First Rule of Councillor Club - Read the Constitution

Chiswick Homefields councillor Linden Grigg reports back

Cllr Linden Grigg

June 12, 2026

A good blog should be like the most useful meetings: short, purposeful, and not too self-indulgent.

With that in mind, it has probably been too long since the Local Elections to dwell at all on how grateful I am for the many votes I received. Once elected, Councillors are under a very clear duty of service towards their constituents, and I imagine readers would rather hear about how I’m delivering for them. Tangible results, above all, are the most important thing.

Articles, standing orders, and agendas

One of my first tasks has been to read the Council Constitution. It’s recommended that all new Councillors read the document, which sets out the purpose of the Council, as well as its many rules, roles, and procedures (known as standing orders). Without that knowledge, it’s quite difficult to get anything done.

Sarah Wood, a Reform UK councillor in Kirklees, recently provided a very helpful example of why it was worth me doing the homework. Put forward as Leader, she stood up to publicly admit she did not know what she was doing. “We do not necessarily know what we are voting for,” she complained. Cue national embarrassment.

At Hounslow Council’s AGM there were no such errors. I made a case for my brilliant ward colleague Jack Emsley to lead the Council with my maiden speech, and voted, separately, for my fellow Homefields Councillor Mike Denniss to be Mayor.

We didn’t win those votes after a couple of very tasty paid jobs were held under the noses of the two new Green Councillors, but with the Labour majority of one looking even less certain than Keir Starmer’s “decade in Downing Street”, real change could be on its way to Hounslow within the next four years.

Bedding in

Tucked away in the Constitution is a job description for Councillors. I’m glad to say I’m already fulfilling many of the “key roles and functions”, especially the duty to deal with individual casework.

I’ve been searching for casework everywhere. Two weeks ago I attended the Chiswick Homefields police ward panel where we discussed community safety. I’ve pushed the Council to clarify the timings of an expected campaign on pavement cycling.

Last week I met the company behind the redevelopment of Mulliner House to discuss the exciting plans for a Family Club to replace the current empty eyesore. I also got to the Bedford Park Society AGM with Cllr Denniss where I was concerned to hear about the rise in planning applications for alterations that are not sympathetic to the local design code. Luckily, maintaining the character of the world’s first garden suburb is popular, as we also heard about increases to BPS’s membership. I only expect this to grow throughout the current Green Days and Festival.

Cllr Emsley and I met Staveley Gardens residents to discuss the dangerous A316 - Riverside Drive junction and propose some solutions to lower the chance of crashes. With a greater volume of traffic using the A316 the junction could do with some alterations.

On Saturday I spent a few hours with the Abundance London team building habitats for insects and pollinators at their Devonshire Road garden, one of the many sites they have transformed with the help of volunteers into something for residents and wildlife to enjoy.. The beauty of Abundance is that Volunteers are integral to Abundance’s success, and I am testament to claims that no prior gardening experience is necessary to get involved! You can register interest at abundancelondon.com/volunteers.

What comes next?

Casework might be one thing, and is the area where Councillors make the most immediate and personal impact, but we are also expected to bring the views of our communities into Council decision making, and act as “ultimate policy makers”.

At the Council AGM I was appointed to the Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel, responsible for scrutinising any aspects of policy related to housing and the local environment and economy. Councils are under huge spending and cost pressures, but there are always areas where improvements can be made, and residents do deserve better services. I see my role on the Scrutiny Panel as part of a wider quest to raise standards across Hounslow Council.

I also have local priorities which will take time to deliver. Whether it is upgrades to Turnham Green station, better enforcement policies for dockless e-bikes, or simplifying South Chiswick Liveable Neighbourhood, I will try and communicate developments as best I can.

A development that I can communicate now is that the Chiswick Homefields councillors are changing the way we do surgeries. To make sure that we are reaching residents where they are, we are holding two surgeries a month, on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, and alternating between Grove Park and Bedford Park. These will be advertised clearly in due course when exact locations have been confirmed.

Please continue to send me emails to linden.grigg@hounslow.gov.uk. I’m looking forward to the next four years of service.

Cllr Linden Grigg  

Linden.Grigg@hounslow.gov.uk  

07779 436258

DEMOCRACY: DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Anyone can attend public meetings of the council. Hounslow House is fully accessible. Hounslow Central tube station is not step-free. The 237 bus stops nearby. Parking in local roads is limited.

Principal meetings are broadcast live on the Council’s YouTube channel

Planning Committee : 11 July at 7pm

Planning Committee : 25 July at 7pm

Overview and Scrutiny Committee : 2 July at 7pm

Planning Committee : 9 July at 7pm

Cabinet : 14 July

Borough Council : 21 July at 7.30pm

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES

Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).

Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery). 

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS CONTACT INFO

Chiswick Gunnersbury ward

Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk  07976 703446

Cllr Vickram Grewal  vickram.grewal@hounslow.gov.uk   07904 184099

Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk  07976 702887

Chiswick Homefields ward

Cllr Michael Denniss  Michael.Denniss@hounslow.gov.uk

Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk  07977 396017

Cllr Linden Grigg  Linden.Grigg@hounslow.gov.uk   07779 436258

Chiswick Riverside ward

Cllr Gabriella Giles  gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk  07966 270823