Greens support firefighters' fight for fair pensions and retirement

Willesden Green Green Party candidates Shahrar Ali and Martin Francis join the picket line

It  was good to join the Fire Brigade Union pickets at Willesen Fire Station this afternoon to express Green Party support for their Bank Holiday strike against changes in their pensions and working conditions. Firefighters, like teachers, are facing an increase in the age at which they can retire. 

The professions are very different but in both cases the government is ignoring the effect of age on the capacity to do the job effectively. Both firefighters and teachers face the prospect of having to retire early through illhealth or competency procedures with a detrimental impact on their pensions, apart from the demoralising effect of end a career on such grounds.

The Green Party Trade Union Group issued the following statement this afternoon:

The Green Party Trade Union group sends its support to FBU members striking over the May bank holiday weekend 2014 against “totally unworkable, unaffordable, unsustainable and unfair” changes to firefighters’ pensions. GPTU recognises that FBU members perform strenuous, dangerous and, at times, heroic work on behalf of the community. Their dedication is needed by us all as they are increasingly on the frontline against the damage being caused by climate change. Instead of taking effective measures to combat climate change the government disgracefully attacks firefighters’ just rewards for their vital work.

Shame on the government and victory to the FBU!

Pete Murry, GPTU Secretary

Green Party policies for Brent - May 22nd 2014

Every Brent voter will have a chance to vote Green on May 22nd

The full list of candidates for the May 22nd local elections has now been published. There is a Green candidate standing in every ward in Brent with two in Willesden Green.

Brent Green Party firmly believe that every voter should be given the chance to vote Green.  This is particularly important now that the public are disenchanted with the three main parties and when there is, in reality, little difference in their policies.

The full list of candidates for each Brent ward is available HERE

Greens back independent grassroots candidate for Willesden Green

Several members of Brent Green Party attended the Make Willesden Green campaign's policy discussion on Saturday as observers. The participants were local activists and residents, mostly non-party but with some disillusioned Labour supporters, who were concerned about their lack of say in local issues, poor consultation, the loss of some key local amenities, and the feeling that Willesden Green was being changed into a featureless dormitory which would squeeze out poorer people.  The Council was seen as remote and unresponsive.

The meeting was highly positive and very participative and people left determined to exercise some People Power at the local elections in May 2014.

Alex Colas is standing as an independent grassroots candidate in Willesden Green ward. He has worked alongside Green Paty members in several campaigns including the Keep Willesden Green campaign over the redevelopment of the Willesden Green Library and the loss of the Willesden Bookshop and the open space, as well as the continuing campaign against the forced academisation of Gladstone Park Primary School which serves many children from Willesden Green,

Alex wrote a Guest Article in the last edition of Brent Green Party's Willesden Green News.

At the beginning of the well-attended  meeting Alex explained the relationship between MWG and the Greens. MWG is standing on an independent platform and is not a political party and welcomes support from supporters of all parties and none. The 'Green' in Make Willesden Green stands for the place and not the party.

However, the Brent Green Party believe that an independent grassroots councillor for Willesden Green would enhance local democracy and has issued the  following statement:

Brent Green Party welcomes the candidature of Alex Colas who is standing as an independent on the Make Willesden Green platform in Willesden Green ward in the local elections.

We believe that the election of Alex Colas, arising from his principled participation in local campaigns, would be healthy for local democracy.  In recognition of this we will stand only two candidates in the ward and recommend that our supporters give Alex their third vote.

Further information on the Make Willesden Green campaign can be found HERE

Brent Greens: Butler is a 'New Labour blast from the past'

Dawn Butler and Shahrar Ali at the Friends of the Earth Hustings, General Election 2010

Reacting to today's news that Brent Labour Party had selected Dawn Butler to fight Brent Central in 2015, Shahrar Ali, The Green's candidate in  2010, said:

Labour's selection of Dawn Butler to fight the Brent Central seat is as if they are proposing a blast from Blair's New Labour past. Let voters be reminded where Butler stood on a whole raft of hugely consequential issues.

In 2007, Butler voted against a motion calling for a new sense of urgency on climate change, and, in 2009, against our becoming a signatory to the 10:10 climate change campaign. On Nuclear deterrence, Butler voted ambiguously on the renewal of a Trident system (2007). On anti-terror legislation, Butler voted reliably with her Government throughout, and, in 2009, voted to keep the maximum period of detention without charge for terrorist suspects at 28 days (instead of a lower period).

On such fundamental political issues of the day, Butler's priorities were wrong or muddled. Labour Party members may be prepared to forgive her past mistakes but I doubt if the electorate will be quite as tolerant. Greens stand for a radical break from the barely distinguishable politics of the three main parties and we shall fight the General Election on that basis.

Brent Green Party welcomes Brent Council's fracking move

Shahrar Ali, spokesperson for Brent Green Party, reacting to Brent Council's statement on fracking said:

Brent Green Party welcomes the  interest shown by Brent Council in the fracking issue and the statement by Council Leader Muhammed Butt that they will  investigate their powers to refuse applications for shale gas exploration in Brent.

Fracking continues the use of Fossil fuels and is therefore likely to worsen the harmful consequences of climate change. 

The current extraction techniques also present a demonstrable risk to public health through contamination of water courses and we must develop renewable energy alternatives, too. A politically responsible solution to the climate change impact requires nothing less.

Jenny Jones, Green Party  Assembly Member said:

Fracking is dirty and polluting, as well as unnecessary. The fracking companies admit that it won’t bring energy costs down but will disrupt communities through noise, dirt, extra road traffic and the threat of pollution. Well done to Brent Council for standing up for their residents.

Greens leaflet Kensal Green station after UKBorders raid

Brent Green Party leafleted commuters at  Kensal Green station this morning following yesterday's raid by UK Borders officers in which thre people were arrested.

It is reported that they were at Cricklewood station this morning and also at Stratford;

The leaflet (see below) set out the rights of people who are stopped by the officers.

Brent Greens condemn Kensal Green station raid

The Brent Green Party has released the following statement following the UK Border Agency raid at Kensal Green Station this morning.

Shahrar Ali, Brent Green Party spokesperson said:

UKBA are duty-bound to carry out stops on individuals only on the basis of specific intelligence, not willy nilly on spec as happened at Kensal Green this morning. Every right-thinking citizen of Brent and beyond has cause to be alarmed at this naked violation of process. The report that there have been three arrests changes not one iota that our civil liberties are under threat, not from our neighbours but from state-sanctioned racist van slogans. I am appalled at the wicked designs of this government.

The people of Brent will not stand for it. We stand united against those who seek to terrorise society, who spread fear and incite hatred.

Defend London's NHS demo in pictures

Brent had a good showing for the Defend London's NHS demonstration today. Fightback supporters were out in force along with a least seven Brent Labour councillors including Muhammed Butt and Brent Central parliamentary hopefuls Sabina Khan and Patrick Vernon.

London Green Party also mobilised for the event and were in evidence throughout the march. Front de Gauche were with us at the start of the march.

from Coalition of Resistance

Don't let Barratt's wreck the Welsh Harp - act this weekend

3-4  tower blocks twice the height of the one on the right are planned

If you do just ONE thing this weekend apart from football, gardening, clubbing, drinking, eating and amusing the kids THEN make it submitting an objection to the Barratt Homes planning application to vandalise the wonderful Welsh Harp SSSI, nature reserve and bird sanctuary.

See the Save Our Welsh Harp blog LINK for ideas on what to say but make it personal - what does this development mean to YOU?


ONLINE
Go to the Barnet Planning site LINK and type H/01054/13 into the Search Box. Make sure you give a name and postal address and email address to get an acknowledgement.

E-MAIL
email the Barnet Planning Officer dealing with this application quoting the above reference number:

tom.wyld@barnet.gov.uk  Make sure you give your name and postal address and email address to get an acknowledgement. 

CLOSING DATE MAY 14TH

Trades Unions vital in the long march to equality- Green Party

The Green Party today put itself firmly on the side of the trade union and working class movement when they passed a motion moved by Pete Murry of Brent Green Party and the Green Party Trade Union Group, on the party's relationship with the unions.

The motion said in part:

The Green Part believes that the Trade Union movement plays a vital role in defending the interests of working people and continues to play a leading role in the long march towards equality and social justice in Britain and around the world. Therefore the Green Party encounters all its members to be active Trade Unionists wherever this is possible.

Thanks for your support for Wembley Matters

It has been gratifying to receive a number of messages from readers over Christmas thanking me for Wembley Matters.  I can't promise to keep it up forever but as the blog appears to be meeting a need I'll keep going as long as I can.

Meanwhile I hope all my readers have a restful break and come back with renewed vigour to fight for environmental and social justice in 2013.

HS2 or Incinerator - what a choice for Willesden Junction!

Well, here's a dilemma!

The Brent and Kilburn Times is reporting LINK that the Willesden Junction site ear-marked for an incinerator may be required by HS2 to transport waste from nearby tunnelling operations.HS2 under its safeguarding rights would have prior claim to the site.

Brent Greens are opposed to both the incinerator proposal and HS2 - perhaps we should campaign for a much needed green space on the site or an Alternative Technology Centre

Music, chat and politics as Green Party leader visits Wembley

Natalie Bennett joins Brent Green party members at Sunday's social

Natalie Bennett addresses members

Brent Green Party hosted a social for members and their guests at The Torch, Wembley on Sunday. Music was provided by a Cajun band and new party leader Natalie Bennett chatted to members about Green Party policies and her aspirations for the party.

In a set piece speech she talked about sustainable transport and the Party's policies on 20mph speed limits in built up areas, integrated public transport, renationalisation of railways and opposition to HS2. She linked the transport issue to issues of health and equality.

Time to put the Climate Emergency back on the national and global agenda

Earlier this week I chaired a joint meeting of Brent Campaign Against Climate Change and Brent Friends of the Earth to hear a talk from Phil Thornhill, National Coordinator of the Campaign Against Climate Change.

He spoke about the recent evidence on the reduction in the volume of the polar icecap and its consequences in terms of severe weather events. Governments continue to ignore the extent of the climate crisis with potential cataclysmic events occurring much earlier than climate scientists have previously forecast. He went on to suggest that NGOs, alongside politicians, were bound to a 'softly, softly' approach, that failed to confront the public with the stark reality that the world population face. The food crisis is already upon us and will worsen with potential global conflicts and large population movements.

Brian Orr, chair of Brent Green Party, who works with the Arctic Methane Emergency Group(AMEG) spoke passionately about the impact of methane gas release as the melt continues. His conclusion that geoengineering was required to meet the threat, because emissions reduction would not have a rapid enough impact to avert catastrophe, led to some heated exchanges about the risks.

This is AMEG's position LINK:

AMEG is confident that the crisis can still be averted successfully provided that immediate action is taken to cool the Arctic. This will inevitably involve a degree of intervention known as geoengineering as we have no other options to achieve the necessary rate and intensity of cooling required to stabilise the sea ice and buy time. AMEG therefore calls for urgent further research into technologies to help cool the Arctic and for tests and preparations to start without delay in order to be ready for rapid deployment of some of the more effective (and safe) techniques that are currently available for regional cooling of the Arctic. We must avert further collapse of sea ice and subsequent climate catastrophe. AMEG warns there is a real risk of further (and theoretically even nearly total) ice collapse by summer 2013.

AMEG stresses that to effectively reduce the threat of catastrophic climate change governments around the world must commit to a comprehensive plan of action and that geoengineering methods to cool the Arctic are now required on at least a temporary basis. AMEG repeats that it is also imperative for governments to act to immediately start reducing emissions dramatically.

Climate change has taken a backseat recently as attention focuses on the economic crisis and campaigners face an uphill battle in getting it back on the agenda.  The Campaign Against Climate Change stresses the urgency of the issue and calls for massive support for December 1st:

This year has seen the passing of an awesome milestone in the accelerating escalation of the climate crisis. It has now reached the stage where it is altering the planet's basic geography with the all too plainly visible vanishing of summertime arctic sea ice. The  "tipping points" we have heard so much about are no longer just a talking point for the distant future - we have every appearance of being in the process of hitting one right now.

Yet even as the world is poised on the brink of a tragedy of unimaginable scale, none of our leaders seems to be so much as blinking an eyelid in response. Worse than that humanity is engaged in a madcap suicidal dash to unearth  yet more of what caused the problem in the first place - fossil fuels. Even as some fossil fuels are becoming more expensive to extract new types - of often more carbon intensive - fossil fuel are being discovered and exploited.

We believe it's time to "get fracktious" about the criminal insanity of the way we are responding to probably the biggest threat humanity has ever faced.

Please join us on 1st December to bear witness to the gravity of the crisis that's unfolding..... see more about the imminent disappearance of summertime arctic ice here and here. Download our leaflet about it here.  See how the disproportionately rapid warming of the arctic is effecting the jet stream and causing extreme  weather events that are already disrupting agriculture and  forcing up food prices, hitting the world's most vulnerable hardest  - here.

We will also be targeting the insanity of the drive towards exploiting more - and new types of - fossil fuel. We will be acting in solidarity with the many local campaigns around the country resisting the expansion into this country of the risky and destructive pratcice of 'hydraulic fracturing' or "fracking" for previously un-tappable "shale gas". This is a major prop for George Osborne's new "dash for gas" which threatens to expand the exploitation of this fossil fuel in a way that would effectively blow the (inadequate but hard fought for) Climate Act out of the water (see here).

'Drink and Think' on economic growth at the Torch, Monday

The Torch, Wembley Park

                                      BRENT CAMPAIGN AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
 
                  Join us for our next "Drink and Think" 
             Evening on Monday October 1st, 7.30 - 10.30

These are informal gatherings when we discuss issues of relevance to climate change and the environment. The "Drink" doesn't have to be alcoholic and the "Think" can be on any topic you wish to raise.

The starting topic for this session is "Where do we stand on economic growth". Everyone welcome.

               Function Room, The Torch, Wembley Park, 
          Bridge Road, Wembley (corner with Forty Lane)

Jubilee and Metropolitan Line (Wembley Park) - cross road outside station and turn left to the corner. Or buses 83, 182, 297 to Wembley Park Station or 245 to Brent Town Hall (south bound) or Wembley ASDA (north bound) and proceed to junction with Bridge Road.

Enter via front entrance and bear left past snooker tables or find Function Room entrance round the back of the pub near car park. Traditional pub food menu if you want to eat.

Key questions for the anti-cuts movement as councils start budget setting process

Brent Council, along with all other local councils and public sector bodies, are beginning the process of formulating its budget this month.   The anti-cuts movement is faced with what to say to councils as they review their policy in the face of reduced central government funding.

I outline some of the issues below. In the last two Brent by-elections Brent Green Party has stood anti-cuts candidates and the party as a whole has opposed the austerity agenda. However it is no secret that there has been disagreement over the minority Green council in Brighton and Hove, where a 'Purple Coalition' of Labour and Conservative councillors defeated the Green budget. The Greens rather than resigning, decided (with one dissenter) to work with the budget, which has led to the implementation of cuts.

Green Left, of which I am a member, organised a public debate on the situation which was reported in Red Pepper.LINK Romayne Phoenix, a supporter of Green Left, who is Chair of the Coalition of Resistance, stood in the recent leadership election which was won by Natalie Bennett. However, Will Duckworth,  her running mate, won the deputy leadership contest - not on the highest number of votes but because of our rules which require the deputy should be male if the leader is female and vice versa.

I think the main issues are:

1. Probably fundamental - whether local authorities have any real power when most of their funding comes from central government and that has been cut and is to be cut further.  LAs of whatever political complexion end up delivering central government cuts locally and have little room for manoeuvre once statutory services have been provided.
2. Whether devising a 'needs based' budget - either to shape an actual over-spend budget or as a campaigning tool to show the area needs more money than government.funding provides, is a demand we should make.
3.  If it is, how should we go about campaigning for such budgets and what form should consultations with the local community take?
4. Where do we stand on the raising of council taxes when local councils argue that this is the only way to protect vital services. Aren't  council tax rises,  particularly with the changes in council tax benefits, going to cut the disposable income of the poor even more?
5. If we decide that such rises are needed should we be triggering a local referendum on them to bring the cuts right out into open democratic debate?
6. The Brighton Question - the Socialist Party/TUSC are busy 'exposing' Labour (and probably Green) councils who implement cuts and advocating old Militant/Liverpool solutions of setting deficit budgets to defy the Coalition and being taken over by commissioners etc. They are planning to stand TUSC candidates in the local elections and re are busy building their platform now. (See Fightback Facebook http://www.facebook.com/groups/151133068251358/)
7. Recognise that cuts are being passed down the line and that soon school governing bodies will be facing making cuts in staffing (if they have not already done so). What should Green and anti-cuts governors do? (In answer to the question 'Are schools allowed to submit a deficit budget?' Brent Council  has responded 'No. A school that identifies a potential deficit must submit a deficit recovery plan, and work with [the council's] Children and Families Finance department to get formal approval for the deficit and recovery plan'.)
8. How do we build an anti-cuts movement across local authorities involving trade unions, political organisations, voluntary groups,  single issue local campaigns, patient groups, parents, etc?

Time for a Brent campaign for accountable and equal education?

'At the heart of every child...is a unique genius and personality. What we should be doing is to allow the spark of that genius to catch fire, to burn brightly and shine'

Michael Morpugo          

'Though this (Exam and Test) cult pretends that it can discern differences between people and makes judgements on their worth, this has little relation to real people's real worth in the real world, where all kinds of other capabilities are needed which the cult can't and doesn't test. eg ability to contribute to and learn from others in the process of performing a task; being flexible when confronted by the unexpected; knowing what to do and how to do it if required to research, investigate or enquire - particularly if the enquiry is going to involve more than one person; being able to motivate oneself (or a group of people) without an outside authority demanding that you do so' 

Michael Rosen        

Getting carried away at the Brent Education Debate

I cannot offer a comprehensive summary of the speeches made at the Brent Education debate this week by Cllr Mary Arnold (lead member for children and families), Jon O'Connor (Cooperative College), Melissa Benn (local parent and author) and Hank Roberts (President ATL). This was because I was due to speak further down the list and constantly updating what I was going to say as other speakers raised the issues that I had planned to cover.  Always a problem with a list of speakers. I hope to publish something more from an attendee later.

What I can do, however,  is outline some of the key themes that emerged.

Melissa Benn spoke about the introduction of the market into education and the way the state sector was being opened up to profit makers. She spoke about the continuities of approach of both Conservatives and Labour but also expressed hopes about Labour's current policy review. I broadened the analysis to suggest that the destruction of the post-war settlement which created the welfare state was an attack on the alternative, communitarian values of the public sector because of the threat they posed to the market values of competition and profit making.  The bottom up innovations by teachers in the 1970s and 80s and their broad and progressive definitions of the nature and purposes of education had been attacked through the abolition of the ILEA, removal of teachers' wage bargaining, the national curriculum,  testing, league tables and centralised systems such as the Numeracy and Literacy strategies. There has also been changes in teaching training which served the new agenda. Teachers, as well as pupils, were being disciplined into the market.

The threat of fragmentation of the school system through  academies and free schools was also a recurring theme.  The lack of democratic accountability, limited parental representation and the  limited powers of the LA to intervene could not bring about just fragmentation and limit the ability to plan school places, but could also create segregation and limit access for children with disabilities or special needs. I pointed out that although we didn't talk about it there was already segregation in Brent schools. I mentioned two cases of places in Brent where a community school and a faith school were next to each other. When children left at the end of the day, one school's pupils would be mainly white and Afro-Caribbean and the other mainly Somalian and Middle Eastern. (Clearly here religion and ethnicity overlap).

Cllr Mary Arnold said that in order to provide school places, and because all new schools had to be either free schools or academies, the council were trying to find an acceptable free school partner. This was better than having a less acceptable one turn up in the borough. The council had devised criteria LINK that the partner would have to meet.  I expressed doubt that a partner would come forward that would meet these criteria as justification for creating free schools and academies was not to be bound by such demands. I expressed concern about council's policy of increasing the size of primary schools to meet the school places shortage. Primary schools of more than 1,000 4-11 year old pupils would be the result and I questioned whether this was a suitable size of institution for young children. I said that the Green Party favourd small schools where the staff knew all the children and their families and where special needs and vulnerable children could be catered for. I was especially concerned about safeguarding in large schools.

Jon O'Connor, who has been involved in talks in Brent about setting up Cooperative Schools and Cooperative Trusts, stressed that such schools still followed LA admissions guidelines, were financed through the LA, did not take funds away from other schools and had a positive democratic ethos. He did not go into detail about Cooperative Academies which are a different kettle of fish. Melissa Benn, who is a parent at Queens Park Community School which has become an academy despite parental opposition, joined O'Connor in pleading that schools making very difficult decisions in the present climate, particularly in terms of the financial benefits of academy status, should not be harshly judged by others.  Hank Roberts said that he against academies and would carry on fighting even if only one survived, said that there was a hierarchy of preferences starting with the community school, through cooperative trusts and federations, cooperative academies to free schools and sponsored academies. O'Connor said that becoming a cooperative trust could protect schools from being 'enforced' academies but Roberts retorted that Gove would quickly close that loophole if it proved effective. He praised the staff and parents of Downshill  Primary in Haringey who had fought Gove's decision to enforce academy conversion. Cllr Mary Arnold said that the formation of a federation between Furness Primary and Oakington Manor Primary had prevented the possibility of the former being forced to become an academy.

The two Michaels quoted above introduce the next theme which is that of the impact of all these  'reforms' on childhood, the role of education, the nature of teaching and learning and much else beside. It is significant that they are both children's writers in regular contact with children and schools. The narrowing of the curriculum, exam and test driven teaching, the target culture (an audience member said that in one primary school children responded to their name being called in the register with their targets rather than 'Yes Miss') and packed timetables all impact on children. With the pressure of testing, even now extended to phonic testing of infants, the abolition of the EMA, introduction of  tuition fees and prop[sects of unemployment our children are under pressure as never before. I described how when I was a headteacher, a parent accused the school of putting so much pressure on her daughter regarding SATs that she was being robbed of her childhood. I urged that children,  rather than the needs of industry and international PISA comparisons, be put at the centre of education. We needed to reclaim the right to childhood as well as reclaim our schools. 

The last theme, proposed by Pete Firmin of Brent TUC, was that of resistance to what was going in education just as there is resistance to the destruction of the health service. A parent voiced, to loud applause her determination to resist the increasingly political role of Ofsted by promoting a parent strike when Ofsted visited, with children being kept off school. Cllr Mary Arnold spoke about demands that were being formulated through  London Councils that would mean a united strategy across London and cooperation between boroughs.  I suggested that with the demise of the local Campaign for the Advancement of State Education (CASE) and the Brent Federation of School Governors that from the meeting we should build a broad-based campaign involving parents, teachers, governors and students  on the basis of the  basic principles emerging from the meeting.

Jon O'Connor had been been busy with pen and pad as I was speaking and suggested a campaign called Building the Right Education Now Together (BRENT).

A little clumsy perhaps?

More than 70 people attended the debate which was very ably chaired by Gill Wood a local parent and governor. The audience included students, parents, teachers, governors and the headteachers of Copland, Kingsbury and Preston Manor High Schools. Unfortunately, although I don't know them all by sight, I could see no primary headteachers at the meeting.

Northern jaws drop at sight of Civic Centre

This morning I  was asked by a couple of northerners down for tomorrow's rugby challenge final about the strange building arising opposite the Wembley Arena and the Stadium. They were staggered when they heard it was the council's Civic Centre and cost £100m. They thought we were all mad when I said the same council had closed down half our libraries.

Never mind, Cllr Powney still berates Brent Green Party  for opposing a fantastic green building. If the council erected a marble Stalinist Palace of Culture in his honour at a cost of £250m he would still expect us to support it if it had a grass roof!

Anyway make up your own minds. For my friends from the south who may not yet have seen it here are some pictures taken today. Decide for yourself if this is just a touch grandiose...

New Wembley Plan sets out future development

The new Wembley Action Plan will be discussed at the Brent Executive on Monday July 16th. The document is large and highly detailed and the key policies have been modified in the light of consultation to which Brent Green Party contributed.

The plan covers new housing, education and health facilities as well as open space. The definition of 'affordable housing' as being 80% of market rents, still puts such housing out of reach of many local people on low incomes, particularly in the light of the housing benefit cap.  The plans include a new primary school and a new community swimming pool in the area and there is a cap of 20% of total housing on the provision of student accommodation.

There is a welcome section on climate change and  open spaces. A possible pedestrian bridge over the railway line that would link Chalkhill with the Wembley regeneration area is an interesting proposal.

The full report is available on the Brent Council website but the preferred options are summarised below:

The following are a summary of the key policies in the Plan by topic. There are also a

number of major site proposals which provide further detailed guidance for developers on individual sites.

Urban Design & Placemaking

• Character & Urban Form - Development should seek to reinforce and emphasise the distinctive character of each locality

• A Legible Wembley - The council will continue to focus of the three stations as the principle gateways into the Wembley area, whilst the enhancement of nodes around key junctions will be sought

• Public Art - Contributions towards public art will be sought from development within the area, particularly at key gateways or where new open spaces are proposed

• Tall Buildings - will be acceptable only in a limited number of locations within the Wembley area. These are shown in the Plan. A number of views to the stadium will be protected

• Olympic Way - Development must be carefully designed and scaled to respect the predominance of Wembley Stadium and its arch.

Business, Industry & Waste

• Strategic Industrial Locations (SIL) - de-designation of relatively small areas of land including on South Way (temp. Stadium car park) and the Euro Car

• Wembley Stadium Business Park - area reduced in size with waste management limited to east of the area

• Offices - Purpose-built offices promoted in area close to Wembley Park station Town Centres, Shopping, Leisure And Tourism

• Town centre boundary - defined for area extending from Forty Lane to Ealing Road

• Sequential approach to development - is emphasised, with large foodstore directed to High Road location, preferably Brent House site.

• Large-scale leisure/tourism/cultural development – is appropriate east of Olympic Way

• Hot-food takeaways - No more within 400m of a school entrance and no morethan 7% in any stretch of primary or secondary frontage (currently 7% in Wembley as a whole).

• Vacant sites or buildings - promoted for occupation by temporary, creative uses.

Transport

• Improved access - for public transport, pedestrians and cyclists, particularly along the Wembley Hill Road / Forty Lane corridor.

• Improved highway access - for car travel from the North Circular by improving the Stadium Access Corridor (via Great Central Way / South Way) and the Western Access Corridor (via Fifth Way / Fulton Way). Land take required for a number of improvements.

• Buses - incrementally provide improved penetration of the masterplan area by buses as development is built out.

• Car parking - encourage car parking in locations on the edge of the town centre. Parking standards to be tighter to facilitate level of development proposed.

• Through traffic - package of measures to discourage through traffic on Wembley High Road.

• Pedestrian access – to be improved between the Masterplan area and High Road.

• Coach parking for stadium- criteria based approach for locations including within 960 metres. 

Housing

• Affordable Rent at up to 80% of market rent, including service charges and determined with regard to local incomes and house prices.

• Family Housing – at least 25% of new homes in Wembley should be family sized.

• Supported Housing – Existing supported housing protected. Extra care housing sought on sites where development is primarily residential, where residential amenity is good and where it is near to open space.

• Private Rented Sector – high quality, purpose-built, private sector rented accommodation will be encouraged through a flexible approach to the proportion of affordable housing and unit size mix.

• Student Accommodation – will form part of major mixed use development but will be capped at 20% of the projected increase in population 

Social Infrastructure

• Primary Schools - Provision of school land on the Wembley Industrial Park site

- identified in Site Specific Allocation. A further (minimum) two form entry school in the vicinity of the town centre.

• Secondary Schools - Contributions towards secondary provision will also be sought through CIL

• GP/Dentists provision - where other local capacity (e.g. Chalkhill Health Centre) is used up-long term provision as population grows

• Community Halls - provision as provided in the NW Lands (i.e. smaller areas at no rent) and use this as a basis of achieving space across the masterplan area

• Creative workspace - Cross reference to the created in NW Lands application & intention to provide more low cost creative workspace in mixed used developments across the area

• Sports and play infrastructure - Cross reference to that may sit in open space and housing chapters

• Temporary uses - reference to provision of meanwhile and temporary uses that will provide opportunities for social interaction

Climate Change

• Decentralised Energy - major developments will be expected to connect to, or contribute to, the Decentralised Energy System where feasible. Developments completed before the energy centre should be designed for future connection

• Energy from Waste - major energy from waste facilities will be allowed only east of Fourth Way. Smaller scale proposals to recover energy from waste generated locally will be supported subject to impact assessments

• Greening Wembley - development proposals must incorporate urban greening including green roofs, green walls, trees and soft landscaping

• Flooding – proposals within Flood Risk Zones must not reduce floodplain storage or increase maximum flood levels. All major proposals will be required to apply Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems

Open Space, Sports and Wildlife

• Open Space Provision - require a new park of 1.2ha adjacent to Engineers Way, orientated E-W and 3 parks of 0.4 ha. Support enhancement and improvements e.g. a new pedestrian bridge link across Met. /Jubilee lines to Chalkhill Open Space

• Food Growing - require major new residential development to provide space for food growing and encourage the use of vacant spaces for temporary food growing

• Sports Facilities - use development contributions to improve the provision of sports facilities and the council will make new or upgraded sports facilities available for community use out of school hours

• River Brent and Wealdstone Brook – adj. development sites to undertake opportunities to provide amenity space, biodiversity improvements and semi-naturalisation of Wealdstone Brook