More focus on manners and politeness is needed

I think that this applies across the board but I had the honour and pleasure of representing the Council last Thursday at the Official opening of the new Heron Wing at the Feltham Young Offenders Institution.  There was genuine excitement about the potential and it is an excitement that I share.  As the Mayor, Boris Johnson, got across schemes like this make sense both financially and for everyone in society.  I was also impressed with the speech given by Jack Straw MP.  It got me thinking about whether he is an example of a politician who comes across much better in the flesh than on television.

I disgress…

I visited a number of stands that had been set up for Guests.  I also read some of the literature and criteria that is considered for agreeing to an application for early release.  All sensible stuff and whilst there is an explicit reference to good behaviour, there is none to good manners.  The two are not always the same.  I am guessing that Good Behaviour could be down, for example, to an Offender not showing any violence or aggression towards others.  Of course, good behaviour is critical but taking a view on how an Offender being released will interact and speak with others is surely critical also.

They have a difficult job to do at FYO with most being on remand.  Notwithstanding that, they do their very best to enhance Skill Set of the Offenders whilst they are in their care.

I doubt that anyone would disagree that there is a better chance of these Offenders re-offending when there has been an investment in Skills Training with/on/in some of these young men.  I think that this Popular Consensus is established.

Would anyone disagree that there is a better chance of re-offending not happening when these young men have demonstrated that they understand the importance of being polite?  I would hope that every Offender leaves our Institutions in the future understanding that “Good Morning”, “Please”, “Thank you”, “Excuse Me” etc are necessary when interacting with others.

Good Manners and politeness are certainly under played these days.  Both need to be more explicit in policies of the next Government.

Lest we Forget!

Turn out was very good at the various Remembrance Sunday Services today and I saw this for myself this afternoon in Feltham.  I was informed through friends that there was up to 300 people in Bedfont and 700 in Hanworth.  This is really great to know.  As I said a number of times in conversation with people, some of the recent tragedies in Afghanistan do serve to reinforce that today is not just about remembering those who gave their lives during the first & second world wars.  I am not saying anyone has ever organised it to be that way but anecdotally I think a lot of people thought that this was the case a couple of years ago.

On my walk from the High Street to the Scout Hut, I noticed the following.  Firstly, the following Hounslow Homes sign needs to be removed as it is untidy and out of date:

The following sign again is out of date but I know that the West Area Committee has approved a request to replace this and a couple of others.

The following overgrowth is on the High Street between the junctions with Poplar Way and Elmood Avenue:

As people who know me will testify, I do like to see the flag flown and was pleased to see it at the Scout Hut.

Also time, I reported the tagging on the bollards in Helen Avenue (junction with Harlington Road West):

Lest we Forget!

Back to Beavers

I was out and about at the Beavers estate this morning.  As was the case during previous visits, the estate management of Places for People appears to be very good.

One of the areas I was most keen to take a look at was the parade on Salisbury Road.  On the positive side, there is not as much dumped rubbish as previously (with one notable exception).  On the negative side, the site remains unacceptable to most residents and the condition of the car park is especially bad.

The gas canisters, as the next picture indicates, have been removed but this area remains unacceptable:

One of the more dangerous parts have been boarded up:

I saw a lot more of these bins than before, which has made some difference for the better:

The following was certainly the worst part – it is located at the side of the Pharmacist:

The Grass outside Surestart is in very good condition:

A few things for me to report on Monday.

Recent Borough Council Meeting

Last Tuesday was the Borough Council Meeting.  Here is the agenda.  At the beginning, I made an announcement about a very major project at the Council, namely to safeguard the IT Operation at the Council by building a new Data Centre.  This is not the type of success that would be well known outside of the walls of the Civic Centre but I can place my hand on heart and say how proud I am of what has been achieved – it was a crucial piece of work.  It has been well managed and hugely reduces what was a major risk to the Council.  The Interim Head of ICT has received a mention in the Press recently.  I know that I, as Lead Member for Corporate Services at the Council, have a lot to thank Tony Glew for.  A tremendous Leader who has contributed in a major way towards turning things around.  I will probably say more on this once the Data Centre Project is closed.

Item 5 was a report in my name and one that I am very proud of.  Yet another example of how this administration has turned things around since we became the administration in 2006.

The key feature of the report was the very clear indication that the Stage 3 Members Panel, established at my recommendation, has been a big success in terms of making sure that the Council resolves more complaints that it receives much earlier than previous.

I began to think that this was a good idea not long after I was elected in 2002, having seen how a constituent of mine was treated in one case.  The matter was formally discussed in 2005.  The then Labour Administration had no interest and produced rubbish arguments for why it would not work.

Now that this has been proven to be a big success, does anyone think that the Labour Group said anything on the lines of, “we are pleased to acknowledge that our previous opposition to this idea was not well founded”?  Quickest ways to form an opinion are either to listen to the Council’s webcast or just judge on past experiences.

John Randall MP

John Randall MP, Member for Uxbridge, attended the Feltham & Heston Trafalgar Dinner last week.  It was good to chat with him because he gave me a lot of good advice.  He is truly an Uxbridge man and I hope I can be a success and one day be seen as a Feltham & Heston man:

And, here is John giving a brilliant speech to the 50 or so people who attended:

And,  here is John and I talking with my friend Paul Bedi and his wife:

A really super night!

More reflection on Question Time

Why oh why was the format changed so much?  If the Complaint made is not upheld, as it pertains to the change of format, I would be surprised.  No-one should play into the hands of the BNP like this.

Notwithstanding the above, I still feel relief from the performances of Baroness Warsi and Bonnie Greer.

 

 

Feltham Airparcs

With my mother, took the kids to the Airparcs on Sunday.  Works have clearly started and it is always appreciated by when an operation can continue when there are works such as these taking place.  The carpark is understandably much reduced but I had no problem getting a space:

A different route is required for entering the building with works currently taking place at the entrance:

A new path has been laid at the rear:

Here is a view of the front from the inside:

A poster advertising the works:

A view of the front from another angle.

No problems to report as such but glad to see such investment in the future of these facilities.

Well done Ladies!

I thought that Baroness Warsi & Bonnie Greer did very well on Question Time.  I am not surprised by the former but in the past I have not always enjoyed the contributions of latter.  Both were excellent this evening.

Overall, a very bad night for the BNP.  Too many people getting excited in the audience at times (ie excessive clapping) and ganging up at other times but their Leader would have put off some of those who had voted BNP in recent times.

I was pleased to see a good friend – Hasan Ali Imam – in the audience.  Nathaniel Ikeazor, whom I met in person at the recent Conservative Party Conference, also made a brilliant contribution from the audience.  He, and Baroness Warsi, did not let Labour off the hook.

Overall, I am very pleased with how it went.

Update: James Cleverley AM, makes some sensible points.

Major improvements in Park Lane, Cranford

Last Saturday morning, I was in Cranford, as previous postings mentioned.  I also went to Park Lane and was thrilled at the standard of some of the environmental works in this street (edge of Avenue Park).  I had previously posted about problems of flytipping etc.

I am hugely proud when I see success such as this for it proves that this administration at the London Borough of Hounslow governs and works for all areas with equal vigour.  The results in 2006 were quite polarised geographically.  We [Conservatives] dominated in areas such as Chiswick, Osterley and, to a lesser extent, in Feltham.  Other parts of the Borough, such as Hounslow, Cranford & Heston have not lost out since.  Council Tax has been kept down for all and the parks throughout the  Borough are better than in a generation.

Look out in High Street, Cranford

An interesting feature.  My friend, Shafick, is standing in front of it: