Veolia question banned at Wembley Connects on grounds that it may 'offend'

A question regarding the Brent Public Realm contract and Veolia was cut short by the Chair, Cllr Wilhemena Mitchell-Murray at the Wembley Connects forum this week.

Michael Calderbank got only about 20 seconds into his question for Cllr James Powney when Mitchell-Murray cut him off. saying that some people had found the Bin Veolia leaflet distributed earlier 'offensive' and she wasn't prepared to let people be offended. To be fair Cllr Powney himself seemed willing to answer the question.

The leaflet raised the issue of Veolia's conduct in the occupied territories of Palestine where its operations are claimed to be complicit in supporting illegal settlements.

In contrast, after initial opposition, people were heard at the Kilburn Connects event last night where Cllr James Denselow was more sympathetic.

News from the Coming Soon Club, Wembley

The Coming Soon Club is at 5-7 Wembley Hill Road, on the corner with Wembley High Road, opposite Wembley Stadium Station

From the Coming Soon Club LINK

Well, the weather is warming up, we are very pleased to have reached 409 Coming Soon Club members and our spaces are all brightened up for the summer, fresh paint, new signs and new users.

This is my last newsletter before I head off on maternity leave.  I just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed bringing the project this far and to thank you all for Making Your Ideas Happen in Wembley.  It has been an amazing year.  Next week is the anniversary of the opening of the shop and I am very proud of everything that has happened and hope that it continues to go from strength to strength.  I have met so many interesting and inspiring people and I know that the project will continue to grow over the coming months.
Desmond and Jessica are being joined by an experienced Project Manager, Jessica Courtney Bennet.  Jessica has run projects in Whitechapel, Willesden and Sutton amongst others and is going to be a great asset to the project.

So what is happening next;

We are pleased to have Love London Cycles in the Coming Soon Club shop this month.  The bikes look great in the windows and there are going to be some bike repair workshops over the next couple of weeks.  If your bike needs some TLC before the summer or you are looking for a new bike please do pop in and chat to Corey and Jaine.

Joseph Cook has also put together an inspiring window display in the warehouse, it promises to be a great asset to the street over the next couple of weeks.

The Coming Soon Club shop space is filling up with bookings if you would like to try out your business idea please complete the application form or get in touch with Jessica, Jessica and Desmond.  Remember you can apply to use the space at any time.

Cottrell House Enterprise Space is nearly ready and we and the Decorators would like to thank those of you who have volunteered over the past few weeks to help to get the space ready, you know who you are - Thank You.  The furniture and signage will arrive next week and final bits of painting and cleaning will bring it all together.  We will then be ready to welcome you to come and work in the space and begin to build the community there.

We will be holding a small opening event on Tuesday 23^rd April 3 -7 pm.  Please come along and have a look around and see how this shared workspace is going to work and talk to us about how you can get involved.  The applications for the café operator have now closed but we are accepting applications until the end of April (final date to be confirmed) for the Studio and Fixed Desk spaces please download the application form from the website.  Access to the co-working desk area will be on a day by day basis be open to all CSC members from as little as £2.50 a day.

best wishes
Alison

Brent tells Gove Gladstone Park improvement should be via local school partnership

Yesterday I had another letter published in the Brent and Kilburn Times responding to Mary Arnold's letter of the previous week when she accused me of having 'distorted views' on Brent Education.

In yesterday's letter I wrote that 'Brent Labour Party appears to have given up the fight against Michael Gove's policies and instead seeks to work with them. Parents (a reference to Gladstone Park parents fighting forced academy status) have been left on their own to challenge DfE bullying.

A posting appeared on the Brent Labour website by Mary Arnold containing the very welcome news that Brent Council has written to the Michael Gove asking him to accept that Gladstone Park's school improvement plan is 'most effectively delivered with the support of a local school partnership'.

Gladstone Park is the latest school to be challenged by Michael Gove's obsessive drive to academise all schools nationwide. 

When Ofsted comes and finds weaknesses, the DfE has a single solution to insist on a 'management change' which Gove equates with status change and imposing a sponsoring academy. This is regardless of the school's track record, the improvement plans or the parents' views.

We have a major responsibility to represent our parents and pupils to ensure high standards. We have written to the Secretary of State to ask him to accept the school improvement plan that would be most effectively delivered with the support of a local school partnership that is both knowledgeable and experienced in our children's needs.

The Academy Commission Report pointed out that academy status alone is not a panacea for improvement - some academies are good, some can turn round schools and others are failing or have weaknesses. As the Gladstone plan is declared fit for purpose and the school is keen to deliver with early signs of raised achievement already, it is more sensible to concentrate on this rather than disrupt the structure and disadvantage the pupils and teachers.

Our schools must not have inadequate standards or under perform but we know in Brent, based on sound evidence, that local federation and partnership is the best solution

Cllr Mary Arnold is the lead member for Children & Families at Brent Council

Kilburn Times names Brent officers facing the axe

I reported recently on the restructuring of top jobs at Brent Council which would cut a number of senior positions. The Kilburn Times in an exclusive this week puts names to some of the those facing redundancy..

I'll let you read the full list in the paper or on-line LINK but they include Krutika Pau, Director of Children and Families; Phil Newby, Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement; Chris Walker, Assistant Director for Planning Development and Toni McConville, Director of Customer and Community Engagement.

Consultations and negotiations are still in progress. It will be a difficult and uncertain time for those concerned.