Saturday 15 November 2014

Council tables termination of funding for Stonebridge Adventure Playground before consultation closes

Dawn Butler, Labour General Election candidate for Brent Central, is among the playground campaigners
Brent Council yesterday published its Forward Plan for the December 15th Cabinet. Headed 'Revenue Funding to Brent Play Association which supports the running costs of Stonebridge Adventure Playground' LINK it proposes to terminate the funding to the Brent Play Association (BPA) at the end of the 2014-15 financial year.

It gives the reason for termination as 'Signficant expenditure/savings > 30% of budget for the function in question'.

The future of the Adventure Playground is currently the subject of a consultation  on proposals about the expansion of Stonebridge Primary School which involves building on its 40 year old site.  The consultation does not close until Monday but the funding cut appears to preempt the consultation outcome..

The threat of closure has created enormous concern on the Stonebridge Estate and a passionate campaign by local residents. Residents were unconvinced by Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt at a recent meeting to discuss the Council's proposals.  LINK

At the meeting Butt insisted, 'Nothing has been decided yet'.

The residents were clearly right.

To support the survival of the Stonebridge Adventure Playground fill in the on-line consultation:
www.brent.gov.uk/stonebridgeconsultation

Or email your response to stonebridge.consult@brent.gov.uk

And also sign the petition HERE 

Join the campaign's Facebook group  HERE

Stonebridge has a history of fighting back as this report from 2003 shows: LINK


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

"At the meeting Butt insisted, 'Nothing has been decided yet' "

Is there any reason in politeness, the law of libel or the rules of this blog why the sentence above should not be summed up as follows:

'LEADER OF BRENT COUNCIL, AT A MEETING WITH BRENT RESIDENTS ADVERTISED AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN OPEN AND HONEST DISCUSSION ON A MATTER OF SOME IMPORTANCE TO PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN BRENT, KNOWINGLY AND CONSCIOUSLY, LIED THROUGH HIS TEETH'?

Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group said...

Re the validity of any public consultation in LB Borough of Brent with Mo Butt as Council Leader, the phrase, "No ifs, no Butts" comes to my mind with great irony.

Thatcher was infamous for having her 'yes' men. Brent seems to have a 'Butt man' who does not know whether he is coming or going or where he's leading the people of Brent and the concept of participatory democracy. Another thing that comes to my mind is a cartoon by disabled cartoonist 'Crippen', alias Dave Lupton. Then Disability Minister Maria Miller was facing a group of disabled people and said, "When we want your opinion, we'll tell you what it is."

Swheatie of the KUWG, writing in a personal capacity

Anonymous said...

Look has proved time and time again under Butt that you cannot believe anything they say so why are people surprised? For him it's about turning up having his picture taken, saying the right thing then doing the exact opposite. When Brent says the word 'consultation' don't take that word to mean anything, the decision has already been made, they do it with staff they do it to residents.

Anonymous said...

I agree with all of the above but (Butt?) your reactions let them off the hook. They want you to think the worst of them so you'll give up expecting ( and therefore demanding) anything better. Don't play into their hands. Keep your standards (and demands) up. Demand from them that they meet and match them. Or make it clear publicly and nationally (see Private Eye, Panorama on Lutfur Rahman) that they haven't. And get them kicked out.

Anonymous said...

We won't capitulate...they took the Stonebridge Adult Training Centre as an overspill for the school, which meant that all the vulnerable adults with special needs had nowhere to go each day...they spent a lot of money refurbishing it...but apparently its not good enough, so they want to take the Adventure Playground too....This is the one place in a densely populated area where young people can meet and have new experiences regardless of background...we aren't going to let the greedy politicians and developers steal it without putting up a fight.....https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-stonebridge-adventure-playground?source=twitter-share-button
And the homes they are building are not affordable for the local community who are now being expected to move out of London, away from family, friends, familiarity...Total disregard for the needs of the community.....The time is coming......

Anonymous said...

UPDATED VERSION: 'AND THEN REMOVED THE EVIDENCE FROM THE BRENT COUNCIL WEBSITE THUS DRAWING ATTENTION TO HIS LIES ALL OVER AGAIN'.

'That evening Squealer explained privately to the other animals that Napoleon had never in reality been opposed to the windmill........................'

G.Lee said...

“No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?”

Anonymous said...

The great dictictator Mo Butt says kiss my Butt once again to all his citizens.