Secrecy surrounds Brent Town Hall bidder

Brent Town Hall this evening

The identity of the potential purchaser of Brent Town Hall is the subject of some speculation following the Council's decision to keep many documents secret at the recent Executive that approved sell-off plans.

The disposal of the site is not as straight-forward as first thought. The report to the Executive noted:

The Town Hall land is subject to a number of covenants including a covenant that no part of the land shall be used for any noisy noisome or offensive trade or for the erection of workmen’s dwellings or flats for the housing of the working classes other than such quarters or caretakers lodgings as are usual and necessary in connection with a Civic Centre.

There is the risk that the above covenant could be capable of being enforced by injunction thus preventing the construction and use of the site for a redevelopment consistent with the Town Hall Planning Brief. The appropriation and use of Section 237 powers is required with the object of removing this risk and to facilitate the carrying out of redevelopment scheme.

The application of Section 237 powers would ease the problems although there is still a risk of legal challenge. Another issue is that the site includes open space in the marriage garden that borders The Paddocks. I for one missed the following advertisment in the local press:

The Town Hall site includes a Grade II Listed Building and open space.Public notice of the proposed appropriation to planning purposes of the Town Hall site under Section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972 and disposal of the open space under Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 was advertised in the local press on 13th and 20th September 2012. No objections were received

The site concerned can be seen in the pan below and covers a considerable area:

There have been rumours in the past about the possibiolity that the site could be used as a school and the need to address the problem of  'noisome uses' and the inclusion of the public space might reinforce that. The need for getting maximum profit from the site and the proxomity of the Ark Academy  had seemed to make that unlikely but the report includes this intruiging passage - again we don't have sit eof the confidential item in question:

Comments on end user

Members are asked to note the confidential letter received at Appendix 3.

As the Executive is aware from the report considered at its August meeting, the Council is projecting a shortfall of school places and has developed plans to expand primary provision. In addition, proposals to increase secondary provision (where the demand is manifested in later years) will be brought to the Executive for consideration in January.

The Town Hall is not identified specifically as an education site and is not factored into any of these plans, firstly (in terms of secondary provision) because of its close proximity to Ark Academy and secondly because its sale at market value is required to enable the Council’s move to the Civic Centre.

Education uses outside the state-funded sector on this site might have some wider benefits for the local population but their impact would be mainly neutral in terms of their impact on local state education provision.

The last paragraph seems to suggest that there might be the possibility of use by a private school. The Swaminarayan may have decided not to apply for free school status at present but would they be interested in this site?  It is a long way from the Swaminarayan Mandir but is more central and closer to Harrow which supplies many of the pupils. The school told me last month:

The Swaminarayan School is considering applying for Free School status. Whilst we have not found a site, we would wish to locate to a site in the heart of the Hindu community. The excellent education that the school provides at present will be open to all.

Even if free school status is rejected, would they be interested in a prestigious site such as the Town Hall?  Is it 'in the heart of the Hindu community'?

This is pure speculation but I did report back in May 2009 LINK that the Swaminarayan were considering a move to the north of the borough. This would free the present site, which used to be that of Sladebrook High School, as a possible site for a much needed secondary school in the Harlesden area - with the added bonus of the neighbouring Centre for Staff Development becoming free when it moves to the Civic Centre in Summer 2013. As I said pure speculation....

Meanwhile the report approvingly notes that in the bidder's plans for the Grade II listed building::

The key ‘character spaces’ in the existing building are thoughtfully used with minimum design intervention, and the extensions are shown in locations that the brief identifies as being suitable for additional building/enlargement.

Swaminarayan not now applying for free school status in current round

The independent Swaminaryan School in Brentfield Road, Neasden, has decided not to apply to become a free school in the current round This will allow for further consultation.

The headteacher has written to parents stating:

The governors wish to inform you that after a brief initial survey, they will not be applying for a Free school in the current round. We have received a variety of views both formally and informally, from parents and staff of the school on this very important issue. We want to ensure that we have heard the views of the whole school community. To that end we will carry out a more detailed consultation with parents and staff of the school in the new year

 I understand that among the concerns have been expressed are that academic standards will be eroded if the school is no longer able to select pupils for the Prep school and whether central government funding would be sufficient to maintain the small class sizes teachers and children currently enjoy.

Annexation attempt on Barn Hill?

The new houses from Barn Hill open space

 Further information has come to my attention regarding the 'Battle of the Yellow Lines' .  Apparently the houses that front the newly built houses in Beverley Gardens are former police houses and were all bought up by the same man who then built two new houses on the former police car park at the back of the houses.

The road was used to access those car parks as well as the open space and that would be clear at the time of purchase and development. It begins to look like an attempted annexation of a corner of Barn Hill estate.

Meanwhile Cllr Michael Pavey has written to the Council on the issue:

I am writing to object to the addition of double yellow lines to the service road at the top of Uxendon Hill/Beverley Gardens.

I understand that one positive response has been received to this proposal. Against this the residents' association is implacably opposed. I have been contacted by a number of other residents who I have encouraged to make representations. Parking restrictions are a very contentious issue, particularly in the Barn Hill area. A single positive response is an insufficient mandate when the local residents' association is so opposed.

I understand that the service road predates the houses built at the top of it. On this basis the landowner would have been fully aware of the access issues when choosing to develop the site. I would be interested to see any evidence that the road is now more congested with visiting traffic than at the time of development.

I understand that the service road is intended to facilitate access to the Barn Hill Open Space. Adding double yellow lines would restrict this, compromising people's ability to ensure this beautiful area.

I have been contacted by a resident in another part of the Barn Hill estate who has been advised by your Department that the Council cannot consider additional double yellow lines projects at the current time due to budget constraints. If money is tight, double yellowing this service road should certainly not be a priority.

I strongly believe that the community is opposed to this scheme. I trust that if the consultation generates more critical than positive responses, the Council will reject the proposal?

Best wishes,
Michael.

Cllr. Michael Pavey
Labour Councillor for Barnhill, Brent Council

Brent CAB gives out record number of food vouchers today

Tweet from Brent Citizens' Advice Bureau today:

Brent CAB ‏@BrentCAB

Poverty in Brent: today we gave out a record 16 food vouchers to families in need. Sign of the times?

Central Middx and Northwick Park A&Es overwhelmed

Campaigners lobby Sarah Teather over the closures

The Evening Standard today reports that  Maeve O'Callaghan-Harrington, head of emergency planning at NW London Hospitals Trust, emailed local GPs  last week advising them that the casualty units at Northwick Park and Central Middlesex  were full. 

Northwick Park had 19 patients waiting for beds and patients were also waiting for beds at Central Middlesex. Central Middlesex A&E is already closed overnight and would be closed completely under the 'Shaping a Healthier Future' proposals. Central Middlesex A&E patients will be expected to go to Northwick Park instead and that is also where patients from the Urgent Care Centre would be transferred if the UCC cannot treat them.

The Standard reports Andy Burnham, shadow health secretary as commenting:

As this email shows London A&Es are struggling as it is and it is not at all clear how the Government can close so many without putting lives at risk. The planned closures in northwest London look drastic and the onus is on the NHS and the Government to provide clinical evidence for how they can be justified.

Local NHS campaigners have repeatedly drawn attention to the pressures on Northwick Park even before the closure of Central Middlesex A&E  and the absence of any kind of risk assessment on the possible repercussions for the safety of patients if the closure takes place.

Bob Blackman hoisted with his own 'one man, one woman' petard

Bob Blackman former  Leader of Brent Conservatives and now MP for Harrow East gets front page treatment in today's Sunday Mirror .LINK Cllr Carol Shaw, now a Lib Dem councillor but previously a Conservative councillor alleges the two had an 11 year old affair behind Blackman's wife's back, while they were both Brent Tory councillors.

Normally I wouldn't be interested in this, and the article has 'too much information' for my taste but it is politically relevant because Blackman recently came out against gay marriage, insisting that 'marriage had to be between one man and one woman'.

In this case it is a question of the personal is political.

Whilst he was leader of Brent Conservatives disputes arose which led to the formation of a 'Democratic Conservatives' group.  The disputes weakened Brent Conservatives and they were reduced to a rump at the last local elections and Barry Gardiner strengthened his position at the General Election in a seat formerly held by right wing Tory Dr Rhodes Boyson.

Many would dispute the Mirror's description of Blackman as a 'Top Tory'. However, he has attracted a lot of controversy and years ago, Ken Livingstone, in a parliamentary speech, accused him of being a ' municipal Robert Maxwell' LINK

On the other hand I found him an ally in the battle against the Ark Academy in Wembley when we were among the speakers at a public meeting at the Torch Pub in Bridge Road and both members of  a delegation to the GLA which also included Barry Gardiner MP.

Battle lines drawn on Barn Hill over access

Access road in the distance (centre) from Barn Hill

Residents on Barn Hill are challenging Brent Council's intention to draw double yellow lines on a dead-end slip road off Beverley Gardens, which they claim was intended to give access to the open space for the old and infirm.

The slip road - new houses are behind the green gates at the end

The new houses behind their gates

John Woods, Chair of Barn Hill Residents Association said:

Local residents are not in favour of this proposal because this road is used to drop off many old and invalid people who are unable to walk up to Barn Hill open space to enjoy the environment.

Residents strongly believe that Brent Council has been approached by a local developer, who  built the two houses that use this road,  to install these double yellow lines.

Woods added that he found it hard to belive that this order was passed on the strength of information given by an absentee landlord and one favourable response from a resident.

Clr Michael Pavey, Labour,  Barnhill, told me:

I am completely opposed to these yellow lines. I'll be working with residents to make sure the proposal is rejected.

Consultation on the issue expires on 20th December with a decision likely in mid-January 2013.

Observations can be sent to eric.marchais@brent.gov.uk 

Darren Johnson renew calls for controls as rents soar

Darren Johnson Green Assembly Member for London, has renewed his call for rent controls and more security as official statistics  show that the median private rent in London rose 5% in the year to September 2012, compared to inflation (RPI) which was at 2.6%. The figures come out as the Mayor launched the consultation on his voluntary London Rental Standard. Rents rose fastest (10%) for family homes with 4 bedrooms or more. The median rent in London, at £1,150pcm, is now double the national median rent, which remains unchanged at £575/month.

Darren Johnson commented,

The Mayor has ruled out any meaningful reform to slow rent rises, preferring voluntary accreditation. That is positive but far from enough. We give our tenants some of the weakest protections in Europe, we should copy the smart rent controls and security enjoyed by tenants in countries like France and Germany where rent can’t rise faster than inflation guaranteeing fairness and predictability for tenants and landlords.

We cannot go on pricing low paid workers out of swathes of London, it’s hurting our economy and the aspirations of a priced out generation.