The attached document provides responses to the questions raised by residents at the Open Forum in December 2020:

Answers to Questions to Councillors Open Forum 2020

 

Ian Edwards has been elected the new leader of Hillingdon Conservative Group of councillors.

The 43-strong group held an extraordinary meeting on Monday to elect a successor to Sir Ray Puddifoot, who announced last month he was standing down.

As Hillingdon is under Conservative administration, it means Cllr Edwards will become the new council leader at a meeting of the full council in January.

He said: “I am deeply honoured to be given this great opportunity to continue our policy of ‘putting residents first’, a message that resonates with so many across our borough. I will now begin to assemble a team that will continue delivering on resident priorities and all the services they value,  I would also like to place on record my thanks and appreciation to Sir Ray, who has done a brilliant job over the past 20 years in leading our group and Hillingdon Council.”

Ian Edwards has been a councillor in Hillingdon since 2014 and currently represents Eastcote and East Ruislip ward.

He has held a number of positions, including chairman of the Central & South Planning Committee and chairman of the Social Care, Housing & Public Health Policy Overview Committee.

 

Licensing Act 2003

The Council is required to review its Statement of Licensing Policy at regular intervals to ensure that it is carrying out licensing functions in accordance with current legislation.

During this review, consideration has been given to how changes might improve the way in which services are being delivered, to make them more efficient and customer friendly.

The Licensing Act 2003 controls sales of alcohol, regulated entertainment and late night refreshment. The Council is required by Section 5 of the Licensing Act 2003 to review the Statement of Licensing Policy every five years. Hillingdon’s current policy was adopted by Full Council in January 2016 and is therefore due for review.

The regular review and adoption of the Statement of Licensing Policy ensures that the  licensing framework are up to date and effective in ensuring a safe and regulated environment for users of licensed premises.

They are now seeking views on the draft proposed Statement of Licensing Policy 2021-2026.

The consultation period is between Monday 5^th October and midnight on Sunday 22^nd November 2020

Please find more information and how you can make comments by clicking on the following link:

https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/article/5900/Review-of-Statement-of-Licensing-Policy

Eastcote Residents Association are delighted to announce that our committee member Dr. Deesha Chadha has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday honours list.

The OBE has been awarded for services to faith communities in recognition of Deesha’s contribution to interfaith dialogue and harmony, exhibited through her work with Faiths Forum for London, and the Hindu Forum of Britain

Deesha said, “It is an honour to receive this title. Unfortunately, the significance of my efforts to unite communities was once again highlighted with police forces recording nearly three times more hate crime offences between January and March during the COVID-19 crisis, than that of the previous two years.”

“Now more than ever, we must come together. Only through our joint efforts, as a single humanity of all faiths and none, can we overcome the challenges of this virus. I urge everyone to show compassion during this time and offer their support to friends, neighbours and strangers. I point to the local humanitarian work of places of worship in Harrow and across the nation as an example to us all. We must provide support to everyone in need – compassion has no room for prejudice.”

Hillingdon Council are offering all businesses a Covid Support grant – find out more:  https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/article/4991/Financial-support-and-grants

We are advised by Hillingdon Council that the automatic renewal of items has ended as they are now in a position to accept books back in to libraries.

However, the library service is issuing all items for an extended period of 6 weeks at present,
and is not charging overdue fines.

They will review this next month.

More information at https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/libraries

The UK Government has made £250 million available to councils like yours, telling them that they’re expected to make significant changes to their road layouts and give more space to cyclists and pedestrians, to help people move around safely as the lockdown is eased.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has also made £10 million available to local authorities for temporary cycling and walking infrastructure with the Welsh Government similarly making funds available and inviting councils to apply.

With money now available to local authorities from governments across Britain and governments beginning to discuss plans for easing the lockdown, there’s no excuse for delay.

That’s why I’m writing to ask for your help to get your council to ask for the cash and start installing pop-up cycle lanes, widening pavements and taking other measures to help people socially distance whilst walking and cycling as lockdown restrictions start to ease.

We’ve made this really easy by creating two editable letters. If you have the time, you can edit the letters and add your own suggestions about what’s needed in your area or google search for your local cycling campaign group and see if they’ve made any suggestions you want to include.

If you want space for people to walk and cycle, and space to socially distance, please ask your council to take action now.

Thanks, as always, for your incredible support.

Duncan Dollimore,

Head of Campaigns and Advocacy

Cycling UK

The TalkLondon Website is inviting discussion on High Streets. Go here;

talk-london ; highstreets survey

It is my personal opinion that the rainfall and flooding experienced last week in Eastcote was greater than that in 2016.

The total rainfall over the area as a whole has triggered the need for the council as Lead Local Flood Authority to compile a report on the areas which flooded, what happened, what can be done to improve the situation.

To make sure that any surface water flooding you experienced is included in this report then please email the council and copy us at ERA – click here to do this 

If you wish to go one step further you can fill in the online forms by following the two links below which were provided by the council. These forms will ask questions about where the water came from, what it looked like and why you think it collected where it did. Photos welcomed. It is extremely helpful in obtaining useful outcomes and in some cases funding if you report flooding because, for example, Thames Water who are the second link below only log reports received directly from those affected.

Click here to report flooding to Hillingdon Council

Click here to report flooding to Thames water

Please contact me if you have any further questions or concerns

Alison Holtorp, Chairman of Eastcote Residents Association

 

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