Minutes of West Ealing Neighbours committee meeting on Saturday 17th April at the Drayton Court Hotel

Present:

Diane Gill

Nick Greenhalgh

David Highton

Eric Leach

Apologies:

Gill Adams

Andrew Cazalet

Martyn Clarke

Allison Franklin

Chris Gilson

Sally Greenbrook

Sarah Judic

1. Public Meeting on Monday 26th April

Most candidates for the Walpole Ward are able to come along with representatives from the main parties in the Elthorne Ward.  We'll distribute leaflets next week.

2. Green Man Lane

Public consultation has finished. Dave Randles attended a meeting this week about parking on the estate.  He reported that A2Dominion will sell 100 spaces at £10,000 each. This is the first time we have heard of this plan.

Diane will put her name forward for the group to help with the business plan for the community cafe.

Eric suggested our main strategy should be to persuade A2Dominion of the need for involving the wider local community in helping manage the estate and that any such management committee must have authority and power to act.  It must not be a token gesture.

3. Craft Market

The Council approved the proposal but moved the site from St James Avenue to Melbourne Avenue.  This presents us with some logistic problems and we need to discuss these before we meet the Council.

4. Abundance

Diane has invited people to the meeting on the 26th.

5. Book Club and Book Swap

Some 10 people came to the recent WEN Book Club meeting which is very encouraging.  Chris and Sally hope to put the bookcase and books in to West Ealing Station today.  We can then put out a press release announcing the launch of the WEN Book Swap scheme.

6. Regeneration

The Council has contracted Rosie Cann to come up with a plan to make use of some of the empty shops in West Ealing.  Ideally, she'd like to find a funder to rent one and use the shop as a base for 'incubating' local businesses.  She will also look at our ideas on using empty shop windows as 'galleries'.

Our idea of using the Singapore Road multi-storey car park for art projects before it gets knocked down in October is of interest to A2Dominion. Simon Hall is happy to host a meeting and David is trying to bring together interested local people and groups for this meeting.

The work on Dean Gardens is still not finished and there has been a 4-week hiatus on work on Melbourne Avenue.

7. Lido Junction

Council plans should be available in July. It looks hopeful for at least one additional pedestrian crossing to start with - on the northern side by the Nat West Bank.

The Council recognises the signs for the changed bus lane on the westbound lane of the Uxbridge Road, by Ealing Boards, need improving as they are not clear.

8. Newsletter

We need a new system now Eric has completed his last newsletter. David to email members for contributions. Meanwhile, David will circulate a list of possible content for a newsletter in mid-May.

9. SEC

Discussion amongst lawyers over a judicial review of Dickens Yard. 

10. Next meeting

Saturday 15th May

David Highton

17th April 2010