Blog 524 9th April 2026

We are now in the period known colloquially as Purdah. It is formally known as the 'pre-election period' because (according to my bible Wikipedia) Purdah has a sexist taint. I have never taken too much notice of this over the last n elections because it refers to new announcements by public authorities (ie the council) of new policies which might affect democracy. That of course is why the council (and its political masters) have churned out masses of announcements via its overblown propaganda service over recent weeks including the most turgid Borough Council I had seen in 11 years before the mast, with I think every single Cabinet member reading through what officers had written for them (to be fair, one or two have thoughts of their own). From what I can tell that is more likely to power more dissatisfaction with the current regime rather than make it more popular!

Whatever, parties get a bit nervous about what they can say without a health warning so I will say that I am sponsored by the Green Party and am promoted by Anthony Agius at PO Box 78066. So yes, I am a politician and I am eager for you to vote for me because I quite like being a Councillor and I reckon I do a decent job for my constituents.

One of the things I have realised as a candidate/councillor is that I am not much cop as a politician and abhor the Punch and Judy show that seems to be compulsory at the Borough Council and during election periods. This really doesn't help and compromises the values I try to live by (as well-codified by the Green Party) "honesty, fairness, efficient and competent management, empathy, working for you..."

Blimey, what a diatribe.

Back to the normal thin gruel about a councillor's tasks and habits.

As predicted, I met with a couple of local advocates about our desire to improve representation of local businesses. These people are not at all political and I was disappointed that Scott Illman - previously keen to participate in this - declined to attend, perhaps because he has now become a candidate in the Theo Independent Party running against me in Brentford West. Good luck to all candidates, though I remain of the view that we in the Green party represent the most effective opportunity to improve local democracy and administration. We will keep working for that whether or not I survive as an elected member, because my commitment to a lively and thriving Brentford will not diminish.

On Friday (it was Good Friday!) I did my regular exercise jaunt down to Hammersmith down the river. I pass by the so-called 'Brentford Boat Club' which is now based, apparently supported by the council to relocate to the derelict and rather inaccessible site in Chiswick where the council still talks of building yet another private boat house there with a budget of £2.5M. Clearly they are well supported from somewhere because in a few weeks they seem to have more infrastructure than we managed in Brentford in several years.

I wish them success, but they really should change their name. They seem primarily a Chiswick outfit like so many rowing clubs.

The good news on this front is that rowing is back in Brentford, with new trustees for the Brentford Community Boat Club (BCBC) charity rebuilding their activities, with masses of local support and from state schools. Still a precarious existence and I hope the new administration after the election will actually come up with some proper support for rowing in Brentford and via that, young people in the area, at least enough to be a pale imitation of the enormous support given by the council to rowing in Chiswick!

In fact I bumped into the two main leaders of work at BCBC with their new Chair, a well- known river person in Brentford. This was at the Green drinks at the Waterman's Arms, a tradition I have supported for years. I went to have a look at progress on site this morning and serious work is happening, with great improvements to the site there. Of course, there is not much money, especially because £50K in support was paid back to the council in the heat of the moment when BCBC was being accused of all sorts of sins. After the election, I hope the council will really get behind this fantastic service in the heart of Brentford. They are planning to resume classes next week and they are planning an open day on 25th April. There are ateam of builders helping the volunteers and some professional diggers and what have you. Nice to have some good news!

Lots of rowing boats, Cornish Gigs, Kayaks, and the lovely shrubs I remember being planted when they first appeared

On Saturday I went to the first version of the Farmers Market in the Walled Garden at Boston Manor Park. It was really busy in the park, and I didn't join the queue for coffee at the Potting Shed. I bumped into the people who run that and the Manor Kitchen, and they told me it was completely closed. Previously there was no hot water so a reduced menu. They told me they managed to keep it going because it was mild outside but it was colder at the weekend and people inside were complaining about being cold. At least 3 weeks without a boiler is just ridiculous, which I raised with Salman Shaheen. Salman is always responsive and raised it but whether he got anywhere I know not!

It wasn't a farmers' market as I know them and the foods didn't really tempt me. But I am a sucker for organic. local (ish - does Tooting count?) gin in a nice bottle with a nice label.

After that we were supposed to be canvassing in Swyncombe Ave et al but we had a communications snafu and I gave up after waiting half an hour. So went home to brace myself for a bit of spontaneous music with a local virtuoso in Ealing.

In fact the local was not playing, but a man playing the back of a double bass,a man blowing gently into a couple of saxophones, a lady playing a violin (even sometimes in the normal fashion) and a woman playing a handbag, a glass ice cream cup and other unusual instruments as well as vocalising in a most surprising manner. It sounds a bit absurd on paper, and it does sometimes when experienced live, but I find it quite seductive and this is the third or fourth time I have attended this.

Sunday was my serendipity day. An old friend of mine, now departed this planet, always dreamed of moving from Barnet to Crouch End because he thought that was where cool people live. I didn't know where it is so Google maps told me it would take 1 1/2 hours on public transport and too far for me to fancy cycling. So I drove there, and found it nestling near to Alexandra Palace. The legendary Zen master said of visiting Mount Fuji, it was nothing special. Well, Crouch End is similar but there were a couple of interesting buildings and a lovely terrace of Victorian shops.

And this glorious pointless clock tower in memory of a councillor.

Never quite as grand in Brentford. You might think it was mean to deprive Forrester Clayton of his F but the top three on the list have local roads named after them, and the next door neighbour did need a porch. Of course I can beat that by having Lambert Lodge - the sheltered housing place in Layton Road - named after me before anyone had ever heard of me.

I see Forrester had some taste in automobiles. Oh, he lost his T as well as his F.

On Monday I had booked to meet a resident at the Spire cafe. Easter Monday may be a Holy Day but of course when I got to the Spire it was temporarily exSpired. Found said resident wandering the street with her mum and we made it to the S&N cafe instead. She has impossible housing problems and has been trying to get them addressed for years, literally. I raised a case to prioritise this and got quick support from Sue Sampson. The housing portfolio is very busy but I have always found with Sue that if I don't run to her with smaller problems she is very good at responding and giving support whenever she can.

Then we were out in the disgraceful council block Holly House. They have been awaiting repairs since 2018 (!), have had scaffolding all around since shortly after it came into my ward and I noticed an enormous hole in the wall in 2022. A year ago, the contractor went bust so nothing has been done for a year despite interventions and promises to Sue. Finally a new contractor is supposed to start on site on April 13th. Quicker than the work on the garages between Orchard and Glenhurst Road, where I was promised changes would be completed by the end of March 2023. Still nothing happening despite even the council CEO working on it.

We also canvassed along AdelaideTerrace on the A4 (improved recently in cleanliness thanks to residents, Air Quality Brentford and a bit of attention from the councillor). But the area around York Parade is dire, albeit in a different way than it used to be. If I'm still at it in May, perhaps with a different regime at the council, I will make my umpteenth attempt to get some action around the A4.

Being a councillor is often frustrating, but I am nothing if not persistent.

This wrenching graffito is on a cabinet next to the A4. I have no idea what this is about, but an anonymous cry of what seems to be pain.

That's that for this week. Will be catching up on canvassing now, because the competition here is intense. A little bird tells me one of the Labour candidates for Brentford West has given up and will be replaced by someone parachuted in from Hounslow Heath. These parachute candidates (Balraj, Emma.. etc) do not have a good history and I hope this one (if elected, which I doubt it) will be awarded a Sat Nav so she can discover where Brentford is.