Welcome to another Spotlight blog!

West Hampstead Spotlight blog -
West Hampstead ward Lib Dem councillors - Gillian Risso-Gill, Keith Moffitt and John Bryant - have launched their blog on West Hampstead issues - They say they will every now and then pop in some other "big picture" posts as well as well as occasionally cross-post to this blog stories of interest to the whole West Hampstead area.

Of course we'll all still be sending out our "E-Spotlight" and the regular printed version - we really do try to keep in touch all year round - not just at election times!!

Maybe it'll be better when its finished!

This is what the corner of Iverson Road and West End Lane looked like at the weekend with the little shops half demolished. Yesterday they had gone completely! How many people remember "Jen's Pots" I wonder? And the fight back in the seventies to preserve that little parade?

Well - all gone now - let's hope its all for the greater good. At present it's even more hazardous than usual to squeeze along West End Lane between the scaffolding one one side and the roadworks on the other. And with no lights to cross Iverson Road you really do take your life in your hands!

Latest news is that even though we hope they will get on and finish the pavement widening, the "new station" for Thamelink has been delayed for at least another six months so there's still no lift access for people with disabilities, small children or heavy luggage! With the nearest bus stops out of action due to the everlasting roadworks and the heavy traffic queuing - West End Lane is, once again a nightmare.

A couple of other bits of news:

• West Hampstead's Conservation area could be extended or added to by the inclusion of the Greek Streets and the bottom of Parsifal Road if the consultation shows agreement. Watch out for the letter - it should be out in a few days and we have asked for a six week consultation to allow for the school holiday period.
• Friends of Fortune Green have won their funding bid so that they will be able to get on with their plans for refurbishing the Green which many people saw at the Festival
• Meanwhile the Local Area Forum funding (or some it) came through and you may have already seen the hanging baskets in Mill Lane - now Camden are following up another popular local suggestion and "tidying up" the area in front of West Hampstead library. Several people have told us how much they appreciated the Local Area Forum meetings and it seems a shame that the new Labour Council is distinctly lukewarm about keeping them on.
• The Kilburn Festival last weekend seemed very successful and all the new activities in Grange Park looked wonderful and more to the point, well used. There were loads of people using the outdoor gym eqipmentand the new "adventureplay" are amazing.

Jester Festival 2010

It was a glorious weekend - the sun shone and hardly a cloud in sight!

Nearly everyone we spoke to said how much they had enjoyed themselves and many said it was the best ever Festival - the music was great, the stalls were varied, there was plenty of different choices of food and dink and lots for young people to do. Overall people said there was a great community spirit. And the Lib Dem cakes/ jam and books stalls had one of their most successful years ever!

We 'd like to thank all the local businesses (and the Council) who helped and sponsored us, local police teams who got involved in all sorts of ways, the Fire Brigade and St John's Ambulance and above all the local residents who made it all happen. With especial thanks to Jodi, Lyn, Janet, Miles, Sally and the other members of the organising Committee!

See you in 2011 - possibly - if the work to renovate the playcentre and the Green manage to co-ordinate their efforts and are ready in time!

Let us know if you enjoyed it too!

(Pic shows Cllrs Russell Eagling and Gillian Risso Gill helping at the LibDem cake stall.)

Roses Roses all the way!

Whatever weather was thrown at us earlier this year, it has resulted in this being the most marvellous summer for roses. Spotted these on Saturday while doing councillors advice surgeries and visits on Templar House Estate (the "Pear Tree Garden" looked lovely too) and on Westcroft Close on Westbere Road (that's the red ones below)
I usually think West Hampstead's gardens look best in the Spring but this year the Summer is a winner!

The Monster Munch Machine and other news

This is the monster munch machine which has been chewing up (very noisily) all our cut-down poplars and turning them into woodchip - very sad!

Hopefully it will all be over soon. And clear off the Green before the weekend in good time for the Festival - hope the weather holds! And maybe not quite as hot as last weekend. It should be a great Festival this year - there's masses of activities fo all ages and the chance for our new police "dodgeball" enthusiasts to get lots more young people involved.

Also in the next couple of weeks NW6 should be getting the long promised "roll-out" of the new improved recycling service - most of us will have received info but not yet all our new boxes. Let's hope there aren't as many teething problems as there were in NW2! For more information you can go to Camden's website.

Updates

Promised yesterday to do a "catch-up" on matters which affect us - before that just to say they are still working to cut down the poplars in the cemetery and I woke up again to the noise of heavy machinery - this time the machine that grinds up the chunks of tree which annoyed several of my neighbours!
Where to start?
- first perhaps the "West Hampstead jigsaw" : planning permission was granted thee weeks ago for the rebuild of Emmanuel School at 160 Mill Lane - not without protest from the artist next door! Not sure yet when work will begin but hopefully in the autumn. The school newsletter says:" Over the coming weeks and months we shall be continuing our dialogue with neighbours and other stakeholders regarding our demolition and construction plans, the enrichment of the open space at 160 Mill Lane and other issues that may arise. We are fully committed to our on-going engagement with all stakeholders. The project is a very exciting opportunity for the children and young people of West Hampstead and Fortune Green who will be able to attend a fully equipped, 21st century local school. "

Meanwhile the work on the Community Hall in Broomsleigh Street was finished - temporary home to Sington Nursery on the ground floor while the new Community Assocation has moved in upstairs. It all looks very bright and clean and airy and will be a very useful resource. Finally we have to wait and see whether plans for Sington to move to a rebuilt Fortune Green will proceed and ensure these tie in with projected work to Fortune Green itself. If you visit the Festival (July3/4) you can look at these revised plans at the Friends of Fortune Green stall. Also visit the Gondar and Agamemnon Residents association stall fo nws of a potential nw fight against development of the reservoir land.

Speaking of the Festival - this year it will be bigger and brighter than ever with lots more activities for young people - including our splendid new local Dodgeball players (a new Safer neighbourhood Police initiative). 12- 6.0pm Sat and Sunday for all the fun of the Fair!

Last night the 2 local Safer Neighbourhood police teams joined together for a public meeting to talk about their activities and priorities. Sadly, not that many members of the public not already engaged with the police turned up, but it was the hottest day of the year so far! Questions were asked about crime at the 02 Centre on Finchley Road, street drinking on West End Green, the problems with urban foxes and stolen handbags on West End Lane. It wasn't such a large audience as used to come to the Area Forums, and one person asked if these would continue as they had been so successful. Unfortunately it seems the new Labour Council isn't in favour of them - maybe we shall have to try and set up our own!

Roadworks in West End Lane are driving everyone mad and the pace of work sems incredibly slow - should think the stop/go lights will be there till Xmas! Meanwhile work has been delayed to the new Thameslink station and assorted works although scaffolding has gone up around the Iverson Road corner, reducing the width of the pavement still further and making things even worse for pedestrians!

New West Hampstead Councillor, Gillian Risso-Gill has been talking to all the shopkepers on West End Lane - she's got about two-thirds of the way up - and talking about ways they can get together to keep West End Lane Special. One idea which could be revived is to have a Christmas market on West End Green. Sadly, several of the shops seem to be having a difficult time and Dizar - one of my favourites - is having a closing-down sale. The cafe Walnut suggested some time ago we should start a WestHampstead "loyalty card" like they have in Hampstead - sounds like a very good idea. Meanwhile, we are grateful to those local businesses who are supporting the Jester Festival in various ways.

Good news for Lyncroft Gardens residents who persuaded Camden NOT to introduce a "Car club bay" on their already overcrowded road!

Lots more bits of news - will keep till next time!

Goodbye to the poplars

I woke up yesterday to the sound of chain saws in the cemetery behind my house and later on went out and took this picture - if you look carefully you can see a man harnessed to the trunk of what had been a 70ft poplar in full stately maturity. (I say 70ft but I'm not good at measuring by eye but it was VERY tall!) There has been a group of poplars - almost an avenue- in the cemetery probably ever since it was built - I reckon they were at last 150 years old - maybe more if they predated the cemetery. I loved the one I could see best although I did sometimes wonder if there were a really high wind, if it fell - would it fall across my house?

But it seems they were diseased near the roots and getting dangerous so they had to go. However we are assured of their historical significance and promised that they will be replaced - by 8ft youngsters! Won't be very tall in my lifetime unless they grow really fast!
It's just another little bit of our neighbourhood gone for good and it makes me very sad.
In writing this, I am conscious we haven't been posting recently and there has been lots of news in the last few weeks. Will do an update on next posting.