Showing posts with label Harrow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harrow. Show all posts

Tuesday 12 December 2023

Brent Council cite 'budgetary constraints' on providing a quality service after hearing petition on problems with the school transport service for children with special needs and disabilities

A presentation was made at Monday's Cabinet  regarding problems with school transport for Special Educations Needs children and those with a disability (SEND.  It is a joint service with Harrow Council who have the lead role.

Wembley Matters reported on the issues that had been raised by parents and carers at a Brent Fiightback meeting HERE

 

THE PETITION PRESENTATION

  • Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak today. My name is Zaynab Alfadhl and I am a parent of a child with special educational needs attending a special school in Brent and residing in the borough.

  • I raised this petition to plea that councillors listen to the voice of the most vulnerable; our children and young people with SEND and their families who represent their voice.

  • I have spent approximately 4 years battling with Brent Council regarding the transport service not meeting my own child’s needs, and exacerbating my child’s SEND needs.

  • Like many other families, I am a working parent with another child to take to and from school. It is not possible for me to take my SEND child to and from school and I heavily rely on this council service.

  • In multiple complaints over the years, Brent council have failed to consider the wellbeing and their duty of care of my child in their decision making. Examples include my child being strapped in a harness which worsened his difficulties, against my wishes where I have been told ‘if I do not agree to a harness then the council will no longer be able to transport my child to and from school’. I have felt I was given no choice as I would have to consider leaving my job to take my child to and from school.

  • Not at any point has the council looked at the number of children on the routes and the journey times being too long as a contributor to the distress he has been facing on the journey to and from school.

  • Health professionals have been ignored including CAMHS recommendations for a shorter journey time and safeguarding concerns raised. This is a continuous concern raised by other parents.

  • I have made complaint after complaint and I have not been listened too. The transport staff are rude, unsympathetic, bringing their personal lives into conversations, and refusing/resisting to give emergency telephone numbers for after hours when children are still not home. It left me no choice but to start a petition in the hope that the council will now act on this.

  • Having recently joined parent forums it has come to my attention that I am not alone in this, and that many other families in the borough are experiencing the same problem with the journey times being too long, with too many children on route.

  • Due to lack of specialist SEND provision in Brent many children have to travel outside the borough to school, or across the borough as there is little specialist provision in the North of the borough.

  • Many SEND Children are not able to attend their most local mainstream primary or secondary school due to their complex special educational needs and are being forced to sit on buses in immense traffic conditions while being transported to and from school. Families have told me that this can range from 2-3 hours per journey, each day.

  • The council state that the increase in travel times is due to the traffic and roadworks and have disregarded that there are too many children on the bus routes which is a significant contributor to travel times.

  • The maximum journey time for a child of primary school age should be 45 minutes each way, and 75 minutes each way for a child of secondary school age. The council is no where near meeting this requirement.

  • Brent buses have increased the number of children on buses to 12 on some routes in a ploy to save money at the expense of these vulnerable children.

  • Our children are often not attending school on time and missing essential statutory education and not coming home at a reasonable time and missing essential family time. They are spending more time on the road than in school which is totally unacceptable.

  • Our children’s SEND needs are being impacted by these long journeys with significant traffic delays and roadworks which is heightening their anxieties and causing immense distress both in school and at home.

  • These SEND children are in need of routine, safety and predictability and are left anxious and upset while parents also wait anxiously for the service that they rely on.

  • Children are not arriving to school in a state where they are ready to learn as they have already had a bad start to the day, which makes them dysregulated. My son is also an example of this. This would therefore result in behaviour difficulties, dysregulation and he certainly is not in state ready to learn.

  • Another example is my son would arrive home some days between 6pm- 6.30pm. School finishes at 3pm. My son on occasions has soiled and wet himself on this long route and would come home extremely distressed as a result of being stuck on transport for 3 hours on the way home. This is one example of many that parents have too shared similar experiences.

  • We urge the council to review the distress this is causing vulnerable young people and their families, and place some extra buses with less children on each route to reduce the journey times and conditions that the most vulnerable in Brent are experiencing.

 

BRENT COUNCIL'S RESPONSE

As a council we take the wellbeing of our children with special educational needs very seriously and are conscious of our obligations to provide suitable travel arrangements to help eligible children get to school.

 

All routes are planned by the Brent and Harrow Transport Hub using specialist software and local knowledge to arrive at school on time, no matter how many children are in the vehicle used.

 

The service uses both directly owned and operated buses, and vehicles provided by a robust group of approved contractors to ensure there is always enough capacity available to meet our obligations to provide suitable travel arrangements within the budgets available. For example, at present our directly operated routes currently run on average at two-thirds of vehicle capacity to reduce journey times.

There are however factors outside of our control that can cause journey times to be longer than planned, such as unscheduled roadworks and children not being ready to board the vehicle on time.

 

As every route, and the children on it, are unique, there can be teething issues when a new route is set up despite the best efforts of route planners, drivers, and passenger assistants. The performance of any new routes is therefore closely monitored and where required adjustments are made.

 

While we appreciate that the number of pick-ups on a route does influence the total journey time, we do have to be conscious of our responsibilities to use taxpayers’ money wisely and run efficient services within budgetary constraints. While this can be a difficult balance to get right, ensuring a good quality service is delivered for children and young people within reasonable journey times will always be our top priority.

 

Speaking to parents about the issue  it became clear that some were concerned that their children's human rights were not being recognised. IPSEA who offer independent advice to parents with SEND children wrote about the importance of parents being able to challenge local authorities over SEND provision last year. HERE

Tuesday 28 November 2023

Parents & carers give voice to problems over SEND transport that leave them and their children anxious

  • In June 2023 the Government published new School Transport Guidance.
  • In July 2023 Brent Council Cabinet agreed a three year extension of the joint arrangement with Harrow Council for the provision of a shared transport service for children with Special Educations Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The report to Cabinet said the joint scheme had saved the councils £250,000. LINK
  • In September 2023 the Local Government Ombudsman found against Brent Council in a case about problems with school transport encountered by a Brent SEND pupil.
  • Local councils are facing huge deficits and part of that budget crisis is due to excalating numbers of pupils requiring school transport and increased costs of that transport. There is pressure to reduce spending in the area.
  • Brent Council's Special Needs Block is in deficit making it harder for parents to get an Education, Health and Care Plan for their child/ren and the slow process means many schools have to provide addition help without any addtional budget. If an ECHP is eventually granted the budget cannot be back-dated.
  • Due to lack of specialist SEND provision in Brent many children have to travel outside the borough to school.

All these factors formed the background to a recent meeting of Brent Fights Back! attended by parents and carers of SEND pupil users of the shared transport service.  

The Agreement approved by Cabinet includes many performance indicators to be measured. They begin on page 30 LINK and these are the top three:

The Ombusman case was about school transport reliability:

  1. Mrs X complained about the transport provided for her disabled child to get to and from school. She said the transport was often late without any communication or updates and staff on the transport lacked the skills and training to support young people with Special Education Needs. As a result, Mrs X says her child was often late to school and arrived distressed.
  2. Mrs X also complained that the Council failed to complete the actions it committed to in response to her complaint. She had to go to avoidable time and trouble pursuing this.

The Ombudsman found LINK:

  Summary: The Council accepted fault when it investigated Mrs X’s complaint about school transport for her Disabled child. However, the Council’s failure to complete the actions agreed in its complaint response was further fault which caused Mrs X injustice. The Council has agreed to apologise, take the action it agreed to, make a payment to Mrs X and improve its services for the future.

More than a month later it was clear from the meeting with parents and carers that reliability was still an issue. Late collection and late delivery left vulnerable pupils, who are in need of routine, safety and predictability, upset and parents waiting anxiously for the service.

Long routes were blamed along with more pupils (so more drops) per vehicle  and the many roadworks causing traffic delays in the borough.  

One of the main calls was for a tracking app that could let parents know where the vehcile was on its journey.  The service needs to recognise that parents have a duty to ensure their child is safe and an app would help with this. There were complaints about late information about transport arrangements at the start of term.  One parent reported that it had taken two weeks for transport to be arranged for a new school so the child had to stay at home.

In terms of comparable size and scale of the transport services provided by Harrow on behalf of Brent, there are currently 92 in-house operated routes and 223 taxi routes compared to 74 in-house operated routes and 123 taxi routes for transporting clients in Harrow. (Cabinet Report)

In addition to minibuses some children are transported by taxi and there were concerns that frequent changes of escorts meant that children were not travelling with people they knew and who understood their needs. One disturbing example was a child who was made to get out of the road side of a vehicle putting them at risk.

A pick-up arranged for 7.20am could be made at 8.10 or 8.20am, or 6.55am. One child had more than 3 hours of travel a day, picked up at 7.04am and back home at 6.30pm. Another child was only 20 minutes from their school but picked up at 7.45am.

Parents wanted more training for escorts to ensure they understood the needs of the child and importance of safety and also training for when children made the transition to the use of public transport.

A driver said that staff take pride in the buses and try to clean them twice a week but some vehicle are reaching the end of their lives. Some routes are long but drivers have no control over that. Buses do run slightly late but there are real traffic issues and 20mph limits. The minimum number of children has been raised to 10-12 and one driver and one escort is not enough. There should be more transport tailored to individual needs.

The website Special Needs Jungle reminds Local Authorities:

  • They must consider each transport application on its own merits and should not be rigidly sticking to their policies.
  • They have duties under the Equality Act 2010, including the duty not to discriminate on the basis of disability.
  • Children with SEND or who have mobility difficulties may be eligible for transport even if they live within statutory walking distances, and do not have to have an EHCP.  In our experience, it still seems to surprise some LAs that children with SEND living within walking distance of their school are eligible for transport.
  • Provision of transport costs must cover both return journeys unless it is inappropriate, e.g. if the parent works near the school. This demolishes a favourite tactic of some councils, that an agreement is to pay for transport only for those legs of the school journey when the child is actually in the vehicle.
  • Means, including disability benefits, are not to be taken into account.
  • LAs must give as much notice of changes to transport arrangements as possible, given they’re frequently dealing with children who have difficulty with changes in routine. At this time of year, with the new term just started many parents still waiting for confirmation of transport details, so it may be worth reminding LAs of this.
  • LAs must take reasonable steps to meet medical needs (e.g. anaphylactic shock, asthma, seizures) during journeys.
  • Behavioural problems on transport are often the result of SEND, and transport can only be withdrawn as a last resort. LAs will still have to meet their education duties to the child concerned and cannot simply tell parents it’s their responsibility. Many LAs’ polices have in the past included a provision allowing them to withdraw transport due to poor behaviour. 
  • LAs cannot assume parents will provide transport without their consent. It is unlawful to insist without consent to limiting transport provision to, for instance, a travel allowance or mileage for parents. LAs also need parental consent for arrangements for providing escorts, including expecting parents to act in that capacity.
  • The guidance states that LAs may “consider it appropriate” to make arrangements for transport at times other than the beginning and end of the school day for children who cannot attend all day, such as for medical reasons. However, we suggest this is inadequate: there is nothing in the statute limiting the transport duty school hours.
  • Local transport policies must be published on LA websites and in the SEND Local Offer. They should be easy to find, clear, and give information on how to apply for free transport, plus how to appeal.

Brent Council is aiming to reduce the amount of out-of-borough travel by increasing the amount of SEN provision in the borough with a 150 place school in London Road and 16+ provision at the Welsh Harp.The Manor School satellite at Newman Catholic College has been increased to 63 places.  Primary schools with falling pupil numbers are being encouraged to use the space freed up for additional special needs provision.  In July the Cabinet were told that the number of clients transported by Harrow on behalf of Brent was approximately 1,228 SEND children and 119 adults.

Brent Cabinet LINK did not consider going out to procurement for an alternative provider for the £43m over 3 years contract,

The estimated value of the proposed Inter Authoirty Agreement ( IAA) for the initial 3 year term is £43,000,000 and therefore it is classed as a High Value Contract for the purposes of the Council’s Contract Standing Orders. Contract Standing orders require that High Value Contracts are ordinarily procured via a tender process. However, Contract Standing Order 84(a) provides that subject to compliance with procurement legislation, Members may agree an exemption from the requirement to procure in accordance with Contract Standing Orders where there are “good operational and/or financial reasons”.

For the reasons detailed above, it is not considered that there is a breach of procurement legislation as Regulation 12(7) permits the joint collaborative partnership proposed between authorities. Furthermore, Officers consider that there are good operational and financial reasons for entering into the IAA with Harrow as set out in paragraph 3 of this report.

Ominously the report notes:

The significant financial pressures relating to this operation and the demand for the service will be addressed through the separate service transformation review that is underway.

Meanwhile parents are left grappling with a transport service that to many of them doesn't see as fit for purpose in addition to their struggles to get their children an EHCP and a suitabler school placement.

Advice re school transport is available from SENTAS - Special Educational Needs Transport Advocacy Service HERE

At the Brent Fights Back! meeting parents and carers agreed that they needed a collective voice to overcome the isolation of just protesting as individuals and needed to make clear and specific demands over a communication system, more respectful treatment and shorter journeys. 

The first step is supporting a petition going to the Cabinet on Monday December 11th at 10am LINK:

 

 "Special Educational Needs and Disability School transport buses

We the undersigned petition the council to Review the current home to school travel assistance offer for eligible SEND families in Brent and to urgently provide more school buses to reduce the journey times for children on the current routes to and from school."


The ePetion was signed by 123 people, and the deadline has now passed for additional signatures.

Information:

Zaynab Alfadhi is scheduled to speak for 5 minutes regarding the petition.
 

Parent carers and supporters, will attend the Cabinet meeting to support Zaynab and the ongoing campaign to secure safe and appropriate SEND transport for all eligible children and young people in Brent.

If you are available, please attend the meeting.

It is essential to hold Brent Council accountable for their decision-making and future policies on school travel for compulsory-age children. Our collective advocacy for the safety and appropriate support of our children and young people is crucial so that they can fulfil their potential.

The meeting starts at 10 am so everyone needs to arrive and be seated before it starts.

*Meeting attendance
Monday 11th December 2023 at 10.00 am, Cabinet
Venue:   Conference Hall - Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 0FJ*

The meeting can also be viewed online via the below link.

https://brent.public-i.tv/core/portal/home



 



Saturday 17 December 2022

Thousands say ‘No to Tesco Towers’ in Harrow: Read the petition

 The proposed development (image from developers and only shows one tower)  and protesters

 

From No To Tesco Towers Campaign

 

More than 2,000 Harrow residents have signed a petition opposing the development of multiple tower blocks on the Tesco site on Station Road in central Harrow. 

 

 

 

The current Tesco store from Hindes Road (Credit: Google Streetview)

 

Greenmead Place would see 559 new flats across ten blocks up to 15-storeys high, 155 residential parking spaces, a 20% smaller Tesco store and a third less customer parking,

 

The tallest block is 15 storeys, one at 14 storeys, one at 13 storeys, one at twelve storeys, one at 11 storeys, two at seven storeys, one at six storeys and two at five storeys.

 

Local residents and residents associations have joined forces to protest the plans, launching a petition and website, nototescotowers.com. To date, more than 1,800 residents have signed online with hundreds more signing the paper petition.

 

 

Concerns include the scale of the development, a lack of truly affordable housing and the impact on local infrastructure, such as roads, public transport, schools and health services.
 


While housing association Notting Hill Genesis claims 32% will be “affordable housing”, two thirds will be shared ownership - increasingly criticised for its unaffordability -  and only 55 flats (9.8%) will be social housing. The vast majority - 380 flats - will be sold at market prices.    [Q&A on Shared Ownership]

 

At a recent Harrow Council meeting, the developers admitted that reducing the height of the towers would reduce the amount of affordable housing, including social housing.

 

Cllr Marilyn Ashton, responsible for Planning and Development, referred to residents’ anger over the proposal and urged the developers to take on board the meeting’s feedback.

 

One local resident posted on Facebook:

 

I live near the Kodak site. The original plans included a primary school and community centre. The reality is that those vital facilities do not exist on the developed site and the surrounding roads cannot cope with the increased weight of traffic.

 

The roads around the Tesco site were not built for such heavy usage so traffic chaos will be inevitable. There is no justification for this site other than profit for developers. We need affordable social housing. Not luxury flats only a few can afford. The system is very broken.

 

Pamela Fitzpatrick, Director of Harrow Law Centre, a charity providing free legal support, and a former Harrow councillor said: 

 

Housing is one of the biggest problems we see in Harrow. There’s enough housing in Harrow for everyone but it’s all largely unaffordable.

 

Housing associations no longer do what they were set up to do - provide low-cost, secure rented properties - so many people can’t even afford to live in housing association homes. The proposed Tesco site development appears to simply add to the problems and will do little to alleviate the housing crisis.

 

Tesco and Notting Hill Genesis are expected to submit a formal planning application to Harrow Council in early 2023.

 

THE PETITION WORDING  (SIGN HERE)

 

Residents Say No to Tesco Towers and Notting Hill Genesis Development in Harrow

This petition is to object to the proposal by Notting Hill Genesis and Tesco to turn the store on Station Road Harrow into a high-rise development called  Greenmead Place– Notting Hill Genesis ‘Tesco Towers’ including a 15 storey building.

We ask Harrow Council to consider why the community objects:

  • The proposed development is overbearing and will dominate the surrounding homes of mainly two-storey houses and low-rise flats.
  • The development design totally ignores the surrounding community.
  • There are no infrastructure improvements, no additional GP surgeries, capacity at Northwick Park Hospital, improvement to public transport links, roads, water supply or sewage disposal.
  • The increased congestion and pollution from high density housing on one of the busiest roads in Harrow, adds 155 cars to a road where two schools are within a few metres
  • 20% reduction in the Tesco store size and 33% less parking spaces for Tesco customers yet further increasing congestion on the roads and less jobs for residents in a smaller store.
  • NHG says ‘35%’ of the new accommodation will be ‘affordable’ but this includes shared ownership which is anything but affordable with prices in Harrow.

This development does not benefit the community and would be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the area.

We ask Harrow Council to not approve the application of this development.

Monday 29 August 2022

Red Kites over Brent and Harrow. Have you seen them?

 

Red Kite (RSPB)

Red Kites were re-introduced into England in July 1990 in the Chiltern Hills. They had been wiped out by by persecution but the re-introduced birds were breeding by the next year.  They are a wonderful sight over the hills, easily reached by the Metropolitan and Chiltern lines.

However, I have seen them occasionaly in Brent, usually singly and high in the sky and last week asked on Twitter about sightings.

I had many replies with up to 6 seen over Northwick Park, but usually two and others seen in Wembley (by someone on their way to the Coldplay Concert), Sudbury Town, Alperton, South Harrow, Preston Road, Barn Hill, Fryent Country Park and even Wembley High Road.

You will sometimes see them mobbed by crows. Keep your eyes open and Tweet (no joke intended) @WembleyMatters to say where you have seen them.

It would be wonderful if we had our own breeding pairs in North West London.

 

Friday 17 December 2021

Harrow Public Health chief issues warning as Covid rates increase more than 97% when last 7 days are compared with the previous 7

 

UK Health Security Agency Omicron cases in Brent amd Harrow as of December 13th

 


 FROM harrow.gov.uk

The Head of the UK Health Security Agency has called the Omicron variant “probably the most significant threat” since the start of the pandemic.

  • Omicron is serious and spreading fast
  • Vaccination is the best defence  - get your booster jab
  • Hands, Face, Space and Ventilate remain vital
  • Think carefully about Christmas plans

Omicron and Christmas by Carole Furlong, Harrow Director of Public Health

Though we're all very tired of Covid and hoping to see people this Christmas, we must take this new threat very seriously. Omicron is far more transmissible than anything we’ve seen before. 

More than 77,000 new cases were recorded in the UK yesterday, 16th December – the biggest increase in a single day. This record though is set to be broken repeatedly in the coming days and weeks, with the number of Covid cases nationwide currently doubling every couple of days. This level of infection and the potential absences from workplaces could have serious implications for the running of services.

The data for Harrow shows a more than 97% increase in cases when the last 7 days are compared with the previous 7. As Harrow’s Director of Public Health I’m very concerned about this. 

London is once again on the frontline. One of the things that makes the capital more vulnerable is the relatively low levels of vaccination. Across the UK more than 81% of the population have had their first two doses of vaccine. In London that drops to 61%, and in Harrow it’s 64%. 

That leaves a significant proportion of our community less protected and we will continue to encourage people to come forward for their first, second and booster jabs. On our YouTube channel you’ll find a number of videos from local health professionals and members of the public talking about the benefits of Covid vaccination. Most compelling are those that were unsure about vaccination but are now advocates for it. 

Omicron is very new and is still little understood. Early reports that it is less serious than other strains should be treated with caution. These ideas have been drawn from study of Omicron’s area of origin in southern Africa, where the population is much younger.

What we do know is that Omicron is very highly infectious. Vaccination is our most effective tool, but we must use it alongside simple precautions like handwashing, wearing of face coverings and social distancing. 

We all know by now the steps we can take to limit the spread of infection and while we don’t expect that there will be any formal lockdown type restrictions imposed in England before Christmas, I’m appealing to everyone to do all you can to protect yourself and your family and slow the spread of this dangerous new variant. 

Face coverings are now mandatory in most indoor settings and a newly introduced Covid pass, confirming vaccination status or a recent negative test, is now required for entry to large gatherings, such as concerts.

I agree with Dr Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer, who recommends we carefully consider our planned social contact this festive period and prioritise the important occasions, or otherwise risk contracting Covid and being unable to meet those people we care about most. 

The implication of this advice is that a significant proportion of the population is expected to contract Omicron, as it becomes the dominant variant in the UK.

Before you mix with other people, get a negative lateral flow test and encourage others to do the same. If you’re indoors, think about ventilation. Most Covid transmission occurs through the air. Keeping the air circulating is an effective way to reduce potential build up of virus and limit its opportunities to spread.

Vaccination 

Our best defence against Omicron is vaccination. Vaccines both protect the person receiving them – they are less likely to be seriously ill if they contract the virus – but also reduces the risk of them passing it on to others. Omicron’s remarkable transmissibility pits us in a race against time – vaccinating on a huge scale at the same time as Omicron is moving through the population at such worrying speed. 

Eligibility for booster jabs has now been extended to include anyone aged 18 and over. 
We've been working closely with the NHS to help meet the huge demand for jabs that has been created. Together we're opening a number of vaccination clinics offering booster jabs and, for those that still need them, first and second doses.

If you had your second jab at least three months ago, you can book your booster now. Appointments are being added all the time to the national booking system. 

Walk in appointments are available over the weekend and Monday at Civic 5, the building to the right of the main Civic Centre. We’re ramping up capacity in this clinic, which can also be booked through the national system, and hope it will soon operate 7 days a week.

If you’re coming to this clinic without a booked appointment, please arrive between 9am and 6pm, be prepared for a long wait outdoors and plan accordingly. Walk in appointments are also available at some local pharmacies. See further information about these and other vaccine centres across North West London. There are also special pop-up sessions at Chelsea FC on Saturday and Wembley stadium on Sunday.

Testing – without symptoms

Please use lateral flow tests regularly and before mixing with others. Many people can have Covid and not show any symptoms and even though they feel fine, are still able to infect others. Testing regularly helps to find these hidden cases and break the chain of infection.

If you are a contact of someone with Covid-19, the NHS Test and Trace Team will inform you, and decide if you need to isolate. This decision will depend on several factors but critically you do not need to isolate if you are fully vaccinated, instead you will be asked to undertake daily lateral flow tests. Please note if you are told to isolate it is a legal requirement.

After some disruption, the online ordering of test kits is working again. We understand some local pharmacies are running low on stock. 16 pharmacies in Harrow offer assisted testing, where your test is processed for you onsite, and this service is still working well.

Testing – with symptoms

If you have symptoms of Covid – a fever, continuous cough or a change in your sense of taste or smell – you must stay at home and not have visitors and get a PCR test as soon as possible. 

Self-isolation is the most effective way of limiting your contact with others and minimising Covid’s opportunities to infect more people. We’ve been working with the NHS to help increase the number of PCR tests that can be offered in Harrow. The mobile testing unit outside the Civic Centre is now open 7 days a week and will operate throughout the Christmas break.
 

Friday 15 October 2021

Harrow and Barnet Council face up to the flood challenge - will Brent follow?

 

 

Wembley Matters has recently been focusing on the potential impact of severe weather events on potential flooding in the north LINK and south LINK of the borough so it is welcome to hear that neighbouring boroughs Harrow and Barnet are taking action on the Silk Stream catchment that feeds into the Welsh Harp.  Without mitigation torrential rainfall carried by the Silk Stream could have a major impact on the Welsh Harp and lead to the opening of sluices at the dam with the excess water flowing down the River Brent.

 

This is Thames21 account of the project and consultation:

A major six-year partnership project will work with nature to reduce the risk of flooding in the Silk Stream catchment and wider River Brent.

 

The Silk Stream Flood and Resilience Innovation (SSFRI)  is a partnership project, led by Harrow and Barnet Councils with involvement from Thames21, Thames Water, Environment Agency, Greater London Authority, Canal and River Trust, Brent Catchment Partnership, Friends of the Silk Stream Resident Group, Silk Stream Flood Action Group and others. The project is funded by the government’s Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation initiative and is one of 25 related schemes across England.

 

The project will explore opportunities to build new wetlands, restore stretches of river and create new areas of natural drainage to increase flood resilience as well as create a host of other benefits, including improved water quality, beautiful public spaces that will boost health and wellbeing and much needed habitat for wildlife.

 

We need your help!

 

Please fill in our online survey to share your knowledge of the catchment and your ideas about how the project should develop.

 

To be successful we need the knowledge and insight of local people. Throughout the project there will be multiple opportunities for local people to help shape project proposals. We’ll also be creating opportunities to learn more about rivers and the wildlife they support and to get actively involved in improving rivers and building flood resilience. To find out more about our plans and how you can get involved and influence what we do, use the link below to add yourself to the project mailing list.

 

Join the SSFRI mailing list.

 

The Silk Stream Catchment

 

The Silk Stream is a major tributary of the River Brent, rising on the Harrow Weald and Barnet Plateau and joining the Brent at the Welsh Harp Reservoir. It has several tributaries including Burnt Oak Brook and Edgware Brook. The Silk Stream is an important resource for wildlife and, along with Burnt Oak Brook, is designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. Welsh Harp Reservoir where the Silk Stream meets the Brent is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the diversity of breeding water birds that it supports.

 

Flooding is a serious concern in the catchment and it’s estimated that over 1000 properties are at risk. As the catchment has become increasingly urbanised with natural vegetation replaced by hard surfaces, water is less able to soak into the ground and during intense rainfall events water levels can rise rapidly, causing flooding.

 

Pollution is another problem that affects the Silk Stream, coming from a variety of sources including plumbing misconnections and connectivity between the surface water and foul sewers. During high rainfall events the sewers reach capacity and these problems are intensified.

How will the project help?

Traditional approaches to managing flood risk have focused on concrete flood defences but there is a growing movement towards natural flood management (NFM) which works with nature to slow the flow of water entering rivers, create natural flood storage and reconnect rivers to their flood plains.

The project will see the creation of new wetlands in several parks in the Silk Stream catchment which will help build flood resilience, improve water quality, boost biodiversity and provide valuable blue/green spaces for people to enjoy.

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) such as rain gardens will be created in the urban streetscape to help remove pollutants from road run-off and slow the flow of water entering the surface water sewer system.

The project will also enlist the help of Thames Water, using innovative ‘thermosensors’ to discover where surface water is entering the foul network as part of efforts to address sewer flooding and the serious issues pollution that affect the catchment.

By using a variety of solutions and looking at the catchment as a whole the project will create tangible environmental benefits and allow for learning that can help replicate these benefits across the broader Brent Catchment and beyond.

Get involved

Contact us at silkstream@thames21.org.uk if you have any questions to find out how you can get involved.