Neighbourhood Governance Note of Ward Forum Meeting ______

Norwood Green Ward Forum meeting – held on Friday 17 October 2008 at 7pm at St Mary’s Church, Norwood Green Road, UB2

Present: Councillors Sharma (Chair), Aslam, Mann

Attendees: Over 26 people attended with 24 signing the attendance sheet. Sgt. Andy Storr – Norwood Green Safer Neighbourhood Team

Note taker: Kofi Nyamah (KN) - Neighbourhood Co-ordinator (West)

Apologies: None

No. Note Action Point/Information 1. Welcome and introductions

The meeting started at 7pm in the hall of St Mary’s Church, Norwood Green Road. Councillor Sharma (Chair) welcomed those present and introduced Councillors Aslam, Mann and council officer, Kofi Nyamah.

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No. Note Action Point/Information 2. The role of ward forums

KN outlined the role of ward forums: - Replacing Area Committees - Acting as consultation group on issues of local and borough wide concern - Problem-solving local issues with residents, Councillors and Council officers - £40,000 of funding available to implement local ward improvement projects, such as: local traffic & highways schemes local environmental improvements parks improvements additional clean-up and rubbish removal schemes alley gating schemes

- Councillor Sharma explained the process for spending £40,000 for ward improvements. Proposals put forward by ward residents, assessed and recommended by ward councillors. Formal decisions on whether to implement recommendations taken by appropriate council portfolio holder - A number of residents complained that they had not - KN to investigate ‘Neighbourhood Matters’ leaflet received the ‘Neighbourhood Matters’ leaflet and were distribution only aware of the ward forum through friends or via an email sent by KN

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No. Note Action Point/Information 3. Norwood Green Safer Neighbourhood Team Norwood Green Safer Neighbourhood Team Unit 4, The Arches Business Centre, Merrick Road, Councillor Sharma introduced Sergeant Andy Storr of the UB2 4AU Norwood Green Police Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT). Tel: (020) 8721 2046 Email: [email protected] Sgt. Storr presented information about the Norwood Green SNT: - Norwood Green SNT tackle ward crime and anti-social behaviour priorities set by residents attending the Norwood Green SNT focus group held at The Den, St Mary’s Church, Norwood Green Road. The focus group meet to problem-solve and set Norwood Green policing and anti-social behaviour priorities - Residents could contact the SNT by telephone or by email. For all emergencies, the ‘999’ telephone number should be called

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No. Note Action Point/Information Residents questions to Sgt. Storr

a) Enquiry about organising a Neighbourhood Watch a) Contact has been made between Sgt. Storr and interested Scheme on Road resident to start the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme process. Leaflets to be delivered to neighbouring Uxbridge Road residents to gauge interest

For further information on Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, please contact:

Norwood Green Safer Neighbourhood Team Unit 4, The Arches Business Centre, Merrick Road, Southall UB2 4AU Tel: (020) 8721 2046 Email: [email protected]

b) SNT base at Merrick Road appears to be closed and b) There are two SNT teams located in The Arches Business unmanned Centre on Merrick Road, Norwood Green SNT and Southall Green SNT. A front counter for the public, is due to be opened in the near future 4. Update of Norwood Green projects

Councillor Sharma - Carriageway resurfacing to be implemented on Gregory Road, from Hillary Road to Havelock Road. - Carriageway resurfacing proposed for Windmill Lane, from roundabout at Tentelow Lane to borough boundary. - Footway resurfacing proposed for Hortus Road.

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No. Note Action Point/Information - Bus 120 priority schemes completed for Norwood Road near Victoria Rd junction, Norwood Road near Burkett Close junction and Norwood Road near Wimbourne Avenue junction - Existing yellow lines at the Dairy Meadow School, Merrick Road are to be reviewed - Three Bridges Primary School, flashing warning signage proposed and a widening of the footpath up to two meters allowing easier passage for school children walking from Toplocks estate - PFI street lighting 2008/09 footpath from 28-30 Hunt Road running east to north end of Waterside Road. Design complete, due soon footpath from Bridge Road adjacent to east side of Hortus Cemetery to Hunt Road. Design complete, due soon footpath from Havelock Road running south into Havelock Court. Scheduled for 2009/10 footpath from opposite 74 Quaker Lane running north to south end of Bridge road. Design complete, due soon footpath running around Cubitt Square. Design complete, due soon - New children’s play area to be constructed inside Manor House Grounds - Improvements to The Lodge inside Manor House Grounds are to be made in order to accommodate the enlarged team of Southall Park Rangers as their base - Hanging baskets installed along length of The Green/King

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No. Note Action Point/Information Street 5. Projects suggested by councillors

Councillor Sharma presented suggestions raised by ward councillors: - Direction signs for Toplocks estate on Merrick Road - Flashing speed advisory signs on Tentelow Lane - One-way system for Park Avenue, Uxbridge Road and Green Drive - Thornecliffe Road carriageway resurfacing Resident requested closer monitoring of council contractors. Mistakes made in the past with potholes on Thornecliffe Road. The pot-holes have not been fully filled in and Ealing council contractors have filled in the pot-holes on Thornecliffe Road over the Hounslow boundary - Installation of bollards on Wimborne Avenue outside the motor garage to prevent heavy-goods vehicles (HGV’s) parking on footpath and narrowing traffic flow - Amendment of traffic lights on Uxbridge Road (Southall bound traffic). The location is hazardous to oncoming vehicles turning right on Uxbridge Road for Road - Narrowing of grassed area on Lyndhurst Avenue, in order - Councillor Sharma declared his interest as a resident of to provide wider access for emergency vehicles Lyndhurst Avenue 6. Projects suggested by Ealing Council parks and countryside

Councillor Sharma said Ealing council parks and countryside

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No. Note Action Point/Information were asking for contributions for the following improvements in Norwood Green: - Hortus Cemetery. Tree removal and new railings leading to increased burial space and improved security in the cemetery - Two new bins for Glade Lane Canalside Park - Three replacement nature conservation benches for Meadows - Six replacement bins for Havelock Cemetery - Five new bins for Warren Farm

Many residents felt that these suggestions should be funded directly by the council and not as part of the ward forum funds. 7. Suggestions from residents present at meeting

i) Pedestrian crossing for Allen Park ii) Norwood Green branding which could be included with road signs iii) Traffic lights installed on Wimborne Avenue is resulting in adjoining roads being used as ‘rat-run’ into Minterne estate iv) Double yellow-lines to prevent big vans parking and narrowing access on Wimborne Avenue v) Request for the time control of traffic lights on Wimborne Avenue to be amended vi) Single-yellow lines on Wimborne Avenue operational in peak hours traffic times

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No. Note Action Point/Information vii) Yellow-lines for Thornecliffe Road to prevent vans being parked overnight viii) Signage need to prevent vehicles which restrict the ability for other vehicles to turn right onto Wimborne Avenue ix) Removal of cars displayed as ‘for sale’ parked on Wimborne Avenue x) Installation of shrubbery to act as a barrier on Windmill Park Estate park boundary wall adjacent to canal path which has been plagued by anti-social behaviour xi) Memorial plaque in Windmill Park estate to commemorate the young man murdered in 2007 xii) The council should not permit the billboards on Uxbridge Road advertising the Chinese Circus - another resident stated he was aware of enforcement work regarding theses billboards had been carried out by the police with council officers xiii) Concreting of crossovers on Uxbridge Road from the Iron Bridge to Southall Park xiv) Replacement of weight-limit restriction signs on Mansell Avenue, originally removed by the council following installations of new street lamps xv) Request made regarding the current status of the scout hut on Tentelow Lane and if the site could be sold to neighbouring resident with planning application

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No. Note Action Point/Information xvi) Proposal for parking restrictions to prevent the problems of Ealing hospital staff parking and visitor overspill parking on to Windmill Park estate. Estate residents are unable to park near their homes - yellow-lines was requested as an alternative option by another resident suggested overspill parking was only a problem during the daytime and not in the evenings xvii) Parking problems on Kingston Road relating from two commercial premises who have access to their premises on Kingston Road xviii) Request for bus route and bus stop to be returned to Windmill Park estate xix) Vehicles are parking on the side of the road and ignoring the double-yellow lines on St Mary’s Central xx) Request for bus route from Tesco supermarket located near Hounslow Boundary to Norwood Green 7. The meeting concluded at 8:55pm.

Additional ideas received for ward projects: No. Note Action Point/Information 8. - Traffic flow and parking proposals for Minterne Road traffic issues raised by three Minterne Road residents (email)

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