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PCA Newsletter 15 - Jul/Aug 2006 |
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Dirty
and Downright Dangerous |
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Now that the river clean-up team has
been disbanded, the state of the Brent is going
rapidly downhill. Reports are reaching us of dogs
being seriously injured while swimming in the river.
One lost part of a paw after treading on broken
glass, another’s leg was “stabbed right through with
a very sharp stick” which required 20 stitches. The
Village Vet has apparently had three such cases in
the last month alone. The issue of the Brent
was aired at the recent ‘Question Time’ meeting and
prompted concerned responses from the panel who were
left in no doubt about the strength of local
feeling.
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Panellist (and deputy council leader)
Ian Gibb assured the meeting that policy was under
urgent review but as yet the council “hadn’t
identified the resources to restart” the clean-up
programme. Another local councillor, Nigel
Sumner, has taken responsibility for ‘Health and
Community Wellbeing” and has told the PCA that as
soon as the new council and its committees have got
to grips with the budget this issue will get
priority attention. Your committee will do its
utmost to hold the council to that pledge, and if
you see anything that will help the cause please let
us know. Take photos if you can. In the meantime
please warn anyone with dogs and/or children that
the river is in poor condition and not the place to
cool down this summer. |
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The A
Board Team |
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The recent raid on unlicensed street
furniture – those boards, signs, plants and the like
that you get outside the shops – by a council
envirocrime squad has caused uproar among the
traders and has divided local opinion generally.
While some feel that the regulations – which cover
other nuisances such as graffiti and car dumping as
well as street furniture – have been properly
applied to remove an ugly and, for the disabled
particularly, a dangerous hazard, others think that
with the Lane’s wide pavements these things are not
doing any real harm and that the council has better
things to do with its time and our money.
The issue was, inevitably, raised at ‘Question
Time’, John Bird asking the panel about the
“SAS-style raid” and the mood of the meeting seemed
to be in favour of the traders. A petition has been
raised by them and sent to the council. |
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The PCA’s inaugural Question Time meeting on 11th
July was attended by about 100 members and was deemed a great
success by all, from the familiar theme tune that started the
meeting to the drinks and nibbles at the end. Chairman Kieron
Gavan kept a tight rein on things but allowed a wide range of
questions, including the effects of the rapidly expanding
population of Ealing, facilities in the park, controlled
parking, how the increased NHS budget is being spent locally,
crime, and other matters mentioned elsewhere in this issue.
The distinguished panel, pictured above, consisted
of (from the left) borough police commander Colette Paul,
Council Chief Executive Darra Singh, councillor Ian Gibb,
chairman Kieron Gavan, MP Steve Pound and Marion Saunders, chair
of the Ealing Primary Care Trust. As an illustration of the
effect that such events can have on those who provide our public
services, the very next day we received a copy of an email from
Darra Singh to the council officer in charge of graffiti removal
asking for a ‘thorough clean up’ of the area. He continues, “I
was a member of a ‘question time’ style panel last night and I
committed the Council to a grafitti removal blitz on the area”.
You see, it works! |
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The
Secret Garden |
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Our thanks go to member Howard Levy who led a
group of a dozen or so other members and their guests on a trip
to Kew Gardens in late May. A grey and damp Sunday morning was
not the most auspicious start but he and his co-guide Clive
Burrow found much to interest the party. Leading them away from
the beaten track, Howard and Clive showed some hidden gems,
including the Order beds where the group paused to reflect on
plant classification. The tour was supposed to be for two hours,
but half the group opted to continue, with further visits to the
Temperate house, Pagoda, and the Marianne North Gallery. After
six hours the group ended with a ‘drying out’ session in the
pub, reflecting on how much had been seen and learned, and
vowing that the trip should be repeated. Howard would like to
thank those members “who braved the rain and my commentary”.
We’re sure it was an absolute pleasure.
Organiser Howard Levy writes: "Despite a little
confusion about where to meet, a dozen PCA members and their
guests started out on a grey and damp Sunday morning for a
guided tour around Kew led by myself and long-standing Kew
enthusiast Clive Burrow who, although not a PCA member had
agreed to help with the route and shepherding the herd when
necessary.
We started with a little history about Kew Green
and a visit to the newly opened Kew Palace visitors centre. The
Herb garden alongside the Palace drew a great deal of interest
showing us how plants were used in the 17th century to cure both
known and unknown ills.
Rather than sticking to the well worn path to the
main glasshouses we meandered via Cambridge cottage, the new
Alpine house where we marvelled at the miniature examples of
plant perfection before exploring the Rock Gardens where there
was much to see and the Order Beds where we paused to reflect on
how plants are classified.
A wander through the Palm House and a visit to see
the beautiful blooms in the Water Lily House brought to the end
the allocated two hours and about half of the group left to visit
Kew Palace or to head off home. The rest of us paused for
some well-earned refreshment before heading on to the Western
side of the Gardens and the delights of the Temperate House,
Pagoda and Marianne North Gallery.
Despite the intermittent rain we covered a great
deal of ground and towards the end had the privilege to go
behind the scenes to explore the nurseries that are not normally
open to the general public. The group finally left Kew at
4pm, some six hours after we started. As we consumed a swift
drink or two in the Rose and Crown on Kew Green and slowly dried
out we reflected on how much we had seen, how much we had all
learnt and vowed that we would certainly like to repeat the
trip.
I was pleased to be able to introduce even
veterans of Kew to parts of the Gardens that are secret havens
of both beauty and tranquility and give a little more interest
by way of the history that makes the Gardens what they are.
Thank you to all who braved the rain, the distance and my
commentary". |
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An End
to Traffic Chaos? |
Blue Is
The Colour |
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There may be some light at the end of
the tunnel for those who suffer the daily round of
traffic congestion in the Lane. The Council has
secured some money from Transport for London to
carry out local consultation and develop a plan to
alleviate problems. The initial stage will be
informal consultation to agree the terms of a full
public consultation later this year. It’s very early
days at the moment, but the PCA Committee is
negotiating with the council to be on the inside
track during the informal consultation stage. We
will, of course, keep local residents and traders
fully informed as the situation develops. |
Eagle-eyed member Charles Aptaker has
spotted something he suspects may be preparation for
an emergency water standpipe on the north side of
Queens Gardens between Princes Gardens and Mount
Pleasant. Although they could be interpreted as just
the usual sign of forthcoming roadworks, Thames
Water has no record of any work scheduled in the
area. Charles has seen these strange blue markings
in several parts of London. Can anyone shed light on
this? The truth is out there! |
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Hanging Baskets |
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You may remember that two years ago
the PCA placed hanging baskets outside shops along
the Lane. They provided a riot of colour and this
year the PCA has decided to do it again and enter
the ‘Ealing in Bloom’ competition. We were
approached by a local resident, Mike Kalli of
Cotswold Hydroponics, who very kindly agreed to
donate hydroponic hanging baskets. The great
advantage of hydroponics is zero water leakage from
the baskets which only have to be topped up once a
week. |
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The plants grow in a growing medium but the roots
obtain their water and nutrients from a bowl at the base of the
hanging basket. The PCA would like to thank Cotswold
Hydroponics for their generous contribution to our much loved
Lane and also wishes to thank Lucy Rautenbach for managing the
process and for watering the baskets every week. |
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Revolving Doors |
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One in, three out. Following our item last issue
about Peter Bowes’ departure from both Oscars and the PCA
committee, a further two members have announced their
resignations. Imel Rautenbach is returning to his native South
Africa, and membership secretary Barbara Boyle has resigned for
personal reasons. Members will no doubt want to join the
committee in thanking them for their hard work, and to wish them
well for the future. On the positive side, Beth
Gregory has joined the committee as Press Officer and to lead
the ‘communications’ group within the committee. Beth is 35 and
has lived in the area for 14 years. Before becoming a full-time
mum she worked as a Public Relations professional and her
talents will enable the PCA to raise its profile and give us
even more ‘clout’ than we already have in lobbying for resources
to meet local needs. As a result of Barbara Boyle’s
departure, your committee urgently needs a new Membership
Secretary. The core of the job is the annual membership drive
and maintaining the 700+ membership database, so good IT skills
(excel and word) are necessary. Now we know that
everyone has a good reason not to get involved – work, kids,
‘I’m not a joiner’, that sort of thing. But in many ways these
are also reasons for taking up the challenge! Make a change from
work, get away from the kids, meet new people, make new friends,
do something more worthwhile than slumping in front of the box,
be greeted and appreciated in the local shops. And just feel
good about yourself – you make a difference! Have a chat with
our secretary, Debbie Edwards, on 0870 908 7744 or email
debbie.edwards@pitshanger.org.uk. |
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Phone Mast - O2 Set
to Defy Council |
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In April this year, O2 applied for planning
permission to install a 12.5m phone mast and equipment cabinet
on "vacant land between the footpath and road in Scotch Common".
PCA members were alerted to this in a "stop press" e-mail on
11 Jun 06. The application turned out to be very unpopular,
with the Council receiving a total of 110 individual objections
and one petition bearing 166 signatures. The Council duly
rejected O2's planning application. Done and dusted, or so
the the Council thought. |
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But O2 had a trick up their sleeve. The rule
for phone mast applications is that if they are not decided
within 56 days they are deemed to have been approved.
Aware of this, the Council planners informed O2 that their
application had been rejected exactly 56 days after receiving
the application. BUT, O2 appear to have a courier
receipt that shows their application was delivered to Ealing
Council one day before it got to the Council planners. As a
result, O2 are claiming victory despite the fierce local
opposition. Ealing Council are now fighting a rearguard
action to get the mast stopped. There's more about this
on Pitshanger Voice
here, where you can also add your own comments. Many
thanks to PCA member Tony Purton for spotting this and following
it up. |
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Mrs
Tiggywinkle |
Action
Day |
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Our wildlife correspondent, Lynda
Pullman, writes to let us know that an old friend
has returned after an absence of 15 years. Unsure
whether the shadowy figure crossing the lawn was the
lost guinea pig from six doors down or a side effect
of the last glass of wine, she decided to top up the
glass and wait. “Suddenly my cat jumped and fled
back into the house, pursued by…a hedgehog! Now each
night I wait expectantly for my bright-eyed little
friend who has come to join the frogs, toads,
squirrels, parakeets and foxes. My summer is now
complete.” |
On 28th and 29th September Park Royal
Partnership (PRP) will be holding its third annual
Action Day. The idea is that teams of volunteers
from local businesses will swoop in – ‘Ground Force’
style – to help local charities, voluntary groups
and schools to improve their facilities and
surroundings – painting, gardening, building,
whatever. If your business would like to put forward
a team, or you’re involved in a group with a project
that needs tackling, contact Rosanna Henderson on
07961 134033 or email
Rosanna.Henderson@ukgateway.net. |
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Get Your
Fun Run Photos Here |
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The PCA has opened the doors to its photographic
vaults. Within the vaults we have photographs of almost everyone
who completed the 2006 Pitshanger Fun Run, as they sprinted or
crawled towards the finishing line. If you completed the course,
we can now offer you photographic evidence of your exploits for
just £2.00 per image or £5.00 for all the available images of a
family group. You can find out what photos we have available by
sending an e-mail to PCA Photo Desk at
photodesk@pitshanger.org.uk, stating your name(s), postal
address, telephone number and, if possible, your bib number(s).
We’ll then send you small draft images representing what we have
available so that you can decide whether to buy the
full-resolution images. There are more details on the PCA web
site here. |
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Newsletter 14 |
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No, you’re not seeing double. Unfortunately we
numbered the last ‘paper’ issue 15 instead of the 14 it should
have been. This is the real issue 15 – accept no substitutes! |
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Finally – Look out for coverage of Party In
The Park 2006 in the next PCA Newsletter and on the PCA web site
here. |
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