 | East Sheen Ward |
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is served by;
  
Cllr Virginia Morris Cllr Nicholas True Cllr Nicola Urquhart
Why not come to our Councillor's Surgery?
It is held at Sheen Lane Library on the last Wednesday of the month from 6.30pm to 8pm.
Wardens Warned Off Sheen's Small Shops
Pressure from Opposition Leader and East Sheen Councillor, Nicholas True, has resulted in some limited easing of the aggressive enforcement by TfL of loading bays along and off the Upper Richmond Road in East Sheen.
“Though signs displayed allow 20 minutes for loading, we discovered that TfL were fining cars left unattended in a loading bay for 3 minutes,” said Cllr True. “Dozens of delivery men, shopkeepers and customers were reporting fines, even while collecting heavy items.
In some places, shops were driven to such desperation that they put signs on lampposts to warn of this persecution. It is tragic when so many of our wonderful small shops have difficulty surviving. What is worse totally unsuitable remote cameras are policing much of our village high street, operated by computers and far distant bureaucrats with no sense or concern about what it means to run or use a small shop.
“After my complaint, our officers took this up with TfL and have been told they have “eased” the 3-minute rule and adopted a 5-minute standard, in line with that enforced by Richmond Council. My shopkeepers still reasonably think that when it says 20 minutes on the sign it should mean 20 minutes, but I welcome this first step. Let us now see those heartless cameras removed!”
Conservative Shadow Cabinet Member for Traffic, Cllr Clare Head, weighed in angrily: “This is some welcome relief for some small shops. But the savage anti-car policies that were adopted by Ken Livingstone’s TfL and our LibDem Cabinet are ruining our high streets. Don’t these mindless ideologues see that if you don’t let them load and unload goods without constant harassment, we will lose more and more shops? We need a new more commonsense and humane approach to parking in our Borough. That is what I will fight for – and what we will introduce, if elected again in 2010.”
New Look For Sheen Lane Centre
East Sheen Councillors were thrilled to receive the news that a grant from TfL will enable the long-awaited plans to refurbish the Sheen Lane Centre Square to be carried out. Ward Councillor Nicki Urquhart said: “We are delighted to hear the news. The Mortlake with East Sheen Society has worked for many years to bring these plans to fruition. Ward Councillors worked with the Society and under the last Administration money was set aside to get things rolling.
Then the Liberals took over and the plans were halted. But now TfL is making this ambitious project possible and a consultation period is proposed from 20th August – 10th September including door drops, an exhibition at the Library and posters on the notice boards in the area to be re-developed.
Work is expected to begin in mid September to be completed before Christmas. We look forward to hearing the views of local people on this overdue revamp of our important community space”.
Waitrose Application Withdrawn
Following the dismissal of their appeal against refusal of planning permission for their first scheme on the Waitrose-Safeway site, Waitrose have withdrawn their revised application.
"I welcome this action by Waitrose", said Nicholas True. "Their application failed many of the key tests - neighbourliness vis-à-vis Model Cottages and other nearby roads, design, respect for street scene, adequate parking and effects on local traffic and shops. They need to raise their game and be ready to invest more to achieve better.
"What local residents would like to see now is for the Council to take a more proactive role and bring together neighbours, community interests and all other stakeholders and see if we can agree a better approach for the site. This is what we are asking for.
"The achievement of a permanent monopoly by Waitrose in East Sheen would be a massive benefit to that giant supermarket chain, but that would be the result if they secured permission to demolish the old Safeway. It needs a major input into our community in return - and that simply has not been forthcoming so far from Waitrose. Like many others in East Sheen I greatly respect their local management and what they have put into the community, but there is a growing suspicion that they are controlled by distant managers who want a development "on the cheap" on this immensely profitable site."
 
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