Month: October 2015

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Stop Heathrow Expansion AGM

Monday 12th October 2015.
7.30pm – 9.30pm.
St. Mary’s Church Hall
Harmondsworth.

Hear what we’ve been doing and what still needs to be done.

Speakers;
The superb Christine Taylor, the heroic Neil Keveren and star of screen and radio John Stewart of HACAN.

Thank you to the thousands of Stop Heathrow Expansion supporters representing groups from all parts of London and the South East that attended yesterday’s terrific No Third Runway Protest on Parliament Square.

Thank you to all the politicians and their supporters that stood in solidarity against Heathrow expansion.

Thank you to all the environmental groups that joined as one to protect future generations from deadly Heathrow pollution and noise suffering.

Hope to see you tomorrow.

www.stopheathrowexpansion.co.uk .
Twitter @StopHeathrowExp
Facebook

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Flightpath consultation must come before runway decision

The Prime Minister has been warned that signalling Government support for a third Heathrow runway would be unlawful unless the new flightpaths needed to operate the landing strip are first subject to public consultation.

The warning comes from the leaders of Hillingdon, Richmond and Wandsworth councils who have written to Mr Cameron to highlight a series of flaws and omissions in the Airports Commission’s final report on aviation capacity.
 
They point out that by law, changes to London’s airspace require open consultation so a decision to expand Heathrow would pre-empt this statutory process.  Approving a runway clearly infers the associated flightpaths will also be approved.
 
David Cameron is now considering the commission’s dossier which recommends expanding Heathrow. Despite scrutinising the new runway proposal for over two years the commissioners failed to identify the location of its new flightpaths, nor carry out the necessary consultation.
 
Instead, the final report, which costs tax payers in the region of £25m,  asks ministers to approve a third runway at Heathrow without telling them where the planes will fly over London and the south east.
 
The local councils have now pointed out that the commission’s recommendation is pointing the Government down a legal cul-de-sac and has urged the PM to dismiss the report.
 
The letter concludes that the local authorities “reserve their rights to take whatever action is in their power to protect their residents and communities from the devastating impacts of a new runway at Heathrow.”
 
Leader of Hillingdon Council Ray Puddifoot said:
 
“Even the airports commission has to agree that runways need flightpaths. If you approve one you have to approve the other.
 
“It will be unlawful for any Government to approve a new runway without publishing detailed flightpath data so the communities affected can exercise their legal right to scrutinise the plans. This is a major obstacle that can’t be put off much longer.”
 
Leader of Wandsworth Council Ravi Govindia said:
 
“The law is very clear. Communities have to be consulted on air space changes and once those maps are finally published the backlash will completely change the course of this debate.
 
“It’s very hard to justify why a two year aviation investigation failed to unearth this key piece of information. We’ve made it very clear to the prime minister that the commission’s recommendation can’t be followed until it is out in the open for all to see.”

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Campaigners against Heathrow Airport third runway to ‘be heard’ at London rally

MPs and Mayoral candidates, national organisations and local people will be taking part in the rally in Westminster over the weekend.

Five Mayoral candidates vying for Boris Johnson‘s job, big name MPs and national organisations will address the “biggest ever” rally against Heathrow‘s third runway.

Mayoral candidates from the main political parties will speak at the mass rally which will take place in Parliament Square, opposite the Houses of Parliament, in Westminster, on Saturday (October 10).

They will be joined by Hayes & Harlington MP John McDonnell, as well as a long-standing resident from the Heathrow villages who will lose her home if expansion goes ahead, and leading environmental organisations, such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

John Stewart, chair of HACAN, the campaign group opposing the third runway and one of the main organisers of the rally, said: “Thousands are expected to send a clear message to the Prime Minister that they will fight any decision to give the green light to a new runway at Heathrow.

“And the message from all the key Mayoral candidates is equally clear. They stand united on this issue. They are all firmly against a third runway.”

Bryan Tomlinson, of Stop Heathrow Expansion, is urging those against the runway to make their stand and “be heard” this Saturday.

He said: “The Government may ignore public opinion and try to force Heathrow expansion on the people of London and the South East. We all need to remind Parliament that they for us and not tax avoiding offshore investors.

“We already suffer illegal levels of air pollution and more people are affected by excessive Heathrow noise than all comparable airports in Europe put together.

“We have to leave a planet fit for our children and future generations to live free from deadly air pollution and overflown by 260,000 extra flights which is a disaster waiting to happen”

“Please join us at Parliament Square this Saturday at 11am.”

The rally, which organisers believe will be the “biggest ever” against Heathrow expansion, will take place just weeks before David Cameron is expected to make an announcement on a new runway for London and the South East.

At present, the Cabinet is looking at the recommendation of the Airports Commission that the runway should be built at Heathrow.

However, over recent months, the owners of Gatwick have continued to make the case for a second runway at their airport.

The rally, which is not intended to be a march so it is suitable for all ages, will begin at 10.30am. The speakers will address the rally at 11am to be finished by 12.30pm.

The full list of speakers is confirmed as:

  • John Stewart, Chair HACAN (to welcome and introduce)
  • John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes & Harlington
  • Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond & North Kingston (and Conservative Mayoral candidate)
  • Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting (and Labour Mayoral candidate)
  • Sian Berry, Green Party Mayoral Candidate
  • Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate
  • Peter Whittle, UKIP Mayoral candidate
  • John Sauven, Chief executive of Greenpeace
  • Gina Parihar, Head of legal at Friends of the Earth
  • Tania Mathias, Conservative MP for Twickenham
  • A long-standing resident from the Heathrow villages who faces losing her home.
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News from Cranford Park Friends

Cranford Park wins Silver. The park has received a Silver award in the London in Bloom awards, in the Country Park of the Year category. The judges took into account the work of volunteers in the Secret Garden and surroundings. LB Hillingdon Green Spaces has conveyed its thanks to the Friends for our hard work and commitment.

Talk on Cranford & the Berkeleys. On October 15 the chairman of Hillingdon Family History Society, Ian Harvey, will be giving a talk, “Cranford and the Berkeleys: A Complicated Family Tree”. Hear about the intrigues and scandal that took place on our doorstep. The meeting will be held at the Hillingdon Park Baptist Church (main hall), Hercies Road, Hillingdon Circus. On the U2 bus route. Doors open at 7.30pm for a 7.45pm start. Visitors welcome.

If you shop at the Hayes branch of Asda, a reminder that there’s a chance to help Cranford Park. At the checkout, ask for green charity tokens when you pay for your goods, then place the tokens in the Cranford Park Friends box near the escalators. In the ‘Chosen by you, Given by us’ scheme, the group with the most tokens at the end of October will be given £200 to further their work and ambitions.

Learn how to check the park’s water quality. Cranford Park Friends volunteers do regular river quality checks on the Crane, using ‘kick-sampling’, as part of a valley-wide scheme. If you would like to learn how it’s done and help our small team on a regular basis, please see details of the next River Monitoring Initiative training session at Hogsmill on 17 October, organised through ZSL (Zoological Society of London). http://www.cranevalley.org.uk/news/post/river-monitoring-initiative-training-17-october.html

Coming events in the park. The next Secret Garden volunteer session is on October 11 (10am-12 noon). Then, on October 17, we are holding an Apple Day, complete with an orchard ‘walk and talk’ and a Macmillan Coffee Morning in the Secret Garden (11am – 2:30pm. Guided walk starts 11am). Donations of cakes will be very welcome. More details to follow.

Regards
Bob Barton
Secretary
www.cranfordparkfriends.org Find us on Facebook

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Message from the you local Policing team

Dear Ward Member,

Unfortunately we have had one residential burglary in Strathearn Avenue and an attempted burglary on Pennine Way. Please can everyone make sure all windows and door are double locked and secure. Please look after each other by keeping an eye on neighbours
properties and making us aware if there is any suspicious behaviour.

Regards,

PCSO 7160 Lindsey Prior
Heathrow Villages Neighbourhood Policing Team
Email – HeathrowVillages.snt@met.police.uk
Tel – 020 8721 2557

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STOP HEATHROW EXPANSION PROTEST

HEATHROW EXPANSION PROTEST.
Parliament Square, London.
11am….10th October 2015.

Coalition Against Heathrow Expansion. The all party umbrella group of politicians, environmentalists and residents groups from around the country.

Bring your friends and family, bring banners and whistles and if you can, bring a couple of coach loads.