Friday, October 26, 2007

Peoples' Question Time

The big moment arrived last night. Nearly six hundred people crammed into Ilford Town Hall to raise local issues with the Mayor and assembly Members. It was a lively and good natured meeting with several public votes taking place. These snapshots showed:

66% of the audience felt no safer on the streets despite a visible increase in police numbers.

75% were opposed to congestion charging in Ilford.

75% felt that Redbridge didn't need any more housing.

66% were still pleased we were hosting the 2012 Olympics. Although there was a lot of dissatisfaction about the spiralling budget.

Those are rough figures and the audience was self selecting, so perhaps not representative of the wider electorate.

Serious reservations were raised about bendy buses following the tragic accident that occurred recently in Ilford.

Users of the Eastway Cycle Circuit turned up to demand a venue closer than the one they have to use at Hillingdon whilst the Olympic Velodrome is being constructed.

There were a large number of younger people in the crowd, which is encouraging. One girl was upset that she got fined when she left her Oystercard at home, but there wasn't much sympathy, perhaps because the same rule applies to everyone - it's called responsibility so get used to it...

And my newly selected Labour opponent was there. I made a point of congratulating her on being chosen. Her reply - Who are you? - was either the best put down in history or reveals a steep learning curve.

The next PQT is in six months time at Richmond Theatre.

5 comments:

weggis said...

And excellently chaired.

Who is your Labour opponent? Do I know her?

And i noticed that you selected another of your opponents to ask a question.

And it was 27% in favour of a congestion charge in central Ilford

AND 2:1 in favour of KEN over BORIS!

You seem to have missed that one off.

Roger Evans said...

Chairing - thank's for that, I enjoyed the evening and would like to do it again.

Labour opponent - Cllr Balvinder Saund, Seven Kings Ward.

Other opponent - would be Ashley Gunstock, who made a good point about tube stations. Third time lucky?

27% in favour of Ilford C Charge still makes 73% against, I said the figures were rough.

And I'll let the Mayor do his own electioneering...

weggis said...

I'll bet you a pint that you had to ask someone to point her out beforehand or you looked her photo up on the council website.

Roger Evans said...

I had her photograph from a Labour press release, and she was wearing a name badge.

Doh!! I shouldn't post early on the morning after. The two 33%s should have read 66% and have now been adjusted.

The official result is rougher on the police but kinder to the Olympics.

weggis said...

Police: Depends on which direction the figure is moving.