Brent homelessness on the rise and worse to come

The extent of Brent's housing crisis is set out in stark terms in a report going before the Council Executive on April 23rd. LINK

Brent Council is expecting to receive 440 homeless applications in the final quarter of this year, the highest since 2007-8.  The rise in demand follows government changes in the Local Housing Allowance which caps the maximum payable for different sizes of accommodation.

While some landlords have accepted a decrease in rental income as a result, others have not and are have evicted tenants; withdrawing from the market or letting to other types of households.

Total current demand on the Housing Register, including homeless households in temporary accommodation and the Transfer list is just over 18.500 households.  In contrast the Council expects only 871 lettings into permanent housing tenancies (Council and Housing Association) by the end of 2011-12. At the end of February 2012 there was a total of 3,136 households in temporary accommodation and this is expected to rise. At the same time the amount of subsidy  the Council receives from central government for self-contained temporary accommodation has been capped and the Council has to meet any shortfall.  The Council has hitherto sought to provide such accommodation within the borough but to minimise costs there has been an increase in out of borough placements, particularly for larger households. Between February 2012 and March 2012 out of borough placements rose from 104 to 120 and the figure is forecast to rise significantly in the future.

As a result of these pressures Executive members are being asked to approve letting projections based on different demand groups. (Appendix D) of the document.

The report assesses the likely impact of the Overall Benefit Cap. The Department of Work and Pensions forecast that in Brent around 3,500 households would be affected. Brent initially though that larger households in the private sector would affected but having worked through some examples they think it wlil be smaller households. For example a couple with three children living in the south of Brent in a 3 bedroomed property could have a £100 weekly shortfall in their housing benefit.

The Council's revised 2011-12 budget for expenditure on temporary accommodation is £2,306,000 which includes a housing benefit subsidy budget loss of £500,000.  As a result of the pressures outlined officers are now forecasting an overspend in the current financial year of £354,000. The temporary accommodation budget for 2012-13 is £3,440,000 in order to mange cost pressures and increased demand. Although the Council expects to break even they state: 'there continue to be significant risks attached to the Council's ability to control demand led pressures..while ensuring statutory duties are met'.

Seven questions for Michael Pavey

A couple of weeks ago, one of Barnhill's Labour councillors stopped me outside the Town Hall to urge me to join the Labour Party.  I told him that I had left the Labour Party 47 years ago  and couldn't rejoin as I still had some socialist principles. He told me that I was wasting my time with the Greens and should join up so I could help change local Labour from within.

I am afraid I guffawed.

There are decent people in Brent Labour Party, and I count some of them as friends, but I don't respect the lack of democracy that is evident in their policy making and decision making. With an all powerful leader, acquiescent Executive, backbenchers limited to ward working and a browbeaten rank and file membership, the party has become separated from ordinary people.

Michael Pavey, Labour's candidate for Barnhill, dropped me a friendly note earlier this week and I am sure that he is a fine fellow: 'I think most people who have dealt with me, think I'm a pretty straight sort of guy and I am..' as Tony Blair said. Having talked to councillors from various parties I recognise that most of them started out as local community activists who wanted to see improvements in their area. Often the choice of party when they decided to stand for the Council was almost incidental, depending on who they bumped into and who asked them, but it is what happens once they are elected that concerns me.


Cllr Ann Hunter remarked recently that she put her ward before party and it is clear that she has had her disagreements with the Lib Dem leadership, and was of course a Labour councillor until she resigned from Labour over Iraq.  She said this openly while some backbench Labour councillors have let it be known privately that they are opposed to library closures and some of the other council  cuts, and there are persistent rumours that in the Executive George Crane has his reservations and Jim Moher is more aware of the contradictions than many.


Despite all this, not one Labour councillor, Executive or backbencher, has come out openly to question any of the policies apart from Cllr Claudia Hector who made her opposition to the demolition of the Old Willesden Library public in a message to the Keep Willesden Green public meeting.  Once enmeshed in the part machine the activist becomes another rubber stamping, silent and privately resentful, automaton.


So given all that I have some basic questions for Michael Pavey:


1. If he is elected, what will he do if there is a clear difference between the interests of people in Barnhill and a particular Council policy?


2. Will he urge his fellow Labour councillors to initiate a London wide Labour Council resistance against the cuts demanded by the Coalition government?


3. If this does not happen and the cuts are clearly damaging local people, at what point will he vote against implementation?


4. Does he support the way Brent Council has ignored the thousands of people opposed to its library closure programme and more recently the regeneration of Willesden Green Library?

5. What will he do to restore the credibility of Brent's consultation system, criticised by many residents, campaigning  groups and our respected local newspaper?

6. Where does he stand on privatisation of council services, council sponsorship of a free school and academy conversions?

7.. What are his policies for Brent Council action (apart from support for the 'back to work scheme'.)  Like the Labour candidate in Wembley Central his literature only refers to GLA and Government issues, and not to what Brent Council have done or will do.

I snogged Ken 20 years ago but I've gone off him now...

It's funny the comments you get when campaigning.  The one above  came from a woman at Kensal Green station last week who had been put off by the male boorishness of both Livingstone and Johnson.  We went on to sensibly discuss the merits of Jenny Jones as a possible deputy mayor to Ken Livingstone.   People vote for all sorts of reasons but the mayoral contest does seem to keep coming back to personalities rather than policies.

The candidate's personal foibles can become an issue.  My mother was keen on Ken as a 'good old Londoner' and  had  a signed photograph of him on her bookcase but she went  'off him' for six months or so when he suggested 'If it's yellow let it mellow - if it's brown flush it down' as part of a campaign to save water! 'Disgusting man!'

Speaking to people last week Jenny does seem to be making progress as people get bored and irritated by the other two and she is seen as being sensible and constructive in contrast. Her intervention on candidates' income tax has won many accolades and generally she is seen as having cut through Boris's bluster with cool facts and observations a number of times.

Jenny is expected to be in Wembley on Wednesday of next week. Do come and talk to her if you can. Full details when I have them.

Barham Pop Up Library to open on Saturday

Friends of Barham Library will be opening a Volunteer POP UP Library on Saturday 21 April 2012 in a former nursery building next to Barham Primary School in Danethorpe Road Wembley.

Barham Library situated in the popular Barham Park is one of the 6 libraries closed by Brent Council last October. The friends of Barham Library have been campaigning ever since to get the Library reopened and have offered to run it with the help of volunteers and through fund raising effort. Brent Council have kept the former library building empty for over 6 months and have so far refused access to local volunteers.

According to Francis Henry, from Friends of Barham Library as over half of Barham Library's active users were young people under 19 years of age it is the local youngsters who have been hurt most by the closure.

Although the Volunteer Library will serve the whole community irrespective of age and background it the loss of a library for young people in particular that is the driving force behind Friends of Barham Library determination to get their library back. It is planned to operate the Saturday Library from Saturday 21 April 2012 until the end of July 2012.

"Barham Library was originally opened on 31 May 1952 and just like the Queen the Library is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee this year. Opening a Volunteer run Saturday Library next to a local school of helping to provide a much needed library service for local people" says Francis Henry who lives in Sudbury with his family.

Local people are being urged to show their support by coming to the opening of the Barham Volunteer Library on Saturday 21 April based in the old Nursery Building next to Barham Primary School accessed through the school entrance in Danethorpe Road Wembley. The library will be open between 10:30am and 2:30pm. on its opening day.

Friends of Barham Library are also urging local people to help by becoming volunteers, donating books, DVDs and CDs and by helping to fund raise.

Meanwhile the Independent has a story on pop up libraries elsewhere LINK

Getting Brent Youth Parliament involved in climate change issue

BCACC supporters - I am in disguise!

 In my role as Chair of Brent Campaign Against Climate Change I went with Jeff Bartley of Brent Council to talk to the Youth Parliament.

Along with the College of North West London we are planning a Conference on Climate Change for 6th formers and college students. The Conference will take place in March 2013 and we  want to get young people involved in the planning.  It is essential that we have their ideas at an early stage so that the Conference is participative and involving and based on young peoples' concerns.

I introduced the idea and Jeff gave a PowerPoint presentation on the plans so far. BYP members expressed support for a debate to be included in the day and like the idea of  hands on experience with green technologies. Younger members aged 11 and 12 had plenty of comments and contributions as well as their older colleagues and some fundamental questions were asked including 'Is the aim to prevent climate change or deal with its impact?' and 'What has careers advice got to do with climate change?' 

We hope to work on a separate event for primary schools to take place in Autumn this year.

Years ago I was involved in the group which set up the Youth Parliament and so it was good to see it in action. The Parliament reflected Brent's diversity but girls predominated today - perhaps because of the football match happening just down the road at the same time!

Wembley drinking ban unenforceable

 

The ban on public drinking of alcohol for this weekend's semi-finals proved difficult to enforce today in Bridge Road, Wembley.

At 11.30am fans were openly drinking on the street and I asked several police officers what was happening with the ban.

One officer said that they could not possibly enforce it but could try and limit it to certain areas, so drinking was going ahead on the shops side of Bridge Road, where the crowds were, but the ban was being enforced on the Ark Academy side where mainly locals were walking to avoid the fans.

Bridge Road, railway bridge

On the railway bridge officers stood by while drinking carried on but further down the road two officers were making fans pour the contents of their cans onto the pavement.

An officer told me that the Council could pass all the laws they like but it was 'impossible' to enforce with so many fans drinking.  A more senior officer said that it was crazy that drinking was banned on the pavements which belonged to Brent Council but allowed on Olympic Way which was privately owned. He said that it risked confrontation to make someone empty a drink on the bridge pavement, while below fans were openly drinking on the approach to the stadium.

When I remarked that it seemed quiet and peaceful at present, he said the real test would be after the match. Meanwhile fans were leaving the area to claim their seats in the stadium and left their public drinking evidence behind.

Another perspective was provided by a shopkeeper who said that his business had been affected by the ban. He relied on pre-match drinks sales for revenue to keep his business afloat and said because of the ban and the parking restrictions he was thinking of closing. Shops were told to close their off-licences one hour before the match.

The shopkeeper was particularly incensed that ASDA around the corner was able to continue selling alcohol. He felt that the street drinking ban was introduced by Brent Council at the behest of Wembley Stadium where drinks are sold at exorbitant prices.

Missing Lib Dems: cock-up, cop-out or conspiracy?

Despite queries from our assiduous local newspaper reporters, we still don't know why the Lib Dems aren't standing in the Barnhill by-election on May 3rd.

Greens will be pleased though as the failure of Lib Dems to stand will mean that several forests will be saved given the usual scale of their leafleting in by-elections.

Perhaps they realise that they have contributed to a rise in Brent Council's recycling rates through their Wembley Central and Dollis Hill campaigns and no longer want to contribute to Cllr Powney's PR offensive.

If anyone out there knows more about this political mystery please drop us an e-mail or comment below.

Brent Council pension deficit per head highest in England claim Taxpayers' Alliance

The right-wing pressure group, Taxpayers' Alliance, as part of their campaign against 'too generous' local government pensions, has today listed the pension deficit for local councils.

Brent Council has one of the largest deficits per head of population according to their figures:

Top 10 deficits per head

Merthyr Tydfil, £2,268
Brent £2,267
Rhondda, Cyon, Taff £2,063
Gateshead, £2,040
Neath Port Talbot, £2,001
Hackney, £1,931
Hammersmith and Fulham, £1,899
Newham, £1,718
Blaenau Gwent, £1,708
Lambeth, £1,660


LINK