|
|
|
PCA Newsletter 19 - February 2007 |
|
|
Streets
For People Proposals – Public Meeting
|
|
|
As mentioned in previous PCA
Newsletters, Ealing Council is using funds from
Transport for London to develop plans to alleviate
the traffic problems affecting Pitshanger Lane. The
PCA is pleased to announce a public meeting at which
the outline plans developed for the Council by MVA
Consultancy will be revealed for the first time.
This will be a great opportunity for an early sight
of what the consultants have in mind, and a chance
to influence the plans while they are still being
developed. The PCA “Streets for People” meeting will
take place at the St Barnabas Millennium Hall on
Monday 26 March, starting at 8pm. |
 |
|
PCA
Membership Campaign
|
|
The PCA subscription year finishes at the end of
March, so we’ll soon be asking the residents and traders of
Pitshanger to get out their cheque books and take out or renew
membership for 2007/8. Every address in the area will receive a
membership invitation during March together with an application
form and return envelope. Subscriptions will remain at £10 a
year for families, £6 for individuals and £10 for traders, and
we rely on this income to cover our running costs. Without the
support of our members, we couldn’t do what we do.
As far as possible the membership invitations are hand delivered
to save postage costs – the more volunteer posties we have, the
less work for everyone. Help will also be needed to prepare the
mailings – if 20 people stuff 150 envelopes each the job will be
done in no time. If you are able to help with either or both of
these tasks please contact Karen Jacks by e-mail (karen.jacks@pitshanger.org.uk)
or phone her on 8566 7383. |
|
Battle
of the Bins
|
|
|
Looks like we started something with our ‘Foxes Vote
for Black Bags’ piece a couple of issues back. The
item, about the Council’s public survey of rubbish
collection preferences, encouraged an impassioned
reply from Brian Sharp arguing against the wheelie
bin. Now member John McCann has joined in on the
side of the beleaguered bin. “Brian Sharp is
correct, wheelie bins are unattractive, but there
are other issues. He suggests we use ‘ordinary’
plastic bins, but dustmen won't remove black sacks
from them so people on the early collection routes
will continue to put their sacks out the night
before, ensuring the same old weekly fox feast".
|
|
"Brian suggests wheelie bins will
encourage people to put everything in them but those
who recycle won't stop just because they have been
issued a wheelie bin. Small-ish bins, with the only
collection being from that bin, would discourage
people from dumping all their rubbish in them.
Finally, and most importantly, Brian's suggestion
doesn't get rid of the ecologically unfriendly,
heavy duty black plastic sack, equally loved by
foxes and rats. The council's initiative to get rid
of these should be supported in every way possible.”
Results of the Council’s public survey have now been
announced. Cleveland and Hanger Hill Wards voted for
the black sack. More details on the Ealing Council
web site
here. |
|
Join the
Brentham Club
|
Wet No
More
|
|
The Brentham’s membership year starts
in April and, like the PCA, they’re always looking
for new members. Many of the sporting activities
cost significantly less than comparative commercial
clubs, and the new Chair of the club, Jenny Arnell,
is keen to promote the social and community side –
it’s not just the fireworks, you know! If you’d like
to learn more about the Brentham club, call Jenny on
8998 8258 and have a chat, or look on the website,
www.brenthamclub.co.uk.
|
A small miracle has been wrought in
Pitshanger Lane where, after six years of ignoring
the problem, the Council has installed a soakaway in
the pavement below the garden wall of 92 Castlebar
Park to prevent water seepage onto the pavement. The
Council's Envirocrime Team Cleveland Ward
Enforcement Officer Ruston Wyatt is to be
congratulated for listening to the concerns of the
people. Thanks to Tony Purton and others for keeping
the pressure on.
|
|
O2 Mast
|
|
The O2 mobile mast on Scotch Common became
operational in December, but the Council’s Director of the Built
Environment, Noel Rutherford, continues personal talks with O2
to find an alternative site for the mast which would "be
sensitive to community concerns". You may remember that the
Council's planning department conceded the Scotch Common site by
mistake because they were 24 hours late in refusing O2's
planning application, despite hundreds of objections from local
residents. |
|
Atlantis
Evening
|
|
The PCA’s first event of the year, organised by
Michelle Scupholme, attracted 20 or so members to the Atlantis
Restaurant on the last Friday of January. As usual Costas fed
and watered us well and members set about chatting to friends
old and new. MP Steve Pound – a long-time PCA member – was there
and, finding that his neighbour was a childhood Fulham fan,
pulled out a ticket for the following day’s Cup match against
Stoke, which is how your editor found himself among the Fulham
hard-core fans, paralysed with fear that his lack of knowledge
of the songs, chants and players might imply less than
wholehearted support for the ‘Cottagers’. Not that this elicited
much sympathy from Steve. “Did you meet my crew?”, he enquired.
Definitely Old Labour. |
|
Cancelled Reservations
|
|
For many years North Ealing Primary School, along
with five other primary schools, has had six
reserved places at Drayton Manor High School for
pupils moving up to secondary level. However, there
are proposals to change Drayton’s feeder school
admissions criterion which could result in this
criterion being withdrawn. Consultations on
admissions criteria are now underway, via the Local
Authority, as part of the school’s statutory annual
review of admissions policy and procedures.
|
|
|
A spokesperson for Drayton Manor High
School assured the newsletter that North Ealing
School will be fully involved in the consultation
process but no longer feels that continuation of the
feeder school criterion is necessary. |
|
Ealing
Choral Society
|
Named and Shamed
|
|
We have four complimentary tickets to
give away to PCA members on a first-come
first-served basis for the Society’s next concert,
which celebrates Elgar’s 150th anniversary. The
programme includes “The Music Makers” and “The
Spirit of England” and takes place in St Barnabas
Church on Saturday 3rd March at 7.45 pm. Contact
Debbie Edwards on 0870 908 7744 or at
debbie.edwards@pitshanger.org.uk.
|
After a couple of near accidents local
residents and North Ealing School have been
campaigning to discourage parents from driving into
Summerfield Road to drop or collect pupils. Although
this has generally been successful not all parents
realise the dangers and still drive, reverse and
three-point turn in this road while children are
going in and out of school. The school has named and
shamed two of the worst miscreants in its
newsletter.
|
|
Local
Authors
|
|
Did you know that in the Pitshanger area we have
at least two resident authors? Veronica Heley of Barnfield Road
has published eight murder mystery novels set in a Pitshanger
Lane-like location and featuring amateur sleuth Eli Quicke
(“very good”, according to the Newsletter’s literary
correspondent); Veronica has also published her Eden Hall series
of romantic novels. Desmond Malone of Kent Avenue has just
published "Turbulent Times in the Far East", the story of his
childhood experience of internment by the Japanese in the
Philippines capital of Manilla from 1940-1945. We’re sure they’d
value your interest and support. |
|
Rotaract
|
|
|
Ealing Rotaract is the younger, less formal side of
the Rotary movement, and their objective is to have
fun whilst helping in the local community. Aimed at
18-30s, the group meets on the first, third and
fifth Thursdays in the month at the Drayton Court in
The Avenue. There are regular pub crawls, bowling
nights, darts matches, visits to exhibitions, trips
to the cinema and, of course, opportunities for
community work, which could include running the
patients’ shop at Clayponds hospital, or helping at
a kids’ club. Because Rotary is international, being
involved with Rotaract gives young people an
opportunity to make new friends and travel the world
knowing there’s always someone to meet, wherever
they go. For further information visit the website:
www.rotaract.org.uk/ealing.
|
|
Forthcoming Events
|
|
It’s all Hurry! Hurry! this issue. A few tickets
remain for the PCA Quiz Night on Friday 2nd March. It’s at the
Brentham Club, starts at 7.30, and the £10 ticket price includes
supper. Individuals and couples can be incorporated into teams
on the night. Details from Karen Jacks on 8566 7383 or e-mail (karen.jacks@pitshanger.org.uk).
Further ahead, watch out for details of the PCA’s
3rd annual Ferret Race Evening to be held at the Brentham Club
on 23rd March. Tickets will be £10 each with a reduction for
children and includes supper. If you want to watch people you’ve
known and respected for years losing it over a 50p bet this is
the one. Pure unadulterated fun.
Finally, our friends at Hanwell Rotary are holding
their annual quiz at the Brentham on the 30th March, kicking off
at 7.15. Tickets are £10 including supper and proceeds are going
to London Air Ambulance. The winning team will receive a £100
cheque payable to the charity of their choice. Contact Lorraine
Tillotson on 07888 652407 or email
lorrainemargaret@hotmail.co.uk. |
|
|
