Many issues can be reported by residents. Councillors do not need to be involved unless the request isn’t acted on and you feel you need us to intervene to get it moving and dealt with. We can, of course, report issues on behalf of residents who don’t have access to a computer as we know how frustrating it can be reporting those issues by phone.
Who is responsible for what?
It can be very confusing knowing who is responsible for what as it depends on where the problem is - who owns the land or the building/structure. As an example, street trees are managed by Hounslow Highways but trees in open spaces are managed by the parks team, trees on social housing estates are managed by the housing team through the Lampton Group, trees in sheltered housing gardens are managed by the individual manager, and trees in private gardens are the responsibility of the homeowner. Some of the roads in the ward are TfL's responsibility and eed to be reported to TfL.
If in doubt, please ask. If I don't know the answer, I know how to find it.
Hounslow highways issues including , leaves, lighting, litter, pavements, potholes, street trees
Hounslow Highways is responsible for services linked with the public highway including: public waste bins, blocked drain covers and gullies, collecting fly tipping, fixing lighting, filling potholes, sweeping pavements and streets, flooding on roads, removing graffiti and fly posting, collecting dead animals, abandoned vehicles and clearing overgrowth covering street signs. There is a much longer list, too long to add here, as explained in the Hounslow Highways website (see the link below).
Actions will be taken according to the PFI contract Hounslow Highways has agreed with the council. For example, fly tipping should be removed within 24 hours. Graffiti that is not offensive should be removed within two weeks. You will receive an immediate email asking you to confirm your report; if you don't confirm your report the work will not be done. You will then receive an email saying your report has been logged followed by another saying action has been scheduled. The final email says the report has been closed. This often means the work has been done but sometimes it means that it will be done later or is the responsibility of another authority (such as Tfl or a neighbouring borough) of that it can't be done. This closed message can, understandably, be very frustrating as, if the work hasn't been done, it doesn't explain why. I have often asked for this to be changed but without success so far. If your report appears not to have been done as you'd expected, please get in touch with me and I will try to find out why and when it will be done, or why it won't be done.
The Hounslow Highways website is full of information about when they will intervene and fill a pothole, how often they clear leaf fall; when trees are surveyed and, if appropriate, pruned or pollarded.
- Find out more: http://www.hounslowhighways.org
- Report an issue (adding up to three photos helps the team understand the extent of the problem; the process is fiddly at first but it soon becomes routine): https://fms.hounslowhighways.org
Transport for London (TfL)
This ward includes TfL land and TfL roads. The ward's southern boundary is the TfL owned A4 which runs from Chiswick roundabout to the Hogarth roundabout; part of its eastern boundary runs along the TfL tube line between Acton Town and Turnham Green tube stations. TfL owns the A406/Gunnersbury Avenue/North Circular which cuts through the ward from north to south, the overpass that crosses it, and verges and pavements beside it on both sides. There are pockets of TfL land in the ward, too, including the Gunnersbury sports ground off Park Place and a patch of poorly managed land known locally as Bat Corner in the Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate. Some problems need to be raised direct with TfL through a councillor. Others, principally road problems, are best reported on TfL's streetcare system.
- TfL Streetcare: https://streetcare.tfl.gov.uk
Crime
Please report all incidents of crime to the Met Police from where your report will be passed on to your local ward police team. Many people say ringing 101 can be frustrating and I tend to recommend that you report it online.
- If the crime is happening now: Dial 999
- If the crime has already taken place: Dial 101 or report it online https://www.met.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime
For updates, do subscribe to MetEngage through which you will receive reports from the local police team on actions they have taken. I find it very useful and informative.