Wednesday 3 June 2009

GREENS FIGHT ON AGAINST ARK ACADEMY

Boris Johnson, the London mayor, has decided not to stop Brent's plans for a city academy on the Wembley Park playing fields site. The decision means that Brent Council can make its own decision to go ahead. However, there is still the possibility of further delays through intervention by the Government Office for London or legal action.

Martin Francis, Brent Green Party spokesperson for children, families and schools and the party's General election candidate for the Brent North said:

"The Green Party continues to oppose the concept of academies as they are run by private concerns with a built in majority on the governing body and there therefore not democratically accountable, although funded by taxpayers. We believe in locally accountable, community schools which are open to all. Brent Green Party also oppose the building of a school on the site of the Wembley playing fields because of the loss of local amenities, concerns about the structural viability of the site, the proximity to Preston Manor High School, its distance from the area of need in the south of the borough and its generation of traffic. We support the building of a community secondary school in the south of the borough which would serve local residents and become a local resource for education, recreation and the arts and a beacon of hope and pride for the area.

We are disappointed by Boris Johnson's decision but remain determined to stop the Wembley ARK Academy and will explore the next steps with our fellow campaigners."

There's no connection of course, but on election day hedge fund speculator Arpad Busson, head of ARK is hosting a £10,000 a head charity dinner for 900 guests at the old Eurostar Terminus at Waterloo. The keynote speaker at this 'glittering' event? Boris Johnson, London Mayor.

Monday 1 June 2009

NEASDEN'S FLY-TIPPED MOUNTAIN


Shahrar Ali, Brent Green Party spokesperson for Environment and Planning has called attention to a mountain of rubbish deposited behind pubs, shops and restaurants on Neasden Shopping Precinct which provides an ideal habitat for rats. He said, "Whilst out campaigning in Neasden this Sunday, the Green Party came across the most appalling mountain of waste. Refuse bags, ma tresses and whole beds were literally piled up above head height against a wall in the alley behind Neasden shopping parade. There was a clear whiff of rotting matter and it simply looked like this mountain had been piling up for weeks."

Shahrar continued, "We have reported this discovery and sent photographs to both Brent's streetcare division and environmental health department for immediate action. It is dispiriting to find that whilst the local shopping parade has seen a revival, with new grocers, a post office and revamped library centre, such neglect is apparent just round the corner."

Shahrar said, "We have spoken to traders who have acknowledged the dumping stretches back for weeks. Brent Green Party will be monitoring the situation and looking at how the Council's collection policy may be contributing to the problem. However, the police may also need to be on the alert if environmental crimes are being committed."

GARDINER FACES HIS CRITICS


Barry Gardiner's local meeting to explain his parliamentary expenses last night veered from high drama to low farce and at times threatened to descend into chaos. Gardiner began by saying that most people would have found the current process invasive if they had to go through it, complained that all MPs were being lumped together as dishonest and that his own statements to the press had been only partially reported. He said that he believed reform was necessary and that he wanted to discuss the form this would take with constituents.

However written questions concentrated on the detail of his expenses including why he purchased his bed linen from Harrods rather than Debenham's or Marks and Spencer. The answer was, of course, that he had got it in the famous Harrods sale, so it was a bargain!

More serious questions centred on his second home and travel expenses culminating in a big shouting match about whether in 1997 he had promised to live in his Brent North constituency. Gardiner said that he had promised to live in the 'area' and not in the constituency. He claimed that his residence in Chorley Wood, was in the 'area'. At this point Cllr Paul Lorber, Liberal Democrat leader of Brent Council, who had positioned himself in the front row, jumped up and roaring above protests from the audience, said that he had been at the meeting in question and had heard Gardiner say specifically that he would live in Brent. Gardiner in turn cited the Wembley Observer's apology for carrying Lorber's original claim on the matter. When challenged that he lived in Chorley Wood because he had no no confidence in Brent schools for his children, Gardiner said that he had wanted his children educated outside Brent because he wanted to protect them from the undue pressure of being known in school as the children of the local MP.

Most of the audience seemed to be local activists and councillors from the various parties, rather than ordinary local constituents. When challenged Gardiner, controlling a tremor is his voice, said that he thought he had been a good constituency MP, declared he would not resign and that he would stand again.

In my contribution I pointed our that politicians from all parties were facing similar meetings and voiced concern that in my canvassing I had found disgust and loathing of all politicans and politics. Many people have decided not to vote at all and this withdrawal from democracy is a serious threat and opened the way for extreme right-wing parties. Barry Gardiner responded by saying that he shared this concern and wanted to engage with his constituents about the reforms necessary to rebuild confidence in democracy.

Interestingly, imperfect as it was, the meeting in a rough and ready way did show democracy and accountability in action. Public meetings used to be a regular part of our political process but over the last 30 years or so have been phased out in favour of all-ticket rallies for the party faithful. Perhaps it is a time to return to the rough and tumble and authenticity of open public meetings.

Saturday 30 May 2009

BRENT HIT BY ASBESTOS DUMPING


Police have been alerted to a spate of asbestos dumping in Brent. According to Brent Council the dumps appear to be neatly piled on top of each other - either heavy duty corrugated roofing or broken into pieces and put into light grey plastic sacks numbering between 1-25. Police are watching out for flat back lorries that appear to be carrying asbestos or light grey bags, as well as large demolition sites where asbestos roofing may be being taken down.


Dumpings have been found in Birchen Grove NW10, The Rise NW10, Douglas Avenue Wembley, Jeymer Avenue NW2, Lindsay Drive Kenton and Mount Pleasant Wembley.


Anyone spotting dumping taking place should not approach the perpetrators in any circumstances but note details, and should not touch anything that looks like asbestos. They should report what they have seen to Ian Stewart, Waste Services Manager on 020 8937 5057.

UNITED ACTION AGAINST THE BNP


Uniting to stop the BNP - about fifteen people turned up to leaflet at Wembley Park station on Friday evening. There were so many people taking part and it was so busy that we ran out of 500 tabloid papers and a few hundred leaflets in less than an hour.

Those taking part included NUT and UCU union members, two Brent Labour councillors, Martin Francis, Green Party candidate for Brent North, Ian Saville, the Socialist Magician, Pam Laurance from Friends of the Earth, members of the Socialist Workers Party and their friends.


Residents were urged to make sure they voted on June 4th as a low turn-out would favour the BNP.

Wednesday 27 May 2009

Gardiner and Blackman Lab-Con Anti-academy Alliance

Barry Gardiner, Labour MP for North Brent and Bob Blackman, leader of the Conservative group on Brent Council and a coalition partner of the Liberal Democrats, have united to write to London Mayor Boris Johnson to persuade him to refuse the Lib Dems permission to build an ARK City Academy on playing fields in Wembley.

Their letter states:


The local Labour Member of Parliament, Barry Gardiner and the Conservative Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr. Bob Blackman, have joined together because of our concern about the inadequacies of the case that the Liberal controlled administration on Brent Council have put before you for consideration.

It is our shared view that you should not allow this proposal to pass, at the very least, until certain clarifications and conditions are provided that would make good the deficiencies of the current application. These deficiencies as they relate to the Mayor’s proper concerns are with regard to:

• The transport assessments

• Transport capacity and cost

• The environmental sustainability of the development

• The potential safety risk to the adjacent Metropolitan and Jubilee Lines

Click HERE for the full letter



Tuesday 26 May 2009

UNITE TO STOP THE BNP

The current disillusionment with the three main political parties in the wake of the expenses row, and the consequent possibility of a low turn-out, presents the possibility that the BNP could gain seats in the Euro elections.

Supporters of Unite Against Fascism; members of the National Union of Teachers and other trade unionists; and members of several political parties, including the Greens, will be leafleting at local tube stations this week to alert local residents to the danger.

Tonight they will be at Harrow on the Hill station from 5pm to 7pm and Wembley Park station on Friday 29th May 5pm to 7pm.

Sunday 17 May 2009

ARK HITS STORMY WATERS

The London Mayor, Boris Johnson, unexpectedly failed to approve Brent's ARK Academy planning application on Wednesday. On Tuesday a coalition of objectors, including Barn Hill Residents Association, Wembley Park Action Group, Cllr Bob Blackman, Barry Gardiner MP and myself from Brent Green Party, had met with senior planners to explain our objections and stressed the broad opposition that there was to an academy on the Wembley Park site.
In another development the Government Office for London is also considering the application as it represents a departure from the Unitary Development Plan of Brent Council. They have told us that Brent Green Party's views on the matter will be taken into account when a decision on the referral is made.

Meanwhile John Timms, a drainage expert, has called into question the viability of the site on technical grounds because of its water-logged nature, lack of outlet for excess water and the immense and permanent cost of pumping out excess water. There are serious questions about the viability of a building on the site where the proposed academy is becoming known as Christie's Folly after Watkin's Folly (see photograph). Sir Edward Watkin proposed a London 'Eiffel Tower' and began building one on the site of what is now the nearby Wembley Stadium. It was abandoned after only 155 feet and eventually demolished when it began sinking into the London clay.