Farce or Fascism? Brent approves restrictions on free distribution of literature

Needless to say Brent Executive rubber stamped the proposal on licensing leafleting on designated land this evening but were left in doubt that that their decision was based on a poorly researched and imprecise report with no detail on interpretation and every sign of having dangerous implications for free speech.

I can honestly say as a school governor that a document like that would have been thrown out by a governing body.  I told the Executive it was hard to decide whether their proposal was farce or fascism, but it was likely to fall between the two.

Despite Tara Brady of he Brent and Kilburn Times circulating a copy of the actual e-mail from the Brent Council which stated 'Charities would be exempt from these new rules and political parties exempt during  election times' Cllr James Powney insisted that all along they had meant all activities for political purposes would be exempt.

Cllr Powney dug himself further into a hole when he claimed the proposals were not just about the Olympics but long-term and across the borough, despite the report stating 'These controls are being sought now to assist with the effective control of literature distributors anticipated during the Olympic period in an attempt to reduce the amount of waste printed material deposited in certain areas of the borough'.

Those designated areas include streets far away from the Wembley Olympic venues such as Shoot Up Hill, Station Road Harlesden  and Edgware Road.

As Sarah  Cox said on behalf of Brent Fightback we should not have to rely on Cllr Powney's interpretation of phrases such a 'political purpose' but have precision and clarity in the documentation.

Small businesses and people organising  cultural events,  jumble sales and fund raising activities will be faced with high fees and restrictions on their activities.

There will now be a 14 day consultation but this is only about the Council's proposal to designate certain areas or roads where the licence will be required rather than the scheme as a whole.

Cllr Powney failed to answer a question from Cllr Helga Gladbaum on whether Brent Council had the capacity to enforce the proposed regulations.

Shahrar Ali, Green Party candidate for the London Assembly Brent and Harrow constituency said:

I can think of little more pernicious act than for a council to impose upon its citizens a requirement to seek advance approval for the dissemination of their literature, whatever was written upon it. It is no business of the council to restrict the free exercise of speech or to charge people for their exercise of it or to prevent readers from making up their own minds about whether they want to receive it or not. This is a dark day for Brent and surely one of the worst instances of this administration's evident contempt for the people.

You can read Brent Fightback's leaflet by click on the PDF below:

Fire in Central Wembley

Fire fighters have been tackling a warehouse blaze near Wembley Central station. No casualties have been reported but there are road closures to give access to emergency vehicles and for public safety,

Check out the Brent and Kilburn website for updates LINK and Harrow Observer LINK

The Tale of Two Tories

Certainly the most colourful by- election leaflet

I bumped into Venilal Vaghela the former Conservative council election candidate who is standing as an independent yesterday.

We chatted about interests that we have in common (he is a member of Brent Sustainability Forum) and then turned to the reasons he is standing against the official Conservative candidate in what could be seen as a marginal ward.

Although his leaflet says he is 'fed up' with the Labour Council he told me that he is also fed up with Brent Tories. Apart from neglecting Barnhill ward, which they should have been nursing as they held it prior to 2010, ("It used to be ours") he also blames them for ineffectual leadership, failure to turn up at crucial meetings and community events, and incoherent contributions to Council debates - with the possible exception of Reg Colwill.

Vaghela is campaigning on issues such as too many shops selling alcohol, too many betting shops and the need for a crematorium in the borough.

I have not met the official Conservative candidate whilst canvassing yet, but it is a big ward so that is understandable. I hope to meet her so that she can tell me what she thinks about Venilal's  candidature. have seen many of her leaflets rain sodden on the pavement and in the front gardens of the ward - I am not sure if the new powers Brent is seeking means that it could force her to pick them all up!

Council target children's library membership - but where are the libraries?

From Preston Library 'wall of shame'

The drastic drop in library visits and books borrowed since the closure of half of Brent's libraries has challenged fundamentally Brent Council's claim that the 'Libraries Transformation Project' would improve the service and increase uptake.

The department has now written to primary schools urging them to sign children up for library membership and offering class library visits. The children's poet Michael Rosen recently advocated a library ticket for every child when they start school to foster a love of books and this is something I strongly support.

However, the problem is that for Brent primary aged children and for primary classes this will only work if they have a neighbourhood library within reasonable walking distance. Because of the closures this is not the case for many schools and I doubt, given the numbers involved, that outreach staff would be able to cope.

When the Town Hall Library moves to the Civic Centre it will put the library out of reasonable walking distance of children on Chalkhill - not because they can't walk but because the time taken to walk to and from the library would eat into other learning time in an already crowded curriculum. With half an hour in the library this would make an hour and a half out of school - we can hardly expect schools to start booking coaches to take their children to the library!

The aim of encouraging children's membership is laudable but is this also an attempt to boost the visits and borrowing figures?

Dear English Subject Leader,

Every Child a Reader / Every Child a Library Member

As part of Brent Libraries commitment to help develop and foster a lifelong love of books and reading in all Brent children, we would like to encourage all schools to sign children up for membership under our new libraries’ membership  drive. The process of doing this is very simple. If you can provide us with the names of all the children in your school, we will complete library membership forms and issue each child with their own library membership ticket.  This is a special school library ticket that will be kept at the library ready for school class visits.   Borrowed books can be used at school and taken home.  The child’s address will be care of the school address with the school administration email address for communication.  May we stress however that the school will not be liable for any book losses.  Emails will be sent to the school once books have gone three months’ overdue but these emails printed in hardcopy format just need to be brought to the library so that staff can sort out any problems.  There will be no fines to schools.

This is a wonderful opportunity for all Brent children and we would like to encourage you to contact your local library or myself to arrange for library tickets for all your children and of course book regular class visits to the library.  Regular class visits include the opportunity to borrow books from a great range of children’s picture books, graphic novels, fiction and information books, develop information skills and enjoy some lovely storytelling with library staff.  Brent Libraries also offers computers for learning, and some wonderful storytelling, cultural and learning events delivered by some of the best authors and artists in the UK.  There are also after school homework clubs with a qualified teacher to support children’s learning.

We look forward to receiving the list of names from your school for library membership and booking a library visit.  If distance is a problem for visiting your local library, an outreach visit to your school by library staff can be arranged.

Yours sincerely,

 

Sarah Smith

Libraries’ Development Manager

Chalkhill children need summer activities

St David's Open Space very early Sunday morning

I was pleased to see that football posts have now been installed at St David's Close Open Space on Chalkhill. This was one of the requests made by local people and Chalkhill Primary School children at a meeting held with the head of Brent Parks and Sports and Cllr Choudhary in October 2011.

Because of the further delay in the building of Chalkhill Park in my role as Chair of Governors I have backed the request by Chalkhill Pupil School Council for the refurbishment of the BMX track at St David's and installation of a skateboarding area.

The overgrown BMX track

With the new Chalkhill Park now not likely to open until November as work has not yet started (see below) we have asked for the BMX track and skateboarding area to be ready for the summer holiday. Along with activities at Poplar Grove Youth Centre this would give children and youth from Chalkhill some facilities during the break.

The Chalkhill Park site two weeks ago

I understand but have not had confirmed that a contractor has been found to build the Park. Brent Council Parks and Sports department are employing Bike Track to consult with the people of Chalkhill on the possibility of a BMX track or alternatively/additionally a skate boarding/scooter park area.

Leaflet Licensing: regulation gone mad?

Would he fire Ann John?

Despite the Council's clarification of their understanding of 'political purposes' I am still very sceptical about their proposed leaflet licensing system and whether they will be able to enforce it.  For those of you who have not been able (or could not face) downloading the document I print below the proposed Licence Conditions for Distribution of Free Literature.  It made me feel sorry for the poor small businesses trying to make a crust faced with this tangle of regulation.

All licences will be subject to the following standard conditions. Licences may also be subject to specific conditions based upon the application details.

1. All staff engaged in the distribution of free literature shall wear an authorisation badge with photograph of the distributor issued by Brent Council bearing the licence number and showing the name, address and contact telephone number of the licence holder so that it is clearly visible.

2. The above authorisation shall be produced on demand to an authorised officer of the Council or other relevant agency, such as the police.

3. All staff engaged in the distribution of free literature shall wear a hi-visibility safety tabard provided by the licence holder and marked ‘Authorised Distributor’.

4. No free literature shall be left unattended by staff for the general public to take at their discretion.

5. All places in the vicinity of free literature distribution, must be kept free of discarded literature so that the area does not fall below grade B of the Government’s Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse at any time. If an authorised officer of the council judges that the standard has been breached as a consequence of the distribution of free materials, his judgement will be definitive at the time. Challenges to that assessment will only be accepted

through the formal appeal process.

6. The free literature must bear the name and address of the licence holder who is responsible for its distribution unless exemptions have been agreed by the Council.

7. Applications for consent must be made not less than 14 days before the required date for the distribution of free literature.

8. Licences will be subject to the payment of a fee to be paid at the time of the application.

9. No free literature shall be placed on, attached to, affixed to vehicles, buildings, street furniture, telephone boxes or structures.

10. No free literature which encourages irresponsible consumption of alcohol can be distributed. This includes examples of: offering free alcoholic drinks; drink vouches; discounted drink offers; all in bar offers; unduly cheap sales; happy hours and similar promotions. It is recommended that responsible promotions for alcohol carry the Drink Aware message.

11. If an authorised officer requests the consented staff to pick up discarded literature, the staff member shall do so immediately.

12. If litter is created which is in need of urgent clean up, the licence holder will be liable for the full cost of the necessary street cleaning operation.

Can you imagine the contestants on the Apprentice trying to tackle their assignments in Brent?

Seriously, have the Council the capacity and the police the time, to enforce this?

HS2 - your neighbourhood needs you

The pub, Paradise by Way of Kensal Green is at 19 Kilburn Lane, Kensal Green, W10 4AE (Harrow Road end of Kilburn Lane)

The Barnhill by-election debate

Storm clouds over Barn Hill yesterday

A week or so ago I asked my rival Labour candidate in the Barnhill by-election seven questions about his stance on a number of issues.  I have published his responses fully HERE (Under comments).  I welcome the chance to make the discussion accessible to Wembley Matters readers.

It is only fair that I put my own views on the issues forward, although as some were premised on being a member of the ruling party on the Council, they are not directly comparable.

1.This is the case with my question asking about a conflict between the interests of voters and Council policy. I can only say that as a rule Green councillors are not whipped by their Group so they have a degree of independence that does not apply to the other three parties.  There are rigorous democratic processes within the Green Party: one person one vote, twice yearly conference making policy and as in the case of deciding whether to give Ken Livingstone our second preference Mayoral vote, a full and open London Federation of Green Parties debate followed by a show of hands vote. I was attracted to the Green Party by its open democratic nature and suggest that the Brent Labour Party is much more centralist in comparison.

2. I would support a London-wide campaign of  council resistance against the cuts imposed on London boroughs by central government. The cuts are disproportionate compared with councils outside London, unfair and adversely impact on the poorest in our society. Ken Livingstone in the days of the GLC made that organisation a centre of resistance against Margaret Thatcher. He said he would lead such a campaign as London Mayor when I asked him about it at the London Federation meeting.

3. Voting against implementation of cuts if they are clearly damaging local people and the Council's capacity to offer adequate services. With more cuts in the pipeline and now expected to continue beyond 2015. If things continue as they are I  think there will come a point when it is a 'cut too far'. Brent Labour has veered between arguing that they have managed to make cuts that won't hurt people ('transformations' rather than cuts) and admitting that the cuts are bad but their hands are tied. In this way they end up doing the Coalition's dirty work for them - managing and implementing the cuts, rather than fighting them. Coupled with 2 above I would advocate Councils devising a 'needs based' budget in full detailed consultation with local people based on deciding what services are necessary to ensure the quality of life of the people of Brent. These fully costed budgets would then be the basis of the London boroughs challenging the government with Councils potentially refusing to set budgets based on inadequate funding.

4.  The Council's ignoring of the petitions signed by thousands of people on library closures and the Willesden Green Regeneration is scandalous. Worse is their refusal to table the Old Willesden Library and Willesden Bookshop petitions at any Council meeting.

5. I would like to see a thorough overhaul of the Council's consultation system which has lost the confidence of local people and is feeding a cynicism and disaffection about local politics and democratic accountability which is potentially very dangerous. I have outlined previously on this blog LINK some of the ways that consultation is misused by Brent Council.

6. I am opposed to privatisation of council run services with particular dangers posed by private companies running elder care and child protection services. Low pay, lack of training and high staff turnover would put both the elderly and vulnerable children at risk. I reject the idea that our schools need to somehow 'escape' from the 'control of the local authority'. The local authority provides support to schools and ensures that they are accountable to the electorate. Brent primary schools are now performing above the national average. We put that at risk if schools go it alone and the School Improvement Service is cut as a result.  Government funds for expanding school places should be used to build new schools of a child-friendly family size rather than expanding our present schools to accommodate more and more pupils creating impersonal institutions with inadequate play space. I am against our schools converting to academy status and believe they should remain in the democratically accountable local authority 'family of schools'. 

7. Policies -

Champion facilities for children and young people including the early completion of the much delayed Chalkhill Park and refurbishment of the BMX track and installation of a skateboarding area in St David's Close on the Chalkhill Estate.


Reopen the closed libraries and provide adequate local authority finance and professionally trained staff

Press for concerted action by the Council to improve insulation of local housing and promote energy saving measures to reduce carbon emissions and energy bills.

Support parking rules that will help the traders on Bridge Road, Grand Parade and  Preston Road attract customers and thus promote thriving small businesses and diverse high streets.

Promote partnerships between the Council, schools,  the College of North West London and developers such as Quintain to develop training, apprenticeships and jobs in the emerging environmental  technology industries.

Challenge Brent Council's damaging cuts and their sham consultations, giving  local residents a strong  independent voice in the council chamber

Protect our green spaces from development particularly Fryent Country Park and the Welsh Harp

Promote safe cycle routes, particularly from Wembley to the south of the borough which will mean finding safe ways for cyclists to cross the North Circular