We need your support to help keep Heston West Big Local in the Heston West ward

By Alan Fraser

Please help us stop the new boundary changes proposed
​by the Local Government Commission 

​Please click here to sign our e-petition.

We are hoping you will support us in our fight to oppose the proposed boundary changes to the Heston West ward.  The proposed changes will see the Brabazon estate, Redwood estate, Hartland estate and Cranford Community College moved out of Heston West and into the Cranford ward.  These proposals have been based on pure numbers and have not taken into account local communities views.
 
Our chief objection is that this will split the Heston West Big Local in two with the majority of it being in Cranford. One of the aims of HWBL was to create a feeling of pride and belonging to the area. This was identified as a serious deficit within the community in the early days of the Big Local as people did not know what area they lived in.  The HWBL has invested £100,000s over the past five years creating that identity.  These boundary changes will mean that identity will be lost to many and HWBL would need to consider re-naming and re-branding which will cost £10,000s but more importantly it will be to the detriment of the reputation and hard fought work of the people in the local area.  We are sure most of you have seen the flower bed saying ‘Welcome to Heston West’ on the Harlech Gardens side of the road.  We will now have the ludicrous situation where on the other side of the road we would have to put another bed saying ‘Welcome to Cranford’.

The Parkway provides a natural boundary between Heston West and Cranford creating two distinct areas.  We know that physical boundaries such as major roads act as barriers to community cohesion. Over the past 5 years HWBL has worked closely with local groups including Heston Residents Association and Heston Action Group to improve and protect our local area.  These boundary​ changes will jeopardise this work. 
 
The proposal also includes a cut in councillor representation from three to two for the new Heston West.  While on numbers of residents this may well makes sense it does not recognise that this is one of the most deprived areas in the Borough and requires good and strong representation.  The number of vulnerable residents in the area is high and cutting representation for this vulnerable group does not make sense.

Current Heston West ward includes Brabazon Estate, Hartlands, Redwood Estate, Harlech Gardens along with Cranford Community College. ​

​The proposed Heston West ward will have a devastating impact on the Big Local area which will see us lose the Brabazon Estate, Hartlands, Redwood Estate along with Cranford Community College.

The area being to Cranford has many vulnerable groups within it including a high number of Gypsy, Roma and Travellers. These groups know their local councillors and most importantly trust their local councillors.

​Likewise the local councillors have a good understanding of the needs of this community. 

​It will take years for that trusted relationship to be developed.
 
Please click here to download the full proposal.
Please click here to have your say (external link). 
​
Thank you for your support. If you have any questions please contact our chair Alan Fraser on ​[email protected]

​Please click here to sign our e-petition.