QPR coaches deliver free Saturday football sessions for Brent youngsters at Ark Elvin

From Zaffar Van Kalwala

I’m organising free football sessions for Brent boys and girls aged 9-13 years old with Queens Park Rangers. 

Please could you also include the link below.

Really pleased to be organising  Free football sessions for children in Brent with Queens Park Rangers Football Club.

Please sign-up HERE - Open to all boys and girls aged 9-13 years old (regardless of ability) living in Brent.

Just turn-up and play!

Delivered by qualified QPR coaches, sessions will take place on 3G astroturf (children should wear appropriate footwear and clothing).

A big thank you to London Blues for supporting the project.

Brent kids can be 'Super Heroes' - lessons from the St Raph's Movie Fun Day

I think readers will enjoy this video showing the Brent community at its best with children and adults from all communities having fun together with a serious intent behind the fun.

Brent 7 a side Supercup Tournament September 9th + Fun Day

From Cllr Van Kalwala

 Delighted to be organising the Brent Super Cup. Please come and support our young people who have shown great comittment and hard work to be the best in the borough.

Also loads of fun activities for the whole community including Arts and Crafts, giant screen Nintendo Wi games, inflatable slides and much much more!

A big thank you to Sam's' Kitchen and Hyde Housing for supporting the event.

How we should challenge gang culture

In September last year the Brent and Kilburn Times published an article by Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala (Stonebridge) on gangs. I republish it here as a contribution to the debate taking place LINK on this blog ahead of the Time to Talk About Gangs event to be held at the Roundwood Centre on January 17th.

The immediate challenge is to get the young people directly affected along to the event.

Recently, six people wearing balaclavas began firing gunshots at each other on the streets of Brent. What should have been a quiet Thursday afternoon turned into something resembling a scene out of a Hollywood movie. It was a timely reminder that gangs still cast a dark shadow over our community.

As chair of Brent’s Gangs taskgroup as well as having been born in the borough, I have become all too familiar of the impact gangs have on our area; some of the people I grew up with are either in prison or no longer with us – guns and gangs did that. Current estimates indicate almost one in every ten Brent 11-19 year old is a gang member and according to the Met. Police, gangs are responsible for 16% of the total drug supply, 26% of aggravated burglaries and 14% of all types of rapes. Even international events are adding to the toxic mix. My ward’s Safer Neighbourhood Team Sergeant once remarked that young people arriving from conflicts in Syria and Libya, traumatised by their experiences of violence and death were joining gangs. 

Although there are some very good examples of work being done in Brent. Initiatives carried out by the youth offending service, the police and the voluntary sector such as Stonebridge Boxing Club, which worked closely with ex-gang members to develop mentoring and physical routines to help change their lives around. 

The efforts of those working with some of the most hard to reach young people have not gone unnoticed – these are committed people genuinely trying to make a difference. But the truth is that many of the responses have at times been uncoordinated and fragmented. This is further exacerbated by the closure of youth facilities such as the Brent Adventure Playground, youth unemployment and the erosion of ‘community spirit’.

Gangs are also leveraging in brand new Nike trainers and designer clothes for gang members who have more often than not experienced family breakdowns and live chaotic lifestyles. A lack of positive role models, poor educational attainment, mental health and lack of aspirations are just some of the factors that lure young people to this violent subterranean street culture. Young women are also at risk from gangs whether it’s sexual exploitation, violence or becoming involved in criminality.   

Our solution to gang culture needs to move away from a one-dimensional approach, which focuses solely on increasing resources. Although this is important, increased investment in young people will achieve nothing without paying attention to other factors such as housing, education, family support and tackling social deprivation.

We need a more inclusive approach, which empowers the local community to develop youth-led initiatives. Local models can respond to local dynamics, and can be specific to the communities in which gangs operate. This should also be extended nationally and locally where we encourage young people to use their skills positively. Perversely, gang members can possess an entrepreneurial drive namely, building up their ‘gang business through clever branding and slick You Tube music videos. 

We should develop innovative schemes to provide business ‘start-up’ funding for young people who could be at risk of joining gangs to help them achieve their real potential. Moreover, we should have wider apprenticeship opportunities whereby those that display the ‘entrepreneurial spirit’ are given opportunities to work in sectors such as banking and finance to make better use of their abilities. 

Brent is home to the largest industrial estate in Europe, Park Royal. Our young people should be given the opportunities to be apprentices at some of the largest companies in the world. And with Brent collecting £15m from the community infrastructure levy (CIL) from developers building new homes, maybe some that funding should go towards building the future of our young people. 

We are at a tipping point, do we accept gangs and gang culture or do we together as a community say enough is enough?

Seething behind the scenes at Brent Council's meeting tonight

The format of Brent Council meetings these days is pretty predictable.  LINK The Leader makes a speech extolling the virtues of Labour members, outlines the difficult conditions caused by Coalition cuts and berates the opposition and then reaffirms the administration's commitment to protecting the vulnerable. Often adding that none of us became councillors to make cuts but we have to obey the law'.

The Tories refer to the mess left by Labour, wastefulness of the Council and go on about parking charges.

Questions to Cabinet members now have to be sent in advance so answers are carefully crafted. Backbench councillors ask prepared questions (often read out in stilted fashion) to Cabinet members that enable the latter to preen themselves and boast of their achievements with the opportunity for an additional swipe at the opposition.

Towards the end of the meeting Motions are put by Labour, Conservative Officials (Kenton) and Conservative Provisionals (Brondesbury Park). There's some Punch and Judy exchanges with the lone Lib Dem councillor looking a little lost; and then the Labour motion is approved and the Conservative motions defeated.

The unpredictability lies mainly with the voting of the Conservative groups and whether the Officials support the Provisionals or remain loyal to the Labour Group who granted them official status.

Tonight Cllr John Warren is moving a motion that regrets the fact that Standing Order changes mean that they cannot propose a vote of 'No Confidence' in Councillor Butt.

Warren will not have endeared himself to the Kenton councillors with the tweet he sent out in the early hours this morning:

 Kenton Conservative Councillor Bhiku M Patel died recently while on holiday in India.

Hardly tasteful tweeting.

Underneath all this there are real issues that could be raised. One is an update on the progress of appointing a new Chief Executive Officer. The Minutes of the September 2014 meeting record:

The Leader referred to the decision taken in June 2013 regarding the appointment of a new Chief Executive.  He stated that the external auditors were reporting back on how the Council was operating and whilst there was progress being made, stability within the Council would enable further progress to be made.  The current arrangements would therefore remain in place until a recruitment process began in the new year which would tie in with the launch of the new Borough Plan.

There has been little sign of any recruitment process and it now looks as if there may be an argument that Christine Gilbert should stay on until after the General Election because of her role as Returning Officer.  The fact that her partner Tony McNulty is actively campaigning for a Labour victory in Brent is not seen as a conflict of interest.

Another issue is of course that around the Employment Tribunal case and the finding that Brent Council racially discriminated against a council worker, victimised her and constructively dismissed her. Christine Gilbert will not countenance any disciplinary move against Cara Davani who was the second respondent in the case. Cara Davani, head of Human Resources. Cara Davani drew up Christine Gilbert's contract when she replaced Gareth Daniel  as Acting CEO, that included payment into her private company Christine Gilbert Associates. At the time Davbani wa sbeing paid a daily fee of £700 into her private company.

It would be interesting to have an update from Cllr Michael Pavey, Deputy Leader, on his internal review of Human Resources policies and processes. Two issues came up during the debate about his review including whether workers would have confidence that there would be no retribution over what they said and whether they could communicate with councillors over their concerns.

In Item 13 (Constitutional Amendment) a new clause has been added:

So Councillors approached by workers with concerns about racial discrimination, victimisation or constructive dismissal have to report them to Cara Davani, Head of Human Resources, who was the second respondent in a case where Brent Council was found to have racially discriminated against an employee who was victimised and constructively dismissed.  Cara Davani will be managing the redundancies consequent on the latest round of cuts.

Cara Davani is of course leading on the senior management restructure which has seen packages agreed for Fiona Ledden (former head of Legal and Procurement) and Ben Spinks (former Assistant Chief Executive Officer who was only appointed in 2013).

I understand that there has been one slight change in Gilbert and Davani's proposals. The original consultation ring-fenced the post of a senior legal officer to replace Ledden. Cara Davani's partner, Andy Potts,  was one of three employees thus eligible for the post. It was the only ring-fenced post in the whole reorganisation. Now the post will not be ring-fenced but only advertised internally. This seems to make little real difference in terms of who might be qualified for the post, so may just be a cosmetic change.

The Labour Group has its own internal tensions and a Labour councillor recently suggested to me that Muhammed Butt's support had declined to about 50% of the group against 75% a few weeks ago. It does not seem to be political opposition so much as distrust following recent machinations.


In the same week Pavey's Review will be put before the General Purposes Committee.

So if you have the staying power to watch the Council meeting on livestream tonight, just remember what is seething beneath the surface. Livestreaming failed last time but is supposed to have gone through an upgrade. To view from 7pm follow this LINK

Surviving Christmas at Brent Council?

In the run up to the 'Season of Goodwill' things are looking distinctly frosty at Brent Council despite the Christmas tree recently erected at the Civic Centre.

Relationships between Labour councillors are a little fraught as Full Council becomes a testing ground, not just about the cuts envisaged in the First Budget Reading and a a likely motion on the Employment Tribunal appeal but also over the question of whether a court order on conditions of bail will allow Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala to attend. The ban on him entering the Civic Centre has been lifted after intervention from the courts and Labour Party region.

On the officer side the consultation on proposed cuts to the senior management team has produced some emotional scenes as it proceeds at a pace.  Fiona Ledden, whose post is proposed to be deleted, is not at work at the moment. Her automatic email message says she is away from November 28th, with no return date given. Ben Spinks' post as Assistant Chief Executive is also under threat.

However senior people will have some protection as deals are done. Not so rank and file council workers who face an unhappy Christmas contemplating the future as 4 out of 10 posts in the central departments are proposed to be cut.

It is sad to see things at such a low point as the year drags to an end.

Comments are now closed on this piece

Brent By-election possibility lessens but...

Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala at Stonebride Boxing Club

 The potential for the postponement of the next Full Council Meeting to catch three Labour councillors in the six month attendance rule and thus force them to resign appears to have subsided.

Cllr Ahmad Shahzad is reporting to have attendeded a Pensions Committee and Cllr John Duffy an Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee.

This leaves Zaffar Van Kalwala who is on the Audit Committee which meets at 7.30pm tonight and Scrutiny which meets at 7pm on Wednesday.

That is of course as long as the meetings go ahead and are not abandoned, as Cllr Janice Long seemed to hint at Labour Group on Monday, by the Civic Centre fire alarm being set off.

If for some reason Kalwala does  not attend a by-election will be triggered in Stonebridge ward.

Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala has been active in support of the campaign to Save Stonebridge Adventure Playground which has also been backed by Dawn Butler, Labour's General Election candidate for Brent Central.

Brent Cabinet finding it hard to find cuts to bridge £54m budget gap

See last paragraph

According to a posting on the Brent Fightback Facebook page Muhammed Butt told Brent Central Labour Party members last night that Brent Council would have to make cuts of £54 million 2015-17 (2 year budget) that is equivalent to 20% of the revenue budget.

Every Cabinet member had been asked to find deep cuts - and they were struggling. The Labour Group will meet to discuss the recommended cuts on Saturday November 29th.

Butt told the meeting that he would ensure that new housing in Park Royal will have 50% affordable housing.  However members were disappointed that his definition of affordable rent was 80% of market rent - far too expensive for most ordinary Brent families.  He was asked to go back to officers and challenge this.

I understand that the issue of Stonebridge Adventure Playground was raised by members unhappy about recent developments over its proposed closure. LINK Muhammed Butt told them that a decision would be made in January.

Other sources suggest that the problem regarding the possible barring of three councillors under the 6 month non-attendance rule may be resolved next week.  LINK  Cllr John Duffy is due to attend Alcohol and Licensing Committee on Monday afternoon and Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala Audit in the evening. 

Cllr  Ahmad Shahzad  has been unwell so may be exempted on those grounds.

The problem was caused by the sudden movement of the Full Council Meeting from 17th November to December 8th. This was explained as necessary in order to discuss the Brent Plan which is currently being consulted on. Many feel this an indequate excuse as the Council calendar, including consultations, is set up months in advance.

Apparently last night Cllr Janice Long mystified many Labour Party members by asking Muhammed Butt, rather cryptically, if he was planning to set off the Civic Centre fire alarm.

Mysterious Brent Full Council Meeting change may have unintended consequences

This is the rather terse statement on the Brent Council website announcing the very unusual change in the meeting of Full Council.

Peter Goss gave me rather fuller information just before his office closed on Friday:

Councillors have this afternoon been notified that the Full Council meeting on 17 November has been moved to 8 December in order that the outcome of the consultation on the borough plan can be considered as part of the 1st reading of the budget.  The web site has been amended to reflect this change.

However, this raises rather more questions than it answers.

1. Who made the decision and under which provision of the Brent Constitution?
2. When the Council has a carefully constructed Forward Plan how was this major item missed in the calendar?
3. With the Borough Plan consultation not closing until Friday November 28th, how will it be possible for the Brent officers to compile a report for Full Council in just 5 working days?

 I remain sceptical about the reasons for this decision.

One consequence of the three week delay is that some councillors may be caught in the six month rule. This disqualifies councillors from office if they have not attended a council meeting, which they are expected to attend, in a six month period.

Unless some special dispensation is granted, or councillors presently not on a committee are drafted on to a committee that meets before November 24th, there appear to be  three councillors who face disqualification as a result of the postponement.

These are John Duffy (Kilburn), Zaffar Van Kalwala (Stonebridge) and Ahmad Shahzad (Mapesbury).

This may (or may not) be an unintended consequence of the postponement decision but it would be absurd, and expensive, if as a result of the postponement three by-elections are triggered.

Labour selects Dawn Butler for Brent Central

Uniting behind Dawn?

Former Brent South MP Dawn Butler has been selected by Labour for the Brent Central seat, winning in the third round of voting. Butler lost to Sarah Teather in 2010.

Clearly more people like Marmite in Brent that I thought!

According to reliable sources Butler won narrowly from Sundar Thava, tipped by me as a possible outsider winner yesterday. There was only a handful of votes in it at the end of the day in which Sundar performed impressively but Dawn Butler was ahead on postal votes. Parmijit Dhanda and Sabina Khan were knocked out in the early stages.

With such a narrow margin the question is whether activists will line up behind Dawn Butler and get out on the streets for her. The prospect of another Tory or Coalition government may be enough to do the trick.

Runners, form and a tip for Labour's Brent Central race as it nears finishing line

So very soon Brent Central Labour Party members will be free of the emails, circulars, texts, and knocks on the door from the five hopefuls for the Brent Central parliamentary candidate nomination.

It's quite hard to tip a winner because my sources are all over the place and more keen to say why a particular candidate is unacceptable rather than who will make a great MP.

Even the LRC appears to have decided that none deserved a collective vote of support so individuals are going their own way. In the Green Party RON appears on all ballot forms. RON stands for re-open nominations and is chosen  if you feel none of the candidates are suitable or a wider field is needed. If Ron was standing in the Brent Central Labour ballot I think he may do quite well

Dawn Butler seems to be the Marmite candidate but some have been won over by her skills as a speaker and in debate. Sabina Khan has been working extremely hard, personally lobbying many individual members, but has also attracted quite a lot of background criticism. Parmijit Dhanda although plausible on the surface has a substantial number of detractors based on his record. Zaffar van Kalwala has his fans but apparently did not come over well in the interviews.  Sundar Thava was somewhat undermined by his own decision to put a photograph of himself wielding a machine gun  on his campaign website.

I can claim no inside knowledge but if I was to tip an outsider who may come through the field it would probably be Sundar Thavapalasundaram. He impressed at the Labour Party public meeting on Syria which seemed to allay some of the concerns over his military background and that photograph. His job as an NHS doctor has gained him respect as well as his position on the Fabian Society National Executive.  He appears to be a 'slow burner' who has gained ground over the last few week.

The Fabians are quite influential in Brent and amongst some of the Council Executive. Thava's Operation Black Vote mentor, Sadiq Khan, has also been a presence in Brent since Muhammed Butt's former political adviser, Jack Stenner, a Young Fabian, went to work for him.

Five to go on to Labour's Brent Central ballot

Labour's Brent Central Parliamentary Selection Committee has chosen five candidates to go on to the ballot of members after today's interviews, according to my sources.

The selected contestants are said to be the four candidates who got most nominations from wards and affiliates: Dawn Butler, Sabina Khan, Zaffar van Kalwala and Parmijit Dhanda plus Dr Sundar Thava who as I reported via Twitter this morning has had a late surge of support.

This information has not been officially confirmed.

The ballot outcome will not be known until December.

Meanwhile Dawn Butler has tweeted her congratulations to Uma Kumaran followed her selection as Labour PPC for Harrow East.

Labour's Brent Central ups and downs

I'm a little behind with the Brent Central Labour nominations as busy burning my bridges - or at least my energy bills, yesterday.

The hot news, or the news causing some heat, is that Janice Long ordered a recount at Harlesden after Zaffar van Kalwala lost to Bobby Thomas by only one vote. Following the recount she awarded the male nomination to Zaffar.

Meanwhile Dollis Hill ward nominated  Dawn Butler as the female candidate and Liaquat Ali as the male. Word is that this result also had a one vote margin, while there are rumours of a recount at Willesden Green.(See comments)

The position so far (subject to recounts):
.

Ward	Female nomination	Male Nomination
Tokyngton	Dawn Butler	Zaffar Van Kalwala
Stonebridge	Butler	Kalwala
Harlesden	Butler	Kalwala
Willesden Green	Sabina Khan	Imran Ahmed
Kensal Green	Khan	Parmijit Dhanda
Dollis Hill	Butler	Liaquat Ali
Mapesbury (Nov 6th)
Dudden Hill (Nov 7th)
Welsh Harp (Nov 7th)

More Labour Brent Central nomination results

Parmijit Dhanda and Sabina Khan were nominated by Kensal Green ward as PPCs for Brent Central and Dawn Butler tweeted that she had one Harlesden with a big majority. Zaffar van Kalwala lost the male Harlesden nomination by one vote to Bobby Thomas who is currently Mayor of Brent.

Shining a light on Brent Central nomination struggle

Let your little light shine.... (Source Waltham Forest Guardian)

Dawn Butler and Zaffar van Kalwala were selected as female and male Brent Central Labour parliamentary candidates last night giving them the first two wards to nominate.

Labour insiders suggest that not too much should be read into this as Tokyngton and Stonebridge, along with Harlesden, are the pair's strongest wards and the six other wards may come up with a more mixed result.

Willesden Green will nominate tonight where Bernard Collier is also standing as a councillor. Harlesden and Kensal Green are on Monday; Dollis Hill Tuesday, Mapesbury Wednesday and Dudden Hill and Welsh Harp on Thursday.

Meanwhile Patrick Vernon went on a mini-offensive today posting backing from  the Unison London Region and Lord Herman Ousley. He also issued a statement on the Central Middlesex A&E closure.

Vernon claims that the failure to scrutinise and challenge the NHS over recent years meant that Central Middlesex A&E was easier to close than Ealing or Lewisham. LINK

A name I was not familiar with has also emerged. Dr Tony Breslin has his own public policy company LINK and has this to say about his suitability for the position of MP:

· A Labour Party member for 32 years, originally in Manor Ward, in what is now Brent Central
· A Harlesden resident throughout my childhood and youth, and during the early years of my
career, with a range of enduring local friendships and connections, and the kind of rich local
knowledge that derives from being “Made in Harlesden”
· A seasoned political campaigner on issues as diverse as eldercare, mental health, educational
reform and youth participation
· A confident media performer, with radio, TV and print experience, who is ready to handle the
spotlight that will fall on Brent Central as the election approaches
· A teacher by profession and an experienced charity leader who has influenced and helped to
develop policy nationally in fields as diverse as education, participation and community
cohesion
· Confident about re-winning this seat for Labour and willing and able to put in the hard work that will be required to do so
· Ready to play an effective role in Parliament as a champion for all of the people of Brent
Central

Some local Labour Party members, after the expenses scandal, are get to have a 'clean candidate' with no skeletons in the cupboard. They have not been impressed by revelations that Liaquat Ali  MBE ran into trouble, when a councillor in Waltham Forest,  with his 'house of lights' (photo above) for which he had not received planning permission. He was the cabinet member for communities at the time. He was ordered to reduce the size of the structure by council officers. LINK  Earlier, in 2008, the Daily Mail headlined his fine, from Waltham Forest Council, for the unauthorised  absence from school of his daughter who he took on Hajj.LINK

The Council said:

Waltham Forest Council does not condone removing young people unnecessarily from education during term time. This disrupts their learning and may lead to young people missing vital lessons.The Council will seek to punish those responsible regardless of status or position within the local community.

Liaquat Ali was a magistrate until 2007 when he stepped down to become Mayor.

Harlesden Incinerator: A community's plea to Ealing Council

NOT NOW, BERNARD

Will Bernard be given the chance to climb Labour's mountain?

The crowded field of Labour hopefuls for the Brent Central parliamentary has been joined by yet another runner. Fresh from winning a council candidate place for the Willesden Green was, Bernard Collier has now set his sights higher, and has announced he wants the Brent Central seat.

After last week's flurry of letters to the Brent and Kilburn Times (and Zaffar van Kalwala managed it again today)we can look forward to the Thoughts of Bernard jostling for a place alongside those from the other candidates.

Meanwhile here is what he wrote about himself: LINK

I have lived in Kilburn and Willesden since 1986. Bringing up two children in Brent, using local schools, GP’s and hospitals, has given me a thorough understanding of the issues that affect people locally.

I began my working life teaching independent living and advocacy skills to adults with learning difficulties. Since then I have run voluntary organisations and worked with community groups (Refugee, Pre schools, Senior Citizens) for the last twenty years. I have gained experience of promoting their collective voice and influencing social policy at local, regional, and national levels.

My varied experience, including managing Sure Start outreach teams and facilitating Community Networks for example, means that I bring both a passion for social justice and a range of strategic and management skills to “make it happen” in Brent Central.

The Labour party in Brent Central has a mountain to climb after losing a nominal majority of 19% in 2010. It is vital therefore that the candidate we choose has experience of representing, influencing and negotiating on behalf of local communities. Someone with a good grasp of policy and also a history of standing up for communities and fighting for social justice.

I believe Brent Central deserves to have an MP who has lived a life outside of the political bubble. Who has experience of the local area and the problems facing local people. A fresh face untainted by some of the negative issues that have dogged our party in recent years. Someone to represent all the communities of Brent Central.

This is why I am putting myself forward to be the candidate for selection by Brent Central CLP.

Cllr Van Kalwala makes the case against the Harlesden Incinerator

Recorded at Ealing Council Planning Committee August 14th 2013

Frontrunners emerge in Labour battle for Brent Central nomination

Patrick Vernon and Catherine West are emerging as front runners in the contest for Labour's selection of a candidate to challenge Sarah Teather in Brent Central at the 2015 General Election.

Cllr Roxanne Mashari who was mentioned in early speculation confirmed this morning that she will not be standing. Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala, butt of frequent teasing about his job at an investment bank in the City but with excellent local credentials, has yet to reveal his hand. Sabina Khan is also holding back but promises a different,  if not unique, campaign. Amina Ali is due to address a Labour meeting soon and Dawn Butler has arranged a private Brent Central viewing of Ken Loach's Spirit of 45 in Harlesden on April 29th sponsored by the GMB and LFC.

Catherine West's address  to the Kensal Green ward meeting impressed a number of Labour Party members of different tendencies who are usually at loggerheads.  It was her record as a 'doer' with the policy giving free school meals to all Islingon Primary children a real winner, that convinced some of the audience that she had sufficient weight to take on Teather.

Her approach can be seen from this extract from her address to the Labour Local Government Conference:

If Labour are to return to power in 2015, I don’t think any of us are naïve enough to believe spending will return to pre-2010 levels. In the short term the next Labour government need to reverse the Tory policy of hitting the poorest areas hardest.

However, a message we all need to be communicating as local authority representatives is that the current model of local government needs to change. The financial model does not work anymore. We need a new relationship between central and local government that recognises WE are the people who know our own areas best and we are the people who should lead them. Going forward this means three things:

First, it is vital that the future way of funding social care is decided quickly with defined financial responsibilities for the individual, the NHS and local government. Without this, all Councils will be bankrupt within a decade. Thankfully Andy Burnham has already announced that Local Government will play a role in integrating social care and acute care and Liz Kendall is in conversation with us as local leaders about the exact design of that commissioning.

Second, recognise the limitations of national employment programmes and devolve the budgets and responsibilities to local councils either individually or as part of a consortium such as the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities or Central London Forward. Once again local government’s intimate knowledge of our areas and their jobs market makes us well placed to lead on getting local people into work.

Third, generate economic growth through much needed housing and infrastructure projects. But crucially, to allow more flexibility than the last Labour Government over the procurement of this work so all of the contracts don’t go to the usual same few major construction companies and myriad sub-contractors that leach money and jobs out of local areas.

Communication matters. Our experience shows that when we focus on the issues that resonate in our communities and we communicate a clear alternative to the governments slash and burn approach we can win the support of local people. This will help pave the way for a Labour government in 2015.

'A breath of fresh air' and 'a real person' to fight it out with Dawn

The fight for Labour's nomination for Brent Central looks set to gain national prominence as The Voice LINK profiles the three front runners: Patrick Vernon ('a breath of fresh air'), Amina Ali  ('a real person') and Dawn Butler for whom The Voice gives no details except that she is a former MP.  An indication perhaps of the paper's assessment of the candidates.

Neither of the local candidates, Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala or Sabina Khan are mentioned, nor the leader of Islington Council, Catherine West LINK said to have been approached by some local Labour Party activists.

The Voice quotes a local Labour source as suggesting the selection process could begin as early a September which could see the selection process for Labour council candidates running concurrently. A number of veteran councillors are expected to stand down.

What might be an excellent testing ground for the parlaimentary as well as the council candidates would be getting out on the street for a by-election and seeing how they go down with the electorate.

With a year to go before the council election won't the Reverend David Clues currently enjoying life in Brighton do us all a favour and resign, opening the way for a mini-contest in Dudden Hill?