Why Barham Park Matters - paper ahead of tonight's Scrutiny Meeting

 

Ahead of tonight's Call-in at Scrutiny Committee, Cllr Paul Lorber has provided a background paper for members of the Committee. The meeting can be attended in person or on-line HERE:

Where is the pond and viewing platform in Barham Park?

 

I ask this question for a good reason.

 

Over the past 12 years or so various Trustees (Brent Councillors) have taken officer advice and spent large sums of money – in each case well over £10,000 – on Consultants “Visions” and condition surveys into Barham Park.

 

Over 10 years ago officers proudly presented one of these visions with a Pond and a viewing platform in one of these expensive documents. The drawing showing this were quite appealing, and the Trustees approved this plan.

 

THERE IS NO POND AND NO VIEWING PLATFORM!

 

Subsequent reports highlighted the condition of the Barham Buildings and stressed the need to carry out works. These works were all costed, and a program timeline was produced. Much was to be done over the next 3 year. In reality very little was actually done to protect and preserve the exterior of the buildings. The outside has not been painted for at least 15 years.

 

Why – there is no Champion for Barham Park within the Trustees or the Officer Team. Barham Park is not a priority – it is a nuisance to be brushed under the carpet.

 

This LINK link takes you to pictures highlighting current disrepair and neglect in Barham Park.

 

Those of us who care for Barham Park want the time wasting and the neglect to stop.

 

BACKGROUND – WHY DOES IT MATTER

 

Once upon a time the whole of Sudbury was part of the Sudbury Common which stretched from long way down in Wembley all the way to Harrow on the Hill. 

 

An Archbishop Canterbury was the Lord of the Manor of much of the land here a few hundreds of years ago.

 

The oldest part of the buildings in Barham Park dates back to between 1760 and 1780 (say 250 years ago).

 

In 1801 John Copland – a Purser (Accountant/Officer Manager) – on Royal Navy Ships who once served on one of Lord Horacio Nelson’s vessels at the 1805 battle of the Nile bough Crabs House in what is now Barham Park.

 

He prospered over the years and acquired more land so that by the time of his death in 1843 he owned over 350 acres of land which stretched from The Triangle in Wembley all the way to bottom of Harrow on the Hill. He built a new house on his land called Sudbury Lodge. John Copland bought a crypt in the newly opened Kensal Green Cemetery where he is buried.

 

His only son also joined the Royal Navy too but died very young. John Copland was survived by two daughters. They never married and became great local benefactors paying for the building of St John’s Church, a cottage hospital. School rooms and much more – even a small reference library.

 

On their death in early 1870s General Robert Fitzgerald Crawford took over on condition he changed his name to Crawford-Copland. His two sons played football for Scotland in the very first official game against England.

 

On his passing in 1895 the land was acquired by George Barham the owner of Express Dairies. Most of the land in Sudbury was still farmland, with the area opposite (Chaplin Road/Farm Avenue) a large farm. Sir George as he became later is famous for building up the Express Dairy Company and also for cleaning up the milk industry.

 

On his death n 1913 his two sons took over, but it was the older one also George – but always known as Titus – who lived here and developed his home and gardens. He too was a major benefactor and was involved in almost everything that went on locally. He donated part of his farmland for the site of Wembley Hospital (subject to new plans shortly), he contributed to the local Tennis Club, Barham Primary Scholl stands on his land and much more.

 

In 1937 when Wembley received its Charter to become a Borough he was due to become Wembley’s Charter Mayor. Sadly, he died on the very day this was due to be celebrated.

 

Anticipating death, he had the good vision to enter into agreement with the new Wembley Council to accept the gift of his home and gardens for the “enjoyment of the public”. He was a modest man and did not want any fuss. There is no statue of him and until recently he is remembered by the existence of Barham Park, Barham Primary School, Barham Close and Barham Court.

 

His portrait hands in the Brent Museum which was in fact created in 1965 with many of his gifted possessions as the initial core of the collection – including a coat of armour.

 

A few months ago, volunteers from Friends of Barham Park organised a public collection and erected a Blue Plaque in his memory.

 

DOES HISTORY MATTER?

 

For some the Barham buildings are just an old pile of bricks and even a nuisance. For the lovers of Barham Park, they are however much more. They tell a story of local people who made a contribution to our community.

 

This is why some of us despair at the neglect, and the waste of money and opportunities to improve things.

 

WHAT ARE THE BARHAM PARK BUILDINGS FOR?

 

One part is occupied by Barham Veterans Club formed in 1947 by Wembley and Middlesex County Council to provide a place for elderly men to socialise as part of tackling loneliness. In the early days the Club paid no rent and received a generous grant from the Council. The grant was stopped many years ago and the Club is charged rent and service charges.

 

Officer let the lease lapse and now recommend a new lease on market value terms for a short period of time until 2031. The Bronze drawings do not show the Barham Veterans Club so presumably the idea or expectations is that it will not exist beyond 2031.

 

The wooden building (former Card Room) is occupied by Tamu Samaj UK and ex Gurkha Nepalese Group. They run a wide range of activities for their members of all ages and also hire out the space to other small groups.

 

Their Lease has just expired, and they also face a short lease at market rent.

 

The Public Library was closed by the Labour Administration in 2011. Friends of Barham Library opened a Community Library in another part. The library acts as a hub for many community activities, knitting, art, book club groups. Yoga and Pilates and many others and most importantly is the home of the Memory Lounge – a growing group providing activities, support and advice for people with dementia and their carers.

 

The Bronze option drawing approved by the Trustees have wiped the library from existence. The children library would be a shop and the rest of the space is a bit unclear.

 

The former Children Centre closed many years ago. The Lease is between the Barham Park Trust and the Council, and the Council is desperate to keep up the pretence of ‘children centre’ use to avoid clawback of Sure Start Grant.

 

The rest of the building is leased to ACAVA – an out of Brent organisation who converted their space into 29 smaller units which they let to artists – most of whom are also outside of Brent.

 

When this decision was made in 2013 Officers and Councillors were convinced that this would benefit the local area. Current Councillors can judge this for themselves. The artists contribute very little to Brent art, they are not local and most if not all of the rent owed (over £60,000 according to recent reports) is owed by ACAVA.

 

HERE WE ARE TODAY

 

After tens of thousands of pounds spent on surveys and consultants most of whose reports collect dust in some forgotten draw and the pictures tell their own story.

Opportunities to extract large sums of money from the heritage Lottery Fund and others have been missed.

The buildings are neglected.

Community Groups who provide local services to local people face the threat of being kicked out as consultants think and Brent Officers and Trustees concur with this – that shops or hotel rooms that no one asked for and the area does not need are more important than a Community Library, a Club for elderly residents and a base for a group of loyal and hard working ex Gurkhas – without whom the annual Remembrance March would be rather short of any marchers!

2^nd CHANCE TO SET A BETTER DIRECTION

Decisions by Barham Park Trustees were called in last year. They have been called in again this time.

The Barham Park Trust 2022/23 Accounts were challenged and had to be withdrawn for corrections. Officers persuaded you that nothing was wrong. A year later the 2023/24 Accounts were withdrawn right at the beginning of the Barham Park Trust Meeting.

To get it wrong once is unfortunate. To get it wrong the 2^nd time should set the ALARM bells ringing.

The accounts are wrong and misleading. The way the Barham Trust is managed is wrong and very damaging. Wrong Accounts and misleading information lead to wrong and bad decisions.

If there is any point to Scrutiny than the Members of Scrutiny need to take their responsibilities seriously and grab an opportunity to challenge the poor decisions and poor actions for the sake of ensuring a future for the Barham Park Charity and Barham Park and its buildings.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO?

Ask your self a few simple questions:

If Barham Park was YOUR home and gardens and you depended on it being well managed, would you:

1.     Waste tens of thousands of pounds on surveys and consultants reports which collect dust and cannot and will not ever be implemented?

2.     Ignore legal agreements (Leases) and not bother to revise rents when due?

3.     Allow the building up of rental debt of over £60,000?

4.     Fail to charge interest on the rent debt in line with the Lease terms?

5.     Spend over £20,000 on consultants’ fees on proposals which you could not start working on for 8 years and which are at major risk of economic and other factors?

6.     Allow your subordinates not to recharge costs that you have incurred without being informed and without your agreement?

7.     Spend large sums of money on valuations and legal fees without knowing what you might get in return?

If your answer to any of these questions is NO than you agree that something is badly wrong, and change is needed.

As a starting point you will then agree with the grounds for the Call-in and agree to refer the decisions back to the Barham Park Trust with clear instructions  that all the issues raised are fully investigated and honest and full answers provided to enable the Trustees to make decisions based on facts, that meet their fiduciary duties to the Barham Park Charity and which meet the expectations of and wishes of Titus Barham who gifted his Home and Gardens for everyone’s enjoyment.