Queen's Park residents to present 1218 signature petition to Brent Cabinet on Monday calling on them to defer local traffic scheme after adverse impact of trial

A group of Queens Park residents will present a petition to Brent Cabinet tomorrow calling for the Council to withdraw the latest local traffic scheme proposed for the Queen's Park Healthy Neighbourhood. They want any formal consultation to be deferred pending a clear plan outlining the benefits

The petition is on the Brent Council website HERE
 

We the undersigned petition the council to register strong opposition from the residents and communities of Queen’s Park, Kensal Rise, Brondesbury Park, and surrounding areas, to Brent Council's hyper-local traffic scheme proposals in a limited area of Queen’s Park. We call on Brent Council to withdraw the latest proposals under the Queen’s Park Healthy Neighbourhood scheme and defer any formal Consultation until a plan is presented with clear benefits that prioritise the health, safety, equality, prosperity, and quality of life for the entire neighbourhood (in and around the designated ‘project zone’) based on strong community support, evidence-based planning, transparent decision-making, and value for money. 

 

The Queen’s Park Healthy Neighbourhood page on Brent Council’s website promises a scheme that “ensures the whole community can benefit from cleaner air and safer, quieter streets…”.

While we welcome and support that aspiration, the trial measures on the streets connecting Kingswood Avenue and Salusbury Road are diverting traffic unhelpfully, adversely impacting the broader community, and together with the new proposals developed by MP Smarter Travel, raise serious concerns regarding:

 

• Health and safety risks from displaced traffic increasing congestion and pollution within the project zone and on already dangerous and busy boundary roads, including Salusbury and Chamberlayne where thousands of children attend school.

 

• Failure to consider any impact on adjacent areas like Brondesbury Park, Kensal Rise and North Kilburn, and neglect of vulnerable populations such as the elderly, disabled, and families who cannot rely solely on walking or cycling.

 

• Unfair prioritisation of select streets at the expense of surrounding areas, imposed without broad community support, based on flawed engagement and inadequate impact assessment, exacerbating inequality and division.

• Unnecessary harm and disruption to residents and businesses in Queen’s Park and surrounding areas from restricted access.

 

 The Cabinet is at 10am on Monday December 9th and can be viewed online HERE.

Brent General Election Results & Queens Park By-Election result. Shama Tatler loses in Chingford and Woodford Green

 

Dawn Butler (Brent East) and Barry Gardiner (Brent West) have been elected as Members of Parliament (MPs) after winning seats in yesterday's General Election.

The turnout for Brent East was 49.06% and the turnout for Brent West was 51.95%.”

Brent East

Dawn Butler, Labour Party, has been elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent East.

The results in order of votes for each candidate are:

• Dawn Butler, Labour Party (19,370 votes ELECTED)
• Jamila Robertson, Conservative Party (6,323 votes)
• Nida Alfulaij, Green Party (3,729 votes)
• Jonny Singh, Liberal Democrat (2,635 votes)
• Zbigniew Kowalczyk, Reform UK (2,024 votes)
• Aadil Shaikh, Independent (1,846 votes)
• James Mutimer, Workers Party (1,052 votes)
• Amin Moafi, Independent (654 votes)
• Jenner Clarence Joseph Folwell, Independent (169 votes)

Brent West

Barry Gardiner, Labour Party, has been elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent West.

The results in order of votes for each candidate are:

• Barry Strachan Gardiner, Labour Party (17,258 votes ELECTED)
• Sushil Gangadhar Rapatwar, Conservative Party (13,465 votes)
• Paul Lorber, Liberal Democrat (3,013 votes)
• Baston Anthony De’Medici-Jaguar, Green Party (2,805 votes)
• Nadia Klok, Workers Party (2,774 votes)
• Ian Collier, Reform UK (2,061 votes)

Queen’s Park and Maida Vale constituency

Turnout: 38,618

Total votes cast: 51.11%

Surname	First names	Party	Votes
Baxter	Helen June	Liberal Democrats	3,417
Carter - Begbie	Angela Michelle	Reform UK	2,106
Dharamsi	Abdulla Janmohamed	Independent	601
Gould	Georgia	Labour Party	20,126 (ELECTED)
Hersi	Samia	The Conservative Party	5,088
Lichtenstein	Vivien Aviva	Green Party	5,213
Menabde	Irakli	Workers Party	1,792

QUEENS PARK COUNCIL BY-ELECTION

Leslie Anne Smith, Labour Party (3,038 votes ELECTED)

Virginia Leslie Bonham Carter, Liberal Democrat  (1,462 votes)

Ricardo William Davies, Green Party (1,329 votes)

Emily Julia Sheffield,  Conservative Party (1,138 votes)

CHINGFORD AND WOODFORD GREEN

Of interest as Cllr Shama Tatler was standing after the removal of the Labour candidate. In the event just 79 votes separated Tatler and the former candidate Faiza Shaheen who stood as an independent. Tory Ian Duncan Smith held the seat.

SEE LINK 

 

Final list of candidates in Brent East and Brent West plus Queens Park by-election

BRENT EAST

Nida Alfulaij, Green Party candidate

Dawn Butler, Labour Party

Jenner Folwell, Independent

Zbigniew Kowalczyk, Reform UK

Amin Moafi, Independent

James Mutimer, Workers Party

Jamila Robertson, Conservative Party candidate

Aadil Shaikh, Independent

Jonny Singh, Liberal Democrat

 

BRENT WEST 

Ian Collier, Reform UK

Baston De'Medici Jaguar, Green Party candidate

Barry Gardiner, Labour

Nadia Klok, Workers Party

Paul Lorber, Liberal Democrat

Sushil Rapatwar, Conservative Party candidate

 

QUEEN'S PARK COUNCIL BY-ELECTION

Virginia Bonham Carter, Liberal Democrat

Ricardo Davies, Green Party

Emily Sheffield, Conservative Party

Lesley Smith, Labour Party

 

Queens Park by-election will be held on July 4th

 Dated: Thursday 30 May 2024 Kim Wright
Returning Officer
London Borough of Brent,
Brent Civic Centre
Engineers Way
Wembley
HA9 0FJ
Printed and Published by the London Borough of Brent
London Borough of Brent

NOTICE OF ELECTION

Election of a Borough Councillor
For the Queens Park Ward
To be held on
Thursday 4 July 2024

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT

1. An election is to be held for a Borough Councillor for the Queens Park Ward.

2. Nomination papers may be obtained from the Electoral Services Office, Brent Civic Centre,
Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ.

3. Completed nomination papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer at the address shown
above from the day after the date of this notice, weekdays between 10am and 4pm but not later
than 4pm on Friday 7 June 2024.

4. If the election is contested, the poll will take place on Thursday 4 July 2024 between the hours of
7.00am and 10.00pm.

5. Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by midnight on Tuesday
18 June 2024. Applications can be made online: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

 
6. Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate or an Anonymous Elector’s Document valid for this
election must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer** by 5pm on Wednesday 26 June
2024. Applications can be made online: www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate

 
7. Applications to vote by post or to change existing postal, postal proxy or proxy votes must reach the
Electoral Registration Officer at the Electoral Services Office address shown above by 5pm on
Wednesday 19 June 2024. Applications can be made online at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote and
www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote

 
8. New applications to vote by proxy must be received by the Electoral Registration Officer at the
address shown above by 5pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024. Some applications can be made
online at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote

 
9. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election on the grounds of physical incapacity; for
work/service reasons; or photo ID is lost/ stolen/ damaged/ or voter ID not received, must reach the
relevant Electoral Registration Officer ** by 5pm on Thursday 4 July 2024.

By-election for election of a Queens Park councillor

 From Brent Council website:

NOTICE OF CASUAL VACANCY

A Local Government Councillor for the Queens Park Ward in the London Borough of Brent

Notice is hereby given under Section 87(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 that a casual vacancy exists for the office of Councillor for the Queens Park ward of the London Borough of Brent.
 

Requesting a by-election

A by-election is only triggered by local government electors requesting a by-election to take place.
 

This requires TWO local government electors within the London Borough of Brent giving notice to the Proper Officer of the authority that an election should take place. 

Holding a by-election

On receipt of the requests to fill the vacancy, the Returning Officer will set a date for an election to be held within 35 days.
 

All requests for a by-election regarding this Casual Vacancy must be sent to the Proper Officer at: Chief Executive’s Office, Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ or by email to
kim.wright@brent.gov.uk or Chief.Executive@brent.gov.uk
 

Kim Wright, Returning Officer
(Proper Officer for the London Borough of Brent)
24 May 2024

QUEENS PARK DAY TOMORROW (SUNDAY) NOON - 5.30PM: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! FULL PROGRAMME

 

From QPARA

Queen’s Park Day: Sunday 17th September 2023

12 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

 

This year, as well as all the usual events and stalls to enjoy, QPARA will be celebrating its 50th Birthday in style. Come to the 50th Anniversary tent to see a special exhibition of our achievements in continuing to make Queen’s Park a great place to be. Buy a 50th mug and obtain a copy of our mini-history “50 Years On”.

---

Queen’s Park Day – fun, friends and food – is the highlight of the year for families from miles around.  Part village fête with makers and bakers, live music and exhilarating arena acts, the day is a full-on celebration of our local community.

 

The complete programme is below. You can download it if that makes reading it easier for you.

We have exhilarating feats of derring-do in the main arena, where we kick off the day with an expanded dog show (with two extra classes). 

 

Our two stages feature local (and not so local) music, dance and performance, with the addition this year of a fabulous sustainable fashion show: handmade, homemade and locally sourced haute couture, modelled on our very own Park runway.

 

Puppet shows, donkey rides, climbing walls and inflatables will keep the youngest folk amused, while a range of 20 street food stalls featuring flavours from round the world ensure no one needs go hungry.

Ever fancied riding a reclining bicycle? You’ll have a chance!

 

Aspiring Bake Off contestants, bring along your zestiest lemon meringue pie to be judged, or let your crafty ingenuity shine in one of our ‘making’ competitions. (Full details on the competitions page.) 

 

And there will be a smorgasbord of local traders, businesses and services on show among our 120 stalls.

 

Queen’s Park Day is organised by a team of volunteers on behalf of QPARA. Big thanks to all who 

support us and make it possible to keep the day free and inclusive. Blue skies!

 

 

PROGRAMME - Click bottom right square to enlarge 

 

 

DON'T MISS!

 

See special production by the Brent Friends of the Earth Theatre Group on the Community Stage at 3.20pm (watch out for the polar bear!)

 

HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE EARTH AND INFLUENCE CREATURES:

What YOU can do about COP 28 and the Climate Crisis 

  

AND DON'T FORGET TO VISIT THEIR STALL (A9) NEAR THE QPARA MARQUE

 

Brent Planning officers back conversion of Salusbury Road ground floor flat to commercial use

 

The current street scene in Salusbury Road, Queens Park

The site and green space behind

Proposed front elevation

An existing ground floor flat at 62, 62A-D, Salusbury Road could be converted to Class E commercial use if a planning application to be be considered at Brent Planning Committee on April 19th  (6pm) is approved.

The loss of ground floor residential space will be compensated for by development of the roof space into a second floor flat and there are proposed extensions at ground floor level.. There are 26 objections to the scheme recorded at present on the Brent Council planning portal some of which come from existing occupiers of the flats.

The agent summarises the proposal:

Specially, the proposals involve the following works:
• The creation of a new high-quality two-bedroom residential unit at second floor level through the conversion of the existing loft space and through a dormer that has been designed to comply with the Council’s SPD Design Guidance.
• The change of use of part ground floor from residential to Class E commercial use. This is an underutilised unit with poor outlook and amenity and the reprovision of residential use at second floor would ensure there would be no net loss of housing.
• The change of use at ground floor would also see minor extensions provided to the rear and side.
• The underutilised rear garden would be landscaped into dedicated communal amenity space for the new unit, along with the two existing units at first floor level. Another small section of this space would be allocated to the commercial units at ground floor.
• Dedicated cycle parking and refuse and recycling facilities would also be provided at ground floor level.
• A new air condenser unit would be provided at ground floor level to provide heating and cooling for the new commercial unit.

A number of local residents are concerned that the premisies may bcome a pub or a restaurant. The Planning Officers respond with an assurance that this is not proposed and supply a very varied list of what the premises could be used for within the E designation:

The physical alterations and additions to the frontage are not considered to impact the amenity of neighbouring properties. In terms of the change of use, objections have been raised about the concerns of a potential use of the ground floor Class E floorspace as a restaurant or bar. The applicant has outlined that the proposed development will not make provision for the Class E unit at ground floor level to be used as a drinking establishment nor a café/restaurant.

 

The applicant does wish to ensure that the commercial unit has suitable flexibility for a range of town centre uses. They have proposes the unit be restricted to the
following use classes: Class E(a) Display or retail sale of goods, other than hot food; Class E(c) provision of financial services, professional services (other than health or medical services), or other appropriate services in a commercial, business or service locality; Class E(d) Indoor sport, recreation or fitness (not involving motorised vehicles or firearms or use as a swimming pool or skating rink,) Class E(e) Provision of medical or health services (except the use of premises attached to the residence of the consultant or practitioner) Class E(g) Uses which can be carried out in a residential area without detriment to its amenity, Offices to carry out any operational or administrative functions, Research and development of products or rocesses, Industrial processes. The proposed uses are considered compatible with surrounding residential uses. These will be confirmed via condition.

Planning Officers advise members of the Planning Committee that the proposal is acceptable in planning terms:

The proposed development would not result in the net loss of residential dwellings and would create a good quality dwelling within the extended building. The proposed additional commercial unit and shopfront within a Town Centre is supported. The proposal is considered to comply with all relevant policies and to be acceptable in planning terms subject to conditions.

 LINK to Agenda Item

New Boundary Commission proposals cast Harlesden adrift from Willesden. Comment by December 5th

The Boundary Commission for England has published new revised proposals for parliamentary constituencies across the country and opens a final month-long consultation, giving the public a last opportunity to send in their views.

The Commission has taken into consideration over 45,000 comments sent in by the public during the previous two stages of public consultation, and has changed nearly half of its initial proposals based on this feedback. A third and final consultation on the new map of revised constituency proposals is open now until 5 December. The public are invited to view and comment on the new map at bcereviews.org.uk.

The Commission is undertaking an independent review of all constituencies in England as requested by Parliament. The number of electors within each constituency currently varies widely due to population changes since the last boundary review. The 2023 Boundary Review will rebalance the number of electors each MP represents, resulting in significant change to the existing constituency map. As part of the review, the number of constituencies in England will increase from 533 to 543.

After this final consultation has closed on 5 December, the Commission will analyse the responses and form its final recommendations. These will be submitted to Parliament by 1 July 2023.

Submit a comment HERE

For Brent the change means there will be three constituencies: Wembley, Willesden  and Queens Park and Little Venice. Harlesden will be in the latter constituency, separated from Willesden.

You can zoom in to your area on an interactive map  that includes the wards by inserting your postcode HERE

Proposed Wembley Constituency

 

 

Proposed Willesden Constituency 

 

Proposed Queens Park and Little Venice Constituency

Islamia parents offered stark choice - either approve the move to Preston ward or the school closes

 Parents of children at Islamia Primary School in Queens Park have been offered a stark choice by the school's Governing Board: approve the move of the school to a site 6 miles away or it will close.

The informal consultation that opened on September 28th and closes on November 2nd will be followed by a formal consultation.

The consultation reveals that the Governing Board rejects Brent Council's favoured option of a refurbishment of present buildings on the present site and the building of a new block to accommodate a 2 forms of entry primary school.

Instead they favour demolition of all buildings on the site and the provision of a new-build two storey school. Brent Council does not think this is deliverable by July 2024 ready for a September 2024 start. The governors say they will endeavout to keep to tight deadlines to make this deliverable.

The consultation maintains the silence on the reason why the Yusuf Islam Foundation gave the school an eviction notice and merely says the Foundation intends to develop the site.

The governors appear to brush off the concerns  of parents unable to travel to the new site and state:

Muslim families who live in the north of the borough do not currently have access to Muslim faith education provision. In the future the population that the school serves may become more local to the new site.

 A parent told Wembley Matters:

This is quite unfair for current families.  Blackmailing tactics . Either approve the move or lose the school.

In reality local families will lose the school anyway.

Plus the consultation is inaccessible to many as it was sent out on the school App rather than via a paper copy.

 The consultation document can be found HERE,

 A consultation meeting for staff will be held on October 10th and there are two consultation meetings on Wednesday October 12th at the school at 9am-10am and 5pm to 6pm.

A further meeting will be held at a site to be confirmed near the Strathcona site on October 13th 6pm - 7.30pm.

 

 

 

 

Letter: More great local history opportunities from “Being Brent”

 Dear Editor,

 

In a letter last month I wrote about “Flying from Brent”, and some of the other Heritage and Wellbeing projects being facilitated by Brent Museum and Archives as part of their “Being Brent” programme. There are now more “gems” from this project that your readers might like to know about, and take part in, so I’m writing to share the details with them. 

 

Brent Heritage Tours – Willesden logo

 

After a number of popular guided walks during the autumn, Brent Heritage Tours are going “online” for January 2022, with three free illustrated talks on Friday evenings. Tickets can be booked via their Eventbrite pages here:

 

"Queen's Park - Past and Present":  Friday 14 January at 7pm (to 8.30pm):
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/queens-park-past-and-present-tickets-180818451857?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

 

 

"Willesden - Past and Present":  Friday 21 January at 7pm:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/willesden-past-and-present-tickets-180847889907?aff=ebdsoporgprofile 

 

 

 

Postcard of the High Road, Willesden Green, c.1900.

 

 

"Welsh Harp - Past and Present":  Friday 28 January at 7pm:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/welsh-harp-past-and-present-tickets-180984247757?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

They will be back with free “live” guided walks from February (numbers on each walk are limited so book early if you are interested), and also have self-guided trails that you can download to explore in your own time. More details on their website at: https://brent-heritage.co.uk/

 

I hope that readers enjoyed my series of articles last month about Ram Singh Nehra and his family. The story of Brent’s multiracial and mixed-race community is one area of our social history which has not received much attention, but another “Being Brent” project is hoping to shine more light on it, with a digital exhibition planned for March 2022. 

 

 

The curators of “By the Cut of Their Cloth”, local artist Warren Reilly and director of The Mixed Museum, Chamion Caballero, need your help to collect as wide a range of memories and photos as possible, to make a permanent record celebrating our community’s rich history of migration and mixing. They are holding two online “open days”, on Saturday 15 January (10am to 4pm) and Sunday 16 January (12noon to 4pm). If you have stories you would like to share, you can find more information, and “book" a private zoom meeting with them, at:

 

https://mixedmuseum.org.uk/news/btcotc-open-days-booking-now-live/   and,

 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/by-the-cut-of-their-cloth-open-day-tickets-231641404677

 

I hope you will take, and enjoy, these opportunities. For more about “Being Brent”, and links to the videos already produced from a variety of projects, you can find details on their website. Best wishes,

Philip Grant.