Skip lorry demolishes tree in Salmon Street, Kingsbury

A tree felled by a storm is always a sad sight, it is even sadder when it has been uprooted by human agency.

This morning around 10.30 a skip lorry, driving out of a building site on Salmon Street, Kingsbury, collided with an ornamental cherry which had stood on the street's grass verge. The tree which was in full blossom, was wrenched from the ground and blocked the north bound lane for some time.

'Barry' is the elephant in the room at last Brent North hustings

What is likely to be the last of the Brent North constituency hustings was held at St George's Parish Hall in Sudbury yesterday evening.

There have been very few hustings in Brent North where Barry Gardiner is the Labour incumbent. Concerned at the lack of opportunity for local residents to hear from candidates (in comparison with the 21 hustings in Hampstead and Kilburn), Luke Parker the Conservative candidate asked St George's Roman Catholic Church if they would be willing to hold a hustings where all the candidates could be heard.

The Church agreed but Barry Gardiner refused to attend.  In a letter read out last night he declined the invitation because he claimed the hustings had been organised by the Conservatives and that the chairing would not be neutral. This was not very popular with some of the audience.

The event went ahead with Luke Parker, Paul Lorber (Lib Dem), Scott Bartle (Green) and Elcena Jeffers (Independent) . The chairing was minimal, amounting to little more than a welcome, thank you and choosing questioners from raised arms in the audience.

I have attended many hustings over the last few weeks and I can honestly say that this was refreshingly open and honest.  It was more of a conversation than a debate with different views set out and listened to with respect.  Free of pre-arranged questions (and pre-arranged answers) the result enabled ideas to be explored and candidates to speak from their personal experience, even setting out where they disagreed with their own party policy.

One questioner asked which of Barry Gardiner's actions as an MP had won candidates' approval and which they disagreed with.

It was a pity that Gardiner was not there to respond.

Tories call for Brent Scrutiny changes following delegation refusal

Following the decision of the Scrutiny Committee last night to not allow the delegation from Philip Grant, unless he undertook not to mention the Employment Tribunal case involving Cara Davani, Cllr John Warren (Con, Brondesbury Park)  has issued the following statement.

The Scrutiny Committee has  yet again failed to do its job by rejecting a hearing of the Grant deputation on the Pavey H.R.report. It is another nail in its coffin.

Effective scrutiny must surely be challenging, controversial and "go where others do not go."  

Current scrutiny is useless with an ineffective Chairman....it simply has no credibility and does not hold the Executive to account.  I am proposing changes to the Constitution at the Council AGM on May 20, including the deletion of the current Scrutiny Committee.

My thoughts are along the lines that we need more scrutiny panels who will concentrate on specific areas of expertise, but I am open to any suggestions before I submit my proposals. 

The issues resulting from the high profile ET case cannot be swept under the carpet by a lame review.It is very undemocratic to deny Philip the chance to speak on, what any reasonable person would I think agree, issues that Brent has failed to address at every stage.

Cllr Reg Colwill (Con, Kenton) was on the Scrutiny Committee last night and  did not speak but appeared to go along with the decision not to hear Philip Grant's deputation.

Electric Run: Evening road closures in Wembley Park tomorrow

The Electric Run is being held around Wembley Park on Saturday 2 May. There will be some evening road closures in the area.

Engineers Way

Between the south-eastern kerb-line of Empire Way (allowing access to Brent Civic Centre) and the western kerb-line of Wembley Retail Park entrance from 5pm on Saturday 2 May to 1am on Sunday 3 May.

South Way

Between the south-eastern kerb-line of Empire Way (allowing access to hotels opposite Wembley Stadium Station) and the junction with First Way from 7pm to 11pm on Saturday.

Rutherford Way

No access on to Engineers Way from Fulton Road from 5pm on Saturday 2 May to 1am on Sunday 3 May.

More information on the Electric Run  LINK