Excited Greens launch their Brent Council Election Campaign on a wave of enthusiasm after Hannah Spencer's by-election victory

 

Some of the Green candidates  standing in the May local election (Credit: Nick Woollard)

 

  Brent Green Party launched its campaign for the Brent Council May Election on Sunday full of the joys of Spring following  Hannah Spencer's amazing Manchester by-election win. They could not have chosen a better time to get motivated to win as many seats as possible on May 7th.

Amanda Alexandre, Green candidate for Harlesden and  Kensal Green ward, said:

Since the election of Hannah Spencer, we have received many heartfelt congratulations from residents across the borough - on the street, at the cafe, on the allotment. Our membership has also increased to over 700 and more than £350 in donations have been donated to our crowdfunding campaign since Friday.  All this support has unlocked a new level of ambition for Brent Green Party for the elections of May 7th  

The launch began with speeches from some of the candidates explaining why they were standing for the Greens:

 

 

This was followed by training in canvassing for the many members who are new to politics and knocking on doors for the first time. There was lots of enthusiasm for getting started with a number of Action Days taking place across the target wards in the weeks ahead. 

 

Stressing the participative nature of Green Party politics, members then broke into small groups to share ideas for the upcoming Brent Green Manifesto with the emphasis on fresh and imaginative policies. This produced some very animated discussion as can be seen from the photographs of excited participants below:

 

Credit: Nick Woollard    

 

Credit: Nick Woollard    

 

 

Credit: Nick Woollard   

 

Credit: Nick Woollard   

 

Children were welcomed to the event and enjoyed badge making and drawing, and the food and drinks of course.

 

 

Credit: Nick Woollard    

 

 

It was a friendly and convivial gathering with lots of new connections made as well as old friendships consolidated, boding well for the challenge ahead.

 

 

 

Credit: Nick Woollard   

 

Credit: Nick Woollard    

 

 

Credit: Nick Pollard   

 

 

Credit: Nick Woollard   

  

 

Credit: Nick Pollard    

  

 

Finishing with some young singing and song writing talent    Credit: Nick Woollard

 

NOTE: Membership of Brent Green Party passed 700 today with many joining after Hannah Spencer's by-election victory.

 

If you would like to support Brent Green Party's 2026 Election Campaign uou can donate to the crowdfunder HERE. 

 

 

Published and promoted by James Paton on behalf of Brent Green Party and its candidates c/o 23 Saltcroft  Close, Wembley, HA9 9JJ.

LETTER: Complaint about delays with repairs? No problem, Brent will delay dealing with your complaint

 

Via ChatGPT         

 

Dear Editor,

   

Last November, with increasing frustration at lack of progress with mounting issues around our blocks, Alpha, Gorefield and Canterbury Tenants and Residents’ Association in South Kilburn submitted an official complaint to Brent Council. This listed over 20 outstanding issues around the blocks, some reported years ago, and also complained about the lack of communication from Council departments about these issues.

 

The response we received at the start of December was, to be frank, a joke. The seriousness with which the responding officer treated the complaint is perhaps best shown by the fact that they got the name of the blocks wrong. They tried to pin the blame for repairs not being carried out on the officer who does monthly walkabouts around the area with us and said “I am pleased to hear that a walkabout is scheduled for 11 December 2025. During this visit, all outstanding issues will be collated, and further updates will be provided afterwards. I have also reminded the wider service areas of the importance of clear and timely communication, both to manage expectations and to ensure residents feel included in the process of improving their community spaces.”

 

We waited until after that walkabout to respond on the off chance that what was written might materialise. Fat chance, so we escalated the complaint (20/12), pointing out that, as so often, no other Council officers came besides the one who always comes and makes meticulous notes. In escalating the complaint, we objected to the attempt to place the blame for delays on that officer, since we know for a fact that he passes on issues (he copies us into the emails). Like us, he rarely gets responses. In the face of this we named a succession of more senior Council officers who have, at various times, promised to take action to action those issues and little has happened and nothing more is heard.

 

The acknowledgement we received on 5th January said, “the latest date by which we hope to respond in full is 25 February 2026, although we will aim to do so sooner if at all possible.”

 

On 25th February we received an email from the Complaint Investigator saying “I am writing to update you with progress on your complaint. Unfortunately, ongoing unprecedented caseload pressures mean that we will need more time to complete the investigation. We expect to provide you with a full response to your complaint by 25 March 2026.”

 

Unbelievable. 

 

Of course, in the meantime, a few of those issues initially complained about have been dealt with, most haven’t, and new ones (reported, of course,) have arisen. As ever, getting blood from a stone is much easier than getting any information from brent Council.

 

Meanwhile, we are told that Brent's Chief Executive is concerned at problems with neglect of South Kilburn, A Cabinet officer recently told an online meeting that he knew there are real problems in South Kilburn. Yet knowing and concern and actually doing anything seem a long way from their minds. When, earlier last year, officers from several South Kilburn TRAs wrote to all and sundry (MP, CEO, Councillors, council officers), in general terms about lack of action and communication, most didn’t respond, those that did told us they were passing our letter on to Council Officers, obviously oblivious to what we were raising in the first place.

 

Note: To be clear, the Council blocks concerned are not part of South Kilburn regeneration, though people might think they are being neglected in advance of demolition.

Pete Firmin, chair, Alpha, Gorefield and Canterbury Tenants and Residents Association

       

Central Middlesex Hospital UTC reduction in hours at Scrutiny on Wednesday but without any written submission - accountability still lacking

 

 

 No information for the 'briefing'

 

Brent Green Party's campaign, supported by a petition signed by 570 residents, has succeeded in getting the reduction in hours at Central Middlesex Urgent Treatment Centre on the Agenda of Wednesday's Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee.

BUT, and it is a very big 'but', there are no accompanying papers, so committee members and the public have no evidence from the NHS on which to base any questions or comments. This repeats the pattern established when a similar 'briefing' was slipped into a Scrutiny meeting as an urgent item (not on the agenda on that occasion) just before the NHS consultation - absolutely nothing in writing then either. 

Along with the failure to publish details of the results of the consultation (I had to submit an FoI to get them, see this LINK ) and the implementation of the reduction in hours without notice LINK, indicates an apparent contempt for the Committee and its role, as well as for concerned residents.

The Committee must show it will stand up for residents on Wednesday, despite (or because of?) of the fact that the reduction of 21 hours a week has already been implemented by London North West University NHS Healthcare Trust without the detailed scrutiny that was needed.

You would not get away with similar conduct and lack of accountability on a major issue at a primary school governing board!