| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Horse Play in Isleworth? | |
| Posted by: | Corporate Communications | |
| Date/Time: | 06/02/15 18:15:00 |
| From Brendon Walsh Director of Regeneration, Economic Development and Environment Hounslow Council In response to the various points raised in your posting, delegated authority was granted to me by council to make decisions about the granting of licences. We looked carefully at other areas of land in the immediate vicinity and, whilst we recognise that this space is popular with some residents, we concluded that there are other areas of open land that are better able to provide amenity space such as nearby Redlees Park, and that our limited resources are better invested in these spaces; The annual cost of maintaining open land at Northcote Avenue is £2,000 per annum. The council will no longer be able to maintain all land to the current standard because of the significant reduction in budget from central Government. This has been widely reported in the press, but within Hounslow the level of saving we are having to make is £59million over the next four years. I am sure that you will appreciate that this puts us in a position where difficult and unpopular decisions are now having to be made. The decision to allow the space to be grazed by horses allows the council to generate an income stream which can ensure investment in other local and better quality pieces of land such as Redlees Park. We will keep this parcel of land under review for the next 12 months. I am sorry that this decision has caused some unhappiness and will be willing to talk through the circumstances which we now face if local people feel this is worthwhile. Brendon Walsh |