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Library Consultation

Hi, I just received this information from CARA (Creffield Area Residents' Association.  Hopefully Acton's well-used library won't be cut from services.  Please respond to the consultation if you can: From: Alison REYNOLDS [Alison.Reynolds@ealing.gov.uk]Sent: 23 March 2011 12:29Later this afternoon we're launching a public consultation on the future of the library service in the context of the overall financial situation facing the council.  The aim of the consultation is to help to shape the council's libraries strategy.The consultation will run for six weeks, closing on 3rd May 2011 and will be available on the Council's website at www.ealing.gov.uk/consultationsWe are asking whether community / voluntary organisations would be interested in providing library services and gauging the level of interest in volunteering.  The consultation also identifies some services as being least cost effective and raises a question as to whether or not these services should be continued. The consultation is supported by a background document which will be available later today. The intention is to provide residents with information to help them in coming to their own view on future service provision.It is anticipated that a report will be presented to Cabinet in June or early July.If you would like further details about the consultation, feel free tocontact Louisa Wood (020 8825 5758).Best wishesAlison ReynoldsDirector of Customer ServicesTel 020 8825 5329

Kim Bobsin ● 5657d0 Comments ● 5657d

West London Waste Plan Last Chance to Comment

I know we are all fatigued with the numerous exhibitions, consultations etc, but we need as many residents as possible to respond to the WLWP and voice their concerns by Friday 25th March 2011.  This is just too important, the WLWP has the potential to change the type of industry in this area for the long term.Ealing Council have put forward 6 sites in Acton between Central Middx Hospital, North Acton, and Old Oak Common Lane for the WLWP consultation.Did you know that the screening criteria does not take into account:Air pollution, this has been excluded on the grounds that all but two of the boroughs are Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).  No borough's air quality problems will be the same, you cannot compare Acton with Richmond.    Use of double ‘scoring’ on road networks, which is extremely unfair when air pollution is omitted, as it does not give a true reflection of the existing problems within the area, which are primarily due to the pollution emitted from heavy goods vehicles. The 3 automatic air monitoring stations in the area (Hanger Lane, Horn Lane & the Western Avenue) regularly exceed national air quality objectives and EU targets. Only recently (11th March 2011) it was reported by the BBC that the UK has been given three more months to meet EU air quality standards in Greater London.The sites nominated pass through/along areas which have established residential communities or planned residential development as listed in Ealings proposed LDF plans.No details available at this stage as to what process will be operated on the various sites and will only be available at the planning stage.Residents are advised that the processes for recycling waste are green, for example, Energy from Waste plant (anaerobic digestion) these processes will have by-products, in this case I believe methane gas, which surely should not be stored near residential developments?No account is being taken of the cumulative effect of all the new proposed and existing waste/transfer sites for the three boroughs which use the Park Royal industrial area.  The WLWP does not include Hammersmith and Fulham and should do, as the Powerday site is next to residential developments in Acton and access roads to this major site are also in Acton.  At the 2nd March WLWP meeting Acton residents who live near the Powerday plant voiced their concerns that they suffer constantly from dust, smells, noise, rats and have to keep their windows closed, they advised that despite all their complaints little effective enforcement action had been taken to date.  The screening critera for all the site assessments should be redone to include air pollution and the cumulative effect from existing and proposed sites on the environment and residential developments and then the Councils should resubmit their findings on the proposed sites for public scrutiny.Residents comments need to be in by Friday:Email: consultation@wlwp.netPost: West London Waste Plan Consultation, CAG Consultants, Gordon House, 6 Lissenden Gardens, London NW5 1LX

Siobhan Martin ● 5659d6 Comments ● 5658d

Bijou School set for White City location.......

Not quite what prospective parents expected but Toby School will be based ‘temporarily’ at The Bryony Centre, Bryony Rd, W12 0SP, right next door to The Phoenix High School.LBHF are making the site available pending eviction of the 20 voluntary groups currently occupying Palingswick House in King St W6 and subsequent sale to the school for conversion and presumably some new build. See the WLFS piece - https://www.westlondonfreeschool.co.uk/blog/site-update.htmlThis will require planning permission and I imagine quite a lengthy time so the ‘temporary’ period could well extend into the second year intake in Sept 2012 and quite possibly year 3 in 2013. Several problems arise for Toby and Co: The White City location might appear to have the advantage of its closeness to the Phoenix High School and the expertise of its staff but a couple of prospective parents have already expressed concern as to their children travelling to the area as opposed to W6. (See the comments under the LBHF Press Release - http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Directory/News/Council_supports_free_schools_search_for_site.asp )The Bryony centre is intended for demolition and will presumably need considerable work to be fit even for a ‘temporary’ use by two year groups.Palingswick House is also in poor condition and even with a new build in the rear yard seems a rather small site for a school of 650/750 pupils with minimal play space.The group’s involvement with LBHF’s controversial policy of selling off buildings used by the Voluntary Sector is also an embarrassment, see the Guardian article http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/17/young-free-school-groups-refugeesBy co-incidence a play ‘Little Platoons’ covering the issue of a group of West London parents setting up a ‘free school’ opens at The Bush Theatre tomorrow. I gather it is not sympathetic, so much so that Toby is involved in producing a response, to be performed on three nights in February.I almost feel sorry for Toby, so many difficulties en route to his ‘comprehensive grammar’......

Iain Muir ● 5722d75 Comments ● 5659d