Election Candidates Invited to Speed Dating Event
Local councillor Sam Hearn writes a blog about his week
Friday 2nd March: Bridget Osborne of Chiswick Calendar has asked if Chiswick’s local council candidates would join in an innovative meet the candidates “speed-dating” event at St Peter’s Church in Acton on the 29 April. Most candidates welcome the idea. It is on the route of the E3 so not too difficult to get to. I really cannot remember a campaign when we have adopted so many innovative ideas. Some like WhatsApp are just an expansion of what we did in the General Election Campaign whilst others are genuinely new.
Saturday 3rd March: Canvassing continues. No excuses now the snow is gone. Glad to see that Labour are no longer suggesting that our proposed budget amendments that would have generated a zero-rate increase in Council Tax are somehow illegal.
Most residents’ seem unaware that several of our neighbouring councils have been able to deliver zero rate increases in council tax – but not Hounslow. The Labour script says that a 4% increase is needed because of Government austerity measures. In reality, at least half of this year’s increase by Hounslow is due to an increase in the already generous council tax support given to certain residents. This looks much more like a calculated political decision by Labour than an unavoidable necessity.
Sunday 4th March: My first visit to the Hindu Temple at Neville Close Hounslow to join in the celebrations for the start of Holi – the Festival of Colours. Everyone is extremely welcoming. Bob Blackman Conservative MP for Harrow East is the guest of honour and I follow his lead.
I see from a Labour leaflet that they are now promising to spend money on repairing potholes as we asked in our budget amendment. Strangely there is no provision for this in the budget actually approved at the last Borough Council meeting. Instead there are £650k of additional cuts to street repairs and maintenance. Smoke and mirrors.
Monday 5th March: A Candidates’ Campaign meeting at the George and Devonshire where we catch up on a number of outstanding matters and reflect on issues that we are being asked about on the doorstep. Many people are still unaware that there is a local council election on the 3rd May.
Tuesday 6th March: Hounslow Cabinet Question Time in Chiswick Town Hall. Not a large turn out but some good questions for the Panel made up Cabinet Lead Members. Independent Chair Andy Murray (no not that one) struggles manfully to make residents “stick the point and just ask questions not make speeches”. This is Chiswick however and Andy struggle valiantly like Canute against a tide of perorations.
Some of the faces and voices are familiar from last week’s London Mayor’s Question Time in the Civic Centre. On the whole the question time is a good-natured affair. Interestingly everyone who mentioned CS9 spoke against the current proposals. Talking to a Labour candidate after the event I remember with a smile that “yes these Question Times are a great idea” and that “they were invented by Cllr Peter Thompson when we last ran the Council”.
Wednesday 7th March: A long anticipated email from the Mayor seeking my agreement to the cancellation of the final Borough Council meeting of this Administration. A mere formality but somehow very poignant. A brunch campaign meeting at the Brentford and Isleworth Association Offices on Chiswick High Road is punctuated by a steady flow of candidates and helpers collecting literature and seeking advice. In the evening out on the streets again canvassing in Chiswick Riverside Ward.
Thursday 8th March: A busy day catching up on emails and casework. I begin looking at the papers for next week’s Governors’ meeting for Strand on the Green Junior School. It is amazing the amount of paperwork that these meetings can generate.
In the evening To the Royal Oak in Isleworth for a fundraising event with MP Tobias Ellwood Minister of Defence as guest of honour. He is introduced by Mary Macleod who has known him since he was starting out in his career a Parish Councillor. It is a sell-out event. Bernadette Mitra a candidate in Hounslow South has worked hard to get every detail right for this celebration of International Women’s Day. It is a great atmosphere with a huge mix of people of all ages.
Cllr Sam Hearn
March 12, 2018
