Welsh Harp Centre provides community activities during half-term

It is good to see the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre reaching out into the community with half-term activities. The Centre was saved from closure as a result of campaigning by local schools, pupils and residents LINK and is now run by the Thames21 charity.

You can do your bit by taking part in conservation activities at the Welsh Harp Centre:

Toxic air shock for Brent residents

David Wardle and Pam Laurance (Brent Friends of the Earth) at Sustainability Day at Colindale Public Health England

 On 5th May 2017 the government released its plan for improving air quality and is a call for action from Brent Council and the Mayor of London.  

The plan underlines the importance of the work being carried out by Brent FOE which has contributed to the evidence base indicating the illegal and dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide in the air in Brent. 

Brent FOE took measurements of the levels of nitrogen dioxide in February this year at 9* locations in Brent, using Friends of the Earth Air Quality kits (available at foe.co.uk).  The locations included playgrounds, schools, high streets, tube stations, and areas that have a significant footfall.   

Nitrogen dioxide is one of many air pollutants.  It is a smelly gas which contributes to smog and respiratory problems.  Nitrogen dioxide inflames the lining of the lungs, and it can reduce immunity to lung infections. This can cause problems such as wheezing, coughing, colds, flu and bronchitis.

Increased levels of nitrogen dioxide can have a significant impact on people with asthma, due to the fact that it can cause more frequent and more intense attacks. Children with asthma and older people with heart disease are most at risk.

The EU legal limit for nitrogen dioxide concentrations is 40µg/m³.  The readings at the 9* locations ranged from 64.81µg/m³ to 94.16µg/m³.  The evidence indicates that all locations had nitrogen dioxide concentrations that were above the EU legal limit, and some were more than double that limit.

FOE is demanding the introduction of a Clean Air Act and a generous scrappage system for diesel vehicles that will significantly reduce emissions.  Contact your local General Election candidates (Contact details HERE) and the Mayor of London to ask them for their views.  If you would like to join Brent FOE or find out more about our campaign, please contact info@brentfoe.co.uk.

*9 locations: Fryent Medical Centre, NW9 9PE; Kingsbury tube station NW9 8XG; 5 Berkeley Rd NW9 9DJ;Roe Green Park, Children’s playground NW9 9DT; 14 Craven Park Road, Housewife Cash+ Carry NW10 4AB; Harlesden Library NW10 8SE; Opposite Greenhill Park Medical Centre NW10 9AR; Harlesden Primary School, Acton Lane NW10 8UT; Shakespeare Avenue Open Space (Nr. A404) NW10 8NG

Duffy will consider going to the police if no independent inquiry into Kingdom contract

 

Incentive: 'If you work for Kingdom the more you fine, the more yu earn'

Following the BBC Panorama report on the 'litter police' (view the programme HERE) Cllr John Duffy (Labour Kilburn) has called for a public inquiry into Brent Council's awarding of a contract to Kingdom Ltd, the firm featured in the programme. He will consider challenging the accounts and going to the police if there is no independent investigation.

Duffy wrote yesterday afternoon to Brent Council CEO Carolyn Downs:

It is clear the way Kingdom operate is of some concern. I believe the word of mouth contract was let without due process and was pushed through by officers and the Lead member without market testing was a mistake and  has wasted the council over £100k in income. The initial report itself was heavily biased towards the contractor, the fact that the lead member and cabinet  chose to ignore advice from me and preserve without challenging the report, does not legitimise the lack of due process that took place.

I am urging you to have a full independent investigation into the how the contract was let and how it was monitored, I believe there was no meaningful monitoring by our officers. It is clear this contract was a bounty hunting contract and often picked on the most vulnerable residents  and had nothing to do with street cleansing standards and was about securing a profit for the contractor.

Officers and lead member seemed happy to allow that situation as long as they could announce the number of prosecutions and number of litter tickets issue at full council, without any concern about the methods being used by the company. Our legal department did no monitoring on litter tickets issued and only monitored tickets being prepared for prosecution , leaving the contractor to self-monitor the issuing process.

I remain concerned that Kingdom were allowed to bid for other contracts based on recommendations of Brent officers without referral back to either Scrunity or cabinet. I believe we have been negligent and the cabinet were misled in both the letting and monitoring of the contract .

I hope you will reconsider your position not to have an independent investigation in light of the evidence about how Kingdom operate.I f however you chose not to have a independent investigation I intend to challenge the accounts ( I have copied Conrad [Hall, Brent Finance Officer] in so he can advise me of how to challenge the accounts) and will also consider going to the police. I find the loss of the £100k on the contract because of the lack of due process, the lack of documentation to ensure best value and continual word of mouth recommendation is unacceptable.

I do not need an explanation from officers, about what they did or did not do, that should be left to an independent investigator to judge whether the process of letting the contract and subsequent monitoring was adequate. However I do need confirmation that the investigation will take place. 

Clearly at the moment we are in the run -up to the national elections. However I still seek your commitment to a independent  investigation as soon as the  election has taken place.

It will not surprise regular readers to hear that Cllr Duffy was removed from the Scrutiny Committee at the recent Labour Group AGM.

Kingdom 'litter police' under scrutiny on Panorama tonight

Readers who have followed Cllr John Duffy's attempts to get the Kingdom Ltd contract with Brent Council properly scrutinised LINK  LINK will be interested in tonight's Panorama (8.30pm BBC1 and then iplayer) which focuses on the company's operations.

Pre-broadcast publicity from the BBC  LINK states:

A private company acting as the "litter police" for dozens of councils pays officers a bonus for issuing fines, an undercover Panorama report has found.

One officer from Kingdom Services, a leading enforcement company, claimed that his bonus one month was £987.

Other officers were filmed handing out £75 fines for tiny pieces of dropped orange peel and poured-away coffee.

Kingdom told Panorama that its competency allowance was not a paid incentive for officers to issue fines. 

Littering is a crime, but if you pay the fine you can avoid a criminal record.

Councils are increasingly using private companies such as Kingdom, based in Cheshire, to enforce the Environmental Protection Act. 

Kingdom currently has about 28 contracts with local authorities and last year saw its profits jump 30% to £9m. 

The company frequently splits the proceeds of the fines with the councils.

Brent Cabinet to discuss Northwick Park One Public Estate Memorandum

Controversial 'One Public Estate' plans LINK for Northwick Park will be discussed at the Cabinet on May 22nd (at the earlier time of 6pm) in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding between the four partners: London Borough of Brent, London NW Healthcare NHS Trust, University of Westminster and Network Homes.

Consultation revealed resident fears over impact on transport, existing infrastructure including schools, flood and drainage and the need to consult with Harrow Council.  I would also add the potential impact on public open space as being a concern.

The Memorandum of Understanding stresses improvements for all the partners but also has an underlying theme of reducing costs and maximising receipts and land values:

The Key Objectives

The aim of the Project in general terms is to work together to rationalise services and resources between the Partners and Associate Partners  and unlock development land to facilitate hospital redevelopment, new homes and improved services for the community.

Common visions for partners;

·      Place making 


·      Central hub(s) 


·      Improved infrastructure (road network and Highways, cycle ways etc.), and transport connections, (Underground, overground rail and buses), and private 


·      Utility and boundary review. 


·      Energy strategy 


·      Shared facilities and services. 

 
The specific aim of Project is to:

·      to generate capital receipts. 


·      to reduce running costs 


·      to create jobs, 


·      to create homes, 


·      to integrate services 
These aims are referenced in Brent’s July 2016 Phase Four OPE MOU 
 

Key objectives for Brent are; 


·      More affordable homes 


·      More school places 


·      Growth 


·      Increased revenue from homes and businesses 


·      Employment and skills opportunities within the Borough. 

 
Key objectives for London Northwest Healthcare NHS Trust 


·      Maximise income for the Trust in order to support its deficit and sustainability plans

·      Ensure accommodation requirements are met 


·      Improve access to the hospital 


·      Protect existing clinical services from distribution or delay (e.g. Blue light 
vehicles, clinical activity) 


·      Improve civic values of the development 


·      Address requirement to re-provide services currently on the land, whilst 
ensuring continuity 
 

Key objectives for The University of Westminster 


·      Maintain and increase student satisfaction levels 


·      Upgrade teaching spaces 


·      Increase critical mass and create a sense of place 


·      Create additional student accommodation 


·      Maximise value of landholding 


·      Create staff accommodation. 
 

Key Objectives for Network Homes Ltd. 


·      Phased redevelopment of Northwick Park working collaboratively with other 
land holders to maximise the potential opportunity 


·      Delivery of new affordable and mixed tenure housing as well as commercial 
uses 


·      High quality design and place making, including the main gateway into the 
site from NWP tube station, serving all land holdings 


·      Improved infrastructure and transport connections to help ensure a 
sustainable future for Northwick Park residents, service providers and hospital patients 


This is project outline as first published in One Public estate (Local Government Association/Cabinet office) February 2017 (click on image to enlarge)