Below is a personal summary by Cllr Saqlain Choudry, written
a few minutes after Friday’s meeting at Willesden Green Library on recent
violent incidents. Officers were taking detailed notes and these will be shared
with attendees in due course. These notes include an action plan and a
commitment to a meeting by end of January/February to review progress on action
plans. Given the widespread interest, he summarised at a high level some of the
discussion points.
This evening, over 120 people gathered at Willesden
Green library to discuss community safety in the locality. Organised by Brent
Council and the Met Police, the agenda consisted of the recent tragic murder in
Willesden alongside other anti-social behaviour & local crime issues.
Members of the community were joined by
representatives of the Met Police team and Brent Council’s community safety
team including Director of Communities.
The leader of the Council (Cllr Muhammed Butt), lead
member (Cllr Harbi Farah), local MP (Dawn Butler) and local Councillors (Cllr
Saqlain Choudry, Cllr Janice Long and Cllr Tom Miller) were also present.
At the start of the meeting, Dawn Butler MP led a one
minute silence in memory of the victim who sadly lost their life. Our thoughts
and condolences with the victim’s family and all those affected by this awful
and tragic murder.
Throughout the meeting, detailed notes were being
taken and an action plan being devised which was shared in person and will be
shared with members of the public afterwards too.
Members of the community safety team as well as Met
Police representatives were also noting the passionate concerns being
expressed, key local intelligence, local hotspots and the common areas causing
grief and worry for local residents.
Residents are reminded to continue to report crime
and ASB through the appropriate forums and channels. For instance, if drug
dealing and drug consumption is happening in real time, that constitutes a 999
call.
In instances where there have been many crime reports
and crime reference numbers obtained, please send this across to local MP Dawn
Butler MP, Cllr Muhammed Butt (Leader of Council) and local ward Councillors so
these can be followed up with the Borough Commander and relevant authorities in
the Met Police.
There will be instances where the police and council
can only share limited information due to legal or operational constraints.
Example: an ongoing court investigation or sensitive operational intelligence
that needs to be confined to specific personnel. There will be other instances
where the local police and local council will need the involvement of local
residents to satisfy the evidence in court eg closure orders.
This has been successful in the past and there are
specific locations/addresses already in motion where Willesden Green SNT have
been working with locals to bring about closure orders.
Organisers of the meeting assured the community that
communication will continue and a follow-up meeting organised in due course to
hold the relevant authorities to account over the agreed action plans. Members
of the public were also encouraged to join and participate in local safer
neighbourhood team panel meetings which shape local priorities and hold the
local police to account.
The council and the Met reassured residents that this
meeting and previous meetings organised are not organised in vain but the
sentiments of the room were recognised and this is why a follow up meeting with
targeted actions will be organised in due course.
The above is not an official council or Met Police
summary but given the widespread interest and concern, a personal summary and
especially for those who were unable to attend.
Once again, thanks to members of the public who
joined at short notice, shared their real concerns and gave up their Friday
evening to express their opinions and feedback.
Further comment by local resident who atttended the meeting:
All of us residents in attendance at
the above meeting were deeply saddened at the violent loss of a young life
within our community. However, we also wanted the council and the police
to listen to our growing concerns about the systemic and escalating neglect of
our community. When a community begins to be neglected, it undoubtedly attracts
more anti-social behaviours.
We do not want yet another talking shop
meeting. We would like to see action, which will mean the council, the
police and residents working together on short and longer terms plans for
improving general safety in the area.
Policing cannot just be done
remotely. I personally believe that consideration should be given to
re-opening the little police station on the high road. It would inject
confidence back into the community. We understand that there are cut backs,
however neglecting residents safety will eventually cost more in the long run.
As for Brent council, their neglect of
the immediate Willesden Green area is plain to see and again, will only cost
more to fix in the long run.
It would be good to see the local
authority give some attention to the following:
-The rise in drug-related anti-social
behaviours in the area.
-Fly typing in the area
- Household rubbish being dumped on
pavements. It's always the same houses.
-Pavement repairs following major
building works.
It is ridiculous that no one has
responsibility for this.
-Broken pavements and mountains of wet
leaves are dangerous, particularly to elders. Myself and neighbours have
mostly solely cleared pavements and block drains outside our homes again this
winter. Brent needs to do better.
-Speeding lorries in Brondesbury Park.
Maybe huge 20mph signs should be painted on the road.
-Brondesbury Park street repair. The
stretch of road from the lights at the intersection of Sidmouth road to where
Brondesbury Park meets Staverton Road. The very same craters pop every time
there is rain and I'm sure the amateur repairs are costing the councils
thousands of pounds each time.
The above are just some areas of
concern which I know are shared by many residents.
-Address business licencing in
Willesden High Road and Walm Lane. How many of these businesses are
really legitimate concerns?
And why so many betting shops?
The size of Friday's meeting is clear
indication that residents want better accountability from both our local
council and the police.
Warmly,
Yvonne Bailey-Smith
Willesden Resident
