VAR Decides My Suspension Not a Clear and Obvious Error

A busy day on Saturday though. To start up with I went to Boston Manor because they had an event there. The weather was abysmal and most sensible people stayed home so the audience for these musicians was very thin (not me). There were about 3 of us and a dog, plus the two enthusiastic and charming resident park officers Vanessa and Natasha doing the watching. They put out some pictures later that showed a bunch of people dancing . It’s very hard not to leave in a better mood after talking to those two! Even better, there was a sort of tombola and it was quite difficult to avoid winning a prize.

I chose a rather sumptuous looking cookbook. I do like to cook sometimes and my repertoire is rather limited so this was an interesting experiment. When I got it home and opened it I learnt it was Palestinian and as well as not knowing the dishes I had never heard of many of the ingredients. Still, I need a bit of adventure in my life and despite the title it has nothing to do with fasting. Or even Fastin.

Then my trusty velocipede was aimed at the vacuum cleaner stadium. The occasion was that there was a team of our FoodBox volunteers wagging buckets around encouraging lovely Brentonians and the odd generous Geordie to fill them with doubloons or, better still, real money. The day was still horrible so again I salute those volunteers.

There they are. I forgot to take a pic so I pinched one of theirs.

Then I was out in the evening, up in Ealing. I had enjoyed the improvised music I decided to go to a proper event. Well, I don’t know it was proper, but rather to my surprise (again) I found it very inspiring.

There were 5 blokes there of a certain age (they may have been middle aged and middle class but I didn’t ask) with fairly normal instruments playing them in the normal manner. I love it when people are clearly fascinated and committed, and these guys were. Obsessed, perhaps.

On Sunday it was our collective surgery in the Digital Dock. I have been advocating that we change it to one hour rather than 2, because we get very few residents coming. On this occasion there was only one, and she was from Syon and Brentford Lock ward so I spent most of the time gossiping with Marina Sharma. Rhys is away at the moment in Australia – the penalty for having an Australian wife and having to miss this balmy weather – and Emma had some other things on and gave apologies. Also didn’t see Balraj .

Monday was a free day for me but I was getting ready for my Appeal hearing in the evening. I put together my ‘defence’ and called a witness who sat with me and gave some supporting evidence and a friend (an official job in this appeal!) on the end of a Zoom call. I probably should not say much more because it is against the rules of the Labour Party apparently to talk about this, but it was conducted very fairly and professionally run.

I did not get an immediate feedback so like me I am going to make you wait (if you care!) One of the pleasant things of all this has been the people who have written, rang me, or accosted me in the street saying nice things. They said I care. They are right, I do.

On Tuesday I attended a presentation by the GSK building owners Hadley.

My pictures are rubbish and there is nothing really on their website to help but the ideas are very promising if they conclude to develop in the way I tell them. Hopefully they will have the nous to follow my instructions.

Still early days and they are working out what they will do with the site, I had a chat with one of the guys there and tried to get over how good it would be for the vibrancy of their development if part of it was reserved for artists and artisans, for ever the fabric of Brentford, and really under threat now because of a lack of suitable premises. Must have a go at them more formally. I think it’s important and a real opportunity for Brentford and its local businesses. Am looking for another engagement with the developer.

After that I was off to Hounslow House for the official Councillor photo and the Mayor’s Reception. Herding councillors is difficult, but of course many are very eager to get their picture taken. All of us are such beautiful young creatures, of course, and should be seen.

All parties this week so on Wednesday it was The Griffin for a Brentford Voice Quiz (etc) on behalf of my favourite local food charity. I didn’t need to spell it out I think. A perfect team of 3 up against the massive phalanxes (or are they Phalanxi?) of some of the rivals. We should win the special disability prize because one of us (Melvinator) is blind and one of us (me) is deaf. Mel was no use in the picture questions and I was no use in any of them. Nevertheless, we (the Very Old Crocks) were an impressive second. From the bottom.

OK, by then I had the result of my appeal. To my astonishment (not really) the VAR ruled that my goals were offside and the Yellow card should remain. Well, I suppose it’s more of a red card as I am banned until January 22nd and I will not be allowed to play in the Labour team during that period. I am not even allowed to enter the Labour group room and due to a cockup with the programming of the OD card I can’t even enter the generic councillor area without begging at the door. The transfer window runs from 1st January until 3rd February and somebody may want to lure me, but I refuse to go to Saudi Arabia no matter how much they will pay me. I am a specialist in own goals, it seems.

More seriously, my remarks here, which criticised no individual councillor or officer but simply urged for matters to be progressed more speedily for everyone’s benefit – residents, businesses, council coffers – but these were found to have breached the rules. Rules are not my strong point but I do work hard and do my very best for my ward.

Today, looking to progress all that, I had a meeting with our local rowing people Paul and Miranda Keane; Tom Bruce, the lead member for regeneration; Ward councillors Katherine Dunne and Dan Bowring; and lead member for housing and a formidable crusader, Sue Sampson. There is not a simple answer (unless someone has couple of spare millions) but neither is this matter impossible. Today put all the cards we can find on the table and with the positive sprit of enterprise and enthusiasm which this important matter deserves I’m sure we can find a way.

In the evening, another book launch. Getting blasé about these. No musicians this time but a large collection of the great and good from these parts, plus me. James Marshall, who has been recording the Great West Road since Julius Caesar disputed it with Boudicca (how very modern of me not to say Boadicea) is the author. Well worth a small investment for anyone who is a GWR fan.

It is of course now enhanced by the “sweet little flyover” opened by Jayne Mansfield in 1959 but was originally opened by Mr King George V and his lady Mrs Queen in 1925. Apparently they were received by the Duke of Bedford. Or was that a misprint? Bedford is nowhere near there and they probably meant Duke of Brentford, especially as there is no evidence of lions or giraffes being present.

As I left I saw a couple of worrying volumes. The top one should obviously have been sent to the recycling like so many of the others of that nature. But the second one has been signed by someone anonymous, apparently. Alastair Campbell? Bryan Mbeumo? The ghost of Thomas Layton?

Councillor Guy Lambert

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