Babylon on-line triaging not coming to Brent

From the Health Service Journal LINK
 
Commissioners in London have ditched a planned pilot of Babylon Health’s primary care app after patients in a test “were typically most interested in using the app to speed up GP access, rather than [using] the symptom checker”.

Clinical commissioning groups in north west London were testing Babylon’s app as a tool for reducing GP attendance, by triaging patients online.

North West London Collaboration of CCGs confirmed it had “considered” piloting the Babylon app but it was dropped after tests with patients.

A spokeswoman told HSJ:

“The CCGs considered the merits of this app as a tool to help manage demand on GPs – particularly through the symptom-checker feature.

“We worked closely with patients to find out what demand there was for the app. We found that patients were typically most interested in using the app to speed up GP access, rather than the symptom checker.”

A Babylon spokesman said:

 “Discussions were held after Babylon was selected in a competitive procurement exercise as the best technology to trial in GP practices across North West London. Subsequently a decision was taken not to fund the pilot.”

The CCG collaboration comprises Brent, Central London, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow and West London.
 
A CCG collaboration spokeswoman also said:

 “The information gathered from talking to patients was successful in informing the ongoing work of the sector as we explore this area further.”

It comes after a board paper for the CCG collaboration, dated 25 October, said that in the test of the app patients “effectively manipulated the system in order to secure GP appointments”.

The collaboration has, since this piece was first published, stated that this board paper was incorrect, and amended it.

The new paper says:

 “The board was updated on the evaluation work undertaken to inform a decision of whether to initiate a pilot with Babylon to see if the technology could drive reductions in demand for GP appointments.

“Work over the summer with focus groups to gather insights around perceptions had raised a concern that patients who might use the app could mainly do so because they believed it would get them faster access to GP appointments.

“The focus groups had also commented that there is a risk of some people gaming the symptom checker to achieve a GP appointment.

“The insights gathered therefore revealed that the symptom checker in particular was unlikely to reduce demand on GP services. This reduced the intended benefit of the system significantly. Following questions and further discussion, the board agreed not to proceed to the pilot stage.”

Another board paper from the chief executive of the CWHHE CCG group, in North West London, also dated October, said the app was tested with a “small group of patients” – the test “spanning six patient focus groups and a wide demographic area” in September. The plan had been to move later to a wider pilot involving about 16 GP practices.

Babylon, along with several emerging competitors, is a private company that provides on demand video GP consultation and a chatbot style symptom checker from a smart phone app.

The Babylon app is available privately for a monthly fee but is increasingly also being offered free to NHS patients through their GPs.

Babylon, headed by Circle founder Ali Parsa, is also heavily involved in several national projects with NHS England that, if successful, could lead the company to playing a major role in delivering online NHS services.

Concerns about Babylon’s role in the NHS increased this month after the company launched GP at Hand, a collaboration with London GP practices that will make its video consultation freely available to any NHS patient that switches to participating practices.

GP at Hand has been accused, mostly by GPs, of “cherry picking” relatively healthy patients and excluding those with more complex health needs.

A week after the service was announced, the London local medical committees passed a motion calling for a halt to the deployment of online GP services in the NHS until there was more robust evidence they benefited patients.

The north west London testing was part of the CCGs’ aim to use online consultations to reduce GP demand, as outlined in the area’s sustainability and transformation plan.

The Babylon project was funded by Health Education England with much of the assessment work carried out by Imperial College Health Partners. These organisations will continue to research alternative digital tools for accessing GPs in north west London.

A collaboration spokeswoman said: “The information gathered from talking to patients was successful in informing the ongoing work of the sector as we explore this area further.”

An HEE spokeswoman said the organisation had worked on a pilot with the CCGs and ICHP looking at digital solutions to free up time for busy practices, as well as how staff could be trained to use new technology. She added: “There is ongoing evaluation of this work and HEE continues to work with the STP and the CCG in looking at transformation of the workforce.”

Babylon’s full statement to HSJ said:

 “The NW London CCGs’ collaboration board paper item ‘NW London Babylon Pilot: Emerging findings’ is factually incorrect and deeply misleading.

“No pilot was ever carried out, nor any agreement signed with Babylon for such a pilot. Discussions were held after Babylon was selected in a competitive procurement exercise as the best technology to trial in GP practices across North West London. Subsequently a decision was taken not to fund the pilot.”

Babylon said in a further statement to HSJ this week:

“We have no assurances that any meaningful and robust user tests were ever carried out, and Imperial College Health Partners were not involved in any such testing.”

Brent Council cancels joint venture with HUB for 'commercial reasons'

From Inside Housing LINK

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Brent Council has cancelled a development vehicle it had proposed to form with developer Hub for “commercial reasons”.

A report to be submitted to the council next week LINK notes that the joint venture “is not proceeding at this time” and that the council as a result is focusing on a smaller housing programme in Wembley.

Brent had been in negotiations with Hub over forming a joint venture or a development vehicle aimed at delivering 651 homes, 215 of which would be affordable.

The proposal was to transfer both council land and land owned by Hub into the vehicle. Part of the point of the vehicle was to use it to purchase Network Rail land, as homes built on land sold directly to councils don’t count towards Network Rail’s quotas.

The cabinet voted in June last year to endorse the proposal, with full details to be decided in a following meeting.

It now intends to continue with a smaller development programme on the other, non-Network Rail sites.

The council also provided seed funding of £1.6m to the project, aiming to secure £8m of grant funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA) for land acquisition.

One of the sites to be funded with GLA money, Ujima House, was purchased in June last year after the approval of the plans. 

Inside Housing has asked Brent Council about its alternative plans for funding this purchase.

Barnet Unison launch great recycling video and song

Bobby Moore to disappear under advertising again

The tunnel today with original tiling covered

A section of the original tiling

The panels are seen by Stadium, Arena & LDO visitors using Wembley Park Station

Brent Council is to enter a new 4 year contract with Wembley City Estate Management to sell advertising space on the walls of the pedestrian underpass to Olympic Way beneath the Bobby Moore Bridge.

Wembley City Estate were the previous agent and Brent claims they submitted the best value bid that will increase Council income.  Financial details of the contract have been withheld from public scrutiny.

The historic tiling which illustrates many sports, has not been viewable for several years. The tiling is still in place but concealed beneath a dressing on which the advertising is placed. Recently this has most often been used for the London Designer Outlet or the life style luxury flats recently built in the area.

Brent says that it will be able to specify the nature of the advertising and ensure that it is line with its advertising and sponsorship code.

Brent set to approve pilot dockless bicycle hire scheme

The Brent Cabinet is set to approve a pilot dockless bicycle scheme for the borough which would last for one year before review. As the name implies dockless bikes do not require any additional infrastructure and the officer's report LINK says such a scheme would not impact on the present cash generating parking bays in the borough.

Hirers would book the bikes by mobile phone app and 'leave them in an appropriate place'. What constitutes an appropriate place is not explored. Some councils just mark a section of pavement or have special bollards mounted on the pavement.  Brent hopes to learn from the mixed experience of other councils who have already adopted similar schemes.

It is hoped that such a scheme would contribute to the London Mayor's Transport Strategy which aims that 80% of journeys by 2041 will be by foot, bike or public transport.

Call for volunteer teachers of English successful

Just before Christmas we carried an advertisement LINK asking for people to train as volunteer teachers of English for the Unite Community project that will set up classes in Brent.

Robin Sivapalan reports on the first training session:

--> We had a great teacher training session at the weekend, organised by Brent Unite Community and delivered by English for Action. 

In two days such a lot of content was covered, complex issues explored, and a strong team of colleagues formed. Nobody entered the room with no experience, and we have much to still learn as we go along. The EFA approach towards the teacher volunteers is exactly the one they encourage us to take towards the student participants: that respects prior experience, where we are all simultaneously teachers and learners at all times. 

We have one class confirmed, an intermediate class at CVS Brent, Wednesday afternoons. About 5 more are likely to be confirmed soon. Please let me know of any community groups, housing associations etc that would likely want one of our teachers to run a course with them. It is not an accredited ESOL course; it is a space for people to build confidence communicating in English in the situations where they need it; it is to create community; it is towards welcoming migrants into the local labour movement so we can campaign for social justice more united. 

If you want to become a teacher with us, we will run further training in the year. Please go check out the work English for Action are doing in the city, get involved, donate etc, as you can do with this local project in Brent too, especially by joining Unite Community, only £2.19 a month.
http://www.unitetheunion.org/growing-o…/communitymembership/

Wembley ASDA served with Noise Abatement Notice after waking residents at 6am

Since 6am this morning, an hour of this #noisepollution, still ongoing.@AsdaServiceTeam @Brent_Council @noise_abatement @NeighbourNoise @cutnoise @NFHiB @noiselimits @WembleyMatters pic.twitter.com/H5ivvptbGg

 January 9, 2018

Video filmed before dawn this morning

Angry residents contacted Wembley Matters this morning after they were woken at 6am by works on Wembley Asda's car park. The noise, accompanied by shouting, could be heard through double glazing. 

There have been long term problems with noise from Asda disturbing neighbours including the company's home delivery service, Click and Collect and sea gulls on the store roof.  The issue has been taken up through Brent Council, petitions presented, letters written but to no avail.

Cllr Michael Pavey (Labour, Barnhill) told Wembley Matters:

Asda have treated residents with complete disdain. Not only have they failed to reduce the noise they generate at antisocial times - they have refused to even acknowledge the problem. 

They have ignored correspondence, failed to attend meetings organised by Council Officers and have stated that they will only meet with councillors if residents are not invited. 

It is an astonishing display of arrogance by a company which is completely dependent upon the goodwill of its shoppers.

 As a result of this morning's complaints Brent Council have served a Noise Abatement Notice on Asda..

Martin Wood, Emvironmental Health Office wrote to residents this evening with the news:

Further to the noise incident this morning, I have spoken to Asda’s store manager, deputy manager, and to the company’s Compliance Incident Manager.

I have advised that Brent Council will be serving Asda Group Ltd with a Noise Abatement Notice on the basis that we believe there is a likelihood of a statutory noise nuisance arising from non-emergency maintenance works taking place at noise sensitive times.

The notice will be posted to Asda’s head office tomorrow. The notice prohibits the occurrence of a noise nuisance from non-emergency maintenance works and requires Asda to: Cease or cause to cease all non-emergency external store and car park maintenance works likely to constitute a nuisance to the occupiers of residential properties in close proximity to the store between, 9pm and 8am (Monday to Saturday) and 5pm and 10am (Sundays).

Brent Labour Group fail to make clear stand against academisation of The Village School

Forty or so people turned up this evening at Brent Civic Centre to lobby the Labour Group regarding the governing body of The Village School  move to convert to academy status.

The school's Chair of Governors is Sandra Kabir a senior Labour councillor and chief whip of the group.

Phil Pardoe, NEU Regional Official, said the pre-lobby meeting with Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of the Council and Cllr Mili Patel, lead member for children and families had been positive. They had said they could tell parents at consultation meetings that the Council would prefer the school not to academise. Pardoe said that the impact of this was unclear but that pressure needed to be exerted on chair of Governors Cllr Sandra Kabir, a key proponent of the academy bid.

Cllr Jumbo Chan reiterated his opposition to what he called Tory policy on academies and free schools and said that he would try and persuade the Labour Group to express their outright opposition to academisation in line with Labour Party policy.

At the Group meeting  that followed Cllr Kabir adopted a contorted position of supporting and promoting academisation while at the same time claiming she did not want that outcome.  Cllr Butt claimed his first preference was to keep local control of the school and academisation was a last resort but he stopped short of saying the Council would oppose The Village School academisation.

Cllrs Mashari, Miller and Long asked sceptical questions about academisation and Cllr Jumbo Chan and observer Michael Calderbank  opposed.

Cllrs Mili Patel, Shama Tatler andAslam Choudry adopted the position of not liking academisation but said the Council had no choice.

The upshot, rather than a firm decision to state Labour Group opposition, was that the matter would be referred to Scrutiny Committee and that Butt would write to The Village School governors asking them to explore the viability of staying in the 'Brent family of schools'.

Academy conversion of The Village School would complete privatisation of special education in Brent

If The Village School were to academise it would be the third Brent special school to take this route. Woodfield converted in April 2014 and Manor formed the Brent Specialist Academy Trust, along with The Avenue special free school, in April 2017.  This would remove all the borough's  specialist special education schools from Brent Council oversight and open the way to them combingin to form a Multi-Academy Trust. The vehicle already exists in the Brent Specialist Academy Trust.

All three schools co-operated in setting up the free school and claimed that the move was supported by Brent Council.

Brent Labour as represented by councillors has never taken a firm stand against academisation or free schools. It claimed the local authority did not have the resources to support Copland High School when it failed Ofsted and supported Ark taking it over as Ark Elvin. Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, is the local authority representative on the Ark Elvin governing body. The authority has supported Ark in opening a new primary 3 form entry free school on the York House site in Wembley.

The stance taken by Brent Central CLP, Brent Central CLP trade union liaison officers and Cllr Jumbo Chan is therefore a significant departure from this policy of acquiescence.

They are not only up against Muhammed Butt but also Cllr Sandra Kabir (Queensbury) who chairs The Village School governing body - the same governing body that wants to convert the school to academy status!  The lobbying of the Labour Group to oppose the position of its own chief whip is rich in irony.  Cllr Mili Patel, lead member for chidlren and families, is relatively inexperienced and does not appear to have made any statement on the issue.

The lobby of the Labour Group which will include NEU officials and staff from The Village School will take place at 6pm this evening in the antrium of Brent Civic Centre.

For the arguments against academies see the Anti Academies Alliance website HERE    The TUC, NASUWT, NUT, ATL, UCU, UNISON, UNITE, GMB, PCS, MU and FBU are affiliated to the Anti Academies Alliance.

Fryent Country Park in Winter Sunshine

Procurement to be brought back 'in house' after joint service fails to deliver the goods

The Brent Cabinet will be asked to approve a proposal to bring procurement back in-house after a joint service with Harrow failed to deliver the envisaged benefits. A shared service with Harrow and Buckinghamshire was first discussed in January 2016 and at the time I noted the lack of clarity in the proposals LINK.  Officers claimed that a joint service would save Brent £272,000 in 2016-17.

Buckinghamshire dropped out and in  September 2016 Brent Tuped staff over to the joint Harrow-Brent  service followed by Brent Housing Partnership staff just over a year later in October 2017. Now less than 18 months after the first transfers they will be transferred back to Brent.

The Officers' report LINK recognise that this doesn't look good:

Reputational damage: To end the Shared Service so early into its life could potentially be seen as a failure by a range of stakeholders and potentially cause some reputational damage although this should be mitigated by getting member level approval for the dissolution.

The report suggests that the recent resignation of the Harrow Divisional Director of Procurement and Contracts gives an opportunity to review whether to continue the Shared Service and recognises that a decision to end it is best done before the arrangement between the two boroughs becomes more entwined and complex - a case of 'get out now before it's too late!'

The report states:

We are now just over 1 year into the Shared Service and a number of difficulties have been identified. At present Brent requires a level of service that is beyond the resourcing initially envisaged by the parties and available within the funds contributed to the Share Service following the restructure.

In addition it has proved difficult to recruit to many posts in the shared structure and continuity has been difficult to maintain. This has put additional pressure on the Shared Service and levels if service and satisfaction are therefore below what some service areas are expecting.

Reading beyond the mild civil service language it is clear that the joint service was just not paying people enough. Rather than the savings first envisaged it looks likely that costs will increase:

Despite a lengthy recruitment exercise, the ability of the Shared Service to recruit appropriately skilled and experienced staff into a number of vacancies has proved to be challenging. The poor recruitment results are thought to be in the main due to the salaries on offer being £5k below the market average together with a buoyant London jobs market for those individuals.

The regeneration/development area is significantly under-resourced. Although the Shared Service has flexed some resources to support this area. This is barely adequate and not sustainable in the long term. Consideration therefore needs to be given to interim resource(s) to support Capital projects (funded by the Capital programme) over and above the business as usual resourcing requirement.

The report states that for the Shared Serviced to meet these short-comings there would need to be a Head of Procurement dedicated to Brent and a rise of approximately £5k for each of the non-management grades totalling an additional annual contribution of £150,000.

The report is notably vague about the costs of leaving the Shared Service:

Should Brent leave the Shared Service the financial implications would need to be developed as the new organisational structure is designed. Initial  estimates however envisage that it would be of similar magnitude to remaining in the Shared Service.

Any increase in budget will have to be offset by a saving elsewhere in the department, the Council (sic) including greater achievement of procurement savings.

If the original proposal to enter a Shared Service lacked clarity then it appears that the proposal to leave has similar shortcomings, particularly on the financial implications. Can the Cabinet make a decision on the basis of this flawed report?

How Long Does It Take To Repair A Light In Brent?

Guest posting by a South Kilburn resident
 

It could be a retelling of that old joke "how many people does it change a light bulb in....", but sometimes the joke wears a bit thin.

This light (photo) was first reported to Catalyst and Brent Housing as broken nearly 7 months ago. All that's happened since is that it has deteriorated.

It is one of a row  installed alongside a new path   next to Kilburn Park tube station during regeneration and the building of new flats in the vicinity. There seems to be a desire to give things silly names as part of regeneration and this short path is apparently a `boulevard'. When the path was first created it was (not) lit by a series of lights at ground level. You wouldn't be able to see them in the photo because they are completely overgrown. 

After months of complaining that the original lights were useless and a dark path had been created, they were eventually replaced by these better ones.

The broken light was first reported to Brent and Catalyst Housing Association in April 2017. Catalyst created the path and Brent tell us they should be responsible for repairing the light. Both have been repeatedly chased on the issue, including by a local Councillor.

Forget big schemes, better housing etc, we can't even get a light repaired.

Grunwick performance at CNWL April 19th - 'We are the Lions, Mr Manager'

           "Powerful story, powerfully told" 🌟🌟🌟🌟 ️️(The Observer)

There will be a performance of "We are the lions, Mr Manager", the critically acclaimed Townsend Productions play about the Grunwick strike, on Thurs 19 April at the College of North West London in Willesden.

If you want to be sure of a place please book your ticket asap as it will probably sell out

https://lineupnow.com/event/we-are-the-lions-mr-manager-4

Before the play begins there will be a guided viewing of the murals - meet at 6.30pm at Dollis Hill station (Chapter Road exit).

There are other tour dates here 

http://www.townsendproductions.org.uk

Lobby of Brent Labour Group on The Village School academisation plans on Monday

The Brent Labour Group  of councillors meets on Monday and will be lobbied by opponents of the academisation of The Village School. Brent Constituency Labour Party recently passed a motion opposing the academisation and the Brent Labour Party Trade Union Liaison Officers wrote to Labour councillors calling on them to publicly oppose the privatisation of the special school in which Brent Council has heavily invested. The school building and grounds, currently the property of Brent Council, would be handed over to an academy trust and the school would no longer operate under the over-sight of the Council. Parents with complaints would no longer ne able to have them taken up by the Council.

The Group  meeting begins at 7pm and members will be lobbied from 6pm in the Civic Centre antrium. Althugh councillors have no direct control over whether a school governing body decides to academise it is hoped that a strong stance from them could help bring about negotiations that would avert strikes planned for January16th and 17th.

Encourage wildlife-plant a hedge in Gladstone Park

Let's get ALL Brent wards signed up to make London a National Park City

The campaign to make London a National Park City focussed on Brent today. Only 10/21 wards have supported the campaign so far. It is likely that some just haven't got round to supporting rather than that they oppose the aim of making London a greener city.

Kenton, Fryent, Barnhill, Preston, Wembley Central, Tokyngton, Dudden Hill, Mapesbury, Kensal Green and Queens Park ward councillors have pledged support (Dark Green on the map).  Some of the councillors in Northwick Park and Kilburn have supported. (Light Green on the map)

Queensbury, Welsh Harp, Dollis Hill, Stonebridge, Sudbury, Alperton, Harlesden, Willesden Green and Brondesbury Park (Light Brown on the map) have not yet pledged support.

If they have not supported the campaign so far please email your councillors to make the pledge. They can do so HERE.

This is what they will be supporting:

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Let’s make London the world’s first National Park City. A city where people and nature are better connected. A city that is rich with wildlife and every child benefits from exploring, playing and learning outdoors. A city where we all enjoy high-quality green spaces, the air is clean to breathe, it’s a pleasure to swim in its rivers and green homes are affordable. Together we can make London a greener, healthier and fairer place to live. Together we can make London a National Park City.

Greens on NHS crisis: Reverse cuts, end privatisation, give NHS the necessary funds

The Green Party has responded to the winter crisis gripping the NHS, calling on the Government to reverse cuts, end privatisation and give the NHS the funding it needs.

Larry Sanders, Green Party health spokesperson said the hard work of front line staff is being undermined by the Government’s refusal to properly fund the NHS.

Larry Sanders, Green Party health spokesperson, said:

News this week of thousands of cancelled operations and record numbers of patients waiting in ambulances has confirmed what we already knew – the NHS is on its knees. Front line staff are working incredibly hard to care for people, but their efforts are being undermined on a daily basis by the Government’s refusal to give the NHS the funding it so desperately needs.

Jeremy Hunt’s hollow apology for the cancelled operations fixes nothing.  We need him to reverse the cuts, fund our health service properly and end privatisation.

The UK spends a smaller percentage of its GDP on health than countries like France and Germany. Instead of wasting billions on Trident we could be looking after people who need health and social care. It’s time for the Government to acknowledge that we can afford to fund health and social care if it makes the right political choices.

Northwick Park Hospital message to patients

Like other hospitals in London and across the country, we are experiencing sustained pressure due to the high number of people seeking emergency medical care, combined with a much higher number of frail older patients who require social support to be discharged from hospital. 

Our staff are working tirelessly to see everyone in a safe and timely manner and, as always, we will triage and treat our sickest patients first. This means that some people may experience longer waits while we treat those most in need.

We have rescheduled operations for those patients needing to stay overnight in a hospital bed. Urgent, day case and cancer operations are going ahead as planned.
 
We will contact patients if we do, regrettably, have to reschedule their operation. If you do not hear from us, please attend your procedure as planned.   


How you can help
We are asking our local communities to help us during this very busy time and attend our emergency departments for serious and life-threatening injuries and conditions only. 

If you are unsure whether you need emergency care please call NHS 111 for advice.
For a guide to local health services in Harrow, Brent and Ealing, please click here.

Brent Council to instigate recording of legal advice & (some) meetings with developers in response to criticism

The Audit Advisory Committee is not the most high profile of Brent Council committees but is has an important role, not least in these times of controversy.  The Committee has a fairly independent membership so it is to be hoped they give matters a good airing.

Next Wednesday's meeting has three items relating to stories published on Wembley Matters where officers seek, in two of them, to respond to some of the criticisms.

Firstly there are recommendations made by the auditor following his consideration of the objections to Brent Council accounts regarding the payment made to Cara Davani, former Head of Human Resources LINK. Despite not finding for the objectors he did suggest some actions in areas highlighted in their evidence.

Click to enlarge

The report puts on record Brent Council's  view of the initial case in which Cara Davani was found guily by a Watford Employment Tribunal of racial dscrimination and bullying of Rosemarie Clarke:

It remains the Council’s position that the sequence of events resulting in the unfair dismissal of Rosemarie Clarke reflect poorly on the organisation as it then was, and caused harm to the Council’s former employee. Lessons have been learned and new procedures have been implemented and the Council hopes that with this report the long-standing matter may now be brought to a close.

Another controversial issue has been Cllr Butt's meetings with developers, the lack of a note of what took place at the meetings and absence of any officers at these meetings LINK.

The Committee will consider proposed changes to the Brent Planning Code of Practice and will need to ensure that the changes are sufficiently robust as to restore public confidence in the planning process before they go to the Cabinet for approval.

The report states: 

There is a new section on ‘Discussions between members and meetings with developers or their representatives’. This in part incorporates into the code ad hoc advice issued by the Monitoring Officer to Members in the recent past and in part strengthens the Council’s commitment to being seen to be promoting good practice. The requirements aim to strike a proper balance between promoting public confidence in the integrity of the planning process and the legitimate reality of local government life. Of particular note is the requirement that pre-application discussions or discussions about undecided applications between Members and developers (or their representatives), are arranged, attended and documented by an officer.

This is the full section:*

Provided Members comply with the practical requirements  if this code and the Members Code of Conduct, there is no legal rule against Members, whether of the same group or not, discussing strategic planning issues, general policy issues or even future decisions.

Similarly, joint working, both formal and infornal, and dialogue between members of the Planning Commitee and members of the Cabinet is recognised as a legitinate reality of local government life. Members of the Planning Commitee need to ensure that when making planning decisions, they make up their own mind and on the planning merits.

Relevant members of the Cabinet are entitled to meet with developers or their representatives and other relevant stakeholders as part of their role to promote Brent and the regeneration, development and other commercial opportunities available in the borough.  In doing so Members of the Cabinet must always act in the best interests of the council and ultimately in the public interest, and in accordance with the high standards of conduct expected of Members, to ensure that the integrity of the planning process is not undermined and the council is not brought into disrepute.

Reasonable care and judgement should be exercised in relation to such meetings, taking into account the purpose of the meeting, the nature of the issues to be discussed and the timing.  In appropriate circumstances, exercising proper judgement may include ensuring a record is kept of the meeting. Cabinet members should make sure it is understood that their participation in marketing events or commercial discussions is separate from the adminstrative and regulaltory role of Members of the Planning Committee.

Although members of the Cabinet are entitled to express support or opposition to development proposed in the borough, they cannot use their position as a Member improperly to confer on or secure for any person an advantage or disadvantage.

As pre-application discussions or discussions about undecided applications require particular care, the following additional rules apply. An officer must make the arrangements for such meetings, attend and write notes. The meeting arrangements must include agreeing an agenda in advance. (my emphasis)

* The report on the Committee Agenda is a 'tracked changes' Word document converted into a PDF and very hard to read, particularly for anyone not versed in Word. Without a 'clean copy' I find it hard to see how it could receive proper scrutiny. See it HERE  It's ironic that a document trying to increase accountability and transparency is itself not readily accessible.

The last item is controversial and will remain so as Brent Council has restricted public access to the information. There is an update on the issues surrounding the asbestos contamination in Paddington Cemetery, first raised by Cllr John Duffy on this blog LINK but the update is not publicly available and the public will be excluded from the discussion about it.   No glimmer of light here.

Call for Brent Labour Group to declare opposition to The Village School academisation bid

The Trade Union Liasion Officers of Brent Central Constituency Labour Party have written ot the Labour Group on Brebt Council asking them to make a public declaration of their opposition to The Village School Governing Body's proposal  to convert the school into an academy. 

Their letter reads:

It was good to see many of you at the House of Commons in December celebrating the Brent Central election victory with Dawn Butler, Jeremy Corbyn, Ian Lavery (chair of PLP), Kate Osamor and others.

You will recall that the issue of the Governors’ attempt to privatise Village School through academisation was discussed.It was great to have an assurance from Jeremy at the meeting that the national Labour Party policy is opposition to academisation and Dawn has already made clear her opposition to this privatisation.

The National Education Union (formerly NUT and ATL) was forced to stage a one day strike on 14 December which closed the school.120 teachers at the school were on strike in order to prevent this huge resource and vital service (as one of the largest and most modern special schools in England it serves the whole of Brent and is rated Outstanding by OFSTED).

Sadly more strikes are being prepared for this month as Governors press on with a plan to take this resource out of the public sector (losing £millions of Brent Council investment).

We urge you at the Labour Group meeting on 8 January 2018 to make a public declaration of opposition to the Governors proposal and publicise this widely 

With best wishes for the New Year 

Graham Durham and Hank Roberts
Trade Union Liaison officers - Brent Central CLP

End Engineer's Way road surface disaster now

Engineers Way, outside Brent Civic Centre, today

 

Paul Lorber has written to Brent CEO Carolyn Downs calling on her to halt efforts to repair the expensive brick paving outside the Civic Centre and to tarmac the road, Engineer's Way, instead:

You will recall that I expressed my concern about the crumbling road outside
the Civic Centre recently.

You advised of repairs which were carried out but clearly did not work.

The road is a mess again and in my view both a danger and risking causing
damage to private vehicles driving over it. It is also a danger to
pedestrians who cross the road to get to the shops or the square opposite
the Civic Centre.

The materials used are clearly unsuitable for a road in the middle of a
permanent building site around Wembley Stadium.

I think the time has come to accept that a big mistake was made using the
individual stones for this road, that money was wasted but that time has now
come for dig up the stones and replace them with level tarmac road which is
not subject to constant crumbling as a result of the volume of large lorries
passing by.

Please confirm that action will at long last be taken to provide a safe road
in front if the Civic Centre and prevent Brent Council becoming a laughing
stock for allowing for this disaster to continue.

Wembley High Road works finished at last

This is how Wembley High Road looked earlier today following the completion of the Thames Water sewer works and the making good of the surface where excavation took place. At that time the diversion at Parlk Lane was still in force.