| Clearly I cannot comment on BMP - although I know Linda and have nothing but the highest admiration for her and her wonderful volunteers. Sometimes though you do need to read between the lines a bit. As someone involved in a similar group, I do know that in spite of all the grand talk and waffle from LBH councillors and officers, the reality of trying to do anything in Hounslow can be extremely difficult, with our input and many ideas and suggestions batted away like some mere irritant, frankly most of the time it's their way or the highway. It is soul destroying and unnecessary, with the result that people just don't think the constant grief is worth it and trying to get people involved gets more difficult. Perhaps someone, somewhere might start to look at the very large gap between all this nonsense about Hounslow being a 'listening council' and the reality which is an almost constant battle to communicate with them and get them to hear what is being said. I should say for all groups it has nothing to do with money being paid to them - it is more about being an equal partner whose views and aspirations are valued and supported. |