Weekly Update From Councillor Guy Lambert

Failing to persuade the cabinet that donkeys make better pets than cats

Setting up for the return of Brentford market

The Lampton board meeting did indeed take place and we welcomed two new non-exec directors, one of whom is the chair of Coalo, so I know him quite well already. We also saw for the first time (other than his interview) the new head of GreenSpace360. It’s great that we have managed to strengthen the management there, with the well-respected previous manager, who has encyclopaedic knowledge of all the parks in Hounslow still there in the background and turning his talents to developing new business for the company.

I actually then missed another Lampton meeting, which was in my diary but not in my brain, so I had to apologise abjectly. They didn’t say it (too polite) but I don’t think my absence caused too much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Actually, this is more often the result of my presence than my absence.

My only engagement on Friday was an ‘induction meeting’ via good old Microsoft Teams with the new Lampton Director I hadn’t previously met. She has quite a varied history, though nearly all in the North West, having been chief exec of a District Council in Cumbria and Deputy CEO in Wigan (if my aged brain remembers correctly) together with various more wide-ranging roles. Her original background was in regeneration, which might come in handy in these times when everything is in danger of degenerating, courtesy of Uncle COVID.

The rest of Friday and the weekend (other than leisure time with newly-sprightly Pegasus) is emails about bins, fences, asbestos, bins, HMOs, changes to streets to accommodate more walking and cycling, bins, litter, planning matters. Oh, and bins.

Ah, asbestos. An emotive matter. I visit an elderly couple in Boston Manor Road who have an asbestos roof on their garage. I have already written to them to the effect that people from the council have inspected it and say it is safe, but he’s not convinced so invites me to take a shufti.

It looks OK to me but this is one of the few things in life upon which I cannot claim to be an internationally-acclaimed expert. He tells me an inspector from the council told him it would be removed for free. When pressed, he thinks that advice was given in about 1982. I have arranged another inspection, but it was probably about 1982 when we had the early asbestos panic. Shortly afterwards I was in charge of about 40 office and industrial buildings around the UK and Ireland, practically every one containing asbestos somewhere. When the panic died down, we were told it’s OK if it’s not decaying or disturbed and I’ve no doubt most of it is still there

Sunday marks a much loved Brentford institution returning to the Market Square. It looks like Winston is belting out one of the old numbers with two female backing singers, but actually that’s a spanner in his hand and a bike stand – not a microphone and microphone stand (see picture at top of article).

Monday is free of meetings during the day then I have three in quick succession rat-a-tat-tat late afternoon into the evening.

First we have a ‘rehearsal’ for tomorrow’s cabinet meeting. It’s not really a rehearsal, more testing the technology and the processes which are not easy in a virtual meeting. The only debate we have is about whether dogs or cats make better pets. I vote, as is my wont, for donkeys, but cats carry the day.

Next is the Watermans (or technically Hounslow Arts Trust) board meeting. These are impossibly challenging times for an organisation like Watermans, which relies largely on box office receipts for income, a source which has completely dried up. With social distancing as it is it would be completely unviable to put on theatre productions and cinema not much better. They are working to improve their online presence and it’s always worth checking the website .

Meanwhile they are working on from home, with many staff furloughed. They have had some support from the Arts Council, LBH and others and are waiting on various grants. I have recently joined the Friends Group to show support and get some privileges: if you value Watermans, why not join us?

Like Gunnersbury Park, who have also launched an appeal for funds, they are teetering on the brink financially and need all the help they can get from local people who care and have a few pounds they can spare.

I then arrive late (but they had been warned) for a meeting online with Brentford Voice, meeting the 6 Brentford and Syon councillors for a discussion of a long list of local issues. From the section I was present at it was a very constructive discussion and I hope the Voicers agree. I’m not sure we came to any definitive conclusions – it was more information sharing – but my takeaway is we will all be working hard to take advantage of the way the community has come together during the COVID crisis.

Musing, as you do during Coronavirus and when asbestos is in the air (I hope not literally), I mused about my original arrival in Brentford to work in that no doubt asbestos-filled 1960s building that is now known as Great West House and was then Honeywell House. It’s on the Great West Road near the station. I knew nothing much about computers (who did, in the 1970s?) so someone introduced me to the Honeywell Kitchen Computer. This would transform your life for a mere $10,600.

This would transform your life for a mere $10,600.

A few years later Honeywell got out of the computer business. I wonder why?

Tuesday was cabinet in the evening. Pretty stressful for the leader, who had to introduce every section and continually go round us chumps asking for comments and votes. Most unfortunately Microsoft Teams only supports 9 cameras and there are 10 cabinet members so I made the ultimate sacrifice and turned mine off except when I was speaking. Any suggestions that I was enjoying a few pints and a pie and chips whilst the camera was off are completely untrue. I introduced the fourth quarter performance reports for the Lampton and Coalo companies but whilst I was in full Shakespearean flow talking about revisions to the governance arrangements, Teams decided that my eloquence was too hard to bear and cut me off, letting me back in just as the discussions finished. I managed to get in a brief thank you to Colin Gallaugher who has been the chief exec of Coalo and done a great job. Some unscrupulous character has tempted him away with a job much nearer home.

The main thing on the agenda was Coronavirus, its impact on the council and the borough, the financial implications (looks at present like a £13M black hole) for the council and what we have been doing to cope with the crisis and what we will do (have already started) to aid recovery. Whatever happens, we must not lose sight of the fact that COVID is far from conquered and that the recovery will be protracted and very tough, with Hounslow one of the worst hit places. Masochists may wish to see us in Glorious Technicolor here.

Thursday morning I get a call from someone fixing the windows in my daughters flat. She’s at work feeding – perhaps warping, in the family tradition - the minds of young children and I wasn’t aware of the date, but Pegasus is saddled and I’m there in 15 minutes. I have to leave Les the window man to his task as I have a date with TfL to review the dangers for cyclists at the current temporary arrangements at Kew Bridge junction. He rings me later to say ‘all done’ – good man from Coalo, all very efficient and pleasant.

So then it’s TfL and a bunch of unsavoury people on bicycles negotiating the Kew Bridge junction from a variety of angles, fortunately with no deaths or serious injuries recorded.

I’ve been reminded to mention that this week is Carers Week, and to mention Stephanie and George. I’m adding the whole story I received because I certainly can’t improve upon it, and it’s so important we remember carers, especially at this time. They make such a huge difference to our world, often at great personal sacrifice:

Carer's Week will be just the same as any other week in the year for Stephanie.  That's because she will be caring for her 31-year-old son George who suffers from a form of autism and dyspraxia. 

Dyspraxia is an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement and is associated with problems of perception, language and thought. In particular, George finds it very difficult to organise activities but he can complete tasks if they are broken down into smaller components.

Stephanie says: "We are very lucky compared to some caring parents in that we have managed to find George his own self-contained flat in the same block as ours, but that doesn't mean he can look after himself entirely.  Yes, he can be on his own, go to bed and get dressed in the morning but we have to make sure he is OK every day, make sure that he eats properly and we always have an evening meal together, although his support workers are teaching him to cook."

Although George no longer works, he can still go out on his own and does some volunteering on the river. He buys his own shopping and other essential household goods by using a connect card.  

Says Stephanie: "For someone who is so autistic, he is incredibly independent in that respect. He did once work in a car parts store but he can no longer hold down a job, and sadly has no real friends of his own.  However, he does go to the park and for walks around the neighbourhood.  

"His real passion is for trains though.  He absolutely loves them and because he has a photographic memory, he can recite great chunks of time-tables, knows every type of train, where they should be and on what line.  He has visited every train station in London. We've also taken him on the Eurostar to Paris which was a real treat for him." 

"I have attended the Mental Health Wellbeing Meeting as a Carer’s Representative and was able to bring forward concerns about how COVID 19 has affected those with autism. It is particularly hard for them to adjust to the necessary changes in their daily routines such as when certain foodstuffs not always being available in the shops they are unable to make alternative choices. I also mentioned how brilliantly supportive the officers from our Social Services team have been by regularly calling us to check on our wellbeing in these difficult times." 

Stephanie also attends a monthly Carers' Group for Learning Difficulties run by Hestia, which is particularly supportive for carers of adults with learning disabilities. She said: “There are many carers out there who do not realise they are caring for someone; help is out there, you are not alone, so I really hope we can draw attention to this during Carer's Week.” 

The carers team in Hounslow can assist with general queries, information on support available in the borough and any news on carers meetings and events.  

Anyone interested in doing so should contact carers@hounslow.gov.uk or call: 020 8583 4531

Time to take Pegasus for a proper walkies before a couple of FoodBox meetings later in the afternoon. Looks like it’s stopped raining so I may avoid getting drenched like I did this morning.

Cllr Guy Lambert

June 12, 2020