Cllr Krupa Sheth promises a response from Brent Planning regarding the GLA investigation into housing typologies, focussing on housing density and the development of tall buildings for residential use in London

 

Planned and in progress tall buildings in Alperton with number of storeys (Alperton station and school bottom right)

 The Committee does not believe that tall buildings are the answer to London’s housing needs and should not be encouraged outside of a few designated and carefully managed areas.

 Letter to councillors from Chair of the  GLA Planning nd Regeneration Committee

 

Cllr Anton Georgiou (Alperton), frustrated by the failure of Cllr Shama Tatler to deliver a response to his question at Full Council in September on the Council's response to the  GLA Planning and Regeneration Committee's report on tall buildings, instead addressed his question to Cllr Krupa Sheth (lead member on environment) at Monday's Full Council.

Citing the Council's declaration of a climate emergency and claiming that studies showed that the Council's 'obsession' with tall buildings was detrimental to the environment he asked:

What steps will be taken to acknowledge and act on the warning  outlined in the report into tall buildings that we all received from the GLA Planning and Regeneration Committee? Does this Council plan to continue ignoring local residents' views, and will the adminstration commit to undertake a full environmental assessment by an independent party of each planning application for a tall building before steam-rolling through approval?

Responding, Cllr Krupa Sheth claimed that more than a thousand resident signing up to the Brent Environmental Network showed they were doing a 'great job' in listening to residents. She went on regarding the main question:

'I will ensure someone from Planning Department will respond back to you.'

It is likely that the Planning Department it its reply will cite the independence of the Planning Committee from the political process. The chair at each meeting reminds the Committee that it is a non-political quasi-judicial committee bound by the national policy framework, the London Plan, Brent's Core Strategy, the emerging Local Plan, development management policies and other planning guidance. They are also reminded that there is a national housing shortage and targets have been set for the borough.

 Occasionally they are reminded that if they go against officers' recommendations on a particular application, developers may make a legal challenge at great cost to the Council.  In addition we know that at least one Labour councillor who has exercised independence on the planning committee has been removed subsequently. LINK

There is more on probity in planning decisons from the Local Government Association HERE

All this means that the Committee operates within narrow official and unofficial limits and it is the above-mentioned policies that need to be considered when challenging officers'  recommendations, particularly when they recommend approval even when the application does not comply with guidance on issues such as amount of amenity space, access to daylight, density etc. In the final analysis it may be that the policy needs to be changed - particularly in the Local Plan that, after consultation, is on the brink of final approval.

Another approach would be Scrutiny Committee considering the issue of tall buildings in the context of the Report and inviting the Chair of the GLA Committee to attend, give evidence and answer questions. 

 This is the GLA Planning and Regeneration Chair's letter sent to all councillors and referenced by Cllr Georgiou. Click bottom right for full page version.

 

Brent Lib Dem councillor puts forward alternative proposals before Monday's Budget setting meeting

It is some time since Brent Liberal Democrats have presented a formal alternative budget to that of the ruling Labour Party and even with a Liberal Democrat voted in at the Alperton by-election just over a year  ago this is still the case and his proposals will not be voted on. Cllr Anton Georgiou will have just 3 minutes to speak at the Council Tax and Budget Setting Meeting at 4pm tomorrow. LINK TO LIVE BROADCAST

 

Brent Labour has 59 councillors to the Conservative's 3 and the lone Liberal Democrat so approval of the budget is a formality. However, in the interests of democracy (not because I approve of the proposals) I think it is right that residents should be able to see and discuss the alternative proposals. I published the Conservative proposals last week HERE.

 

Labour’s budget includes a Council Tax hike of 6%, 4.99% from Brent Council and a further approximately 1% from Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan. Cllr Georgiou, in his proposals, argues that this can be and should be halved. 

 

Cllr Georgiou’s proposal also seeks to spend more money on the issues local people care about and invest in areas that will lessen the inequalities that have been exposed by the pandemic, particularly for Brent’s young people.  

 

Cllr Georgiou said:

 

I represent Alperton, a ward that has been hit very hard by the pandemic. Many residents are really struggling right now which is why I am alarmed that the Labour Council have proposed to hike Council Tax by so much.  

 

It is wrong to dump further financial burdens on local people, particularly when, as I outline in my proposals, money exists in the massive revenue reserves to halve the Council Tax rise. Brent residents have already paid for these reserves over the years, and it is impossible to justify asking them to pay even more when they don’t have to.

 

In addition to his plans to at least halve the Council Tax rise, Cllr Georgiou wants to see more money allocated to clean up Brent, to urgently repair pavements in small streets and overlooked areas and to make cycle routes safer.  

 

 Proposals in detail (click bottom right square for full page view)