Council Leader Quizzed at Borough Summit

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Planning and cycling issues bring meeting to life

The first Borough Summit, held at Hammersmith Town Hall on Tuesday November 10, covered a wide range of topics, from council tax cuts to access to medical services. But the issues which really brought the meeting to life were were planning ... and cycling.

The meeting was billed as a Quiz the Leaders session, with a panel including representatives from the NHS, Transport for London, and the police and fire services. Inevitably however, it was Council Leader Stephen Greenhalgh who faced most of the questions from a sometimes sceptical audience.

There was disappointment for frustrated residents of Brackenbury who were told the "Goldhawk Block" planning decision, which will see the demolition of a small industrial estate containing companies including Innocent Drinks, is now a "done deal" and a "dead issue". However, Councillor Greenhalgh himself appeared somewhat unhappy with the decision, admitting: " There are lessons to be learned."

This subject also sparked a tense exchange between Councillor Greenhalgh and summit chairman, the BBC's John Humphrys, a local resident who was a vociferous campaigner against the plan. Asked why the council gave it the go ahead, Councillor Greenhalgh answered; "To annoy you, John."" Mr Humphrys retorted: "You succeeded!"

Councillor Greenhalgh was also forced to reassure residents of the West Kensington estate, worried about the future of their homes, that there are "no imminent plans" to knock down buildings and redevelop the estate. He added: "We are not in the business of making people homeless."

Cycling, surprisingly, proved a major topic at the summit, with a number of people complaining about the lack of facilities for bikers in the borough and the state of some roads. However there was also a large round of applause for the speaker who stood up to make a point about the dangerous behaviour of some cyclists on our pavements and towpaths.

There was loud applause too for Detective Superintendent Steve Cassidy who, in response to a question about crime, talked about the local drug squad's success in taking drugs off the streets, including the recent seizure of four kilograms of cocaine worth up to £750,000. The Superintendent also said that, out of 2,000 gun crimes taking place across London, only 40 were in our borough, adding: " Hammersmith and Fulham does not have a gun problem."

Members of the panel agreed to consider some practical suggestions from the audience, including the provision of advice, early in the planning process to residents wishing to make their voices heard and the addition of notices on the the towpaths advising cyclists how to behave.

The evening ended on an optimistic note with Mr Humphrys asking people in the audience if they felt life was improving in our borough. A show of hands revealed a majority agreed that things are looking up.

November 12, 2009