Save the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre closure petition presented - a further Council response awaited

 

From Brent Coucil's promotional video about the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre

I made the presentation below to Brent Full Council this evening. Cllr Grahl, lead member for schools was not present but promised to respond later to my points. Cllr Krupa Sheth, lead member for the Environment did not respond at all and it was left to Cllr Benea in charge of the capital project, a new build for a 16+SEND building, to answer the petition. 

However, the petition was not about the building, except that it should accommodate the Welsh Harp Environmental Centre's activities, and  she could not answer on the climate change, education or partnership questions.  Cllr Mary Mitchell made an intervention that was positive about the work of the Centre and its essential nature at a time of a climate and Ecological emergency. Cllr Lorber drew attention to my main point about the need for primary provision as well as 16+SEND in the new building and suggested the use of Neighbourhood CIL.

THE PRESENTATION 

This is what I said:

I am Martin Francis, ex-teacher, headteacher and LEA school governor. Petition supported by Brent Parks Forum and Brent Friends of the Earth. Despite operating during the school holiday the petition has 487 signatures.

 

People on my allotment have noticed a silence. This is the lack of excited chatter as crocodiles of primary children visiting the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre pass nearby.

 

We miss them, and surely the children will miss their visits.

 

The Centre has closed since Thames21 withdrew funding at the end of the Summer Term.

 

David Attenborough famously asked how it would be possible to motivate our children to fight to save nature, if they had never experienced it at first hand. It is not just a matter of scientific knowledge but of the experiential awe and wonder involved.

 

This generation of children will face the daunting task of tackling the climate and ecological emergency. The Centre had an important role in enabling our children to do just that and worked with up to 300 pupils a week. The vast majority of our primary schools do not have the grounds to match the experience offered by the woodlands and ponds of the Centre.

 

The Brent Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy 2021-2030 recognised the importance of the Centre and said:  

 

QUOTE  ‘The council has secured funding to improve the Educational Centre on the site, to bring residents, schools and communities closer to nature and to help improve biodiversity’

 

Brent Cabinet May 22^nd  2023 agreed post -16 SEND Provision in a new building on the site saying:

 

QUOTE:  The proposal would enable the Environmental Education programme to schools to continue to be delivered as part of the wider building use alongside the Post-16 horticultural use.

 

However, at the Joint Welsh Harp Consultative Committee, Leslie Williams for Brent Council said:

 

 QUOTE that the building would be ‘fully utilised during curriculum time by the post 16 provision’ and only available for other groups outside of that time. An excellent building has been designed but has it space for a primary classroom.

 

The Capital Projects team gave a resident a long list of organisations consulted about the new building but primary schools were missing.

 

The loss-making aspect of the Centre was cited as a reason for Thame21’s withdrawal. Part of that loss was down to the high heating and maintenance costs of the dilapidated cabin classrooms and will be addressed by a shared new building.

 

I alongside others took part in bringing together a consortium to use the building outside of school hours that could be a reliable income stream to help subsidise the Centre which was charging a fee of £5 per pupil per session to schools at the point of closure. The staff salary will be the main cost.

 

The petition calls on the council to undertake a full scoping exercise to find a new organisation to run the centre, perhaps local industry such as Careys to enhance their green credentials or a voluntary organisation such as the Canal and Rivers Trust.

 

So, we need three assurances from the lead member who responds to this petition:

 

1.     That the Environmental Education Centre will have space in the new building.

 

2.     That the council will make an all-out effort, fuelled by a passionate commitment to environmental education and the urgent need to address the climate and ecological emergency, to find a new partner to run the WHEEC.

 

 

3.     That the curriculum and activities offered by the Centre will continue to enrich the science curriculum on life processes and living things with first-hand experience.

 

 

I finished by remarking that the Mayor, Cllr Ryan Hack, had probably attended the Centre as a child 20 years ago!

 

A welcome innovation by the Mayor, following a request by Philip Grant, was to allow councillors to  comment on the petitions heard tonight. A little more democracy if councillors have the courage to say what they really think.

 

 

 

 

Cllr Jake Rubin to take on Brent Cabinet Climate Action role with Cllr Mary Mitchell Cabinet Climate Action Champion. New chief whip replaces Stephen Crabb

 

News from the Brent Labour Group AGM, held on Saturday, is gradually coming in.

Cllr Jake Rubin (Roundwood ward) announced his appointment as Cabinet Lead Member for Employment, Innovation and Climate Action on Twitter this afternoon

He takes over climate action from Cllr Krupa Sheth (Tokyngton) whose brief  was Lead Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action.

Cllr Iman Ahmadi Moghaddam (Wembley Park) has the interesting and potentially difficult role of Labour Chief Whip.

He takes over from Cllr Stephen Crabb  (Queens Park)who had his own difficulties in the role when he had to deal with a potentially controversial Labour motion for Full Council.

After his intervention, when he sought advice from a senior Labour Party body, the motion was not placed on the agenda.

 

The Climate Action brief has been additionally strengthened by the appointment of Cllr Mary Mitchell (Welsh Harp) as 'Climate Action Cabinet Champion.'

Hopefully this will mean a more concerted and coordinated tackling of climate emergency action across council departments. Something local environmental groups have been pressing for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I understand  that Cllr Rita Begum (Kilburn) failed in her attempt to become Deputy Leader of the Labour Group. Cllr Rita Conneely (Kilburn) retains her chair of the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee. Cabinet and  Committee posts go the the Full Council AGM for approval but the Chief Whip post is internal.

The Council AGM takes place on May 22nd, when other positions will be announced, and the first Cabinet of the new municipal year is on May 28th.

ACE Brent (Action on the Climate and Ecological Emergency Brent), a new coalition of Brent environment groups, challenges Brent Council to step up its climate action

 From words to action

 

 

 

ACE Brent (Action on the Climate and Ecological Emergency Brent), a new coalition of Brent environment groups, challenges Brent Council to step up its climate action. 

 

ACE Brent does not believe that Brent is working effectively to reach Net Zero in 2030, and are asking for : 

• A clearer, more measurable, accountable and ambitious Climate Action Plan
• Prioritisation of actions that reduce emissions most and that protect the most vulnerable residents
• Annual monitoring and reporting 
• A new Climate and Ecological Emergency Scrutiny Committee
• A new Brent Climate Assembly and regular reports to open meetings

Ace Brent have also drawn up a list of specific demands covering cycling and transport, insulation and retrofitting, divestment, planning, renewable energy, food, trees and green space.

 

They have written to all Brent councillors with their requests, and have organised a deputation to the full Council Meeting on Monday 20^th Nov, Brent Civic Centre, at 6pm. 

 

Members of ACE Brent are Brent Cycling Campaign, Brent Friends of the Earth, Brent Parks Forum, Brent Pure Energy, Brent XR and Divest Brent.

 

Christine Smith, from Brent XR, says: 

 

This is an emergency. Act now!

 

Simon Erskine, Co-ordinator of Divest Brent, says:  

 

Divestment of the council pension fund from fossil fuels is an example of a climate action that has been a very long time coming despite active discussions with members and officers.

 

Sylvia Gauthereau, from Brent Cycling Campaign, says:

 

According to the council's own statistics, road transport is the largest contributor to air pollution in Brent, accounting for over 52% of emissions in the borough. The Council urgently needs to implement some specific measures, that are known to effectively tackle road pollution. This cannot be achieved without significant changes to the built environment, to enable anyone who wishes to actively travel, to choose so. The time for talking about it is over, now is the time to act. The evidence is there, the 'how to' examples are plenty, the guidance is available, the opportunity and appetite are there. It doesn't have to be massively costly. Just get on with it now.

 

Suzanne Morpurgo, from Brent Parks Forum, says: 

 

It's Brent's stated intention to be ‘one of the greenest, most biodiverse and climate resilient boroughs in London’ by 2030' . This needs an increase in tree cover and green spaces,  including sports ground provision. At the moment there is no clear plan for this, or any form of 'FiT' status for sites. We are happy to help.

 

Elaine Sheppard, A Co-ordinator of Brent Friends of the Earth, says:  

 

It's 4 years since Brent Council declared a climate emergency.  We are experiencing flooding and extreme weather in Brent. Our relatives and friends in the Global South are facing much worse. We have come together to request a stronger response as appropriate to the emergency. We need bigger change to reduce emissions, proper reporting and proper involvement of Brent residents in the actions being taken. We are looking for more action, ambition and accountability.

Brent Council responds to residents' 'Blue Bag Blues'

 

A selection from many posts on Next Door

After seeing many posts like those above, as well as Tweets and Facebook posts I wrote to Brent Council:

Social media is awash with complaints about blue bins being rejected, petitions and protest meetings. Someone said Veolia workers were fed-up with the system and deliberately rejecting some bins as a protest.


Is there any message that the Council would like published re what appear to be teething problems?

 

Brent Council's response:

 

Councillor Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure, and Climate Action, said:

 

Whilst it is too early to know the full picture of how the changes have affected recycling rates, our trial of over 5,000 properties last year showed an increase in recycling, which is better for the environment and our planet.

 

We have also seen a 50% increase in the last fortnight in the amount of cardboard and paper recycling compared to the first two weeks of October, showing that compliance is increasing as residents get used to the changes to how their recycling is collected.

Veolia fully supports the service changes and their staff are trained to reject bins that have incorrect items in them, we do this so that recycling doesn't get rejected as this would be worse for the environment.  

Thank you to all residents who are separating their paper and cardboard. More information is available on the council's website, where you can also order a replacement blue sack.

 

UPDATE: Sadiq Khan response today on ULEZ expansion scheme suggests coordinated Labour campaign ahead of Mayoral election - Brent Council Leader Muhammed Butt calls on London Mayor to review current criteria for Scrappage Scheme ahead of ULEZ expansion

 

 Today (Thursday) Sadiq Khan announced some revisions to the scrappage scheme so it appears this was a coordinated Labour campaign ahead of the GLA elections to persuade the electorate that 'we are listening' and that the letters from Brent, Ealing and other Labour councils brought about the change.

 

 

Since this post was published other London Labour boroughs have tweeted the same message - clearly a concerted effort.

 

Today (Thursday) Sadiq Khan announced some revisions to the scrappage scheme so it appears this was a coordinated Labour campaign ahead of the GLA elections to persuade the electorate that 'we are listening' and that the letters from Brent, Ealing and other Labour councils brought about the change.

UPDATE: Cllr Mitchell-Murray resigns from Labour and joins Brent Conservatives

 

Councillor Wilhelmina Mitchell-Murray (Wembley Central ward) has joined the Conservative Party followed her resignation from Labour.

In a letter to Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, she said:

I am writing to you to tender my resignation from the Labour Party with immediate effect.

I have been concerned at times with the policies of the party nationally and I have been very unhappy with the direction the Brent CLPs have taken. I am particularly concerned with the way Momentum has been influencing and in some cases taking over the party.

Yours sincerely

Wilhelmina Mitchell-Murray

The Conservative Group on Brent Council confirmed that Cllr Mitchell-Murray had joined them and said:

Cllr Wilhelmina Mitchell Murray has resigned from the Labour Party citing her dissatisfaction with the direction that the party has taken.

It would appear that the Labour Momentum have an unhealthy influence in the selection of local candidates and many sitting Councillors and activists are unhappy with the situation.

Wilhelmina has joined the Conservative Group.  Cllr’s Suresh Kansagra and Michael Maurice have warmly welcomed her saying that she will make an excellent Conservative Councillor and look forward to working with her.

 

Cllr Mitchell-Murray, asked to comment on her resignation by Wembley Matters, appeared to suggest she would be standing for the Conservatives in the May 5th Council Election. Asked to confirm that she was joining the Tories, she said:

Yes.  I have joined the Conservative Party.  Others must come to their own conclusions but, I came into politics to serve not to be self serving.  I hope to continue to serve the residents of Wembley Central Ward.  I hope everyone understand that at age 8 I skipped, to the polling station holding my daddy's hands to vote for the Labour Party.  It's up to the residents of Wembley Central Ward to decide if my days in public service are numbered.

 I have many friends in the Labour Party and we will remain friends regardless.

I have no further comment to make.

 

Brent Council leader, Muhammed Butt, told the Kiburn Times on Tuesday:

Wilhelmina’s friends in Brent Labour will be deeply disappointed to hear of her decision. While we respect her choice to leave, we must amicably disagree with her chosen means.

If the answer for Brent is Boris Johnson, then you are asking the wrong question.

Brent Labour is a broad church of beliefs, mirroring the range of thought and experience in our borough.

Notwithstanding, in the aftermath of the elections, I will be requesting to our coordinating bodies that a full review of our diversity monitoring procedures is undertaken. 

The resignation appears to be fall out from the current selections for Labour candidates in the forthcoming local Council elections. With the number of seats reduced there has been more competition so in the game of political musical chairs several seats have been whipped away from sitting members.

I understand that Cllr Mitchell-Murray's son who is also a councillor is not standing in the May elections. As it is we now have a Conservative councillor and a Labur councillor from the same family:

The reference to Brent Momentum is particularly puzzling as they have been rather quiet recently and I have seen no evidence of organised slates. What may be the case is that rank and file members are exerting their democratic rights more forcefully and scrutinising candidates’ political credentials more thoroughly than hitherto. This may be upsetting to the more managerialist of the current leadership, including Muhammed Butt, and Momentum becomes an easy scapegoat for him to use. He may sense that in the current process some of his support is slipping away, although one of his greatest admirers, Cllr Krupa Sheth has now joined him in the two member Tokyngton ward.

Muhammed Butt is himself a member of Brent Momentum, or perhaps was, and he as well as some of his loyal supporters have attended their meetings.

Cllr Margaret McLennan, currently Deputy Leader, is not standing again so the post will have to be filled by a loyal female lieutenant. I wonder who that could be?

 

FoI request as Brent accounts for just under half of TOTAL London councils' spending on air travel

(SW  Londoner)

 Paul Lorber has made a Freedom of Information request to Brent Council in the wake of a report earlier this month in  the SW Londoner that Brent Council accounted for just under half of the total expenditure by all London Councils on air flights 2014-21

Lorber pointed out that Brent Council had declared a Climate Emergency and asked:

Can you please provide a justification for all this air travel and provide the date, the full cost, the purpose of the trip and the persons on the flight for each trip costing more than £100 over the period covered by the article attached.

https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/news/09122021-london-councils-land-bill-of-nearly-400000-for-air-travel-despite-climate-pledges/

 

 (SW Londoner)

At the time of the article's publication Cllr Krupa Sheth, Lead Member for Environment, told the SW Londoner:

Council officers do not fly anywhere on council business unless absolutely necessary. All of these flights are directly related to social workers working with vulnerable children. 

Family court orders may require social workers to assess a vulnerable child’s extended family in their home, which could be abroad, or accompany a child to be reunited with extended family members who live overseas, or visit a child in care a very considerable distance from Brent.

As a part of our strategy we are developing a plan to achieve net zero across our estate and operations by 2030 and we will consider this issue and the potential to offset any necessary flights as part of that review process.

Given that some other London boroughs have similar demographic profiles it is unclear why the Brent should be so much higher.

Review of Brent Council's Flood Risk Management Strategy to commence in January 2022

 I received this response from Cllr Krupa Sheth  (Lead Member for Environment) today to my supplementary question asked at Full Council on November 22nd 2021 about  Brent Council overdue review of its Flood Management Strategy.

Response from Councillor Krupa Sheth to supplementary public question from Martin Francis asked at the Full Council meeting on 22 November 2021.

 

1.         My question on a review has not been directly answered, fortunately a council officer told Scrutiny on November 10^th that a review of the 2015 Flood Risk Management Strategy is required and context should include real focus around climate change (for example the forecast 59% increase in winter rainfall) as well as the necessary local mitigation.

 

Response:  A review of the Flood Risk Management Strategy is now due and we informed the Scrutiny Committee it will be completed over the next 12 months. The review will include a focus on climate change.

 

2.         Can you give us the timetable for the review and the partnership members who will be involved?

 

Response: We are currently in discussion with consultants to scope the review and the timetable with an intention to commence the review early in the New Year.  We’d envisage a 9 month exercise from January. The Environment Agency will be consulted along with Thames Water to access modelling already undertaken on some of our open spaces such as Woodcock Park. Other main stakeholders are listed below:

·            Transport for London

·            Residents and Businesses

·            The Greater London Authority

·            Canal & River Trust

·            Network Rail

·            Neighbouring London Boroughs

 

3.         Will, as the West London Flood Risk Management Strategic Partnership has recommended, the accumulative impact of developments on flooding and drainage infrastructure systems, be assessed?

 

Response: Yes