service (see previous hfconwatch reports).

Almost half the Tory council's staff have yet to sign their acceptance and have been warned that the council will serve 'notice of termination' by 30 June to any staff who don't sign by 22 June.

It therefore looks like the council will be sending out redundancy notices to thousands of its staff in the next fortnight.

14 June 2009

Watch Cllr Greenhalgh squirm

http://www.labourhome.org/forum/?p=5863

Watch this video of Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh, the Tory leader of H&F Council, as he squirms under close questioning from local residents about his secret plans to knock down their homes.

Send hfconwatch news about the Tory plans to redevelop estates in H&F: hfconwatch@hotmail.co.uk

Two big men talking

It looks like H&F Tory leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh has made a big impression on the national Conservatives. Such an impression that Tory spokesperson Eric Pickles couldn't even remember his name and calls him Greenhoff in this promotional video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh5JEf-IIN0

11 June 2009

More sports news

Shame about the weather for the polo. Still, anyone that wanted to see dumb beasts charging around a field cheered on by posh people should have been at Stamford Bridge recently to see the Tory councillors' football team.

The Tories were playing a team of council staff, and council leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh was rumoured to have been playing. No doubt H&F News will carry a North Korean style report about how the Glorious Leader vanquished the team made up of the proles and how he displayed his physical superiority by scoring a hat trick in each half.

Strangely there have been no reports of the final score. But what a vision: the Tory leader in football kit...which Chelsea player's gear did he borrow?

08 June 2009

24/7 policing disappears

One of H&F Tories' flagship policies - 24/7 policing - seems to be disappearing by stealth.

Fulham Broadway and Hammersmith Broadway have been trumpeted as benefiting from round the clock police activity.

Now without any fanfare, the policing in these two areas has been reduced to 18/7 with so-called 'enhanced teams' - not quite such a headline grabber.

No wonder Tory leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh was not so enthusiastic about his flagship policy when asked at a recent public meeting why it was not being extended to other parts of the borough.

06 June 2009

Polo alert No.4

It's chukking it down - not very good weather for polo!

02 June 2009

Chelsea glory, Tory blues

Despite the new Tory Mayor of H&F being a Chelsea supporter, there will be no celebrations in the borough for the FA Cup winners. Chelsea fans want the chance to salute their heros on the streets of Fulham but Tory H&F council has failed to make it happen yet again.

01 June 2009

Britain 2009 celebrates - polo alert No.3

Make sure that you get down to Hurlingham Park for the long-awaited polo open day this Sunday (7 June).

Gates open at 11am for what is bound to be a day of fun and excitement for all of the family.

The open day follows on from two days of world class polo action in Hurlingham Park, the ground on which England won the Olympic polo gold medal in 1938.

On the day, revellers will be able to watch polo exhibition matches involving world stars Jack Kidd and Jamie Morrison, and enjoy a variety of family entertainment.

Entrance to the day is free to all and also on the agenda are two jousting displays, climbing walls, lazer clay pigeon shooting, face paining, bouncy castles and a wide selection of food and drink.

The open day event is open to all the community, but to ensure safety across the site, entrance will be granted to advance ticket holders only and available on a first come first served basis.

A number of advance tickets have been distributed through local schools and FREE tickets can be collected in person from borough libraries, or online via Ticketmaster. Residents will also be able to pick up tickets on the day of the event from a special red bus that will be at the park.

Cllr Paul Bristow, cabinet member for residents’ services, said: “I am sure that the polo open day on Sunday June 7 will be a hugely popular event. The council has negotiated hard with the polo organisers to ensure that borough residents get a good deal. We have secured a £200,000 investment in the park and the competition provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for local people to watch a live world-class sporting event on their own doorstep.”

With room for up to 5,000 spectators in the stadium, a five minute walk from Putney Bridge or Parsons Green tube stations, Polo in the Park promises to be one of the highlights of the 2009 summer calendar.

Event Programme (subject to change):
11am Gates Open
12.30am Jousting Display
1.30pm Ladies vs Men Polo Exhibition Match
3pm Equine Exhibition, Display of Skill at Arms
4.15pm Jousting Display
5pm Polo - All Stars vs World Polo Select
5.50pm Presentation
6.15pm Bicycle Polo
7pm Bars Close
7.30pm Park Closes

* Typos and irony courtesy of Tory H&F council