Urgent call for Strathcona supporters to protest at Brent Civic Centre on Monday as Cabinet rushes decision on Strathcona

The Scrutiny Committee's recommendations on the Cabinet's Roe Green Strathcona closure decision has been rushed on to the agenda of Monday's Cabinet, which already has an over-loaded agenda.

There is no report of the Scrutiny's deliberations and recommendations on the Council website - they are 'to follow' - this gives the public little or no time to prepare any representations to Cabinet which surely undermines democracy and transparency. On such an emotive and controversial issue you would think the Council would be careful not to alienate people further.

I queried this and was told,  'A covering report and report from the Strategic Director of Children and Young People will be made available in due course.'

The meeting, like all Cabinet meetings currently, will be held at 4pm which means people working normal hours will be unable to attend and Roe Green Strathcona staff and parents will be hard put to get to the meeting in time after work.

Anyone available is asked to get to the Civic Centre for 3pm to make their feelings known before the meeting.

Brent launches their participation in Global Climate Strike with rally at Civic Centre

Brent launched its participation in the Global Climate Strike today with a rally outside Brent Civic cemtre addressed by school student Sean Bradley; Brent NEU co-secretary, Jenny Cooper,; Dawn Butler MP; Cllr Krupa Sheth, Lead Cabiner Member for Environment; Richard Lynch, President of the Hendon branch of the GMB and Brent Friend of the Earth's Andrew Lawrence.

Dawn Butler paid tribute to Brent Friends of the Earth confessing that many had been slow to heed their warnings, over years, of the dangers of Climate Change.

Evening Standard coverage of the event:

Sean Bradley (Centre) with Richard Lynch (Left)

All the speeches from the Rally:

Join the Global Climate Strike rally outside Brent Civic Centre tomorrow - then on to Millbank

Brent environmental activists, politicians and trade unionists will be joining Council staff demonstrating solidarity with the Global Climate Strike on Friday morning with a rally outside Brent Civic Centre in Wembley.

They are answering the call from Greta Thunberg and other young climate activists for the older generation to support the campaign  for urgent action on the climate emergency.

Brent Council has given permission for Brent Council workers to join the rally with manager’s permission as long as their attendance does not affect service provision.

Brent citizen’s who recognise the threat posed by climate change are invited to join the Rally from 9.30am to 10am to show their support and to hear speeches from a broad range of speakers including a local school student.  Home made placards particularly welcome.

After the rally many of those attending will move on to the main solidarity event in Central London at Millbank, Westminster.

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See James off from Brent Civic Centre tomorrow 10am on the last leg of his Save the NHS Walk to Parliament

James Corbett

 From Save the NHS Walk to Parliament Facebook

James Corbett is walking from Glasgow to London to protest against the potential full privatisation of the NHS. He has reached Brent and tomorrow at 10am will be starting on the last leg to Westminster - setting off from Brent Civic Centre. It would be great if people from Brent could go and see him off - or even better join him for some of his walk.

In 2012 the Health and Social Care act saw the removal of a clause (put there at its conception in 1946 ) which stated that the government had a legal responsibility to safeguard the NHS as free at point of use.

The removal of this clause leaves our Health Service somewhat vulnerable to the greed of profit led companies - and open to full privatisation. We simply cannot allow ourselves to slide into the adoption of the terrifying American system of health insurance. 

Quite simply all UK parties need to recommit to ensuring that our NHS stays ‘our’ NHS (free for those who need it) - and to ensure that it’s not put on the table as a sweetener to ANY other country during trade deal talks - They must do this by reinstating this clause and then putting their money where their mouths are ..

Please sign this petition   LINK- like the page - and follow James’ mad but inspirational trek (in dodgy trainers - he wouldn’t listen) lfrom Glasgow to London . Let’s face it It’s a seriously long way....

On the surface - it’s an insane and possibly futile enterprise - but you have to admire a person who has decided to get off the sofa to do something pretty challenging and at least try and change things. Sometimes it can just take just one (inappropriately shod) bloke to make a difference. And putting one foot in front of another for the greater good is never pointless . The NHS is for the greater good of all - irrespective of what political leaning you are - or where you stand on the brexit debate - so pleade do sign . If we get ‘enough ‘ signatures we WILL get a response from parliament . 🙏🤞🎉 Onwards and forwards .

THE PETITION
 
The Save the NHS petition to Parliament

"We, the undersigned, demand that ALL parties support a return to the provisions of the 1946 Act and return to the Minister of Health the legal responsibility to secure the provision of the NHS free at the point of use, and restrict access to the NHS for private service providers who are, effectively, profiteering from the suffering of British taxpayers."

The Original Act

"It shall be the duty of the Minister of Health to promote the establishment of a comprehensive health service designed to secure improvement in the physical and mental health of the people, and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness.

The services so provided shall be free of charge"
.......................................................................................................................................................................

There is an excellent article about this great one man effort on Huffington Post HERE

One in Four Photography Exhibition - Raising Awareness of Prostrate Cancer in Black African and Caribbean men: Brent Civic Centre from May 21st

From Healthwatch Brent

We have teamed up with Orchid - Fighting Male Cancer and Brent Museums and Archives to bring you a new and exciting photographic exhibition – One in Four.

This photographic exhibition comprising of sixteen powerful and thought provoking portraits of local black African and black Caribbean men to help raise awareness regarding ethnicity being a risk factor associated with prostate cancer. With prostate cancer incidence increasing every year and predicted to be the most common form of cancer by 2030, and with 1 in 4 black African and black Caribbean men being diagnosed in their lifetime this vital exhibition demonstrates the importance and need for awareness and support within the communities.

One in Four forms part of a suite of resources and activities developed specifically by Orchid as part of the “Changing lives, engaging Black African and Black Caribbean men at risk of or with prostate cancer” programme, which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund – Reaching Communities Programme.

Enjoy this FREE photographic exhibition!!

When: Tuesday 21 May - Friday 16 August 2019

Where: Brent Civic Centre, Exhibition Wall, Ground Floor, 32 Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 

Brent Civic Centre's 'Vanity Road' cost £852,000 and an extra £2,777 so far to repair

Collapse of the 'Vanity Road'

Brent Council has admitted that the block paving road outside the Civic Centre  on Enginereers Way cost £852k which was funded through Section 106 money. The cost of repairs to date is £2,777. In a response to Paul Lorber the Council said it did not keep records on the cost of officer time dealing with individual matters such as this. They confirmed that no costs had been recovered from the contractors and other third parties for the defects and repairs.

Following up the issue Lorber said that the cost seemed high for such a short stretch of road and asked for the comparable cost in tarmac. In addition he asked if the Council intended to pursue the contractor for the cost of repairs.

Police called to Brent Civic Centre as Village School strikers protest

From the Brent National Education Union

The NEU members of The Village school in Brent took their protest to the steps inside Brent Civic Centre again today. As about forty staff, on strike for the second day this week against the proposed academy trust, moved onto the steps with their banners, frantic security staff rushed over. One tried to prevent a banner proclaiming NEU staff say no academy at Village school being unrolled. The campaigners calmly continued, holding up placards and flags, and singing their protest songs. 

Yesterday, after their morning picket, they were seen writing letters on the very same steps without complaint. When the police finally arrived today, the Civic Centre having been regaled with a variety of songs and chants and becoming the centre of attention, the protest was packing away. The security staff called the protesters ‘disruptive’. However, the police saw no breach of the peace and were very sympathetic to the strikers, understanding that privatisation was affecting all public services. 

We have been reliably informed that the responses to the consultation were OVERWHELMINGLY against the proposal (including more than 95% of TVS staff). This further crushing blow to those backing the scheme comes after Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council declared public opposition of both himself and the Labour Cabinet to handing over this valuable Council asset (the new school cost £29 million) lock, stock and barrel to the privateers. 

The Governors meet next Wednesday 28^th to make the decision, but papers sent to Governors clearly recommend agreement to become a Multi Academy Trust. Such is the assumption this will go ahead, the next item on the agenda is a discussion of the Articles of Association and even the suggested name for the MAT. NEU staff are determined to keep up the fight to save their school from being privatised. They will be on strike tomorrow (22^nd) and next week on 27^th and 28^th as well as turning up at the Governors meeting.

'Severe winter weather' hits Brent Civic Centre

Damaged by 'severe winter weather'?

Brent Civic Centre seems to have its own micro-climate, perhaps caused by all those tall buildings hustling around it, according to a response from Brent Council that blamed ‘severe winter weather’ for the further cracking up of the ‘vanity’ block paving road outside the Civic Centre which cost thousands of pounds.

The rest of us may have experienced a couple of frosty nights and a dusting of snow but clearly something much harsher must have hit the Brent Civic Centre - it makes you crack up!
The Council explanation was made to Paul Lorber who was pressing home the case for action over Engineers Way LINK which runs in front of the building. The Council said:

In May 2017 it was decided that there were patches that needed repairs, which were initially done in asphalt and then replaced more permanently with blocks. Those repairs have held up, but it has become apparent that there is ongoing deterioration generally in other parts of the two areas either side of the central granite-surfaced area.

Currently, as sometimes happens after severe winter weather, there has been further deterioration which will require interim repairs and these will be programme shortly.

Lorber responded:

I am sorry but I find the approach to this very odd. Pavements are being replaced with asphalt to save money - even when residents object.

This section of expensive road has been a problem right from the outset. I do not believe that it is just the weather - the materials used are clearly wrong for an area subject to so much traffic by heavy builders lorries. As the use by lorries will continue for some time the type of patching up repairs you mention are in my view just not going to work and waste more money.

From my recent observations it is more than just two areas/sections that are crumbling and in cases pose a trip hazard for pedestrians.

If not yet obtained I think an independent assessment should be obtained of the best solution and if already obtained I would appreciate a copy under FOI if necessary.

Brent Civic Centre 'vanity' road cracking up

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Former Liberal Democrat councillor and council leader, Paul Lorber, has written to Brent Council drawing attention to the deterioration in the paved road outside the £100,000,000 Brent Civic Centre:

I note that the very expensive section of the 'paved' road on the approach to and outside the Civic Centre is crumbling away and in a very poor state.

Clearly the type of paved surface was totally unsuitable in a busy location where there is substantial and on going builder lorries traffic.

Can you confirm who advised on the design, type of materials used and the cost of the road. Can you then investigate whether the contractors responsible can be brought back to upgrade the road at their expense.

Finally in view if the fact that local residents are having asphalt imposed on them ( in place if perfectly good and repairable) paving slabs (Medway Gardens at a cost of £172,000 and others) can you confirm if the useless modular road blocks in the area outside of the Civic Centre will now be ripped up and also replaced with asphalt and at what cost.

Brent Council Highways and Infrastructure Service responded:

The choice of materials specified for the raised table was discussed with the manufacturer prior to construction. The manufacturer confirmed that the materials specified were suitable for the level of forecast traffic. This included very deep (150mm)  black granite setts on the main part of the table to ensure maximum durability. The specification for the road construction of the table was based on a drawing provided by URS Infrastructure and Environment UK Limited. URS were the engineering consultants working at the time with the Civic Centre architects and had been tasked with preparing the detailed design of the raised table which was then taken forward by council officers.  The road construction included the provision of a new concrete slab, the depth of which was determined by standard CBR testing carried out by the Council’s contractor ConwayAecom. A high strength mortar was also specified to provide maximum support and strength to the paved carriageway surface.

We are aware of the  condition of the paved section of the road outside the civic centre, which in some areas has got worse over the winter. We are commissioning  investigations, including a Ground Penetrating Radar Survey, to ascertain the cause or causes of the problem prior to formulating solutions for permanent repairs. Whether the problem turns out to be a construction or a design problem, or a mixture of both,  we will be talking to our contractor about how to put it right. However under the contract, the “defects period” is 12 months and as the paved area construction was completed in 2013 , the “contractual guarantee” period for the work has long since expired. Nevertheless and depending on what we find, we are expecting the contractor to be accountable  for any issues for which they are responsible.

Until the investigations are complete and the solutions formulated we are not in a position to estimate the cost of the repairs.

Lorber replied:

Can you please confirm the cost of the surveys/investigations you refer to and who will pay for them.

If any remedial repairs have been carried since 2013 please advise on the total cost too.

My primary concerns are simple.

1. The road outside the Civic Centre was not built to a standard construction using normal materials. It was a special and a very expensive road.

2. The road surface has clearly failed and will be very expensive to repair and to maintain in the future.

3. Why is the road simply not dug up and replaced with normal asphalt/tarmac material?

4. I ask because ripping up paving slabs and replacing them with asphalt is now the recommended officer solution to pavement issues in residential streets - as evidenced by our continuing exchanges about Medway Gardens in Sudbury.

5. If the solution - taken in cost grounds (which I have challenged) is being forced through in Medway Gardens (despite local residents opposition) why is the same 'cost effective' solution not being pursued in the case of the road outside the Civic Centre?

It was a 'vanity' project and a very expensive road in the first place but since taxpayers money is at stake why are the same policies and approach being pursued in this case as are being forced through against the wishes of local people in other areas?

Perhaps the Chief Executive as Head of Service will respond to this apparent inconsistency and issue appropriate instruction.

Still time to book for Thursday's 'Rich man - poor man' Sufra fundraising dinner

 Sufra NW London, the largest provider of emergency food aid in the London Borough of Brent, is organising a fundraising dinner with a twist – which could see local business leaders and dignitaries including the Leader of the Council and the Mayor of Brent, served a tin of baked beans for dinner!

At the Rich Man Poor Man – Gala Fundraising Dinner on Thursday 23 March at Brent Civic Centre, guests will be randomly designated as ‘Rich’ or ‘Poor’. ‘Rich’ guests will receive a luxurious 3-course meal prepared by award-winning caterer Greenleaf, whilst ‘Poor’ guests will be served a few tins from the food bank.

“The event is an opportunity to highlight the everyday reality of those who don’t have enough to eat. Poverty is indiscriminate and in an uncertain economic climate, even working families find themselves unable to afford the everyday cost of living,” said Mohammed Mamdani, Director of Sufra NW London.

The event will be co-hosted by Asad Ahmad (BBC London) and Fatima Manji (ITN News), with comedy by Imran Yusuf, in the presence of local celebrities living in and around Brent.

“In the last year, Sufra NW London has provided emergency food aid to nearly 4,000 people. Despite living in a welfare state, there are so many things that can go wrong. In these times of crisis, we are here to help,” added Mamdani.

The event is sponsored by MyLotto24, Quintain, Cygnet Properties, Beta Charitable Trust, Sisk Builders, Daniels Estate Agents, Segro, Oakray and Print Express, with donations from other local businesses. This funding means that all proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the food bank, ensuring that the service can keep running for the coming year.

Tickets cost £40 for an individual and £350 for a table of 10 and can be purchased online at www.buytickets.at/SufraNWLondon.

BOOK TICKETS

Register today for Thursday's International Day of People with Disabilities event at Brent Civic Centre

From Brent Housing Partnership and Brent Council

1st December 2016, 10am to 3pm, Grand Hall, Brent Civic Centre

Brent Council and Brent Housing Partnership will host a free event to celebrate International Day for Disabled People on Thursday 1 December from 10am to 3pm at Brent Civic Centre.

The theme for the event is "”Achieving Goals for the Future We Want” . This year’s event will incorporate a job fair and a health and wellbeing zone. Brent residents who are disabled and their carers often face physical, social, economic and attitudinal barriers that exclude them from participating fully and effectively as equal members of society. Residents attending this event will find out what support is available locally for disabled people from public, private and community and voluntary organisations.

Places are limited so please confirm your attendance by no later than Monday 28 November.
You can register by sending an email to equailty@brent.gov.uk or by contacting Jenny Duncan from the Equality Team on 020 8937 3164.

When registering, please also let us know if you have any special requirements. Light refreshments will be provid

Brent Council poised to lease out 8th floor of Civic Centre to HMRC agency

Civic Centre office floors

Brent Council appears to be likely to lease the 8th floor of the Civic Centre to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and Executive Agency of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).   The 7th floor is already occupied by Air France.

The space has been marketed by Colliers International who were also agents for the Brent Town Hall. Their advertisement can be view HERE.

Potential occupation has been limited by the fact that there is no public access to these floors and any access change would require additional expenditure.  A report going before Cabinet notes that interest in leasing the space has also been expressed by Job Centre Plus and the Brent Clinical Commissioning Group.  The latter would have advantages in terms of developing the working relationship with the Council. The VOA would be a back office operation with no 'public facing' role.

It is proposed that the space be leased for 10 years with a 5 year rent review and tenant break option.

Meanwhile Job Centre Plus has expressed an interest in property at 6 St Johns Road Wembley.

The report LINK notes:

3. Letting to the VOA also should significantly contribute to that [Property] savings target. It is not commercially sensitive to note that it should save £80k annually based on 2016/17 business rate figures, as these become the responsibility of the VOA. However, it is important to note that these savings are predicated on the 2016/17 valuations and not the 2017/18 revaluation. Therefore, these savings would likely be offset by a probable increase in rates.
   

The likely revenue from the lease has been deemed commercially sensitive and is available to Cabinet members but not the public.

Come and be pampered for a good cause at Brent Civic Centre

 From1Voice Community Forum

 1Voice Community Forum is a voluntary charity run by parent carers for parent carers of disabled children who live in Brent.

Our main purpose is to relieve the needs of families and carers by offering practical advice, support and signposting them to services and facilities that are available to meet their needs. We also encourage parents to participate in training and consultation events to empower themselves to reach a positive and best outcome for their families.

We do this by running regular parent groups, events, trips, attendance at relevant conferences  and by running free training on legislation and  new guidance at the local and national level. We also provide targeted training for parents on managing their children’s disability and behavior in partnership with our colleagues from health, education and voluntary agencies.

On Sunday August 28th we are holding a Community Fun 'n Pamper Day at Brent Civic Centre from  11am to 4pm. Starbucks are donating us space in their coffee shop and we are inviting you to join us for a day of relaxation, children's fun and enjoyment whilst you relax and enjoy the pampering on offer.

Prices are £2 adults and £1 children in advance or £3 adults and £2 children on the door.

Proceeds will go towards running our organisation.

 

'Stand with Kushinda' daily protests outside Brent Civic Centre from tomorrow

Visitors to Brent Civic Centre and Wembley Library are likely to see daily protests from tomorrow until the end of the month.

The protests are organised by the African National Women's Organisation who explain the background here:

We are asking for your assistance to help support and raise up the story of Kushinda Olanrewaju (aka Shirley Campbell) who is the mother of learning-disabled man, Meshach Boland who has been targeted by police for years.

After a May 11th protest outside Willesden Magistrate’s Court in London’s Borough of Brent and pressure from the African National Women’s Organisation and its supporters, his case hearing was postponed until September of 2016 pending an updated education psychologist report.

What followed next was a string of retaliatory tactics from the London Borough of Brent,  where they moved to  revoke Kushinda’s assistance and benefits, which are vital for her as the mother and a full-time  carer for her learning-disabled son and her elderly ailing mother. They have also attempted to forcibly evict Kushinda from her home as well as levied her with illegitimate council taxes.

The African National Woman’s Organisation understands this treatment as targeted state violence against Kushinda and Meshach, born under a colonialist government system set up to fail and then jail poor and working class Africans. Meshach’s incarceration poses as a better investment to law enforcement than the adult social care set up to support him.

Starting August 9 @ 12-2 in front of Brent Civic Centre, Kushinda Olanrewaju will stand in daily protest over the treatment she and her son have received at the hands of the state. If we do not bring to light Kushinda’s detrimental mistreatment by the state and hold the council representatives accountable to their own policies––which ensure that the most vulnerable of us will be guaranteed services and proper consideration in legal proceedings ––then we unwittingly agree with their cavalier decision making, which only seems to change when African people are involved.

Learn more about this issue: http://anwouhuru.org/tag/meshach/

Further information on how ANWO would like you to help and a sign up form to take part in the protests are HERE

Brent for rent - any offers?

UPDATED: Dan Filson asks Brent Council, 'What do you know about £91m PFI?'

The 'World of Brent Council' is a strange place as any regular reader of this blog will know but the fact than Cllr Dan Filson, Chair of the  Scrutiny Committee, has to seek information via a Freedom of Information request to his own council, speaks volumes.

This is a request posted on the What Do They Know website:

Dear Brent Borough Council,

1: What evaluation, if any, has been made of the Public Finance
Initiaive contract made apparently on 19 August 2009 for a period
running to 18 December 2028 for a cost of £91,573,000?
2: Does the report to councillors at the time of the contract set
out the cost savings supposed to be achieved by this contract?
3: Did the contract cover services (the information I have suggests
'real estate services' but what that covers is unclear,) beyond the
financing of a capital requirement, and if so what services were
they?
4: Is there any break clause in the contract should either party
wish to end the contract, and if so would the exercise of such a
break clause incur penalties, and if so on what scale?
5: What is known of the other party to the contract, e.g. Is this
the subsidiary of a major bank, and what contingent risks, such as
the cost of replacing this contract, would arise in the event of
either the other party to the contract or the parent company
becoming insolvent?

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Filson

UPDATE July 17th Last night Cllr Filson in an exchange on Twitter justified using the FoI route, rather than asking the Council directly for the information, in conversation with a Green Party member:

Cllr Filson may be interested in this article I wrote on Wembley Matters in July 2011 entitled 'Civic Centre costs shrouded in secrecy':

Opposition to the Civic Centre, now under construction opposite the Wembley Arena, is increasingly evident and Cllr Ann John has been forced to defend the project at the current round of area consultative forums. Residents in Kilburn have criticised the Council for being 'Wembleycentric' and neglecting land that could be redeveloped in South Kilburn while others have been frustrated when trying to pin down the actual cost of the scheme and mistrustful of assurances that the project is 'self-financing', 'cost neutral' and 'won't cost residents a penny'. They are told that the £100m centre will make annual savings of amounts ranging from £2m to £4m due to efficiencies' and moving out of other Brent buildings, and pay for itself in 25 years. Transferred to personal housing this is tantamount to saying that a new house 'costs nothing' if expenditure over 25 years is equal to the amount saved from not renting.

In the light of the cuts ahead and the diminishing role of local government it is not clear how many council staff will be left in 25 years and whether the building will even last that long - think of Willesden Green library, scheduled for demolition by the Council, which was opened only 22 years ago.

My Green Party colleague, Shahrar Ali, has made a freedom of information request for financial details of the Civic Centre, which have been shrouded in secrecy.

There are however some clues in the budget document. The medium term forecast for central items included a forecast of an increase in debt charges from £23.359m in 2011/12 to £26.563 in 2012/13, £27.603 in 2013/14 and £29.104m in 2015/15 as 'a result of capital programme commitments including the civic centre'. The report states that the estimated borrowing requirement for the Civic Centre is £53.868m over the next two years.  In a key comment Clive Heaphy, Director Finance and Corporate Services states:

Clearly capital money is not free - it has a revenue impact and hence the strategy for future years will be to support programmes which are externally funded and those which deliver revenue savings which are equal to or greater than the debt costs. Conversely schemes requiring unsupported borrowing and have net debt costs must be reduced to a minimum or eliminated.

This gets to the nub of the issue of information. We need figures from the Council that will enable council taxpayers to assess whether the Civic Centre project meets this criteria.

Bid to change use of Mahatma Gandhi House to accommodation as giant high rise development goes to planning committee

Prior approval is being sought to change the use of Mahatma Gandhi  House, which used to house the offices of Brent Council Housing Service, to  accommodation. LINK

It would comprise 37 studios, 48 one bedroom flats and 4 two bedroom flats. The initial drawings appear to show high density accommodation.  The building is 8 storeys high.

Ground floor

Meanwhile the much large Yellow Car Park Scheme behind Quality Inn and Dexion House  (now demolished) and beside the Civic Centre,  comes before the Planning Committee on February 11th.

This is part of an enormous development including retail, professional, food and drink units; business accommodation, housing units, community use space and student accommodation has been covered before on this blog.

The amount of affordable housing for this site remains small (18 out of 370):

The planners express concern about a short-fall in three bedroom accommodation...

However, this could easily be addressed through internal alterations to the building, amending the size of flats within the element of the building adjacent to the park. This would involve changing a number of groups of two flats which currently comprise two 2-bedroom 4-person flats into one 1-bedroom flat and one 3-bedroom flat. The total number of units would not change. However, the proportion of 3-bedroom flats would increase to meet the minimum level specified within the Development Specification. It is recommended that a condition is attached requiring details of these changes. This is considered to be sound as the proposal would primarily require internal changes and any external changes would be non-material

The site outlined in red

The nearby Fountain Studios (top centre) sent in an objection concerned that the building works (which also include an access road and a park) would disrupt its activities in terms of noise, reverberations and building vehicle traffic. The Council make it a condition that there is engagement to limit the amount of noise and disturbance.

The planners also suggest that the proposed aluminium cladding  with white framing should be softer with greater contrast between the materials.

There are no 'poor doors' (separate entry for affordable and market accommodation)

The officers recommend approval.

Summary

The three applications that are being considered concurrently look to deliver 370 homes together with some key elements of social and physical infrastructure including the 0.4 Ha park and the 300 square metre community hall. The homes meet or exceed London Plan unit size standards and almost all units benefit from good sized balconies. All units within this building benefit from immediate access to the park. The incorporation of a large lobby serving all units helps to demonstrate an inclusive approach to all residents, including those who reside within the Affordable units. Conditions are recommended to address some shortfalls or alterations that are necessary, such as the number of 3-bedroom units, the potential efficiency improvements to the layout of Affordable units and the layout of the community hall. A condition is also recommended to ensure that noise and disturbance from construction is minimised.

As Quintain rapidly fill in the various plots it is hard to keep track of the various planning applications and the stages they have reached, I think it would be useful for the public to have a document and images updating information.

It is hard to get an overall impression of what the area will eventually look like, the amount of retail, food and office space and the different types of housing, including student accommodation.  The amount and type of open space is also an important consideration. However, most important for local people is the lack of affordable housing. The planners argue that using the floor space measure =10% but in terms of the number of units it is just 5%.

Brent Council to out-source leaks service

I understand that the Cabinet will be discussing a proposal to out-source the Council's Leak Service at its next meeting.

Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt consulted widely with his cabinet colleagues who all felt that the service was far too efficient.

Cllr Butt said:

Going forward we must learn from the inefficiency gains we have made when out-sourcing other services such as street cleaning and parks maintenance.  The problem with the current in-house service is that it is far too effective and producing more leaks that Affinity.  We owe it to the residents of Brent, especially those who don't know what is going on, to protect them and  make things as opaque as possible.

A public consultation event will be held on February 29th in the Dalliance Suite at the Civic Centre.

Breakfast time queues of Romanians at Brent Civic Centre to vote in Presidential election

There were queues from 8am this morning as Romanians now resident locally queued to vote in the second round of the Romanian presidential elections.

Traffic slowed to a crawl between Wembley Park and Wembley Central during the morning as the election queue coincided with the new Wembley Market and the opening of the ice rink.

Turnout was reported to be up to twice as high as in the first round of the election.

If only Brent residents were so keen on voting!

Willesden Green Cultural Centre space to be let for 'income generation' rather than One Stop service for residents

When residents opposed the redevelopment of Willesden Green Library and the consequent loss of the Willesden Bookshop, cinema, cafe, museum, art gallery and meeting rooms they were assured that the community would gain not only a Cultural Centre but a Brent Council customer service that would mirror that on offer at the new Civic Centre in Wembley. LINK

The Future Customer Service Project aims to improve efficiency and clarity of the services offered to citizens. The strategy is dependent on developing a new customer contact centre at WGLC providing a service for the south of the borough, an area where many of the Council‟s high need customers reside.

Now a report from Andy Donald to be considered by the Cabinet tomorrow will recommend as part of a new  'Customer Access Strategy' that this be ditched.  The new strategy will rely mainly on Internet access where library staff might help residents get on to the system and a replacement for the telephone system that was installed at the Civic Centre just two years ago.

The report LINK states:

There are other implications for this approach in respect of the new Library at Willesden, including the opportunity to make use of the surplus space in the new building for alternative uses that are of public benefit and in keeping with the ethos of the building. It is proposed that the Council enter into a local dialogue about options for alternative uses in the space. Any use of the space will need to be income generating and as a minimum will need to cover the proportionate running costs such as Business Rates, heating, lighting, cleaning and maintenance.

This news comes on top of the controversy over the  development's luxury apartments, which have already been onward sold twice by property companies before completion, and which have been marketed abroad as investment opportunities with the 'benefit' of  no affordable or key worker housing on site.

Latest prices included £450,000 for a one bedroom flat.

The new strategy will also include changes at the Civic Centre:

The Civic Centre Service Centre includes dedicated self service space on the ground floor which has proved to be very popular with visitors. Members of staff are available within this area to assist visitors to use the self service facilities and also to encourage use of on line services where these are available. The current configuration of the Service Centre will need to be adapted to meet the increasing demand for self service with a concurrent reduction to the numbers of visitors requiring a more traditional face to face interview. Proposals are therefore being drawn up to change the layout of the service centre at the Civic Centre to reflect the need for greater self service provision in the future and to relocate the reception from the mezzanine floor to the ground floor to ensure that visitors’ needs can be quickly assessed when they approach the ground floor area.

It sounds like one of those supermarkets where you find all the tills are self-service.

The report states (original English in the report retained):

Face to face interview will continue to be available for residents who need a more help and assistance in resolving their enquiry.

But it appears that these are likely to be only available on a weekly basis and by appointment:

.        An equality impact assessment for the new community access strategy is attached as Appendix C. The overall impact assessment indicates that the extension of on line access to services could benefit many protected groups providing easy and convenient access on a 24/7 basis. As all channels of contact will remain available, the strategy offers all residents, including those in protected groups enhanced and improved access arrangements. The reconfiguration of the Services centre at Willesden will reduce the availability of face to face interviews with officers, however these will still be available at the Civic Centre and at Willesden by way of a weekly surgery. Residents using self service computers located in the library at Willesden will also be able to speak to an officer using free phones to assist them with any enquiries or to support them through the self service process. During the early stages of the opening of the new Willesden library, staff will be available to provide details about the options available for face to face enquiries from both the Civic Centre and Willesden.