The Sobering Reality of Green Representation

Chiswick Homefields councillor Mike Denniss reports back

Conservative group members and local residents turn out to support the City Barge

July 4, 2026

I like a pint like the next man, unless the next man is a councillor from the Labour administration or the local Green Party, whose previously obscure representative from Chiswick Riverside ward has become a household name overnight.

When Hounslow returned 62 councillors in the elections of May 7th I not only celebrated the success of the Conservative Group’s thumping gain of seven councillors and the shortening of Labour’s majority from twenty to just two councillors, but was also intrigued by the emergence of other parties in the council. In my post election inebriation I had hoped that these new opposition parties would bring fresh perspectives and maybe even add value to their wards whilst putting residents first.

The sobering reality hit earlier this week when the Green Party councillor sent an email to council officers to review the licences of the three riverside pubs along Stand on the Green, the popular venue for after work drinks and an important social hub.

Hounslow Council obliged, and ordered the pubs to remove street furniture by Monday. As a result you may have seen benches piled on each other, not only denying the pub important revenue but also not allowing residents the opportunity to sit down and enjoy a much loved position along the river.

Parties of the people? Hardly. This Wednesday most of the Conservative councillors and other residents met at the City Barge to offer support and business. One of our number, Cllr Giles, who has been tirelessly defending local businesses since her election back in 2018, has also taken the issue up with the council on the pubs’ behalf. This episode demonstrates the value of experienced and dedicated councillors over those who prioritise ideology over the things that residents care about. I shall monitor the situation and continue to champion businesses and locals in the face of such difficulties.

I don’t spend all my time as a councillor in pubs of course. Last month I reprised my role on the council’s Planning Committee, the body made up of councillors which makes decisions on applications that concern buildings. The proportion of parties represented in the council is also reflected in this committee and as such the Conservatives now have four representatives here. In assessing applications we apply the National Planning Policy Framework, the London Plan and the council’s own guidelines.

We scrutinised and voted through plans for alterations to a house in Osterley and Spring Grove, and for a rear extension to a house in Chiswick. The third case was an application to build a block of 66 flats on the site of a former RSPCA centre in Heston West. Overall it was a sound proposition, as it addressed the need for more housing, was visually appealing and incorporated a generous percentage of units which could be used by families. The proposal was appropriately challenged by its failure to include any affordable housing. While the London Plan’s threshold for such development requires a minimum of 40% affordable housing, Hounslow council has approved similar developments out of fear of losing the scheme entirely due to a perceived fall in the developer’s profit. This is an area where Hounslow could do better for residents, and I would like to see greater resilience in the council’s negotiations with developers.

I have joined the Trust for the Thomas Layton Collection and will attend my first meeting later this month. Thomas Layton was a former councillor for Hounslow for over 45 years who amassed an enormous collection of antiques from around the world including coins, maps and books. Upon his death he gave his entire collection to the people of Brentford and the Trust has been preserving and displaying the collection ever since. Some of the items are available to see at the Museum of London. I’m not sure how many people knew all this - amongst my friends who live locally, very few had heard of Mr Layton’s generous legacy.

As a trustee I will promote local awareness of the collection and opportunities to see the items, particularly in schools.

I will also sit on the council’s Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE). This is the body that both advises local schools on religious education and also promotes good practice in the teaching of religious studies and encourages good relations between religious communities in the borough.

One of the reasons I became a councillor in the first place was because of the experience of a Sikh pupil at my school who was bullied because in the eyes of a disturbing minority of other boys in the year he did not “fit in”. I’m therefore keen to promote inclusion and curiosity of other religions amongst school children particularly at a time when there has been a sad rise in hatred and division in national politics. I’ll report on my experience of the Thomas Layton Collection and SACRE in my next blog.

Cllr Michael Denniss  

Michael.Denniss@hounslow.gov.uk

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