hillingdon people march 2010

Hillingdon’s homegrowntalent

March/April 2010

BLOW THEWHISTLE ON

CHEATSHOUSINGWhen somebody with a council or housing association home rents it out

without permission or obtains a home through providing false information, they

are guilty of housing fraud. They are using up valuable housing spaces and

depriving families and vulnerable people on the waiting list. It’s not fair.

If you suspect someone of unlawfully sub-letting

call us on 0800 389 8313 or

email us at [email protected] Your report will be treated in the strictest confidence and can

be given anonymously.

© C

RO

WN

CO

PYR

IGH

T 2

009.

Cop

yrig

ht in

the

con

tent

, des

ign

and

typo

grap

hica

l arr

ange

men

t re

sts

with

the

Cro

wn.

Pub

lishe

d by

Lon

don

Bor

ough

of H

illin

gdon

advertisements

hillingdon people magazineMarch/April 20102

Homegrown talent

Three-piece group Scouting for Girls first hit the music

scene in ��, with their debut single It’s Not About You,

and followed it up with their self-titled number one album

in January ��. The band met during their childhood in

Hillingdon, playing their first gigs in neighbouring Harrow.

Roy met Greg while they were at

Queensmead School in South Ruislip

and he met Pete at the 1st/3rd

Ruislip Scouts when they were

eight. When the band needed a new

drummer, Roy asked Pete and the

group as they are now was formed.

Their first gigs were performed

at the Trinity bar in Harrow, where

stars including Kate Nash also

started their performing careers.

Roy’s earliest memories of

the borough include walking

through the fields and woods

in Ruislip with his friends.

He said his experiences in the

band on tour had helped him

appreciate how lucky he was

to grow up in the borough. He

explained: “I suppose one of

the great things about growing

up in Ruislip, in Hillingdon, is

that you are about 20 minutes

away from wide open fields and

when I was a kid, I had the golf

club right there, then you jump

on a train and you are only 40

minutes away from London.

With a new album and

UK-wide tour planned for

2010, Hillingdon People

caught up with Roy Stride from

Hillingdon-born band Scouting for

Girls to find out more about what it

was like growing up in the borough

and discovered one of Roy’s earliest

jobs was to deliver this magazine.

Roy explained that Hillingdon

is still home to the band, with

their families still living in the area

and they return home regularly.

He said: “I have a real sense of

‘home’ there (in Hillingdon). You

only have one place that you call

home - wherever you grew up, that’s

it. The Channel 4 advert (which

shows the road off to Uxbridge)

always makes me think of home.

That’s where I spent 20 years of

my life – it will always be home.

“We’re all back every week. I don’t

think there’s one thing I miss; it’s

lots of little things. I come back on

the Tube – I come back to Ruislip

or Ruislip Manor or the 114 bus

which makes me think of school,

and West Ruislip Station makes

me think of going to university.”

He added that his group of

friends still get together in Ruislip

regularly, often drinking in JJ

Moons in Ruislip Manor when

they are all in the area. He said

they almost got stuck there in

December during the snow when

they weren’t expecting it.

Some of his earliest jobs were

delivering Hillingdon People

and the local free newspaper.

While you would expect the lead

singer of a band with a number

one album to get recognised while

out and about, Roy thinks taking a

few months out of the spotlight to

write and record the second album

has helped them stay unrecognised.

He said: “Because we haven’t

really been doing anything for the

last 12 months, we’ve been busy

recording the new album, we will

only be recognised round Ruislip.

It’s more meeting old school

friends, though. My parents and

grandparents have lived in the area

for 60-70 years and I used to look

like my dad, so whenever I used

to walk around Ruislip I would

get people approaching me”

ready for

�� return

Continued >

Scouting for Girls

hillingdon people magazine

March/April 2010

20

hillingdon people magazine March/April 2010

21

hillingdon feature

hillingdon feature

hillingdon contentsMarch/April 2010

Editorial and advertising enquiriesHannah Collins 01895 250828

[email protected]

For a copy in large print or on tape, call 01895 250828

Published by London Borough of Hillingdon © 2010Design Phil Burton 01895 250670 Printed by Warners Midlands PLCHillingdon People, 3E/07 Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW.

Products and services advertised in this magazine are not necessarily endorsed by the council.

Cllr Ray PuddifootLeader of the Council

hillingdon people magazine March/April 2010

TT-COC-002452

After reading, please recycle this magazine

3

20 Cover featureInterview with Ruislip-based band Scouting for Girls ahead of the release of their new album and your chance to win a copy of the album

9 Older People’s PageCouncil launches electric heater scheme for older residents

10 Freeze on council tax for allZero per cent increase on council tax for 2009/10 for everyone

11 Court case on Heathrow startsThe Judicial Review against the decision to allow the third runway has started

12 Your vote, your sayRemember to register to vote in the May council election

14 Exciting plans for Ruislip LidoProposals to develop the Ruislip Lido site are announced

18 Official opening for flagship sports centreResidents can now use the Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex, complete with Olympic sized 50m pool and refurbished Grade II listed 1930s pool

Regulars4 News35 Hillingdon volunteers36 What’s on?39 Hillingdon contact numbers

As you receive your latest

edition of Hillingdon People, we have just announced that council tax rates will be frozen for a second year (this is the third year for Hillingdon’s over 65s).

Most fees and charges in the borough are also being frozen at the current level for residents. These include library service charges, adult education course fees, parking, Careline, home care charges, allotment charges, early years centres nursery fees and the fees and charges for using Hillingdon’s leisure centres and arts venues.

As part of our civic pride programme, we recently unveiled our intentions for Ruislip Lido, which will invest a significant sum of money to improve the existing facilities so people of all ages can enjoy what is one of the best green spaces in London.

Once again, we were able to demonstrate our commitment to putting residents first, by opening the doors of our new state-of- the-art leisure complex in Uxbridge to residents a month before it was open for other users. Hillingdon residents will also benefit from reduced rates by using their HillingdonFirst card. The new Botwell Leisure Centre in Hayes will open in a few months’ time completing our £50m investment in new leisure facilities.

Following the damage to our roads during recent cold weather, we have approved £2.4m to repair and resurface roads across the borough.

We have always said that residents are at the heart of everything we do and the results of our most recent residents’ survey shows us that more and more residents say that their council is offering high quality services that provide value for money.

Finally, you should also receive with this edition of Hillingdon People your annual Hillingdon People local, which gives you more detailed information about some of the things we did over the last year in your local area.

inbrief


Residents renew online

Residents can now renew their parking permits online in a quicker and easier process.

The new system was introduced at the start of February and expands the renewal options available. The old process was time consuming and involved contacting the Parking Team by post, email or telephone. The online system allows residents to renew their parking permits at a time convenient to them.

As the new system was introduced at the start of February, residents whose permits were due to be renewed were able to use the quicker system. Renewal letters were sent to them, and 16 residents renewed their permits online, meaning they received their permits within a week, allowing for postal delays.

Cllr Keith Burrows, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “This is another great step forward for Hillingdon, and shows we are yet again putting residents first by making things easier for them. This new facility is saving time and money, helping us offer better services to residents.”

Visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/parking and select “resident Online Permit Renewal.’

Wireless internet access (Wi Fi) launched in librariesLibraries across the borough have been wired up to allow free access to the internet from your laptop. ‘Wi fi’ means library members can use their own laptops to connect to the internet at a Hillingdon library for free and allowing unlimited access.

This latest improvement is part of a wider and innovative modernisation programme which has so far seen eight of the borough’s 17 libraries completely transformed through refurbishment or new building programmes, increased opening hours across the service and the introduction of Starbucks Café facilities, Apple Mac computers and better book stock

Wi Fi is being introduced as libraries are refurbished and can be used at Manor Farm Ruislip Manor, Harefield, West Drayton, Northwood, Charville, Ickenham and Yiewsley libraries.

Cllr Henry Higgins, Cabinet Member responsible for Libraries and Culture, said: “Wi Fi has been introduced in response to the needs of our library users. This is an important development in delivering a modern and efficient library service for Hillingdon residents and is part of a programme of development and improvement that has resulted in Hillingdon libraries bucking the national trend and increasing library visits and book issues.”

New Year’s Day Parade photosPhotos from the New Year’s Day Parade are available on the council’s Flickr website

at www.flickr.com/hillingdon. The council finished ninth out of 23 council floats in the annual parade, winning £1,500 for the Mayor of Hillingdon’s charities.

inbrief

hillingdon people magazine March/April 2010 5

hillingdon news

Change of date for Hillingdon PeopleThe next edition of Hillingdon People, covering May/June, will start delivery to homes around the borough on Friday 21 May. The magazine has to be delayed because of the local elections taking place on Thursday 6 May. The magazine will be available online from Thursday 20 May – please see www.hillingdon.gov.uk/hillingdonpeople to view the electronic version.

Fraudster jailedA man from Hayes has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after fraudulently claiming almost £18,000 of benefits.

Joao Pedro Lando, of Guiness Close, Hayes, claimed housing and council tax benefit and income support while failing to disclose student support in the forms of grants, loans and while he was also in paid employment.

He was interviewed by officers from the council and the Department for Work and Pensions in a joint investigation. The total amount of benefits claimed totalled £17,942.30.

The District Judge commented that this was a systematic abuse of the benefit system over a considerable number of years. He went on to explain that Mr Lando was an intelligent man who had obtained an expensive education and had six years in which to own up but chose not do so.

If you have any information about benefit fraud, please contact the council’s hotline on 0800 389 8313.

PCT and council appoint joint director of Public HealthHillingdon Council and Primary Care Trust have jointly appointed a new Director of Public Health (DPH) for Hillingdon.

Dr Ellis Friedman currently works for East Lancashire PCT and has 20 years of experience as a DPH. His appointment will extend the joint working between the PCT and the council and strengthen clinical leadership at the PCT board. He conceived and led the Saving a Million Years of Life Initiative, encouraging all residents in the East Lancashire area to live more healthily. He plans to relocate to Hillingdon when he starts his new role.

Introducing new essential standards of careFrom April new essential standards of care are being introduced gradually across all health and adult social care services in England. The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the new independent regulator of health and adult social care, will license services if they meet essential standards and constantly monitor them to make sure they are compliant with the law.

The new system means that you can expect services to meet essential standards of quality and safety that respect your dignity and rights.

NHS trusts are the first to come into the new system. From April 2010, for the first time, all NHS hospitals must by law be registered with CQC according to the essential standards.

Find out more on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Yolanda said: “I’m very happy to have won the title – I really wanted to win. I want to be a model, so I hope this will start it. I’m a student at East Berkshire College doing beauty therapy at the moment as my plan B – hopefully I can open my own salon one day.”

Cllr Harper-O’Neill said: “Meeting Yolanda was one of the more unusual jobs I have done in my time as Mayor. It is fantastic for Hillingdon that she lives here and the title is a great opportunity for her to learn more about her culture and community. I wish her success during her year holding the title.”

Miss Caribbean visits Hillingdon

(l-r) Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Shirley Harper-O’Neill with Yolanda Gqomo, her escort and Contest Co-

ordinator Anna Myers and Cllr Brian Stead.

The winner of the 2009 Miss Caribbean and Commonwealth has started her official duties with a visit to Hillingdon.

Yolanda Gqomo, who lives in Hayes, won the competition in 2009 and carried on the tradition of the winner meeting the Mayor of the borough where they live. She met with Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Shirley Harper-O’Neill, and her escort Cllr Brian Stead, and had a guided tour of the Mayor’s Parlour.

Yolanda was born in South Africa and as part of her duties this year, will be going to the football World Cup in June.

fair to sublet and to profit from a property which could be given to someone in greater need.Obtaining housing by •deception – when a person gets a council or housing association home by giving false information in their application, for example not telling the landlord they are renting another council or housing association property, they are committing housing fraud.Wrongly claimed •succession – when a tenant dies, these are rules that say what should be done with the tenancy. Wrongly claimed succession is when someone, who is not entitled, tries to take over the tenancy. For example, they might say they lived with the tenant before they died, when in fact they were living elsewhere.If you think someone

you know might be a housing cheat, let us know – it could make a real difference to someone’s life. Contact us on 0800 389 8313 or email us at [email protected]

Eco toilets in allotments Funding to catch fraudstersThe council has been successful in a bid for £50,000 funding to help tackle housing cheats in the borough over the next year.

The money, from the Government, will be spent on a campaign to get more people to report people who cheat the housing system with the tagline ‘blow the whistle on housing cheats’.

There are several types of housing cheat, and you might know someone who is committing one of these crimes. The most common types are:

Unlawful subletting – •when a tenant lets out their council or housing association home without the knowledge or permission of their landlord they are unlawfully subletting. They often continue to pay the rent for the property directly to their landlord, but charge the person they are subletting to a much higher rate. It is not

of the Highgrove Allotment Site, said: “The council have responded quickly to our requests and we are very satisfied with the new facilities which will help us to make the most of our allotments. They are well built, waterproof, clean and a pleasure to use.”

Cllr Sandra Jenkins, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Allotments are a great and cost-effective way to grow your own produce while getting a bit of outdoor exercise at the same time. We are pleased that residents are enjoying the improvements we’ve made to the sites in the borough and welcome others to come and give it a go.”

The improvements also form part of the council’s commitment to providing excellent services for older residents through the Older People’s Plan.

Information on allotments in Hillingdon and available plots are available on the council website at www.hillingdon.gov.uk

Allotment users are benefiting from new eco toilets which are being installed at sites across the borough.

The Hillingdon Allotment and Horticultural Federation for older residents and allotment holders approached the council to see if toilets could be provided at some of the most popular allotment sites in the borough, enabling people to spend more time outside making the most of their plots.

Toilets were installed at three sites last year and further three are now at Belmore Allotment Site, Ickenham Green Allotment Site and Field End Road Allotment Site.

The toilets installed are composting toilets, which require no electricity or water and ultimately provide compost for the sites. Once installed the toilets are maintained by the allotment holders themselves.

Terry Tickerpae, a resident from Pinner and a regular user


hillingdon news

Satisfaction with council services remains highThe most recent survey of Hillingdon residents continues to show high satisfaction with the council and the services it provides.

The survey, which was conducted by MORI, shows that in many areas the results are outstanding. For environmental services, there is 90 per cent satisfaction with household waste collection, 85 per cent for doorstep recycling and 76 per cent for recycling facilities.

Encouragingly, residents’ views on the impact of CCTV remain positive - significantly more residents think that CCTV

cameras have reduced the amount of crime and disorder in town centres in the borough.

More than four in five residents support the council’s free burglar alarm and council tax freeze initiatives for older people.

Following the start of the library refurbishment programme, as well as more people visiting the borough’s libraries, satisfaction is at 83 per cent (up from 77 per cent last year).

When contacting the council, 77 per cent are satisfied and say that council staff are

helpful. Satisfaction with education and childcare facilities remains very high three quarters of residents rate the borough’s parks and open spaces highly.

Overall, more residents agree than disagree that the council is well run and there has been an increase in those who say the council offers good value for money.

Cllr Ray Puddifoot, Leader of the Council, said: “Once again, these results show that by putting residents at the heart of everything we do we are continuing to deliver improving and in many cases, excellent services.”

He added: “Although these results show that for the second year running a large number of residents recognise the council is delivering high quality, value for money services we are not complacent. We will continue to work hard on those services residents have told us we need to improve, such as road safety and traffic congestion.”

Once again, a very high number of residents feel well informed about council services (77 per cent) with Hillingdon People the way that most residents want to get local information.

inbriefWin £100 for having your say on our parks and green spacesAcross the borough, there are hundreds of parks and green spaces for our residents to enjoy, and 14 of the borough’s parks have now been given Green Flag Award status in recognition of their high quality but we want your views to help us improve them further.

As the second largest London borough and one of the greenest, we want everyone to enjoy our open spaces, whether they are formal gardens, town parks, informal conservation and country parks or children’s play areas.

Visit the Green Spaces section of the council website at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/greenspaces to complete the survey.

National science week comes to UxbridgeUxbridge is the home of Brunel University, but how many of us know anything about the research that is happening, just a mile away from Uxbridge town centre?

On 16 March, you have your chance to find out. Brunel University researchers will be taking over the Market Square in the Mall Pavilions to demonstrate a wide variety of current research projects. The theme of the event is a phenomenon that affects every living person – ageing.

The event will be opened at 10am by Sue Cook (Nationwide, Crimewatch). In addition to the interactive displays staffed by Professors, researchers and students, there will be a programme of entertainment running throughout the day.

Lee McQueen, Sir Alan Sugar’s 2008 Apprentice, had tea with a group of council apprentices and Chief Executive Hugh Dunnachie to mark National Apprentice Week.

Lee, who comes from Hillingdon, is a big supporter of training opportunities in the borough and has close links with Hillingdon Training Ltd who provide the training for most of the council’s apprentices.

Hugh Dunnachie, Chief Executive, said: “Apprenticeships are a great way for young people to enter the world of work, gain valuable

You’re hired – council marks National Apprentice Week

skills and training as well as experience. The apprentices that are currently working for Hillingdon are already directly contributing the services we provide for our residents and I hope they are proud of the achievements they are making.”

Dan Stewart is an apprentice working with Hillingdon Council’s Learning and Development team. Dan said: “Working for Hillingdon as an apprentice has been a great experience and given me plenty of opportunities to learn new skills. Everyone I have met has been so

welcoming and I would like to encourage anyone who is considering an apprenticeship to do so as they won’t be disappointed.”

National Apprentice Week celebrates the talents and skills of apprentices. The week is organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS).

The council has also nominated one of its apprentices, Naomi Hobbs, for the National Apprentice Awards for 2010. Naomi works in Adult Social Care, Health and Housing at 3 Colham Road, one of the council’s respite homes for adults.

Council’s work for veterans recognisedThe council has been formally accepted into the Normandy Veteran’s Association following a ceremony where the NVA standard was handed over to the Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Shirley Harper-O’Neill.

The flag was handed over in the Mayor’s Parlour in January. The NVA has welcomed the council as recognition for all the work we have done in support of veterans in the borough over the last few years, including paying for a veteran to go to Normandy for the D-Day celebrations, the Welcome Home Parade in August and our continued Civic Pride campaign.

Cranford Park management change

From April, the council will be taking over responsibility for Cranford Park, Hayes. The park is owned by Hillingdon but has been managed by Hounslow Council

for several years. The council will be resuming responsibility for the park alongside the other countryside parks in Hillingdon, which are managed to Green Flag standards.

hillingdon people magazine 7

hillingdon news

March/April 2010

inbrief


hillingdon news

Do you need FREE support to find a job?If you are unemployed and looking for a new job, a new scheme offering support, training and advice could be for you.

Gateway Heathrow 2012 Local Workforce Recruitment aims to assist unemployed local residents’ access jobs at Heathrow Airport and other west London boroughs. The programme is focused on hospitality and tourism, retail, security, transport and construction sectors.

The council has secured £900,000 from the European Social Fund supported by the London Development Agency to fund this initiative. Since it started last year, more than 85 participants have already gained employment.

Karl Atkinson, a participant, said: “All staff have been very supportive in ensuring I had the confidence to get into employment and

For further information on Urban Futures please contact Doyle Hector on 020 8759 5978 or email [email protected]. For more information on the Uxbridge College section of the scheme, please contact Giles Strachan on 01895 853653 or email [email protected]. For more information on the general scheme, please contact Inga Spencer on [email protected] or telephone 01895 250580.

continue to encourage me while employed.”

The programme is completely free and is flexible in what it can offer, including:

individual tailored •supporttraining both accredited •and specific work related coursesinterview techniques, •assistance with CV, job search/brokerageongoing support •during initial 6 months of employmentyou may receive help •with travel costsThe scheme is

delivered by two partners, Uxbridge College and Urban Futures.

Uxbridge College are focussing on providing tailored training and support within hospitality, tourism, retail and the security sectors across west London. Urban Futures is located at Heathrow Airport and they are assisting people who are looking for employment within the airport.

Additional support may be available to lone parents, or participants who are disabled or aged 50+.

Give us your views on conservation area The council is seeking the views of residents on the Ruislip Village Conservation Area Appraisal. This document describes the elements which make the Conservation Area special and gives it its character.

You can view the draft appraisal at Ruislip Library, the Planning and Community Services Reception, at the Civic Centre, Uxbridge on Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and also on the council website at www.hillingdon.gov.uk by clicking on the ‘Have Your Say’ section.

The consultation runs until 5pm on 29 March. Copies of any representations received will be made available at the council offices and therefore will not be confidential.

If you would like to speak to a Conservation Officer, there will be a “drop in” session at Ruislip Library on 18 March, between 5pm and 7pm. Alternatively, telephone 01895 277078.

Coffee mornings spread crime prevention adviceA series of coffee mornings have been held at council sheltered housing units. Vulnerable residents were given support and advice on feeling safe in the borough with talks from officers at Hillingdon Police and the Community Safety team at the council.

Hillingdon Police Crime Prevention Officer, David Tennyson, said: “We are extremely pleased to be able to meet with the residents of sheltered housing in

the borough. This gives us the opportunity to listen to their concerns, respond to any questions and provide them with advice on crime prevention issues.”

Cllr Douglas Mills, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “Ensuring our residents feel safe in their homes is one of the council’s top priorities and these coffee mornings are a great way of meeting with some of our vulnerable residents to deliver this reassuring message.”

RAF “March In”A march is being held at 2pm on 1 April to mark the moving of troops currently based at RAF Uxbridge to their new home at RAF Northolt. The Queens Colour Squadron will be marching with the Central Band of the RAF from the White House gate entrance to the base, along West End Road and will enter through the main gate.

The event is part of the celebrations being held to commemorate the closure of the RAF Uxbridge base on 31 March.

contactsIf your heating is broken and you need a short-term solution, please contact Social Care Direct on 01895 556633 Monday to Friday between 8am – 6pm or the Emergency Duty Team on 01895 250111 during evenings and weekends.

contactsFor more details please contact the service coordinator Kelly Keep on 07823 884184 (mobile) or 020 8756 3040 (head office).

hillingdon older people


This winter has been very cold, and with the cold weather looking like it could

continue, the council has been planning ahead to help older people who have been struggling to keep themselves warm.

Older residents who are struggling to keep themselves warm during the winter are being offered the short-term loan of electric heaters if their heating breaks.

The Heater Loan Scheme will be funded through the Leader’s Older People’s Initiative and will offer the temporary use of portable oil-filled radiators and convector heaters to residents aged over 65 who have no heating because of a recent breakdown. The scheme is not designed to support residents in social and sheltered accommodation or privately rented accommodation where the landlord is able to address heating issues in a timely manner. The heaters will be loaned, usually for a maximum of two weeks, to help older people heat their homes while they arrange repair or seek further help.

Anyone receiving a heater is also eligible to claim a one-off grant to cover electricity costs incurred during the loan period. Grants will be calculated on an average daily consumption rate up to a maximum of £45 for any one loan period. Grants will be payable once all heaters have been returned in a satisfactory condition or at the time of distributing the heaters for people in need of financial assistance such as using electric meter keys.

Leader of the Council and Older People’s Champion, Cllr Ray Puddifoot, said: “This scheme will help vulnerable older people who struggling to keep warm during

Keep yourself warm with heater scheme

Nail cutting service for older residents

Hillingdon residents who are over 65 could be entitled to a nail cutting service.

If you are unable to cut your own toenails and are not in receipt of the NHS Podiatry service, Age Concern Hillingdon run a clinic three times a week. This is a simple nail cutting service so anyone suffering from certain medical conditions such as diabetes, or anyone requiring more complex treatments will be referred to the NHS Podiatry service.

There is a clinic at Fassnidge Memorial Hall in Uxbridge on Fridays 10 am – 2pm, Mount Vernon on Thursdays 10am – 2pm and Townfield Community Centre in Hayes 9.30am – 12.30pm on Tuesdays.

The first appointment will be charged at £12 for which clients will be issued with their own set of equipment and have their first treatment. After that, each treatment at the clinic will be charged at £10. An additional charge of £3.50 will be made for fingernails and a one-off charge of £5 will be made for the equipment.

periods when their usual heating system has broken down. With the loan scheme, any vulnerable resident who needs to borrow some heaters can make one phone call and we can send this out to them.”

Council taxfreeze for everyone

Investments£22.3m on major building •and environmental projects, including the development of a new library, adult education and youth service facilities next to the existing South Ruislip library.£10m for key ongoing •programmes including the Chrysalis programme which funds environmental improvements in the borough, the Leader’s Older People’s Initiative and the upgrade of local town centres.Older people across the •borough will benefit from an initiative to provide them with heaters which can be used as a temporary measure if their own heating stops working. Another 1,000 free burglar alarms are also being offered to our vulnerable residents to help them feel safe in their own homes. This is in addition to the 1,000 alarms that have already been installed.Young people in the borough •will be able to enjoy three new young people’s centres across Hillingdon, complete with state-of-the-art facilities.We will providing extra money •to support Hillingdon’s carers. We will also increase the amount of money we give to voluntary organisations in Hillingdon.

hillingdon finance


Most fees and charges in the borough are also being frozen at the current level for residents. These include library service charges, adult education course fees, parking, Careline, home care charges, allotment charges, early years centres nursery fees and the fees and charges for using Hillingdon’s leisure centres and arts venues.

For the second year running, every household in the borough will benefit from a

complete freeze in council tax. For the borough’s older residents, it is the third year they have not paid any increase on the Hillingdon element of their council tax.

At the same time as freezing council tax, the council will continue to invest in improvements across the borough, including work to improve the current facilities and restore some of those that residents used to be able to enjoy at Ruislip Lido (for more details see pages 14 and 15). Other improvements will include Highgrove Pool in Ruislip and the New Years Green Lane Civic Amenity Site in Harefield.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Ray Puddifoot, said: “In setting the council tax for 2010/11 we wanted to continue to deliver value for money for our residents in what we know will be a difficult year.

“Through strong financial management we have been able to set a zero per cent increase in council tax and we will continue to invest in the services our residents tell us are a priority for them. We have also identified more than £10m of savings which will mean we continue to run the council more efficiently.”

Cllr Puddifoot added: “We realise many residents will continue to feel the effects of the credit crunch, and we will do what we can to offer practical help and support to make life a little bit easier for businesses and residents in Hillingdon. If you are struggling to pay your council tax or business rates, please talk to us before you get into difficulties.”

Residents will continue to benefit from preferential rates on council services by using their HillingdonFirst card – remember to take yours when you’re out and about in Hillingdon to see where you could save some money.

Council taxfreeze for everyone

hillingdon campaign

Cllr Scott Seaman-Digby (third from left) joins representatives from the other 12 organisations

involved in the Heathrow Judicial Review outside the High Court at the start of the hearing


Court case against Heathrow expansion startsAs Hillingdon People went to print, the council was starting its legal battle against the Government’s decision to give the green light to the third runway at Heathrow Airport.

are worthless and we are going to get a full capacity runway anyway, then we have all been duped.

“We are asking the court to declare the consultation process and subsequent decision flawed, but win or lose we will continue to fight the Government’s determination to impose this devastation on our people and its disregard of the wider effect on those living in the surrounding areas.”

The organisations also argue, supported by Transport for London, that there is no evidence to support the Government’s claim that there will be enough public transport to serve the new runway.

It is not known when the decision on the Judicial Review will be made, but once the decision is announced, the information will be in Hillingdon People.

The case against the decision was being heard at the High Court in London at

the end of February and was brought by a coalition of councils in London including Hillingdon, green groups and local residents, representing millions of people.

The groups will be arguing that the decision which was announced in January 2009 is fundamentally different from the proposals the Government consulted on, meaning the consultation was deeply flawed and the decision illegitimate. They coalition will also argue that the decision to expand Heathrow is at odds with the UK’s overall climate change target. If they win, the Government’s decision to proceed with the runway will be overturned.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Ray Puddifoot, said: “We’ve had no choice but to go to court to sort out the mess left behind by a decision that was little more than a quick fix. From the moment Geoff Hoon announced his decision to the House it has steadily unravelled. We now have the Government’s lawyers telling us that what the Secretary of State told MPs was not what he really meant.

“So while Hoon was saying that expansion would be limited to a half-used runway because of climate change concerns, the civil servants now say that it is not dependent on reductions in carbon emissions and or so-called greener planes. If it’s only half a runway then that demolishes the economic case. But if the conditions which were meant to limit environmental damage

March/April 2010

hillingdon democracy

hillingdon people magazine12

Use your vote!On Thursday 6 May, elections are being held for Councillors to represent 22 wards within the London Borough of Hillingdon. To make sure you can have your say about who will represent your local area, you need to be on the electoral register.

The elections are your chance to vote for the people who you want to represent your

local area on the council.There are 22 wards in the

borough. Each ward has three councillors (except Harefield which has two) who make the decisions on how the borough is run. A full list of all the candidates standing at this election will be available from Monday 12 April and will appear on the council website.

A general election will also be held at the latest by 3 June, but the date of this has not yet been set. The date will be set by the Government and will be announced 17 working days before the election will be held.

Lloyd White, Returning Officer for the council, said: “I would encourage everyone who is eligible to vote to make sure they are on the electoral register so you can have your say about who will represent your wishes. It is really simple to make sure you can vote, and it could make a big difference to your life.”

For the general election, the Boundary Commission for England have changed the boundaries in the north of the borough. A new constituency of Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner has been created, which will include the current Ruislip-Northwood constituency and also parts of Pinner and Hatch End.

Voting factsThe local election will be •held on Thursday 6 MayAll 65 of Hillingdon’s councillors •will be elected through this democratic processIf you are interested in being •a councillor, you can apply up until noon on Thursday 8 April. For more information on what councillors do, please visit the council’s website on www.hillingdon.gov.ukIf you want to vote by post, •the deadline to apply is 5pm on Tuesday 20 April. Please contact the council on 01895 250251 for an application formPolling stations across the •borough will be open from 7am to 10pm. Your nearest station will be listed on your polling card which will be delivered to your door in AprilThe results will be available •on the council website, www.hillingdon.gov.uk the day after the election and in the May/June edition of Hillingdon People, out from 21 May.

Housing management returns to the council

WW

W.t

Hir

d-a

vE

nU

E.C

o.U

k

hillingdon housing


All Hillingdon Homes staff will transfer to the council. It is expected that post-return, support services will be integrated with those already at the council.

Cllr Philip Corthorne, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Housing, said: “Hillingdon Homes has done a good job of managing the council’s tenancies but we have had to look at how we continue to provide good quality, efficient services for residents.

“Changes in flexibilities and freedoms promised by the Government for arms length management organisations have not materialised but freedoms around borrowing and new build have been extended to local authorities.

“We have had to deal with the impact of the economic recession and severely restricted budgets means we cannot justify running a separate company to manage housing when we could do it in-house.

“This proposal will mean we could cut duplicated costs and instead use the money to improve housing services.”

The London Borough of Hillingdon has announced that it is to be the first

local authority in the country to return housing management to the council from its arms length management organisation, Hillingdon Homes.

The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday 18 February where councillors considered a report including the results of a test of opinion of council housing tenants and leaseholders.

An independent test of opinion with residents was run at the end of last year. From the postal survey, of which there were 1,249 responses, 942 were in favour of returning housing management to the council. Only 44 were opposed and 251 indicated that they did not mind either way. There were 12 not stated.

The random telephone survey, which was statistically representative of all tenants and leaseholders, managed to contact 1,300 residents of whom 610 were in favour of returning to the council, only 57 were opposed and 582 did not mind either way.

Hillingdon Homes was set up in 2003 to manage the council’s tenancies. It has delivered good service performance (two star) and high tenant satisfaction. A substantial stock investment programme has secured the Decent Homes standard utilising £60m funding from Government. Now this programme is complete, the council has been looking at the best way of further improving services for residents as well as where money can be saved.

For tenants and leaseholders there will be no change in ownership – the council will set the rents in line with Government guidelines and arrange repairs and consult with residents about housing services.

Savings from support service costs and governance will be used to enhance services. On return, the council will be working to make more efficiencies in the future and improve linkages to other council services.

The council believes that it would be best for tenants and the service to secure an early return to the council and is discussing this with the Hillingdon Homes Board, who will meet in early March to consider this.

What you told usClaire James, a Ruislip resident, said: “I wanted to express my support for the plans to improve facilities at the Lido, especially improving water quality for bathing, reintroducing boating, and investing in the railway.

“I think increased use and investment in the Lido is one sure way to reduce any antisocial behaviour that currently occurs in this area. I cannot wait for the bathing and boating facilities to arrive and neither can my two children. Please do not be put off by those who simply fear change and seem to object to everything just for the sake of it.”

Peter Lansdown, who is chairman of both the MAG for Ruislip Lido and the Ruislip Residents’ Association, said:

“The Residents’ Association committee is broadly in favour of the development proposals for the Lido, as unveiled by the council at a recent LMAG meeting. However, we fully understand the concerns about parking and anti-social behaviour expressed by residents living close to the site, and we will actively seek to ensure that these are satisfactorily addressed within the project.”

hillingdon developments


Exciting plans for Ruislip Lido

contactsYou can let us know your thoughts on the proposals by emailing [email protected].

What you told usLaurence Melford, of Park Avenue, Ruislip, said: “As a long time resident of Ruislip, I remember the times when as children we could take boats out, when there was fishing and indeed watching the water-skiing that used to take place on the Lido. I remember too the volume of buses that used to take visitors to the Lido to enjoy the facilities on sunny days in the summer. It was a great place to go to have fun and enjoyment.

“Overall the benefits it will bring to both local and neighbouring areas is great. We need areas for recreational purposes and Ruislip is blessed with such areas as Kings College Playing Fields for sports and leisure, the vast local woods and, of course, the Lido.“I look forward to seeing the

proposed plans and hope that the fears of the few may be overcome with the benefits that will be right on their doorstep.”

hillingdon developments


As part of the scheme, the council will be carrying out environmental surveys of the area.

Cllr Ray Puddifoot, Leader of the Council, said: “In Hillingdon, we have more of our land under Green Flags, the national quality mark for parks and open spaces, than any other borough in London. Ruislip Lido is one of Hillingdon’s most unique and beautiful green spaces and we want to enhance it so that our residents have the best possible facilities.

He added: “We are committed to improving the parks and open spaces in the borough and the investment of £1.5 million in the Lido is an example of this. At the heart of the project is preserving the look and feel of the Lido, its wildlife and the environment. We want residents of all ages to be able to enjoy the wide range of facilities that the lido has to offer.”

Ruislip Lido has already seen some recent improvements including the popular

water play feature, a playground upgrade, a new footpath and a dedicated Lido ranger.

New plans are aimed at improving the current facilities and restoring some of those that residents used to be able to enjoy at the Lido. These will include more facilities that families and people of all ages can enjoy.

The proposed improvements include enhancing the beach area to reinstate the swimming area that so many older residents used as children, new toilet facilities and changing facilities. The popular miniature railway will be given financial support to help improve its facilities and catering facilities next to the beach area will also be improved. A nature reserve, angling and a woodlands centre will be built to encourage children to learn about the woods, wildlife and life within the lake. We are also considering re-introducing the paddling pool and boating.

To improve parking facilities in the local, area, the additional car park that was previously used at the Lido will be restored and brought back into use. This will create an extra 200 car parking spaces. Residents will be offered their own residents’ parking scheme and to ensure the area can be enjoyed safely by people of all ages, security will be improved with additional CCTV cameras and extra security patrols.

Throughout the two-year programme of works, the council will work closely with the Lido Management Advisory Group (MAG) which includes representatives from several local residents’ groups, and others to discuss the plans with them.

The council recently unveiled exciting new plans to improve Ruislip Lido and the surrounding area, which is one of the borough’s most unique green spaces and one of the only places in London where you can build sandcastles.

Exciting plans for Ruislip Lido

Manor Farmhillingdon culture


The Manor Farm site in Ruislip has recently been restored and improved and now boasts a wide range of arts and culture events on the site. It also provides a chance to visit the interactive display in the Manor House, home to the country’s oldest piece of wallpaper.

it to her studio in Wiltshire. Allyson was able to wash the paper before repairing it with Japanese conservation tissue and reinstating it to its original position.

Displaying the wallpaper has also proved problematic, with display cases having to be openable, with glass that could be replaced. They also had to allow enough space for the wallpaper to breathe, whilst fitting snugly into the Georgian panelling in a period listed room. The cases were made by Shaun Higgins, a cabinet maker, who has a workshop on the Manor Farm site, and was pleased to be able to make his own contribution to the story of Ruislip Manor Farm House.

A chance discovery of some Jacobean wallpaper has led to its restoration, and

public display in the entrance hall at the Manor Farm site in Ruislip.

The find was made by chance in 2008 during the extensive refurbishment works at Manor Farm. The builder, Steve Vines, was decorating the hall and noticed that a section of timber panelling was warped. When he took it out to flatten it he found, on the wall behind, a piece of dark brown paper with a pattern printed on it.

After the discovery, Charmian Baker, the council’s Planning Specialists Manager, worked with several external sources and bodies to arrange the restoration of the wallpaper.

Treve Rosomon, English Heritage’s curator of London Collections, confirmed that the wallpaper was pasted and nailed on the wall in around 1700, when James II was on the throne. The paper was thick and had a black and white hand-block-printed design of exotic leaves and fruits, a pagoda and an elephant with a

howdah - the ‘oriental’ being very much in vogue at the time. Each panel of paper had been ‘paned’, embellished with a patterned border to emulate embroidered fabric designs of the day.

Its age, original location and the fact that it was possible to pinpoint the manufacturer as Abraham Price of the Blew Paper Warehouse near the City of London Guildhall, led Treve to announce that it was indeed “a find of great importance for the history of wallpaper and interior design”.

The council called in Allyson McDermott, one of only two restorers of historic wallpaper in the country, to give her advice on the conservation and display of the paper. She has worked on many prestigious buildings including Castle Howard, Buckingham Palace and St Pancras Chambers. She recorded the wallpaper photographically and made tracings of its exact position on the wall, identifying too where all the nails were fixed.

Her work then began to restore the wallpaper, cleaning off the surface debris and transporting

Oldest wallpaper in the country now on display

Something for everyone this springSomething for everyone this spring

contactsThe site also provides a range of bespoke heritage based activities designed to support the National Curriculum. For educational visits adapted to any age from 5 to 105 contact the Education Programme Manager on 01895 634414 or [email protected] more information on site events, education, school visits andVolunteering, or to hire a venue on site please contact the Manor Farm Team on 01895 678800 or via email to [email protected] Farm House, which is open throughout the week from 12pm to 3pm on weekdays and 12pm to 4pm at the weekend.

The cabinet being made and installed by cabinet maker Shaun Higgins

hillingdon culture


All year roundManor Farm siteThe Manor Farm Craft workshops in the Bury Street Courtyard of the Great Barn host five talented craftspeople working with felt, clay, leather, wood and decoupage. Whether you are looking for a gift, a tea service, shaker inspired bespoke furniture, or just want to experience professional art and craft at first hand the Craft Workshops at Manor Farm are the perfect place to visit.

The Manor Farm House is now open 7 days a week. The House is home to a fascinating collection of artefacts and finds from the site and area dating back to Saxon times presented in a clear and accessible way. There are displays for younger visitors and entry to the house is free.

National Society of Decorative and Fine ArtsNADFADS provide lectures, study days and other events over the year. Our interests are varied and offer our members an opportunity to expand their knowledge and explore new avenues. We meet monthly at Winston Churchill Hall for talks on a wide range of subjects delivered by experts. We welcome new members so if you would like to come along for the learning or the fun, please contact the Winston Churchill Hall booking office on 01895 678800 for more information.

23-27 MarchRuislip Operatic Society presents Lionel Bart’s BlitzWinston Churchill Theatre, Pinn Way, Ruislip. For full details see ‘What’s On’ on page 38.

22 April, 20 May and 17 JuneTea DanceAre you looking for an easy way to meet new people, have fun and get into shape for summer? One of the most popular monthly dates at Winston Churchill Hall, the Tea Dance is held once a month and welcomes beginners, confirmed dancers and friends. There’s no obligation to dance as the event is also a social occasion so feel free to come along and test the water. Music is provided by Terry’s Dance Music and includes Ballroom, Sequence Dance and Latin so there’s something for everyone. Doors are open from 1pm to 4pm, entry is £3 and includes a free tea or coffee.

28 April to 1 MayWOS (formerly Wembley Operatic Society) presents FoliesThis iconic Stephen Sondheim musical launched songs that are now standards, including ‘Broadway Baby’, ‘I’m Still Here’, ‘Too Many Mornings’, ‘Could I Leave You?’ and ‘Losing My Mind’. Shows are at 7.30pm with a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday 1 May.

Tickets and further information from the WOS website: www.wos-productions.org.uk

7 MayRuislip Lions Jazz ConcertThe 2010 concert featuring Gregg McCann & the Hands of Jazz at 7.30pm in the Winston Churchill Theatre, Pinn Way, Ruislip. Box Office: 07806 766993. Tickets: £12.00.

Every first and third Sunday of the monthDuck Pond MarketsManor Farm’s flagship events, the Duck Pond Markets, continue this year with the same mix of high quality local produce, art, craft and family activities that made them so popular in 2009. Whether you visit the Farmers Market on the first Sunday of the month or the main Duck Pond Market on the third you can be sure you are at the best place to buy fresh local produce in a unique atmosphere.

Arts events for everyone

Funding from the project came from the Heritage of London Trust.

The wallpaper can be seen at the Manor Farm House, which is open throughout the week from 12pm to 3pm on weekdays and 12pm to 4pm at the weekend. Admission is free and there are exhibits and activities for all ages.

The restoration project of the whole Manor Farm site has been recognised by the Civic Trust Award Scheme, with the National Panel saying it was a “strong community initiative and for the positive impact it has had on the people it serves.” There will be a certificate presentation in Liverpool on 12 March.

Something for everyone this springSomething for everyone this spring

The restored small outdoor pool

The indoor pool at the new leisure complex

hillingdon leisure

Residents have been trying out the new state-of-the-art Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex, ahead of its official opening in March.

Residents first for new £31m Hillingdon leisure complex


The multi-million pound complex, which includes the first 50m Olympic-

sized pool to be built in London for 40 years, opened exclusively to Hillingdon residents on 22 February and will be officially opened by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, on 23 March.

The council’s own investment of £26m to build the complex was enhanced by funding of £2.025m from the London Development Agency, £1.5m from Sport England and £1m from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Construction and restoration works on the site in Gatting Way, Uxbridge, began in 2006 as part of the council’s commitment to providing first-class sporting facilities for local residents

and will also provide training opportunities for aspiring athletes.

Amongst the facilities bringing the site firmly into the 21st century are: a new 50m indoor pool, shallow pools, a 100 station gym, a multi use sports hall, spin and dance studios, as well as a crèche, sauna and steam rooms, classroom facilities for courses and training, and a café serving healthy food.

The 1930s open-air swimming pool, grandstands, cascades and entrance building has also been completely restored as part of the development. The pool, which is grade II listed, is the only remaining example of a 12-sided ‘star’ swimming pool in the country and will open to swimmers around May.

The complex offers residents and visitors a range of leisure opportunities, with Hillingdon residents benefiting from a reduction on prices when using their HillingdonFirst card. Households in Brearley Close, next to the new development will also be receiving a special leisure voucher to the value of £250 in recognition of their support and patience whilst building works have been underway at the site.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Ray Puddifoot, said: “We recognise that quality of life is important to our residents and this complex provides top class facilities that people of all ages and abilities will be able to enjoy. Along with the new Botwell Green Sports centre that will be opening

One of the renovated grandstands around the outdoor pool

hillingdon leisure

Residents first for new £31m Hillingdon leisure complex

Julie Seymour’s relatives at the pool

Joan Purkis aged 19 at the pool


Your memories of using the old outdoor poolSince we asked you to let us know what you remember about using the old outdoor pool, lots of you have written and emailed to give us your stories. Thank you to everyone who got in touch. Here is a selection of your comments:

“My husband and I remember the old swimming pool at Uxbridge very well. Now 86, he remembers cycling with his friends from Bishopshalt after school and at weekends. There were often long queues to get in on hot days as they restricted numbers in the pool.

“My memories are of a group of us from Hillingdon Primary school jumping on the trolley bus after school, then walking from St. Andrews Church as there were no buses along Park Road. They were idyllic days.

“However, once at Bishopshalt, the memories are not so blissful as swimming lessons started every year on 1 May, whatever the weather, and usually at 9am. Swimming was compulsory. The changing rooms were unheated, with half doors and wooden, slatted floors. By mid-morning, the floors were awash with the highly chlorinated water.

“However, we all learned to swim!”Shirley and Dennis Davies.

“From 1960 to 1967 I was police Constable at Uxbridge Police Station in Windsor Street. Occasionally we would get calls to the pool for odd things. I particularly remember being called during the winter months at a time when it had been emptied of water to remove a sheep who had strayed somehow into the premises. My colleagues and I had some difficulty in getting hold of the frightened animal and eventually taking it to the adjacent farmland and freedom!

“I was entered in the Met Police swimming championships one year and did all my training at the pool. Sadly I clearly did not train hard enough because it was a great place to swim (and to sunbathe). I think I came next to last in the 50m breaststroke at Clapham that year but the pool was a great place to train.

“I do hope the new facilities there are successful. I am now 72 and swim regularly at Highgrove three or four times a week. I look forward to swimming at the new indoor 50m pool regularly soon. May the London Borough of Hilingdon be congratulated on their vision in bringing back and improving a facility which was dearly loved by the community in its original state.”

John Grayley, One time swimming Instructor for the

Metropolitan Police Cadet Corps.

“The photo (above) is of my Granddad, uncle and mum at Uxbridge Pool in around 1934. My mum has passed away but my uncle and aunt are still alive. My aunt (who was also there on that day) is now 84 and has lived in Hillingdon since 1933 remembers that you could pay once and spend all day at the pool. Women had to wear bathing hats to be able to swim in the water.

You could get drinks like tea, coffee or Bovril and light snacks. She doesn’t think there were showers there (or at least not free ones) just the changing cubicles. There were lockers that were free and you had a number on a rubber band on your arm.

My mother used to take us (her six children) there when we were kids in the 60’s and I remember it was FREEZING!!!! It was also popular in the 70’s especially the long hot summer of 1976.

Julie Seymour

“I was a regular user of the pool with my friends. I was aged 19 when the photo was taken – I shall be 89 in March.”

Joan Purkis.

in Hayes in a few months time, we really will have some of the best sports provision around and a legacy for future generations.”

The complex will be run on the council’s behalf by the not for profit organisation Fusion Ltd.

In addition to the water-based activities, a programme is currently being developed that will take full advantage of the new sports hall and dance studios. Local sports clubs will be running training sessions and competitions, and the public will be able to book courts for badminton, table tennis, basketball and other indoor sports. Holiday activities for children will be organised for the school holidays and birthday parties will be available at weekends.

Homegrown talent

Three-piece group Scouting for Girls first hit the music scene in 2007, with their debut single It’s Not About You, and followed it up with their self-titled number one album in January 2008. The band met during their childhood in Hillingdon, playing their first gigs in neighbouring Harrow.

Scouting for Girls

hillingdon feature


Homegrown talent

Continued >

Scouting for Girls

hillingdon feature


Roy met Greg while they were at Queensmead School in South Ruislip and he met Pete at the 1st/3rd Ruislip Scouts when they were eight. When the band needed a new drummer, Roy asked Pete and the group as they are now was formed.

Their first gigs were performed at the Trinity bar in Harrow, where stars including Kate Nash also started their performing careers.

Roy’s earliest memories of the borough include walking through the fields and woods in Ruislip with his friends.

He said his experiences in the band on tour had helped him appreciate how lucky he was to grow up in the borough. He explained: “I suppose one of the great things about growing up in Ruislip, in Hillingdon, is that you are about 20 minutes away from wide open fields and when I was a kid, I had the golf club right there, then you jump on a train and you are only 40 minutes away from London.

With a new album and UK-wide tour planned for 2010, Hillingdon People

caught up with Roy Stride from Hillingdon-born band Scouting for Girls to find out more about what it was like growing up in the borough and discovered one of Roy’s earliest jobs was to deliver this magazine.

Roy explained that Hillingdon is still home to the band, with their families still living in the area and they return home regularly.

He said: “I have a real sense of ‘home’ there (in Hillingdon). You only have one place that you call home - wherever you grew up, that’s it. The Channel 4 advert (which shows the road off to Uxbridge) always makes me think of home. That’s where I spent 20 years of my life – it will always be home.

“We’re all back every week. I don’t think there’s one thing I miss; it’s lots of little things. I come back on the Tube – I come back to Ruislip or Ruislip Manor or the 114 bus which makes me think of school, and West Ruislip Station makes me think of going to university.”

He added that his group of friends still get together in Ruislip regularly, often drinking in JJ Moons in Ruislip Manor when they are all in the area. He said they almost got stuck there in December during the snow when they weren’t expecting it.

Some of his earliest jobs were delivering Hillingdon People and the local free newspaper.

While you would expect the lead singer of a band with a number one album to get recognised while out and about, Roy thinks taking a few months out of the spotlight to write and record the second album has helped them stay unrecognised. He said: “Because we haven’t really been doing anything for the last 12 months, we’ve been busy recording the new album, we will only be recognised round Ruislip. It’s more meeting old school friends, though. My parents and grandparents have lived in the area for 60-70 years and I used to look like my dad, so whenever I used to walk around Ruislip I would get people approaching me”

ready for 2010 return

< continued


“Only really since I was in a band have I realised how lucky I was to grow up there. We turn up in a town and speak to people who have come to the show and they say it is one of the most exciting things that has happened for ages – they say there isn’t anything to do. It’s one of the things I really appreciate is how amazing it was to grow up in Ruislip and Hillingdon.”

With three new young people’s centres due to open this year, adding to the borough’s recording facilities for budding musicians, Hillingdon People wanted to know what Roy thought about these. He said: “I think that would be great. There were very few places I remember where you could go to practice if you were a band – there weren’t recording facilities. We didn’t have them at school. They sound amazing.”

He continued: “We had really good music teachers at Queensmead, there was a really good music department. They let us use the music room after school however we wanted. A couple of times we had to break out of the school because we had been there so long playing the drums and practicing. They were very supportive – we didn’t do music through the curriculum, we didn’t do GCSE, it was really encouraged to learn music outside, at lunchtime and after school. There were lots of school bands and the equipment there. That was really good.”

The decision to form a band was made after Roy and Greg went to see Suede in Watford when they were still at school. Roy explained it was at the peak of the Britpop explosion: “Suede at Watford was the first proper live gig we had been to and I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know anything. When I went there and everyone was jumping up and down that was amazing, we were 13 or 14 and decided we wanted to do that.”

2010 promises to be a busy year for the group, with the new album ‘Everybody Wants To Be On TV’ due for release on 12 April and a full UK tour following in April and May. Roy said they hope to do some smaller gigs to promote the album – the details will be available on the band newsletter. Visit www.scoutingforgirls.com for more details and to sign-up.

The Hillingdon influence is clearly hard for the band to shake, as Roy explains: “The shots for the album were intended to have a suburban feel; when we saw them Pete said ‘that looks like your house!’. With our band there’s nothing glitzy or rock and roll – it’s like your mates who you know down the pub who have written some good songs. It’s like coming to see us at the Trinity in Harrow but with 1,000 people. That sums us up really.”

Roy’s final words were advice to budding young musicians in the borough: “I knew from the age of 14-15 this was what I wanted and it took another ten or 11 years before we even got a bit of a break. You’ve got to practice, you’ve got to put the effort in, not only into practicing with the band but write songs and play live. It’s a matter of writing hundreds and hundreds of songs before you develop your own voice as a singer. Practice and persevere. You have got to believe it can happen.”

CompetitionWe have three copies of the new Scouting for Girls album, ‘Everybody Wants To Be On TV’ to giveaway. You can win one by answering the question below:

Where did Roy meet Greg?Send your answers on email to [email protected] with ‘Scouting for Girls’ in the subject line, or post them to:Scouting for Girls CompetitionHillingdon People, 3E/07 Civic CentreHigh Street, Uxbridge UB8 1UW

Send your answers to us by Friday 9 April to have a chance of winning a copy of the album. Winners will be contacted the following week

contactsFor more information on training, trials and the competitions please contact sports development on 01895 277766 or email Yolanda Edwards at [email protected]. See www.londonyouthgames.org for more information on the events and from June 2010 you can check out our results.

hillingdon sport

Athletics – Male and female born between 1 September 1995 and 31 August 1997.

Aquathlon – Male and female born between 1 January 1992 and 31 December 1999

Basketball – Male and female born on or after the 1 September 1992.Disability Football – (Moderate Learning Difficulties) Males born on or

after 1 September 1995 and females born on or after 1 September 1992.Hockey – Male and female born on or after the 1 September 1995.Judo – Male and female born between 1 September 1992 and August 31 1998.Netball – Female born on or after the 1 September 1995.Squash – Male and female born on or after 5 July 1993.Table Tennis – Male and female born on or after September 1992.Tag Rugby – Female born on or after the 1 September 1995.Tennis – Female born on or after 1 September 1992.Volleyball – Male and female born on or after 1 September 1991.Weightlifting – Male and female born between 1 September 1992 and the

31 August 1996.


If you are sporty and want to represent your borough, we need you!

Get involved in the London Youth Games

Hillingdon Sports Development Team is looking for young people to represent the

borough in the 2010 Balfour Beatty London Youth Games. The event is the largest of its kind in Europe involving the 33 London Boroughs competing in 60 competitions. In 2009 more 30 000 young people took part in the competition. The games start at the beginning of June with a series of qualifying rounds, which culminate in a massive finals weekend at Crystal Palace on 3 and 4 July.

In 2010 we are aiming to improve on the fantastic seventh

place finish we achieved in 2009. Andrew Bennett was one of the table tennis competitors in the London Youth Games last year. Andrew said: “I thought it very enjoyable experience as I got to meet new people and I got to show off my skills to other teams and show that I play and win for my borough. I thank you very much for the opportunity and would want to do it again if had the choice.”

For this year’s games we are looking for participants to take part in the following events, which are open for trials and training from March.

contactsFor more information on how you can get advice from Connexions, you can contact 01895 257855.For advice and information from Hillingdon Training you can phone 01895 671976, email [email protected] or visit the website at www.hillingdontraining.co.uk

hillingdon young people

iMa

GE

S C

oU

rt

ES

y o

f S

Un

rE

d L

td

W

WW

.SU

nr

Ed

.Co

.Uk


Apprentice drops in to opportunities fair

Young people were excited to meet Lee McQueen, winner of the Apprentice, at the

Connexions Job Opportunities Fair on 16 February.

The event was held in the Mall Pavilions and gave young people in the borough a chance to meet with employers and training providers, enrol on a training course or get free CV and careers advice.

Organised by CfBt Connexions and sponsored by Hillingdon Training and the Mall Pavilions, this year’s Fair was the biggest ever with a large array of stalls

to visit. Organisations with stalls at the event included Hillingdon Training, CfBt Connexions, Brunel University, Hilton Hotels, Transport for London, the Army, the Navy, Nestle and McDonalds.

Young people’s centres opening soon

Building work on the borough’s three new young people’s centres is progressing well,

with two of the centres due to open this year. The Charville centre will be opening on 15 March with a celebration event.

Once the three new centres are open, there will be seven across Hillingdon offering young people modern, up-to-date including dance studios, music studios, internet cafes and sports equipment.

Mayor of Hillingdon Cllr Shirley Harper-O’Neill at the Youth Opportunities Fair

contactsFor more on youth activities across the borough visit the Young Hillingdon website at young.hillingdon.gov.uk

contactsFor more information on the SKIDZ motor project, please visit www.skidz.org.uk.

hillingdon young people

Design for the interior of the Charville Young

People’s Centre

A display board visual wall


Young people’s centres opening soon Hundreds of young people are

now able to develop their passions for motor vehicle

maintenance and safer road usage as drivers, riders and pedestrians through the SKIDZ Hillingdon road user education project.

The SKIDZ project is based at West Drayton Young People’s Centre and is a welcome addition to the successful existing motor project that already runs in High Wycombe.

The SKIDZ Hillingdon project has been undertaken by a number of partners made up of Hillingdon Training Ltd, Hillingdon Council, Metropolitan Police, and Groundwork Thames Valley, who have worked together for the last three years to raise the funding to make the dream of a motor vehicle project a reality. When Hillingdon Community Trust agreed to commit a grant of £110,000 to SKIDZ Hillingdon between 2009 and 2011, the project had sufficient funding to be launched.

In 2008, the SKIDZ Motor Project was approached by Porsche Cars (Great Britain) Ltd with the offer of funding to develop their workshops and they chose to do this in Hillingdon.

Cllr David Simmonds, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, said: “In Hillingdon we are dedicated to offering the best opportunities we can to young people and workshops such as SKIDZ are a great addition to the existing schemes we currently have on offer in Hillingdon. The hard work and dedication put in by all of the partners will mean that young people from across the borough will have a brand new, fantastic facility in which to learn and develop important lifelong skills.”

With ever growing interest in the local area, more than 120 students are expected to enrol in the new Hillingdon road user education project this year. The courses give young people age 13 to 19 a chance to gain vocational skills in motor mechanics in an adult work-style environment so that they have a better chance of finding future employment. For example, in the Primary Skills workshop, students will be able to gain certificated in Basic Car Maintenance and Health and Safety by learning how to service engines, check brakes, change wheels and balance tyres as well as learning about health and safety in the workplace and safe driving on the road.

Steve Godfrey, Director of the SKIDZ Motor Project, said: “We are passionate about teaching young people about motor vehicle maintenance and when Porsche approached us with some generous funding, Hillingdon was the obvious choice to develop the SKIDZ project. We are extremely grateful for the help in setting this up and very excited to be able to open such a fantastic workshop for these young people to learn in.”

SKIDZ motors into Hillingdon

contactsIf you have information on fly-tipping in the borough please call the council’s Contact Centre on 01895 556000 with the date, location and vehicle registration. For information or advice call 01895 556920 or email [email protected]

Fly-tippers tackled through joint working

New places to playhillingdon environment


Sergeant Anthony Bennett, of Hillingdon’s Partnership Tasking Team, said: “Fly-tipping is a crime which can significantly affect the quality of life for Hillingdon residents. In partnership with the council’s Street Scene Enforcement Team, we are committed to taking these offences seriously and will use any means at our disposal to bring offenders to justice.

“We are becoming more aware of fly-tipping and appeal to all residents to contact Hillingdon Council with any information regarding this problem, such as descriptions of offenders, vehicle details and dates and times of offences.”

Recently a number of arrests have been made in London and Birmingham after

suspects were captured on the council’s CCTV cameras fly-tipping. Enquires are continuing and it is believed the people arrested have committed these offences across west London. Persistent fly-tippers are being investigated by the council’s Street Scene Enforcement Team and the Partnership Tasking Team from the police.

Cllr Sandra Jenkins, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “We take fly-tipping very seriously in Hillingdon and we will prosecute anyone we catch committing this crime. Our CCTV cameras are a key part of this effort. The work being done in partnership with the police is reducing the amount of rubbish which is dumped in the borough and contributes to making Hillingdon cleaner and greener for everyone.”

Joint working between the council and the police is helping to tackle fly-tipping across the borough.

contactsIf you have information on fly-tipping in the borough please call the council’s Contact Centre on 01895 556000 with the date, location and vehicle registration. For information or advice call 01895 556920 or email [email protected]

Fly-tippers tackled through joint working

contactsFor more information visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/greenspaces

The locations are:Bessingby Park, South Ruislip•Mount Pleasant, Harefield•Taylors Meadow, Harefield•Clarkes Drive, Uxbridge•The Closes, West Drayton•Colham Green, Uxbridge•Coney Green, Uxbridge•Carlyon Road, Yeading•Sipson Meadow, Harlington•Yiewsley Recreation •Ground, YiewsleyRockingham Recreation •Ground, UxbridgeFrithwood Park, Northwood •Moorhall Recreation, Harefield •Brackenbridge Park, Ruislip •Ash Grove, Harefield •The Glebe, West Drayton •Pole Hill, Uxbridge •Croyde Avenue, Hayes •Hayes End Community •Park, Hayes Hitherbroom Park, Hayes •Harmondsworth Recreation, •Harmondsworth Minet Country Park, Hayes•

Existing play kit retained

Sutcliffe’s Dish roundabouts’

Sutcliffe’s play boulders

Zig-zag concrete walls, painted and intended to form sculpural climbing structures

New simplified Breedon gravel path network

Sutcliffe’s double climbing walls

Un-mown area increase habitat potential

New central ‘Glade’ seating area with timber sleeper and timber cube seating

Improved ‘cycle trade’ area with 1.5m high play mounds for informal play

Bessingby ParkOne of 22 new playgrounds

New places to playhillingdon environment


Children in the borough will have 22 new places to play over the next two years as the council introduces new playgrounds.

£1.1m will be invested in the new play facilities, with the first phase due to be

completed this spring. The funding has come from the Department of Children and Families and Play England have been brought on board to help deliver the projects.

Unlike conventional playgrounds, the play areas will focus on natural play, incorporating the equipment into the natural landscape and surroundings. The play areas are for children of all abilities between eight

and 13 years old. Children from local schools have been involved in helping decide what should be included in the design of the play areas.

Cllr Sandra Jenkins Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “This funding will help ensure that children and young people have access to good quality and inclusive play areas in Hillingdon. We are lucky in Hillingdon to have access to a wide range of parks and green spaces, and these new places to play will help our children develop.”

hillingdon environment


Keeping takeaways

safe

Magistrates’ Court in April 2009 and it is adjourned to the Crown Court due to the seriousness of the evidence.

Kathy Sparks, Deputy Director of Environment and Consumer Protection, said: “Mr Ullah committed a succession of food hygiene offences to put profit ahead of the safety of his customers and this case reflects the seriousness of the crime and the potential danger to visitors.

“This case is the culmination of a pro-active investigation by Hillingdon Council, aimed at ensuring the safety of the residents and visitors that use his premises. People have the right to expect safe and sanitary conditions when they use businesses like these in our borough and we take our role in this extremely seriously.

“We will continue to do everything we can to protect Hillingdon residents and visitors to our borough but we do need people out in the community to flag up issues if they suspect them.

In sentencing him, the Judge gave him credit for his guilty plea and said he had co-operated with the council and there had been no complaints of ill health by the public.

Aman Ullah ran Kings Kebabish, a kebab shop, which had an infestation

of mice. Following a lengthy investigation by the council, he was given a three month prison sentence suspended for two years, a £1,000 fine and been given an order banning him from running a food business for at least six months.

Mr Ullah was sentenced for the food hygiene offences at Isleworth Crown Court in February, where the judge granted a Food Prohibition Order, banning him from running a food business for six months, when he may apply to the court to remove it.

Mr Ullah’s shop was first inspected in June 2007 and an infestation of mice was found. After this inspection, Mr Ullah agreed to voluntarily close the business. The council re-inspected in February 2008 after the business re-opened and found another infestation. An emergency order was made to close the business following this inspection.

Mr Ullah was called to interview in March and following this interview the council decided to prosecute him due to the seriousness of the offences. The case was heard at Uxbridge

All the food outlets across the borough are regularly inspected by council officers to ensure they meet strict environmental standards. The council recently prosecuted the manager of a kebab shop for repeated breaches of hygiene laws.

contactsResidents who want to be kept up-to-date on roadworks in the borough can register for email and text alerts for information on emergency works and road closures. Visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/roads for more information. You can also email [email protected]

contactsYou can report damage to roads or pavements by visiting www.hillingdon.gov.uk and selecting ‘report it’.


Recent repairs undertaken in Colchester Road, Northwood Hills

have improved the road for all users.


Have you ever looked at roadworks and wondered what role the council plays in the works?

to carry out the work, with start and end dates and how the work will be carried out. The team look at this information and if it is felt the length of time the works will take is too long or the methods used to do the work is inappropriate, the council will challenge this. If works take longer than the specified end date, the council can charge a daily rate for this until the road is cleared of the works and fully reopened. Any money paid from fines contributes to improving the roads in Hillingdon, helping to keep down costs for council taxpayers.

In 2009, the council co-ordinated works with Transport for London, Veolia Water, National Grid Gas and the Improvements Projects team at the council in North Hyde Road, Hayes, which meant the works were substantially completed in four months rather than nine had the works been carried out by

each company separately. Where possible, the council actively encourages companies to work together to minimise disruption.

The council also works with neighbouring councils to ensure our works do not have a negative impact on them and vice-versa.

During 2010, there will be major works being carried out by Veolia Water in Uxbridge and West Drayton and by National Grid Gas in Northwood and Eastcote.

The council has a duty to everyone who uses the borough’s roads to ensure that

disruption and congestion caused by roadworks is minimised and health and safety is not put at risk.

A team of council inspectors work with utility companies including Thames Water, BT, National Grid, Veolia Water, Southern Electric and EDF Energy to co-ordinate the timing of essential roadworks. There are around 10,000 sets of works in the borough every year, and the Street Works team is responsible for ensuring these are carried out correctly, safely and in a timely manner. The council can take enforcement action against a company if these conditions are not met.

Before any work can start, the utility company involved has to give the council notice of their intention

Monitoring road works

Work has begun to repair the pot hole damage done to the

borough’s roads during the recent severe cold weather.

A total of £2.4m will be spent on permanent repairs with £1.1m being spent before the end of March and £1.3 m spent before the end of June. Some of the affected roads are to be resurfaced and others will have any damaged areas repaired to create a smooth surface with neat edges to the repair.

Cllr Keith Burrows, Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation, said: “We realise the damage the cold weather has done to some of the borough’s roads and we have committed this money to ensure they are brought up to standard as quickly as possible.”

Repairing your roads

New street trading regulations introduced

contactsFor more detailed information on the new Street Trading regulations and/or an application form, please go to the Street Scene Enforcement Team website www.hillingdon.gov.uk/streetscene

All changes to collections are available at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/recycling

Please leave your rubbish for collection between 6am and 6pm •on the revised collection days, near your front gate but not on the pavement. if you have any queries, or would like to report a •missed collection, call the council’s contact centre on 01895 556000 or visit: www.hillingdon.gov.uk/recycling

Refuse and Recyclingbank holidays 2010

Easter bank holidayNormal collection day Revised collection day (blue)Tue 30 March Mon 29 and Tue 30 MarchWed 31March Tue 30 and Wed 31 MarchThur 1 April Wed 31 March and Thur 1 AprilFri 2 April Thur 1 AprilNormal collection day Revised collection day (red)Mon 5 April Tue 6 AprilTue 6 April Tue 6 and Wed 7 AprilWed 7 April Wed 7 and Thur 8 AprilThur 8 April Thur 8 and Fri 9 April

Normal collection day Revised collection day (red)Mon 3 May Tue 4 MayTue 4 May Tue 4 and Wed 5 MayWed 5 May Wed 5 and Thur 6 MayThur 6 May Thur 6 and Fri 7 May

May bank holiday


advertisements

To advertise in this magazine telephone Hannah Collins on 01895 250828

Please mention Hillingdon People when responding to adverts


From 26 February, new regulations will be in force regarding street trading

activities across the whole borough. Street trading includes shop

fronts and tables and chairs on the pavement. A consultation was carried out last year with residents and traders who hold street trading licences.

After the consultation, a report was prepared which detailed streets in the borough where street trading would be allowed, and footways in front of shops where displays and tables and chairs could be put out.

The report also prohibited ice cream trading in the vicinity of schools and town centres, but most importantly amended the overall regulations concerning all street trading licence terms and conditions.

These changes were agreed by the council’s Cabinet in January. From 26 February the Licensing Committee, which is made up of councillors, will consider all Street Trading Licence applications and will be responsible for the decision to approve, reject or vary.

Other changes include the clarification of things that can be displayed under a shop front Street Trading Licence and that all trading within seven metres of the public highway will now require a Street Trading Licence. All future Street Trading applications will now be publicly advertised on the council website 14 days in advance of the Licensing Committee meeting to consider them, as required by the London Local Authorities Act 1990 (as amended).

contactsFor more detailed information on the new Street Trading regulations and/or an application form, please go to the Street Scene Enforcement Team website www.hillingdon.gov.uk/streetscene

contactsFor further advice visit: www.metbumblebee.org. If you have information that could help the police to combat burglary or any other crime call 0300 123 1212

hillingdon safety


There has been a rise in burglaries to houses where doors have multi-

point locking. Many of these could have been prevented if the residents had correctly locked the door using the key.

Hillingdon Police are working hard to reduce this crime and offer the following advice to residents with these doors:

To correctly engage the locks:Close the door securely.•Throw the door handle upwards •to engage the multi-point locks. This will make sure the door is locked at all the locking points.Use the key and turn it fully to •secure all the multi-point locks in place (the opposite to opening

the door). Some locking systems require you to turn the key fully to engage and secure the locks.Remove the key from the lock •and make sure you remember where you put it so you can get out if there is an emergency.

These locks are fitted to several different kinds of doors, including front, back and patio/French doors and are made of differing materials, including UPVC wood and metal.

Register your valuablesIf you have valuable items in

your home, you can register them online and this will

increase the chance of them being returned to you if they are stolen.

Immobilise.com is supported by the Metropolitan Police and is the UK’s largest register of property ownership. Registration is free and you can list as many items as you wish.

All you need to do is visit www.immobilise.com and register on the site and you can start making your list. Any item with a unique serial number can be registered including mobile phones, laptops and TVs.

Prevent identity theft

Shredding any documents with •personal information about you before you throw it in your rubbish or your recycling.Report and delete any emails •from financial institutions asking you to confirm personal details – your bank will never ask you to do this on an email.Contact Royal Mail’s •customer care line if you believe any of your post is missing – 08457 740 740

If you think any of your debit or credit cards, or bank accounts have been used fraudulently always contact the financial institution concerned immediately. They will report any criminal activity to the police for you. For more information go to www.identitytheft.org.uk

LOCK THE DOORLift the handle to properly engage the locks.

The key to safety

Residents are being reminded of the need to ensure their doors are locked and secured at all times, including when you are indoors.

“PSCO Steve” meeting a Northwood resident during the recent Streets Ahead~Week of Action

New CCTV cameras are helping keep

the Ruislip Station area safe



Cleaner, greener HillingdonCleaner, greener Hillingdon

The Streets Ahead ~ Week of Action programme visited the north of the borough in January helping the council and partners reach out to residents and take services into actual communities.

The event covered Eastcote, East Ruislip, Harefield, Northwood Hills, and Northwood. It kicked off with an Information Fayre at Northwood Methodist Church hall attended by nearly 400 local residents. It featured more than 40 stalls.

During the Week of Action the council and partners carried out more than 250 different works in the above areas including: collecting more than eight tonnes of waste electrical goods (TVs, fridges etc) for recycling, approximately 90 bags of textiles (clothes, shoes, linen) were collected and will be recycled

Focus Group meetings with residents and Street Champions helped shape the week in advance with more than 50 suggestions, some of which featured in the ‘You Said... We Did...’ leaflet delivered to all properties in the above area detailing examples of the work.

Streets Ahead in Northwood

New CCTV cameras for RuislipFour new CCTV cameras which use wireless technology have been installed at various strategic locations around Ruislip Underground Station, as part of the station’s improvement package which was approved by Transport for London in 2007.

Cameras have been placed at the junction of Pembroke Road and Station Approach, an area adjacent to the entrance of the station Car Park and two along West End Road by the Station steps.

Another wireless CCTV camera has also been installed at the junction of Linden Avenue and Victoria Road with the images

being transmitted wirelesly back to the CCTV cameras at Ruislip station.

All of these CCTV cameras will be proactively used to monitor anti-social behaviour by the 24/7 CCTV control room at the Civic Centre in Uxbridge around the boundaries of the station and the surrounding areas.

Streets Ahead is coming to Uxbridge

Artist’s impression of the West Drayton improvement works

inbriefCouncil says “no” to sleazy entertainmentThe council’s Licensing Sub Committee has turned down an application by Punch Taverns for a change of licence for the De Burgh Arms in Station Approach, West Drayton.

The pub wanted to feature ‘performance of dance’ in the separate nightclub area of the premises to allow lap dancing, table dancing, pole dancing all with striptease and nudity.

The application was refused on the grounds of crime and disorder and protection of children from harm.

Recycle your TetrapaksYou can now recycle your Tetrapaks at several locations across the borough. Tetrapaks are commonly used for juice cartons and milk and cannot be put into your regular recycling sacks.

There are bins at: Harefield CA Site, New Years •Green Lane, Harefield;Victoria Road CA Site, Civic Way, •Victoria Road, South Ruislip;Waitrose Car Park, •Wood Lane, Ruislip;Otterfield Road Car Park, •Otterfield Road, Yiewsley; andPump Lane Car Park, •Pump Lane, Hayes.

For more information on recycling in the borough, visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/recycling.

Noise team gets successful prosecutionsThe noise team have had three successful prosecutions for causing a noise nuisance.

The licensee and designated premises supervisor of the Hillingdon Arms pub have been fined. Margaret O’Shea, licensee, was fined £500 and ordered to pay £781 costs and a £15 surcharge. Collette Phillips, supervisor, was fined £300 and ordered to pay £600 costs and a £15 surcharge

Samantha Nicholson and Etienne Codrington of Cromwell Road, Hayes, were given a conditional discharge and both were ordered to pay £100 costs. Lucy Ayris, 20, of Portal Close, Uxbridge, was fined £50 and ordered to pay £50 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

Cleaner, greener Hillingdon



Cleaner, greener HillingdonTown centre improvementsWork is continuing on the High Street improvement works in Uxbridge town centre. The works, between Belmont Road and the eastern entrance to the Pavilions are due to be completed by mid-March.

Design works are at an advanced stage for phase one of the Yiewsley and West Drayton improvements. Work is due to include new paving and some trees in Yiewsley High Street between the library and 136 High Street and in Station Road, West Drayton, close to the junction with Swan Road. Improvements to the lighting under the railway bridge will also be made.

The scheme is being funded by the council and Transport for London (TfL).

For more information, contact the highways improvements team on 01895 250564 or by e-mail at [email protected]

Streets Ahead Week of Action is coming to Uxbridge from 13 – 19 March.

The event will cover the wards of Uxbridge South, Uxbridge North Hillingdon East, Ickenham and Brunel. The week aims to improve the local environment, promote local activities, and encourage local people to get involved in their local area. During the week there will be near 200 activities and works taking place across the five key themes of Community safety, Environment, Older People, Sport & Culture and Younger People.

The week will begin with a Community Information Fayre with over 30 stalls, taking place at the Middlesex Suite, Civic Centre from

10.30am – 1.30pm on Saturday 13 March. All residents are invited to come along to meet representatives from across the council, partners and community groups.

The week also coincides with opening of the new Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex which is opening exclusively to Hillingdon residents from 22 Feb – 24 March. Residents are invited to visit the centre to experience the state of art facilities before the official opening.

For more information about activities taking place during the Streets Ahead week please visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/streetsahead or call 01895 558136.

For more information about the leisure complex please visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/leisure or call 0845 130 7324.

Streets Ahead is coming to Uxbridge

hillingdon people march 2010

Documents

ruislip manor

south ruislip

west ruislip station

1st3rd ruislip scouts

band scouting

real sense of home

housing association

vulnerable people