Localised business rates a potentially damaging gimmick

The Green Party has dismissed the Coalition government’s plan to “localise business rates” as a superficial gimmick – with potentially damaging effects for local government, small business and the environment.

The new plans are an example of false localisation, designed instead as a mechanism to further squeeze council budgets and services. While the proposals are portrayed as localism, both business rates and the valuations on which rates are based will be set by central government.

The proposals go further to state that any business rate growth achieved by local authorities below a centrally set growth target – adjusting for inflation – will be kept centrally. Local authorities are actually set to lose out to the treasury – if the treasury’s own targets are not met – placing further strain on the provision of already slashed services.

Jason Kitcat, Green Party Councillor and cabinet member on Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “It's absurd to even call the proposals ‘localisation’ when the key variable – the level of tax – will remain out of council control and the growth target will be set nationally for all of England.

“Small innovative businesses, such as new media and sustainability, attract little or no business rates because they are run from home or modest offices. To benefit most under the new scheme, local authorities need to favour large projects like new airports or large shopping centres. This makes a mockery of the Coalition’s pledge to support small business and will further choke an already stalling recovery.

“Business rates need to be set locally so regional authorities can adjust strategies to optimise local talent. Without this, both the local economy and the environment will suffer from corporate cherry picking”

Do these Guys know what they are doing?

In the light of my previous posts on Brent's decision to end grants for festivals it does not deem 'inclusive' I was interested to see a comment from Venilal Vaghela, Chair of Brent Diwali Advisory Board.  Brent Council has said that it wants to combine various festivals together in one big  'Brent Celebrates' event. It has already lumped together  Black History Month, Diwali and Halloween in the Word Up! event. LINK Its claim that  Brent's Bonfire Night combines Diwali and Guy Fawkes is challenged by Mr Vaghela who says:

Our fireworks celebrate the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. The bonfire night fireworks stand for something completely different and the dates do not match. It would be like celebrating Christmas in January.

Diwali is on October 26th this year and will be celebrated at the weekend. Bonfire Night at Barham Park is on November 5th.  Perhaps Brent's insensitivity to the cultural meaning of events will mean that they combine Easter and St Patrick's Day in the Spring! They may even call it the 'Easter Uprising'...

Children miss out on half-term library activities

Half-term holiday and time for children to take part in the much publicised 'Word Up!' events at their local library. Except of course for those who use one of the six libraries closed by the Council.  These are the events that should have happened this week:

• Monday 24 October: Create your own heritage collage – Tokyngton Library
• Monday 24 October: Create your own rangoli patterns – Barham Park Library
• Tuesday 25 October: Handa’s surprise: create your own basket – Kensal Rise Library
• Tuesday 25 October: Create your own Diwali diya lamp – Neasden Library
• Thursday 27 October: Create your own Diwali diya lamp – Tokyngton Library
• Friday 28 October: Create a 3D firework picture – Preston Library
• Saturday 29 October: Create your own scary Halloween mask – Tokyngton Library

SOS Libraries Pub Quiz Tonight

The limitations of being 'nice'

Direct actions, from the Occupy London Stock Exchange protest at St Paul's and anti-war protests outside Parliament to the vigils at Kensal Green and Preston libraries, are sometimes criticised as not being very 'nice' because they  look untidy, embarrass passers-by and may involve inconvenience or even confrontation.

Malvina Reynolds, an activist in the US who wrote many well-known children's songs such as 'Magic Penny' and 'Morning Town Ride', looked like a sweet old lady but defied stereotypes with her powerful political songs.  This song of hers, about direct action during the civil rights struggle seems particularly appropriate and has been sung at some of the American anti-capitalist demonstrations:

The theme of 'niceness' was taken up by anti-nuclear activist and paediatrician Dr Helen Caldicott at a recent demonstration in New York when she accused people of being "too damn polite" about the nuclear industry. The following video starts with her passionate speech and includes footage of other demonstrations often accompanied by protest songs, including at 12 minutes a children's choir singing "It isn't nice".

It takes courage to go out on the streets and expose yourself to derogatory comments and ridicule, but if the alternative is acquiescing to injustice, then I know where I stand. Thankfully, on the ground, whether at St Paul's or Preston library there is plenty of support.

Keep on keeping on!

Park Royal Plans Under Scrutiny on New Blog

The boroughs of Brent, Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham meet at the key location of Park Royal, one of the largest business parks in Europe. The area is a possible location for waste management facilities, including possible incinerators, under the forthcoming West London waste Management Plan. If located here there will be an impact on the amount of heavy lorry traffic going through the three boroughs. Possible waste management facilities can be seen on the map below: (click on image to enlarge)

In addition the area will be affected by High Speed Rail 2 and Crossrail. Hammersmith and Fulham Council is proposing a new station linking the two and other lines as part of the development of the run-down Old Oak area. The council's video designates it 'Park Royal City':


A new  independent website has been set up to monitor developments in the Park Royal-Old Oak Common-Kensal area. It can be found at: http://parkroyaltown.blogspot.com/

Poet Laureate Supports Libraries Campaign

The Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, has indicated her support for the Libraries Campaign by signing a copy of her children's poetry book with the slogan 'Save Our Libraries!'.  Support continues to build as the community begins to realise just what they have lost.

A quote from J.F. Kennedy seems appropriate for Brent Council to ponder:

When power leads man towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When poetry narrows the areas of man's concerns, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.

Prestonians devastated by library closure

I did a three hour stint outside Preston Library yesterday and had many chats with local people who were aghast at what had happened to their local library.  I met pupils from Preston Manor and Claremont high school and from Preston Park, St Joseph's and Mount Stewart primary schools.

The secondary school students were very concerned about the loss of their local library as a place for studying during the forth-coming half-term holiday. With six libraries now closed they expect the Town Hall and Willesden Green libraries to be over-crowded with queues of students wanting to use the computers for research. Last summer the students spilled into the Town Hall itself due to the shortage of space when the libraries were all open. If Willesden Green closes for rebuilding the situation will be even worse.

Some of the students also mentioned that the libraries were places where they could meet up with their friends to study but also to socialise. Congregating elsewhere, in cafes etc, would cost money, and in addition was often seen as threatening by older people. The library was a place where different generations could feel comfortable with one another.

Preston Manor students have organised a petition and Claremont students expressed an interest in doing the same. One student expressed concern that it was older people who were standing out in the cold and asked, "Aren't the youth helping" and of course we said their support would be more than welcome and we may see more joining the vigil over half-term next week.

The conversations with younger people were often heart-rending as they struggled to understand why anyone would want to take away their library. Even after long patient explanations they would turn to me hopefully and ask, "But when will it open again?"

A pensioner echoed the youth in arguing that the library was a warm, welcoming place that encouraged him to get out of the house and meet in a congenial place where he knew the staff and some of the other users. It kept him walking as it was a manageable distance from his house aided by his walking stick.  "Where can I go now?" he asked plaintively.   Other older people were worried about books and DVDs they had borrowed and could not return and the possibility of large fines which they could not afford.

I won't go into a big diatribe against the Council but do wonder if they really realise how much pain and worry they have caused to people they promised to protect from Coalition cuts.