| Topic: | Re:Re:Independent Community Group (ICG | |
| Posted by: | Phil Andrews | |
| Date/Time: | 07/04/12 16:40:00 |
| I am a former community councillor and was for a long time organiser of the ICG. Although I no longer play a major role I retain my membership and an active interest. To answer the question, yes the ICG is still going strong and its roots in the community are stronger and deeper than ever before. Naturally there are some periods in which we are more active than others but even since the 2010 local elections we have mobilised massive local opposition to the mooted closures of Isleworth Library and the St. John's Community Centre, in both cases successfully, and have supported the efforts of campaigning Brentford residents like Hazel in the similar work that they have been doing in Brentford. The ICG has also played a leading role in the residents' campaign to bring Thames Water to book over its unwillingness to do anything to tackle the odour emanating from its sewage plant in Isleworth, and our legal claim was recently upheld by the High Court despite residents having receive no co-operation, and indeed often obstruction, from their own local authority. It is important to stress that the ICG does not just exist to fight elections and there are circumstances under which it may be possible for us to wield more clout on behalf of our community by acting as a pressure group, providing support for our existing councillors when they do the right thing and reserving the right to criticise them when they don't. We are weighing up all the options right now and have ruled nothing in or out. If it is at all helpful I would be happy to speak to or meet with anybody in Brentford who is looking to break the mould in the way that we have done in Isleworth. You should be aware too of course that the ICG is active in Syon ward, which includes a large chunk of Brentford, so we should ensure between us that there is no replication of efforts. What matters more than most right now is for the community to get its ducks in a row and to ensure that all the good guys across the field are singing from the same songsheet. |