Cllr Teo Benea
Cllr Muhammed Butt has appointed Cllr Teo Benea who represents Sudbury ward, alomng with Lib Dem leader Paul Lorber, to the Cabinet as lead member for Regeneration. Planning and Property. This is a slight variation on Shama Tatler's portfolio that has been held by Cllr Butt for some months. Presumably 'Property' refers to Brent Council property which is currently under review to achieve maximum market rates.
In a message to fellow Labour councillors, Cllr Benea wrote:
I just wanted to let you know that I am delighted to have been appointed Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Property and I am looking forward to working with colleagues, officers and residents to support regeneration and planning projects that benefit all residents across the borough
Brent Labour's website gives details of her background including working at a consultancy on planning and regeneration:
Teo has lived in Brent for several years, she has long been the champion for closer relations with our European neighbours. As a first-generation migrant herself, she is also particularly passionate about supporting under-represented groups to vote – including EU and Commonwealth Citizens. She currently works in a public-affairs consultancy in the planning and regeneration sector. When the war started in Ukraine, Teo coordinated the collection of donations and organised the logistics for these to be delivered at the border between Romania and Ukraine in partnership with other Romanian organisations and partners. Teo and the then Sudbury councillors managed the donations that came in at St Andrew’s Church in Sudbury over 4 days. Donations were collected from all locations across London and 5 trucks of goods were loaded and sent to Ukraine.
Teo has a strong track record in campaigning and working hard for local residents and has a background as an Organiser for the Labour Party and also previously worked for a Labour MP in Westminster. In council Teo advocates for Sudbury to get its fair share of investment – including more new roads and pavements, cleaner streets and improved green spaces in Barham Park, Vale Farm and elsewhere. Another priority is to ensure that the Eastern European communities have a voice on the council, building community cohesion among the diverse communities that live in Brent.
17 comments:
As Sudbury Councillor she will no doubt make a firm stand against the George Irwin plans to build more and much bigger houses in Barham Park especially since Labour are now breaking their promises to protect Open Spaces and agreed a secret Heads of Terms with the Fun Fair Operator to release him from a Covenant which the Council put in place specifically to protect Barham Park against the type of over development which is proposed.
Experience has shown me to be wary of the trust placed in Councillors, irrespective of their political background, regarding their crucial role in decisions about Regeneration, Planning, and Property. I strongly assert that the planning and eventual regeneration of Chalkhill Estate serves as a prime example, underscoring the importance of having a proven track record before proceeding with actions and decisions. The circumstances surrounding Chalkhill Estate act as a warning, demonstrating how misguided choices by a key figure, along with years of inadequate funding and neglect, can lead to significant disappointment and disillusionment, ultimately fostering a complacent mindset that gives rise to various negative, distressing, and frustrating challenges.
Teoblocks, or Towerblock Teo or maybe Towerblock Benea?
she'll obviously do as she's told, that's why Butt selects these ineffectual people to cabinet and planning.
Exactly what experience does she have dealing with "Regeneration, Planning and Property"???
As the other Sudbury Councillor may I suggest the first action that Councillor Benea can take is to support long established Community Groups such as the East Lane Theatre Club and the LNER Sports Club, both based in Sudbury, by telling her Leader and her Property Director to lay off and not demand unrealistic rents aimed at destroying these long established community groups. These, and many other community groups across Brent, need the support of all Sudbury (and other) Councillors against the Labour Council's excessive rent demands.
Only then will local people be able to judge the reality of the claimed "strong record in campaigning and working hard for local residents".
do they hire someone special for their predictable slogans, self-promotion, and vague commitments or does someone find joy on creating this nonsense?
For example,
Junk buzzwords cobbled together:
* "Champion for closer relations with our European neighbours” – What does this even mean in practice? Does she attend EU-themed dinner parties, or is she negotiating trade deals in her spare time?
* "Particularly passionate about supporting under-represented groups to vote” – Translation: She wants to secure votes from a specific demographic.
* "Strong track record in campaigning and working hard for local residents” – A strong track record of what? Leafleting? Social media posts?
Virtue Signalling?
* "When the war started in Ukraine, Teo coordinated the collection of donations...” – A classic appeal to good deeds. While commendable, this is entirely irrelevant to local politics in Brent.
* "Donations were collected from all locations across London and 5 trucks of goods were loaded and sent to Ukraine” – The logistics of donation drives are impressive but have little to do with paving roads in Sudbury.
Empty Promises & Non-Commitments:
* "Advocates for Sudbury to get its fair share of investment” – An empty phrase that could be said about literally any area in any campaign.
* "More new roads and pavements, cleaner streets and improved green spaces” – A generic wish list. Who doesn’t want cleaner streets? Where’s the plan?
Tokenistic Community Representation:
* "Ensure that the Eastern European communities have a voice on the council” – Does this mean representing their actual interests or just branding herself as their spokesperson?
* "Building community cohesion among the diverse communities that live in Brent” – A classic vague statement. What does ‘cohesion’ mean in practice… more meetings? A cultural fair?
God help us.
Try reading the article....she is a director at a public affairs company and deals with development and regeneration!
Why does everyone have to have a childish nick name?
No doubt she will do as she's told by Butt. As a first generation migrant as the article states I doubt she has the historical knowledge of the borough and will rely on others i.e. residents for accurate information, but Brent as a terrible record when it comes to listening to what residents want so all in all just another puppet in this long running Punch and Judy show.
another puppet with butt heads hand up its back . if we got rid of him and his cronies it would definetly be a good start to a brighter future for brent!
Cllr. Benea was one of three councillors (along with Paul Lorber and Ketan Sheth, whose Wembley Central Ward now covers Barham Park) who opposed the approval of George Irvin's application to replace the two former park keepers' houses, at 776/778 Harrow Road in Barham Park, with a bigger block of four homes, at the planning Committee meeting on 12 June 2023.
This is the relevant extact from the minutes of that meeting:
' The Chair invited the next speaker on the item, Councillor Benea (objector) to address the Committee (in person) in relation to the application. The following key points were highlighted:
The site of the proposed development in Barham Park was a site of significant local importance within historical parkland that was held in high regard by the community.
Historically the site had been subject to 10 planning applications, all but one had been rejected due to concerns that the park would be negatively impacted.
Concerns were raised that the proposed development would negatively impact the ecology of the park, following a superficial ecological survey being undertaken by the applicant whereby the ecologist recommended a more extensive survey after finding evidence of pipistrel bats in the park.
The site was in an area of moderate to severe flooding, with the surrounding area recognised as an area susceptible to surface water flooding as a result of inadequate drainage. It was felt that the proposed development would exacerbate these existing issues.
Chiltern Railway advised the applicant of the disruptive impacts of noise and vibration to future residents due to the proposed dwellings close proximity to the railway line. Existing residents had already shared their concerns in relation to this and the fact that the new buildings timber frames would increase the noise and vibrations already present. It was felt that there were not enough mitigations in place to address the impact on existing properties.
It was unclear if either the trustee, Brent planning authorities or the applicant had consulted with or sought advice from The Charity Commission.
In summarising the issues raised Councillor Benea requested that the Planning Committee considered the concerns raised by residents and in doing so, refuse the application.
The Chair thanked Councillor Benea for her representation and offered the Committee the opportunity to ask any questions or points of clarity they had in relation to the information heard. The following points were discussed:
The Committee queried why it was not seen as a benefit to have 4 large new family sized homes, Councillor Benea advised that whilst welcoming new family size homes in Brent, it was also important to balance the needs against existing residents and how they would be impacted by any new developments.'
Will she still support the needs of existing residents, and how they would be impacted by new developments, in her Cabinet role?
In 2022 the Liberal Democrats got rid of a Butt appointed Cabinet Member. In 2026 there will be an opportunity for a bit more tactical voting to get rid off another Butt appointee. If the readers of Wembley Matters really want to get rid of the 'Butt Dictatorship' they need to start using their heads and look carefully at the party best placed to beat the Butt faction.
Let's be fair, the actual driver of Brent's obviously excessive developments, that are truly unaffordable to Brent residents, is not Brent's public face of Regeneration, it is quite obviously the Leader of Brent Council. The Leader appears to have a dream, which is actually Brent residents' nightmare. As for Cllr Benea, she is a weak post holder who is there to do the Leader's bidding and is obviously held in place by the Leader's patronage that demands compliant councillors.
She will need to remember who she actually represents and who voted for her. If she doesn't they will surely remind her at the next election as they did to a previous councillor of that ward. She was not elected to the council to only represent Romanians and definitely not to represent her developer friends and employers. We see you [OO] Cllr Benea
Towerblock Teo.
I know nothing about Teo Benea, but my gut feeling is that her appointment by Mo Butt is a sign that Brent's attitude to regeneration will continue with her, ignoring all the problems it has created over the last 20+ years. The fact that she works as a consultant in the planning and regeneration sector is another red flag, given South Kilburn has been plagued with the doings of such consultants. I wonder is she will even deign to talk to those affected by regeneration schemes. Previous holders of her post haven't.
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