No to Free Parking in the Free Church Car Park

Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert reports back

Cllr Guy Lambert

April 5, 2024

Now we’re into the election campaign. Since Lara left the Labour party last year I have been rather neglecting my normal practice of regularly knocking doors to talk to residents – they have kept me busy by contacting me – it was a pleasure to start talking to people on their doorsteps.

Before we got to that, I had a meeting over coffee in Daniel’s (the artist previously known as Verdict) with a resident about problems in her road. Then I was at the Free Church where a couple of cars have decided their private car park is more convenient and cheaper than parking on the street or in a formal car park. It is very difficult for community places like the church to stop people stopping this (it is very difficult for the council, as well, on our own properties) so they have been living with this scourge for many months. I remembered my first day as a clueless 17 year old, working for the Ford Motor Company, where I tried to park in the car park. There were no empty places, so I chose an unmarked place on the end of a row. When I returned at the end of my first day, there was a large piece of plastic fixed to my windscreen saying ‘Don’t park here’. I spent a long time trying to scrape this off using keys and other inappropriate tools, but they had a very effective adhesive and I never tried that scheme again. Not sure what the church can do. I suppose they could employ an enforcement company but that will be a large cost for a church.

Perhaps I shouldn’t put up a picture of these cars (so I didn’t) but if you sidle past the Free Church, there they are, in the pole position and next to it, both BMWs (perhaps that’s inevitable). There was excitement whilst I was there because a fire engine and several no doubt hunky firemen were attending. A bit exciting, I was expecting a fire, but it was a man who had got trapped within the school site (don’t ask). His head was not caught in the railings (shame) but he was not the most agile person on the planet and I had to look away as the firemen helped him to climb the wall, as I thought he might not make it in one piece, he did.

Then I was up to Whitestile, Enfield and Eastbourne Roads. Because it’s a by-election there are a lot of people from other wards who are keen to support Emma and I and we cover a large area in a short time. Speedy, but I only talk to perhaps one in 20 of the houses in each road which is a bit disappointing.

On Saturday, we’re out again with an enormous body of canvassers including Sadiq Khan himself, Marcela our South West London GLA candidate, the two Hounslow MPs, a lot of councillors and Labour supporters including Emma’s dad – 94 but looking very fit!

We split into a number of teams and I did Braemar, Hamilton and around there with Ruth, Sadiq, Emma, Marcela and a number of others. We kept coming across Theo Dennison leaflets, some of them in the gutter, rather appropriately.

On the way back I discovered (again) a regular visitor to Brentford, and one which I regularly report to the people from Lime Bikes.

In Lateward on this occasion and very distinctive because some genius has torn off the basket from the front.

On Sunday morning I had a meeting with various luminaries from Brentford Voice and a leader of a local community business. We were talking over plans we are cooking up for the Watermans centre and developing a plan to move from theory to a concrete plan. We are hoping to be in a position to ensure we have a ‘meantime’ use of the centre.

Unfortunately the future of the centre has become a political football being vigorously kicked by various people who are really focused on opposing the council (and in some cases to get elected!) and looking for the centre to be returned to the status it had before all this. There is no chance of this happening unless there is a fairy godmother lurking somewhere. By the way, the rumours that the council are planning to merge it with something else are simply untrue. Equally, that the council is trying to make millions out of it. Well, in a way, we want the development to fund the cost of building a new centre. That has always been a condition of the planning permission and has been specifically endorsed by the inspector appointed by the Secretary of State, who largely approved the plan specifically because it funded a new Arts Centre.

Enough already. Monday was a Bank Holiday and I took it as my day when I try not to do much, once a week. On Tuesday I went again to give a hand at the FoodBox, where I am becoming a dedicated (but not very competent) shelf stacker. In the afternoon I had a Lampton Group Audit and Risk Committee. In a previous life I was a (not very star) accountant and these meetings remind me why I changed profession.

On Wednesday we did some door knocking in Boston Manor Road, and later in Orchard Road. Some people are still unhappy by the closure of Swyncombe Avenue going Eastbound. It was a decision we made with a lot of data, but we knew it would be controversial so it’s not surprising people still complain about it. Others are delighted by the change. What was that quotation about you can please some people all of the time and all people some of the time, but I certainly agree you can’t please all the people all of the time.

I had to cut off before we finished because I had agreed to go to the former Methodist Church in Clifden Road. I have recently discovered it is not going to be redevelopment as accommodation but will be converted to a Baptist Church which I’m told is currently at Westfield. I talked to a man who was busy tearing old carpets off the floor and it seems they have plans to improve it. Unfortunately, the man there did not have all the data and he didn’t speak perfect English. I spied some plans but he was unwilling to share them with me – not I think there’s anything sinister but I think he’s rather a lowly person in the organisation. I asked him for a contact with someone with more authority and he said he would get them to contact me – haven’t yet. Reminds me I need to talk with planning and see if there are any concerns (there is nervousness amongst some of the neighbours, who were not very happy with the previous church). They clearly have been busy.

Today, Thursday, I had to stay home in the morning because a man was coming to fit a new entryphone in my flat to replace the one which was fitted when it was built 20 odd years ago. To be honest, the old one looked more to have come from the era of Alexander Graham Bell rather than Steve Jobs. The new one is well sleek. Whether it works, time will tell.

Then I was off to Hounslow for a meeting with the Leader and some other worthies about the (short term) future of Watermans. Was a constructive discussion but there is still work to be done to see if we have a viable answer.

I also had 3 Teams meeting today, but as it turned out only 1 took place. This was about the integration of Health and Social Services and this is beginning to get interesting because we have a clear understanding of what we want but many other players who may have different ideas. My other two meetings got cancelled – one caught in a train strike, one victim of the pesky Easter holidays.

I’ll be extra busy in the next few weeks up to the election, but I do find time for my blog. This is my 425 th. If all goes to plan I’ll get to 500 some time next year and I will expect a medal. Well, a beer will do it.

Councillor Guy Lambert