Reading, Writing and Rip-offs and Brent Schools tonight

BBC Panorama tonight at 8.30pm, BBC1 apparently includes section on Brent schools exploited by IT companies: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01n2t2f

Debate NHS changes in Stonebridge tonight

Dr Mark Spencer, proponent of 'Shaping a Healthier Future' will be debating with Graham Durham, of the Brent Patients Association, an opponent of the plans,  at this meeting tonight.

Muhammed Butt Q&A with Brent TUC on Wednesday

A message from Pete Firm, chair of Brent Trades Union Council

Muhammed Butt, the Labour Leader of Brent Council is coming to the meeting of Brent Trades Union Council this Wednesday evening, 26th September.

This part of the meeting will be a question and answer session with Councillor Butt, in which people may wish to ask him about the Council’s budget strategy and cuts, its relationship (or not) with chief officers, its involvement in the campaign to defend the NHS among other issues.

The meeting is open to all interested people, though preference in discussion will be given to Trades Council delegates, and is at the discretion of the chair. You are also welcome to stay for the rest of the meeting after Muhammed Butt has left.

Please try and arrive on time to avoid disrupting the meeting.

The meeting is at 7.30 p.m. at the Trades Hall, 375 High Road, NW10 2JR, near Willesden bus garage.
Map is here: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=522053&Y=184734&A=Y&Z=110

FA to build World Football Museum at Wembley?

From thisismoney.co.uk

The Football Association is hatching plans  to build a ‘World Football Museum’ at  Wembley Stadium.
A planning application has been submitted  to Brent Council in north-west London for permission to construct a building to display exhibits including a crossbar from the  1966 World Cup Final.

‘The new World Football Museum will house a unique private collection of football memorabilia which has been assembled over many years,’ the FA’s planning application says.

The FA expects up to 1,200 visitors through the doors every match day. The stadium stages up to 30 games and other events each year.

The new museum will be in the pedestrianised Olympic Way – known to fans as Wembley Way – near the stadium’s entrance.

The plans envisage a space half the size of the National Football Museum in Manchester, which opened in July. 

FA sources said the plans were still in their ‘early days’. One said: ‘Like all potential  ideas there are lots of hurdles along the way.’

Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-2207152/Football-Association-hatching-plans-build-World-Football-Museum-Wembley-Stadium.html#ixzz27J7WbZBX

Brighton Council sets out budget options

Further to the previous article I reproduce below the page on which the minority Green Council in Brighton and Hove is consulting on its budget.  Last year's consultation in Brent at the Area Consultative Forums consisted of  a presentation by Ann John and Muhammed Butt which was very broad sweep with few details or options. Audiences were rather frustrated as a result. Will the new leadership have a more detailed consultation in the new Brent Connects forums?

 Budget public event

The council is inviting anyone who lives in the city to come to a free event at Jubilee Library, Jubilee Square, Brighton on Wednesday, 26 September from 6.15pm to 8.30pm. Attendees will be able to have their say about how the council should plan for the future. 

Booking a place is essential, registration is free and only takes a few minutes. Please register using our budget public event booking form.

There are many ways you can get involved and have your say on the budget, find out more on our your money, your services, your say page and join the debate on twitter using #BHBudget.

Budget examples activity

During this event one of the activities will include looking at five broadly different ways the council could work.

You will be asked to consider 'what if the council used this way of working and how would it affect me?' As well as this it is worth considering how the different examples would affect others, such as:

• A single young professional, living in a shared flat in the city centre
• A single mother of a child aged 9, living on benefits
• A family of five - two working adults and three children aged 13, 7 and 3, living on the outskirts of Brighton
• An older couple living on their pensions

You can find out more about the examples by clicking on the links below. Each of these include suggestions of how the different ways of working may affect certain services and people.

• ’Just the basics’
  We provide only basic services and charge you for everything else you use
• ‘Prevention rather than Cure’
  We spend more now on tackling problems like anti-social behaviour before they cost more later on
• ‘Keeping services not cutting them’
  We deliver services tailored to individual needs, even if this means we will need to charge everyone more money
• ‘Partnership council’
  We deliver services through a partnership of the council, private sector & voluntary sector
• ‘Go for growth’ 
  We change policies and spend more to help grow the local economy

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’Just the basics’

Aside from some services that it must undertake, the council would provide only basic services (like social care, bin collection, council housing) and charge for everything else as and when you want it. 

This would reduce the amount of money the council would need to spend to fund services and mean that council tax might be lower or, at least, would not increase.

Here are examples of the changes this might lead to: 

• Collecting rubbish less frequently, say fortnightly. If you needed rubbish or recycling taking away any sooner you would pay an extra fee for the disposal of each bag of rubbish or recycling.
  - “I’m surrounded by students who make loads of rubbish compared to what I put out to be collected”(Single mother)
• Increasing charges for leisure, library or cultural facilities.
  - “It used to cost us £x to go swimming together on a Saturday morning. Now it costs £y. That’s a lot, but in truth we can afford it” (Mother in the family)
• Charging for the use of public toilets such as those in pavilion gardens, and not providing others at all.
  - “I do get caught short now and again. It seems wrong to ask me to empty out my purse each time.” (Pensioner)

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‘Prevention rather than cure’

The council focuses spending on services which work to stop behaviour or events that lead to higher costs for the council in the future. 

Long term, the prevention of these issues would reduce the overall financial burden on the council and public services in the city, but in the short term more expenditure might be needed. This may only be achievable by cutting back on less critical services until long term costs reduce. 

Here are examples of the changes this might lead to: 

• Spending more now on tackling anti-social behaviour, alcohol and substance misuse before these become expensive problems further down the line. For example, Community Support Officers could patrol parks to prevent and deal with anti-social behaviour. Similar to the government’s stop smoking campaigns, more resources could be put into helping people reduce drug and alcohol use.
  - “I spend a lot of time in the parks. I feel a lot safer seeing people on patrol.” (Pensioner)
• Talking with families and communities early to prevent or seek early resolution of cases of domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, substance misuse, anti-social behaviour, school exclusion, etc.
  - “This is a waste of money. Even if every resident’s problems were sorted out, there would always be more people turning up. People should sort out their own problems.” (Young professional)
• Working with health services and other partners to find ways to maintain people in their homes and communities for longer, avoiding the need for more expensive care.
  - “This has made a great difference to the quality of life of my parents, and, to be honest, a great difference to us in terms of not having to pay fees to nursing home.” (Wife in the family)

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‘Keeping services not cutting them’

The council delivers all services on the basis of need without any extra charges. This means people paying for services they may not use but which are vital to others. 

To deliver all services for free would require an increase in overall revenue, including revenue from council tax. 

Here are examples of the changes this might lead to: 

• Children’s Centres that deliver more services free of charge.
  - “I don’t see why rich families with lots of children should be able to use Children’s Centres for free when they have the money to pay. It was their choice to have so many kids.” (Single mother)
• Health related gym passes.
  - “Why should I have to pay for other peoples gym passes, their health is nothing to do with me. (Young professional)
• Garden waste collection for all properties.
  - "I live in a flat and don't have a garden, why should my money go towards this service." (Pensioner)

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‘Partnership council’

Services are still provided to businesses and residents but not necessarily delivered directly by the council. 

This could reduce the cost of those services to the council and council taxpayers.

The council would play a supportive role in making sure that services were delivered in a way that best suits the community and the city. 

Here are examples of the changes this might lead to: 

• Adult social care could be delivered through a combination of reduced council provision but increased private and voluntary sector organisation provision.
  - “I’m worried about ending up in a private care home after some of the things I’ve read.” (Pensioner)
• Neighbourhood councils could involve communities more in local decisions. Community organisations might then be invited to deliver services, for example, parks or street cleansing.
  - “I’d love to be involved in some of the decisions that affect me, but no-one listens to me at present.” (Single mother)
• Youth services could be provided by community/voluntary or private organisations working in partnership with the council.
  - “I’m involved in a youth club. I’m sure we could run some of these services better than what the council does.” (Teenager in family)

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‘Go for growth’

The council re-directs more funding to help build the local economy. Spending on the transport system would ease congestion, for example. More new homes would be built to attract new investment. Loosening of planning regulations would enable swifter building of housing and business developments. Targeted business rate discounts could be introduced to make the city more attractive to investors. 

In the short term council income would be reduced which could endanger some basic city services like bin collection and libraries. 

In the longer term people should have more money to spend as the economy should thrive which in turn will create more jobs as businesses can take on more staff, which in turn leads to more growth. There would also be revenue from an increased number of council tax payers and extra business rates from more companies. 

Here are examples of the changes this might lead to: 

• Spend more money on better infrastructure to improve how people can travel around the city, which could help businesses develop.
  - "It takes a long time to get around the city in rush hours because of the congestion.” (Young professional)
• Invest more in affordable housing to attract people and businesses to the city.
  - “I just can’t find any decent jobs in Brighton, which is why I’m stuck in this one bedroom flat." (Single mother)
• A reduction in business rates to encourage big businesses to set up in the city.
  - “We have a pretty good life, but the worst thing about it is commuting up to London. I wish there were more better paid jobs in Brighton & Hove so I could spend more time with my kids.” (Husband in family)

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Key questions for the anti-cuts movement as councils start budget setting process

Brent Council, along with all other local councils and public sector bodies, are beginning the process of formulating its budget this month.   The anti-cuts movement is faced with what to say to councils as they review their policy in the face of reduced central government funding.

I outline some of the issues below. In the last two Brent by-elections Brent Green Party has stood anti-cuts candidates and the party as a whole has opposed the austerity agenda. However it is no secret that there has been disagreement over the minority Green council in Brighton and Hove, where a 'Purple Coalition' of Labour and Conservative councillors defeated the Green budget. The Greens rather than resigning, decided (with one dissenter) to work with the budget, which has led to the implementation of cuts.

Green Left, of which I am a member, organised a public debate on the situation which was reported in Red Pepper.LINK Romayne Phoenix, a supporter of Green Left, who is Chair of the Coalition of Resistance, stood in the recent leadership election which was won by Natalie Bennett. However, Will Duckworth,  her running mate, won the deputy leadership contest - not on the highest number of votes but because of our rules which require the deputy should be male if the leader is female and vice versa.

I think the main issues are:

1. Probably fundamental - whether local authorities have any real power when most of their funding comes from central government and that has been cut and is to be cut further.  LAs of whatever political complexion end up delivering central government cuts locally and have little room for manoeuvre once statutory services have been provided.
2. Whether devising a 'needs based' budget - either to shape an actual over-spend budget or as a campaigning tool to show the area needs more money than government.funding provides, is a demand we should make.
3.  If it is, how should we go about campaigning for such budgets and what form should consultations with the local community take?
4. Where do we stand on the raising of council taxes when local councils argue that this is the only way to protect vital services. Aren't  council tax rises,  particularly with the changes in council tax benefits, going to cut the disposable income of the poor even more?
5. If we decide that such rises are needed should we be triggering a local referendum on them to bring the cuts right out into open democratic debate?
6. The Brighton Question - the Socialist Party/TUSC are busy 'exposing' Labour (and probably Green) councils who implement cuts and advocating old Militant/Liverpool solutions of setting deficit budgets to defy the Coalition and being taken over by commissioners etc. They are planning to stand TUSC candidates in the local elections and re are busy building their platform now. (See Fightback Facebook http://www.facebook.com/groups/151133068251358/)
7. Recognise that cuts are being passed down the line and that soon school governing bodies will be facing making cuts in staffing (if they have not already done so). What should Green and anti-cuts governors do? (In answer to the question 'Are schools allowed to submit a deficit budget?' Brent Council  has responded 'No. A school that identifies a potential deficit must submit a deficit recovery plan, and work with [the council's] Children and Families Finance department to get formal approval for the deficit and recovery plan'.)
8. How do we build an anti-cuts movement across local authorities involving trade unions, political organisations, voluntary groups,  single issue local campaigns, patient groups, parents, etc?

Whistles, leaks and the public interest

In its 'Council at War' front page story on September 6th the Brent and Kilburn Times, LINK apart from  reporting the proceedings of the Brent Labour Group regarding the relationship between Muhammed Butt, the current Brent Council leader, and Gareth Daniel, then the Chief Executive, also published extracts from a series of e-mails.

The content of the e-mails vividly illustrated how the relationship was at breaking point. Daniel accused Butt of writing in a 'vitriolic and accusatory tone' and Butt described Daniel's e-mail as 'aggressive' and doubted whether they could continue to work together.

The Council's whistle blowing policy  is mainly aimed at uncovering fraud and offers protection to the whistleblower.. The most prominent local case has been Hank Roberts' reporting of alleged fraud over bonuses at Copland High School in a case which is ongoing. He has received official recognition for his whistleblowing.

In the case of community  schools the whistleblower can go to the chair of governors or the local authority. As far as academies go it is not quite so clear, particularly if the alleged fraud involves the chair of governors. In that case it goes straight to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State, who has an increasing number of such schools under his direct management.

What happens in the case of the council when the whistle blower is confronted with evidence of a major bust-up between the two most senior people on the council?  It is not fraud or even unlawful but surely it is in the public interest that residents should know about a matter that directly impacts on the efficient running of their public services. Surely council employees have a right to know that their employers are at war with each other?

So someone leaked the e-mails to the press; perhaps a council employee with access to the e-mail accounts of both men, or a councillor with similar access. Either way I imagine they would have to have been quite senior.  It seems unlikely that Butt or Daniel themselves may have done the leaking - but these are the strangest of times. The central question for me is: does this leak constitute a form of whistle blowing? Some might argue it was all just tittle tattle.

If the leaker was an employee, their union representatives may well be able to mount quite a strong case that the leak was in the public interest and so he or she should be protected. 

Policies are derived from the Public Interest Disclosures Act 1998 and this section seems relevant:

Disclosure of exceptionally serious failure.(1)A qualifying disclosure is made in accordance with this section if—
(a)the worker makes the disclosure in good faith,
(b)he reasonably believes that the information disclosed, and any allegation contained in it, are substantially true,
(c)he does not make the disclosure for purposes of personal gain,
(d)the relevant failure is of an exceptionally serious nature, and
(e)in all the circumstances of the case, it is reasonable for him to make the disclosure.
(2)In determining for the purposes of subsection (1)(e) whether it is reasonable for the worker to make the disclosure, regard shall be had, in particular, to the identity of the person to whom the disclosure is made.

The last section looks a little dodgy and comes back to the question of whether there was anyone else, other than the press, to whom a disclosure could have been made. There is also the question of whether the employee is in breach of a duty of confidentiality that forms part of their contract.

From the trade union representative point of view this could be a fascinating case. When I was a Natsopa print union representative at Reuters back in the 1960s I found myself handling some bizarre cases. One involved defending a worker who was found lighting paper in the basement of the Reuters building, apparently to set fire to it, Another was a studious young man fresh from college who took a week's unauthorised leave without contacting the management. On his return they decided to sack him.  It turned out that he had used the time to come up with some ideas for automating the workplace  and reducing the workforce. I found myself negotiating to stop the sacking of a union member who wanted to do us out of our jobs!

On reflection this case may be more straightforward and I wish Unison or any other union involved the best of luck.

(By the way I 'won' both cases with appropriate help for the workers involved)

ARCTIC ICE CAP MELT - VITAL MEETING WEDNESDAY

London Public Meeting Wednesday 26th September  7pm

  Indian YMCA, 41 Fitzroy Square, London WC1 (Great Portland Street, Warren Street or Goodge Street tubes) 

 With Professor Peter Wadhams, Head of the Polar Oceans Physics Group at Cambridge University and John Vidal, Guardian Environment Correspondent (just back from a trip on the Greenpeace ship to the Arctic) To be sure of a place you can now register in advance for this meeting HERE

 Organised by the Campaign against Climate Change with the Arctic Methane Emergency Group 

The Arctic ice cap is disappearing before our eyes: this is the first large scale unmistakable impact of climate change, clearly visible from space. The Arctic sea-ice broke an all time record for lowest ever extent on Friday 24th August (after breaking several other records according to other methodologies of measurement by other scientific institutions etc…). This was a bombshell because it was nearly a month before you would expect the ice to reach its seasonal minimum – it is still decreasing now and we can expect it to continue decreasing until around mid September. (so we should probably have a good idea of the absolute minimum by the time of this meeting). 

What does this mean for our estimates of when the Arctic will be completely ice-free at the end of the summer?

What will be the consequences when this happens?

How will it affect the Arctic biosphere, its animals its indigenous people? 

More to the point how will it affect the rest of the world, global weather patterns  and the agriculture and food supplies dependent on those? 

What about the melting of the permafrost? How fast will that happen and how much will that accelerate global warming? 

What about the methane hydrates under the Arctic ocean?. How suddenly might they be released? Are we looking at apocalypse tomorrow? 

Professor Wadhams is a leading expert on sea ice. Whilst the forecasts of the IPCC for instance have been left well behind he has been at the forefront of those in the scientific community predicting a rapid disappearance of Arctic sea ice. In his own words : 

For 40 years I have been measuring sea ice thickness in the Arctic from UK submarines. I first detected substantial thinning in 1990, and since the most recent submarine voyage in 2007 I have been warning that the combination of sea ice retreat and a massive amount of thinning will lead to the disappearance of the summer sea ice by as early as 2015. Despite the fact that this is a simple extrapolation of a clear and measured trend I have been vilified by scientific colleagues for making such a seemingly radical prediction. I am pleased to see these same colleagues now jumping on the bandwagon and supporting my prediction

Come to this meeting to find out how significant what we are now seeing really is – and what the future might hold.