Pinner Local interview with Paul Osborn
Following his election to the post of leader of Harrow Council.
Paul has lived in the local area since he was fifteen and has been a Conservative Councillor for the Pinner ward since 2001. He is also chair of the Lee valley Regional Park authority.
He explained that he and Harrow Council team have a number of objectives to move the Borough forward. He is keen to do this in a measured way as finances allow.
One of the first initiatives will be to introduce one hour on street free parking. The intention is to help shoppers and businesses by making it easier than using the current 20 minutes free parking. It has to be approved by a a new traffic order and the target to introduce the scheme is on the 1st of August 2022
Later the intention is to change car parks as well when the best way forward is determined. This is a more complicated area to address as the machines need to be updated and thought has to be given to more mature users who are not so digitally proficient. It is intended that this will tie in with the provision of a new Harrow Card offering discounts to residents in local shops and for other services.
Another area that he believes needs attention is refuse collection including easier provision of Residential Bins where required and also making the online system simpler to navigate. He intends to investigate the best size for food bins as the present small ones easily blow over. In addition he wants to look at where bins in Council parks are located to make it easier to empty them and where practicable increase the frequency.
He is also keen to maximize the use of Borough libraries which could be equipped with more video booths.
He values the look and feel of the Borough which with its Parks and green spaces makes it attractive. To this end, he will resist more high rise building taking place, outside of the core city centre.
My thanks to Paul for a frank discussion and we will look forward to the new initiatives helping to make residents and visitors to Pinner & Harrow an even more pleasant place to live and work.