Chalkhill demonstrates its 'Get Up and Go' at community event

Willow plans - will Chalkhill residents lose out?

Chalkhill residents displayed a 'get up and get things done' attitude yesterday when they met for their AGM and Community Information fair.   The regeneration of the estate and the recent positive publicity around Chalkhill Primary School's excellent 'good with outstanding features' Ofsted report fed a mood of optimism, although the impact of cuts cast a shadow over the future.

On the optimistic front we were told that there was a meeting in a few days to consider the bids for the work on constructing the new Chalkhill Park and work should begin within 4 weeks. It is hoped to open the park by June 2012 but things could be delayed in the event of severe winter weather.

Winston Small, the new manager of the Poplar Grove Youth Centre told the meeting he had already taken action to restore the MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) at Poplar Grove.  Along with a possible restoration of the BMX track at St David's Close and installation of a skateboarding area, the shared community/school play area at Chalkhill School, and the new park with its two children's playgrounds, adult exercise equipment and 'kickabout area' much needed facilities for children and youth seem to be taking shape.

Barry Gardiner spoke about his work with youth and particular concerns about disproportionate use of stop and search of black youth. Gardiner and Chalkhill youth had raised the issue of lack of respect and transparency in the way stops were carried out with the Borough Commander. A new App had been adopted as a pilot in Brent. This will allow youth to record the reference number of the stop, the officer's number and whether they had been treated respectfully.  The information would be publicly available making the process more transparent and accountable.

We applauded Elmi. who had worked on this issue with Barry Gardiner,  a member of the CRA and the Chalkhill Wanderers football team, who has just been awarded a Masters degree. He said that he would not have been able to achieve what he had without the support of the Residents' Association. Louisa, another young member who works with local youth spoke about the success of the Chalkhill Sports Academy, which is funded by Ward Working. She said, "We're all neighbours but we don't know each other. Working together lets you know that we have issues in common and we can do something about them".  She paid tribute to the support they received from Barry Gardiner and Shafique Choudhary, one of the local ward councillors.

Among issues that residents felt needed to be addressed were confusion over the new recycling arrangements and the 'cyber inequality' experienced by residents who could not afford land telephone lines.  I told residents that we had 20 free (15 hour) nursery vacancies at Chalkhill available for any children who have their 4th birthday before August 31st and some residents said that full-time places would be really appreciated by the community.

The current consultation on the future of the Willow Children's Centre was a concern. There was some confusion over what the proposals might actually mean for local families.  It was strongly felt that the Willow was a resource that formed an integral part of the regeneration of the estate and a route to tackling deprivation. If the number of places was reduced because it was switching the priority to providing for disabled and special needs children this would impact on the community.

The information note to parents and carers states (LINK):

Nursery services will continue at Willow but the focus from 2012 onwards will be towards providing places for children with disabilities or children in need. Although there will no loss in terms of the number of places at Willow, the allocated places for children with disabilities and children in need will increase. The current children will not be affected in terms of places but in the future this will lead to a reduction in the number of general fee paying and NEG (15 hour free entitlement) places. In addition to this as a result of the proposed restructure your child’s key worker may change

It is not clear what proportion of the available spaces will be taken up by children with SEN or disabilities and how many ordinary places will be left for local children. The proportions will also dictate whether the Willow is mainly a 'special nursery' or an integrated provision.

Full consultation details are HERE. The consultation ends on December 14th and decisions on the reorganisation of the Willow Children's Centre and closure of Treetops and Hamony nurseries will be made in January 2012.

Veolia under scrutiny on human rights

Brent councillors will shortly be receiving a letter (LINK) signed by 302 borough residents setting out the case for Veolia, the French multi-national, to be removed from the list of potential  contractors for the new 25 year, multi-million contract for the West London Waste Authority. A similar letter has been signed by residents in the other five boroughs that constitute the WLWA.

The case is based on the premise that in its activities in the illegally occupied territories:

a) Veolia has demonstrated racist practices in its recruitment policies; and

b) Veolia has been guilty of grave misconduct through its active participation in violations of international and humanitarian laws and norms

Veolia is one of the company's on the current 'long-list' from which the WLWA will be making a short-list soon.

Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign is holding a meeting on Tuesday November 22nd at 7pm at Willesden Green Library to discuss the issues concerned (see notice below):

Kingsbury stabbing an 'isolated incident in a safe area'

After the stabbing of four policemen this morning in Kingsbury, the community police liaison officer for Queensbury Ward  has issued the following statement to the community: BBC Report HERE

This morning at approximately 8 o'clock there was a incident in Kingsbury High Road. Police officers were dealing with an individual who became violent.  Three police officers were hurt during this.

The individual has been arrested.

The officers who were involved are from Harrow Borough, the officers are receiving medical attention and the injuries are not life threatening.

I would like to reassure you that this was an isolated incident, Kingsbury is a safe area and I would encourage you to pass this message into our community.

Officers will be carrying out further patrols to reassure the shop keepers and local business in the area as well as the community of Queensbury and Kingsbury.

'Secret' woodland opened up by Parks Department

After the Dog Control Orders another piece of good news from Brent Parks Department.  A small but precious piece of woodland is being opened up on Barn Hill. The wood is between the large expensive houses of Barn Hill and the Pilgrims Way council estate and includes the disused tennis courts that have now been colonised by small trees, shrubs and brambles (circled below)

Birds' eye view with woodland area circled

It was surrounded by an 8 foot fence which protected wildlife but also prevented public access. The fence was broken down and dangerous in places and is currently being removed.

The woodland this morning, alive with small birds

 The Parks Department said in a letter to nearby residents:

The Council recognises the importance of the wildlife in this area and aims to enhance the wildlife. The aim will be to have a mosaic of woodland, a few footpaths through the woodland, some open areas with herbaceous vegetation and nearby grassland areas.

The lower tennis court backing on to the estate, where the surface remains relatively intact, will be retained as an informal 'kick about' football area for local children and youth.

Good news on a lovely autumn day, although the pear tree next door, in full blossom, seems confused by the unusually mild weather!

Brent's Housing Crisis under the spotlight on Sunday

Victoria Hall in Wembley Park under construction - now occupied

Martin Cheesman, former Brent Director of Housing, warned more than a year ago that housing benefit cut would hit local families hard, with many families unable to afford the rents of housing in the area.

The cap comes into effect early next year but families are already being given notice to quit by private landlords and are having to be move into temporary accommodation, including bed and breakfast placements in hotels. The Brent Budget report to be discussed by the Council on Monday predicts this will make a significant impact on Brent's already depleted budget. Some families are having to move to Milton Keynes or even Birmingham to find affordable housing with a disruptive impact on the children's education.

Single people, and especially the vulnerable, will be badly hit by the Cap and will be required to share accommodation as Housing Benefit will not be enough to pat the rent on a one bedroomed property in the area.

The problem is compounded by developers reluctance to build affordable housing in the current economic and they have switched investment to other areas included the building of student accommodation in the Wembley Stadium area. In all there will be about 2,600 students in the Stadium area, about 10% of the population.

This could, with careful planning, have benefits for the area if amenities are provided locally that students will use and thus benefit the local economy. It could bring some much-needed creative political thinking into the borough, However if their needs are not addressed students will use amenities close to their colleges and Wembley will lose out ,with the blocks becoming little more than dormitories.

This is the accommodation, built, under way or planned: Victoria Hall, Opened September 2011 - 436 places; Quintin iQ, to be completed by Summer 2012 - 660 places; Dexion House - consent granted 14.06.11 - 661 places; Quintain NW Lands Planning Committee approved 12.05.11 subject to Section 106 agreement and GLA approval, 880 place

Clearly though if the building of affordable housing is put on the back-burner by Quintain and other developers, local families already on the waiting list will suffer as well as those made newly homeless. In the Spring council rents in Brent are likely to rise by 7%.

On Sunday Barry Gardiner MP is holding a public meeting on the housing crisis at 3pm on Sunday at Brent Town Hall.  The meeting with examine standards, costs and availability in private rented housing.

The debate on Sunday will discuss the likely impact on vulnerable private tenants in light of the coalition government’s Housing Benefit caps. It will also focus on the impact of current rent rates and housing conditions on low-waged people in work, particularly young people and students, who are finding it increasingly difficult to save for a property of their own as a result of ever increasing rent rates.

Speakers at the event will include Chris Williamson MP, shadow minister for Communities and Local Government, Jacky Peacock, director of the Brent Private Tenants Rights Group, and Navin Shah, London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow.

The meeting will start at 3pm in Committee Rooms 1-3.

December 22nd - Wembley Central by-election

The Returning Officer for Brent has decided that the by-election to fill the vacancy in the Wembley Central ward will be held on Thursday 22 December.

Anyone wishing to stand for election may submit a completed nomination form between Friday 18 November and 12noon on Friday 25 November.

The nomination forms are available from the Electoral Services office at Brent Town Hall.

  

The by-election follows the resignation of Labour councillor Jayesh Mistry.

Brent Fights Back at the People's Assembly - Video

Thanks to BNCTV for this footage of last week's People's Assembly

High Court ruling on libraries may have ramifications for Brent decision

A ruling in the High Court reported by the Independent today may have some relevance to the upcoming High Court decision on Brent libraries:

Judge McKenna, sitting as a deputy High Court judge, ruled Somerset and Gloucestershire had failed to comply with "public sector equality duties" owed to vulnerable social groups, including single mothers, children, elderly and the disabled.

The judge declared the decisions were "not merely unlawful decisions, but in substance 'bad government', and it is important to the rule of law to give due respect to these issues of equality".

The ruling means that Gloucestershire council must reconsider its plans to withdraw funding from 10 of its 38 libraries and the withdrawal of its mobile library service.

Somerset must reconsider its plans to end funding for 11 of its 34 static libraries and four of the six mobile libraries already off the road.

James Goudie QC, appearing for the councils, warned the library campaigners that the victory could turn out to be an "own goal" - and even more "draconian" reductions in library services could be introduced.

He said that, when the local authorities came to reconsider their decisions, it was at least "highly likely" they would make the same decisions again.

He said: "They might actually be more draconian from the point of view of those challenging libraries' closures than the decisions made months ago."