Why do Shepherd's need a Bush? New Book

Yes, there really is a book with this title - here's the proof. Happy Friday!

Tories link with BNP to prevent cyclist safety debate

An unholy alliance of Conservatives and Richard Barnbrook - the racist British National Party elected member of the Greater London Authority now serving as an "independent" - took place yesterday, preventing a debate on cyclist safety. A Green Party motion before the GLA related to the recent deaths of three cyclists in the past two months at Kings Cross and Bow and called on the Mayor to take urgent action on dangerous junctions.

We have also had our share of tragic cycle deaths, such as this one in Hammersmith, and this accident in July this year on Hammermsith roundabout underlined the danger posed to cyclists by dangerous drivers.

The Conservatives at the GLA, however, appear to be unmoved by all of this and decided to put party politics ahead of cyclists lives and stage their second walk-out in six months - along with the fascist Mr Barnbrook. This unsurprisingly prompted a large amount of comment, with Chief News Correspondent for the Evening Standard Ross Lydall headlining a blog post with the stark title "16 cyclists dead but Tories refuse to debate road safety".

As you can see from the video above the Conservatives apparently took issue with a mundane decision about committees and silently walked out in what you can see was a carefully pre-planned walkout - they and "independent" racist Member of the GLA Richard Barnbrook got up in unison and out they went, preventing any further business.

Underlining how this was pre-planned (and therefore done in the full knowledge that it would prevent the cycling safety motion) Tory Group Leader James Cleverley issued a statement within minutes of the walk-out, which said:

“Once again other parties on the Assembly have chosen to put petty party politics before properly representing the democratic view of Londoners by denying us fair and equitable chairmanship and deputy chairmanship on Assembly committees.”

So we're asked to believe that this was far more important than doing something about the fact that cyclists keep getting killed on our roads. I'm sure that will go down well with the friends and families of those hurt.

The rest of the political groups united to condemn the Conservative/BNP walk-out. I'm told that the motion had the backing of Labour, the LibDems and Greens so would have been passed. Lib-Dem Assembly Member Mike Tuffrey said this:

"Today's childish actions by Conservative Assembly Members have thwarted a key debate on cycle safety taking place. Their actions are an insult to every cyclist in London as well as the democratic process."

Hear hear.

Boris in the Bush today

Mayor of London Boris Johnson was in Shepherd's Bush Library today along with celebrity TV star Peter Andre to launch a literacy volunteer scheme aimed at improving children's levels of reading.

The "Team London - Love Libraries" scheme aims to recruit 2,000 'Library Champions' under a new Team London programme designed to help local communities get even more out of their local library through new services and activities.

£100,000 is being invested to develop the Team London 'Love Libraries' scheme, which will see people recruited over the next six months to help provide a range of library based activities in at least ten borough, including our very own H&F

Pictured above, courtesy of local Top Tory Harry Phibbs, the Mayor was also, clearly, aiming to enhance his W12 credentials following several visits to the Bush by his opponent Ken Livingstone.

Boris then wandered over to the new Bush Theatre to take in the sights and sounds of the new building which was opened following H&F Council's decision to rehome the library in the Westfield Centre. The Theatre, which has won widespread acclaim, is now a regular feature of W12 life, including the opening of its cafe which operates independently of the main Theatre schedule.

Boris then went on a walkabout on Uxbridge Road, provoking the usual celebrity response of people wanting to have photos with the blond one as he chatted to bemused shoppers and business keepers.

Local Conservatives took to the Twitter airwaves to chronicle the Mayor's wanderings and promote the event as a key moment in the pre-election battle that is getting more and more intense as polling day in May 2012 draws near. It's difficult to over state the importance of this election both to our local Council but also to the Government.

A win for Boris would be a maajor confirmation that the Labour Party is still not viewed as a viable opposition at either national or local level while a victory for Ken would signal the reverse -and would also put a stop to some of H&F Council's more controversial development projects locally.

So expect W12 to be a key battleground between now and then, of which today was only the latest example.

8th December UPDATE - you can now see H&F Council's video of the event below - they shamefully don't caption the councillor speaking at the end about Shepherd's Bush library being the "jewel in the crown of Hammersmith & Fulham's libraries" - he is our very own Cllr Greg Smith!

Car parking charges frozen

H&F Council has frozen car parking charges in the borough to stay at £2.20 and £2.80 per hour in the quieter and busier streets. That means they won't be going up this year in a move the Council says is aimed at giving residents "respite" from the chill economic winds blowing through the country at the moment.


Here's Councillor Nick Botterill, Deputy Leader of H&F speaking to the Evening Standard:

"We know that local people are feeling the pinch and this is one way of showing our support by giving residents some financial respite. We are making sure motorists get a fair deal by not increasing our parking permits or pay and display charges."

Some might say £2.80 is already too high, but the Council does deserve credit for this and it does stand in sharp contrast to next door Westminster who seem intent on imposing new crippling car parking charges. Well done on this one.

4 thefts a day in the Bush: Some crime advice

Sgt Steve Gilbert

Sergeant Steve Gilbert, of the Shepherd's Bush Safer Neighbourhood Team, has been in touch with some crime advice he has asked me to share with you.

In light of the four thefts per day he mentions, and the graphic examples of how these thefts have occured, what he has to say is well worth listening to.


So here's Steve::

Are you looking after your belongings?

In recent months the ward of Shepherds Bush Green (including Westfield's) is encountering, on average, 4 items of personal property a day being stolen.

To explain what type of theft I am talking about I will give some examples:

Man goes into newsagents to buy a paper. He has his phone in his hand. He puts it on counter so he can get some money out of his pocket. He walks out and forgets his phone. He returns 30 minutes later and no one knows where his phone is. Someone has now stolen it.

Lady is in changing room of a large clothing shop. She takes her handbag with her whilst she tries on some new jeans. She puts them on and goes for a short walk, just along the changing room corridor to test them. She returns to her cubicle and discovers her bag is now missing. The changing rooms are busy but no one noticed anything unusual. Someone has stolen her bag.

Male goes to a music concert. He puts his iphone in his back jeans pocket. He thinks this is OK because it fits comfortably and snugly so couldn't fall out. He leaves the concert after dancing a bit and enjoying the atmosphere. He leaves and tries to call a cab. No phone, someone has stolen it.

Female has a tough week at work, together with a group of colleagues they go to a pub after work for a well earned drink. She puts her bag containing her work lap top under her chair. Her colleagues are sitting around so she feels everything is safe. She doesn't even get up to go to bar or toilet. After 1 hour she goes to pick up her bag and it is gone. Someone has stolen it.

The local police are committed to catching pick pockets and bag thieves. Plain clothes officers regularly patrol area looking for thieves. Officers investigating crimes do seek out CCTV pictures of suspects and try to identify them.

There are some organised gangs operating that steal thousands of pounds worth of belongings from people across the UK. They are difficult to recognise as they dress and behave to blend in with their surroundings.
There are also many selfish and greedy people that may never have been in trouble with police. If they see an unattended item their greed may and does cause them to take it.

Everyone has their own perception about how to look after their belongings. The police would like to give you all the benefit of their experience with some good advice.

If you regularly walk around with a wallet or phone in your hand please try and put it in your pocket rather than putting it down on a counter or table. Police do not advise people to walk late at night in quiet areas whilst talking or texting on the phone.

When shopping you are normally surrounded by like minded people and the process of buying things can be distracting. Do not leave your bag or belongings unattended even for a short time. This also includes trips to supermarket when you may be tempted to hang your bag or sit your bag in shopping trolley. It only takes a second, whilst you are browsing the shelf, for someone to pick up your bag.

Putting items in a back pocket is not a good idea. A wallet or a phone soon feels comfortably in place and you forget it is there. It is also the easiest pocket for a pickpocket to target.

Taking bags out when you are socialising can be troublesome. Finding somewhere safe for it to sit whilst you enjoy yourself isn't always straight forward. If you plan to have a few drinks try and organise the security whilst it is clear in your mind.

Simple tips would be….

Put your bag where you can see it (never under a chair or on the back of your chair).

If you will leave it for a short time make sure someone else is aware and can watch it.

Some pubs, coffee shops and restaurants have fitted "Chelsea Clips" under tables where bag is attached and takes a while and delicate touch to remove it (Thieves hate these as it takes too long to unhook it). Please use them.

Please make a note of serial numbers of your electronic devices. You can record them securely on line at www.immobilise.com . Police regularly recover items that may be stolen and check this database. A stolen item can then be identified where it came from and reunited with its loser.

If you are out and about be neighbourly, if you see someone going for a bag and you've plainly see it isn't theirs just a simple "Excuse me is that your bag?" A thief doesn't like being noticed and will put them off. If you see suspicious people that you feel may be a pickpocket or thief point them out to security or a police officer where possible.

And finally please pass on this message to all your friends and relatives. It is a big burden on your stress levels to lose a computer or your mobile phone.

Time Out: Askew Road is on the up

The Great Askew Road Food Resurgence is the title of Time Out's review of our very own Askew Road, which features many of the shops that have enabled the road to make the journey from what the listings magazine rightly refers to as a "desolate strip linking Uxbridge Road to Goldhawk Road" to being an emerging gem of W12.

The butchers Ginger Pig, the bakery Lavelli and the Eagle pub all get a mention - and its a rare piece of good news coverage for an area that has seen the darker side of life in Shepherd's Bush all too often. So well done, Askew Road, and carry on the good work.

That £7,000 party - Right of Reply by Harry Phibbs

Cllr Harry Phibbs

My story last Friday on the £7,184 party for departing H&F Chief Executive Geoff Alltimes triggered much comment, claim and counter-claim with the local media eventually following it up as well. The Council, many of you thought rightly, was heavily criticised for this use of our money.

But this blog is also about a conversation and it's never simply been about bashing one side or another blindly - so I've agreed to carry a 'right of reply' in the form of a guest post from Cabinet Member Harry Phibbs. 

I always get a welter of criticism whenever I do this, irrespective of which party the politician is a member of - so on this occasion can I remind people that I have also carried numerous columns by Labour MP Andy Slaughter. It's about a debate - so whether you agree or disagree with what Harry says below, he deserves credit for engaging with local people on the blog.

So here's Harry, on *that* party:

"Last Friday the Shepherd's Bush Blog ran an item challenging Council spending of £7,000 on a retirement party for Geoff Alltimes who has stood down as Chief Executive of Hammersmith and Fulham Council after 35 years. I can hardly complain about our spending being scrutinised. Part of my job has been to promote this accountability by making our spending more transparent than that of any other council. Not only do we publish payments to suppliers, and senior salaries, but also a detailed breakdown of our Council budget by cost code. We also publish our register of property assets and a Debtometer tracking our progress on reducing Council debt.

But I do believe that in this case the criticism has been misleading and unfair, and astonishingly hypocritical coming from Labour councillors and the Labour MP for Hammersmith, Andrew Slaughter. For his retirement party, Geoff paid for all the alcoholic refreshments himself, the Council paid for the food and the caterers.

Some argue that the Council should have made no contribution to funding the event - which I think would be churlish. Geoff was well paid but that does not mean he was bad value for money. He showed outstanding leadership and professionalism. 

He served both Labour and Conservative administrations with energy and ability in getting their policies implemented. Under Labour administrations he delivered their spending schemes and higher Council Tax. But when residents elected a Conservative administration in 2006 with a radical and controversial agenda including lower spending and cuts in Council Tax he accepted that democratic verdict. Where there were problems for either administration he would be determined to find solutions rather than the more familiar bureaucratic mindset of claiming the obstacles were insurmountable.

With colleagues his behaved with courtesy and would listen, finding this a more effective way of motivating them than shouting and banging his fist.

Others have suggested that £7,000 was too high and a smaller party should have been held. It was certainly a big event with over 450 present - including several Labour councillors and the former Labour council leader Stephen Burke. But many council staff appreciated the chance to go and thank Geoff who had been their boss for many years. He wanted to thank them. Staff morale is important and I think there was a benefit in extending the invitation beyond a few senior managers.

Labour have got an almighty nerve in condemning the reception given their own record. In the summer of 2004 a lavish leaving party was held at Fulham Palace marking the retirement of the Director of Education, Christine Whatford. The full cost, including alcohol, of £20,000 was picked up by the Council Taxpayer. The following summer another extravagant event was held this time for Henry Peterson, departing as the Director of Policy and Administration, at the Corinthian Sailing Club. It was also entirely paid out of Council coffers. Andrew Slaughter was Council leader at the time, Stephen Cowan a Cabinet Member. The idea that they presided over an era of frugality is laughable.

Shortly before the 2006 elections they paid £6,000 for a steel band that had only just performed at Glastonbury the week before to play in the middle of Shepherd's Bush Green for an hour amidst the litter to celebrate a "Smarter Borough". The audience consisted of a couple of drunks and a man with a dog. Few passers-by saw or heard much of the band between the traffic. It was a fiasco.

Even more extraordinary is that Andrew Slaughter should be criticising Geoff Alltimes' pensions arrangements. The comparison with Geoff's predecessor as Chief Executive, Richard Harbord, is instructive. Harbord was brought in when Slaughter was leader in 1999 with a starting salary of £110,000 (equivalent of £150,000 in current prices.) Within a year Harbord was given a pay rise to £140,000, and a further hike in 2001. Harbord's departure from the authority was brought forward a year earlier than planned, in May 2002. This was due to his "lack of progress" in the post. He was given a £110,000 pay-off plus a £62,400 booster to his total pension to over £200,000. This, after just three years, compared to Geoff's service of 35 years for the borough. 

Geoff has got the pension he was contracted to get - not one boosted by an "additional retirement grant" or any pay-off. In fact, Geoff waved £75,000 of redundancy pay that he was legally entitled to, as the post of a Chief Executive solely for Hammersmith and Fulham has been abolished. It should also be remembered that part of the cost of his salary was met by the Primary Care Trust.

It is true that as Council Taxpayers we have paid a lot of money to Geoff. But we should still be grateful because he has played a key role in the last five years in delivering lower Council Tax and improved services. It is his success that has fuelled the Labour Party's resentments, but their complaints are without credibility".