There's money in muck

With landfill sites rapidly being filled and the tax on landfill rising to £72 per tonne in 2013 local authorities are desperately looking for solutions. Rather than action on reducing waste in the first place, which many local authorities see as the responsibility of government, the emphasis is instead on recycling which is where big business enters the picture. There is a central contradiction here because the more that can be recycled the more money the waste contractors makes, while the more the overall amount of residual waste can be reduced the less they will make.

Presently the West London Waste Authority, covering Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Richmond is in the process of awarding a 25 year contract for waste management which could be worth up to £485m (the estimated cost of continuing landfill at present rate). The bidding process is under way and the preferred bidder will be selected in 2013.  There has been controversy over because during public consultation potential waste processing sites were selected, many in Park Royal, without any details of the processes that would take place, raising fears about possible pollution from incinerators. There have been public protest meetings in Ealing about this issue but little action in Brent.  Cllr James Powney is our borough representative on the WLWA.

A similar process for long-term contracts has taken place in South London and North London Waste Authority selected the following bidders in April 2011:

• FCC Skanska (Formento de Construcciones y Contratas SA and Skanska Infrastructure Development UK Ltd) (consortium)
• SITA/ Lend Lease (SITA UK Ltd and Catalyst Lend Lease) (consortium)
• Veolia ES Aurora Ltd. 

The North London proposals have run into  trouble over a proposed plant at Pinkham Way in Haringey, on the border with Barnet and Enfield, with residents concerned about noise, congestion and pollution as well as the building itself. LINK  In South London, Croydon Green Party has been involved in a campaign against a proposed plant which they believe is really an incinerator:


In Brent itself the waste management contract with Veolia has been amended with some difficulty ahead of the new waste management strategy that starts in October 2011. Brent Council's contract with Veolia ends in 2014 and there will be a new bidding process to ensure best value. This process will be overseen by Cllr James Powney.

Veolia, a likely bidder for both contracts, is French multinational with a wide spread of interests including water (in north Brent it previously went under the names of Three Valleys Water), waste management and transport. It has been embroiled in controversy over its activities in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel which include a light rail system and waste management. Campaigners argue that Veolia is complicit in human rights violations. LINK

Despite this Veolia is seen to be in a favourable position for both contracts because of its possession of a depot in Alperton and a potential site for waste processing.  However,  Careys, a local company, set up an 'environmental solutions' company in February and named it after the Roman philosopher, Seneca, who is famous as a Stoic. The company newsletter even quotes Seneca: 'Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end'. Brent Council granted Careys planning permission for a 'super materials recycling facility' at Hannah Close in Neasden (below) in October 2010 with very little publicity and no response from environmental groups including the Green Party. The plant will process 1.1m tonnes of construction and demolition, business and household waste each year. By 2013 an energy producing 'wood biomass facility' will be operational which clearly raises issues over potential pollution.

The Seneca (Careys) plant in Neasden

In March 2011 Careys secured a public relations coup by agreeing to save the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre which had been threatened with closure due to local government cuts. They will pay half the revenue costs for the next two years which I understand is about £50,000. Brent Council leader Cllr Ann John took part in a photocall with John Carey at the Centre. LINK

Further information on these issues:
West London Waste Monitor
 UK Without Incineration Network
Brent Friends of the Earth

A tribute to Alf Filer - Brent activist

I am sorry to have to record that Alf Filer, a  Brent socialist activist, died last night in a car crash. Alf had recently taken early retirement from his job as an FE lecturer in Harrow and moved to Worthing. He apparently  died when a another car crashed into his broken down vehicle on the Brighton-Worthing road.

Alf, a member of Socialist Resistance was active in the Coalition of Resistance and a supporter of the Palestinian cause. He had a long history in Brent going back to the Grunwick strike and was a supporter of Brent Fightback until he moved to Worthing, where by all accounts he shook the place up!  On a personal level he had undertaken the challenging task of bringing up his two sons on his own.

Alf played a leading role in the defence of the Harrow Mosque when it was threatened by the English Defence League and Stop the Islamisation of Europe. He referred back to the Battle of Cable Street to emphasis the importance of mass community mobilisation against the extreme right.

Alf invited me as a Green Party representative  to a student hustings at his college at the General Election and I was able to see at first-hand the regard in which he was held by his students. Students were polled beforehand on their voting intentions and then afterwards when they had heard contributions from the candidates. This very practically demonstrated his conviction  that debate and education could change ideas and change minds.

Alf will be much missed and my thoughts are with his sons Leon and Lawrence at this difficult time.

LINK to Tony Greenstein's tribute

Glossy new buildings in Brent and Brussels

The new Europa building in Brussels (£215m approx)

Brent's new Civic Centre (£100m plus)

Many thanks to JC for pointing out the irony of David Cameron's criticism of proposals for the Europa building in Brussels (top above) in the context of Brent's new Civic Centre. UK taxpayers will contribute about £25m to the Europa building, one quarter of the cost of Brent's Civic Centre.

Cameron's comments may ring a bell:

I am less enthusiastic about the presentation we were given on the new building for the European Council. When you see a document being circulated with a great glossy brochure about some great new building for the European Council to sit in, it is immensely frustrating.

You do wonder if these institutions actually get what every country and what every member of the public is having to go through, as we cut budgets and try and make our finances add up.

Top classical guitarist in fund-raising line up tomorrow

I will be off down to my allotment early tomorrow to harvest globe artichokes, raspberries and black currants in preparation for Sunday afternoon's Brent Stop the War and Brent PSC's summer garden party in Willesden Green.

The fund-raiser takes place in a beautiful garden and the weather forecast is good. Apart from delicious food and a bar, entertainment is also provided by top names including classical guitarist Ahmed Dickinson (above). Other entertainers include Camilla Cancantata, queen of  the squeeze box; Jean Marc, story teller; Alan Johnson, folk singer and of course Ian Saville, socialist magician.

It is not too late to attend the garden party which starts at 5pm and finishes at 10pm. Ring Sarah Cox on

07951 084 101 or e-mail her scox05@btinternet.com for tickets.

Tickets are £12 wage/£8 unwaged in advance and £15/£10 on the door.

Library Campaign moves into top gear - more than half cash target met

A message from Brent SOS Libraries:

With another six  members joining our six month old Save Cricklewood Library Campaign last night and a visit from the Tokyngton Library campaign (who have submitted a 670 signature petition to Brent Council this week) I cannot remember a bigger  or more active Brent campaign in my 30+ years of living in this fantastic  diverse borough. Can anyone else? We are swamped with fundraising events, volunteers, supportive authors and have six very lively local campaigns underway .

We are now close to the legal hearing, which the Council is insisting is heard in July. This is our final push to raise money - together we are over half way to our £30,000 target .Many thanks to all those who have helped and attended recent events,donated books etc.

Can you help with one more push ?

1 Selling Garden Party Tickets - meet  at Cricklewood Library -MONDAY 27 June at 6.30pm

Join Anna, Edward and other supporters in a final push to sell Garden Party tickets door-to -door - at £5 it is a bargain and we only have 72 tickets left

2 Garden Party   Sunday 3 July   121 Anson Road  3-5pm

Tea, cakes and a beautiful garden - what more could you want ?

Come and meet Helen and the Save Cricklewood team - a must for your social calendar

3 Wear your T shirt with pride

Brent SOS Libraries T-shirts will be available from 30 June - just ring or text me on 07866616492 and I will deliver .Beautifully designed in tasteful red and white - certain to be this years fashion item.Only £10 each .

How many do you want? (only large available - but good for snuggling up with a book in  )

4 Philip Pullman

Yes the record -selling author is coming to speak soon in support of Brent SOS LIbraries.

Provisional date ( to be confirmed) 20th July at Queens Park Community School 

5 Preston Quiz - Monday 4 July

Return of the popular quiz - can Cricklewood go one better and win this time? Just turn up at 7.30pm at the Preston Pub, Preston Road .

6 Cricklewood Music Night

Tapping into the local classical musical talent Sonja is organising a musical evening later in July - contact sonjarobin@hotmai.com

7 Any more books ?

We still need book donations l Just let me know and I will collect .There is a picture of Sonja at our Glastonbury bookstall in the local paper this week

8 Protest and Survive

Soon we will be staging a peaceful protest at the court as the library hearing commences - watch this space.


Graham Durham

Seven Harrow schools opt for academy status

In a move that will raise fears of similar action in Brent,  seven secondary schools in neighbouring Harrow have decided to become academies from August 1st 2011.

The schools are Bentley Wood, Canons High, Harrow High, Hatch End, Nower Hill, Park High and Rooks Heath College. Whitmore High is the only non-faith community high school left as a result og the opt-out.

The academy conversion follow a consultation process which saw the local authority plead for the retention of the local authority family of schools and students from Nower Hill walking out in a protest against lack of consultation.

Strike Action is Direct Action

Fair Pensions for All Will Benefit Pupils

Click on image to enlarge

Next Thursday, June 30th, many Brent schools are likely to be fully or partially closed as teachers strike alongside other public sector workers, over government proposals to make them contribute more to their pensions and retire when they are older with a lower pension than they would get now.

As a former teacher and headteacher, and now a school governor, I fully support this strike action. The proposals if implemented would have a detrimental impact on pupils. One major issue that has not been fully covered by the media is that teaching is an intensive job that is physically and emotionally demanding.  Although there are people who perform extremely well into their 60s there are many who do not. I retired at 60 because I recognised that I was no longer performing as well as I should at a front-line job where the interests of pupils and parents required peak performance.

Imagine someone now having to retire at 66 years old, after more than 40 years in the classroom, not as dynamic as they used to be, having to deal with a class of 30 lively 5 year olds or 13 year olds. It would not be a positive situation for either children or teachers.  More damagingly a headteacher faced with an under-performing older teacher and under pressure from Ofsted, may have to resort to capability procedures in order to remove that teacher from the classroom. Such teachers would end, what otherwise would have been a successful career, labelled a failure and feeling dejected. Other teachers in the school would suffer a collapse in morale when they see a colleague forced to leave in such circumstances.

Although there will be short-term inconvenience to parents next week I hope that there will be recognition that if successful the strike action will be to the long-term benefit of pupils and parents.

NUT and ATL strikers and their supporters will be meeting at 9.30am outside the Torch pub in Wembley Park (opposite the Ark Academy) for a rally and will then travel together on the underground to Lincoln Inns Fields to join others from across the country.