Anton Georgiou on his personal reasons for resigning as a Brent councillor

 

Cllr Anton Georgiou (Centre) speaking to residents in Alperton

From Cllr Anton Georgiou

Personal news from Anton Georgiou

 

Being the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Alperton has truly been the honour of my life. I became a campaigner locally in 2013 when I was 18 years old and have spent over a decade doing what I can to better the borough I love so much. For the last 5 years I have had the privilege to represent residents in Alperton on the Council - initially as the only elected Liberal Democrat and for the past two and a half years as the Leader of our small, but effective opposition group.

 

It has been quite a ride, with many highs and some lows, but I look back at this time with one overriding feeling - gratitude, for having been given the opportunity to do the role. 

 

It is with sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to resign from Brent Council. This is a personal decision, that has not been easy and in part due to a very traumatic experience that I have previously spoken out about.

 

Since my initial election in January 2020, I have been a strong opposition voice against a Labour Council in Brent that I continue to believe is failing local people and not delivering the level of service our community deserves. 

 

I have stood up to the Brent Council leadership time and time again, and have regularly faced attacks, some personal, that no one in public life should have to endure. The job of elected officials is to find the best solutions for residents and different views and opinions should be debated in an open and transparent way - there should be no place for these sorts of attacks, particularly from the leadership of the Council.

 

The Leader/ Cabinet model of Brent governance puts power in too few hands and stifles genuine open debate. This is leading to bad decision making in all areas.

 

But the opposition has not been for oppositions sake. I believe that mistakes continue to be made by the Labour Council that are having a detrimental impact on the lives of local people.

 

I have consistently opposed what seems to be never-ending development of monster tower blocks in Alperton and in the Wembley area. They are not delivering the type of housing local people desperately need and are causing misery for residents both newly moved into blocks and others in residential streets close by. Ongoing construction works cause traffic havoc in the area, parking chaos and persistent noise and othernuisance.

 

But above all, as I have said over and over – these new units are broadly not genuinely affordable to local people or in my view what Brent should be buildingwhich is - Council homes for Council tenants. Brent like every other local authority in London and across the UK is having to deal with record numbers of families on housing waiting lists and hundreds presenting at the Civic Centre every month as homeless or at risk of homelessness. 

 

Brent Council is far too weak in their dealings with developers. Both in terms of demanding a larger number of genuinely affordable units, this does not include Shared Ownership – which is not and should not be deemed as affordable, and also when holding them to account for poor quality build in new developments.

 

I commend the work Martin Francis (Wembley Matters) and others do in seeking to highlight Brent Council’s failings when it comes to bad and the wrong type of development. It is sad that many Labour members feel unable to stand up for their residents on this issue. Alperton has endured more than its fair share of large development, perhaps when the Council starts looking at development in other parts of the borough, members will feel obliged to speak out too.

 

The Labour administration is also failing to deal with the bread-and-butter issues. Our streets are dirtier than ever, a record confirmed by the BBC just last year, roads are riddled with potholes and pavements are broken and dangerous. I am not naïve to the financial situation local authorities face. But the promise of change that swept Labour into power in July has so far delivered very little for Brent Council or indeed local government generally. Keir Starmer’s government need to urgently address the crippling underfunding of local government and agree on a long-term financial settlement so that Brent and other Councils can better plan and manage finances.

 

One way the Labour government could immediately make the situation for Council’s better, is by easing restrictions on the use of Community Infrastructure Levy. In Brent, this could unlock tens of millions currently in the CIL pot that could be spent on dealing with local issues. I hope that the government will respond favourably to our suggestion that these changes should be made.

 

I want to commend the voluntary sector in Brent for everything they do. Picking up where local and national government is failing. Whether that is in delivering youth provision, providing care and support to the elderly, making community spaces available for all. It has been a pleasure to work with so many local groups and organisations – and I will miss this. The latest attack on the voluntary community sector from the Labour leadership in hiking up rents to un-affordable levels is a disgrace. I just hope the Council will better recognise the value and importance of volunteers and the voluntary sector and give it the genuine recognition and support it deserves.

 

I want to thank residents in Alperton. I have always given my all to the role of Councillor. It is a privilege to be elected and to represent local people. I have loved being able to help people, and proud of the work I have done to support some of the most vulnerable in the area. I have always tried my best and always given 100%. I am hopeful that residents in Alperton will lend their support to the prospective Liberal Democrat candidate, Charlie Clinton, to succeed me. I know he will be the type of Councillor Alperton needs and deserves.

 

Finally, to Brent – this is a very special borough. I was born here and have lived here my whole life. My family initially moved to Kilburn from Cyprus in the 1950’s. There is so much history and culture here – but I fear it is being lost and under attack by a Labour Council pursuing a gentrification agenda that does not take into account the communities that have called this part of London our home for decades. Many young people, like me, are being forced to consider moving out of the borough, we are being priced out. This is tragic and wrong. It is why we need elected Councillors in Brent who are willing to speak out, challenge and stand up for residents. We do not need more of the same, members whose loyalty is to the Labour Party, the leadership, rather than the people who elect them. 

 

It is my sincere hope that at the next set of Council elections in 2026 a wide range of people are elected in Brent who feel able and are willing to be strong voices for their communities. The role of a local Councillor is to serve and represent everyone in the ward they are elected to and always put residents first. I have done my best to fulfil this responsibility.

 

I wish the readers of Wembley Matters and everyone in Brent all the very best. 

 

Anton Georgiou

 

Wembley Matters top 10 stories in 2024 - a review

These are the stories on Wembley Matters that gained the most views during 2024 and represent a cross-section of the issues covered by the blog. Remember if you have a story you wish to share that you don't think has received the attention it deserves contact Wembley Matters at wembleymatters@virginmedia.com

If you have missed stories during 2024 remember that you can subscribe for free daily updates. See the side panel.

Thanks you to readers and contributors who have supported Wembley Matters with number of page views since the start of the blog approaching 7,000,000.
 

Brent councillor Shama Tatler moves into national spotlight as she is parachuted into sacked candidate Faiza Shaheen's seat 

 

Cllr Shama Tatler came under fire from local members of the Labour Party in Chingford and Woodford Green when she became their centrally imposed General Election candidate. They pointed to her record as 'Towerblock Tatler' in Brent as well as accusing her of opportunism. Towerblocks seems to over-shadow her career because they also caused problems in Watford when she sought that nomination. Labour there were campaiging against the Lib Dem Mayor and calling him 'Tower Taylor'. 

Faiza Shaheen stood as an Independent and the split vote enabled Tory Ian Duncan-Smith to retain the seat. Cllr Tatler moved to a new job in the Labour Office of the Local Government Association and resigned as Brent Council lead member for planning, regeneration and growth buts remains a councillor. She wished her succesor well: 'Thank you to all my Cabinet colleagues, past and present and I wish my successor all the best in continuing to deliver progressive Regeneration and Planning for Brent's residents.' Her successor? None other than the Leader of Brent Council, Muhammed Butt who awarded himself the portfolio.

Is Muhammed Butt's attempt at increasing the number of councillors required to call decisions in for scrutiny an abuse of democracy?

Muhammed Butt himself ran into difficulties when he tried to make changes in the rules regarding 'Call-In' when backbenchers can refer a Cabinet decision for further consideration by the council's Scrutiny Committee. In a move to reduce the number of call-ins, whether for financial or political reasons, he wanted any call-in to be valid only if it was signed by some Labour members in addition to the Conservative and Liberal Democrat opposition. (10 signatories would be required and the total opposition councillors is 8) Observers noted that with Labour members whipped this was very unlikely and there was an outcry that this undermined democracy and reinforced Butt's tendency to want to gather more and more power to himself.

The proposal was watered down but still means that without support from councillors from  other parties that the Liberal Democrat Group cannot call-in a decison on their own.

UPDATED: Organising in process to defend Harrow from right-wing disruption 

The country was rocked in the summer by far right rioting mainly organised over social media.

The riots followed misinformation spread about the identity of the person responsible for the terrible murder of young children in Southport.

Rumours spread about plans for an attack on a Muslim Centre in North Harrow and as in other areas of the country a community counter-demonstration  was rapidly organised. In the event the far right did not turn up, or if they did rapidly retreated when they saw the size of the resistance.

Concerned by the anti-Muslim nature of the far right attacks a group of young Muslims, wrote a guest post on Wembley Matters about their concern that Brent Council was not doing enough to combat Islamophobia: 'The community want to meet the council leadership, speak to them and hold them to account. They want to know what are their short and long term aims in fighting Islamophobia.'

 

Village Mews: A story of neglect, lack of maintenance and poor communication by a series of housing associations that leaves residents in a desperate situation 

  

 The case of neglect by the housing association at Village Mews was just one of many cases covered by Wembley Matters which highlighted poor conditions in both housing association and council properties.

Failing to get satisfaction from the managers of their properties they have turned to Wembley Matters in desperation. Concerns are not just about old properties but new build by groups such as L&Q with failing heating systems and fire safety issues. 

Temporary accommodation in private rentals for homeless families continues to be a source of some appalling conditions particularly affecting the physical and mental health of children,

Letter: Brent Council is using heavily biased language in its Paddington Old Cemetery dog PSPO consultation - what are their real plans?

Wembley Matters publishes the occasional letter from individuals or groups that want to bring an issue to the attention of readers.

Paddington Old Cemetery is a much appreciated green space that has long been championed by local people and many will remember the campaign by Cllr John Duffy about asbestos that was dumped there.

The Cemetery is used by dog walkers to exercise their animals but the Council is seeking to end an exemption that allowed them to be walked off leash.

There are a range of opinions on the proposal as can be seen from the many comments on the story, but a major contention was the wording of the consultation that campaignrs claimed was biased.

 

Northwick Park's development into a small town begins 

 

One of the reasons I started the Wembley Matters blog was that I realised many people were not aware of what was happening in the borough as it underwent rapid change. There used to be three local newspapers that covered the borough but only one, reduced in size, remains and a local TV channel was shorted lived.

The Northwick Park 'One Public Estate' development involvedsBrent Council, NW London NHS, University of Westminster and Network Housing is a project that seems to have crept up on people. Some have been puzzled, shocked or intrigued when visting Northwick  Park to see the beginning of a major development that will see tall blocks on the perimeter of the site and the area undegoing substantial change. 

An emerging issue is the financial viability of the project by Countryside pictured in its early stages above. Vistry the parent company has issued three profit warnings recently and is reviewing its portfolio. This may mean that to ensure profitability the tenure of developments may change in favour of private sales.

 

BREAKING: Application for 3 day Korean Pop Music Festival in Northwick Park summer 2025

 

Wembley Matters broke this story just before the holiday and comments are still open on the Licensing application. Up to 15,000 might attend. There are concerns about possible issues around congested access to the site from Northwick Park and South Kenton tube stations as well as loss of a major part of the park to the public during the summer.  Others of course welcome something to entertain us during the summer holiday.

A previous application for a different festival in Fryent Country Park in the summer was withdrawn twice - first because it coincided with a Wembley Event Day and when changed to a different day due to the large number of objections.  Brent Council has a policy to earn money from its parks due to its financial crisis so this issue may continue on a number of fronts in the future.

 

Dreams and Nightmares on the South Kilburn Estate 

 

Wembley Matters regularly hears from both long-term and new residents on the South Kilburn estate as the major regeneration continues.  The original residents are experiencing the joys of living long-term on a building site, with noise, dust and disruption part of daily life as well as an increase in anti-social behaviour with some blocks broken into by squatters who light fires or sleep in the public areas.

New residents battle with what they see as flats that have been built quickly with corners cuts and resulting issues over  heating, condensation  and unsafe balaconies and windows amongst others. 

 

Bobby Moore Bridge – formal complaint submitted over advertising lease award 

 

Philip Grant is a regular contributor to Wembey Matters as a local historian and in his private capacity. Philip has no party political affiliation but in his private capacity is a passionate believer in adherence to the Nolan Principles of public life. 

He is committed to ensuring that Brent Council sticks to these principles and demonstrates transparency and integrity. 

The Bobby Moore Bridge mural has featured in many of his posts, most recently concerned the procurement of advertising that replaces part of the mural and the use of the funds earned from that advertising. He has also taken up the lack of social housing on the Cecil Avenue site and the future of the Altimira Victorian Villa in Stonebridge.

I would like to publicly thank Philip for all his contributions and for his painstaking work as a proactive Brent Citizen.

 

Another South Kilburn disaster revealed - £15m claim on Swift House and George House goes to mediation 

 

This is a fairly typical story from South Kilburn illustrating the building problems outlined above and the problems with deciding who is responsible for remediation of building defects. The problem is particularly complex when a building changes hands and new owners are faced with defects that they claim are the responsibility of earlier owners.

Granville New Homes was an early example when Brent Council purchased the buildings but later found that the cost of remediation was more than they paid for them.  Changes in the law could mean that Brent Council, given the will, could claim compensation on behalf of Brent council tax payers.

 

 

UPDATED: Organising in process to defend Harrow from right-wing disruption

 Back in 2009 the Harrow and Brent community organised a united stand against an advertised Islamophobic attack on Harrow Mosque. In the event the racists and Islamophobes were hugely out-numbered.

 Harrow now appears on an EDL list with a protest planned on Wednesday at 8pm near Yes UK Immigration in Pinner Road.

The leader of Harrow Council has been informed  and efforts by the community to organise a united defence are in process as I write. Updates will appear on Wembley Matters so please be ready to support on Wednesday.

 

A reminder of 2009 below:

Democracy in Brent – Council and Leader responses to my open email.

 Guest post by Philip Grant in a personal capacity

Martin reports Cabinet’s (in)action over my efforts to get 28 May minutes corrected.

 

If you have been following the saga over the Bobby Moore Bridge advertising lease, and what happened at the Brent Cabinet meeting on 28 May, you will know I feel strongly that the subsequent official minutes for item 7 are not a correct record.

 

On Sunday, Martin published a guest post from me, setting out the text of an open email which I had sent to the Council Leader, Cllr. Muhammed Butt, and all the members of his Cabinet. This forwarded an email I had sent to Brent’s Corporate Director (Law and Governance), which gave details of the changes I believe needed to be made to the minutes, to make them a correct record, which is what minutes of meetings are meant to be. I wrote: ‘I hope that you will approve those amendments at your meeting on Monday.’

 

In the hour before that meeting, there was an exchange of emails between the Corporate Director and myself, followed by an email from the Council Leader after the meeting. As Martin has published my views, I think it only fair that he should also publish the Council’s response to them.

 

Here are the full texts of the email exchanges on Monday 17 June, so that followers of “Wembley Matters” can read them if they wish to, and make up their own minds on the issues. All of the emails were copied to the Council Leader, Cabinet members and Brent’s Chief Executive. (As I am writing this, I will reserve the right to have the final word! You are welcome to agree or disagree with me in the comments section below.)

 

Monday 17 June at 9.15am, from Brent’s Corporate Director (Law and Governance):

 

Dear Mr Grant

 

Thank you for your emails relating to this matter and I note your main concerns identified in your email of 14 June 2024 (now copied to the Cabinet and Chief Executive) following your consideration of Mr *****’s email of earlier that day.

 

The main purpose of minutes of a Cabinet meeting is to establish a clear record of the decision(s) taken.  The minutes should also establish the reasons for the decision(s) including any alternative options which are placed before Cabinet but not agreed.  This can be done by reference to the report relating to the decision.

 

The minutes meet these requirements.

 

Other details of the meeting are not required to be included.  In respect of what is included I cannot see that the minutes are inaccurate.

 

In respect of the first section you wish to substitute, the decision and reasons are required to be recorded in the minutes.  The minutes refer to the potential options being presented in the report, they do not state that the Leader specifically presented these options himself. You had of course already spoken about the Options so there could be no doubt that the Cabinet was aware of them and of the views of those who supported the petition to take note of them.  In agreeing the recommendations in the report, the Cabinet was agreeing to note items as recommended as Mr ***** explained.

 

Cllr Donnelly-Jackson thanked you for your contribution, which was for the purpose of representing the residents who supported the petition, and I think recording that as Cabinet thanking residents is not inaccurate.

 

There is no general requirement for Cabinet members to vote by a show of hands or to formally state their support.  Cabinet members were given the opportunity to indicate that they did not agree the recommendations which the Leader had proposed be agreed, for example if they had thought Option A was the correct choice.  None of them chose to do so.

 

In respect of your second proposed substitution and your intervention to raise a point of order, the minute clearly captures the import of the Leader’s response.  As a member of the public observing a Cabinet meeting you would not have the formal right to raise a point of order.  However, given you stated the point you wish to raise anyway, had the Chief Executive or Head of Law considered there was a matter of concern to address I am sure they would have provided advice.

 

In summary, although I wasn’t at the meeting, I have watched the webcast and do not consider the minutes to be an incorrect representation of the decision or the reasons for it, including the options which were presented by the report.

 

Best wishes

 

Debra

 

Debra Norman
Corporate Director, Law & Governance

 

Monday 17 June at 9.35am, my reply to Ms Norman’s email:

 

Dear Ms Norman,

 

Thank you for yoùr detailed response to the concerns I raised.

 

I note what you have said, but still believe that the minute for item 7 of the 28 May Cabinet meeting is NOT a correct record, and should not be accepted by Cabinet as such.

 

I would be grateful if you would, please, publicly make clear at the meeting that a member of the public involved at that meeting does not accept that minute as being a correct record, and have that included in the minutes of today's meeting. Thank you. 

 

Best wishes,

 

Philip Grant.

 

Monday 17 June at 9.59am (meeting started at 10am!), reply to me from Ms Norman:

 

Dear Mr Grant

 

Thank you for your email.

 

This would be a matter for the Leader.

 

Best wishes

 

Debra

 

Monday 17 June at 11.08am, from Cllr. Muhammed Butt’s to me:

 

Thank you.

 

The minutes were accepted as a true reflection of the cabinet meeting held in May.

 

Regards

 

Muhammed

Cllr Muhammed Butt
Leader of Brent Council
Labour councillor for Tokyngton ward.

 

It is not often I agree with Cllr. Butt, but I think that what has happened over this matter, since the open email I wrote to him on 20 May (about the need for the voting on the Bobby Moore Bridge advertising lease to not only be fair, but to be seen to be fair) is a ‘true reflection’ of the state of Democracy in Brent under his Leadership.

 

I said above that I would have the final word. This is the reply I sent to the Council Leader, with copies to Cabinet members and Brent’s Chief Executive and Corporate Director … etc.:

 

Dear Councillor Butt,

 

Thank you for your email.

 

I will pass on your message to those who are interested.

 

I hope that you and your Cabinet colleagues will consider, along with the Chief Executive and Corporate Director (Law and Governance), the points I made in my email of 15 June, about the need for Cabinet decisions, and votes on them, to be more visibly seen to be considered and made, in the interests of open democracy.

 

That is also something where "Change" would be welcomed. Best wishes,

 

Philip Grant.

 

Brent residents deserve to be treated with more respect by our elected councillors*. The least we should expect in a democracy is that the decision-making body, Brent’s Cabinet, considers  decisions carefully and votes properly on them in its public meetings!

 

Philip Grant.

 

* They were democratically elected. Cllr. Butt topped the poll, receiving 1447 votes, when he was elected to represent Tokyngton Ward in 2022, and Labour councillors won 57.6% of the votes cast in Brent, on a 30.67% turnout. Under our first-past-the-post system, that gave Labour 49 out of 57 Council seats, and after such a victory it was unsurprising that Cllr. Butt’s councillors voted to give him four more years as Leader of the Council (a post he has held since May 2012).

Wembley Matters over the next few weeks

 Wembley Matters will be updated only occasionally over the nest few weeks. Comments will be updated when possible so leave any urgent news in the comments below.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Wembley Matters launches a new forum for Brent residents

Local newspapers can provide a lively forum for residents to express their views and contribute to local democracy.  Unfortunately the Kilburn Times with its diminishing number of pages carries only two or three letters a week, in stark contrast to the Camden New Journal that has 4 or 5 pages of letters.

Brent has at least as many local issues as Camden so I will be welcoming Letters to the Editor from  residents who would like to air their views.

 In a mainly one party borough we need to increase the number and variety  of voices. I recognise that WM can in no way replace a good local newspaper letters page but perhaps, in a very modest way, can contribute to a livelier public discourse.

Letters will reflect the writer's view and not that of Wembley Matters and should be accompanied by the name of the writer which they can withold if they wish. I will reserve the right to edit as appropriate and recommend a word limit of 1,000 words but shorter will be appreciated.

Send letters to wembleymatters@virginmedia.com 

Thank you from 'chicken shop basement' blogger

Chicken Shop Basement Update

 

Following an update posted on Wembley Matters earlier I'd like to thank the readers and responders of Wembley Matters for their kind support and action.

I knew that it was an unfair and unsuitable offer but didn't know how to move past that.

 

I haven't yet heard from the Housing Department but will keep you updated on the outcome.

 

Whilst I'm delighted that the Council have apparently withdrawn the offer - ie not forced me to be intentionally homeless - it is us as Council Tax payers who are better served when the Council is held to account.

 

In the meantime I'm just so pleased that it's off their books and that no another family will be forced to live there - thank you again Martin for being an incredible and dynamic local resource.

Tributes pour in for Indro Sen - great CNWL lecturer and trade unionist

Former secondary maths teacher, primary school governor,  College of North West London lecturer,  and most importantly trade unionist, Indro Sen has died shortly before his 68th birthday.

In 2016-17 Indro was involved in a dispute at CNWL over his allegations of corruption in an apprenticeship scheme and I worked closely with him on publicising the issue here on Wembley Matters. (Links below) He was suspended from his job allegedly because of his support at an emeployment  tribunal for a sacked colleague and his opposition to the CNWL's merger with Westminster College.

At the time Peter Murry, Trade Union Liaison officer for the London Federation of Green Parties and for Brent Green Party  supported Sen and said,   'Both of these are actions are entirely proper for a University and College Union Branch Secretary to carry out. If Indro Sen’s suspension is a result of his performing the legitimate duties of a UCU Officer, then he himself seems to be threatened with unfair treatment and victimisation.'

His son Shenin said on Twitter:

On Wednesday we lost my father Indro Sen. Being unaware of his underlying health issues, this has been a complete shock for me & my family, which is where my full focus is right now.

His whole life was dedicated to helping others, I couldn’t have asked for a better role model.

Sen's novel approach to maths teaching in the 70s or 80s

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the NEU said:

So sorry to hear of the loss this week of Indro Sen. Long time NUT and then UCU militant.
Long time school rep at Kingsland secondary school. Successful fights against victimisation.
Highly regarded Maths teacher.Brilliant ally in fights as a parent, and governor, at Benthal Primary school. 

Many condolences to all the family. Rage against the dying of the light. Rest in Peace Sen.

Bernard Regan, long time member of the NUT, Summed up Indro Sen, the person:

A great comrade and campaigner. At the centre of fighting many injustices. I will remember him for his strength of character and gentleness of being. I will remember his laugh with fondness. His hat which he wore all the time - his eye for detail and passionate commitment to fighting injustices including those inflicted on him..We will remember him.

Wembley Matters postings on Indro Sen and his struggle at the College of North West London:

https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2016/12/greens-call-for-immediate-and-full.html

https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2017/02/support-builds-for-indro-sen-in-cnwl.html

https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2017/06/support-cnwl-strikes-to-defend-sacked.html

https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2017/05/indro-sens-appeal-against-dismissal-to.html

https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2017/02/cnwl-lecturers-threaten-action-to.html