What kind of whipping will Brent councillors have on Monday?

Following the internal row over Brent Council Labour Group's vote in favour of a Council Tax rise of 1.99% in order to save a number of important services, which was then dismissed by the Labour leadership as a straw poll which they did not have to take account of, there appears to be some shifting of position  ahead of Monday's Full Council Meeting.

Cllr John Duffy has complained to the Constitutional Officer of the Labour Party about the vote disregard LINK and I understand there is anger among backbenchers about the situation.

Now Cllr Sandra Kabir, Labour's Chief Whip, has made a statement to the Kilburn Times LINK which is not exactly a model of clarity but may indicate tolerance of a possible 'rebellion':

The Times reports:

The full council will vote on the cuts next Monday but councillors are under no obligation to vote.

Cllr Sandra Kabir, Brent Council’s chief whip, told the Times: “Nobody can be forced to vote against the budget they don’t want. But the budget was made starting from August, over the summer, over many, many sessions with the councillors, so everyone is very aware of what’s in the budget.”

Asked if councillors would be disciplined if they voted against the cuts she said: “Not necessarily no.”

Brent to tackle violence against women and girls

The Brent Executive and public gallery were hushed last night by a powerful report on 'Tackling Violence against Women and Girls in Brent' presented by Cllr Ann John.

The report, commissioned by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, was written by a cross-party Task Group consisting of Cllrs John, Harrison, Hunter and Kabir, and used a mixture of quantative and qualiative research methods into female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage (FM) and honour based violence (HBV).

Cllr John said that the language used to describe these issues had undergone a major change. It was not now seen as a matter of culture and tradition, but of human rights and the violent abuse of children.

Firm statistics are hard to find but those that do exist are likely to be an under estimate so the Task Group recommended a mapping exercise undertaken with partners and specialist charities to find the extent of the practices.

The Harmful Practices Strategy will develop services, improve the quality of recording, provide clear guidance for staff and public on reporting risk and referrals, set up a single point of contact for those affected and set out clear responsibilities for the Children's Safeguarding Board and the Safer Brent Partnership. The Assistant Chief Executive's Department will take overall responsibility.

A programme of community engagement will include awareness raising events, training for key staff from all relevant agencies and joint work with schools and colleges,

John took care to say that the various practices covered many communities including those from Nigeria, Somalia, Egypt, Middle East,Turkey, the Indian Sub-continent and Indonesia.  Very young girls could be 'cut' in FGM and she gave the example of an 11 year old girl of Kurdish Iranian origin who had set fire to herself to avoid forced marriage. She was in hospital for a long time and when she returned home was treated with derision as she had no marriage prospects. She walked out of her village when she was 13 and evetually ended up in the UK. She likes living here because 'nobody stares at me'.  Another girl who was raped as a teenager and forced to marry her rapist, is now free of that marriage in the UK and loves living here because she is safe.

It is important to recognise that groups in the various communities in Brent are challenging these practices as they are also being challenged in  countries of origin:

SOMALIS FIGHT FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION from AU/UN IST News on Vimeo.

It was clear that school and college staff had a particular responsibility as they are in direct contact with young girls and may notice changes in behaviour, requests for a long holiday or absences from schools that may indicate a problem. As I said at training I attende don the issue it is also important that schools provide a trusted available adult for chidlren to confide in and space for those discussions to happen. Cllr John commended Islington's PSHE (Personal, Social and Health) curriculum and work going on at the College of North West London.

The report included a copy of Stonebridge Primary School's Safeguarding Policy as an example of a school taking up the issue effectively.

Leader of the Council, Muhammed Butt, who was chairing the meeting turned down a suggestion that the other members of the Task Group be allowed to speak in order to allow Executive contributions.

Executive member  Cllr Choudry said that it was important for communities to take up what was happening in their own ranks and not hide from the problems. Cllr Roxanne Mashari said that the report reinforced her belief that there should a a lead member for women's issues on the Executive to take a strategic view on such matters. She stated that recommendations were not enough, What was needed was an action plan with clear mile stones. There should be tangible actions aimed at schools with a high number of Somali children.

Cllr John said that there was a real awakening among Somali women who were very conscious that change was happening.

Assistant Director Ben Spinks will return with a plan for action in June 2014.

The Executive approved the recommendations.

Readers may find this NHS video on FGM useful: LINK

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.

Vital health elections underway in Brent

It was unfortunate that only three members of Brent LINk (Local Involvement Network) who were not candidates turned up for the Management Committee elections hustings on Friday.  Candidates out-numbered the rank and file by about 6 to 1.  LINk in Brent gives local people  a say in how health and social care services are commissioned, provided and improved. The organisation has about 750 members. Website HERE

Clearly the role is very important at a time of enormous upheaval in health and social care provision and the current plans in Shaping a Healthier Future which will see several Accident and Emergency facilities in North West London closing and other services down-graded or handed over to private providerss.

In addition Brent LINk is due to be replaced by an organisation with even more powers and responsibilities called Brent HealthWatch.  BHW will be a 'corporate body' with it own legal authority to carry out its functions and will be subject to legislative compliance.  It will be an independent organisation with a seat on the local health and well-being board and will be able to appoint its own staff.

Brent LINk could be transformed into Brent HealthWatch but other  voluntary organisations, social enterprises and charities would be able to make bids when the service was procured.

This raises a major issue in terms of the LINk election which is already one for governing bodies of schools. How do you balance the contribution of local people with in-depth experience as users of local services and that of professionals with the skills to frame a successful bid for the BrentWatch brief and the experience to appoint and manage staff, plans budgets and undertake research. Things are made more complicated by the fact that the budget for the new organisation which will come from HealthWatch England via Brent Council is not yet known.

The LINk Management Committee has 10 places, 5 for individuals and 5 for representatives of organisations. Five organisation put forward candidates so there will be no election for those posiitons. They are John Bryne of Brent MIND. Elcena Jeffers from the Elcena Jeffers Foundation, Prakash Mandalia from B.Heard, Anne O'Neil from Brent Mencap and Lola Osikoya from the Amazing Grace Women's Association.

There are 17 candidate for the five individual positions. New voting cards will be sent to LINk members to replace the green cards sent out last week which lacked clarity about voting method. There will be a further hustings on September 13th 7-9pm at Brent Asssociation for Disabled People, Main Hall, Robson Avenue, NW10 3RY. The voting dedline is 19th September 2012, Count 21st September, and first meeting of the new Management Committee on 27th September.

Brian Hoe Hunt, a consultant working on HealthWatch, was at pains to emphasise that the new organisation must be able to show that it truly represents the voice of the local community and that this requires carefull research and an evidence base.  It has to be able to demonstrate that the views it puts forward are actively backed up by the community.

With this in mind candidates were asked about the future of the Central Middlesex A&E and privatisation. I noted that many candidates has concentrated (quite rightly) on the needs of older people asked them what they thought the main priorities were for the health and well-being of Brent young people at a time of recession, benefit cuts and a housing crisis.

Emma Tait made clear her opposition to the Central Middlesex A&E closure and said that as a member of Brent Fightback she recognised the connections between all the various cuts and 'reforms' that would eventually impact on each other and  health in the community.  She emphasised her professional management experience in social work, and as the Executive Director of the National Back Pain Association, her ability to lead groups, write reports and speak publicly but she also stressed the need for independence and public campaigning.

Robert Esson said that he had first heard about the Central Middlesex A&E closure on TV which was clearly wrong, and told the audience that he has been assured 3 years ago by NW London NHS that it would remain open. He spoke about the waste of the £65m investment in the hospital and the iniquities of PFI.

Philemon  Sealy said that no way should Brent LINk be an advocate of government policy and regretted that the organisation hadn't stood up to the government more.

On the other hand Mansukh Raichura said that he ws involved in the NW London Hospitals merger programme.  He stressed the need to be 'realistic'. Samer Ahmedali told the audience that he was chair of Brent North Conservatives and lived in Harrow. He knew the local community because he worked for Wembley ASDA and wanted to give something back.

Loletta Cameron-Hayles on the issue of young people said that she was concerned about the opportunities that would be available to local children post-Olympics with no playing fields in the South of Brent, others being sold off, swimming lessons discontinued, and supervisors replacing teachers. She had grave concerns about the services they would get.

Maurice Hoffman said that 90% of Brent children were healthy (there were some dissension here) and it wasn't for Management Committee members to say what their needs are. They have to get out there and speak to them but also find out what provisions remains in terms of school nurses and particular projects.

Colin Babb, Brent LINk Coordinator said that the question of how they engage with young people was fundamental. There was a Young LINk organisation engaging with 16-19 year olds and a Young Advocacy Programme aimed at ensuring that young people were involved in articulating their own voice. However a younger LINk member voiced her frustration that funding for a youth development worker had been cut.  The LINk's work was useless without adequate resources. Prakash Mandalia added that however good strategies were they were no good without resources.

Cllr Sandra Kabir, Chair of the Health Partnerships Overview and Scrutiny Committee who introduced the meeting complimented the work of LINk's task groups but voiced her concern that the most vulnerable Brent groups will be most affected by the proposed health service changes.

Cllr Krupesh Hirani, Lead Member for Adults and Health, was not present but it is top be hoped that he will make the next hustings.