Town Crier September 2010
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Ruislip Residents’ Association Town Crier The Voice of Ruislip Residents September 2010 Inside this issue: Residents Association p2 Gen. Meeting/Chairman p3 Community Notice Board p4 Editorial p5 John Randall MP p6 Nick Hurd MP p7 Pembroke Road - chaos History: Ruislip Park p8 Sustainable Comm. Act p11 Consultation p12 High Speed Rail p13 Chamber of Commerce p14 Skateboarding Event p15 Planning Matters p16-17 Health Matters p18-19 Windmill Hill - new pedestrian crossings Medieval Festival p20 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE - RUISLIP RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION Officers Committee Chairman: Joan Davis Ian Cantley Tessa Kershaw Vice-Chairman: Mike Hodge Martin Cartwright Peter Lansdown Treasurer: John Hawley Elma Hutton Sue Seagroatt Secretary: Penny Rutherford Ivor John John Williams Chief Road Steward: Brian Cowley vacancy vacancy Deputy Ch. Rd. Stwd. Mary George vacancy vacancy Contact us: Mrs Penny Rutherford, Honorary Secretary 9 College Drive, Ruislip, HA4 8SD 01895 636193 email: [email protected] www.ruislipresidents.org.uk Editor: Peter Lansdown [email protected] Please help us! Road Stewards are needed to deliver Town Criers and collect annual subscriptions. If you are willing to volunteer, for even a few homes – near where you live or further away – please contact Mary George on 01895 472541 or me on 0208 582 7810. Mary, our Deputy Chief Road Steward, is now responsible for those roads to the north of Eastcote Road. We also need two Area Stewards to oversee the distribution of the Town Crier to roads west of Bury Street – perhaps an existing Road Steward would like to take this on. Brian Cowley, Chief Road Steward Road Stewards Meeting: Road stewards are the eyes and ears of our Associa- tion. They are the hub of what we do and are greatly valued. We will be holding a wine and cheese party for all road stewards on Tuesday, 19th April 2011, for them to meet our Executive and to exchange views on priorities for the future. Each will receive a personal invitation nearer the time. Page 2 RUISLIP RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION GENERAL MEETING & OPEN FORUM Monday 25th October 2010 at 7:45 pm Winston Churchill Hall Guest Speaker: Chief Supt. Julian Worker, Borough Commander Agenda: 1. Apologies 2. Motion: That Peter Lansdown be elected a Vice-President of the Association; proposed by Brian Cowley, seconded by Joan Davis 3. Updates from committee members 4. Guest speaker: Chief Superintendent Julian Worker, Borough Commander, Hillingdon Police 5. Open Forum – Panel of committee members and Councillors Followed by light refreshments and informal discussion The Open Forum gives you the chance to air your views on local matters. CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE (Joan Davis)) It is an honour to be Chairman of Lansdown, is continuing to give active Ruislip Residents‟ Association, which support to our Association by becom- endeavours to respond to the concerns ing Editor of this magazine and it of nearly 8,000 households. Many wishes to recognise both this and his members do not know how widely our many past contributions. It is there- Executive is involved in every aspect of fore hoped that he will be elected a local life, but I am very proud to lead Vice-President at the General Meeting our strong team. However, constant on 25th October A motion to that ef- renewal is essential in any vigorous fect will be proposed by our President, organisation and we are always ready Brian Cowley, which I shall endorse. to expand into new fields, so we always need new blood. Please let us know if I look forward to meeting many of you you would like to help, or if you have at the next General Meeting (see concerns for us to address. above) when you will have an oppor- tunity to comment and ask questions Your Executive Committee is delighted on any matters of interest. that our previous Chairman, Peter Page 3 COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD HILLINGDON MOTORISTS’ FORUM Aims are to: a) ensure that the views of Hillingdon motorists are taken into account when the Borough‟s transportation plans & programmes are being drawn up b) influence the decisions made by Transport for London / Mayor of London as they affect the Borough of Hillingdon c) Ensure that the Council receive a balanced view on transport issues and are not dominated by other pressure groups. If you are a motorist or drive a motor cycle and would like to make your views known on a transport issue why not come and join us, either as a regular member or for just for one meeting to see what we get up to. We meet at the Uxbridge Civic Centre bimonthly. If you are interested, or have a particular concern, please contact the Chairman, Richard Walker - [email protected] - tel no 020 8866 6900 FRIENDS OF EASTCOTE HOUSE GARDEN Sunday 31st October 2010. Volunteers needed to help complete the Walled Garden project. Several thousand Spring bulbs to be planted. Also, in conjunction with Eastcote Residents Association, planting of crocus bulbs on the grass verge at Forge Green. Eastcote House Volunteer Gardeners meet on the third Thursday of each month. Every one welcome, tools and refreshments provided, no experience necessary. Meet in the car park at Eastcote House Gardens 9.30am. For more information please contact: Lesley Crowcroft [email protected] EASTCOTE RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION — OPEN FORUM Tuesday 9th November 2010 at 7.30pm St Lawrence Church Hall, Bridle Road, Eastcote Guest speaker: Cllr. Ray Puddifoot , Leader of Hillingdon Council Ruislip Manor Chamber of Commerce - Lighting up the Manor Saturday 13th November 2010 12am – 6 pm Switching on the Ruislip Manor Christmas lights at 4.30pm, by the Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr David Yarrow and the Mayoress Mrs. Rita Kilroy. Page 4 E DITORIAL (Peter Lansdown) Four more pages in this issue! Hopefully you will think this worthwhile. Please let me have your comments and articles and photos for future issues to [email protected]. Education It has long been an aim of the executive committee to be able to liaise with schools and colleges. Unfortunately there has never been anyone available with the time to devote to this on top of other RRA duties. Is there someone out there, perhaps a teacher, parent, ex-teacher or governor, etc., who would like to help with this? It would be good if we could, for example, have an input into school travel plans. Although schools and residents often agree, this is not always the case! Road-works During the summer months we have been beset with many road-works. No soon- er was Kingsend returned to near normal than Pembroke Road was dug up, now followed by Elm Avenue. Then it was decided to install pedestrian crossings on Windmill Hill! Coupled with bus diversions and peripheral happenings on Cuckoo Hill and Swakeleys Road, a good time to be away - apart from crowded airports and national traffic jams. Pedestrian Crossings, Windmill Hill The pedestrian crossings referred to in my Chairman‟s Round-up in the last issue are now in operation. However it has come to my notice that the road markings at each end of the traffic island have been changed to solid white lines preventing vehicles turning round the island. The good news is that this change is an error and that broken white lines will soon be back. Page 5 FROM OUR NEW MP FOR MANOR WARD - JOHN RANDALL I am delighted to introduce myself as the (relatively) newly-elected Member of Par- liament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. This is a totally new constituency which has come into being as a result of the redrawing of the parliamentary boundaries throughout the country. I have previously represented the Uxbridge constituency since 1997. I had never really considered a parliamentary career. I found myself working in the family retail business in Uxbridge, becoming the fourth generation to do so. Howev- er, my frustration at aspects of the political system both locally and nationally meant that I became involved. I felt it was no good relying on others to do what needed to be done. On the unexpected and untimely death of Sir Michael Shersby, the extremely hard- working and highly respected Member of Parliament, just after the General Election in 1997, many people suggested that I put my name forward for the nomination of the Conservative Party. I did and eventually found myself elected. After thirteen years in Opposition, the last ten of them on the Front Bench, the tran- sition to being in Government is quite daunting. However I was delighted to be asked by the Prime Minister to become the Deputy Chief Whip. Despite the urban myths about Whips being the enforcers and proponents of the “dark arts”, the reality is far more mundane. It is very much more like a mixture of human resources, business manager and diplomat. My years in retail, dealing with staff, suppliers and customers, holds me in good stead. It is also important to have a good working relationship with all parties across the House, which I believe I have. In fact, in a shocking confession for a Whip, I have to say I am always sad- dened and even hurt by outbreaks of blatant party politicking especially when di- rected at a personal level. My job, which has the rank of Minister of State, actually also comes with an almost Gilbertian title of Treasurer of Her Majesty‟s Household. I was personally present- ed by Her Majesty with a wand of office, a little like a billiard cue it is true, but a great honour all the same. Even more exciting for a furnisher from Uxbridge, I rode in a carriage from Buckingham Palace to Westminster and back on the day of the State Opening of Parliament in May.