Council estate residents may have to pay £85 annual parking charge

Brent Housing Scrutiny Committee will discuss a report at its June 12th meeting on the possible introduction of off-street parking controls on its estates which would mean residents paying £85 rather than the current £10 annual charge.

The report says controls are need because of parking issues on many of its estates and has chosen five of the worst affected for a consultation. They are:

Alexander Court
Landua House
Joules House
Windmill Court
Seymour Court

The charge has been aligned with the current Controlled Parking Zone charge of £85 but would not be subject to the complex arrangements for that charge.

During consultation tenats, lease holders and owner occupiers on the estates will be asked to choose from:

• Preferred type of parking control
• Preferred hours of control
• Areas that wil be included
• No parking controls

If  approved the arrangements would be implemented in early April next year.

Brent Council tonight debates Oladapo Report, Davani pay-off, Chancellor's local government cuts and (of course) parking

As well as an expected  Mayoral statement on Hate Crime, Brent Council will tonight (7pm Civic Centre) be considering the Independent Investigator's report on the Tayo Oladapo case.

Cllr John Duffy is due to ask a question about removal of tree stumps LINK and there are three group motions down for debate.

What a waste  of money.

This Council regrets  making the exit payment of £157,610 to the former director of human resources,Cara Davani.We agree that this payment is  a reward for failure.

We also agree that Cllr.Butt should apologise to the residents of Brent ,and explain  to them why the Council has spent in excess of £1m. in connection with the entire " Rosemarie Clarke Employment Tribunal case."

We further agree that Cllr.Butt should explain to residents how he reconciles the payment of these monies to M/ s Davani with his persistent claim that Brent has no money.

Councillors Warren, Shaw and Davidson

Parking charges

That the Cabinet reconsiders and revokes the change to the parking permit charges agreed in which, in 2018, owners of diesel vehicles will have to pay more for their permits.

Councillors Colwill, Kansagra and Maurice

Government budget

Brent Council welcomes the decision by the Chancellor to abandon his budget surplus target for 2020.

However, Brent Council regrets the suffering that has had to be endured by citizens of this country for six wasted years, including the residents of Brent, in pursuit of this goal by the inappropriate means of squeezing some of the most vulnerable, and passing responsibility for cuts onto local government.

Brent council regrets all those who cannot access affordable accommodation because the government refuses to let councils invest in housing, for the sake of this abandoned goal. Brent Council regrets the extra strain out on the NHS, due to the squeeze on adult social care budgets that was caused for the sake of this abandoned goal. Brent Council regrets the stress pushed onto some of the most vulnerable residents as the social security budget was cut for the sake of this abandoned goal.

Brent Council hopes that the government now realises that you cannot cut your way to growth, and will invest in services, infrastructure and people properly through local councils such as Brent, who understand what the real needs are and how to respond to them.

Councillor Miller

Butt confirms 'dramatic' parking charge reduction being considered

A swift and unsolicited reaction to my earlier exclusive story on parking charges LINK:

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council said:

“While no final decision will be made until we have consulted fully with residents and Councillors, we are looking closely at dramatically reducing charges for the first 20 minutes of parking. I’m personally strongly in favour of it as I believe it will help local businesses and residents at a time when they need it most. But we will have to say what the public think first.

20p for 20 minutes reduced parking charge on the cards

Brent Council Executive has agreed in principle to a reduced charge of 20p for the first 20 minutes of parking following vociferous protests from motorists and complaints from small businesses that their trade on local high streets was being affected. Opposition councillors had claimed that the present policy favoured large supermarkets,  which offer free parking,  at the expense of small shops.

Cllr Jim Moher, lead member for Highways and Transportation, had already announced at full Council that Brent was to go over to a 'linear' charging system where motorists get charged by the minute rather than in blocks. The block system meant that there was a steep increase between blocks (£1.50 for 40 minutes and £2.40 for one hour), Moher hopes that the linear system will  be fairer and also  increase revenue.

Officers are now at work to find ways of meeting the £0.8m cost of the reduced first 20 minutes charge.