Mayor of London's Outer London Fund

I have just written to Hounslow Council to urge them to apply for funding from the Mayor of London's Outer London Fund for the renewal of town centres.

Last week the Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced a £50 million fund to boost regeneration and rejuvenate town centres at the very heart of local London communities. This fund will revitalise projects or get new schemes off the ground at exactly the right time for communities concerned about the future. The money offered will go a long way to support the establishment of local business districts and the improvement of retail, leisure, culture and arts provision. It will bring vibrancy back into communities, providing more secure features for those who live and work locally and above all improving the quality of life of many.

A major step forward to stimulate economic growth in London's vital network of Outer London town centres, this fund will specifically target those boroughs which benefit less directly from the 2012 Games and Crossrail and will accelerate a pan-London economic recovery advancing job opportunities not just for a few but for many.

The announcement from the Mayor's office of a fund to benefit Outer London's key community hubs is to be welcomed by all those living locally. I sincerely hope that Hounslow Council will consider applying for a grant to fund regeneration of key local urban centres, including Brentford High Street and Hounslow Town Centre.

Threatened Closure of Chiswick Day Centre

On Saturday I joined residents in Chiswick to highlight the threatened closure of Chiswick Day Centre in Bridge Street. At an event held at the Crown and Anchor pub on Chiswick High Road, round the corner from the Day Centre, I met with a number of residents who use the facilities currently offered by the Centre, as well as their families, carers and local volunteers.

The event was organised to show support for the threatened Day Centre by Laura Ware and Pauline Hart (who organises and runs Pensioners Alone At Christmas). It had a 1940's street party theme, including music performed by the "Swingtime Sweethearts." Residents enjoyed singing along to wartime favourites, as well as an old-fashioned "High Tea." The get-together gave me the opportunity to speak to local residents directly affected by the proposed closure and hear their concerns over what will happen in the future.

Many of my constituents have contacted me to share their grave concerns over the threatened closure of Chiswick Day Centre, while a number of local GPs have indicated that they are concerned that some vulnerable patients may not be catered for under the proposed new arrangements. The Centre is a vital local resource - not only for those who use it themselves, but for their families and carers, for whom the care offered at the Day Centre provides some much needed respite from caring for loved ones.

I am concerned that the closure of the Day Centre by Hounslow Council has not been properly considered and that the loss of this important part of the community will have a serious and detrimental impact on residents in my constituency.

The recent refurbishment of Chiswick Day Centre would indicate that the Council previously saw the value in maintaining the facilities at this location. If Chiswick Day Care Centre were to close, the nearest centre with comparable facilities will be in Heston - a long way to travel on a daily basis, particularly for the elderly and those without private means for transport.

Hounslow Council is consulting on this proposal until 30 April 2011.

Hounslow Council Cuts

Following pressure from the public and from my office, Hounslow Council has agreed to look again at proposed cuts to libraries and has pledged to keep the majority of youth services as well as street cleansing services.
However, cuts to day centres such as Canal House in Brentford and the Chiswick Day Care Centre look set to go ahead. Canal House is the only council-run centre for those with mental health issues and provides support, counselling and advice for these people. Chiswick Day Care Centre provides a range of services for our senior citizens, with special support for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
I am extremely disappointed that the Council appears to be focused on making cuts to front line services rather than looking outside the box for more innovative solutions to managing the Council budget.
Plans to cut day centres such as Canal House take away vital services for our vulnerable residents at a time when mental health problems in the community are escalating and it's vital that we help people with these issues as early as possible. Without such support, there is a risk that people will be unable to live and work independently and may ultimately require far more support and funding from the council. Chiswick Day Care Centre also provides specialised care, for those with dementia, as well as being a community venue for our senior citizens to meet and spend time with others. This is a vital support network not just for those that use the centre but also provides respite for those who care for them.
I would urge the Council to discuss with local residents how we can use these facilities in a different and cost-effective way so that they are utilised fully and support those who are most in need.

Safer and Greener Streets!

Hounslow Council has just won the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) bid for highways maintenance. There was strong competition across the country and only three Councils nationwide will benefit from a £1.19bn PFI programme to improve local roads. The Borough will therefore receive an additional £17.5m a year that will be used to invest in upgrading and maintaining roads, footpaths, lighting, verges and street trees.

Congratulations to Cllr Barbara Reid and the council officers who presented an excellent bid and who worked incredibly hard to win this PFI contract. Roads across the Borough are in need of long-term investment and ongoing maintenance and so this will make a real difference to our streets. Streets will become safer and greener, journeys will be quicker and footways, lighting, verges and trees will improve, which could all help develop the local economy.

Another great achievement by this Conservative-led Council!

They have done it again! O% Council Tax Increase

Congatulations to Hounslow Council, who this week agreed to once again freeze its share of the Council Tax. Another zero% tax increase!

Hounslow has now moved from charging the 5th highest council tax in London, to the 11th highest. This is definitely heading in the right direction.

Council Leader Peter Thompson said, "Since council tax was introduced in 1993, the average bill in Hounslow has more than doubled. This has particularly hit residents with low to moderate fixed incomes, such as pensioners, who have struggled to meet continual rises. This year has been particularly difficult for us. Most of what we spend comes from Government and we received the worst settlement for a decade. The below inflation settlement unfairly penalises both the council and local residents. We have had to take some tough decisions about to how spend residents money, and we have made savings by identifying where we can do things differently or more efficiently. We have also increased our investment in services that local people have told us matter to them without dipping into our reserves. We are also putting aside £5 million for essential growth over the year."

Well done to all the Councillors, especially Cllr Peter Thompson and Cllr Gerald McGregor, who have worked tirelessly to deliver a budget that is right for the Borough. Thanks also to the rest of the Councillors who work hard to make sure that locally, residents get the services they need. This has been achieved, whilst still managing to ncrease the efficiency and performance of the Council. No easy task!