Minutes
Monday 9th December 2024
Harefield Library, Park Lane, Harefield
Current committee members
Chairman Gerard Barry
Secretary Paul Daniels
Treasurer Helen Conchar
Other Members Derek and Gillian Kent, Tina Wane, Ian Costard, Tracey Blake
Apologies
Tina Warne & Helen Conchar
Attendance
25 members signed in
Welcome
Minutes of the last meeting
Monday 11th November 2024
All had received the minutes and they were agreed as a true copy proposed by Gillian & seconded by Jane and approved.
Matters arising from the minutes
None
Actions arising from the last meeting
- Signage for St.Paul’s Church
Cllr Palmer advised that she has been in contact with Elaine at the church re the signage but LBH cannot put a sign in and had tried to contact Elaine to explain why.
She will try to speak with Elaine again on this matter
- Printing options from the website for any attached documents- you can right click on the minutes & then hit print
- GB to follow up on matters with Cllr’s MG & JP and to attend the next LBH cabinet meeting on 12th December – completed, see below
Guests
Brian Walters Hillingdon Neighborhood Watch attended the meeting to discuss crime challenges & prevention.
Brian Walters from Hillingdon Neighbourhood Watch www.hillingdonnhw.co.uk came along and did a talk on Neighbourhood watch in the Ickenham area where he lives
The closure of the NHW communication system OWL due to the Mayor of London Sidiq Khan and his department MOPAC refusing to fund it despite clear evidence submitted of its excellence. Residents encouraged to now sign up to the National NHW network and given handout showing how to do it. This system has NO police log in OR App and is judged to be inferior to OWL by HNW committee.
” CCTV Watch much more difficult to operate now and overall we have lost Circa 70% of our residents Borough wide, a very poor decision by MOPAC and Khan.
ANPR widely discussed and the law around CCTV generally.
The widely know status of the MPS particularly given reported 400M funding cuts which means promised new 2,000 officers cannot be funded and in the round 400 more will be lost, coupled with the programme of Police Station closures by the Mayors office (MOPAC) a widely held view of another bad decision by the London Mayor
The population of London increased by Circa 1.3M now being served by smaller numbers of officers.
Drain on Police resources by Pro Palestinian marches meaning less officers to Police Boroughs.
Uptick in burglary generally and a specific case discussed and the delay of cases be brough before the Court now UP TO 3yrs.
Criminal Justice system discussed in some detail.
The Borough SLT (senior leadership team) of the Met are very supportive of us, HNW, and are working closely with us to try and make the best of poor decisions by MOPAC and the top echelons of the “greasy pole”
Planning/HMO’s
Planning
Only 5 applications this month for Harefield Village & South Harefield & these have been distributed to everyone via the website.
A resident has raised re the food outlet at Widewater Place, it was originally approved for a food service outlet for the businesses within the park and not for take away/delivery service as that is a change of use.
Weybeards Farm put in an alteration to the application, details are not yet known, new council plans are to approve changes from agricultural to residential by going down the Permitted Development route
–Cllr. Goddard replied to GB on the following matters:
HMO’s
As you say, there is to be a consultation process. This will be run by Council Officers who will be contacting various Community Groups. Councillors are not therefore going to be asked to act as a conduit for opinions.
St Pauls RC Church
I understand that Cllr Palmer has received and has already dealt with that question from a resident.
MediParc
Similarly, Cllr Palmer has provided an answer to this question to a resident, but I understand that she has also published this answer on her Facebook page.
4 Park Lodge Farm
This is one of a series of ideas and initiatives which are under consideration following the return of the site by HS2 to the Council. There are no formalised plans at this stage, but I do recognise that in the event that the solar farm initiative were to be taken to a further stage, it is highly probable that a consultation process would be required. There is therefore nothing that can be added at this time.
DK suggested a sub committee to tackle the Comer Homes Issue and asked for volunteers to join the sub committee.
Health
- The PPG Minutes are now on the Harefield Practice website
- Patient Calls now take about 4mins to respond to
- The doctors current statistics on “did not attended appointment” for October was 276 missed appointments & November was 184
- Parent with children over the age of 11 no longer have the right to see their medical records, this is for the child’s protection.
- There is a Dementia Champion at the practice if required.
‘Winter Wrapped Up’
Age UK charity have produced a very useful guide called “Winter Wrapped Up”. It is packed full of information on keeping well, staying warm and getting help with heating costs. In addition, there are practical tips like having a torch handy in case of a power cut.
Please find below support for those who need support for bereavement:
Harlington Hospice
A community hospice that provide services for people at the end of their lives and support families with bereavement and loss.
Tel: 020 8759 0453
Email: enquiries@harlingtonhospice.org
Bereavement Care and Support
Trained volunteers to support adults and children
in Harrow and Hillingdon.
Tel: 020 8427 5720
Please also find attached drop-in support groups in the Borough.
Falls Prevention
Public Health run a falls prevention program aimed at residents/patients who are at low risk of falling and/or requiring a low-level exercise activity. The program aims to help prevent falls through educating people about their own risk of falling and encouraging self-management through the offer of face-to-face falls prevention workshops or the use of a falls self-assessment tool.
The program also offers a free 12 week exercise program of either seated exercise for those less mobile or OTAGO based strength and balance classes for those who can do standing classes.
The booking system for these sessions has now been updated, all information can be found here: Falls and frailty prevention – Hillingdon Council
Residents can be booked onto the free exercise classes using the following link: https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/falls-prevention-exercise-booking-form
For anyone unable to complete the online booking form they can ring: 01895 556 688
Police/Roads
Next ward panel meeting 7th January 6pm at the cricket club, we will be attending & update the residents in the January meeting
Events
Upcoming events
Free lunch in St Mary’s Church Hall 12-4pm Christmas Day for anyone who is alone & wants company and food on the day.
Anzac day Friday 25th April
Dr Young first Tuesday in March history of Anzac
Armed Forces day 28th June
14th June village fete
Traffic (Inc ULEZ)
See roads
HS2
(see enclosed hyperlink to the full HS2 document download here
- Ongoing this Saturday Night Harvil Road at New Chiltern Line Bridge – Night Time Road Closures over 4 Saturday Nights 23/11, 30/11, 07/12 & 14/12 (9pm to 6am)
- Night closures on Moorhall Road 10pm to 6am 27th Jan to 2nd Feb 2025
Future Planned Works:
- New Moorhall Road – Night Time Road Closures at HS2 Viaduct from 10pm to 5am (Mon 27/01/25 to Sun 02/02/25)
- Breakspear Rd South – Road Closure under Railway Bridge for Culvert Replacement – Sat 05/04/25 to Sun 27/04/25 (3 Week Road Closure)
- Postponement of Road Closure of Skip Lane for Surveys of Utilities & Drainage – 10pm to 5am over 2 Phases between 30/11 and 04/12 (Phase 1) and 07/12 and 08/12 (Phase 2 Contingency Shift)
- Postponement of the Moorhall Road Cadent Gas Main Replacement over 10 weeks (due to take place Jan to Mar 2025)
- Community Engagement:
- New SCS Autumn 2024 Newsletter – out now (in Community Engagement section)
- HS2 Community & Environment Fund (CEF) – Hillingdon Fencing Club (in Community Engagement section)
- Video Update on the construction of the Northolt Tunnels (in Community Engagement section)
- Video Update on the construction of the Copthall Tunnel (in Community Engagement section)
- Information Hub at West Ruislip Portal – Opening Hours (in Community Engagement section)
Environment
Rubbish
We would ask that if residents are putting rubbish out the night before for an early morning weekly collection that they put the rubbish in waste bins. This morning for example I noticed at least 10 bags completely torn apart and the contents strewn all over the path, grass verge & roads.
First Saturday if every months 9;30am village green local volunteers get together to clean the village (weather permitting)
LONDON GREEN BELT COUNCIL
Tina Warne attended the London Green Belt Council Zoom meeting on the 27th November, the following is information from that meeting.
The new Labour Government have proposed that a new category of “Grey Belt” land be introduce in the National Planning Police Framework (NPPF). The new definition of “Grey Belt” appears to be low grade unattractive poor-quality Green Belt land such as a petrol station, or a car park or land that has previously been developed.
The London Green Belt Council fear that developers could deliberately degrade Green Belt land so that they can gain planning permission.
Councils will have to produce a new strategic plan – part of which will be to set out housing targets. The government will expect Councils to release Green Belt land if the Council cannot meet the housing target.
Under Labour’s planning reforms, at least 50% of homes built on “Grey Belt” land must be affordable, i.e. at least 20% below local market rents.
In 2014/15, the Office for National Statistics’, estimated population figures are still being used as a basis for the number of homes that need to be built in England. However, the LGBC states that the target is too high.
BRITAIN IS ONE OF THE MOST NATURE DEPLETED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD
THE MEDI PARC
Tina has written to the Council’s Planning Enforcement Officer and an Enforcement Officer has inspected the site and is in communication with Comer Homes. Apparently, the developers are required to reinstate the site. On enquiring what that means I was told that the mounds of earth will need to be remove and the earth put back. This is interesting because the very large mound is covering up the Japanese Knotweed, therefore if the earth is spread around the site so will the Japanese Knotweed.
I could be wrong but it appears as if the category of “Grey Belt” land, i.e. unattractive Green Belt fits right in now! But obviously that is not the developers intention.
AOB
None
Action Points
None
Next Meeting
Meeting closed 8:35pm
Next Meeting Monday 13th January 2024 – 7:30pm
We would like to take this time to thank everyone for their support this past year and wish everyone a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year
