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News
27 April 2008 - Aftermath of Consultation meeting for the Conservation Management Plan
In a nutshell, four options were put forward by the Hounslow Council and were presented by new Development and Regeneration Manager for Gunnersbury Park,
Richard Gill. There was a major emphasis on forming a trust, as in the situation with Chiswick Park and asking Heritage Trust
for funds to fix up the listed buildings.
And in doing so, it needs to be financially viable to put the money in otherwise the buildings will simply disintegrate again.
As long as the Covenant is not broken and the park left as a peaceful park (not for commercial use), then residents would probably not be adverse to the buildings
being fixed up for conferences, weddings, a boutique hotel or a place for afternoon tea, etc. However the concern is that we don't know anything for certain and now
we have found that the meetings are going to be in secret.
An email was sent to Howard Simmons (deputy leader of Hounslow Council, who was present at the meeting along with Cllr Lee and Richard Gill) on 11 April 2008 by a concerned resident of Gunnersbury Park - this will go someway to explaining the situation:
"Dear Mr Simmons, I am a long-standing resident of Lionel Road and active member for many years of the Gunnersbury Park Covenant Group. Like the vast majority of the residents around the park, I welcomed the appointment of a Development Director and the replacement of the discredited Joint Committee by a smaller body. You are aware, I'm sure, of the total breakdown in confidence and relations between the residents and Houslow Council and I do not want to rake over well-known ground. The residents were looking forward to the turning of a new leaf, to a fresh start in an atmosphere of communication, cooperation and transparency. I cannot begin to express our utter dismay at realizing that not only will the new committee replacing the JC meet be closed to the public but we will not be allowed even to see the minutes. I know that the reason given is that this is not a council committee as such and therefore does not have to be open or publish its minutes - though it could if it wished to. If there is no hidden agenda, nothing suspicious or underhand, surely there is no need for the residents to be kept away. Would it not be immeasurably better for things to be seen to be honest, above-board and transparent? I am appealing to you not to throw away this chance to show residents that the future will be different from the past, that we will not be ignored, sidelined and once again treated as if we don't matter and you don't care. " |
Extra note:
All matters concerning the running and upkeep of Gunnersbury Park, which is the joint responsibility of Ealing and Houslow Councils,
used to be discussed at quarterly meetings of the Joint Committee
for Gunnersbury Park, which were open to the public and whose minutes were published.
This committee was disbanded in April 2007 and has been replaced by the Gunnersbury Park Regeneration Board. However, the meetings of this new body are not open to the public, no information is available on when meetings are held and no minutes are published for public scrutiny.
The reason given is that this is not strictly a council committee and therefore does not have to be open to the public, though it could be if it wished to.
This is a body staffed by council officials, discussing the spending of public money - how is it not a council committee, how can it consider itself non-accountable to the taxpayer?
Welcome |
| This website was registered mid July 2006. It is setup for the residents (or any other interested parties) near Gunnersbury Park, Ealing, London, United Kingdom, W3 8LQ, who have the covenant in their deeds pertaining to Gunnersbury Park, originally given by the Rothschilds in 1925.
Its purpose is to help protect the park from misuse.Select from the top menu to view the archived articles and other information on the Park.
Please email admin@gunnersburyparkcovenant.com if you have further queries, spot a mistake or would generally like to add anything. |
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