I was pleased to see St George's Vicarage in Pinner featured in your Blast from the Past section which appeared in the edition of Thursday, November 20 (see right).

Can I just make readers aware of the mechanism by which these and other similar properties get their locally listed status?

It is important that buildings which have local historic value, which bring back fond memories of past experiences of times gone by and which have architectual merit are given recognition by the council.

Recently, in my capacity as portfolio holder for planning, I took the view that this building deserved the council's special attention and so I commissioned a report to be presented to the local development framework panel.

As the result a meeting of the panel, I was given leave to sign a portfolio holder decision to locally list this lovely building, something I took great pleasure in doing.

This puts a marker down that Harrow Council regards this building highly enough to put it on Harrow's local list and which, as 'heritage champion', I consider to be an important function of the council.

COUNCILLOR MARILYN ASHTON

Portfolio holder for planning, development and enterprise

Civic Centre Harrow