Powney calls for councillors to give themselves time to discuss Scrutiny proposals - and not accept a fait accompli

It is good to see James Powney LINK responding to the 'clarification' of Scrutiny proposals which I published from a source very close to Brent Labour earlier LINK

Like me he can see no reference to this detail in the Officer's Report going before Full Council tomorrow and remarks:

If Martin's source is knowledgeable, I wonder whether these are last minute changes to mitigate the apparent intention of removing the operations of the Council from effective scrutiny.  It all seems a very hole-in-the-corner way of doing things.

He says that the requirement that questions to Cabinet members at Full Council be submitted in advance, and without follow-up questions allowed,  will mean that officers will write the answers and they will be read out by the lead members'

He goes on:

All this strikes me as a far cry from how things should be done.  I have suggested that there are three objectives Scrutiny should aim at.  The Welsh National Audit Office has recently gone through a more elaborate analysis.  What the balance between is is an area where I can imagine lots of different points of view, but it is essentially a matter for political value judgements, not simply a technical issue.  Therefore, it should be the subject of a proper debate and decision by councillors, not simply presented to them as a fait accompli within a fortnight of election.

The elected members of the Council should give themselves time to discuss how they want Scrutiny to function, and what they decide should be laid out clearly, not anonymously communicated to Martin Francis. 

I agree completely that a proper report, detailing the proposals and setting out how lay committee members would be recruited is essential for proper consideration of the Scrutiny proposals. Far reaching Scrutiny proposals approved without proper scrutiny would open the Council up to ridicule.

I hope backbench Labour  councillors and the opposition take note and speak up tomorrow.

If you need any persuasion of the confusing aspects of the Scrutiny changes and perhaps evidence of the haste in which they have been prepared see the Supplementary Agenda LINK. Particularly important noteworthy are pages 30 and 48.

If you wish to attend the Full Council on Wednesday as a member of the public you are advised to let Anne Reid of Democratic Services know, as the number of seats is limited:  anne.reid@brent.gov.uk

Powney blasts scrutiny proposals

Former Brent Labour councillor James Powney yesterday blasted the Scrutiny proposals going before the Full Council meeting on Wednesday.  LINK
He describes the proposals as 'ill-advised' and put forward without any disccussion in the Labour Party or meaningful discussion in the Labour Group:

Given the whole point of scrutiny is to make sure that the spending of public money is transparent and above board, the secrecy with which these changes are being treated is particularly ironic. 

He goes on:

...Indeed it might have been specifically designed to do away with meaningful scrutiny altogether. At a time when barriers to corruption in local government are being systematically dismantled, and lower resources put a premium on good quality decision making, this is exactly the opposite of what should be done.

This is strong stuff and for once James Powney and I are in agreement.

More democracy 'wherever practicable' suggests new Labour councillor

As the Labour Group meets this morning there are signs of some disquiet over the changes in Scrutiny. However, concentrating minds even more in the context of concentrating power, is the proposed amendment to Labour Party Standing Orders which would abolish annual elections. This would leave Muhammed Butt in the leadership position until the next local election,

In a Twitter exchange with former councillor James Powney, newly elected councillor Tom Miller asks, "What stake for backbenchers, one might ask?'

Powney replied that it was open to the Labour Group to defer the decision.

Tom Miller responded, 'One for closed doors I am sure, but I know which way I fall on democracy issues - more of it whenever practicable...'

Let's hope the rest of the Labout Group agree with Cllr Miller today - not just on annual elections but Scrutiny. Perhaps he might even suggest that abolition of the whip would go some way to provide more democracy 'whenever practicable'.

The Queensbury Pub planning commitee voting record

Readers have asked for details of the Planning Committee vote which saves the Queensbury Pub in Willesden Green from development for the time being. I am grateful to the Kilburn Times for this list:

Voted for the plans: Cllr Ann John (Stonebridge) and Sandra Kabir (Queensbury).

Against: Cllr Abdi Aden (Barnhill), Michael Adeyeye (Queens Park), Mark Cummins (Brondesbury Park), Sami Hashmi (Mapesbury), Dhiraj Kataria (Welsh Harp) and James Powney (Kensal Green).
Abstained: Cllr Ketan Sheth (Tokyngton).

Cllr Powney has written a comment about his vote against the plans on his blog LINK which mentions his participation in many planning decisions regarding the Mapebury Conservation Area. The selection of a new Labour candidate for Mapesbury Ward is taking place after the withdrawal of one of the three candidates for personal reasons. Cllr Powney was not reselected for his present Kensal Green seat.

Powney floats Brent council tax rise to address poverty

Cllr James Powney, an ex-member of the Brent Executive has had little reaction to a blog he wrote last month on the possibility of raising Council Tax to set up a Poverty Fund to protect the poorest Brent residents.LINK

Last month the possibility of a  a referendum on raising Council Tax was aired by Cllr Muhammed Butt at the Willesden Connects Forum who said that there was a rigorous debate about the issue in the Labour group. However the debate was quickly snuffed out by a tweet from Butt which said that Brent Council had no plans to increase Council Tax in as they had to protect residents' living standards.

Council Tax is frozen for 2014-15 but perhaps James Powney's idea will be considered for 2015-16 if Labour are returned to power at the local election in May.

This is what Cllr Powney wrote:

My own view is that we have to have a Poverty Fund in the way other Councils are doing.  It looks like Crisis Payments are being abolished by the Tory Government.  I think it sensible to try to pool various grants in one scheme to protect the poorest.  While that could make use of the residue of the crisis payment scheme, it would need some ongoing funding

I envisage such a source of funding being a rise in Council Tax.  Granted some people regard this as automatically beyond the Pale, but Brent has not had a Council Tax rise since 2010.

Whereas the previous Liberal Democrat administration promised to freeze the Council tax and in fact raised it. I don't think that had anything to do with their election defeat.  They were just unpopular for more general reasons.

I think a lot of ordinary voters would be quite sympathetic to a fund targeted to people in real need.

Paul Lorber cleared of Code breach over Barham Library by Independent Investigator

Paul Lorber, right kneeling, outside the Barham Library building

Following a complaint by Cllr Powney that Cllr Paul Lorber (Liberal Democrat leader) breached the Council's Code of Conduct for Members an Independent Investigator has made the recommended  finding that he did not breach the Code.

Cllr Powney was the architect of the Library Transformation Project that closed six of Brent's 12 libraries, including Barham Library.

Councillor Powney alleged that during an email exchange with Mr Duncan Smith, Artistic Director of the Association for Cultural Advancement through Visual Arts ACAVA), in September 2013, about the organisation's proposed tenure of the library building, Councillor Lorber:

• adopted a tone that was both offensive and intimidating
• disclosed confidential information in relation to ACAVA's proposed tenancy
•  improperly used his position as a councillor to confer or attempt to confer an advantage to the Friends of Barham Library, a charity on whih Cllr Lorber acted as trustee.

The full report by Alex Oran, Independent Investigator, will be considered by the Committee on Thursday January 9th and can reject the recommendation although Fiona Ledden recommends that the Committee accepts it. The full report is HERE

Although the discussion could turn into a political Punch and Judy Show this thoughtful report merits a calm discussion on the role of councillors, their community involvements and what constitutes 'robust' communication.

This was recognised by the Independent Person, Sola Afuape who accepted the recommendation but according to Fiona Ledden:

...did however consider that there are a number of issues that give rise to questions and concerns coming out of the report, which she considered would be helpful to explore in discussions at the Standards Committee. The issue around conflict of interests, given the different roles a councillor may have in the community, should be considered. It may be helpful for clear written advice to assist members and enable the committee to promote integrity and probity as well as transparency. Brent has a very diverse community which could lead to councillors being in positions where conflicts arise, from competing community groups, hence clear published guidance would assist members in making sure proper declarations are made.

I have extracted the following from the report to give a flavour of the issues considered by Alex Oram:

In considering whether this amounts to a breach of the Code I consider it important that members should be able to express themselves in a robust manner that allows them to be passionate. While Councillor Lorber’s comments and questions were direct and forceful, none were in my view offensive or demeaning.

In my experience organisations whose work involves either the receipt of public money or their entering into contracts with a local authority should be prepared for tough questioning. Mr Smith was clearly not used to being challenged in the way that he was in this instance. While I acknowledge Mr Smith’s right to respond in the manner that he did, at no stage in the correspondence did Councillor Lorber cross the line from robust questioning into personal abuse or anything resembling the defamation he was accused of. Nor did the overall context of the exchange – email communications between Councillor Lorber, Mr Duncan, the ACAVA trustees and then the entire Council - render Mr Duncan at a disadvantage in any way as would be the case had Councillor Lorber attacked him or his charity in the Council chamber.

I consider that Councillor Lorber’s comments were political or quasi-political in nature and benefit from a high level of protection under the Human Rights legislation. With this in mind my view is that the bar Councillor Lorber would have to cross, in terms of disrespectful behaviour, to breach the code is set high. While I am of the view that some of Councillor Lorber’s comments were ill judged and unwise, it is my view that Councillor Lorber’s comments were not so serious as to amount to a failure to comply with paragraph 3(1) of the Code and that any such finding would be a disproportionate restriction on Councillor Lorber’s right to freedom of expression

The Localism Act makes it clear that it is proper for councillors to play an active part in local discussions and that people can elect their councillor confident in the knowledge that they will be able to act on the issues they care about and have campaigned on. In many cases councillors themselves will have a long track record of community activism before they were elected – their inspiration to serve their local communities will often have its roots in community work. The Act encourages councillors to reshape their role away from bureaucratically-driven, paper-heavy  meetings and processes, to much more creative roles leading and energising their local communities and encouraging self-organised  groups to be ambitious.

In trying to advantage the Friends of Barham Library Councillor Lorber was attempting to further a goal which he believed would bring a clear benefit to the community he represents. Councillor Lorber has maybe taken a more proactive role than many councillors might have under similar circumstances. However I have found no evidence that Councillor Lorber’s financial interests or those of his family or associates would be affected in any way by the outcome of any part of his correspondence with Mr Smith. In this regard I note that the Friends of Barham Library is answerable to the Charity Commission for its activities as a registered charity and that it is a Company guaranteed without share.

In my view, the threshold for a failure to comply with paragraph 5 of the Code in the case of expressions of view has to be set at a level that allows for the passion and fervour that often accompanies political debate or exchanges relating to decisions made by the Council. This is entirely consistent with the objective of maintaining proper standards in public life. In my view at no time did Councillor Lorber conduct himself in a manner that one might view as reducing the public’s confidence in him to able to fulfil his role; or adversely affecting the reputation of members generally.

Reprise: The Battles of Kensal Rise and Preston Libraries

I thought that after today's news it was worth playing these videos again. Respect to the Kensal Rise and Preston campaigners and those from Barham and other libraries.

Brent Labour's 'Spring Clean' continues as Ann John deselected and Powney not short-listed

The Preston Library 'Wall of Shame' demonstrates residents' anger

 It's a bit like one of those property programmes on TV when an 'expert' moves in to help sell a house that hasn't attracted any buyers and proceeds to move out all the old furniture and give it a lick of paint and other cosmetic touches..

This is what Brent Labour appear to be doing, with first the new look Executive replacing some of the tired veterans, and now Ann John has been deselected making way for a new face.  John's demise will appear to many as the result of library closures coming home to roost. James Powney failed to make the short-list for his own Kensal Green ward but could apply for another ward.

Mindful of Harold Wilson's dictum that 'a week is a long time in politics' Labour will be hoping that the electorate will be impressed by their spruced up property when it goes on the market in May 2014.

Certainly the new lead member for Environment and Neighbourhoods, Cllr Roxanne Mashari, will have to do far more than apply cosmetics if she is to deal with the toxic issue of library closures with the campaigns still up and running and the umbrella SOS Brent Libraries group due to meet at the weekend.

Mary Arnold to step down as a councillor in 2014

Following the changes in the Brent Executive it was likely that some of those who have been replaced would review their wider role as councillors. Having done a good stint in her Executive role and recognising that the election results represent a generational change, Cllr Mary Arnold, former lead member for children and families, has decided not to put herself forward as a 2014 candidate for the Kilburn ward.

Before the AGM sources said that James Powney was considering standing for Harlesden ward, where Helga Gladbaum is not standing again, rather than his present Kensal Green seat where he has been increasingly uncomfortable.

Powney, in the wake of the libraries issue, did badly in the election according to a senior councillor. Overall the results were convincing for the challengers who achieved votes in the high 20s out of the electorate of 41.

New look for Brent Council Executive after AGM

Muhammed Butt was elected leader of the Labour Group on Brent Council unopposed today at the AGM. Contenders for the various contested positions were all elected changing the age profile and ethnic composition of the Executive to younger and more diverse.
 

Cllr Powney was defeated by Roxanne Mashari for Environment and Neighbourhoods;  Lesley Jones by James Denselow for Customers and Citizens; Janice Long by Margaret McLennan for Housing and Mary Arnold by Michael Pavey for Children and Families.

Aslam Choudry took the Crime and Public Safety post defeating Wilhelmina Mitchell-Murray for the position vacated by Lincoln Beswick.

The first meeting of the new Executive will be on Monday May 20th 7pm Brent Town Hall.  The agenda can be found HERE

Margaret McLennan - Housing

Roxanne Mashari - Environment

James Denselow - Customers

Michael Pavey - Children

Aslam Choudry-Crime

Veolia question banned at Wembley Connects on grounds that it may 'offend'

A question regarding the Brent Public Realm contract and Veolia was cut short by the Chair, Cllr Wilhemena Mitchell-Murray at the Wembley Connects forum this week.

Michael Calderbank got only about 20 seconds into his question for Cllr James Powney when Mitchell-Murray cut him off. saying that some people had found the Bin Veolia leaflet distributed earlier 'offensive' and she wasn't prepared to let people be offended. To be fair Cllr Powney himself seemed willing to answer the question.

The leaflet raised the issue of Veolia's conduct in the occupied territories of Palestine where its operations are claimed to be complicit in supporting illegal settlements.

In contrast, after initial opposition, people were heard at the Kilburn Connects event last night where Cllr James Denselow was more sympathetic.

Labour 'Young Turks' may challenge for Brent Executive positions

The challengers are probably too young to remember this!

The Brent Executive may have a more youthful profile following Labour's Annual General Meeting in May. AGMs of any organisation are an occasion for elected positions to be open to challenge and part of that process is for members to assess the performance of the incumbents and consider alternatives.

According to my sources among the incumbents under particular scrutiny this time round are Cllr Lesley Jones, Cllr Mary Arnold and Cllr James Powney. 'Alternatives' that have been mentioned include the very able Cllr James Denselow who has a background in journalism; Cllr Michael Pavey, energetic Barnhill by-election winner, who is  a school governor and has launched a high profile campaign to safeguard Children's Centres; and Cllr Roxanne Mashari who yesterday announced she was not standing for the Brent Central parliamentary selection. Presumably experience as a member of the Brent Executive would stand her in good stead in any future parliamentary bid. I have heard that Cllr Lincoln Beswick is not expected to carry on but Jim Moher, contrary to weekend reports, is to stand again.

Meanwhile Cllr Butt himself has contributed a new blog on the Council website which calls on residents to campaign on cuts to the fire service and on the A&E closures. This adopts a slightly harder line than previously.  LINK

Following my posting yesterday on the front runners for the Brent Central selection I have had somewhat conflicting information. There has been a suggestion that Cllr Ann John has joined James Powney in backing Catherine West but others claim that West is seeking nomination in another constituency.

Apparently there has been some disquiet that members of the short-listing panel, who it is claimed should remain neutral, have been involved in backing particular candidates. Meanwhile I have let all the  prospective candidates I am aware of  that in the interests of an informed public I am happy to carry their Guest Blogs on this site.

James Powney: Catherine West 'very inspiring'

Catherine West

As the contest for Labour's nomination for Brent Central heats up Cllr James Powney posted this about one of the possible candidates on his blog yesterday.LINK  He didn't mention the Brent Central contest but Catherine West seems to have gained a fan.

I went to hear the very inspiring Catherine West, Leader of Islington Council, speak last night at a meeting in Kensal Green.  Although Islington is very different to Brent (for instance, in the amount of social housing), I am sure we could learn much from both their policies and campaign techniques.

West was recently awarded 'Council Leader of the Year' by the Local Government Information Unit and praised as a 'doer and thinker'.

Jeremy Corbyn MP (Islington North)  congratulated her:

Congratulations Catherine on your prorities of social justice and making our borough a better place. Well deserved award for your wonderfully inclusive approach to dealing with all the issues that face us!

Bin Veolia in Brent boosted by Labour motion calling for Veolia's exclusion

The Bin Veolia in Brent Campaign received a boost last week when a motion critical of Veolia was passed at the Brent Central  General Committee of the Labour Party.  The Campaign calls for Veolia to be excluded from the current multi-million Brent Public Real Contract because of its complicity in the breaking of international law in the occupied territories of Palestine.

The motion was proposed Sabina Khan of the Dudden Hill branch of the Labour Party.  Those present were generally aware of the issues involved and there were several other speeches in favour.

There was a further suggestion that the issue be raised with Cllr James Powney (Kensal Green) who is the lead member for environment and neighbourhoods.

The full text of the motion and a downloadable petition can be found HERE

Isolated Powney lashes out at 'Loony Left' Fightback

Sujata Aurora writes:

Last Thursday I spoke on behalf of Brent Fightback at Kensal Green Labour ward meeting. There were 11 or 12 people there, including all 3 ward councillors, and the response was very positive. This was not an anti Labour rant but I presented a few issues where I thought the council was lacking and Labour members could be exerting pressure.

These were namely  1) the closure of Central Middlesex A&E where I said that Labour should take a strong stand within the Health Committee and refer the decision up to the Secretary of State, and 2) the response to housing/benefit changes where I said the council should look at reclassifying homes to avoid the bedroom tax (as Knowsley Housing Authority has) and also adopt a policy of no evictions in the way that Dundee council has. (I did also mention a needs budget but its didn't get taken up in the discussion afterwards).

People were very receptive and interested to hear that there was far more that the council could be doing to fight the cuts. Many of them had not considered or even heard about some of the possibilities such as reclassification of homes.

Throughout the meeting I emphasised that that Brent Fightback saw its role within the broad Labour movement and wanted a dialogue with Labour members and councillors about how best to resist cuts.

Despite not raising a word of disagreement at the time, Councillor James Powney is now attacking Brent Fightback on his blog as the "loony left alternative" whose "main activity consists of attacking people in the Labour Party". This strikes me as more than a little dishonest and perhaps an indication of how isolated he is from ordinary members within his own party.

Join in the discussion HERE

James Powney roasted in Kilburn Library

While his colleague Muhammed Butt was being grilled at Brent Town Hall James Powney faced a roasting at Kilburn Library. LINK

The occasion was the launch of veteran feminist and anti-racist Selma James' new publication, Sex, Race and Class: The perspective of winning. Cllr Powney was adopting a low profile in the audience. He might have been warned of what was to come if he had read Brent Council's press release on the event which included this quote from Selma James:

 I’m pleased to be talking with my community in our library and to support libraries as centres of learning and culture in every community. We need the libraries for our ongoing education to which we are all entitled.

When Selma started by stressing the importance of libraries and condemned Brent Council's closures of half the borough's libraries a member of the audience stood up and pointing to James Powney  said, 'We have the architect of the library closures in the audience here, Councillor James Powney, I hope he will listen and take note of some of the anger and outrage that residents feel about these library closures.'

The audience rose up up against the slight figure and angrily denounced Brent Council, library closures and capitulation to the cuts. Powney sarcastically said, 'Yes I am the evil architect of these library closures. I am going to defend myself' and gesturing to the refurbished library,  boasted of IT resources, new books and increased borrowing.

Needless to say the audience was not convinced.

Progress on Green Charter but much more needs to be done

Heat loss = money wasted=global warming

 The Green Charter Monitoring Report  LINK that goes before the Brent Executive on Monday reports good progress but admits 'There is, however room for improvement over the next year'. Cllr James Powney, lead member for the Environment on a recent posting on his blog says that 'it is important that as a major employer in Brent we (Brent Council)  show the way if we are to have any credibility in getting others to follow'. LINK.

Although a lot of work has gone into energy savings in Brent buildings and Report emphasises the Civic Centre's green credential, I think the council could have done far more in terms of the existing  housing stock.  They seem to have  gained little from the funds available through the Community Energy Saving Programme aimed at areas of deprivation which ended in December 2012 or the Green Deal.  A successful bid was made to the 'Warm Homes for Healthy People Fund' which gained £150,000 to reduce fuel poverty which can be used to provide advice and pay for new boilers, insulated and other energy saving equipment.

In Brent during 2011-12 the report states:

• 54 homes with single glazed windows received new double glaxed windows
• 45 homes benefitted from additional loft or flat roof insulation
• 116 homes had cavity wall insulation installed
• 232 homes were fitted with a new, efficient condensing buildings

Although welcome these figures seem small beer compared with the number of houses and flats in the borough. By contrast this has just been issued by Energise Barnet as social enterprise in the London Borough of Barnet:

LONDON UK. 27 November 2012. Energise Barnet CIC, a social enterprise, has submitted a plan to Barnet Council to create £200 million of social, economic and environmental benefit through the installation of energy saving measures and renewables in 40,000 homes and buildings.

Under the plan, the CIC proposes that it provides the operational hub, generating leads for Green Deal Providers and other delivery partners through it's referral network of community organisations, businesses and tradespeople.

Nigel Farren, local resident and the CIC's founder, said "most of the 140,000 homes and buildings in Barnet are uninsulated and hardly anyone generates their own energy. As a result, owners and tenants spend more on gas and electricity than they need do. Barnet also has the highest carbon emissions of any London borough, some of the UK's highest energy consumption areas and there could be 50,000 residents in fuel poverty with associated health problems that adversely impact NHS costs."

He continued: "Through the Big Society Innovation Bank, the Council asked us to develop an effective approach to solve these issues and draw up a plan for delivery of the Green Deal which will enable people to improve their homes with no upfront cost and save money in the process.

Our plan will help the Council and delivery partners minimise cost and risk. It is the first of it's kind drawn up by a social enterprise and by asking us to draw up the plan, the Council has demonstrated that it wants to encourage local leadership in delivering community services in accordance with it's (sic) motto of "Putting the Community First".

 Brent Council needs to work with the Brent Housing Partnership and local housing associations to maximise their take up of the available grant schemes as well as pressurise private landlords to take action to insulate their properties. Muhammed Butt's intention to find ways of reducing fuel bills by a community procurement is obviously worthwhile but it needs to be accompanied by a large scale and systematic programme of retrofitting housing stock with double glazing and insulation.  Otherwise money will still be disappearing through roofs, thin walls and draughty windows.

Solar panels on the Brentfield Estate

Solar panels as a way of reducing fuel bills alongside such measures should also be considered and BHP has a model available in their work on the Brentfield Estate LINK

The Report covers the work on ensuring that new developments are sustainable and work that is being done in schools to reduce energy costs but I would like to see more on using the vast expanses of school roofs for solar panels for micro-generation. The extension of recycling to cover plastics and collection from flats is welcome but more needs to be done on persuading  commercial premises and industry to play their part. I have seen for myself the positive impact on children of cycling projects in schools.

Some of the entries on the RAG report raise a wry smile. The Coucil has handed out 100 free bags to encourage owners to scoop their dogs' poop and has given award packs to 4 owners who were seen cleaning up their dog's mess! 'Presence detectors' for the Civic Centre urinals sound like they could be fun...

Getting the message about Climate Change across to residents is clearly a challenge and there is mich scepticism to overcome. The Climate Change Pledge ( I confess I couldn't remember if I had signed, so I did again whilst writing this) has been signed by only 400 residents and 50 businesses. Minuscule compared with the population of the borough. The Pledge can be signed online HERE

Brent Council, Brent Campaign Against Climate Change and the College of North West London are jointly holding a Brent Students Conference on Climate Change on March 20th and there is an accompaying Competition for young people aged 11-12. Details HERE

One of the areas the Conference will look at is career opportunities in the green economy.  Given the massive regeneration project around Wembley Stadium I do feel that the Council could look forward both in terms of its climate  employment strategies, and consider setting up a Green Enterprise Zone in the area, backed up by training opportunities at the CNWL.
 





 

Times will be getting harder in Brent in 2013

There was a flurry in the press over the holiday about local government cuts.  David Blunkett in the Guardian  LINK argued that the cuts were horrendous, an attack on local democracy and would reduce councils to providing only the statutory minimum of services but went on to state that ' the message of "austerity" has successfully debilitated the will to take on central government' and cited the failure of the 1980s fightback.

Ted Knight, late of Lambeth Council,  disagreed in his comment piece: LINK

In the 1980s, Labour councils like my own did organise a fightback. A price was paid, councillors were surcharged and forced from office. But resistance, far from being futile, mobilised communities. We won additional funds so that budgets could be set without cuts. Labour councillors today have the same choice – they can either lead a struggle against a vicious government or stand aside for those who will.

In Brent Cllr James Powney stated on his blog LINK 

This year's (Brent) budget, has fairly limited cuts but the failure of George Osborne's economic policy and the Conservative Party's hatred of local government mean that we will face massive fiscal pressures for years to come.

Brent Council is likely to respond to these by having a much tighter economic focus on everything we do.  This means that Council services will need to demonstrate a much more direct effect on economic well being than hitherto.  Local government has never had a challenge like it.

Meanwhile leaders of  Newcastle, Liverpool and Sheffield City Councils warned of potential civil unrest LINK

 The unfairness of the government's cuts is in danger of creating a deeply divided nation. We urge them to stop what they are doing now and listen to our warnings before the forces of social unrest start to smoulder.

There are seeds here of a possible fightback but there are clear divisions between those who will manage the cuts while complaining about the damage that they will do and those who want a proactive campaign against them.  The Labour Party nationally is very much in the former camp but the left of Labour, Gren L:weft, other left groups, the labour movement and the Coalition of Resistance are in the latter.

In Brent the Labour Group on the council are under pressure from the Labour left and the LRC but so far are managing the cuts in line with Powney's position. Unfortunately a leadership challenge to Muihammed Butt's leadership from the Ann John faction at the May annual meeting seems more likely than a successful challenge from the left. By that time the budget will have been adopted and any subsequent room for manoeuvre by a new administration will be extremely limited.

Although Cllr Powney intimates that the Brent budget will have 'fairly limited cuts' (we residents of course have been given no details and appear to have no say in the planned budget) the changes in housing benefit, council tax support and the postponed benefit cap, will also be hitting the least well-off.  It is yet to be confirmed whether Brent Council will be implementing a Council Tax increase and whether they will use their reserves to limit the cuts.

A 'Green' white elephant is still a white elephant

Tours to show off the New Civic Centre's green credentials ere held on Saturday

Cllr Powney accuses Brent Greens of being against any new building. Strangely something that Gareth Daniel accused me of last year when I had criticised the Civic Centre project. Nonsense of course.

When I was a headteacher we had a wonderful new green children's nursery built at Park Lane Primary with a green roof, underfloor heating etc LINK and it replaced a wooden hut that was falling down. The nursery was necessary  as the then Labour Council eventually agreed after a campaign by parents, governors, teachers and children. In contrast Brent council tax payers were never consulted about a new civic centre.

Park Lane nursery, recently demolished to make way for school expansion

From the inside

 The issue with the Civic Centre as far as I am concerned is whether a building of such grandiose design, on a prime site (that nonetheless will make it inaccessible on event days and evenings),  is necessary, or desirable, in an era of austerity and a shrinking council labour force. How 'green' it may be is not the main issue but all the same the carbon cost of mining materials and transporting them should be part of the balance sheet and the alternative of refurbishing an existing building (say Unisys House) should have been considered.

It is with us now and we will see if it is still a great idea in 25 year's time when it will have repaid the £102,000,000 spent on it. I'll have to stay alive that long just to have the pleasure of telling Cllr Powney 'I told you so!'.

Powney opposes Harlesden waste plant

Cllr James Powney has blogged his opposition to the Harlesden Waste Plant LINK on grounds very similar to those submitted by Brent planning officers to Ealing Council:

Having gone into more detail on the proposed waste plant to the south of Harlesden, I have now written to Ealing Planners objecting to the plans.  The objections that I consider valid on planning grounds are:

1) the proposal ignores zoning of waste activities outlined in the West London Waste Plan
2) the proposal claims reduced vehicle movements, but this is very implausible, and Harlesden Town Centre suffers from this to an extreme in any case
3) there are significant odour pollution issues that are not clearly deat with
4) there are also noise pollution issues yet to be addressed
5) air quality is likely to suffer.

I encourage all other  Kensal Green and Harlesden residents to object.  The Ealing officer responsible is Peter Lee at leeP@ealing.gov.uk.