Community Conference Success

Over 150 local people attended today’s community conference to discuss the issues facing our community. The conference was an overwheliming success with people buzzing with positive ideas on how we can improve the quality of life in our town.

The conference received presentations from Siobhan Clarke from Hillingdon PCT on the current budget problems in the local NHS and from Carl Bussey, Hillingdon’s new Police Commander, on the latest Police initiatives on crime and anti social behaviour.

Discussions also took place on the progress of the redevelopment of the town centre sites at the station site and the former EMI site at Blyth Road.

On the local health service residents were reassured that despite the scale of the PCT’s budget deficit (now standing at £22 million for this year alone) there would be no front line service cuts. However if by the end of the year agreement had not been secured from Health Ministers about any outstanding financial gap it was clear that we were facing a real problem. At this stage we will have to mobilise a community campaign to prevent any cuts in service.

On policing the new borough commander explained that the new call system for reporting crimes (Metrocall) was up and running, the Safer Neighbourhood Teams were fully staffed and operating shift systems to meet to local demands and that next year a new team of 15 PCSOs was to be allocated to safety and security on our bus routes.

On the Town Centre we all agreed that we needed a fresh initiative to give a community lead in regenerating and promoting the town centre. Despite the new Police teams and the fall in reported crime in the town centre people still did not feel safe, particularly at night. There were just not enough attractive shops, restaurants, activities and facilities like a cinema and a bowling alley. Young people felt just as fearful of the town centre as the older residents and in fact it was the young people who were more likely to be the victims of crime.

The Conference agreed therefore that we should launch a new Town Centre Task Force to bring the community together to promote the improvement of the town centre and to attract more investment in shops and facilities into the area. The Station site and EMI Blyth Road redevelopments would assist but much more was needed and the community shoud take the lead.

The Government announced last month that it was proposing to allow local communities like Hayes and Harlington to set up Parish or Community Councils in London in the same way there are Parish Councils outside of the capital. This would give local communities a representative voice at the local level and also give areas like ours the opportunity of having more control and more of a say over local services and local developments.

The Conference agreed that we should move forward in setting up a Community Council for our area. This would involve consulting local community groups, the Council and Government departments. It was proposed that we report back these consultations and preparations to a community conference in the Spring. By that time we will know the Government’s timetable for enabling London Community Councils to be established and the formal process we have to undertake to go forward to formally setting up our own community council.

Thanks to all those who attended and participated in today’s community conference and made it such a success. The conference was inspirational and could be a significant turning point in the future of our community.

submitted by John on 09 Dec 2006 at 16:30