Notting Hill Housing residents meet tonight over merger plans

Your rights as a Brent citizen

 

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I will let readers decide whether this works in practice. Source Brent Constitution changes LINK
 

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Citizens’ Rights 
The Council welcomes participation by its citizens in its work. Citizens have a number of rights in their dealings with the Council. Some of these are legal rights, whilst others depend on the Council’s own processes. The local Citizens’ Advice Bureau and Community Law Centre can advise on individuals’ legal rights. Citizens have the right to:

·      vote at local elections if they are registered; 


·      contact their local councillor about any matters of concern to them; 


·      obtain a copy of the Constitution; 


·      attend meetings of the Council and its committees except where, for example, confidential or exempt information would be disclosed; 


·      petition to request a referendum on an elected Mayor; 


·      contribute to reviews conducted by the Scrutiny Committees and/or their task groups; 


·      find out, from the Forward Plan, what Key Decisions are to be decided by the Cabinet, Cabinet Committees or officers, as well as other decisions to be taken at a meeting of the Cabinet or Cabinet Committees and when; 


·      attend meetings of the Cabinet or Cabinet Committees, except where exempt or confidential information is being discussed; 


·      see reports and background papers, and any record of decisions made by the Council and the Cabinet; 


·      complain to the Council about its service provision; 


·      complain to the Ombudsman if they think the Council has not followed its procedures properly. However, they should only do this after using the Council’s own complaints process; 


·      complain to the Monitoring Officer if they have evidence which they think shows that a councillor has not followed the Council’s Code of Conduct; and 


·      inspect the Council’s accounts and make their views known to the external auditor. 


Brent Council approve £26m contracts for primary school expansions

Amar Dave, Strategic Director Regeneration and Environment, will use his delegated authority to approve  Stage 2 Design and Build contracts for Phase 3 of Brent's Primary School Expansion with the next few days.

The plans have been controversial for varying reasons, not least because doubts have been raised about whether the extra places are needed in the light of of unfilled places in some of our local schools and the potential impact of Brexit on the number of EU families in Brent.  Aditionally there are issues around 'mega primaries' being inappropriate for young children and the impact of expanded schools on suburban locations. In the case of Stonebridge Primary the expansion proposals (and associated house building) led to the demolition of the much valued Stonebridge Adventure Playground.

The cost of the expansion and whether contractors could deliver the Council's specifications at the stated costs became an issue but the public were unable to access information on this as the details were deemed commercially sensitive.

The figures have now been revealed:

Byron Court Primary School £11,872,271. (Graham Construction)
Stonebridge Primary School £7,222,848. (Mid Contracting and Consulting Limited)
Uxendon Manor Primary School £6,784,437 (Lakehouse Contracts Limited)

Total:  £25,879,556.

The Council will be required to use £1.7m of its programme contingency.

How to support the McDonald's strikers #McStrike

 McDonald’s workers balloted at Crayford (south east London) and Cambridge stores have voted by an incredible 95.7 percent for strikes, and their BFAWU bakers’ union has now named Monday 4 September as the first strike day. 
 
A strike committee of workers met and decided to go for the date for their historic action–the first ever strike at McDonald’s in the UK.

The workers taking this bold step need the URGENT solidarity of the wider trade union movement. Please give generously now to their strike fund HERE

Please also rush messages of support, encouragement and solidarity for the workers to fastfoodrights@mail.com 

Already, just by voting to strike and organising in the union, the workers have gained an impressive shift from McDonald’s–who have stated only now after the strike vote that by the end of 2017 they will implement the twice promised offer of a guaranteed hours contract to every UK McDonald’s worker. The workers and BFAWU rightly want this signed off, but it is a major victory for the some 80,000 workers at McDonald’s and shows what getting organised, joining a union and taking action can do.

The strike remains on, over a number of grievances at the two workplaces, and the workers are also fighting for £10 an hour minimum wage now, union recognition, and for the demand on scrapping zero hours contracts to be implemented.

What’s happening and how you can support?

Pass this #McStrike MODEL MOTION to back the strike

Give urgently and generously to the #McStrike Fund

On the Saturday before the strike, 2 September, BFAWU is holding a protest at McDonald’s HQ in East Finchley, north London. We are calling on solidarity from the wider movement on this day, with banners, collections etc, brought along in support. Join and share the Facebook page for the protest HERE.

On the day of the strike, Monday 4 September, workers at the Cambridge site will picket from 6 – 7am, while workers at the Crayford site will picket from 6 – 7.30am.

The strikers and their supporters will then come together outside parliament at 10.30/11am for a rally, speakers include Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell. Stay posted for details of what will be happening after the rally. We are asking for maximum support possible with banners and supporters gathering at the rally, and for local activists and anyone who can to show their support at picket lines where possible too.


#McStrike #McSolidarity protests on 4 September:

LONDON
McDonald’s @ King’s Cross / Pentonville Road
At lunchtime, 12PM-2PM, there will be a McStrike solidarity demonstration with friends and comrades from different unions and community campaigns across Central London. It will be outside the McDonald’s in King’s Cross (302-304 Pentonville Road, Kings Cross N1 9XD). Come along to show some solidarity, to inform workers, customers and passers-bys about the strike. Together we can make this strike powerful in our communities too, and let McDonald’s workers know there is a strong movement with them! Join the Facebook page for the event HERE

The challenges facing our local NHS hospitals - top managers address public meeting

From Brent Patient Voice 

I’m writing to extend a warm invitation to a forthcoming BPV PUBLIC MEETING on 12 September at 7pm at the Learie Constantine Centre, Dudden Hill Lane, NW10 2ET. (Refreshments from 6.30pm.)

The topic will be a presentation on the challenges facing the London North West Healthcare NHS Trust (i.e. Northwick Park, Ealing, Central Middlesex and St Mark’s Hospitals). As you will be aware these challenges are daunting. The flow of thousands of patients through the doors does not decrease. While some highly commended clinical  services are being provided, waiting times in A&E and for some types of appointment are falling seriously short. In addition the Trust is required to close a deficit of around £49.5 million. We are fortunate to have secured two members of the top management team to tell us how the Trust is coping. They are Dr Nigel Stephens, Deputy Medical Director and leading cardiologist, and Simon Crawford, Director of Strategy. We are also asking a GP, Prof Paul Thomas, Editor-in-Chief of the London Journal of Primary Care, to comment on how links between hospitals and GPs can be improved to benefit patients.

After the presentations and an interactive discussion, we’ll move for the last half-hour to the BPV AGM, including elections.

We very much hope to see you there.

Robin Sharp

Chair Brent Patient Voice

King Eddies park in better days

Guest blog by Philip Grant
 

A recent blog LINK  told of the sad decline of Wembley’s King Edward VII Park, but this reminded me of some information and old photos that I could share with you from the park’s early years.

Wembley as a place has existed since Saxon times, with the first documentary record of “Wemba lea” (Wemba’s clearing in the forest) dating from AD825. My late Wembley History Society colleague, Len Snow LINK  was fond of saying that football fans, singing their way to Wembley Stadium, had actually got the name right! But it was not until 1894 that Wembley became a separate local government area, splitting off from Harrow as Wembley Urban District, and although small in population (only around 4,500 people lived here in 1901), it had some big ideas.

One of the schemes to provide a better place to live for its residents was to open its own municipal public park, and in 1913 it bought 26 acres of farmland in Blind Lane (not far from its developing High Road) for £8,050. By the next summer the park was ready, and on 4 July 1914 it was officially opened by Queen Alexandra (by then the Queen Mother), and named King Edward VII Park in memory of her late husband.

These first two photos were taken on the day of the opening, with many of Wembley’s citizens there in their “Sunday best” clothes to enjoy the event. The musical entertainment from the bandstand was almost certainly provided by the Wembley Town Band, which had been set up in 1910, with its smart green and silver uniforms paid for by local benefactor, Titus Barham. The school next to the park had opened in 1911 as Blind Lane Council School (the first set up in the area by Wembley Urban District Council, rather than Middlesex County Council), and with the change in the name of the road to mark the opening, it became Park Lane Primary. Like every good park, King Eddie’s had a children’s playground!

Some WM readers may recognise these photographs from Geoffrey Hewlett’s  “Images of London” book on Wembley (Tempus Publishing, 2002), and they are from a remarkable collection built up by Wembley History Society from the 1950’s onwards, including many donated by an important local photographer before he died in 1958, which is now held at Brent Museum and Archives.

These pictures were almost certainly taken by that photographer, Kuno Reitz, who was born in Munich in 1876, but moved to England in 1911, spending most of the rest of his life as a freelance photographer in Wembley. Just a month after King Edward VII Park opened, and these excellent photos were taken, England declared war on Germany, entering the “Great War” a week after it had first begun, because Germany had invaded neutral Belgium. Reitz was classed as an enemy alien, and spent at least part of the war years building roads, possibly for army camps and training grounds, in Northumberland.

Luckily, he returned to Wembley after the war, and the last photo is one he definitely took, for a “Wembley Guide” booklet published by the Urban District Council in 1930. The clothes may have changed a little by the inter-war years, but it was still a great place for children to play. Let’s hope that, despite the decline caused by cost-cutting and contracting out, the people of Wembley can still enjoy King Eddie’s Park for another century or more.

The Torch reviews security for Tottenham home games

Spurs fans at the Torch in April for the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea

I understand that the Torch Pub is to review its security for Tottenham home games following skirmishes in the pub and outside at the weekend.

The Torch management company are meeting today with Brent Council officials and the police.

The pub is designated a 'Tottenham' venue for home games and fans have adopted it as their own. I understand that locals were refused entry at the weekend for their own protection.

Football University campus planned for First Way, Wembley

Cole Waterhouse and Topland Group have revealed plans for a £100m university campus close to Wembley Stadium.

The two firms aim to transform the 0.6 ha First Way site into a campus featuring academic facilities, flexible workspace and student accommodation.

At the centre of the development will be a 682-bed student village, split across four buildings ranging from six to 12 storeys in height.

The campus will also include a 300-person auditorium, seminar rooms, a gym, a library and an IT suite.

Cole Waterhouse chief executive Damian Flood said: “After being known for years only for the Wembley Arena and Wembley Stadium, the area is becoming increasingly popular with students, start-ups as well as being a great place to live.

“We saw this potential before acquiring our previous scheme in the area back in 2015 and continue to look for new opportunities in this and the surrounding areas.”

A planning application for the scheme is expected to be submitted in the next few months, with completion slated for mid-2019 if the project is given consent. 

The development will be occupied by  the University of Football Business who site a recent lack of space at their present Wembley Stadium campus and mountaing demand for places as reasons for the new development. 

This joins other planning proposals for First Way which includes Latif House and Access Self Storage. LINK  LINK

Details of the Football University proposals can be found HERE

'Stay at home' local resident told on Wembley event day

Yesterday's tweet alleging that staff from the facilities management company ABM UK had advised a local resident that they should stay at home during the rugby event at the Stadium sums up how many locals feel  - they cannot assume that they can just get on with their daily lives on Wembley event days.

Another resident, wanting to purchase some drink to share with friends in her back garden, found herself thwarted and sent me this email:

Today I know it's event day, but I went to do my weekly shop at Lidl at the Wembley Stadium Retail Park.  Yes, it was full of very well behaved Rugby Fans for the Challenge Cup.  I proceeded to do my shop but whilst the wines and spirits were cordoned off, I still went behind to purchase I bottle of Gin and 2 bottles of wine.  Knowing that I am doing a full shop it cost me £142.57p including a huge sack of dry dog food and 12 cans, 4 cartons of cat food and the rest of my shopping I didn't think it would be a problem, as clearly no-one would be thinking I am going to the Event.  However on getting to the till I was refused purchasing the alcohol because it was in glass bottles ??*!!!****, on asking to speak to the Manager I was informed this is Police and Licensing Policy, I explained that he was clearly misinterpreting the instructions as I was doing my weekly shop and it was clear I would not be going to the Event which was not due to start for another 2 hours. "Oh but it's in glass bottles and we cannot sell it, it's the law" despite my protestations and informing him that this is not the case in Asda, Tesco or Sainsbury's, I am not wearing colours of the teams and clearly not going to the game I was refused service of alcohol.  

 

To say I was not only extremely upset but embarrassed and made to feel stupid, surely this person needs training and should be able to spot the difference, and it wasn't even a football event.  Needless to say, this is an absolute joke, and why as a resident should I be penalised.  Needless to say, I can go and purchase knives from Wilkinson, some very corosive substances from any hardware store, even fireworks should i choose, but no alcohol in glass bottles, what madness is going on in Wembley.  

So in future I will purchase everything else and look forward to causing mayhem outside the stadium as no one is searched before entry.  What madness do I have to endure as a resident of Wembley.  So say I am pissed off doesn't cover it, I have contacted Lidl for clarification and asked why is the manager not using discretion or common sense? and will let you know if they respond.  Please feel free to edit and put up as a blog because this I feel is more nonesense.

The number of days on which local residents will be affected is clear from the list below:

Here are Tottenham's upcoming home Premier League fixtures at Wembley, along with all other Events confirmed to take place at Wembley Stadium, 2017/18 season.

Saturday        26/08/2017  15.00  Rugby Challenge Cup

Sunday          27/08/2017   16:00  Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley

Monday          04/09/2017   19:45  England v Slovakia             

Saturday        16/09/2017   17:30 Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City

Sunday          24/09/2017   14:30  NFL Ravens v Jaguars

Sunday          01/10/2017   14:30 NFL Saints v Dolphins

Thursday       05/10/2017   19:45 England v Slovenia

Saturday        07/10/2017   12:30 Wembley Cup – Football Skills

Saturday        14/10/2017   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth

Sunday          22/10/2017   16:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool

Sunday          05/11/2017   12:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace

Saturday        25/11/2017   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion

Saturday        09/12/2017   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Stoke City

Wednesday   13/12/2017   20:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton and Hove Albion

Tuesday        26/12/2017   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton

Saturday        30/12/2017   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United

Saturday        13/01/2018   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Everton

Wednesday    31/01/2018   20:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United

Saturday        10/02/2018   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

Saturday        03/03/2018   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Huddersfield Town

Saturday        17/03/2018   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United

Saturday        14/04/2018   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City

Saturday        28/04/2018   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Watford

Saturday        05/05/2018   Tbc     Womens FA Cup

Sunday          13/05/2018   15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City

Please note the above fixture dates and kick off times are subject to change.

This list does not include FA Cup Games or Champions League fixtures.

This list does not include FA Semi final games or any League Play-off games.

Brent seeking to end 'permitted development' of light industrial units & offices into housing in parts of the borough

Currently offices and some light industrial and storage or distribution centres can be turned into residential properties without the need for planning permission.  The Council is concerned about the impact that these permitted development changes of use are having and potentially will have on its ability to effectively plan for its area.  

The Council wants to be able to manage such development in some designated Growth Areas and industrial estates.  This will ensure that business occupiers do not continue to be displaced where their accommodation is viable for its continued use.  It will also prevent wider industrial areas being compromised.  It will also prevent planned developments identified in the Development Plan potentially being undermined.    

·        Wembley Growth Area Article 4 

This Article 4 applies to the Wembley Growth Area as identified in the Local Plan.  It removes permitted development rights for B1(a) office to residential.

·        Alperton Growth Area, Significant Industrial Locations and Locally Significant Industrial Sites Article 4

This Article 4 applies to the Alperton Growth Area, Significant Industrial Locations and Locally Significant Industrial Sites as identified in the Local Plan.  It does not include those areas in Brent where the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation is the local planning authority.  It removes permitted development rights for B1(a) office, B1(c) light industrial and B8 storage or distribution centres to C3 residential.

The Article 4s can be found at www.brent.gov.uk/Article4s and are available for inspection at Brent public libraries. The Article 4s are non-immediate and if confirmed will be effective from 11^th August 2018. 

How to comment

Any person may make representations on the Article 4 directions. Representations should be made by e-mail: planningstrategy@brent.gov.uk or by post to:  Planning Policy & Projects Team, Brent Civic Centre, Engineer’s Way, Wembley, HA9 0FJ. The deadline for comment is 7^th September 2017.

Quintain is creating a speculative mess in Wembley Park - the evidence

New billboard images of Quintain's development at Wembley Park reveal the haphazard result of its speculative development rather than the promised boulevards and green spaces initially promised.

The image, looking towards Wembley Stadium station and the high road,  shows what it will look like when present work in progress is completed.  Brent Civic Centre will be hemmed in by new tower blocks next door and on the former Power League site (goodbye to those views of the Stadium councillors currently enjoy from the Civic Centre), the proposed (but not needed LINK) new Ark primary school is wedged between York House and the main road. In the distance are the tower blocks being built along the Chiltern railway line.

Meanwhile Brent Council is asking residents to contribute to 'shaping' the borough.  Too late...

The image below shows a closer view of the proposed primary school in the car park of York House with the London Designer Outlet.

Latest Quadrant Court fire safety reviews

 First Port, the Property Manageent Service for Quadrant Court, have sent to following to leaseholders and residents. (August 22nd)

Fire Safety and ACM Cladding on the feature column of Quadrant Court

The following information has been issued to keep you fully abreast of the current position in respect of the building in the unlikely event of a fire at the property.

Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower we have carried out some reviews of the building that we manage, in line with Government (DCLG) advice.

Through this review it has been established that the two storey maroon feature column to the left hand side of the main entrance on Empire Way is clad in an Alucabond material that is classified as ACM. This element relates to a localised and isolated part of the building façade and was confirmed as ACM via the government’s first suggested testing procedure. At this juncture this should not give rise to undue concern albeit that we are considering whether any action is necessary. The blue arrow on photo below shows the maroon panelling so that it is clear what we are referring to. 

On receiving this information we contacted the Fire and Rescue Services and also notified the building’s insurers to establish if any immediate action was required. Initial findings are that no immediate action is necessary.

You may have heard it reported that the Government has produced an updated document, setting out fresh guidelines for testing procedure/s. This includes testing the entire cladding system and not just the exterior cladding material.

This is important as the systems behind this cladded facia can be key to the structure’s performance in the event of a fire, and the nature of this system can differ significantly from building to building.

The installation details for this feature column are different to those that have been discussed in the media.

In the interim we pro-actively invited the Fire Brigade to carry out an inspection of the building in order to ascertain if there was anything further we can do to enhance fire safety at Quadrant Court. Thankfully they were happy with the processes and strategy we have in place and were satisfied that we operate the development correctly and efficiently in terms of fire safety.

Nevertheless, taking into account the guidance issued by the Fire Brigade at other affected comparable buildings, we have instructed additional patrols of the building by the onsite staff during the night time and I can confirm that these have begun. These will stay in place until further notice.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you all that a “stay put” policy is in operation at Quadrant Court in the unlikely event of a fire. Homes and developments such as Quadrant Court are built with fire compartmentation, which is designed to resist the passage of fire between the walls and doors giving ample time for the fire services to arrive.

In this way, the fire service are given plenty of time to assess risks and ensure that, if needed, any evacuation is managed in a safe and orderly fashion.

In addition, the communal corridors and escape passages at Quadrant Court are equipped with smoke ventilation systems to improve conditions for means of escape and fire-fighting by limiting obscuration and toxicity in the common escape routes. These systems are tested regularly and in line with manufacturers recommendations.

We understand that there may be concerns around the “stay put” policy at this time. The following remains the guidance from the London Fire Brigade:

“If there is a fire inside your apartment leave, closing the door behind you and call 999. If there is a fire elsewhere in the building, and not inside your own apartment their advice is to stay put. The Fire Service will carry out an evacuation of the other apartments if necessary.”

Further information can be found on http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/staying-in-or-going- out.asp.

We also ask that residents ensure they remove anything that is combustible on their balconies. This is of course a stipulation in your lease but as is apparent from walking around the building there are a number of residents that continue to breach this lease requirement. Barbeques and storing items other than small garden furniture are examples of such breaches. In light of the above, we would ask that you comply with this instruction as a matter of urgency.

Fire safety should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and to that end please ensure you are comfortable with the fire procedures, know where the nearest fire exit is and make sure the smoke alarms in your apartment are tested regularly and replaced every 10 years. It is also good practice to close all your apartment’s internal doors when you go to bed at night.

We will advise if any specific action or change is needed and we will continue to keep you updated in relation to this matter. Meanwhile, we will also continue to track any findings or new guidelines and take the appropriate actions.

Finally, should you have any further general questions or queries we would in the first instance refer you to the enclosed statement and guidance relating to fire safety. However, should you have any questions that are not answered by this document then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Brent to save £0.45m annually by letting large sections of parks turn into meadow land

Yellow areas will become 'meadow'

I can reveal that large sections of Brent parks which are currently lawn will be turned into 'meadow land' as a result of changes in the Council's contact with Veolia. The reduction in maintenance will produce annual  'savings' of £450,000. 

In response to my query about the policy an officer gave this response:

I'm unable to provide maps for all the affected parks at this stage as we're currently updating all of them but a list of sites is provided below:

·        Roundwood Park

·        Neasden Recreation Ground

·        Gladstone Park

·        Barham Park

·        King Edward Park

·        Silver Jubilee Park

·        Roe Green

·        One Tree Hill

·        Woodcock Park

·        Preston Park

·        Lindsay Park

·        Sudbury Court Open Space

·        Elmwood

·        St Raphael’s Open Space

·        Northwick Park

·        Church Lane Recreation Ground

·        Tokygnton Recreation Ground

·        Kenton Grange

·        Leybourne Road Open Space

·        Eaton Grove

·        Abbey Estate

·        Tookey Close

I can confirm Veolia will continue to maintain the sites as part of the Council’s Public Realm Contract.  The current plans are to allow the various grass species to grow, with the meadow areas being cut once a year in order to prevent self sett trees, brambles, etc. taking hold.  Grass cuttings will be collected as part of this.

The case for creating wildlife havens was not the specific subject of any committee reports; they are covered as part of the need to achieve contract savings in 2017/18 as agreed under item 7 at the Full Council meeting on 27 February.  Further details, including minutes of the meeting, are available on the Council’s website 

The changes are part of a £900k cut. The Officer's budget report stated:

Any change in operations may be noticeable to residents used to familiar and established work practices. However, these changes are specifically intended to improve environmental standards overall.

Officers have made an attempt to justify the change on environmental grounds:

These grass meadow areas will now be cut once per year as part of a number of programmes that aim to make the borough cleaner and greener.  Letting the grass grow aims to create wildlife havens, increase biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions. This programme will be supported by the launch of the Brent Wildlife Watch website later this summer. All parks will retain some areas that will be kept maintained in a traditional way.

There has been no public consultation about the change and no reports by specialist horticulturalists or biodiversity officers that could be scrutinised by councillors of the public. These are changes that will change the appearance of our parks substantially.

Brent does have meadow land at Fryent Country Park (actually certified organic) and the Welsh Harp Open Space but these are long established - turning formal lawns into 'meadow' just by letting the grass grow long  is a different proposition. It does does not create an environmentally friendly wild flower meadow of the type that can be seen at Westminster University, Northwick Park.

It is noteworthy that despite the claim that 'wildlife havens' will be created there is no mention of wildflowers, a vital component of such havens. Proper wildflower meadows have to be created and diligently maintained as this publication from Newcastle City Council states LINK

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Since the end of the Second World War, Britain's wildflower meadows have decreased by more than 90 per cent. This has been due to changes in farming practice, urban expansion and development.

Although we cannot recreate traditional wildflower meadows in a short period of time, it is possible to create species rich grasslands and meadows, which are beneficial to our native wildlife in the urban environment.

There is no simple strategy for creating wildflower meadows in urban environments. The type of meadow created and method used to create and manage them will vary with conditions, habitat and budget. It is extremely important to remember that all grasslands and meadows require some form of management for them to be successful. If areas of fertile (nutrient rich) grassland are left unmanaged they will rapidly become overgrown with a few dominant species of tall grasses, nettles, docks, brambles, thistles etc. The wildflowers soon disappear as they become smothered by the more dominant species and deprived of light, water and space.

Creation of such meadows requires investment while Brent's aim is to save money. Unless the Council can provide more detail of their strategy I am afraid  I think we will end up with overgrown areas dominated by a single species like many a neglected back garden.