Category Archives: General

April SRRA Newsletter

With Covid-19 we had planned to delay the April AGM meeting fairly early on.  But as movement restrictions were applied we realised we could not and would not want to ask our Road Stewards to make journey’s out and about to deliver the newsletter.

As always Lynne has produced the first e-newsletter from the SRRA.  Is this the future?  Quite possibly.

Please enjoy and feel free to share electronically with your neighbours.

SRRA April 2020 Newsletter

 

Helping the South Ruislip Environment : Tree Planting

Trees for Cities are working with Hillingdon Borough council to plant a new woodland in Field End Recreation Ground. This woodland will be focused on further improving the biodiversity of the site, and Trees for Cities are planning to plant over 20 species in this woodland to create a diverse and welcoming environment for wildlife.

Trees for Cities are planning to plant in the area of long grass on Field End Recreation ground, the woodland will be planted to create areas where the canopy will grow to different heights, this will allow for a great view across the site from the viewing points from around the edges of the site. A diagonal walkway has been planned in to allow people to continue using the site and view the woodland as it grows.

This woodland is for the community and Trees for Cities would love for as many local people as possible to be involved with this project. As part of this, we will be holding a community planting day on 29th February 2020 and a series of workshops aimed at local schools and community groups in the week leading up to it.

Representatives from the SRRA will be there and we look forward to seeing some of you there too!

https://www.treesforcities.org/fieldendrec

South Ruislip Planters

The South Ruislip Planters are in.  These have been organised by contributions from Lagan, who are the builders of the RAF Northolt runway who have funded the planters in the first year, the South Ruislip Councillors Ward Budget, the  South Ruislip Chamber of commerce and yours truly the SRRA.

In total the SRRA are contributing £1,200 over three years to the planters, as voted on at the last SRRA public meeting   So enjoy the planters and let’s all take pride in South Ruislip!

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, Manor Farm in Ruislip is hosting a two-day family event, from 10am to 5pm

Plenty going on at Manor Farm this weekend over the Bank Holiday!

Sunday 5 May


All day  Classic cars: A special vintage car show displaying a host of classic cars.

All day  To and Fro exhibition: Methods of transport in Hillingdon during the 1930s.

All day  Cart sheds: Skilled craftspeople will be making and selling handmade goods.

11am to 1pm  Storytelling: Hear fascinating recounts of wartime tales and life on the home front.

11am to 1pm Start your victory garden: Plant tomato seeds, take them home to watch them grow.

10am to 3pm Duck Pond Market: 50+ stalls offering different foods.

Monday 6 May


All day To and Fro exhibition: Methods of transport in Hillingdon during the 1930s.

All day Cart sheds: Skilled craftspeople will be making and selling handmade goods.

All day Food Stalls: Linnets Kitchen & Funky Elephant plus Coffee!

10am to 3pm Storytelling: Hear fascinating recounts of wartime tales and life on the home front.

11am to 3pm Face Painting

12pm to 2pm Live Swing Music

11am to 4pm Evacuee Experience: What it was like living in the borough during this time.

11am to 4pm Start your victory garden: Plant tomato seeds and take them home to watch them grow.

2pm to 4pm Tea Dance: In the Great Barn, playing famous jazz hits, run by Terry’s Tea Dance.

Quarterly Meeting 24th April 2019 Minutes

Quarterly Meeting Held at St Marys Church Hall, South Ruislip Wednesday 24th April 2019  Annual General Meeting

Present: 11 committee members, 5 local Cllrs (Barnes, Lavery, Makwana, Tuckwell and Kauffman) and 69 residents

Apologies: Jenny Hunt, Cllr Hurhangee. {Post meeting just wanted to add that apologies were received from PC Solanki for not being able to make it… the team had been put onto 12 hour shifts and had been tasked to deal with a traveller eviction at the time of the meeting at short notice.}

1. Meeting opened at 20:00

Sid noted that this was the 80th Anniversary of the SRRA today – which started in 1939.

Opening AGM today.

Minutes of the last meeting – no issues raised.

2. Election of officers

 The following officers were duly proposed and seconded and votes were held in favour of the following officers.

Secretary – Jeremy Wasden

Treasurer – Colin Hook

Chief Road Steward – Geoff Taylor

Vice Chair – Sid Jackson

3. Beautiful South Ruislip

This endeavour has been rolling on for a few years and with the SIL funds from ARLA the area has been improved.  But keen to continue to improve and make the area a little greener.

So Cllr Kauffman, Sid Jackson, Lynne and representatives from the SR Chamber of Commerce have looked at the options with advice from Hillingdon officers.

Installing baskets to sit on barriers and railings the only option was at SR station and this was felt to reduce visibility and potentially be hazardous.

Hanging baskets – The lampposts in the area without existing signage is too much spread for these to make an impact

Three tier planter.  Could work – looking at 7 in total. Going to sponsor the first year – from Lagan who are the builders of the RAF Northolt runway.  This will be a three year project so after the first year this will be supported with Ward Budget and funds from the SRRA.  Cost to the Resident Association after contribution from Lagan and Ward Budget will be £1200 to cover three years.  Put to a vote and a significant number for and no against.  So the motion to pay towards the planters was approved.

4. RAF Northolt

Runway

Runway work to improve and upgrade the runway at RAF Northolt has started, the purpose is to continue operations at RAF Northolt for the next 15 years.

Sarah Lo and Will from Lagan spoke on the impact of the work. Project scope – full resurface. Same position and to remove ponding and cracks.  Update the arrester beds. Also upgrading to LED lights, cabling and drainage.

As of 15th of April construction work is ongoing until the 15th of October.  The peak of the work will be May to August.  Impact will be to traffic.  They are trying to reuse the material rather than sending material off-site – this will be 1500 movements. 8000m³ of soil that is going to be reused.

Stone, cement and bitumen will need to come in – circa 65 movements per day – will try to do these between 9.30am and 3pm outside peak hours and will use the White Gate and the A40 to M25.

Dust and noise – dust mitigation on-site – use water suppression.  Lorries covered and vehicle washing. No heavy demolition – using noise monitoring.  Currently undergoing the noisiest phase.

Asphalt plant – located centrally and the vapour will be water.  They will monitor air quality.

Work is Monday to Friday – 7am to 6pm.

Air Space Change Proposal

Large countrywide consultation process for all airports started earlier in our area by Heathrow.   Looking to modernise as designed route in 50’s and 60’s.  Looking to move to a GPS system from a map based system.

Air Traffic control officer.  Air space modernisation strategy – how it is modified to allow for greater capacity.  CAP 16/60 process to conduct the design process.  Will be carried out in conjunction with the other airports and this will be affected by the air changes.

Working on generic principles initially and finally noise related issues. Trying to get the design principles right.  An example of a principle.  Should it be one or two or four or more routes. Should the flights affect more or affect less people more.

Putting in the change and want the feedback so can take note of local residents feedback on movements.  To come back by 12th of May.

[Please see separate website post with more detail]

Questions raised

Dudley Drive – Jet Engine running for some hours – why so?  Needed for testing on changes or replacement of engines.

Can the planes land more steeply as come in very low?  Do need to land but if you have feedback please contribute in the design process

Planes, do they dump fuel as they land?  No – effect seen is caused by vortices as water comes off the plane.

SL Tenniswood asked for responses to the consultation from local residents.  SRRA to publicise.

5. Reports from Treasurer

Current account £934 and Reserve £13,385.  Outstanding £195 newsletters, Public liability insurance £159 and committee expense £8.50.

As the AGM the annual accounts were discussed and presented by Colin Hook.

6. Chief Road Steward

Happy to report a full complement of Road Stewards

7ASDA

Trolley abandonment issue raised – ARLA developer to speak to ASDA

8. Civic Centre Hillingdon Traffic Meeting – Victoria Road

Going to measure traffic again.

Not willing to remove verges, remove trees.  Free drop kerbs?  Response was residents still park on the road. Disappointed.  Not going to do anything.

Cllr Kauffman – understand the cost issues – but it will amount to hundreds of thousands.

If took out 40 trees would that be something we wanted.  Want to look at limited residents parking – on Victoria Road between Brian Tree and ASDA.

Will Find out how many commuters park there.

9. Long Drive

Speed tables rejected on Long Drive as 85% comply with law – residents disappointed.  94% of residents in favour.

10. Tea Break

11. Constitution Updated

Updated constitution which the SRRA Executive Committee would like to formally adopt as distributed. Overwhelming support for the new document as previously publicised.

12. Allotments

Jeff advised that some plots available at Field End Road. So if interested contact the allotment man Bob Weeks.  Contact info in the YouTube video Jeremy has made about the Field End road allotments, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM3iv36rq00

13. Councillors Corner

Allan Kauffman – The Boxing club opens on 4 June and two football pitches will follow at a cost of £250K

Fencing by Bonnell’s AK has spoken to a member of staff who will have a wall built this year.

Bridge at South Ruislip  Council has half of the money and are Chasing TFL for their half.

Daffodil bulb planting will be extended along the Victoria Road in 2020. Rachel Felstead was the resident responsible for the idea.

ARLA problems with ASB – groups of children causing or problems.

Young person club not being used fully at present – Allan felt this was due to changing demands from younger people

Lidl 278 agreement and council want to look at sew.e.res/ culvert etc before the road is changed.

Teji Barnes – Street surgery coming up.

Ward budget available for scouts etc.

Have been undertaking speed checks on Field End Road with the police

Edward Lavery – Have been working on the Eastcote area improvements and planting to start.

Road now fully completed and better journeys should ensue.

Lynne Kauffman added Eastcote car park is full of litter and suggest they cover the area on a litter pick scheme or encourage this to be done.  Eddie agreed to follow this up

14. Any Other Business

Colin grateful thanks to John Davey for auditing the books and thanks to Jeremy for assistance and to Allan K for the printing of the accounts

Lynne and Colin when to a borough Police meeting on knife crime and youth engagement. Well attended by people south of the borough and we need more support from people in the North of the borough.

Many issues affecting the south of the borough are similar to those in the north.  Criticism of Police dial 101 and increases in residential burglary.  Aggravated burglary is now taking place in the north of the borough. So people from the north of the borough are needed to attend.

A major message was the need for youth engagement was clear.

Colin, Lynne is arranging a litter picking session once a month and more people can go on the third Saturday of every month.

Cllr Steve Tuckwell – raised a new initiative from youngsters aged 16 to 18  who would like to join the litter picking group but struggled to attend on a Saturday.

Some young people have expressed the need for a nice environment.

Francis – litter picking needed on Field End field playing fields and could young people be involved

Flower festival at St Marys Church 4th May 7.30pm.  Welcome to attend

Colin Hook asked what is happening to the land by the pizza place in Great Central Avenue,  Allan K to look into this.

Camera going in at right hand turn on Victoria road by Aldi into West Mead.

15. Meeting ended at 09:50 pm

Local Ward and Councillor Changes in Hillingdon and How they Impact on South Ruislip and Cavendish

With government cuts, there is a proposal to reduce the number of councillors across Hillingdon from 65 to 53.  This means there will be a balancing of wards across the borough to make for roughly 4200 citizens per councillor in Hillingdon.  Whilst some wards are unchanged some will disappear and some will go down to two councillors.

What does this mean for South Ruislip?

South Ruislip Ward Boundary Submission PDF to view

The proposal is that South Ruislip would retain three councillors and grow taking the roads currently in Cavendish ward such as Torcross, Queens Walk, Mount Pleasant, Hunters Hill.  The exception is Parkfield Crescent which would move to an adjacent Hillingdon ward.

Parkfield aside, this makes sense with the Yeading Brook being a natural barrier.

The ward will fit better with the area the SRRA covers so makes sense to us.  But having been established in 1939 we have seen our fair share of boundary changes and as these wax and wane the area we cover remains the same.

What about Cavendish Ward?

However, Cavendish ward will disappear with sections of it going to different expanded wards such as South Ruislip, the Manor and Eastcote.  On a personal note I can’t help but feel for the uncertainty that respected established  Cllrs in Cavendish such as Cllr Lavery and Barnes will face but such is politics.

What do you think of the changes?

Please have your say on the review at the following link.  There are only a few days left for this first stage of consultation but another opportunity to comment will come next year:

http://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/greater-london/greater-london/Hillingdon 

Ruislip Woods Trust New Year’s Day walk

Ruislipians, fancy a bimble in Ruislip Woods on New Years Day?  Your wish is our command. as the Ruislip Woods Trust have let us know about this event.  I am sure the guided walk will be very informative!

Tuesday 1st January 2019

New Year’s Day Walk – 11am

Meet outside the Woodlands Centre by the beach at Ruislip Lido.

The walk takes approx. 2 hours and there will be a stop in one of the Woods
for hot mince pies and mulled wine or soft drinks.

Adults £2, Children £1

 For further details please visit www.Ruislipwoodstrust.org.uk

Fancy exploring an exotic paradise tucked away in South Ruislip?

South Ruislip residents Costas and Roberto are opening their garden as part of the National Garden Scheme (NGS) to raise money for nursing and cancer-related charities.

It’s a compact garden with an exotic feel that combines hardy architectural plants with more tender ones. A feeling of a small oasis with plants like Musa Basjoo, Ensette Montbelliardii, tree ferns and black bamboo. Potted Mediterranean plants on the patio include herbs, a fig tree and two olive trees.

Refreshments including home-made cakes and savouries will also be on sale as well as plants, home-made jam and biscuits.

Do go along and help Costas and Roberto raise money for the NGS’s charities!

Sunday 29 July 2018 from 2 to 6 pm

Admission £4 (children free)

4 Manningtree Road, South Ruislip, HA4 0ES

For further information on the NGC see their website at www.ngs.org.uk/

For a preview of Costas and Roberto’s garden see www.ngs.org.uk/find-a-garden/garden/34320/