| Topic: | Re:The Richmond Meeting report by Trevor Clarke | |
| Posted by: | Trevor Clarke | |
| Date/Time: | 24/01/08 23:56:00 |
| Thank you Jim for drawing attention to the Richmond report. Similar to your efforts after the Hounslow meeting, I sat through the early hours of Saturday morning putting the Richmond report together from memory. Looking at the various threads here and on the Brentford forum, I can see a lot of party politics that may get in the way. Circumstances are different I know, but it will work against the area if the Heathrow expansion is used as a hammer to add to the bashing. Treat Heathrow as a unique case and bury the hatchet with your MPs. For the greater good, even if it is through gritted teeth! In Richmond, the greatest emphasis of all was on the importance of unity and in Richmond and Twickenham they are determined to do that, with Heathrow becoming the bond that has brought about a unique collaboration between the two main political parties for the area, Lib Dem and Conservative, both the Council and the MPs. If I use the collective term of Hounslow, knowing that includes Chiswick, Brentford and Feltham, the Richmond Borough can learn some useful things from your campaigning, and you may learn a few useful things from Richmond too. (e.g. Your NO card and banner campaign, which made for a great picture at the Hounslow meeting). Richmond Council is calling on all of its 'influential' residents (Lords, Ladies, media and showbiz people) to help with the campaign, exert their influence, and generate publicity. Such people also reside in Chiswick, I understand! (Ant and Dec are high profile). Sharing ideas and linking with the other boroughs is what is needed but until now, it seems that even under the umbrella of the 2M Group, most areas are acting in isolation, which is good news for the government and BAA. While watching my son play football at Lampton School in Hounslow on a Sunday morning, we see and hear at close hand what it is like to have a plane coming in to land, or taking off, every 90 seconds right above you. And I think, what must it be like for the teachers trying to teach and the pupils trying to learn at this school, for five days a week?! And for the people who live in the block of flats next to the playing field, seven days a week, night and day? It should be compulsory for Ruth Kelly, Jim Fitzpatrick. and DfT officials to live in somewhere like Hounslow for at least a week, and visit places like the schools while doing so. In my humble opinion. |