Residents take on Virgin

I chair the Audit Committee of the Primary Care Trust, and this morning attended a very interesting meeting with the other Audit Chairs of West London Primary Care Trusts. Many common problems and challenges were identified, and some possibilities for joint work will be taken further. We are particularly collaborating on anti-fraud work.

Back to the Virgin Inquiry in the afternoon, to hear the very effective and heartfelt evidence of local residents Julia Hunt and Jill Ross. Mr Lockhart-Mummery tried to tie Julia in knots, but she very ably stuck to her guns and didn’t let him intimidate her. It’s now down to the Inspector – Stuart Reid – to decide on the issue. Incidentally, I was told that Mr Farragher-Thomas’ response to the regular problems caused by irresponsible Virgin parking was that he would take a “stern tone” with their members. “Ooo, matron” as the late great Kenneth Williams would have said.

"Infamy, Infamy ... the've all got it in for me"

Appropriately, I followed the Virgin Inquiry by sitting in for a colleague at a meeting of a scrutiny panel looking at planning enforcement. I made the point that the lesson of the sad history of the Virgin case is that, however vigorously the Council try to use their enforcement powers, the system is not as helpful to the victims of developers as it should be.

Finished with a useful discussion over London Pride in the Wheatsheaf with the team who will be delivering the Council’s massive new street lighting programme – this is unalloyed good news, which will make local street lighting probably the most modern in London