Wembley flood risk areas
Today's warning
Brent Cabinet will consider the Climate and Ecological Emergency Programme 2024-2026 at next week's meeting. It is a hefty document but discussion will probably be limited to two proposals requiring Cabinet approval with a much deeper consideration at a future Scrutiny Committee:
Approve £3m CIL expenditure for the implementation of the Church End & Roundwood Green Corridors Scheme.
Removal of current weightings in the Brent Carbon Offset Fund Allocations Policy to provide flexibility to maximise overall funding.
There is much more in the documentation and I embed two of the key documents below which outline the plans and progress.
An interesting addition is New Green Neighbourhood Action Plans linked to development for St Raphael's Estate and South Kilburn.
In his forward to the Cabinet paper LINK Jake Rubin, lead member for Climate Action, says:
Achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 remains extremely challenging, requiring a massive upscaling in nationally funded infrastructure programmes as well as concerted action and behaviour change from all sectors and individuals across society. Regardless of whether this aspiration is considered achievable, the climate science tells us that every action taken now to either directly reduce carbon emissions or to improve Brent’s resilience to climate change will help to lessen the worst impacts of climate change in future.
We also know that the adverse impacts of climate change, such as the severe flooding and heatwaves that we have already experienced in recent years, will affect working class communities and those with the greatest needs the most, while action to tackle the climate and ecological emergency has the potential to bring positive change for the whole local community on many of the issues that matter most to people, such as cleaner air, greener spaces, warmer homes, healthier travel and a thriving local economy. Our Climate Programme is therefore vital in improving lives and livelihoods, promoting health and wellbeing and environmental and social justice.
The programme reflects difficulties regarding direct funding at a time of a local government finance crisis. The retrofitting of council homes, for example, is confined to a small pilot although it could significantly impact reduce energy bills for residents across the borough. It is very much an 'invest to save' issue. On the Dashboard below it is well worth paying close attention to the items where Brent Council has 'Direct' powers.
An area that requires cooperation with another body is provision of cycling lanes where Brent Council and TfL/GLA have a joint responsibility. Brent urgently needs a network of safe cycle lanes in addition to the Wembley to Harlesden project recently consulted on.
The papers. (Click on the cross bottom right for full page view)
