Neglect and dilapidation at Gladstone Park allotments

The overgrown allotment plots at Gladstone Park

Following yesterday's article LINK on the state of Birchen Grove allotments, in which I asked if there was a similar issue at other Brent allotments I have received the following information regarding the Gladstone Park allotment site:

I got my plot after a 2 year wait.  Everything you wrote yesterday could have been about Gladstone Park allotments also. Had my plot been allocated back in the autumn, I could have made a good start on clearing the ground of the dense couch grass, horseradish, bindweed etc, getting them to rot over the winter and preparing the plot for planting. The council rejected my request for help with clearing it. 

I am aware of other newbies with worse plots which they have been told they must clear and dispose of the rubbish themselves – including bricks, broken glass, abandoned contents of sheds. Although there have been several waves this spring of allotments being released to newcomers, a number of allotments remain abandoned and dilapidated. I’ve attached a couple of photos of examples but there are more. As you say, you can see why newcomers become overwhelmed and give up, perpetuating the general neglect.

 

The allotment sheds

The council has no idea who rents the council sheds. 

The toilet

 The toilet apparently has not worked for some time and the internal key was lost, I don’t know the current situation. The on-site allotment offices are abandoned and locked up. More could be done to organise communally beneficial services such as bulk purchase of compost, maybe have a large polytunnel on the overgrown plot which used to be communal – like the one they showed on Gardeners World recently, where the wider community can get involved in the growing process.

Abandoned buildings

 The on site supervisor does her best with the lack of council support. There are incidents of theft. Apparently the allotment key fits every padlock on all the Brent allotments so there is no knowing who is coming in legitimately or not. Updating entry security is long overdue.

Council must tackle the neglect of King Eddie's Park and make us proud to love where we live!

Jaine Lunn wrote to Brent Council along the following lines:

The state of Edward VII Park ('King Eddies' to locals)  is no longer a joke.

It is evident it is only going to get worse now the summer has kicked in.  The level of anti-social behaviour is off the scale.  We need some serious intervention now.  Signs informing users of the by-laws in the park, no BBQ's, no fires, Single men exercising in the children's playground make families uneasy.  Scooters, cars, and ice-cream vans driving around like it's normal.  Drug dealing and drinking.   We all have photographic evidence.  Everyone knows why our only green open space municipal park is like this: lack of enforcement and shit maintenance by Veolia.  Whoever signed the contract should be fired.  

 

How dare the council have such contempt for residents who pay for public services via their Council Tax.

No doubt King Edward V11 and his wife Queen Alexander must be turning in the graves, after all this was bought by the council back in 1913 for approx £8,000 to compensate the residents for the loss of green space in Wembley NoPark when they commenced development for the Stadium and subsequent Empire Exhibition.   The fact that Brent Council signed an agreement to protect the park with "Fields in Trust in 2012 as the plaque on Collins Lodge states and has won "Borough of Culture for 2020" makes a mockery of the whole thing unless you stop this now.  I will make it my personal mission to embarrass the Council every opportunity I can find if this is not resolved asap.

Might I also add, all Brent parks had Green Flags awarded 10 years ago, now the fact that we are at no. 14 out of 20 on the 20 London Borough Park List, is shameful.  The NHS state that parks and green open spaces save them millions of ££££££££££££s in benefit to general public.  Cleaner Brent, Cleaner Air, you are having a laugh?  Practice what you preach.

We have enough CIL money in Wembley to do the job, create legacy, and make us proud to "LOVE WHERE WE LIVE".

Brent's Windrush 70 exhibition to be launched tonight at Willesden Green Library

From Brent Cultural Services:

This summer Brent Culture Service will be marking the 70th anniversary of the arrival of Empire Windrush with an exhibition and a number of themed events.

Windrush 70 – Brent’s Pioneering Windrush Generation traces the historic journey and explores Brent’s Caribbean Heritage through the eyes of its residents. Using a mixture of photographic portraits, stories collected from residents, historic objects and unique artist commissions it celebrates 70 years of the United Kingdom’s Caribbean diaspora.

Intimate portraits of Brent’s Caribbean community by artist and photographer Nadia Nervo offer an insight into their daily lives. Two original poems by Malika Booker narrate the experiences of the community’s first arrival in the ‘Mother Country’.

A commission by Mahogany Carnival Design - made by students from Queens Park Community School, Harlesden Primary School and Alperton High School combines tradition with legacy. An installation of a traditional ‘West Indian’ living room closes the exhibition representing the many homes that have been made in Brent.

Since receiving a master’s degree in Art Communication & Design from the Royal College of Art in 2003, Nervo has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions. Investigating the relationship between photographer and subject, Nervo often works with strangers to explore the nature of how connections are formed.

Zerritha Brown, Cultural Operations Manager and Artistic Director for Windrush 70 said:

It was important to mark the 70th anniversary particularly as Brent has a large Caribbean community. The Caribbean diaspora is present in modern life, with influences evident in fashion, music, dance as well as the world of entertainment, sport and politics, yet still the story of Windrush is not widely known. I wanted the exhibition to provide a platform to showcase the stories of the Windrush generation.

It has been an honour developing Windrush70. We have met some inspirational people and uncovered some truly emotional stories which has highlighted the resilience, pride and courage of the Windrush community who came here to strive for a better life. 

Intern Assistant Project Producer, Kyron Greenwood said:

I already knew quite a bit about Windrush before I began work on the project , I am of Caribbean descent and have a Grandfather who came over to the UK a few years after the Empire Windrush. I am aware though, that a lot of young people, even those who are of Caribbean descent, don’t know much about this history and I think this project is a great way to raise awareness of these moving and interesting stories.

The ‘Windrush’ generation were named from the ship, Empire Windrush, which arrived at the Tilbury docks on 22 June 1948 from the Caribbean. The passengers had been invited to come to Britain to help with the post-war reconstruction. This event is often seen as the beginning of immigration from the Caribbean that would go on to have such a profound and lasting effect on the culture, fashion and music of Britain.

The people interviewed for the Windrush 70 project came here to work in a wide variety of fields. Areas of work included: medicine, transport, industry, music, construction, entertainment, sport, politics and fashion.

One of the oldest participants is 97 year old Mr Rev. Norman Watson Mitchell MBE. He came to Britain from Jamaica in 1955 to work as a Glass Quality Control Inspector. His first home in London was in Forrest Hill where for two years he lived in cramped conditions sharing a house with fifteen other Caribbean migrants, his bedroom was shared with seven other people.

Mr Rev. Mitchell moved to Harlesden in 1957 where he decided to settle as he liked Brent and found the people “social” which reminded him of Jamaica. His family, including his daughter Liz Mitchell who would go on to become an acclaimed reggae singer and member of Boney M, then came over to join him. He still lives in Harlesden and was awarded an MBE for Community Work and Service in 2014.



More details of Mr Rev. Mitchell’s story and those of many other Caribbean migrants can be discovered in the Windrush 70 – Brent’s pioneering Windrush Generation exhibition.

As well as the exhibition Brent Culture Service will be holding a series of Windrush70 events. The highlight will be Windrush Celebration Day on Saturday 23 June 12noon-4pm at the Library at Willesden Green. There will be an afternoon of free events for all ages including: live music from St Michaels and All Angels Steel Orchestra and the Reggae Choir, dance performances from Namron Dance and a specially commissioned dance theatre piece by Impact Dance along with Caribbean themed face painting and craft workshop

The exhibition will be on 21 June – 29 October at the Library at Willesden Green, entrance to the exhibition is free of charge.

Windrush 70 has been funded by Arts Council England with support from the British Library and Reggae choir.

For further information about Windrush 70 and Brent Culture please contact culture@brent.gov.uk

Clean Air Day report calls for urgent action by Brent Council

From Clean Air for Brent (CAfB)

Clean Air for Brent (CAfB)’s aim is to see air quality significantly improved in the London borough of Brent. As a tool towards helping Brent Council and residents achieve this goal, CAfB ispleased to launch ‘A Study on Air Quality in Brent’ on 21 June 2018 – national Clean Air Day. Following a proposal from CAfB, Imperial College MSc Environmental Technology students carried out this study between January and March 2018.

Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise and Harlesden High Street were chosen as case studies to analyse Brent’s air pollution problem and establish causes. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in both areas critically exceed the legal limit deemed fit for humans. 

Children are one of the most vulnerable groups harmed by  air pollution – including asthma, lung stunting and cognitive impairment.  John Keble C of E Primary is next to Harlesden High Street and Ark Franklin Primary is on Chamberlayne Road. Both are among the 50 most polluted primary schools in the capital that were included in the Mayor of London’s recent Air Quality School Audit. 

This report, the first deep-dive air pollution study of its kind for the two areas, not only identifies the causes but also recommends sources of funding to tackle the issue.

Unsurprisingly, the primary cause of the air pollution problems in the two areas is road traffic.

·      Traffic surveys show that a large proportion of the vehicles travelling through the study areas are diesel powered - 63% in Chamberlayne and 42% in Harlesden High Street.

·      Interviews conducted with drivers also reveal the significant role of non-local journeys – through traffic making up 50-60% of rush hour vehicles. 

·      Both routes carry traffic volumes double the national average for the time of day in question.

At a Celebration of Clean Air event held jointly with Brent Council and Brent Friends of the Earth at Civic Centre on Thursday evening, Chair of CAfB Fiona Mulaisho commented:

Today we are all signing up to a Brent Clean Air Pledge, and in keeping with that CAfB hopes Brent Councillors and officers will draw and act on this report.   As well as working with the worst affected schools to limit their exposure to filthy air in the playground and the classroom, we urge them to use all their powers to tackle the root causes and clean up the air our children and we breathe.

The full report is available on CAfB’s website: cleanairforbrent.wordpress.com.

Art Exhibition today at Yellow Pavilion Wembley

Brent Council announces Spurs have the right to play at Wembley until December 2018

Residents who breathed a sigh of relief that they could soon go about their business in Wembley at weekends without the traffic jams and suspended bus routes associated with Spurs occupation of Wembley may have to think again. Tottenham's stadium may not be  ready for the new season and an announcement on Brent Council's website clearly doesn't see that as a problem:

Tottenham Hotspur will play their first game of the new football season at Wembley, against Fulham on 18 August 2018.

With the development of their new stadium yet to be completed and a number of test events due to take place before it can be officially opened, Tottenham have asked to again use Wembley for their opening fixture.

Tottenham have stated they will move into their new stadium in time for the Liverpool fixture on Saturday 15 September 2018.

However, until that is contractually confirmed, Tottenham retain the option to play home games at Wembley up until 7 October 2018 and Champions League games up until 12 December 2018.

Any Tottenham games at Wembley next season will be accommodated within the existing planning permission for the Stadium, and be part of their agreed programme of events for the year.

The cost of allotment neglect in Brent

Birchen Grove allotments in Kingsbury

In Spring 2016 Brent Council consulted on the possibility of our allotments becoming self-managing. Allotment holders were not enthusiastic LINK and as far as I know none, apart from Kingsbury which was already self-managing, opted to self-manage.

I spoke up for the then Council Allotments Officer and the fine job she did but shortly afterwards she was gone.  Without a named officer the role was taken over by the depleted parks department - depleted after Veolia took over the maintenance contract for parks and the Green Flag scheme was abandoned.

Now the Birchen Grove site,  where I have two plots, is looking neglected and overgrown.  There seems to be no system of checking on active cultivation and  expediting the reletting of abandoned plots although I understand there is a waiting list and the Council is supposed to be encouraging local food cultivation LINK

The practical effect of plots being overgrown  is that they are much harder to bring back into cultivation and any new allotment holder can become demoralised by the sheer hard work involved. Grass and weed seeds spread over neighbouring cultivated plots and become a nuisance,

I would be interested to hear about experiences on other Brent allotments and perhaps Cllr Krupa Sheth, Cabinet member for the Environment, could look into the issue. It would be useful for the Scrutiny Committee to review the success or otherwise of the Council's Food Growing and Allotments Strategy.

Meanwhile, following other examples of neglect of council resources such as garages on estates, there is a fear that pictures of neglect and low use rates such as those above, could lead to justification for a polocy of selling off  allotments to be used for housing developments.

Campaign launched to beat loneliness in Brent

Eleven Brent charities have launched a campaign to raise awareness of loneliness and community activities across Brent. The Together in Brent campaign promotes the Jo Cox Great Get Together on June 22^nd and the following week, as a Borough-wide Open Day. It encourages residents to try out one activity and discover what’s in their local area and to volunteer to help tackle loneliness. 

There are over 1,000 social activities where you can meet people in Brent. From singing, exercise, drawing, crafts, volunteering, lunch clubs, computer classes to the more unusual such as acting or fixing electronics. 

The campaign includes a free arts exhibition exploring isolation, Peeking Through Windows. This tells stories from across the borough through original art pieces, sculpture, dance, photography and video. 

Loneliness affects people of all ages. It’s a deeply personal issue people can’t easily talk about and yet so important that the Government created a new Minister for Loneliness this year. There is a range of specialist support locally in Brent for people experiencing emotional distress, carers, older people and others. There are also projects that help build confidence and can even accompany you to an activity the first few times to help settle in, understanding that it’s not easy to go to a new place and meet new people. 

Peeking Through Windows is open to all, on Thursday 21^st June, 12-2pm at the Yellow Pavilion, Wembley[M1]  Park, HA9 0EG. To find out about activities in your area, support and volunteering phone 0741 531 5998, email togetherinbrent@cvsbrent.org.uk or join the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/togetherinbrent/ or follow on twitter @togetherinbrent  

The charities involved are: Age UK Brent, Ashford Place, Brent Carers Centre, Brent Community Transport, Brent Mencap, British Red Cross, CVS Brent through the Social Involvement in Brent Initiative (SIBI), Elders Voice, Hestia, Linking Lives, Youth With A Mission

Why vote Green in Willesden Green?

The election for the last three seats on Brent Council takes place on Thursday June 21st and the voters in Willesden Green have an opportunity to ensure that the Council's actions are subject to rigorous scrutiny.

They won't do that by electing yet more Labour councillors - there are already 57 pitched against 3 lack lustre Tories.  Immediately after the May 3rd election Muhammed Butt, leader of the Council, tightened his grip on power appointing a rubber-stamping Cabinet and extending his period of office.  Just after the election councillors gave themselves a rise and the Cabinet confirmed that that £17.8m of public money would be spent on cosmetic 'improvements' to Olympic Way.  Their actions have shown us what we face  for the next four years unless electors make a stand.

This matters because the right-wing is still firmly in control on the Council despite an increase in Momentum activists in the borough. The latter found themselves campaigning for council candidates who had little sympathy with Corbyn and unlikely to mount any significant opposition to cuts or Butt's close relationship with developers.  There are perhaps 3 or 4 of the 57 who may ask awkward questions and it would considerably strengthen their hands if Green councillors were elected on the 21st.

But Green councillors on their own would provide a new dynamic committed as they are to a range of policies far more radical than those of Brent Labour providing rigorous scrutiny of issues such as social housing, planning, clear air, the use of the community infrastructure levy, the condition of roads and pavements, protection of open spaces, upkeep of parks, provision of affordable meeting places for community groups, effective consultation rather than a tick box system and opposition to academisation.  They would challenge the current Wembleycentric bias in Brent.

Green councillors in other London borough have shown that even one Green voice can make a big difference. Willesden Green voters should seize the chance on June 21st.

Green Party Willesden Green Election Action Day Sunday June 17th

Action Day for Willesden Green by-election. Join us, take pics, help out, ask questions, grab posters & find out about @TheGreenParty! Sunday 17th June 11am-1pm Willesden Green station.

Sian Berry (Green Party Assembly Member) and Rashid Nix (Green party activist from Lambeth) will be joing us. 

Our candidates are Shaka Lish (above), William Relton and Peter Murry.

Brent receives share of migration funding

Unedited press release from Brent Council

Brent has been awarded over £440,000 of funding over three years from a £19 million government pot to help support emerging communities in Brent.


Aiming to ease pressure on local services from recent migration, the fund will help Brent Council provide services to meet the growth in new communities and put support structures in place for new residents which promote independence and help them to adapt to life in the UK.


This includes a new community outreach team as well as drop-in sessions, Eastern European and Latin American fairs and recognised courses in English Language (ESOL), which will cover CV-building, employability and citizenship skills, designed to equip residents with the tools they need to participate in daily life.


Also on offer will be conversational English workshops and cross-cultural activities to celebrate and share community culture.


Cllr Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of Brent Council said:

Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in London and we want to make sure that new residents feel supported and equipped to take part in everyday life. We work hard to make Brent a great place to live and work. At a time of stretched resources for councils across the country, this funding will help meet the challenges of a growing population as we take a joined up approach to easing pressure on local services.


This funding gives us the opportunity to provide a wealth of resources for new residents which they can rely on, reducing the risk of exploitation by rogue landlords or employers who pay below the legal minimum wage.

The funding will be delivered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to support projects until 2020.

Lone Star reported to have received 7 first-round bids for Quintain

Property World LINK is reporting that seven investors have lodged first-round bids for Quintain, the developers of Wembley Park.

Quintain  is currently owned by US company Lone Star. Property World report that the bids include offers for the whole business, an offer to become a business partner and and an offer  to acquire the whole of the 5,000 home Wembley Park development. 

It appears that  Guy Hands' Terra Firma Capital Partners has not after all made an offer through its Annington Homes company. LINK

As reported before on Wembley Matters there is also the possibility of new owners for Wembley Stadium and the FA is said to be looking for further offers at a higher price than the initial one from Shahid Khan and is also seeking assurances that the stadium will remain the home of English football as part of the deal. It appears to be inevitable that any bid will include an increased number of events at the stadium to maximise the income of the new owner. Meanwhile Spurs will play its first home match at Wembley on August 18th before transferring to their new stadium. LINK

See the Property News 'Big Interview'  with Quintain HERE

An evening with novelist Kamila Shamsie Preston Library June 19th

Preston Community Library is delighted to be hosting an evening with British/Pakistani author Kamila Shamsie who will be reading from and talking about her prize-winning novel Home Fire. This will be one of Ms Shamsie's first public appearances since Home Fire won the Women's Prize for Fiction (formerly the Orange Prize) which is the world's most prestigious award for women's writing. The event is in Preston Library next Tuesday, 19 June, at 6.30pm.

Brent Mencap Open House Friday 22nd June

Support school music in Brent - Brent Makes Music June 27th at the Arena

At a time when high stakes testing is narrowing the curriculum and financial cuts often mean cutting the arts first it is wonderful that the Brent Music Service continues to work with so many children in Brent schools with additional classes at weekends.

An appearance at the iconic Wembley Arena (sorry SSE Arena) will be a memorable event for nearly 1,500 Brent children on June 27th and I hope that as many people as possible can come along and support them as well as reinforce BMS's claim that making music changes lives.

Tickets are available HERE

Paul Fensom, the powerhouse behind Brent Music service who has overseen its survival and transformation will be retiring this summer after 40 years promoting music in the borough and BMS is planning a big and well-deserved goodbye party:

From BMS Facebook:

FAREWELL TO MR FENSOM - Have you got your tickets yet? 7.30pm Saturday 14th July 2018. Book today as spaces are running out: https://farewell-to-mr-fensom.eventbrite.co.uk/

SHOUT-OUT TO BMS ALUMNI - Are you a past student, staff or ensemble member of Brent Music Service? Then join us for this perfect opportunity to offer Paul your best wishes for his retirement and to catch up with BMS friends and colleagues.

Such a special celebration - Paul's 40 years of dedication and commitment to bringing music into the lives of the children of London borough of Brent Council. #MakingMusicChangesLives

Please share so others don't miss this opportunity.

A buffet, music and a cash bar are all available to enjoy, so book your tickets today at: https://farewell-to-mr-fensom.eventbrite.co.uk/

Clean Air for Brent welcomes expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone but North Circular should be included

Reacting to London Mayor Sadiq Khan's announcement about the upcoming expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, Clean Air for Brent Chair Fiona Mulaisho said:

We welcome this announcement which will help to protect Brent residents in the south of the borough from toxic air from October 2021.  A stronger, larger Ultra Low Emission Zone will go a long way to tackling the currently illegal and harmful levels of air pollution.

However, we are concerned that as the ULEZ will not cover the North Circular itself, more dirty diesel powered vehicles will choose to use this already busy and hugely polluted road.  As hundreds of Brent residents live right by or very close to the North Circular, we will be challenging the Mayor and Brent Council to work together to ensure these people’s air quality does not worsen when the new zone comes into effect.

The Mayor now needs to turn his thoughts to what he is going to do to ensure those who live outside the North Circular can also breathe cleaner air.

Given that there will be no sunset period for people living within the extended zone to change their vehicles, CAfB also calls for strong engagement with residents and through drivers on the practical issues which arise, starting now.

Note from Martin Francis

I feel strongly that the North Circular and beyond should be included.  When I worked at Brentfield Primary School, close to the North Circular at Brent Park, I was very concerned about the number of children with respiratory problems. At the time, 20 years or so ago, about 2/3 of the children in my class had 'pumps.' It was noteworthy that when we went on a residential trip to Brent's Gordon Brown Outdoor Education Centre in Hampshire they did not need to use them but when we returned and approached the outskirts of London they began to ask for them.

Free English classes in Wembley Park - enrolment on Saturday

This is a FREE course - rarely available as such  - and accredited which is an excellent opportunity for those seeking work to improve their English and get better possibility of a job. It is free. Quite a time commitment but maybe a rare opportunity.

Brent councillors' improved Code of Conduct for 'highest ethical standards'

From Brent Council
 
Brent Council is committed to the highest ethical standards in the work of its elected councillors and co-opted members, embodying the principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

There's been a Code of Conduct in place for many years to help guide elected members, and Brent's recent full council meeting has just simplified and improved this code so that it is easier to understand and follow and so that it promotes the high standards of conduct expected of Brent members.

Click bottom left corner for full size document:

Public Square section of £17.8m Pedway deal goes through plus estate 'in-fill' housing

It was the first meeting of the new Planning Committee yesterday evening. Members not only had to cope with hefty agenda papers but a detailed late Supplementary Report on several of the items.  Committee Chair Cllr James Denselow pointed out that most of them were new to the job and it was clear throughout the meeting that he was heavily dependent on planning officer David Glover who sat next to him and the pair were regularly engaged in urgent conversation while the meeting went on around them.

Old hands Cllr Maurice (Conservative) and Cllr Colacicco are still on the committee. Of the newcomers Cllr Abdi, Hylton and Sangani were most vocal and Cllr Johnson as vice chair made some useful interventions.

The most far reaching proposal was left until last when most of the public attending had gone home.  This is the proposal for a new public square with colonnade and canopy beside the Civic Centre that Brent Council sought to gain from using £17.8m of Community Infrastructure Levy for changes to the public realm on Olympic Way.  The overall scheme  includes the replacement of the stadium pedway by steps - a matter barely mentioned last night as it will involve a separate application. The proposal involves modifications of the outline planning permission that had already been granted to Quintain for a building on Plot NW04 and the scheme approved last night is dependent on the removal of the pedway.

It was interesting that in the earlier discussion about the Ark Somerville primary school the impression was given that the granting of outline permission earlier for the wider area, but including the school, was pretty well set in stone and could not be changed.

The public were there for much smaller schemes but ones that directly impacted on their homes  and lives in different neighbourhoods.  The proposals were part of the 'in-fill' of estates to provide more 'affordable homes' and affected Kings Drive in Wembley, Carlyon Close in Alperton and Stonebridge Park.  In each  case residents protested loss of amenity - for Kings Drive, parking spaces; Carlyon Close opening up the quiet close to through pedestrian traffic; and Stonebridge Park the impact on green space.

Denselow throughout the meeting kept emphasising that the Council had to meet the target of building 9,000 new homes by 2028 and it was not surprising that all the applications were approved. The loss of amenity for current residents was out balanced by the provision of new homes.

However it was good to see the definition of 'affordable' questioned and the committee were told that this was 80% of market rent (rather than the Mayor's London Living Rent) though that might be reduced for tenants nominated by the Council.  I hope that committee members will continue to plug away on this when Quintain puts in more applications as the assumption appears to be that the 9,000 will help cut Brent's 4,000 strong waiting list - not at 80% of market rent it won't.

The effectiveness of the planning department's consultation and communication with residents came up several times and this desreves further consideration. Residents' accounts of the consultation process suggested major improvement is needed.

'A major mistake on public health grounds' but Empire Way primary school approved

Clean Air for Brent sent the following submission to the Planning Committee today but there was little evidence at the meeting that members had taken it into account.[ UPDATE 17.00 June 7th Joe Kwateng has written to CAfB today to say that the document arrived while he was in the pre-meeting with the Committee which was immediately followed by the Planning Committee meeting itself. He could not access his computer and therefore could not bring it to the attention of the committee. He apologised.]

The Committee decided by 7 votes to 1 to approve the application for a 630 pupil primary school on the York House car park on Empire Way. Well done to Cllr Abdi for taking the concerns seriously and voting against. I was surprised that Cllr Colacicco who has fought so hard against the Cricklewood Aggregate Hub on grounds of air and traffic pollution, not only voted for the application but praised it for meeting BREAM standards. A 'green' building in a heavily polluted area is a contradiction.

The Committee were told by officers that as outline permission have already been granted for a much wider area, but one that included the school site, and it had been found 'suitable for a school' that the hearing was really only about planning matters related to design, school travel plans etc.  Design features to mitigate exposure to air pollution included the positioning of classrooms towards the back of the plot with a school hall and non teaching rooms on the ground floor facing Empire Way and the installation of a mechanical ventilation system. Planning Officer told the committee that the Council had Victorian schools in far worse locations- so that's all right then!

The is CAfB's submission:

Objection by Clean Air for Brent

We apologise for the lateness of this objection, but we only became aware of the application on 1 June and have been in dialogue with planning officers since yesterday about the material considered in connection with the outline application 15/5550.

Summary: Clean Air for Brent considers that it would be a major mistake on public health grounds to proceed with the proposal to site the planned Ark Somerville School and associated Day Nursery on the York House site next to the heavily-trafficked Wembley Hill Road. We urge the Council, Quintain and the Ark Academy Chain to consider an alternative site within the development away from the main road.

Outline permission: We appreciate that outline permission was granted in respect of application 15/5550 and that this includes the siting of the school. The implication of the Head of Planning’s email to us of 4^th June is that the question of siting is done and dusted. We agree that this might normally be the case but with respect we regard this as a technicality compared with the risks of damaging the health and development of future nursery and primary school children. So far no development of the critical site has taken place.

Considerations: The UK and London in particular is in serious breach of legal air pollution requirements derived from EU legislation to which the UK is a party. The main pollutant concerned in the legal breach is nitrogen dioxide, NO2. Most of Brent is declared as an Air Quality Management Area because it is in breach of the legal limit for NO2. This includes the site in question.

The legislation is based on World Health Organisation findings on the impact of various air pollutants on human health. In the UK the official Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP) and the Royal College of Physicians among others have published extensive studies on the various adverse health impacts which include respiratory diseases, cancer, stroke, cardiovascular conditions and possibly neurological morbidities. Children are especially vulnerable, possibly because they breathe more rapidly than adults. It is considered that children badly affected by air pollution can have their lung development restricted by up to 10%.

Since road traffic, particularly diesel-powered vehicles, is a major contributor to NO2 pollution The London Mayor, with wide support, has taken a number of initiatives to address the problem of the hundreds of London schools sited for historical reasons on heavily-trafficked roads. An example is the recently published results of a professional air quality audit of 50 of the most-polluted schools, including two in Brent. It is clear that mitigation measures as so far proposed will have no more than a marginal effect on pollution levels affecting children in these schools.

In this situation CAfB believes that it is seriously irresponsible to site any new school on a heavily trafficked road, such as Wembley Hill Road in the present case.

In the short time available CAfB has investigated whether the issue of air quality in relation to the siting of the school was discussed in the papers submitted with the application 15/5550, eventually decided in December 2016. Although the Planning Officer advises that it was we have not found evidence for this in the 77-page Air Quality chapter of the Environmental Statement sent to us yesterday by the Head of Planning. We note that among the documents listed as relevant is the London Plan, but the salient point in the London Plan in relation to the school is in 7.14. This is not discussed but relegated to Appendix 3.3.1. For reference it reads:

“B  Development proposals should:

a  minimise increased exposure to existing poor air quality and make provision to address local problems of air quality (particularly within Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) and where development is likely to be used by large numbers of those particularly vulnerable to poor air quality, such as children or older people) such as by design solutions, buffer zones or steps to promote greater use of sustainable transport modes through travel plans (see Policy 6.3)”

The relevant supporting paragraph 7.51 begins:

“Increased exposure to existing poor air quality should be minimised by avoiding introduction of potentially new sensitive receptors in locations where they will be affected by existing sources of air pollution (such as road traffic and industrial processes). Particular attention should be paid to development proposals such as housing, homes for elderly people, schools and nurseries.”

Unfortunately the whole emphasis of the Air Quality chapter is on the effect of the development on the environment and not on the effect of subjecting the school and nursery pupils to the pollution effects of traffic on Wembley Hill Road.

We also note from the Master Plan documents associated with 15/5550, section 5.8 about the school site, that during the early stages three alternative locations for the school were considered but not favoured by Ark Academy or Brent officials. In this section there is no mention of air quality issues arising from siting the school on Wembley Hill Road.

Conclusion: While it would be desirable to install air quality monitoring arrangements close to the site in question and other possible sites before a final decision, this is not really necessary since if the choice is between a busy road and a more local or feeder road within the site the answer is obvious. We therefore urge that this aspect of the overall plan be put on hold for further consideration by the parties in the light of the latest understanding of the effect of air pollution on children’s health and development.

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Traffic at the proposed site for Ark Somerville Primary School 9am this morning

Brent Planning Committee will make a decision on granting planning permission for a 630 pupil primary school on the car park of York House on Empire Way, Wembley.

Wembley Matters checked out the traffic conditions around the proposed site this morning.

Residents urged to support petiton for a Public Inquiry into Cricklewood Superhub

A petition has been launched asking the Secretary of Stae for Communities and Local Government to set up a Public Inquiry into the Cricklewood Aggregates Superhub.

This is the petition:

REQUEST FOR A PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO THE CRICKLEWOOD AGGREGATES SUPERHUBLand at Rear Of 400 Edgware Road Cricklewood, NW2 6ND
Planning Application 17/5761/EIA London Borough of Barnet

We the undersigned request you to issue a holding direction on any decision regarding this planning application by the London Borough of Barnet- with a view to calling it in. This decision affects the air quality of future generations in Brent and Camden as well as Barnet.

We believe it meets six of your criteria

• affects the quality of life across a wider area than a single local authority
• has significant effects beyond their immediate locality
• proposals for development of major importance having more than local significance
• proposals giving rise to substantial regional controversy
• proposals which raise important issues of development control, and/or legal difficulties;
• proposals of major significance for the delivery of the Government's climate change programme and energy policies

The petition can be signed HERE

Willesden Green Library closed until further notice

Willesden Green Library was closed yesterday when I tried to visit. Today Brent Culture announced via twitter:

We still have no water at the Library at Willesden Green, the building will remain closed until further notice. Apologies for any inconvenience. The nearest alternative Brent Libraries are Kilburn Library or Harlesden Library Plus.

The problem is with the conveniences - I understand that the library cannot operate without water for the toilets.

Follow @BrentCulture on twitter for updates.

GDPR causes comment blackout on Brent Council Planning Portal

Several readers have contacted me pointing out that comments from residents on planning applications on the Brent Council planning portal are now longer visible.

Rather than a conspiracy to deny information to potential opponents or supporters of a application the absence is due to the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) that came into force recently.

Previously commenter's addresses but not their names were published along with their comment. Now the fear is that the comments could contain personal information about the commenter, a relative or the applicant.

Alice Lester, Head of Planning, Transportation and Licensing said it was causing quite a problem and a balance had to be struck between over-reacting or just simply complying and reducing risk. She said she would much prefer to be as transparent as possible and was watching what a few other councils do and will also monitor case law.

NEU at The Village School win 'the most democratic and union friendly MAT in the country'

Kay Charles, executive headteacher of The Village School and Woodfield Multi-Academy Trust, has given the National Education Union written assurances on the three outstanding issues involved in the recent strikes which were aimed at safeguarding staff conditions of service following the The Village  School governing board's decision to academise to form the Trust.

1, A clause will go into the school pay policy stating that all national pay awards will be honoured.

2, The TUC model union agreement will be adopted which gives all the union rights, and more, enjoyed by staff when The Village was a Brent local authority school.

3. Human Resources policies will be protected by a 5-way lock (not 6 as requested) but with added written agreement that  model Brent and union policies will be used as a benchmark if any policies are changed in the future, as well as written assurances that policies will go to unions and then staff, before going before  governors and trustees.

On the basis of these concessions a meeting of union members voted by a majority to suspend all strike action pending the governing board's meeting in July when it is hoped these documents will be presented and agreed.

It will be made clear by the NEU that members are not stopping all action; they are only suspending it for now and it would re-start if the decisions are reversed.

Jenny Cooper, NEU,  The Village School, in a message to members said:

 For now, things are looking good. What we have now is the most democratic and union friendly Multi-Academy Trust anywhere in the country and that, for us, is a massive victory and has only been achieved through the sheer determination, sacrifice and fight of all of you united.

None of the protections we now have were intended. We have got them purely because of the campaigning, bargaining, twelves days of strikes and three threatened strikes, plus a 100% yes vote in our last ballot and a 100% yes vote in Woodfield's indicative ballot.

We done to you all. We feel really proud to be reps of a union group that is famous across  the country and influencing so many other campaigns.

Hold on to that thought, hold on to your dreams and fighting spirit (it may be needed again), stick together and support each other.

PROUD TO BE A UNION!!!

Clean Air for Brent call for thorough air quality assessment for new Empire Way primary school

A gross under-estimate of traffic?

A spokesperson for Clean Air for Brent (CAfB) has commented on the proposed 630 pupil primary school on the site of the York House car park on Empire Way, Wembley:

We know that children in schools on busy roads in Brent are being regularly exposed to illegal levels of air pollution. It’s imperative therefore that Brent Council put air quality at the top of their list of considerations for any new school being proposed in the borough.  A child attending school will have 8 years’ worth of exposure, and it is during these years that children are said to be most vulnerable to the harms of pollution, including asthma, poor lung development etc.

In any case it is hard to see how this proposal aligns with Brent’s current Air Quality Action Plan which states that ‘ The council will review all new planning applications for potential air quality impacts and require all new development have no additional impact on local air pollution as a minimum requirement.’

Given that a superficial air quality assessment was done in 2015, Clean Air for Brent are calling for an up to date Environmental Impact Assessment to be done. 

The Council must do this not just for the children but so that parents can use this information to decide whether they want to send their child to a school that is located on a busy main road, and therefore its air quality environment likely to be highly compromised by passing traffic. 

The decision on whether to grant  planning permission for the school is due at the Planning Committee on Wednesday. LINK