Update From Councillor Guy Lambert

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Market Square Parking, planning and TTIP

Another quiet week – it must be the holiday season. I’ve been trying to progress a variety of local issues of great import to those personally involved but of little interest to the wider world, from the inevitable flytipping/street cleaning through various planning and licensing concerns to the great conundrum of why it takes 27 minutes to lift the pavement near Kew Bridge and what seems like 27 years to put it down again. And I won’t mention IT, I promise.

One of the things that’s been exercising me is people parking on the square in front of the old magistrate’s court. Whilst we can get into grumbling about the lack of bollards and enforcement and engage in the usual sport of blaming the council, I can’t understand why people who are (as I understand it) about to open a retail business to serve the people of Brentford, think it’s OK to park vans, cars etc on what is clearly a public square when there’s a public car park about 30 metres away. How to make friends with the local community and influence people. Please desist!

On Saturday I turned out in Brentford Market to help man a stall organised by 38 Degrees (https://home.38degrees.org.uk) informing people about the TTIP treaty which is currently under negotiation between the USA and the EU. I have formed the view, as have many in the Labour Party and Green Party, that this treaty will operate against the interests of ordinary people and small business so we’re trying to raise awareness so we can apply pressure to reject or at least heavily modify the proposals. Particularly worrying is the powers the treaty will give to corporations to sue the government in a secret court if the government adopts a policy which will reduce their profits (for example, increasing the minimum wage). That’s anyway how I read it, though others say ‘calm down, dear’ – readers will no doubt make their own minds up.

There are a few big issues coming up, notably planning committee for the new housing proposed for Griffin Park, which is considered on 3 September. Also I’m hoping to get an update soon on the South of Brentford High Street development scheme, progress on which is invisible to the naked eye. I was very pleased to get a letter today from the developers Barrymore, assuring me that work continues and that they have a meeting with council officers this very day Thursday 27th, so with a bit of luck something will emerge shortly.

Next week I’m meeting with my fellow ward councillors to thrash out issues and priorities. Meanwhile don’t forget our surgeries are on 5th September, 9.30 to 10.30 at the Mission Hall or 10.45 to 12 at Clayponds Community Centre. We love to meet you and hear what’s going on!

Guy Lambert

August 31, 2015