Wembley Stadium Primary Academy/Free School a step closer?

Wednesday's Brent Executive will discuss a recommendation to acquire a site in Fulton Road, Wembley for a new primary school.  The site is next to the retail park on Engineers Way and is currently occupied by industrial units. The report admits, 'While this may not at first sight be the most prepossessing of sites for a junior (sic) school it could over time become a reasonable school site'.

This is because the draft Wembley Area Action Plan envisages changing current uses to mixed development with a large element of 'residential use'.Quintain estates have submitted sketches that show the school could fit on the site with play areas away from Fulton Road, Quintain intend to redevelop the edges of the retail park for different 'non-bulky' retail uses, parents could use the retail park's car parking to pick up and drop off children, and in the longer term the retail park will be replaced by housing and a park giving 'a much better outlook for the school'.

Brent Council is faced with two options regarding the proposal which relate to Section 106 agreements with Quintain signed in December 2011.

The first option proposes that the Council receives two payments of £1.25m in 2013-14 and 2014-15 which, with any interest must go towards education provision in the Wembley area.

The second option is for the Council to 'purchase' the industrial site, which has the same notional value as the Option 1 payments and so they argue, will be at nil cost to the council. Now holding the freehold they would have until 2030 to construct a school. Meanwhile they would gain rents from the industrial units which, apart from paying for any repairs or improvements, must be used for school provision.

The report says that under Option 2 they could choose to clear the industrial site for affordable housing as long as all proceeds go towards providing school places in the Wembley area.

The controversial issue of Brent Council  going into partnership with a free school provider is touched upon. The report states that the government has made it clear that new schools must be either academies or free schools but notes that 'the council has a period to 2030 in which to build a school on terms which it may support'.

There appear to be some risks inherent in the council's approach to the land acquisition.

Will the current occupiers be able to keep up their rents, maintain their tenancy in the current economic conditions? 

How much of the rent will be used up in repairs and improvements? 

How much compensation would they have to pay to the tenants if they decide to build on the site and will there be sufficient funds available for compensation from the rent the council has collected? 

How contaminated is the land from its previous industrial uses - particularly during the Second World War?

Will Quintain's housing development go ahead given the state of the building and housing market and Quintain's recent move into building student accommodation in the area as a more lucrative market?

 Some of these issues are covered in an Appendix 2 which is not available to the public

Natalie Bennett sets out the Green Party's strategy

Brent voluntary organisations invited to apply for grants

Voluntary organisations in Brent have until 3st October this year to apply for the second round of funding from Brent Council's Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund.

Organisations can apply for cash to finance projects that meet one of the council's five priorities. They are:

• community safety
• regeneration
• supporting children and families and enabling young people to thrive
• improving health and wellbeing
• improving the environment and enhancing Brent's cultural offer.

Voluntary organisations can download an application pack with further information about the grants at www.brent.gov.uk/grantap plication.

In addition, they attend a special workshops which Brent Council is organising to give advice and guidance about the grants.

Call 020 8937 3674 or email SPI@brent.gov.uk to book a workshop place or for more information about the grants. The final close date for applications is 12noon on 31st October 2012.

Schools in turmoil - debate the changes on Thursday

Changes in education are coming thick and fast and it is hard to keep up, let alone work out what they mean for children, parents, teachers, headteachers and governors in our schools.

There is an urgent need for a discussion about the changes that are taking place. Brent teacher unions, supported by Brent Fightback, have organised a debate open to everyone in Brent who is concerned about the future of our education system, both nationally and locally.

Academies and free schools, changes in the curriculum, the crisis in the exam system, increases in the size of primary schools, the shortage of primary school places which will soon extend to secondary schools, the role of school governors, changes in the way schools are supported by the local authoirty and privatisation are all issues which cry out for debate.

The debate that will take place on Thursday 20th September at Copland Community School from 7-9pm.

Speakers will include

Melissa Benn, a local parent, writer and journalist who recently published 'School Wars - the battle for Britain's Education'

 Jon O'Connor, regional manager of the Cooperative College which supports schools setting up as cooperatives, cooperative federations or cooperative academies

Mary Arnold, Brent Council's lead member for Children and Families

Martin Francis, Brent Green Party spokesperson on Children and Families

Hank Roberts, ATL President and a Brent teacher

The meeting will be chaired by Gill Wood, local parent and school governor

Harlesden leads the march to Save Central Middlesex Hospital

More than 200 people joined yesterday's march to Save the NHS and Save Central Middlesex Accident and Emergency ward. They marched from Harlesden's Jubilee Clock to Central Middlesex Hospital where a rally was held which included speeches from trade unionists, patients, community activists, Navin Shah AM; Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council; and Cllr Krupesh Hirani, lead member of Brent Council for health and adult care.

Lessons from George Benham, previous Brent Chief Executive

A young Gareth Daniel gives Benham his farewell card

 I have managed to unearth some details of when the previous Chief Executive, George Benham, was removed from his post.

From the Daily Mail, July 17th, 1998:

THE highly respected chief executive of a Labour-controlled council has been forced out with a £700,000 payoff and a former Leftwing member of the GLC installed in his place.

Council tax payers will have to foot the bill for George Benham's sudden departure from Brent Council in favour of Gareth Daniel, a former Labour parliamentary candidate and close colleague of Brent East Labour MP Ken Livingstone.

Last night Tories accused the Labour group at the North-West London council - once renowned for its 'loony Left' policies - of a scandalous waste of council tax payers' money.

The £700,000 payoff included a car and a £51,768 pension brought forward 10 years,

Benham left 8 months before his 4 year contract had expired and had worked for Brent for 13 years, previously as Director of Education.  His salary as Chief Executive was £115,000 annually.

Benham went on to become headteacher of Cardinal Hinsley Catholic Secondary School anxious to prove his mettle after years of giving advice to headteachers. He only lasted a short time before quitting amidst high staff turnover and complaints from teachers that he was unable to control violent pupil behaviour towards staff.

Join Save Central Middlesex A&E March on Saturday

Any shift in cuts strategy after Daniel's departure?

There is no official news of the pay-off that Gareth Daniel is likely to get following his departure as Chief Executive but informed speculation starts at £1m.  His salary was more than £200,000 and there are precedents in Brent for handsome pay-offs of senior officers including that of a former Director of Education.

The cover arrangements for the post are in several stages:  Fiona Ledden, Director of Legal and Procurement, will be the immediate stand-in but she will be replaced by an 'external interim Chief Executive' in the next few weeks, pending the appointment of a new Chief Executive which could take several months.

If the clash between Daniel as Chief Executive and Muhammed Butt as leader was over cuts, then budget plans could be in for some revision as well as the crucial decision over whether to raise Council Tax. This is an area where senior council officers (4 out of 6 of whom declared their support for Daniel) are likely to intervene in the interregnum which coincides with preparation for next year's budget. It is here that the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects will be influential.

Brent Council Executive does not seem to have considered the possible deletion of the Chief Executive post as some councils have done LINK

Fiona Ledden, in my experience of  observing council meetings, is a woman of few words, but those she does utter, as perhaps befits her legal background, are always on the side of caution and following the letter of the law.