Demonstration at Wembley Central Station Monday on behalf of sacked agency workers

RMT members will be demonstrating outside Wembley Central Station on Monday January 7th at 1pm. The demonstration is on behalf of 33 agency workers who were sacked just before Christmas. Tomorrow morning at 0650 the LBC breakfast show on 97.3 FM will be highlighting the campaign.

The 33  Trainspeople Agency workers had been employed on LUL contracts for the past 5 years According to the RMT they were denied applying for jobs that were available on LUL despite the agency workers regulations expressly forbidding this.

The RMT forecast a noisy and vibrant demonstration.

Information about the Trainspeople agency HERE

BRENT HOSTS AGE OF STUPID DEBATES

The Age of Stupid season at the Tricycle Cinema got off to a good start on Friday. The screenings of this incredible film about climate change are organised by Brent Friends of the Earth and supported by Brent Green Party.

There will be a chance for Brent residents to make their views known to local and national politicians and hold them accountable. Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change secretary will be taking part in a Q&A session after the 5.30pm showing on Sunday March 22nd, Ken Livingstone after the 6pm showing on Monday March 23rd, Shahrar Ali (Green Party Euro candidate) after the 6.30pm showing on Tuesday 24th and Sarah Teather Lib Dem MP 2.30pm, and Jenny Jones Green Party AM 6.30pm on Thursday March 26th.

Meanwhile Brent Council's Strategy on Climate Change has still not been published and is now long overdue. The film underlines the extreme urgency of the situation. We need a Brent councillor to champion the climate change issue and challenge the Council's lethargy and complacency.

Brent Friends of the Earth: www.brentfoe.com

Click here to see the Age of Stupid Trailer.

Details of screenings: http://www.tricycle.co.uk
Film information: http://www.ageofstupid.net

BRENT'S LOW ECOLOGICAL AND CARBON FOOTPRINTS

The Environment Agency today publishes Environment Fact Sheets for each London borough as an extension of the London State of the Environment report.

Key environmental facts from the report:

• Brent has one of the lowest ecological footprints in London at 5.02 global hectares per capita, ranking it 29th out of the 33 London boroughs. It is lower than the total London footprint of 5.48 and the UK footprint of 5.30


• In Brent housing accounts for 26% of the total ecological footprint and food 25%


• Brent has one of the lowest carbon footprints in London at 11.28 tonnes CO2 per capita, ranking 29th and lower than the London average of 12.12 and the UK of 12.08


• In Brent commercial consumption accounts for 34% of the emissions and the primary contributor is electricity


• Brent has one of the lowest recycling and composting rates in London at 20.98%. It ranks 29th out of the 33 boroughs. The recycling rate is 12.08% ranking lowest in London.


• However the household recycling/composting rate has improved dramatically since 2000/2001 rising from 6.4% to 20.98% in 2007/8- but still well below the total London rate of 25.5%


• Approximately 4% of Brent land is within flood zone 2 (1 in 1000 year probability of flooding) and 6% within flood zone 3 (1 in 100 year probability). This land is predominantly located around the River Brent, Wealdstone Brook and the Wembley Brook.


• The water quality of the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent is historically poor, with a slight improvement in the latter. This means only pollution tolerant species can survive.


• The most common invasive plant species in Brent is Japanese Knotweed found on both the Wealdstone Brook and the River Brent.


• The borough has one SSSI, the Brent Reservoir(South)/Welsh Harp (illustrated) and the Reservoir, canals and Fryent Country Park have been designated sites of Metropolitan Importance by the London Mayor.
  

For a PDF of the full report go to:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Research/BRENT_factsheet.pdf