www.actongreen.org.uk
AGRA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
13TH MARCH 2007
42 members attended. Apologies for absence received from 3 members. The meeting was attended by the three Councillors for Southfield Ward, Elizabeth Reilly, Harvey Rose and Gary Malcolm. The Chairman thanked Andy Johnson for the use of the Church for our meeting.
Approved by the meeting and signed by the Chairman.
Geoffrey Rippingale reported that year’s accounts have been inspected and signed by Ann Denton and Bryony Williams and circulated to members. As in previous years our main expenditure was printing. Remaining costs include office sundries, hire of the hall and subscriptions to other organisations. Due to lower membership in 2006 our income fell to£668.84, and after total expenses of £894.91 our net income was therefore minus £226.07. However our assets remain healthy and at 31st December we had a balance of £1616.14.
Ann Denton and Bryony Williams have agreed to audit the accounts again this year.
In 2006 we had 162 members, which was 10 more than 2005. We rely entirely on members’ subscriptions for our income, so it is important that we try and encourage friends and neighbours to join AGRA. Committee members attend meetings with both Ealing and Hounslow Borough Councils, the Metropolitan Police, Metronet (for London Underground) and transport groups and it is therefore important that when we speak at those meetings we can say that we represent a large proportion of Acton Green residents.
Membership fees for 2007 remain at £5 per household with a £2 concessionary rate for Senior Citizens.
Liz Dendy reported that the Safer Neighbourhoods Team is now up to full strength with a sergeant, 2 PC’s and 3 PCSO’s. They are there for us, patrolling our area so members are urged to get to know them and let them know our concerns. The current problems addressed by the Southfield Ward Panel who meet with the Team are motor vehicle crime, robbery and Neighbourhood Watch. People are still leaving valuable objects on view in cars and using mobile phones in isolated areas – a gift to criminals.
Neighbourhood Watch: We have been a NW area for over20 years, but recently not very active. It is important to create more community awareness and a caring attitude to neighbours, especially those who are vulnerable.
Street Cleaning (Report from Sue Evans who was unable to be present)
The Council are investing an extra £1.5 million in street cleaning and have taken over the monitoring of this from ECT, the contractor. At present our streets are cleansed weekly, which means litter and dog mess removed and then swept every four weeks. We have complained to the Council about the litter that is left on our streets after both rubbish and
recycling collections. They have agreed that cleansing should be done after the collections and are going to check that this is done.
We have asked the Council to leaflet us when collection days change because of Bank holidays and they say they will consider it. Details are published in ‘Around Ealing’ and it is important to read this magazine as it can be informative.
The result of the recent survey on wheelie bins etc., in the Southfield area is that we will retain the present system of using black bags. It is stressed that rubbish and recycling should be put out after 7 am on the day of collection and left inside your property. It is an offence to do otherwise and residents could be prosecuted and fined. Fly-tipping is also a fineable offence.
Note: the bin men should be asked to ensure that green boxes and waste food containers
are returned to the correct properties and the food boxes should not be thrown as they crack.
Geoff Rippomgale reported that work on Acton Lane Bridge is now completed and there will be no more road closures.
West London Tram: since the local elections Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith Councils now oppose the tram. The TfL timetable has slipped again and best estimates are that TfL will consider the business case in June 2007 and the objection period will run from June 2007. A Public Enquiry will be held in 2008 for which all three Councils have proposed funds to oppose the scheme. A local pressure group called Save Ealing’s Streets is considering opposition to the scheme.
The Chairman reported that a bus terminal was being constructed in the Chiswick Business Park by the Bollo Lane entrance. This would enable buses coming from Acton Town Station to enter the Estate and leave it again in the direction of the Station.
It was noted that only part of the work promised for Chiswick Park Station had been done.
It was queried whether this was a Listed Building and GR would find out what is happening.
Silver Link Railway is being taken over by TfL and later this year will be called Overground. This might mean improvements to the Station.
Richard Strange, Landscape Architect for Ealing Council has informed us that the Tree Section will grind out the stumps of fallen trees and it is hoped that demolition of the old gardener’s hut near Fishers Lane will start shortly. There has not been enough money for more seats and bins as the work on footpaths cost more than was expected but AGRA is fighting for more bins which are desperately needed. Undercover Council Rangers are watching for people with dogs fouling the green and will impose ‘on the spot’ fines.
A request from the floor was for a covered area in the Playground for parents. It was noted that there was still some S106 money outstanding after the ‘SLOW’ signs which have been put at the bottom of Cunnington Street.
AGRA has been keeping a watchful eye on Planning issues relating to Chiswick Business Park, Redevelopment of the South Acton Estate, the site of the old Skoda Works, and the site that is St. Albans Church. AGRA does not get involved in local domestic planning issues but we check out larger proposals at the Town Hall such as the proposal to build flats at the end of Antrobus Road, opposite Cleveland Road.
AGRA is watching developments in conjunction with HACAN, of which AGRA is a member, and there has been talk of a third runway and sixth terminal north of the M4 which would in effect be a new Airport. This would mean planes flying overhead of us, but it is possible that green issues and increased taxes on flights might have an effect on plans such as these. The 2M Group, which is an alliance of 12 local authorities, including Ealing and Hounslow, who are concerned about the environmental impact of Heathrow expansion on their communities of 2 million people whose quality of life is threatened.
We succeeded last year in persuading the Bell Industrial Estate to prune their shrubs, clean up the rubbish and fly-tipping and remove the graffiti from the end wall. They had promised to lay bark chips in the autumn but this did not happen and the area has become somewhat weed choked and some shrubs were over-pruned and need replacing. The Bell Estate secretary says both issues are under review and AGRA will keep in touch.
Fly-tipping: Incidents are vigorously pursued. and the Council are reportedly having a ‘crack down’ as reported in February issue of Around Ealing but it is not clear what human and financial resources are being devoted to this. Overhanging trees and shrubs, broken paving stones, unlit skips and dog fouling are all monitored and reported and the Council again claim to be ‘cracking down’ but there is no evidence of action to date.
Existing officers and members were re-elected unanimously. The Chairman pointed out that there was a vacancy for one more Committee member if anyone was interested in joining.
The suggestion by Councillors that Zone B parking should be joined to Zone M was roundly condemned by Zone B residents who had returned Consultation Documents to that effect.
.