Have your say on Brent council budget starting next week

Brent Area Consultative Forums start again next week. Council leaders will be presenting their budget proposals which will inevitably involve more cuts. It will be a chance to ask questions or make suggestions and you can also do a Soap Box presentation at the beginning of the session - get there early to fill in a form or do so on line. You will have a maximum of 3 minutes to present your case. Soapbox details and forms HERE .

The first Forum is in Harlesden on Tuesday 10th January.

Full details HERE

Does Navin Shah support the campaign to keep all the libraries open?

Shahrar Ali, Green Party Assembly  candidate for Brent and Harrow, has a letter in the Brent and Kilburn Times this week criticising Navin Shah, currently the Labour AM, of trying to distance himself from the Labour Council's decision to close libraries and defending them at the same time.

The Kensal Rise Library Campaign website has now published a letter from Navin Shah expressing support for the campaign. However on examination it appears to be open to interpretation: is he supporting the campaign to keep all the libraries open or just the search for alternative provision?

Dear all,
Happy New Year to you all.
I am sorry to hear of the latest judgement from the Court of Appeal regarding the closure of libraries in Brent.

Following my meeting with representatives of the Brent SOS campaign last year I wanted to reiterate my support and offer of help in pursuing alternative library projects.

Kind regards,
Navin

Winners and Losers in Willesden Green Library Redevelopment

The report (LINK) on the Willesden Green Library Redevelopment to go before the Brent Executive on Monday January 16th recommends that the contract for a new cultural centre be awarded to Galliford Try PLC. The contract includes the acquisition of additional land in the adjacent area  In return for the design and build of the cultural centre on land where the council will retain the freehold (Council Works Land) , the developer will be granted the right to develop residential units for market sale, associated public realm and car parking on the remainder of the land (Developer Works Land)  with the freehold transferred to them on a 'drip feed' basis. This will make the project 'cost neutral' the Council claim.

The report makes it clear that  neither of the existing tenants of the Willesden Green Centre, Willesden Bookshop and Brent Irish Advisory Service will be offered financial assistance following termination and states that neither will be offered space within the new cultural centre. The Council will offer 'assistance to both organisations to try and secure alternative premises within the borough'. They make the same offer to Brent Artist Resource which occupy spaces at the Willesden Green Library Centre on a service level agreement.

The report rejects what they call 'a suggestion by a very small number of members of the public supporting the continued use of the Kensal Rise and Cricklewood (library) sites' as alternate library or study sites during the redevelopment period. They say the sites are not suitable because the need would not occur until July 2012 by which time if the Council continues to be successful against legal challenges they will be administered by All Souls College and not the Council -'as owners, trustees or otherwise' ; they would be expensive to maintain and heat;  additional staff would be needed; and because the locations do not meet the needs of of the borough's residents.

During the rebuilding a temporary library will be provided in the Grange Road offices, this would have a reduced stock but 'further premises are being investigated in the Willesden area'. In terms of study facilities 10 PCs and ten spaces will be provided at Grange Road, 20 extra spaces at Kilburn librray, and 5 extra each at the Town Hall and Ealing Road. They propose to reach at agreement with Job Centre Plus in Harlesden for the provision of a replacement Customer Contact Centre.

Phase Plan

The Appendix above shows the extent of the redevelopment and acquisition of land. 1. Cultural Centre Phase 1, 2. Residential Phase 1, 3 Residential Phase 2, 4 Chambers Lane site. PDF HERE

Galliford Try PLC will undertake a consultation LINK which will start within the Council immediately after the January Executive.  In their Community Engagement Strategy Galliford state that working with communities comes as 'second nature' to them but go on:

That said it would be wrong to assume that simply by virtue of our approach, the development will be well received. Once built, it is likely that the new cultural centre will be welcomed and appreciated, but along the way existing buildings are to be redeveloped. one locally listed and another having been built only relatively recently; a high profile community group, the Brent Irish Advisory Service, is to be displaced; and new homes are to be built on scarce parking spaces - all potentially sensitive issues.

Not to mention the loss of the Willesden Bookshop....

I am now off to join campaigners who are at this moment publicising these issues outside Willesden Green Library.

Library Homework Club Teachers Wanted

I don't take advertising on this blog but I am posting this as I think this job is important and socially useful.

Library Homework Clubs’ Teacher

Salary £35p/hr

Brent Libraries are looking for a qualified teacher to plan, organise and lead homework club sessions.

The clubs run during term-time, after school from 3:30-5:30pm and on Saturdays 10.30am – 12.30pm, at 6 Libraries and will target children 8-14 years old from the local Primary and Secondary Schools. This is a Fixed Term contract ending 31 July 2012 in the first instance but could be extended.

For more information about the homework clubs contact Sarah Smith (Libraries Development Manager) on:

Tel 020 8937 3419
Email sarah.smith@brent.gov.uk

To apply, go to www.brent.gov.uk/counciljobs.nsf to download an application pack. Applications should be completed online.

Closing Date: Monday, January 16, 12noon

Interviews: Friday, January 27

*Libraries with Homework clubs

Hours: 3.30 – 5.30pm except Ealing Road Library

Monday: Town Hall Library

Tuesday: Kilburn Library

Wednesday: Kingsbury Library Plus

Thursday: Willesden Green Library

Friday: Harlesden Library Plus

Saturday: Ealing Road Library, 10.30am – 12.30pm

Council tax rise ruled out before budget consultation

The leader and deputy leader of Brent Council are due to tour Area Consultative Forums later this month to discuss the forthcoming 2012-13 budget which will be voted on at a later Council meeting.

However according to the current Brent and Kilburn Times the Council has already pledged to freeze council tax. The possibility of raising the council tax was included in the November Budget Report as I reported at the time HERE

The Council gets a £2.5m government grant for freezing the tax and Cllr Ann John told the BKT it would be put into emergency balances. The budget report had warned that the long-term impact of not raising the council tax would erode the council's revenue position.

The report said that a rise of 2.5% in council tax would close the budget gap as follows:

2012-13 £4.4m
2013-14 £1.1m
2014-15 £19.7m
2015-16 £13.1m


In other words a rise of 2.5% in council tax this year would result in a net gain when the loss of the £2.5m grant is taken into consideration. Some councils are considering this option and some Labour councillors in Brent thought it worthy of debate. However that option appears to have been ruled out in advance of both consultation and decision making.

Brent and Detroit in solidarity over library closures

Detroit Library Branch Closure Protested Again: MyFoxDETROIT.com

Brent SOS Library campaigners have sent a solidarity message to fellow campaigners in Detroit who are trying to stop the closure of their libraries. As the video shows there are many parallels with the Brent campaign, not least that one of their libraries is named after Mark Twain.

Brent allotment rents to rise again

Big rises in allotment rents caused a furore last year LINK and allottees have just received notice that they will rise again in April 2012.

The council says that rents will rise by 6% 'in line with inflation' although it is hard to see how the council's costs have risen by that amount with council officers' wages frozen and extensive staffing cuts in the Sports and Parks Unit last year.

The 6% figures is likely to be the norm increase for other council services in the new year, while wages, pensions and savings show a decrease in real  terms.

Brent Council lambasted in New York Times

Kamila Shamsie is the author of five novels, most recently “Burnt Shadows,” which was short-listed for the Orange Prize for Fiction. She grew up in Karachi and now lives in London. She wrote this piece for the International Herald Tribune, the global edition of the New York Times.

LONDON — A couple of years ago, after a reading in Karachi, I told off a young man who was asking me to sign a pirated copy of one of my books. Piracy is destroying publishing in Pakistan, I told him. He said he understood but added that because pirated books are cheaper he could buy more of them. It’s not as if Karachi is filled with public libraries, he said.

 .

A few weeks later, back in London, I walked into my local library and felt immensely grateful for how easily available books were — crime-free. I had no idea then of the crisis facing British libraries (pdf). Over the last year or two, you’d have had to be living under several rocks not to notice.

The part of North London I live in borders the council of Brent, now the site of an intense legal battle to save local libraries that has become the vanguard for similar efforts around the country. On Dec. 29, police officers held back protestors outside Preston Library while local government officials removed all its books, impervious to the nearby poster of Santa, a speech bubble over his head saying “Don’t rely on me; give kids their books back.” Since April 2011, 423 libraries have either closed down or been slated for closure — that’s almost 10 percent of all libraries in Britain.

In Brent, the move is being sold to the public as the “Libraries Transformation Project.” Six of Brent’s 12 libraries will be closed, and the more than $1.5 million that will (allegedly) be saved will then be used to improve the remaining libraries, create a Virtual Library and open a “super library.” That new building will cost more than $4.6 million, an expense that should give pause to anyone who says that tough decisions have to be made in this Age of Austerity — pause that might turn into speechlessness once you realize that Brent Council paid out $460,000 to consultants in March 2011, the same month officials recommended closing down all the libraries. Goodbye Austerity, Hello Transformation.

Losing half the council’s libraries will be transformative, of course. But the word usually implies a change for the better, and however wonderful it is, the super library will do little for those who live miles away. Ninety percent of users who were surveyed during the consultation process at the start of 2011 said they walk to their libraries; moving those libraries out of walking range will obviously limit their accessibility.

This simple fact appears to have been lost on the Brent Council leader, Ann Johns, who justified closing the area’s libraries on the grounds that books don’t cost much and that everyone already has computers and is getting e-readers anyway. Soon, she claimed, all Brent council residents will have access to the Virtual Library.

Putting aside the fact that this ignores how many people go to libraries precisely in order to use the public computers, one wonders whether Johns really thinks it is desirable to read War and Peace or even Tintin on a screen. As for e-book readers: Brent is among the most deprived councils in Britain. The idea that people who are deterred from visiting a library by the cost of bus fare will soon be awash in Kindles and iPads is more fanciful than thinking that Santa Claus can save a library.

Protestors are now mounting a vigil outside Kensal Rise Library, the only one of the closed libraries in Brent that hasn’t yet been emptied. It was opened in 1900 by Mark Twain. He once wrote, “A public library is the most enduring of memorials, the trustiest monument for the preservation of an event or a name or an affection; for it, and it only, is respected by wars and revolutions, and survives them.” Apparently it isn’t much respected by local councils and may not survive them.

Carry on campaigning for our libraries

Preston Library campaigners are continuing the struggle for Brent's Six Libraries to remain open and have issued the following bulletin:

The House of Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sports is holding an inquiry into library closures. You can see the terms of reference HERE  

 

Both the Preston Library Campaign and the Brent Save Our Six Libraries group will be sending evidence on what has been happening in Brent, but we would also like our supporters to write and tell them what impact the closure of the library has had on your family and your community. There is guidance on how to send in your evidence HERE 

 

You should email your contribution to  cmsev@parliament.uk and have 'Library closures' in the subject line. Submissions should be received by Thursday 12th January 2012.

 

As many of you will have seen, contractors pulled down the Brent 'Wall of Shame' hiding Preston Library on Tuesday. See the report  HERE  The Wall, with its popular support from local artists and schoolchildren, has become a major embarrassment to the Council over the last few weeks and they have finally decided that perhaps it was not such a good idea after all. It would be interesting to learn exactly how much this futile exercise of paying contractors to erect the Wall - and then take it down again - has actually cost Council Tax payers.

 

We have not yet heard whether our application to take our complaint to the Supreme Court has been agreed - but we will be continuing our fund-raising activities in the meantime. The next event: - return of the truly amazing Preston Pub Quiz with Quiz Mistress Extraordinaire, Frances, is on Monday 16 January, 7.30 for 8pm start. Poster will follow

  

We will keep you informed of any new developments - but stay in touch through our website http://brentlibraries.wordpress.com and the Facebook pages [see below]

 

 FACEBOOK - Join the discussion
TWITTER - follow us for the latestFLICKR - see our updated photostream
www.brentlibraries.wordpress.com

ACTION TO DEFEND LIBRARIES - SATURDAY 7 JANUARY 2012 11am-1pm - Willesden Green Library -PLEASE COME ALONG 

Plans to close Willesden Green Library for two years ( for an as yet undeclared development) are due to be reported to Brent Council Cabinet early this year. The council initially proposed  to open a small room next to the library - but have now been forced to seek additional study spaces.

Brent SOS Libraries are petitioning and meeting outside the library from 11am on Saturday to draw attention to the closure and demand that Cricklewood and Kensal Rise libraries be re-opened during the two year period. Several Cricklewood supporters have already confirmed they will be present.

Housing issues that will hit the fan in 2012

This is an edited version of an article in the Winter 2011 issue of  Partnership News from Brent Housing Partnership:

Brent Council is to consult on a new Brent Tenancy Strategy following new powers introduced by the Localism Bill which was passed in November 2011.  Any resulting changes will be introduced in 2012-13. Existing social housing tenants will not be affected but some new tenants will be.

New papers regarding the 15,000 households on Brent's housing waiting list will give council's more freedom to decide who qualifies to go on the list. This includes additional priority for households who are in work (but see Janice Long briefing below).

Other changes in social housing mean that homeless households in priority need can choose to wait for a council home to become available or, if they agree, be offered a suitable private rented sector home. New rules mean that the council can place some homeless families in private accommodation without giving them the option of waiting for a council home.

Under the new rules councils and housing associations will be able to grant a fixed tenancy of 2 years, 5 years or longer as well as retaining the option to grant a lifetime tenancy.

In future tenancy holders will only be able to pass their social housing tenancy on to one person, either a spouse or a partner, ending the possibility of other family members suc ceeding to the tenancy. This will do away with the discretionary (otherwise called second succession right), unless Brent Council decides to adopt its own rules.

Housing associations will be able to set an affordable rent up to 80% of local market rents on new homes and some existing homes when they are re-let. (This suggests we will have to redefine what 'affordable' means! MF). This is to cover the costs of changes in the way new social housing is funded.

Cllr Janice Long, lead member for housing, issued the following briefing note for the well attended Brent Town Hall meeting on housing organised by Barry Gardiner MP, REPORT,

Temporary Accommodation and Housing Benefit.

In January the 9 month transition for Housing Benefit comes to an end.  Many households will have a rent higher than their Housing Benefit.

The housing benefit caps are

1 bed = £250, 2 bed = £290, 3 bed = £340, 4 bed and above = £400

There are 3000 families in Temporary Accommodation.  This figure is fairly stable

BUT

As at 13/11/11 there were 268 households in hotel accommodation. This is a 70% increase in comparison to 2010/11, when there was an average of 157 households in hotels at any one time.  This figure is likely to rise.

B&B accommodation is more cramped, often not in Brent, is unsettling for the family and is much more expensive for the Council.

 All the households have been written to.  Landlords have also been contacted to see if a lower rent can be negotiated. 

One badly affected group are single people under 35 renting one room.  They are now only allowed a Single room rate, ie they must live in shared accommodation with a communal kitchen and bathroom (HMO). There are 124 people affected.

There is huge difference between their rent and the new HB rate.  All these people will be called or written to and be given advice.

A special team in Housing Solutions has been set up to deal with the extra cases.  Brent has also won a grant from DWP to have a team in the Revenue and Benefits teams to deal with extra queries and workload.

The effect on housing applications is:

As at the end of October 2011, 807 households had made a homeless application, this is an increase of 29% when compared to the figure as at the end of October 2010 (625 applications). Homeless applications which were accepted as at the end of October 2011 totaled 275. This is an increase of 33% against the October 2010 figure (207 acceptances).

Refer any casework to the complaints team: martin.beasley@brent.gov.uk or Tania.phillips@brent.gov.uk or customer.relation@brent.gov.uk

If residents live in private rented accommodation and the rent is above the Housing Benefit cap they will probably have to move or they will go into rent arrears.  But they must be given a legal notice to quit by the landlord.

BHP Casework should go to BHP.Complaints@brent.gov.uk

Universal Credit

Universal Credit begins to be introduced in 2013.  I will get some worked examples of the impact. One example to mull over:

The maximum a family can get under Universal Credit is £26000

If the rent for a four bedroom flat is at the cap of £400, the annual rent will be £19,200. That will leave 6,800pa to pay gas, electric, water rates, TV licence, phone, clothes, travel costs.  Food is optional. There is a fear that people will go into debt or take out loans they cannot pay.

Tenancy Strategy

Following the passing of the Localism Bill Brent is reviewing its housing policies including the tenancy strategy.  There will be full consultation but areas be covered include:

Homelessness Duties

Allocation policies

Fixed Term Tenancies

Affordable Rent

Cllr Ali referred to Councils that have prioritised working people.  Brent is not planning to do this but will aim to target help on households who are actively looking for work.  Given the job shortage it is a step to far to take away your home if you can’t get a job.  

Affordable rent is at 80% of Market Rent.  Due to high demand private sector rents are already high in Brent.  It will prove very difficult for many social housing tenants to be able to pay these rent levels. In 2010 the average (median) income in Brent was £22,064.  Half of social tenants are in employment. A three bed property at £300 a week will be £14,400 a year. This will mean many families will be in financial difficulties.

Brent Housing Partnership Issues

HRA

The Housing Revenue Account is ring-fenced.  Currently all rents are paid into Central Government and we receive an annual subsidy. From April 2012 we will keep all rents.  Brent is one if the gainers as our current debt is £338.3  This will be reduced by 184.9m leaving Brent with a debt of £153.4 (Figures are subject to final confirmation but should not change much.)  Brent has 9, 225 dwellings.  There will need to be a 30 year business plan to pay off the debt and to plan for investment in the stock.  Eg external decorations, energy work.

Some Council’s currently have no debt and are being given our debt.  There is mumbling but most Council’s are accepting the proposals as it means that they can plan for the future.  At the moment most Council’s cannot plan as they do not know what they will be getting from the current subsidy system.  So business planning and Treasury management will be introduced into management of the HRA.

This does not mean that the backlog of external decorations work will be done in 2012 but there will be a proper timetable of when the work will be done. 

A major difference from the scheme proposed by the Labour Government is that RTB receipts will be kept by the Treasury.  They will be pooled and handed back to Councils for new build. In London this will be done by the Mayor’s office.  So a RTB sale in Brent may not generate a replacement housing unit in Brent.  Also any of the new units will be at Affordable rent levels.

Right to Buy

The Government has announced increased discounts for RTB, the percentage is yet to be confirmed.  The aim is that the receipts will be used to build a “replacement unit”.  However this will be at the Affordable rent level – 80% of markets rates.

Since 1981 the following number of units have been sold in Brent under the RTB 

There are currently 9225 council housing units. Over 800 of the RTBs are now sublet.

In April  2011 there were 3181 families on the waiting list for 3 bedrooms. This was the most popular category of sale.  So RTB has had an impact on the waiting list.

Cllr Janice Long, Lead Member for Housing

November 2011

70,000 page views and counting

Wembley Matters, launched in May 2009,  had its 70,000th page view this morning. I would like to thank you all for your support and encouragement. 

Brent Council staff magazine on 'Team of the Year'

From Insight - Brent Council staff magazine

With the future of Willesden Green Library in the spotlight and questions remaining over the rest of the service, readers may be interested in revisiting the responses to the Willesden Green Library Open Day which was held at this time last year. You can find the document HERE.

AntiAcademiesAlliance AGM Jan 14th

Click to enlarge

With Brent schools exploring options for various forms of academies, including the Cooperative Trust model; and following Claremont and Kingsbury High converting last year, the forthcoming Anti Academies Alliance AGM should be a good source of information and campaigning ideas.

Register at: office@antiacademies.org.uk

Shell of Shame replaces Wall of Shame

The library foyer

Brent Council this morning removed the hoarding, known locally as the Wall of Shame, from around Preston Library. Although the Wall has now physically gone, the messages emblazoned by the local community, remain on various websites include this one.

The removal has revealed the empty shell of a once vibrant and welcoming building which was at the heart of the local community.  The haste of the removal of books is evident from the mess left behind and furniture remains. My pictures were taken in the wind and rain this morning but are a poignant reminder of Brent Council's vandalism.

Cash Flow Men

'Animated' cultural cente for Willesden Green?

The Agenda for the January 16th meeting of the Brent Executive should be available next weekend and should include the report on the proposed Willesden Green Library redevelopment.

Meanwhile you may be entertained by the Council's Vision Statement for the Willesden Green Cultural Centre HERE.

Note that the word 'Library' is missing from the title and indeed the statement, written in June 2011, makes it clear that the new building is NOT just about 'warehousing books'.

This extract sounds like something from Pseuds Corner in Private Eye:

The new cultural centre will be an animated building that celebrates and expresses local culture and community – a space of congregation and creativity. In its design and services it will reflect and support a diverse and transient population, prioritising what local people value, and facilitating a variety of activity, both serious and fun, traditional and exploratory.

It's enough to make library campaigners pretty animated!

What happens when academies fail?

A spirited anti-academy campaign. More in 2012?

A repeated theme of my postings on academies on this blog has been the lack of democratic accountability. Although he leaves out the 'democratic' bit Sir Michael Wilshaw the incoming Ofsted  Chief Inspector  recognised the problem of accountability over the holiday, acknowledging that some of the increasing number of academies are likely to fail. LINK

His solution however seemed to indicate a new layer of supervision which would expand Ofsted's role and run in parallel with the existing local authority system. This duplication (and expense at a time of retrenchment) would be unnecessary if all schools remained within the local authority system - and of course we don't vote for Ofsted but we do vote for local Councils. Wilshaw however proposes that his 'Commissioners' would report directly to the Secretary of State - centralising power further,

There is an interesting piece on this on Brian Lightman's blog LINK   Lightman is General Secretary of the ACSL (Association of School and College Leaders). He describes Wilshaw's proposal as:

....effectively an devastating critique  of government policy, based on the premise that the move  an autonomous system of academies without local accountability has massively increased the risk of school failure?

He describes how much education policy is made up on the hoof and based on policy makers' personal experience. He suggest that the Crown should appoint a Chief Education Officer, along the same lines as the Chief Medical officer whose role:

...as a leading expert with the highest levels of specialist knowledge and experience would be to evaluate proposed and existing government policies with complete independence. In such a context  a proposal of this kind be would substantiated by a robust, credible and above all independent evaluation of its merits before a Chief Inspector announced it on the front page of a national newspaper.

After 36 years in primary schools I am certainly truly fed up with the way education policy seems to change on a whim with little research to back up proposals, but am not sure that a CEO is the answer.

Meanwhile there have been some responses to my question about Coop academies on the Anti Academies Alliance website HERE

Brent Parks Review in progress

Fryent Country Park last winter

Cllr James Powney, lead member for Environment,  has now replied to my request asking if rumours of Brent Council proposals for privatisation or part-privatisation of Brent Parks Service are true:

Ground maintenance, including parks, is subject to a review which has yet to report.  The results of the review are likely to be published in the first part of next year.

We will know more when the report is published but it is likely given the Council's budgetary situation that all possible options are being considered at the review stage, which may have given rise to the rumours. I will be watching developments closely and will report any new information here.

Lib Dems select Brent and Harrow GLA candidate

The Liberal Democrats have selected a young business woman and former vice-chairman of Liberal Youth as their candidate for the 2012 GLA Elections in Brent and Harrow. Charlotte Henry joins Sachin Rajput (Conservative) a barrister and former martial arts instructor and Shahrar Ali (Green Party) philosophy lecturer and community activist in challenging the Labour incumbent Navin Shah. More minority party candidates are likely to stand.

The election will take place on May 3rd 2012

The 2008 Result was as follows:

ALI, Shahrar, Green Party 10,129 6.54%
ALLIE, James Liberal Democrats 19,299 12.46%
BLACKMAN, Bob Conservative Party 56,067 36.21%
MCManus,Pat The Left List 2,287 1.48%
SHAH, Navin The Labour Party Candidate 57,716 37.27%
SHERMAN, Zena Christian Peoples Alliance and Christian Party 4,180 2.70%
TAILOR,Arvind English Democrats “Matt O’Connor for Mayor! 2,150 1.39%
WEBB, Sunita UK Independence Party 3,021 1.95%

Video of yesterday's Preston Library seizure

Campaigners protest as Brent Council removes resources from Preston Library

Preston Library campaigners expressed disappointment this morning after Brent Council's  removal of books and other resources from the library yesterday. However they insisted that the situation was not irretrievable and they would press on with both the legal process and the mass appeal to the Culture Secretary for a public inquiry into the closure of half the borough's libraries. The latter appeal has been backed by Sarah Teather MP (Brent Central) in a letter to Jeremy Hunt.

Kensal Rise campaigners 'on watch' after emptying of Preston Library

From the Bookseller website LINK

Library campaigners on watch outside Brent's Preston Library cried "Shame on you" as books and computers were cleared from the building by council workers today (29th December), with police in attendance.

Vans arrived at 9.30am to begin clearing the library of its contents. Local campaigners had been on intermittent vigil outside the library building over the Christmas holiday, with a Christmas tree on display decorated with children's book characters.

"We campaigners are still standing here with our signs, which say, 'Children need to read,' and 'Save our libraries,'" said local campaigner and literary agent Geraldine Cooke, today. "We don't think any library should be closed."

Fellow campaigner Samantha Warrington told the Harrow Observer: "We have put an application in to the Supreme Court so while that is happening Brent should not be taking any further action to decommission the libraries. We are trying to obstruct the way but the police are moving us. I feel that Brent Council is showing contempt to the legal process and the community who have shown how much they need their local library by doing this."

Protesters are "on watch" today outside Kensal Rise Library, now the last remaining closed Brent library, which still has its books in place.

Brent council had undertaken not to clear the libraries, or board them up further, until after judgment was given in the Court of Appeal about the lawfulness of the closures. Judgment was given in the council's favour shortly before Christmas. Lawyers acting for the campaigners have now approached the Supreme Court for leave to bring a last appeal against the closures.

Christmas images from Preston Library Wall of Shame

Coverage of Brent Council's emptying of Preston Library by Max Walters of the Brent and Kilburn Times can be found HERE

Police protect Council as it seizes library stock

The following was posted by Jessica Thompson of the Willesden and Wembley Observer at 11am this morning. When I visited the library this afternoon there was no one outside and the gate in the hoardings was closed.

PROTESTERS who have fought tooth and nail in a bid to save 50 per cent of Brent's libraries are being held back by police today as council workers begin clearing books.

Around ten members of the Brent SOS campaign group are gathered outside Preston Library and have no choice but to stand and watch as staff begin emptying the building.


Preston Library is one of six in the borough to close, due to Brent Council cost cutting measures.
The campaigners say the council should not be clearing the library as they have started legal proceedings to take the case to the Supreme Court.

Around seven police officers are at the building to prevent a breach of the peace, and campaigners say they have been moved as they tried to stop council vehicles from entering or leaving the site to remove its books and contents.

Campaigner Samantha Warrington said: "We have put an application in to the Supreme Court so while that is happening Brent should not be taking any further action to decommission the libraries.

"We are trying to obstruct the way but the police are moving us. I feel that Brent Council is showing contempt to the legal process and the community who have shown how much they need their local library by doing this."

A Brent Council spokesperson said: "On 19 December the Court of Appeal found unequivocally in favour of Brent Council. All three judges in the Court of Appeal agreed that Mr Justice Ouseley's decision was correct and that Brent had made a lawful decision in closing six libraries. The Court of Appeal refused to give the campaigners leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. In spite of this the protester's have approached the Supreme Court directly for leave to appeal.

"As a result, there is no injunction against the council to restrict implementing our library transformation plans, which has already delivered a service that is open seven days a week. The closed libraries are now being emptied of stock and equipment to allow it to be reallocated to Brent libraries for the use of all residents."

Protests as Council remove books from Preston Library

Brent Council is attempting to remove books from Preston Library while police hold back library campaigners.

Brent Council: 'Philistines of the year 2011'?

This letter was published in the current edition of the Brent and Kilburn Times:

I was dismayed to hear that  the Willesden Bookshop has been given notice to quit by the Council ahead of the redevelopment of Willesden Green Library. No retail space has been set aside for the bookshop in the new development and they are unlikely to be able to afford the rents demanded elsewhere on the High Road.

Half our libraries have already been closed, Willesden Green Library will be closed from July 2012 until March 2014, and the lease on  Kingsbury Plus expires in September 2013 - and now we are likely to lose our excellent local bookshop in April next year. Kilburn High Road is a poorer place following the closure of the Kilburn Bookshop in March 2010 - is Willesden High Road going to be similarly deprived?

It seems extraordinary that we have to remind a Labour Council of the importance of books to a community such as that of Brent where the hunger for education and self-improvement unites people across the spectrum of social class and ethnicity. The Willesden Bookshop offers a nationally renowned service to local schools through its expertise in the provision of children's books for a diverse community. Teachers are able to browse the collection and hand-pick books matched to the needs of the children and curriculum of their particularly schools - and get a 10% discount in the process.

For the adult  customer Amazon may be cheaper but nothing beats the sheer pleasure of handling a real book, sampling a paragraph or two and the serendipity of spotting other attractive books nearby when browsing. In addition there is a knowledgeable person behind the counter who has an affinity with books that your keyboard lacks!

The Willesden Bookshop has always supported local authors and thus makes a contribution to the intellectual and cultural life of the borough. They make an economic contribution through creating local jobs, bring money into the local economy and contribute to the diversity of our high street. Labour seems ready to see all this wiped out, leaving us with high streets dominated by betting shops and take-aways, and of course the much lauded 'designer outlets' they are building near Wembley Stadium.

If Brent Council is to escape the title of 'Philistines of the Year 2011' it must make sure that it finds a way of safeguarding Willesden Bookshop  for future generations.


Martin Francis
Brent Green Party spokesperson on children and families

What does the Wembley by-election tell us about cuts?

Wembley Central by-election candidates (Brent and Kilburn Times)

 Just before the declaration at the Wembley Central by-election count last night Labour supporters left the committee rooms, to return in a procession surrounding Krupa Sheth their candidate, for all the world like a Royal Court protectively escorting their shy young princess into her first public arena. Barry Gardiner and Ann John performed their roles as proud King and Queen as if born to it..

There followed a raucous cock-a-hoop Labour celebration that contrasted sharply with earlier glum comments I had heard from Labour stalwarts on the street who had come out to canvas but with major reservations about the cuts. The extent of their victory seemed to take Labour by surprise and the Lib Dems, who had expected at least a closer result were visibly crest-fallen.

Before attempting any analysis of the result it is important to recognise the particular characteristics of the Wembley Central ward. Ethnic, religious and cultural organisations are influential as is clan solidarity and the predominance of large family businesses. This means that party labels may not be as important as other factors.

It was certainly not council policy, experience, or a high public profile that propelled Krupa Sheth to victory as these were all absent from her campaign. The election material from Labour that I saw did not attempt to justify the council's cuts and did little to shift the blame on to the Coalition. The focus on Ken Livingstone's promise of lower fares was the only real policy promise and Labour may be tempted to see that as a portent for the Mayoral election.

The Lib Dems had put a lot of effort into their campaign with half a dozen leaflets/newsletters concentrating on library closures and street sweeping cuts as well as personally addressed letters to voters. The Tories were much less visible on the streets and concentrated on the rights of motorists. They seemed unsurprised by the decline in their vote.

We Greens had concentrated on canvassing in one particular sympathetic polling district to maximise our support there and this tactic worked. However we lacked the resources, in terms of people on the ground, to repeat this across the ward. This was never ideal Green territory and Labour and Lib Dems were able to persuade voters that it was a two horse race.  If there is one lesson I would draw from our campaign it is that we have to build up our activist base so that we can engage face to face with the electorate and have high visibility during election campaigns. Those discussions are probably more important in giving our environmental and social justice policies a high profile than the number of votes cast. Certainly I see myself more as a community activist than an electoralist, as  I believe this blog demonstrates.

It will be tempting to portray the Lib Dem and Conservative result (down 6% and 3% on the 2009 by-election respectively) as the electorate's verdict on the Coalition and the 16% Labour increase as support for Ed Miliband's leadership but for the reasons already discussed I don't think this is realistic.

What perhaps is more dangerous in the short-term from a Green and left perspective, is the possibility that the Labour Council will be emboldened by the result to cut further in the next budget round. I did ask last night, 'What else must Labour cut before the voters turn against them?' and it is does seem that the disapprobation over library closures and other cuts had little impact on the result. It will be important for Brent Fightback, our broad-based local anti-cuts campaign, to reflect on what this means for our campaigning.

Shahrar Ali's report on Brent Greens blog HERE

Anyone know about possible Parks Service privatisation?

Having discounted earlier rumours that Brent Council was considering privatisation, or part-privatisation of the Parks Service, I am now taking them more seriously. Following Shaun Faulkner's retirement the service was merged with other departments. Sub-contractors were used to clear the disused Barn Hill tennis courts recently and construction of the new Chalkhill Park was put out to tender - the work promised for mid-October has still not started.

The rumours have become more persistent, with the sources closer to the Parks Service, so I asked the Council press office for a comment. After an initially friendly conversation I received an e-mail saying that they only dealt with 'official media' and suggested I contact the Parks Department itself or the councillor in charge - none less than our old friend Cllr. Powney.

I am still waiting for a response from both but if any readers know more please contact me.

There is nothing in the Brent Parks Strategy 2010-2015 about possible privatisation HERE

Labour win Wembley Central by-election

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%	(2009 by-election by party)
Krupa Sheth	Labour	1402	48%	Elected   (32%)
Afifa Pervez	Liberal Democrats	1022	35%	Not elected (41%)
Madhuri Davda	Conservative	349	12%	Not elected (15%)
Martin Francis	Green Party	130	4%	Not elected (3%)

Voting Summary

Details	Number
Seats	1
Total votes	2903
Electorate	10574
Num. ballot papers issued	2916
Number of proxy votes	44
Number of ballot papers rejected	13
Number of postal votes sent	1165
Number of postal votes returned	653
Turnout	27%

Share of the Votes (%)

Krupa Sheth	48%	Elected
Afifa Pervez	35%	Not elected
Madhuri Davda	12%	Not elected
Martin Francis	4%	Not elected

Wembley By-election: lowest poll on shortest day?

Despite being a sunny and mild day, polling was very slow in the Wembley by-election today. By mid-afternoon a quick tour of polling stations indicated we will be lucky to see a turnout of over 25%. Some observers suggested that early darkness on the winter solstice may make people reluctant to leave their homes to vote this evening.

Library campaigners get Great Britons Award and Transformation Team get a Rotten Borough Award

The Independent on Sunday  has named the Brent Library Campaigners as among the 50 Greatest British 2011

And so, this being as close to the end of the year as this newspaper shall get, we have the temerity to name our 50 Greatest Britons of 2011. These are the people who have been, to our world-weary eyes, the most admirable. Some are very well known; others, we feel, have not had their full due. We hope that this humble list helps to put that right

 

Brent library protesters
Library campaigners
Residents fighting the closure of six libraries in the London borough of Brent represented the outrage felt by much of the nation's readers and researchers about cutbacks by staging a round-the-clock protest outside Kensal Rise Library, which was opened by American writer Mark Twain 111 years ago. The campaigners were the first in the country to seek a judicial review into library closures.

Yesterday Brent Council's Library Transformation Team received the Library Award from Private Eye's Rotten Boroughs column, for closing six of the borough's 12 libraries in 2011. Last week the Team got an Award from Brent Council for their work.

Veolia knocked out of WLWA multi-million contract

Human Rights campaigners in West London were celebrating today following the news that controversial multinational Veolia had failed to be short-listed for the lucrative 25 years residual waste management contract covering the boroughs of Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Ealing, Richmond and Brent.

More than 600 residents had written to the West London Waste Authority  requesting that Veolia be excluded on the grounds of racist practices in recruitment and grave misconduct through its active participation in violations of international and humanitarian laws and norms in the illegally occupied territories of Palestine. Last month Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign held a well-attended public meeting on the issue at Willesden Green Library.

Although, as is usual in these cases,  Veolia's failure to be short-listed cannot be directly attributed to the campaign, the WLWA joins a growing list of unsuccessful contract bids by Veolia.

The ground now shifts to environmental issues with the WLWA's consideration of 'solutions' submitted by the remaining 4 bidders to dealing with West London's waste.These will include possible new processing sites and environmentalists will be watching closely to see if any incinerators are planned,

Here is the statement from the WLWA website released yesterday:

The West London Waste Authority (WLWA) has short-listed four bidders for a long term West London Residual Waste Services contract covering the boroughs of Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, and Richmond upon Thames.

Cory Environmental Ltd, E.ON Energy from Waste leading a consortium with Tata Chemicals Europe Limited with significant sub-contractor Grundon Waste Management Limited, SITA UK Ltd and Viridor Waste Management Ltd will now be invited to develop detailed solutions as the next stage in the competitive dialogue process that is being employed.

The contract involves treating up to 300,000 tonnes of residual waste per year generated by a population of 1.4 million people, and covers all aspects of treatment including any necessary transport, the operation of transfer stations, and contracts for outputs such as energy, refuse-derived fuel, recyclates etc.

Bids were invited from “single entity” companies, consortia, or joint ventures. The WLWA has offered its three waste transfer stations at Brentford, South Ruislip and Park Royal as part of the procurement but also welcomed proposals involving sites within bidders’ control or which they intend to acquire.

The next stage of the tender process will be the submission of detailed solutions by the short listed bidders in spring 2012. Two final bidders will then be selected to submit final tenders in autumn 2012. The preferred bidder will be selected in spring 2013. The new services will start in April 2015, but WLWA is exploring with bidders the opportunity for an earlier start to begin diversion from landfill as soon as possible.

West London already recycles or composts almost 40% of its household waste, more than any other sub region of London. The new contract will allow continued flexibility to increase recycling up to at least 50% by 2020 and WLWA will focus even more on waste minimisation schemes in the future.

Veolia's contract with the London Borough of Brent ends in 2014.

Brent Council: Who's in charge?

The relationship between the Chief Executive of a council and its Leader varies between councils. That between Brent's Chief Executive, Gareth Daniel and Councillor Ann John. Leader, has come in for comment because it sometimes appears that the usual roles have been reversed: Gareth Daniel is the political leader and Ann John the manager of cuts. It is more likely that the roles have begun to merge.

Back in 1997 the Local and Central Government Relations Research No 55 stated:

Chief executives’ view of the future is coloured by their role in local governance. Interview evidence suggests most of those active in local governance think it can be developed within existing legislation.

A few would like to see the position of the chief executive strengthened at the expense of councillors, who would see their role reduced to broad policy and scrutiny. A strengthened chief executive might resemble an unelected mayor. If elected mayors were introduced some existing chief executives, it was suggested, would stand for election, a comment that reinforces evidence of a local leadership role taken by some chief executives.

Certainly Gareth Daniel had to take such a role in 2005 when he ran the council in the interregnum after the NOC election when the political parties were unable to agree coalition arrangements.

More recently his Newsletters to council staff have revealed further information about the relationship and particularly his stance on the cuts::

All councils have a legal duty to live within their means and to set a balanced budget and the Executive was clear that this is what will happen.  But they were also equally clear that they wanted to think and plan ahead at least to the end of their current four year term and to do their utmost to protect frontline services.  This approach will give us all a degree of confidence about the future and some assurance that our political leaders have both the ability and inclination to take control of events. (November 2011)

This month's Newsletter sees him taking a political stance that criticises those fighting the cuts:

I have been particularly struck recently by the electorate’s response to the financial problems facing the public sector.  It’s not that I am surprised that the British people don’t like paying more taxes, fees and charges – who does?  I am also not that surprised when local people protest against plans to close a much-loved local facility whether it is a library, a school, a clinic or a post office.  People understandably don’t like losing things that they value or which they see as important parts of their local community.  But what I do find surprising is the degree to which the public seems to be in denial about the very existence of a financial crisis at all and their curious belief that councils and other public services should somehow solve their financial problems without making any changes to service provision.

More controversially he then seeks to instruct council employees, already working harder because of staff reductions, experiencing frozen wages, and with further cuts hanging over them, to persuade the electorate to accept the cuts:

It is now the job of every council employee to help explain these facts to the very best of our ability.  It’s probably unrealistic to expect people to praise us for taking tough but necessary decisions – that really would be a surprise!  But the public do have a responsibility to live in the same real world that we ourselves occupy.  No grown up can simply ignore the economic realities and pretend that councils should continue with ‘business as usual’ regardless of the serious financial problems facing the country in general and local government in particular.  While many people are quick to condemn public servants for taking difficult decisions, the public cannot be allowed to think that difficult decisions can themselves be avoided.  That is the economics of cloud cuckoo land.

So I would like to ask all members of staff to see 2012 as the year in which we really try to get the message across to local people about the Council’s approach to budget reductions, service improvement and value-for-money.  Of course some people won’t listen whatever we say but I believe that the majority of people are open to argument most of the time.  That is our opportunity to make our case, to explain the really harsh climate in which councils are now having to operate and to win public understanding (if not actual support) for the approach we are taking.  The only alternative to the One Council programme would be even worse cuts to frontline services and even more unpopular decisions that would upset even more local people.  Brent Council has a good story to tell when it comes to budget savings – let’s all make sure we start to communicate our positive message with pride and conviction.  [Daniels' emphasis] (December 2011)

 Several councils have recently decided to do without Chief Executives. Such a decision would save Brent council Daniels' salary of £194,550 plus 20% on costs.  Unsurprisingly SOLACE , the Chief Executives' professional organisation, makes the case for Chief Executives:

The role of the Chief Executive and Leader are closely linked but are not wholly discrete –they are overlapping and complementary which brings its own set of tensions. One of the key roles of the Leader and Chief Executive should be to construct trust at a point of tension and potential conflict between the different
worlds of political logic and managerial logic. It is important that there is mutual understanding of each others’ roles, and this relies on good communications.

A Leader must be able to impart to their Chief Executive their understanding of the group and of the wider political context and imperatives without such communications being seen as disloyal. The Chief Executive needs in a similar way, without eroding the loyalty owed to colleague officers, to be able to discuss with a Leader their managerial capacity or incapacity to deliver on a particular agenda. This is not just about interpersonal skills but about mutual grasp of each other’s worlds.

A wise Chief Executive commits to their Leader unconditionally, and understands this as including roles of confidant, mentor, partisan, speech writer and PR consultant. When it works, the relationship between Leader and Chief Executive is an exceptional thing (My emphasis)

Brent 4th highest in England for eviction risk

Shelter's Eviction Risk Monitor published this month lists the London Borough of Brent as the 4th highest local authority in England for the proportion of mortgage and landlord possession claims. The three higher local authorities are all in Greater London: Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Haringey. The total between October 2010 and September 2011 in Brent is 2,435 a rate of 22.4 per 1,000 homes. These claims do not necessarily translate immediately into evictions but show how many people are struggling to meet their housing costs. The report, perhaps obviously, shows that high risk is associated with high local unemployment levels.

We already know that the number of evictions in the borough has increased prior to the housing benefit becoming operative and the Council expects an increasing number of claims for temporary housing in the new year. Temporary accommodation will have to be provided far away from Brent and 'temporary' may mean for up to 10 years.

Even without the cap, increasing unemployment, frozen wage; and higher energy and food costs, mean that people are finding it hard to pay their mortgages and rent. Shelter research suggests about one third of  families are struggling. At the same time, just when families will need it most, the Coalition government is proposing removing legal aid from debt, housing, welfare, employment and family disputes. The Legal Aid and Punishment of Offender's Bill enters its committee stage in the House of Lords today.

Nothing could show more starkly how Coalition policies are impacting on the most vulnerable. The video above gives an insight into what it will mean for families.

SHELTER REPORT

The Green Deal and private landlords - issues raised by Barry Gardiner MP

The issue of the Green Deal on energy and its implementation in private rented accommodation is one that has come up locally. Barry Gardiner MP for Brent North has now received written answers to his questions on the matter as set out below from Hansard:

Barry Gardiner (Brent North, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what process his Department plans to follow to determine whether a landlord has carried out the maximum package of measures funded under the Green Deal or Energy Company Obligation for improving energy efficiency in housing under the provisions of the Energy Act 2011.

Gregory Barker (Minister of State (Climate Change), Energy and Climate Change; Bexhill and Battle, Conservative)

We expect the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will be a key inspection mechanism as it will outline which measures have been installed in the property using the Green Deal and if there are remaining measures which could benefit from Green Deal finance. Local authorities, as the enforcing body for the private rented sector regulations, will have access to this information through the EPC database.

The regulations, including details of the enforcement mechanism, will be subject to a public consultation.

Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 19 December 2011, c991W)
 

Barry Gardiner (Brent North, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what measures he plans to put in place to protect tenants from eviction in cases where they request energy efficiency improvements.

Gregory Barker (Minister of State (Climate Change), Energy and Climate Change; Bexhill and Battle, Conservative)

The issue of retaliatory eviction in the context of the Green Deal was raised during the passage of the Energy Act. In response I established a working group to consider stakeholder concerns, and report to DECC and Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Ministers with recommendations. The report is due to be submitted to myself and the Minister for Housing and Local Government, my right hon. Friend Grant Shapps before Christmas.

 Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 19 December 2011, c991W)