From Panama to Kilburn - time for some questions to be asked

I was a little surprised when last year the Brent and Kilburn Times reported a House of Lords celebration of the achievements of Kilburn Grange Free School before it had opened.

This aroused my curiosity but it has been sharpened even further by a report on the  Panama off-shore funding controversy which appears to link  Kilburn Grange, funded by the DfE and with just 53 pupils, according to their website, with Mossock Fonseca.

Kilburn Grange Free School is part of a Multi Academy Trust, Bellevue Place Education Trust (BPET) and according to their website LINK:

Bellevue Place Education Trust (BPET) is a multi academy sponsor and we sponsor seven primary Free Schools across London and the South-East. Bellevue Place’s core purpose and responsibility is to establish, maintain and manage state funded Free Schools.

All Bellevue Place schools are focused to deliver high quality education provision in areas where there is a shortage of primary school places.

Bellevue Place is a new model for education delivery in the state sector. The Trust is a joint venture between two organisations who are passionate about providing high quality education provision. They bring together the very best of the fee-paying Independent sector – Bellevue Education Ltd – experienced in running 15 independent schools in the UK and Switzerland; with a highly-regarded education consultancy – Place Group – with experience in the state sector for efficiency of supply in setting up new schools and converting academies, along with driving value for money and compliance.

The BPET accounts are posted on the Rutherford School website LINK

The Bellevue Education Group Limited part of the Trust is of interest to the Sarawak Report LINK:

One of the clients of the off-shore incorporations firm Mossack Fonseca, exposed in the so-called Panama Papers this week, was PetroSaudi’s Tarek Obaid.

Using a web of off-shore vehicles, he and fellow director Patrick Mahony secretly invested some of the millions they obtained in illegal backhanders from Malaysia’s Development fund in a private education company that bought up some of the UK’s poshest private schools.

Documents acquired by Sarawak Report reveal that the two men are the secret funders behind the self proclaimed entrepreneur, Marwan Naja, who acts as Chairman of Bellevue Education, a fast growing business, which has acquired 12 lucrative schools since 2010.

The Bellevue Education Group, previously named The Really Great Education Company Limited, is officially run from Geneva, although its UK registered company address is the PetroSaudi headquarters in Curzon Street. In fact, the business is primarily owned by two vehicles named Plato One and Plato Two based in Hong Kong, which are in turn controlled by Mahony together with an off-shore company owned by Obaid called Maplehill Property Limited (BVI).

In the course of setting up the complex ownership structure in 2010 Marwan (who has just one share) reported he had:

 “taken specific tax advice from a firm of internationally recognised accountants which has confirmed to him in writing that no Tax will be payable.. as a result of any dividends, distributions or other returns..whether during the Investment or following an exit from the Investment”

The revelations will be an embarrassment to the high profile educationalist, Mark Malley, who set up the company, after what he claims was a highly successful stint as a headmaster, turning around failing schools.

He is the Chief Executive of Bellevue Education Group and owns shares in the fast expanding venture, which plainly seeks to cash in on a perceived burgeoning market for private early years schools in and around London.

  See LINK for Directors etc

Click to enlarge

It appears that the DfE is funding a free school  with taxpapers' money which has some slightly worrying connections.   We know according to some reports that eventually free schools and academies may be allowed to become profit making  but it would be worth the authorities checking where the money is going at present.

The staff, governors and parents of Kilburn Grange may have little idea of the ins and outs of the Trust and the school itself may do a wonderful job but perhaps they should be asking some searching questions about the Trust and its partners.

 

Natalie Bennett 'fully supports' Arms Fair protesters who are on trial from Monday

A group of protesters, including a Green Party councillor from Cambridge, accused of blocking access to a global arms fair in London last year will have the backing of the Green Party’s leader when they stand trial from Monday April 11th.

Natalie Bennett says if the group who disrupted the Defence & Security Equipment International arms fair were able to prevent arms sales to a dodgy regime then it will have been worthwhile.

The defendants are accused of having disrupted the setup of the arms fair by blocking the access roads to the site with their bodies and by locking themselves to the gates.

Multiple defendants are accused of having blockaded a road during the Stop The Arms Fair main day of action on  September 12th 2015. This includes Angela Ditchfield, a Green Party councillor from Cambridge.

Bennett, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said:

The protesters have my full support. Their peaceful act of civil disobedience will increase people's awareness of this dreadful market place in our country, which damages our own security as well as that of other nations.

They were aiming to prevent or delay delivery of arms that could be used in deadly, criminal and human rights abusing acts around the world.

Defendant Tom Franklin, 57, of Clifton Without, York said:

It is intolerable that the government is supporting the sale of illegal weapons and weapons being used to kill ordinary people from the West Bank to Yemen and Sudan.  'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.' So I had to try to prevent evil.

In a joint public statement the defendants’ campaign said:

We know that the tools of the type promoted for sale at DSEI will be used to reinforce apartheid, to surveil and brutalise communities from Brixton to Bahrain, and to perpetuate the border regime that kills thousands every year – as European states wage a war against the refugees they helped create.

We know that weapons promoted at DSEI are used to incinerate whole families at the touch of a button in places from Palestine to Pakistan. We know that such weapons will continue to devastate landscapes and do permanent environmental damage across the globe. And that these weapons have been used in systematic forced evictions and ethnic cleansing; such as against the people of Kurdistan. And we know that weapons of the type promoted at DSEI will be used to torture and repress people based on their political views, faith, gender, or sexuality in places like Saudi Arabia.  Sometimes the tools of oppression are literal – and they are for sale at DSEI arms fair.

If you think Kilburn needs a true opposition voice on Brent Council - Peter Murry is your man

Pete Murry protesting at plans to build on green space at B&Q Cricklewood

Regular readers will know about the apparent problem that Kilburn's Labour councillors and residents have had with the Labour ruling group on Brent Council.  This has meant that Cllr John Duffy was sidelined for challenging the Council to raise Council Tax last year to help fund vital services including Stonebridge Adventure Playground. In addition he has acted as a one man Scrutiny Committee on the Veolia waste contract and the out-sourcing of litter enforcement LINK.

Residents of the South Kilburn Estate, undergoing regeneration with a substantial degree of gentrification, have been fighting the Council on the issue of the HS2 vent to be situated next to St Mary's Primary School on the Estate LINK Again they have received an unsympathetic response from the Council. Cllr Duffy had his own difficulties in trying to involve residents in discussions with the Council. LINK

The Green Party is opposed to HS2 in its totality and in a recent posting on their blog LINK has set out their Kilburn by-election candidate's platform:

Peter Murry will be standing in this Council by-election caused by the death of a Labour councillor.

PETER MURRY has been a Brent resident for over twenty years and during many of these he worked in Kilburn as a lecturer at the College of North West London. He worked for the College in Harlesden, Kilburn and South Kilburn, where he taught on Access and Information Technology courses.

He was an active Trade Unionist in the Universities & Colleges Union (UCU) and is currently the Green Party’s London Trade Union Liaison Officer.

He took early retirement from the College in 2006 for ill health reasons, partly because he suffers from arthritis, which has meant that he has been disabled for almost a decade. This has given him first hand experienced of the problems that disabled people are forced to cope with, especially those faced by people with impaired mobility in using public transport and gaining access to some buildings.

He is also an artist and member of Brent Artists’ Resource.

The key points that he is campaigning on are

• ·       A cleaner greener Kilburn
• ·       No more council cuts
• ·       Defend trade union rights
• ·       Campaign against climate change

He thinks that the environment and quality of life in London in general, and Brent in particular, need many improvements. More housing at prices that people with average and low incomes can really afford is urgently needed and Brent council should be working to provide this. Its “regeneration” schemes, such as the one on the South Kilburn estate, should produce homes for people not business opportunities for property profiteers. 

It should also take whatever steps it can to drastically reduce the air pollution that causes huge health problems in Kilburn.

As an Eco-socialist, Pete believes that ecological damage and the free market economic policies of British governments are the basic causes of problems such as these. These are not problems caused by local government, or the people of Kilburn, but they have to deal with the consequences.

Attacks on Trade Union rights, such as those currently planned by the government, just make workers into scapegoats for government mistakes.

Climate change needs to be stopped and the quality of life needs to be improved; even local councils can do their bit, instead of just making life worse by cutting services.

Brent Council needs an opposition voice. This is a task that the Green Party can do for the people of Kilburn.

POLLING TAKES PLACE ON MAY 5TH ALONGSIDE THE MAYORAL AND GLA ELECTION

'Trade unions are not just for white men' - Grunwick film and panel at TUC on Friday

Friday April 15th at Trade Union Congress 23-28 Great Russell Street WC1B 3LS 7pm

The TUC Race Relations Committee in association with the SERTUC Film Club presents a screening of ‘The Great Grunwick Strike 1976-1978: A History’, followed by a panel discussion on the lessons that can be learnt from the dispute.

This documentary film takes a look at the Grunwick dispute which erupted at a photo processing plant in Willesden, London, in the summer of 1976 and lasted two years. A predominately East African and South Asian female workforce went on strike over appalling working conditions and the issue of trade union recognition.  The dispute is remembered as one of the most significant in the history of the British labour movement.

The following panel debate will be chaired by Kamaljeet Jandu and participants will include Chris Thomson (Filmmaker), Dr Sundari Anitha (Striking Women) and Sujata Aurora (Grunwick 40).

ORDER YOUR FREE TICKET HERE

---

The Grunwick 40 campaign is raising funds to install a huge mural close to the factory site in Willesden as a permanent public reminder of the unity that the Grunwick strike represented.

Support their appeal by donating or asking your union branch to donate via www.crowdfunder.co.uk/grunwick40, or via www.paypal.me/grunwick40, or send a cheque payable to Brent Trades Council c/o 375 High Road, London NW10 2JR.

Message from Grunwick 40

We need your donations to commemorate the heroes of the Grunwick Strike

40 years ago a group of Asian women asked for the right to join a union and were sacked by their employer. Their bosses thought that Asian women were passive and obedient and wouldn't fight back.
But that group of workers gained the support of thousands and went on to wage one of the longest and most important disputes in post-war British history.

They changed the idea that trade unions were only for white men. They shattered stereotypes. And at a time of enormous racial prejudice they brought people together in unity and solidarity.
40 years on we want to celebrate them.

We have ambitious plans to install a big mural close to the original factory site in Willesden, as well as stage an historical exhibition and a conference. But we need money to make it happen.
Please give whatever you can afford.

We have some exclusive rewards for people who donate including badges, posters, DVDs and rare artwork from the 1970s so please consider making a personal donation or asking your union branch to make one. Every £ helps to ensure that the legacy of the brave Grunwick strikers is not lost.

Visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/grunwick40 to donate.

Peter Murry says end 'politics as usual' in Brent - Vote Green in Kilburn on May 5th

Peter Murry, Green Party activist,  trade unionist and climate campaignerwill be the Green candidate in the Kilburn By-election. Polling is on May 5th in Kilburn ward in addition to the Mayoral and GLA election. He is calling for ending politcis as usual, a cleaner Kilburn and an end to Council cuts

Click on images to enlarge

Brent Council: Wembley Twin Towers 'a catalyst for further growth and investment'

This is what Brent Council Public Relations told Property Week about the 'Twin Towers' for Wembley High Road/Park Lane which Planning Committee approved on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for London Borough of Brent said: “Wembley is our biggest growth area for which we have great ambitions. We are already seeing a large amount of development and investment around the stadium but this approval sets the scene and could be the catalyst for further growth and investment on the high street.

“I am pleased to see a development come forward, which will provide affordable housing, community space, retail uses and a new public square for local people to use as well as generate over £5m to go towards local community facilities. The buildings, although tall, are appropriate in this area given that it is one of our key growth areas.”

You have been warned!

Six candidates will fight Kilburn by-election

The full list of candidates for the Kilburn Council by-elelction has been published. Voting takes place on May 5th alomgside the Mayoral and GlA elections. The count will take place on Friday May 6th at Alexandria Palace where the GLA count takes place.

CANDIDATES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

Tilly Boulter Lib Dem
Elcena Jeffers Independent
Peter Murry Green
Janice North UKIP
Barbara Pitruzzella Labour
Calvin Robinson Conservative

Ask London Mayoral candidates to pledge support for voting reform

From Unlock Democracy

It is a fortnight since we launched the Stand Up for Democracy campaign. Thousands of emails have been sent asking the next Mayor of London to fix our city’s broken democracy. Will you join them?

Together we set out to find out where they stand on on voting reform, and on empowering the London Assembly. Both Labour’s Sadiq Khan and the Green Party’s Siȃn Berry have come out in support of the campaign.

Ask the #LondonMayor2016 candidates

We need your help. We want to get all the candidates to tell us what they will do to bring about voting reform both locally and nationally. We want to know that they are prepared to give the London Assembly the teeth it desperately needs to keep the Mayor accountable.

We’ve got two of the main parties to pledge stand up for democracy, now let’s get the rest of the 10 candidates for London Mayor to do the same. Help us put the pressure on the candidates. The more of us asking, the harder it is for them to ignore.

Please ask them to Stand Up for Democracy in London. Show them that Londoners Stand Up Democracy.

STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY

Is this the beginning of the end of Brent Council's Human Resources scandal?

Brent Council has announced the appointment of a new Director of Human Resources. This is the post currently held on an interim basis by Mildred Phillips, who took over when Cara Davani left the Council. Presumably Phillips will now revert to her previous deputy role.

David Veale is expected to take up the post in July. He is currently the Assistant Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development in Ealing, a post he has held for 4 years.

Mildred Phillips was notable by her absence at the recent Scrutiny Committee where Michael Pavey  protested that the report on progress on his HR Review, that she had written, had not been submitted to him for approval prior to publication.

Pavey remarked at Scrutiny that the report felt like 'a ceremonial closing of the Pavey Review' he went on to say, 'as the actions are ticked off, I have a lingering concern that we will lose the imperative which launched this [review] process in the first place.

It will be David Veale's job to ensure that imperative is not lost and that the battle for racial equality and an end to bullying and harassment becomes a top priority in practical terms for Brent Council.

Veales has had experience of a dysfunctional HR department at Ealing where this was said about the department LINK:

In 2006 an Audit Commission report painted a gloomy picture of the HR function at Ealing Council. The troubled department was failing to provide a good HR service to the organisation and bringing little added value.

The team was feeling demotivated, overworked and unproductive following an intense period of restructuring. With so much on their plates, team members had lost sight of the big picture. A series of rapid changes in leadership, with five HR directors in almost as many years, had also lowered morale. The structure of the senior HR team meant that the five key senior leaders, each responsible for a vital HR function, worked in isolation.

To improve the service, the senior HR team needed to be re-energised and prepared for further change. Recognising this, Hilary Jeanes, the interim HR director at the time, appointed Paul Fairhurst and some of his colleagues from the Institute for Employment Studies to conduct a bespoke strengths-focused coaching scheme for the HR leadership team. The aim was to support the senior leaders through this difficult time, rebuild their confidence and help develop them as managers and inspirational leaders.

A six month coaching programme was instigated with some sessions off-site, away from the frontline:

David Veale working Ealing HR consultancy at the time said in his evaluation of the programme:

The programme gave me a clear understanding of my strengths and the activities I enjoy doing at work, as well as those I find more challenging. It helped me step back from difficult situations and view them more objectively. I feel much more confident, and as a team we are less stressed, less reactive and more focused on outcomes.

 The case study concluded:

Lessons learned:

• Ignoring weaknesses turns them into problems. Focus on your strengths, and make sure you know the strengths of those around you.
• Overworked, exhausted staff need thinking space, but a re-energised team can have the determination to tackle bigger challenges ahead with enthusiasm.
• Change is a constant, but preparing people for it, rather than inflicting it upon them, is well worth the investment. 

It is to be hoped that these lessons and others learned in the interim will contribute to a change of culture at Brent HR.

Meanwhile the 'Guinness' model of Brent Council management (white on top and black below) has been changed to some extent by the appointment of BAME candidates. Althea Loderick succeeds Stephen Hughes as Strategic Director of Resources and Amar Dave takes over from Lorraine Langham as Director for Regeneration and Environment.

Government Inspector to examine Brent's planning policy proposals

This will  be of interest to residents concerned about recent planning decisions and the various regeneration projects in Brent.

A government official is to examine one of Brent Council's important planning policy documents and will be holding a round of public hearing sessions at Brent Civic Centre this May in order to listen to representations on it.

If approved after the Inspector's examination, the 'Development Management Policies' document will officially become part of the council's Local Plan, which sets out rules and guidelines for development in the borough.

The document itself sets out detailed policies which will be used to determine planning applications, including policies restricting the amount of town centre takeaway and betting shops as well policies to protect local pubs from development.

The public examination hearing sessions will be held on:

• Tuesday 3 May, Brent Civic Centre, The Drum, 3rd floor, Board Room 2
• Wednesday 4 May, Brent Civic Centre, The Drum 3rd floor, Board Room 2
• Thursday 5 May - Brent Civic Centre, 1st floor, Training Room 4

Read more about the examination and the Development Management Policies.

Choking on polluted air? What is the answer?

Just 4 councillors allow TwinTowers to change the face of Wembley Central

Impression from Park Lane Methodist Church/Park Lane Primary

The 26/21 storey Twin Towers block at the junction of Park Lane and Wembley High Road was given the go ahead by the Planning Committee on Wednesday evening. There were 4 votes for the the proposal, 2 against and 2 abstentions.  Sarah Marquis, Chair of Planning Committee, voted against the application.

Afterwards residents were aghast that two councillors abstained on such a major issue. If there is any committee where councillors are expected to make a decision it is planning. If you don't have enough information to make a decision you should keep on asking questions until you do.

If the vote had tied 4/4 I presume Marquis would have exercised a casting vote against the application.

Denise Cheong with just 2 minutes to represent hundred of local residents made a presentation on the impact of the high density high rise blocks on the local area, the impact on current over-crowded roads and public transport and the fact that the development did not comply with established GLA and Brent standards.

Cllr Sam Stopp (Labour, Wembley Central) appeared to have been so impressed by the developer's consultation procedures and his openness that this had persuaded him to support the development despite recognising that the building was not perfect. He would like to have seen it less high but its height was based on what officers had told the developer was possible. He thought the building's orientation was not ideal.

Stopp went to to list the positives: The excellent consultation by the developer, quality of the building design, provision of community space.

He went on to contrast the developer's consultation with that by the Council. Local residents seemed to have found out about the proposal late in the day with a rush of contacts comparatively recently. The Council needed to adopt a more open and transparent approach to consultation. As in Islington, we need members' panels which are accessible to the public so they can question developers and councillors.

David Glover, the planning officer,was faced with the task of explaining why officers were supporting the application despite it not complying with policies on density, carbon emissions, living space,  open space, play space and the proportion of affordable housing.

He claimed that although the building did not meet the standards that it could be approved by reference to the  guidelines that interpreted policy.  He echoed Cllr Stopp in praising the quality of the finish of the building and the flats.  He said that the restricted nature of the site justified the developer in building at greater height and density than set out in the local plan.  The 28% affordable hosing (rather than the recommended 50%)  had been subject to independent viability assessments. Initially the developer offered a higher proportion of affordable housing but this was limited to a 7 year period after which it would move to market rents.  Officers had negotiated a lower proportion of affordable housing but for perpetuity.

Some of the most  incisive qustioning came from Sarah Marquis, chair of the committee, who pointed out that the density was double that recommended for town centre locations and doubted that it complied with the requirement that not meeting those standards could only be supported if it was 'clearly and robustly justified by local circumstances.'  The density was that which applied to international city locations rather than a local town centre.

She went on to query the planners' claim that the development was allowed because the local plan allowed 'tall building' in the  Wembley Central vicinity. She pointed out that local tall buldings were much lower and that the previous application in the sites had been for 17 storeys. It was a big leap from the 30metre definition of tall to the 85metres of this development.

In the course of the discussion the developer confirmed that they were also seeking to purchase the green space on the embankment behind Chesterfield house and their aim would be to build residential properties there. This was not followed up by the Committee but would obviosuly add to the issues around local infrastructure including traffic density and school places. The negotiations had not got very far  and purchase of the garage space behind Chesterfield House to provide disabled parking for the new development has not been completed.

The extent of this additional land which is now subject to acquisition and development can be seen in this illustration:

Click to enlarge

There was a group of young people in the public gallery who applauded when the planning application was approved. Apparently in the wake of the closure of the Wembley Youth Centre LINK they thought they would be able to carry on their activities in the ground floor community space provided by the developer.  It is of course by no means certain that they would be chosen to occupy the space and we know from other applications that this could be a fraught process.  It feels sometimes that we grasp crumbs from the rich man's (developer's) table.

The actual process of building on a site surrounded by traffic congestion with difficult access and parking sounds as if it will be a two year nightmare for local residents not to mention the impact when crowds travel to the stadium and arena.

I am left puzzled by how the committee members who voted for the development could have felt persuaded despite all the arguments above. Does a community space and 'quality finish' really outweigh the disadvantages?

The voting details are below. A further puzzle was how Cllr Colacioco asked all the right questions, got extremely unsatisfactory answers, and then voted for the application!
 

Voting on the application was as follows:

FOR 4                           Cllrs Agha, Choudhary, Colacicco and Mahmood

AGAINST  2                Cllrs Marquis (Chair) and Cllr  Maurice

ABSTENTION  2         Cllrs Ezeajughi and Cllr Patel

Denise Cheong's speech on behalf of residents can be found HERE

Marmite? The new Green Party election broadcast

This broadcast is recieving both plaudits and criticism on social media. I suspect it is Marmite. Anyway here it is so you can make up your own mind.

Duff litter enforcement proposal slammed by Kilburn councillor

The proposal to out-source litter enforcement came in for a drubbing from Kilburn Councillor John Duffy at last night's Scrutiny Committee. Cllr Sam Stopp stated at the beginning of the meeting that the Task Group he led report on illegal rubbish dumping could have been interpreted as advocating some sort of out-sourcing  but this was not the case. He cited Islington as a borough where in-house services had proved to be more efficient.

Stopp went on to express 'deep dissatisfaction' that the Task Group had not been consulted on the implementation of any of the recommendations made in their report. He opposed out-sourcing because the Council needed to earn revenue and provide employment  opportunities and in-house provision could deliver both.  He said that there should be a clear commitment to continuing liaison with task group members when implementing recommendations.

Cllr Duffy said that the proposal to out-source to Kingdom was a decision made to employ 'cheaper people'. The Council had reduced enforcement officers from 21 to 7 but were now proposing getting people back to do the same job through a private company - the 'most basic and primitive' form of out-sourcing.  They would be employed well below the average wage and would be reliant on in-work benefits.  He challenged the officers and lead member's view that these would be 'different jobs'.

He challenged the Council's claim that Kingdom's enforcement officers would not be involved in Court appearances.  This was tantamount to saying to those caught 'if you don't pay you won't end up in court'.

He presented figures to show that the Council stood to lose income of up to £100,000 by out-sourcing rather than setting up an in-house operation.

Chris Whyte in response said that the Kingdom employee's enforcement role was on the ground, patrolling streets, spotting litter dropping and issuing tickets, while the Council enforcement team, did a wider spectrum of work investigating fly-tipping crime and follow up work including preparing cases for Court. Kingdom staff would make occasional appearances in Court but would not prepare and investigate cases.

Cllr Duffy said that he had got hold of a Kingdom job description and it was very similar to that he used to have to do as an enforcement officer.  Cllr Southwood, lead member for environment admitted that a job evaluation would only be done if the Council went out to procurement after the six month pilot with Kingdom.

Cllr Kelcher, chair of Scrutiny expressed concern over the safety of enforcement officers issuing £80 Fixed Penalty Notices. Chris Whyte responded that a risk assessment would be undertaken as Brent Council was responsible for the safety of staff.

A 'social value' assessment would be incorporated into the specification if it was decided to go for external procurement after the trial. Whyye said it was essential to collect data during the trial to see what the scale of the litter problem in Brent. By out-sourcing the risk of little return via fining would rest with the contractor and not the Council.

Duffy pointed out that Kingdom would  be motivated to issue a high number of tickets as this would boost their profits. Operatives were likely to go for the easy option of targeting 'rich pickings', such as smokers outside tube stations, where they could issue many tickets in a short time, rather than areas where real action was needed on street litter.

Cllr Southwood said that Kingdom would be guided by Veolia, ward councillors and the public, Chris Whyte said monitoring of the contract was essential. He would be concerned if it was only cigarette butts.

Duffy said that the report had argued that the proposal was cost neutral but the real issue was whether it was best value for money.  He questioned how much of the £52,000 income to Brent Council would be taken up by costs of going to Court.  He claimed the Council were 'addicted to out-sourcing'.  He presented figures to suggest that there was little risk to the Council from an in-house contract but  Whyte said that Ealing Council had found their in-house provision was inefficient and had therefore out-sourced to Kingdom.

For the Committee Matt Kelcher said that after the pilot Brent Council should look at in-house provision and build social value into the process.

Pavey throws off his shackles to make frank presentation on HR to Scrutiny Committee

When Cllr Michael Pavey, deputy leader of Brent Council, stood to present the report on the progress of the recommendations made in his review of Brent Human Relations, there were none of the usual officers present at his elbow who normally support lead members at meetings. Noting this Pavey said that the report had been tabled without the final version being given to him for his approval.

He went on to say that  he would not have approved it if he had been given the chance. Parts of the report hinted at complacency and suggested that the mere ticking of boxes had solved problems.

The truth was that the report was only coming to Scrutiny because of failures by the Council based on an ugly Employment Tribunal case (The Davani case LINK)  that the Council lost on grounds of racial discrimination and a failure to stamp out bullying and harassment of staff. There has also been a failure to promote staff from under represented groups into senior management,

He said that his review was set up in the wake of the Employment Tribunal but he had been forbidden from investigating that case.  This had meant when he talked to staff the event that was on everyone's mind and that they were keen to discuss was not on the agenda.  He said that with hindsight he wished he had fought to broaden the terms to enable the review to 'roam freely  to look into the areas that some wanted to keep secret.'

Cllr Stopp asked Pavey what had caused the narrow, restrictive terms of reference. Cllr Pavey was a little thrown by the question and replied that he must pick his words carefully. He said that there was no doubt that the review stemmed from the Tribunal and in hindsight he should have fought harder for the terms of reference to include the Tribunal findings.  He had been forbidden to go into that incident and this affected his review.  The incident had caused a breakdown of trust and it had been hard to gain the trust of council staff  in carrying out the review when the burning issue had not been addressed. Responding to a further question Pavey said that he had tried to widen the terms of reference but had been unsuccessful.

Cllr Mary Daly said that she had recently been approached by a staff member about bullying so the problems remained.  Pavey said that the staff member should use the Council's whistle blowing policy. The Committee discussed concerns about a top down approach where equalities was being led by senior directors so staff may feel uncomfortable in taking up issues from below. Cllr Pavey said it was essential that changes in approach should be led from the top but acknowledged that diktat  as a method would not work.  Networks had been set up to promote 'staff voice'  but he would take back the wider issue to HR.

Committee members were keen that mental health and well-being of staff should be considered and that issues were dealt with before reaching the official complaints or tribunal stage. The Committee neded to lack at how redundancies were affecting BAME workers. There were also issues about how 'burnt out' frontline staff dealt with members of the public. Cllr Pavey suggested that work done with senior staff on unconcious bias should be extended to staff who directly served the public.

A co-opted member of the Committee, Mr Alloysius Frederick, expressed serious concern that a paper had come to the Committee without being signed off by the responsible lead councillor beforehand. This procedure would be expected in any organisation.

Cllr Pavey replied that this was the only time it had happened to him and he had spoken to the CEO about it - it would not happen again. Despite this failure he took full responsibility for the report.

Pavey told the Committee that there was much work still to be done and challenges to overcome. There would be a big role for Scrutiny Committee in the future as well as for the new Strategic Director.

He said that these challenges should not detract from the 'excellent work we were able to achieve within our narrow terms of reference:

'Without question Brent is a fairer, more inclusive, more rewarding employer than when we lost the tribunal which triggered this work.'

Cara Davani with Council Leader Muhammed Butt

NOTE: It is work noting that Michael Pavey was not the only person who was affected by attempts to limit discussion of the Davani case. Philip Grant was particularly active in seeking answers to key questions and was not allowed to raise the issue at a previous Scrutiny Committee LINK

Cllr Pavey's comments are a vindication of Philip Grant's pursuit of openness and transparency on this issues.

Cara Davani left the Council some time after the Tribunal decision and attempts to find out whether she got a pay off from the Council have been unsuccessful. Her deputy Mildred Phillips stepped up to act in the role and was the author of the report to Scrutiny.

Stopping Trident: Actions & Strategies to Win

Dawn Butler MP calls on Brent to lead fight to bring schools back under local authority control

I was one of 10 Chairs of Governing Bodies in Brent to send a letter to Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt and Lead Member for Children and Families Ruth Moher (copied to our three MPs) opposing the government's new policy of forcing local authority primary schools to become academies.

As well as oppositon from Labour, Greens and Lib Dems, lead members for education in the Tory Shires, the local Government Association and the Conservative Bow Group have also made public statements of opposition.

Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent Central has sent me copies of letters she has written to Muhammed Butt amd Carolyn Downs, Brent's Chief Executive Officer calling for the Council to lead a fight to bring schools back under local authoriy control. (I would prefer 'oversight' rather than control as governing bodies are responsible for the strategic leadership of schools).

Brent Council failed to support parents and teachers challenging the forced academisation of Gradstone Park Primary School and Copland High School. In the latter case Muhammed Butt supported the forced academisation claiming that the Council did not have the resources to support the school. He now sits on the governing body of the school which was renamed Ark Elvin when Ark took it over.

Click image to enlarge

FoE Air Quality meeting now to include other parties - April 12th

This message from Brent Friends of the Earth has appeared on Facebook today:


Brent Friends of the earth Air Quality meeting 12th April

We have now asked the local Lib Dems and the local Conservatives and the local Green Party if they would like a rep on the panel.

When, some weeks back, we invited the lead councillor for the environment in Brent, and the local M.P. and the GLA rep to speak all were invited as local reps and not, in any way, related to anyone’s political affiliation. We also invited a local council officer and a campaigner from Friends of the Earth national office.

As all the politicians we had invited are Labour we've been persuaded that since the meeting is close to the London elections it would be seen as unfair not to ask reps of other parties if they would like to join the panel. When we began setting up this meeting we had not thought about the date being close to the London elections

Inviting others on to the panel will make the panel larger than we would have preferred; we hope we can still have a good meeting.

With Good Wishes,
Pam L

This is the original poster for the meeting with all the details:

Lucozade Powerleague's public relations firm breaks off public relations with Roe Green residents

In a further development over Lucozade Powerleague's bid to run a commercial venture at Kingsbury High School Academy the GKA public relations company representing Powerleague and the school has unilaterally broken off relations with Roe Green Village Residents Association.

In an email sent last Friday they said:

Having discussed the matter with the development team, there appears to be limited prospect of finding common ground between Roe Green Village Residents' Association, Kingsbury High School and Powerleague. We would therefore respectfully suggest that there is little to be gained through continued dialogue. As you know, Brent Council will now consider the application on its merits.

Residents are now in the situation of having heard nothing from their local councillors, received no planning application notices delivered to them from Brent Council and their offer of fundraising for alternative sports facilities ignored by the school.

Meanwhile an anaylsis shows that the project is a largely commercial venture:

New Wembley Twin Towers pic shows true impact of the 26 storey development

Click to enlarge

This illustration from the Hub Organaniation's website shows the height and mass of the proposed replacement of the 'Twin Towers' which will replace Chesterfield House if the Planning Committee grants permission on Wednesday evening.

The comparison with other buildings in the High Road and Park Lane is telling.  The Committee may be minded to lop a few storeys off the building (developers often take that into account when they submit plans) but it is doubtful that this would be enough to reduce the impact.

Race and Mental Health: are black communities getting a fair deal? Public Meeting April 19th

From Brent Patient Voice and Brent MIND

For the first time since our launch in February last year Brent Patient Voice is holding a face to face meeting in public. This email is a warm invitation to colleagues who have not so far joined us as members to take part in the discussion of an important local health topic. We will also be holding our first AGM.

We are delighted to say that Brent MIND has agreed to partner us in this event which will be, as before, at the Learie Constantine Centre, 40-47 Dudden Hill Lane, NW10 2ET from 7-9pm on Tuesday 19th April.

The main speaker will be Dr Aggrey Burke, formerly Senior Lecturer and Consultant Psychiatrist at St George's Hospital London. His title will be "Race and Mental Health: are black communities getting a fair deal?" He has amplified this title further with the words: "The interaction of stigma, racial exclusion, mental illness and offender behaviour". Dr Burke has also asked us to mention that he is now involved in voluntary activities in London and the Midlands. We imagine that his presentation may be somewhat controversial, but we are convinced that this is an important topic within the community of Brent.

We hope that Brent MIND colleagues will speak briefly about their work in general and in this specific area of concern.

The main meeting will be followed by the first AGM of Brent Patient Voice at around 8.30pm. We will present reports of what we have been up to and seek democratic legitimacy by holding elections. In particular we need members to join our steering group to help with communications, the website and membership matters. More details will follow on the AGM. Do let me know if you are interested in joining our group or just go to "membership" on our website.   http://www.bpv.org.uk/membership/

As you know we are a very small voluntary body doing our best to work constructively with the local NHS on behalf of patients. PLEASE DO JOIN US IF YOU CAN ON THE 19TH TO ENSURE THAT BPV'S PRIORITIES ARE THOSE OF ITS MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC.

To help cater for the event please email your intention to attend:  mailto :info@bpv.org.uk

Green MEP: Panama Papers show UK is at centre of global tax avoidance schemes

Molly Scott Cato MEP, Green Party speaker on economics and finance, has responded to the so called Panama Papers – around eleven million documents held by Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, which reveal how the company has helped clients launder money, dodge sanctions and evade tax. Molly said:

What becomes clear from the revelations contained in the Panama Papers is that it is the UK that is at the centre of the global network of tax havens that facilitates tax avoidance and crime. More than half the companies listed in the documents are registered in British-administered tax havens or the UK itself. This is deeply embarrassing for us as a country and reveals as entirely hollow the Chancellor’s claim to be cracking down on tax avoidance.

If we are to restore our national pride we must see steps taken immediately to deal with the nefarious relationships between apparently respectable companies based in The City and their dubious associates in the Crown dependencies and overseas territories. We need to end the convenient anachronism of such jurisdictions: either they should become a part of the United Kingdom and subject to our laws or they should acquire independence. In addition we need to put an end to shell companies and ensure much greater transparency on beneficial ownership.

Support Sweets Way Resistance at Willesden Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning

Sweets Way campaigners are calling for support at Willesden Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.  They have put up active resistance to Barnet Council's policy of social cleansing.

This video was made a year ago:

Brent FoE meeting on air pollution - its impact and solutions

 From Brent Friends of the Earth

A panel of politicians and campaigners will be discussing air quality at Brent Friends of the Earth's (Brent FoE) monthly meeting at Watling Gardens Community Meeting Room in Kilburn on Tuesday April 12th at 7.30pm.

Brent FoE's meeting will discuss the situation with air pollution - which is a serious health threat for Londoners and is a major problem in Brent. It will be a chance to learn about how air pollution is affecting us and to discuss what we need to do to get cleaner air to breathe. The speakers will be: Cllr Eleanor Southwood - Lead member for the Environment at Brent Council, Navin Shah - Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow, Dawn Butler - MP for Brent Central (to be confirmed), Juhaina Junaid from the Pollution Control Services at Brent Council and Ollie Hayes - Campaigner from Friends of the Earth.

Pam Laurance, a Co-ordinator of Brent Friends of the Earth says, “Poor air quality in London has a significant effect in shortening the lives of many people. In 2010 almost 9,500 Londoners died prematurely from causes linked to air pollution. The main pollutant is nitrogen dioxide, plus in some areas it is particulate matter, particularly from diesel vehicles, that do most of the damage. The principal source of air pollution in Brent is road traffic emissions, though emissions from residential and commercial heating systems also contribute.”

The discussion will start at at 7.30pm till approximately 9pm, and will be followed by Brent FoE's AGM. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event, and stay for the rest of the group meeting. Light refreshments will be available.

The meeting will be at Watling Gardens Community Meeting Room, 97/135 Watling Gardens, Shoot Up Hill, NW2 3UB (5 mins. from Kilburn tube/buses on Shoot up Hill). For more information see http://www.brentfoe.com or email info@brentfoe.com.

NOTE FROM MARTIN

As the only political party represented at this meeting is Labour  you may want to read what the Green Mayoral candidate, Sian Berry, has to say about clean air for London HERE

Lucozade's spoonful(s) of sugar fails to sweeten residents' opposition Kingsbury Powerleague proposals

Since the battle over the building of the Ark Academy on playing fields in Wembley Park. which united Brent Teachers Association, Barry Gardiner MP and Bob Blackman, then leader of the Tory Group on Brent Council, there have been several other conflicts between schools and residents, including the long running saga over the expansion of Preston Manor LINK

The Kilburn Times LINK  has revealed that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, George Clark MP, is to consider intervention in the case of the expansion of Byron Court Primary School following the referral by Brent North MP, Barry Gardiner.

In many of the cases there have been complaints about the lack of consultation with residents in the neighbourhood of the school and in at least one case the Council has been forced to send out additional letters.

This appears to be the case with the latest proposal for Kingsbury High School where it appears NO letters have been sent out to neighbours and the consultation list is mainly internal to Brent Council and leaves out external bodies such as Historic England:

This proposal is for a commercial multi-sports facility in the grounds of Kingsbury High school comprising:

• One large 11-a-side hybrid football/hockey pitch
• One multi-sport pitch (MUGA)
• Four standard 5 aside pitches
• Two cricket nets
• A Club House
• Floodlighting for the pitches

The facility will be run by Lucozade Powerleague (for some reason on its website notice about the proposal Kingsbury High left off the 'Lucozade'). It is a business rather than a charity LINK  and of course has all the usual contradictions of companies selling unhealthy products promoting sports. Lucuzade has the equivalent of 12-1/2 spoonfuls of sugar in a small bottle LINK

The present grassland playing fields would be hard surface or  astroturf if the proposals go ahead. This is a view of the fields from the back garden of a house in Goldsmiths Lane, Roe Green Village:

The planned development of the playing fields in the context of the locality of Roe Green Village and neighbouring areas:

In exchange for making the facilities available to the school during school hours and a contribution to the refurbishment of existing sports hall and grassed area, Lucozade Powerleague get to rent out the facility with some concessions to community groups.  Readers can gauge the extent of this for themselves:

Kingsbury High and Lucuzade claim that the premises will not be licensed to sell alcohol but independent research shows that only 3 of 48 facilities do not serve alcohol and there appears to be nothing to stop them applying for licensing at a later date - especially if they can argue an economic case regarding the viability of the scheme.

Ark, Preston Manor, Byron Court and now Kingsbury High have all pitched what is seen as the interests of children (school places, additional facilities) against what is labelled (often behind closed doors) as the Nimbyism of local residents.  Increased traffic, noise, light pollution and the loss of open space is cited by residents.

This is pronounced at Kingsbury High where a unique conservation area, Roe Green Village, seems to be standing in the way of immense benefit to pupils at the school in an era of concern about young people's obesity (ignoring, for now,  the contribution of Lucuzade to that obesity).

Roe Green Residents in fighting an earlier application by a commercial company (see video below), offered to work with the school to improve the sports facilties through a fundraising drive, but this offer was not taken up.  The current headteacher of Kingsbury High, Mr Waxman, has reduced his working week and will be retiring in 2017, so this project, if it goes ahead, will be overseen by his successor.

Roe Green Residents have leafleted parents about their reservations on the scheme saying that they felt parents deserved full information about what appeared at first to be a great opportunity for the children. Local councillors' silence on this issue is said to be deafening but Barry Gardiner MP, has been responsive.

In fact of course, although Kingsbury High's academy status means that Council has no direct intervention rights, there is no reason why local ward councillors should not organise some meetings to bring the school, parents and residents together.

The proposal is yet another sign of the growing commercialisation and potential privatisation of schools through the academy programme.  The school will be paid an annual fee by Lucozade Powerleague in addition to the daily provision of sports facilities.

Residents will be taking on Lucozade Powerleague's  powerful public relations company GKA LINK which I am told has been actively lobbying councillors.

The ultimate decision on the planning application will be taken by the statutorily independent Planning Committee which should not be influenced by the council leadership.

Full details of the planning application can be found HERE
  
The video below was filmed some 25m from the Lucozade Powerleague facility at Mill Hill and gives some indication of the light and sound to be expected at Roe Green.

Residents outline their concerns on Wembley 'Twin Towers' development

The view from Park Lane Wembley. Chesterfield House is the building on the left. The highest of the Twin Towers will be 2-1/2 times the height of the flats on the right.

Only three members of the public turned up when Brent Planning Committee visited the site of the proposed 'Twin Towers' replacement for Chesterfield House on Saturday morning.

In summary concerns were:

• Although recognised Chesterfield House needed to be replaced concerns that the replacement was far too tall for the area.
• The building's height removing light from other nearby buildings.
• Concern that the extra dwellings will add to traffic congestion on Park Lane, already a problem, and as no parking on site that the new residents will park on nearby residential streets.
• Concern that vehicles servicing the flats or delivering would have nowhere to park at the busy junction as the present bays would be inadequate for the number of dwellings.
• Increased danger at the junction Park Lane/Wembley High Road which already experiences accidents.
• Concern that the increased population of children from the new flats will not be able to find places at already over-crowded local schools.

During the presentation by the developer, The Hub, we were told that they were in talks to buy the woodland site at the back of Chesterfield House beside the Chiltern Line. This was likely to be developed as more flats but the Hub confirmed that this would be a separate application and that the Twin Towers plan was not dependent on the new purchase.

The unregulated land at the back of Chesterfield House, presently garages, would be used for disabled parking bays for the flats. Woodland is to the left.

I understand that Cllr Sam Stopp (Wembley Central) will speak on the planning application at Wednesday's Planning Committee Meeting.This will be the first meeting of the Planning Committee since Steven Weeks, Head of Area Planning, left the Council.

Residents' 'grave concerns' over Wembley 'Twin Towers' proposal

Impression from the developers's consultation

 Brent Planning Committee will be visiting the Chesterfield House site at the junction of Park Lane. Wembley High Road at 9.40am on Saturday April 2nd. This is the 'twin towers proposal LINK

Planning Committeee members have been sent the following in  advance of their visit by Denise Cheong,  Former Chair, Friends of King Eddie's Park, Friendsofkingeddies.blogspot.com
Wembleychampions.blogspot.com :

Dear Planning Committee members, Wembley Central Ward Cllrs, Preston Ward Cllrs, Hub Group and Council Planning Case Officer

I understand the planning committee are due to visit the above site tomorrow (Saturday 2nd April) morning regarding planning application 15/4550.

I write to kindly urge the Planning Committee to give the following viewpoint due weight during their deliberations whilst they conduct tomorrow's site visit.

Please note during your site visit that (at the time of writing) several local residents from Princes Court and Keswick Gardens Residents Association, as well as members of neighbouring Park Lane Methodist Church are opposed to the height and scale of the proposed scheme.

Whilst residents appreciate the City's need for greater housing provision and welcome Hub Group's proposed donation to the Council for King Eddie's Park, we have grave concerns over the impact of a development that will be (although set back, at its heighest) twice the height of the opposite existing Elm Court flats and nearly three times the height of the existing Chesterfield House office block.

Mr Neidhardt notes in his report that pedestrian accidents have occurred at the junction of Park Lane and the High Road. This is a notoriously difficult junction for local residents to walk across. Please observe the existing pedestrian crossings at the junction during your site visit and consider the impact the proposed will have on the area even with any alterations from Transport For London (TFL) to the junction. Also, kindly observe the existing bus stops in the vicinity on the High Road which TFL note already operate at full capacity. You may also possibly observe heavy traffic queues on Park Lane tomorrow (as discussed at last year's planning committees for planning application 14/4208, heavy traffic from the junction of High Rd and Park Lane down past The Methodist Church and King Edward VII Park is a norm on Park Lane, and further evidence of the real need for this junction to be re-worked).

I await further communication from other resident members of the aforementioned plus neighbouring roads. I will update you all as soon as I have collated such responses and prior to Wednesday 6th April's Planning Committee.

Brent and Harrow GLA Candidates named

The £1,000 deposit appears to have kept out any minor independent candidates in the Brent and Harrow GLA Constituency. The candidates announced today (in alphabetical order) are:

Rathy Alagaratnam UK - Independence Party UKIP
Joel Davison Conservative- The Conservative Party Candidate
Anton Georgiou - London Liberal Democrats
Jafar Hassan -  Green Party
Mahmood Akib - Respect (George Galloway)
Navin Shah - Labour Party