Brent SEND provision receives positive Ofsted report with some significant areas for improvement

 Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission inspected Brent children's special needs and disability provision  between 27th January and 31st January 2025 and their report has now been published.

Generally the service is doing well but there are significant areas for improvement including long waits for children needing neurodevelopmental assessments, diagnosis and provision,  delays in home equipment assessments  needs and the timeliness and uptake of the mandated antenatal check and six- to eight-week reviews.

SUMMARY

The local area partnership’s special educational needs and/or disability (SEND)

arrangements typically lead to positive experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership is taking action where improvements are needed.

 

What is the area partnership doing that is effective?

 

◼ Leaders across the partnership understand very well the needs of children and young people with SEND and their families. They have high ambitions and a relentless focus to continue to improve services for children and young people who have SEND. They frequently review the experiences of children and young people and take swift action to address and manage need. There is a strong strategic partnership working, and leaders take highly effective innovative approaches to planning and supporting needs.

One example of this is the development of a new continence service, as this was previously lacking in the offer for children and young people with SEND.

◼ Leaders across the local area partnership work extremely collaboratively with children and young people with SEND, parents and carers, and key stakeholders to develop and review key strategies, policies, action plans and services. These include the Brent parent carer forum (BPCF), SEND information, advice and support service

(SENDIASS) and education partners. Leaders greatly value their feedback, contributions and involvement to improve services for children and young people with SEND. For example, the local area partnership invested to develop a fully inclusive social club requested by children and young people with SEND. The young people’s forum identified resources in the community to provide many inclusive social and leisure activities.

◼ Leaders across the partnership work well to plan and commission services jointly to meet the increasing needs of children and young people in the local area. They use data effectively to help the wider partnership identify and respond to need. This makes sure that there is a robust service to support children and young people with SEND across education, health and social care. For example, there has been significant investment in resources which includes new education provision, increasing the speech and language offer and improving the social care transitions pathway.

◼ Children and young people with SEND who access the disabled children and young people’s service receive a highly effective offer. Social workers understand the needs of children and young people with SEND very well. They provide individualised care to help keep children and young people with SEND in their local communities. When needs escalate, children and young people with SEND are provided with the right care in specialist residential settings.

◼ There is a strong commitment from leaders across the local area partnership to address health inequalities for children and young people with SEND in Brent. The local area partnership works cohesively with Brent Health Matters to provide targeted interventions to engage with families. An example of this is the proactive approach by leaders to provide information to communities for whom education is harder to access so they can educate them about SEND with the aim of reducing stigma. Further work has been carried out to improve access to oral hygiene services and raise awareness about the benefits of vaccinations for children and young people with SEND.

◼ The dynamic support register is well established and embedded across health, education and social care systems to support children and young people with SEND who are most at risk of hospital admission. Professionals from multi-agencies have effective discussions to share knowledge and raise awareness of wider support networks. These contribute to making sure the needs of children and young people with SEND are supported in a timely and appropriate manner. Children and young people with SEND who are at risk of admission to hospital or placement breakdown are referred for support from a key worker and the positive behaviour service, which are transformational for children and young people with SEND.

◼ For children and young people with SEND who are electively home educated or are educated otherwise than at school, there is a very well-coordinated approach between professionals from multi-agencies to secure positive outcomes. For example, the portage team works very effectively with the early help team to support children and their families to access services. This includes providing support to access health appointments, food banks and assessments. Children and young people with SEND who are educated otherwise than at school have a good range of packages in place to support their learning and development, which includes therapeutic support where needed.

◼ There are a range of services and support groups within Brent that provide families with support and guidance. For example, the family well-being hubs provide a range of community-led services for families and their children in areas such as education, health and well-being. SENDIASS, along with the BPCF, provide invaluable advice and support to parents they greatly appreciate.

 

What does the area partnership need to do better?

 

◼ Case officers do not update most children and young people’s education, health and care plans (EHC plan) in a timely way after annual reviews except for the most vulnerable. This means that children and young people’s plans do not accurately reflect their current needs. In most cases, any potential negative impact on children and young people with SEND is mitigated by case officers ensuring updated assessments and relevant information on a child or young person’s progress, such as social care and health reports, including annual review paperwork, are appropriately shared across the system to ensure that effective decisions are made. The lack of updating does not negatively impact the support a child or young person with SEND receives, including when they move to a new setting. Leaders have suitable plans in place to address this issue.

◼ Children and young people with SEND experience lengthy wait times for neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessments and specialist therapeutic interventions.

CAMHS have made progress to reduce the time that children and young people with SEND wait through investment in resources such as additional clinicians. For example, they use artificial intelligence to reduce the administration time taken to produce reports. Further to this, they have developed a post-diagnostic website to support those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Leaders across the partnership have suitable action plans in place to reduce the time children and young people with SEND wait for support from CAMHS.

◼ Children and young people with SEND wait too long for assessment of their home equipment needs by social services occupational therapists. This means they do not receive specialist equipment in a timely manner.

◼ Children who require an assessment by the community paediatric service experience long waits to have their needs assessed. Those who are assessed and require a neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessment, experience a further wait. Although parents are signposted to the Local Offer for parenting groups and support services, they still wait too long. Despite leaders’ efforts to reduce wait times, the current service remains unable to meet current needs.

◼ Due to capacity issues in the health visiting team, the service is not reaching desired levels of antenatal or six-week checks. This limits the opportunities for health clinicians to swiftly identify need at the earliest opportunity, although an action plan is in place to address this.

 

Areas for improvement

 

The local area partnership should update EHC plans in a timely manner after annual reviews and at significant points of transition to make sure that EHC plans reflect the current needs of the children and young people with SEND accurately.

 

The local area partnership should improve the timeliness and uptake of the mandated antenatal check and six- to eight-week review.

 

NHS North West London ICB should reduce the lengthy wait times that children and young people with SEND experience for neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessments, specialist therapeutic interventions in CAMHS, and community paediatrician assessments. The local area partnership should reduce the lengthy wait times that children and young people with SEND experience for assessments of their home equipment needs.

Barham Park Trustees' deal with George Irvin to enable building in Barham Park at Scrutiny Committee on Thursday

 

The pair of park workers' cottages purchased by George Irvin in 2011

 The four 3 storey houses given planning permission by Brent Council on the site
 

The decision by Barham Park Trustees Committee, consisting wholly of Brent Cabinet members, to apply to the Charity Commission for removal of the restrictive covenants on development in Barham Park goes to Brent's Resource and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee on Thursday April 3rd. Some operational matters will also be under consideration.

The development is of two park workers'  cottages purchased by fair ground owner and developer George Irvin for £310,000 in 2011. The property included restrictive covenants designed to protect the park left by Titus Barham for the benefit of the people of Wembley.

Subsequently Irvin put forward several schemes for the redevelopment of the site and the above was approved by Brent Planning Committee - but subject to the covenants.

Barham Park Trustees then negotiated with Irvin on the modification or discharge of the covenants to enable the development to go ahead and agreed a sum of £200,000 to go to Trust funds.

That agreement is subject to approval by the Charity Commissioners.

Opposition parties have called in the issues for further consideration by the Scrutiny Committee which is able to approve one of three possible outcomes:

1. The Committee does not wish to refer the matters back to the decision maker or to the Barham Park Trust Committee, at which point the decision is deemed to be confirmed and takes effect immediately following the call-in meeting; or

2. The Committee decides to ask the Barham Park Trust Committee to reconsider the decisions made, in light of any observations of the Committee; or

3. Having had regard to the advice of the Director of Law or Corporate Director of Finance & Resources, the Committee considers the decision is contrary to the Council’s Budget or Policy Framework, at which point it refers the matter to the next practicable meeting of the Council, subject to the provisions of Standing Orders.

 

Members of the public at Barham Park Trustees meeting in September 2023 where Chair of Trustees, and Brent Council Leader, Muhammed Butt refused to hear speakers on the development and covenant issues.

 

Concerns have been expressed that other Brent parks could come under threat of development if this scheme goes  ahead so proceedings will be watched closely. The Barham family have supported the campaign against development and 481 people had signed the Support Barham Park petition below at time of publication:

We the undersigned petition the council to listen to local residents, users and supporters of Barham Park and for the Barham Park Trust and Brent Council to respect the wishes of Titus Barham who gifted his home and gardens for our recreation, by upholding the Covenant which prevents the building of extra houses on the site of 776/778 Harrow Road and to continue to refuse any attempts to modify or discharge the restrictive covenants to increase the numbers of homes on the site of 776/778 Harrow Road. 

The two cottages were built for the purpose of housing park keepers (gardeners and other staff) working in the Park and not to provide general housing. As the existing houses have not been used for that purpose for years we the undersigned feel there is a valid argument for their removal and for the park land to be reinstated with no valid justification to expand the number of houses from 2 to 4.

 

The 2011 Land Transfer to George Irvin that includes reference to the covenants:

 

The meeting will be in the Grand Hall, Brent Civic Centre at 6pm on Thursday April 3rd  and livestreamed HERE.

Save East Lane Theatre, Wembley, from destruction. Don't delay - sign the petition today.

 

East Lane Theatre in Wembley faced with closure after a  proposed giganic rent increase by Brent Council has launched a petition:

 

We the undersigned petition the council to reconsider the rent increase of circa 5000% on the current rent of £1,500 per annum on our small, volunteer run theatre. An affordable rent for East Lane Theatre Company (ELTC), a valuable community asset, would ensure it can continue to serve the community of Brent.

 

East Lane Theatre Club (ELTC) has been in residence at the Vale Farm Tennis Pavilion since the early 1960s. ELTC have developed a theatre on the site and maintain & insure the buildings with no council funding. Although recognising the obligations on ELTC under the current lease to maintain the site on which the theatre is located, it is the theatre rather than the Council which has ensured the site remains in good order for many years.

 

ELTC were in negotiation over our lease renewal with Brent prior to their new Property Strategy being published with the Strategy having subsequently led to what the Club now feels is an unjustifiable high increase in their rental charge.

 

We the undersigned feel that Brent’s new Property Strategy should therefore make allowance for buildings that have a specific role and are used by the community also, in the case of ELTC, recognising the link to Brent’s Cultural Strategy.

 

The Club provides theatre at an affordable price, it supports its members’ wellbeing and provides a safe place to explore new skills. It entertains and supports residents unable to afford West End ticket prices or travel to the West End, with other similar local theatres in Greater London and other areas supported by their Councils.

 

We urge the Council to reconsider the way in which the Property Strategy has been applied to ELTC in order to avoid the theatre being destroyed by a rent hike it just cannot afford.

 

This ePetition runs from 09/02/2025 to 11/05/2025.

 

SIGN HERE

 

 

UPDATE: Brent Council's housing companies report tonight - positives and risks

 UPDATE: I hoped to report on the discussion of this item at last night's meeting but the live stream was not resumed for some time after a break in the meeting. The 'silent' period was when the discussion of the items below took place so I shall have to wait for the minutes to record any key points.

 

Brent Council owns two companies that act in the housing market on the Council's behalf. Tonight they report at the Standards and Audit Committee on their activities and financial position.

Elsewhere in London such companies have had financial difficulties so the Committee will be interested in their situation.

 

i4B (Investment for Brent) report:

At our last meeting in September, we raised the issue that i4B was likely to use up its remaining funding by the end of the financial year, and both then and since, received helpful signals that further funding would be available to support good acquisition prospects. Assuming that is still the case, the company will continue to look out for such prospects

 

With a profit forecast, excluding tax, for the year, the company is in a healthy cash position, so there is no risk of insufficient liquidity to carry out its normal business activities. However, if i4B Ltd is to engage in future refurbishment projects, e.g. Granville, they will require a cash injection from the London Borough of Brent  as the business plan for 2025/26 onwards shows a risk that the company’s cash position could be overdrawn.

 

As of January 2025 i4B has housed and discharged the Council’s housing duty to 504 families and 1138 children. The majority of these families were previously housed in stage one TA [Temporary Accommodation]. The number of families housed is higher than i4B’s PRS portfolio due to a number of families moving on to other accommodation, with new families moving in.

 

The main risks the company faces are detailed below:

 Poor rent collection performance due to unaffordability of rent for tenants

 High void turnaround times, costs and rent loss lead to financial losses for i4B

 High capital programme costs, including stock condition, energy efficiency and decarbonisation expenditure, adversely affect the company business plan

 Company cash flow (capital and revenue) is insufficient to manage expenditure

 i4B does not effectively manage its contract for the remote management of Home Counties properties, leading to poor performance and risk to tenant satisfaction

 Challenges in the regulatory and external environment

PRS is Private Rented Sector

I queried the figures below as they clearly do not add up but I had not had a reply from Brent before delayed publication. Possibly 4 bed+ should be 156 but that is subject to clarification. UPDATE: Brent Council confirmed today March 26th that the correct 4 bed figure is 56 making the overall figure if 465 correct.

i4B has a profit forecast of under £1m for 2024-25 compared with £1.39m  the previous year. It has a net rental income of £10.279m.

First Wave Housing has similar risks:

The main risks the company faces are detailed below:

 Poor rent collection performance due to unaffordability of rent for tenants

 High void turnaround times, costs and rent loss lead to financial losses for FWH

 High capital programme costs, including stock condition and energy efficiency expenditure, adversely affect the company business plan.

Brent Council has agreed the acquisition of 294 units of the Fulton Road development that is currently under construction. 118 of the units will be leased to First Wave subject to financial review and approval by the First Wave Board. They will be let at London Living Rent. 

First Wave  has an operating surplus of £0.508m and a net rental income of £3.41m. 

 

I asked about the 'Settled Homes' category above and was told that:

Settled Homes are a form of long-term temporary accommodation. They are let on assured shorthold tenancies, and have a target rent of the affordable rent level (80% of market rent).

So very few of the homes above are at social rent and none at council rent.

 

 

 

 

 

Petition to reclaim Barham Park from developers

 

The four houses proposed for Barham Park

 

A petition to safeguard Barham Park from development ends on April 15th 2025. The text below is self explanatory. If you wish to sign the petition got to the Brent Council website HERE.

We the undersigned petition the council to listen to local residents, users and supporters of Barham Park and for the Barham Park Trust and Brent Council to respect the wishes of Titus Barham who gifted his home and gardens for our recreation, by upholding the Covenant which prevents the building of extra houses on the site of 776/778 Harrow Road and to continue to refuse any attempts to modify or discharge the restrictive covenants to increase the numbers of homes on the site of 776/778 Harrow Road. The two cottages were built for the purpose of housing park keepers (gardeners and other staff) working in the Park and not to provide general housing. As the existing houses have not been used for that purpose for years we the undersigned feel there is a valid argument for their removal and for the park land to be reinstated with no valid justification to expand the number of houses from 2 to 4. 

 

The original Covenant was put in place by the Barham Park Trust Committee in 2011 (when the two cottages were being sold with the aim of generating match funding for a National Lottery Heritage Grant) with the clear intention of protecting Barham by NOT allowing the building of more houses or extensions on the existing site. The buyer of the two houses was fully aware of this and willingly signed and entered into the Restrictive Covenant. Any attempts by the appointed Trustees to modify or discharge the restrictive covenant will go against the original aim in seeking to protect the site for the benefit of local people as opposed to the enrichment of a selected individual/family.

Time to work with Affinity on issues around water supply to the thousands of new homes planned for Wembley, Alperton and Northwick Park

There was some confusion at this week's Planning Committee when councillors discussed the Atlip, Alperton planning application. Cllr Saqib Butt asked about concerns raised by Thames Water over a previous application on the site. He was puzzled that they had raised no concerns over the revised application which was double the size of the original.

 

I went back to the recording to try and clarify what was said. It appear that the reference to Thames Water is about foul water capacity and the officer's reply merely says that there must have been some work on capacity in the meantime. 

In the north of Brent water is supplied by Affinity Water and dispersal of foul water by Thames.

The Committee papers show no consultation with Affinity as the suppliers on water  supply capacity and no assurance that they have to capacity to supply such a large development.

This is obviously crucial and can be set against the works on Watford Road that Affinity is currently undertaking to improve supply.

 Brent Council has confirmed that the works are essential to deliver the required water for the growth of development in Wembley and Alperton consisting of large blocks of flats and apartment which are built rapidly.

Currently there are 2,293 properties under construction and Affinity are aware of 3,905 proposed future developments. I am not sure if this includes the regeneration underway in Northwick Park.

Without the reinforcement works taking place immediately it has been modelled that an estimated 2,916 properties could experience periods without water and 5,084 with poor presssure within the Wembley area.

Some areas in the north of the borough already experience low pressure so it seems essential that Affinity are consulted at the planning stage of new developments and perhaps invited to Scrutiny to clarify the issues as Thames Water was in the past.

 

Another Scrutiny Call-in over Barham Park Trust Commitee decisions - scheduled for Thursday April 3rd, 2025

Persistence is the name of the game regarding the much-questioned decisions of the Barham Park Trust following the meeting on Monday 24th February where applications by councillors and public to speak were refused.

Now a combination of opposition councillors has submitted a detailed Call-in for an additional meeting of the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee that has been approved. It covers the restricted covenants of 776 and 778 Harrow Road that the Trust is seeking to remove after a payment by developer and funfair owner,  George Irvin, as well as other operational issues.

The meeting will take place at 6pm on Thursday April 3rd in the Grand Hall at Brent Civic Centre.   

The Call-in Details:

 

 

UPDATE WITH GLA LINK: 885 units in towers up to 29 storey high in Alperton approved by Brent Council Planning Committee. Randall Avenue application pulled.

 

The crowded Atlip access road car park yesterday - 885 homes to come on the site

The application to build  885 housing units on the Atlip Centre site, Alperton, was approved yesterday as expected, despite opposition. The development will consist of 2, 8,10, 20, 23 and 29 storey buildings on a relatively small site. Planning officers recommended approval.

Unusually a long-time Alperton resident spoke in support describing the run-down nature of the site and the opportunities provided by a creative zone as well as the need for housing. Newly elected Liberal Democrat councillor Charlie Clinton spoke against with concerns about over-crowding of the area due to the density of the proposal and concern that assumptions about a car-free development were not realistic given the size of the project in terms of housing and commercial units.

There was a long discussion on the Committee with issues around failure to meet affordable housing targets and the affect of loss of daylight to neighbouring properties (deemed tolerable by planning officers as weighed against the benefits of the scheme), and of course parking - quite a issue on Ealing Road at the best of times.

There was concern about the loss of the Clay Oven Banqueting Hall with the developer claiming that there was no interest in continuing the facility from present and potential businesses. They conceded that there was a possibility of someone applying to run a similar business from one of the commercial units or facilities at the proposed community centre.

The loss of the current gym on the site was also a concern and there was discussion about using revenue from the development for the provision of an outdoor gym. 

Assurances were sought that the co-living units would not be used as student accommodation. Comparisons were made with HMOs but the developer insisted that they were an alternative to one bedroomed flats for young people and had additional shared facilities compared with HMOs. They would be professionally run.

Eventually the application was approved unanimously by the Committee.

UPDATE: The application now goes to the GLA for Stage 2 consideration and residents can make a comment on their website. Register for updates and to make a comment here HERE.

At the beginning of the meeting the controversial Randall Avenue, Dollis Hill, application was withdrawn from the agenda on officers' recommendation as discrepancies in the drawings for the development had been found. I understand that legal issues were also raised. The decision was made against the background of changes in  planning staff dealing with the application.

 

Roots of Brent Video: Don't let climate change affect our young people

 

 

A brilliant  youth-led documentary produced by Nadia Khan, Climate Action Partnerships Manager at Brent Council, is now available on YouTube and shows a wide range of inspiring community action on climate change in the borough:

Roots of Brent – A youth-led climate documentary. Young people in Brent take the spotlight in the fight against climate change with "Roots of Brent", a powerful documentary showcasing their experiences and local climate action. Premiered at the Brent Climate Showcase (20 Feb 2025), this film highlights the incredible efforts shaping a greener future. 

 

Supported by Brent Council’s climate action programme & sponsored by FM Conway

Musical Theatre CODA perform at East Lane Theatre, Sudbury, on Saturday March 22nd and pledge support for the theatre faced with Brent Council's huge rent increase

 

Readers will know that the East Lane Theatre group are fighting for survival following proposals by Brent Council for a huge increase in rent. CODA, who are putting on a show at  the theatre on March 22nd, told Wembley Matters:

If the theatre is forced to close its doors it would be a devastating loss not only for our production but for the entire local community that relies on the space for creative expression and connection.

At CODA, we remain deeply committed to supporting local community theatres, and we believe that spaces like East Lane Theatre are essential for nurturing local talent and enriching the cultural landscape. We are hopeful that with the support of the community, we can ensure this vital venue remains open.

 

DETAILS

Award-winning musical theatre duo CODA are set to bring their critically acclaimed UK touring production, Songs From Stage and Screen, to East Lane Theatre on 22.03.25. This spectacular show promises to be a night of unforgettable performances, featuring iconic songs from some of the greatest musicals of all time, including Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Grease, My Fair Lady, Little Shop of Horrors, and many more.

CODA, comprised of soprano Gemma Ashley and baritone Mark ‘#ManInTheHat’ James, have captivated audiences nationwide with their dynamic vocals and charismatic stage presence. The pair met on the set of the BBC’s prime-time show All Together Now, where their shared passion for musical theatre sparked a powerful creative partnership.

“Songs From Stage and Screen is a celebration of the music that has defined the world of musical theatre and film,” said Mark James. “We’re thrilled to bring this show to Sudbury and share our love for these timeless classics with new audiences.”

Gemma added, “There’s something truly magical about performing these songs live on stage. It’s an honor to bring these stories to life and connect with audiences through the power of music.” She continued, “Our performance allows audience members to sing along, dance, and get involved if they wish—creating an interactive and joyful experience for everyone.”

As part of their UK tour, CODA is committed to supporting local independent theatres, many of which are often run by dedicated volunteers. “These theatres are the unsung heroes of the theatre world,” Gemma said. “They are places where many dreams begin, new careers are encouraged, and communities come together. Supporting these venues is our way of giving back to the very foundation of live performance.”

Songs From Stage and Screen is not just a show; it’s a journey through the history of musical theatre and cinema, brought to life by two of the most engaging voices in the business. With a setlist that spans decades and genres, the show is a must-see for fans of all ages.

Tickets for the East Lane Theatre performance on 22.03.25 are available now and can be purchased at www.muscialcoda.com or using this link
https://rb.gy/kdq9s5

Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic of CODA live in concert.

 

Cllr Nerva was wrong in his claim at Full Council that Gladstone Park and Roundwood Park have Green Flag Awards - but there is hope.

 

Brent Council has confirmed in a response to Cllr Lorber that Brent Council currently has no Green Flag awards. This confirms my statement on Twitter (above) refuting claims by Cllr Nerva (Queen's Park) during the Council meeting on February 27th, apparently after some frantic googling, that Brent had won Green Flag awards for Gladstone Park and Roundwood Park. 

His intervention came following the budget speech made by Cllr Hannah Matin, Lib Dem councillor for Alperton, who had said that she had to take her guide dog, Wendy, to parks outside of Brent for her necessary free run, because they were cleaner and safer than Brent parks.  He said:

I'd just like to pick up on a point made about parks in Brent. I've just looked up, Gladstone Park: Green Flag, Roundwood Park: Green Flag.   There are lots pf other places in Brent that provide really great recreation and wellbeing. I think it is really sad to hear someone denigrate the really hard working Brent Parks Service.

It's 'really sad' that a member of Brent Cabinet does not know that Brent Council opted out of the Green Flags Award scheme back in 2014 when parks maintenance was outsourced to Veolia. LINK

 The Award was always a great incentive across London and is international in its scope. The map below shows the Brent desert with just Roe Green Walled Garden and Queens Park marked.  The Walled Carden is looked after  by the Barn Hill Conservation Group rather than Brent Council/Continental Landscapes (the new contractor) and Queens Park by the City of London Corporation. 

 Indeed there is some hope as Continental Landscapes features in the 2024 Green Flag Awards list for work in some other London boroughs and applications have been made for King Edward VII Park and Bramshill Open Space.

It is to be hoped that Brent Council will listen to residents who truly value their parks, including supporters of Barham Park who were recently refused a hearing, and renew their commitment through participation in the Green Glag Award scheme.

Back in 2011 I celebrated Fryent Country Park's Green Flag Award with congratulations to Brent Council and a video showing the park throuh the seasons.

A rather tattered green flag remained in the Fryent Way car park for some time after the Council withdrew from the Award.

Brent Council amends PSPO to require dogs to be kept on a lead at all times in Paddington Old Cemetery

 

A letter from a reader on the Brent Council consultation about dogs in Paddington Old Cemetery last October  received many comments and indicated the strength of feeling on the issue

Letter:Brent Council is using heavily biased language in its Paddington Old Cemeterydog PSPO consultation - what are their real plans?

 

The Council yesterday issued a statement following the consultation giving their decision but provided no data or quotations to evidence the decsion :

 

Dogs will be required to be kept on leads at all times in Paddington Old Cemetery from Monday 10 March.

 

This new requirement is part of an existing Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which has been varied following a comprehensive public consultation where 860 people shared their views.

 

PSPOs are legal measures that impose conditions on public places where there has been a nuisance which has had a detrimental effect on the community. PSPO conditions apply to everyone equally. They are designed to enhance public safety and improve the quality of life for all residents.

Paddington Old Cemetery is an active burial ground that over recent years has also become a valued local community space. Its increasing popularity with dog walkers has raised serious concerns among grave owners, mourners and other users of the cemetery.

 

The public consultation, held between 18 October and 10 December 2024, asked members of the public their opinions on dog behaviour within the cemetery. This also included grave owners and mourners who lived further afield.

 

Prior to the consultation, the council received 74 complaints regarding dog behaviour at the cemetery, including: dogs defecating and urinating on graves, dogs running uncontrolled near funeral services and unwanted dog interactions. In contrast, no complaints were reported in the council’s three other cemeteries where dogs are required to be on leads.

 

The council has carefully considered all viewpoints, taking into account the public response and the serious concerns raised. As a result, the existing PSPO has been varied so that dogs are now required to be kept on leads in Paddington Old Cemetery.

 

These changes aim to preserve a peaceful and respectful environment for Paddington Old Cemetery users while ensuring responsible dog owners can continue to access the cemetery. It also brings the dogs on leads requirement in line with all of Brent’s cemeteries.

 

The existing PSPO requirements also remain in effect:

• A maximum of four dogs may be walked by one person at a time.
• Dog waste must be picked up immediately and disposed of properly in provided bins or taken away.

 

Councillor Harbi Farah, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, Jobs and Skills, said:

 

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their views with us. 

 

While many responsible dog owners value the cemetery as a place for walking their dogs, the number of serious concerns raised made it clear that action was needed. 

 

We understand that dogs are an important part of people's lives, which is why we will continue to allow dog walking here, rather than banning them altogether. However, dogs must be kept on leads, in line with the well-established policy in our other cemeteries where we have received no complaints. 

 

This new PSPO requirement aims to strike a fair, balanced and proportionate approach, ensuring the cemetery remains a peaceful and respectful place while still allowing responsible dog walking. 

 

The council is committed to working with all users of the cemetery and will establish a Paddington Old Cemetery Liaison Group.

 

The consultation highlighted a number of areas that the council will now explore. These include:

• Designated off-lead area - Considering the creation of a designated enclosed off-lead dog area within a section of the cemetery, subject to further consultation with residents.
• Parking review - Local parking controls are set to be reviewed.
• A review of local CCTV arrangements.
• Tiverton Green improvements - Exploring options to introduce self-closing gates at nearby Tiverton Green to better support off-lead dog walking, and create a safer environment for dogs.

Brent Officers recommend approve of Atlip Centre, Alperton, development of 885 homes in units up to 29 storeys high

 Brent planning officers have recommended  LINK that the Planning Committee approve the Atlip Centre/2 Atlip Road  development at its meeting on Wednesday 12th March.

The application is for 464 resident units on the site near Alperton Station and 421 co-living places.

They will be housed in 2, 8, 10, 20,  23 and 29 storey structures with a single storey workspace and some commercial units.

 145 people have signed a petition opposing the development but only 27 have lodged an objection on the Brent Council planning portal. There are also 3 neutral comments (including an Alperton councillor - not identified by name). No comments in favour have been lodged.

It was quite a task for anyone interested to read all 355 documents on the Council website. 

Approval will be subject to referral to the Mayor of London.

 

The petition:

 

A petition has been lodged at Brent Council to stop the approval of another mega-development at Atlip Road in central Alperton. The campaigners have put forward the following reasons against the proposal.

1. Loss of Light – The development’s height (up to 30 storeys) will cause severe overshadowing, reducing natural light to nearby homes, including Bigler Court and Dawson Court, contrary to BRE guidelines. Reduced daylight can lead to health impacts such as vitamin D deficiency, especially for brown and black residents at higher risk.

2. Overcrowding – The proposal includes 885 residential units, adding excessive strain on already stretched local services, including GP surgeries like Stanley Corner Medical Centre, schools, and public transport.

3. Parking and Traffic – The limited parking spaces will lead to increased congestion on surrounding roads, creating parking difficulties and worsening air pollution.

4. Noise Pollution – Construction noise will cause major disruption, particularly for those working from home or resting at home. Long-term noise from communal spaces will also impact residents’ quality of life and stress pets.

5. Loss of Facilities – The proposed demolition of the existing gym will force residents to travel 30–45 minutes on foot to the nearest affordable alternative, making fitness routines less accessible and harming physical well-being.

6. Flood Risks – Existing flood risks on Atlip Road, with depths up to 600mm, will be worsened by the development. New drainage systems offer no guaranteed protection against surface water flooding.

7. Air Quality – Construction dust and emissions pose health risks, especially for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions, while long-term increases in traffic will reduce air quality further.

8. Privacy and Child Safety – Flats will overlook nearby homes, including Bigler Court, and Alperton Community School’s playground, raising safeguarding concerns for children.

The petition can be signed HERE.