Veolia question banned at Wembley Connects on grounds that it may 'offend'

A question regarding the Brent Public Realm contract and Veolia was cut short by the Chair, Cllr Wilhemena Mitchell-Murray at the Wembley Connects forum this week.

Michael Calderbank got only about 20 seconds into his question for Cllr James Powney when Mitchell-Murray cut him off. saying that some people had found the Bin Veolia leaflet distributed earlier 'offensive' and she wasn't prepared to let people be offended. To be fair Cllr Powney himself seemed willing to answer the question.

The leaflet raised the issue of Veolia's conduct in the occupied territories of Palestine where its operations are claimed to be complicit in supporting illegal settlements.

In contrast, after initial opposition, people were heard at the Kilburn Connects event last night where Cllr James Denselow was more sympathetic.

News from the Coming Soon Club, Wembley

The Coming Soon Club is at 5-7 Wembley Hill Road, on the corner with Wembley High Road, opposite Wembley Stadium Station

From the Coming Soon Club LINK

Well, the weather is warming up, we are very pleased to have reached 409 Coming Soon Club members and our spaces are all brightened up for the summer, fresh paint, new signs and new users.

This is my last newsletter before I head off on maternity leave.  I just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed bringing the project this far and to thank you all for Making Your Ideas Happen in Wembley.  It has been an amazing year.  Next week is the anniversary of the opening of the shop and I am very proud of everything that has happened and hope that it continues to go from strength to strength.  I have met so many interesting and inspiring people and I know that the project will continue to grow over the coming months.
Desmond and Jessica are being joined by an experienced Project Manager, Jessica Courtney Bennet.  Jessica has run projects in Whitechapel, Willesden and Sutton amongst others and is going to be a great asset to the project.

So what is happening next;

We are pleased to have Love London Cycles in the Coming Soon Club shop this month.  The bikes look great in the windows and there are going to be some bike repair workshops over the next couple of weeks.  If your bike needs some TLC before the summer or you are looking for a new bike please do pop in and chat to Corey and Jaine.

Joseph Cook has also put together an inspiring window display in the warehouse, it promises to be a great asset to the street over the next couple of weeks.

The Coming Soon Club shop space is filling up with bookings if you would like to try out your business idea please complete the application form or get in touch with Jessica, Jessica and Desmond.  Remember you can apply to use the space at any time.

Cottrell House Enterprise Space is nearly ready and we and the Decorators would like to thank those of you who have volunteered over the past few weeks to help to get the space ready, you know who you are - Thank You.  The furniture and signage will arrive next week and final bits of painting and cleaning will bring it all together.  We will then be ready to welcome you to come and work in the space and begin to build the community there.

We will be holding a small opening event on Tuesday 23^rd April 3 -7 pm.  Please come along and have a look around and see how this shared workspace is going to work and talk to us about how you can get involved.  The applications for the café operator have now closed but we are accepting applications until the end of April (final date to be confirmed) for the Studio and Fixed Desk spaces please download the application form from the website.  Access to the co-working desk area will be on a day by day basis be open to all CSC members from as little as £2.50 a day.

best wishes
Alison

Brent tells Gove Gladstone Park improvement should be via local school partnership

Yesterday I had another letter published in the Brent and Kilburn Times responding to Mary Arnold's letter of the previous week when she accused me of having 'distorted views' on Brent Education.

In yesterday's letter I wrote that 'Brent Labour Party appears to have given up the fight against Michael Gove's policies and instead seeks to work with them. Parents (a reference to Gladstone Park parents fighting forced academy status) have been left on their own to challenge DfE bullying.

A posting appeared on the Brent Labour website by Mary Arnold containing the very welcome news that Brent Council has written to the Michael Gove asking him to accept that Gladstone Park's school improvement plan is 'most effectively delivered with the support of a local school partnership'.

Gladstone Park is the latest school to be challenged by Michael Gove's obsessive drive to academise all schools nationwide. 

When Ofsted comes and finds weaknesses, the DfE has a single solution to insist on a 'management change' which Gove equates with status change and imposing a sponsoring academy. This is regardless of the school's track record, the improvement plans or the parents' views.

We have a major responsibility to represent our parents and pupils to ensure high standards. We have written to the Secretary of State to ask him to accept the school improvement plan that would be most effectively delivered with the support of a local school partnership that is both knowledgeable and experienced in our children's needs.

The Academy Commission Report pointed out that academy status alone is not a panacea for improvement - some academies are good, some can turn round schools and others are failing or have weaknesses. As the Gladstone plan is declared fit for purpose and the school is keen to deliver with early signs of raised achievement already, it is more sensible to concentrate on this rather than disrupt the structure and disadvantage the pupils and teachers.

Our schools must not have inadequate standards or under perform but we know in Brent, based on sound evidence, that local federation and partnership is the best solution

Cllr Mary Arnold is the lead member for Children & Families at Brent Council

Kilburn Times names Brent officers facing the axe

I reported recently on the restructuring of top jobs at Brent Council which would cut a number of senior positions. The Kilburn Times in an exclusive this week puts names to some of the those facing redundancy..

I'll let you read the full list in the paper or on-line LINK but they include Krutika Pau, Director of Children and Families; Phil Newby, Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement; Chris Walker, Assistant Director for Planning Development and Toni McConville, Director of Customer and Community Engagement.

Consultations and negotiations are still in progress. It will be a difficult and uncertain time for those concerned.

Last days of the Palace of Industry, Wembley

Mark Cummins, Lib Dem councillor for Brondesbury Park, is reported in today's Wembley Observer as calling on Quintain Estates to 'rethink their plans to destroy one of the last remnants of the Wembley Empire Exhibition'. As you can see from the video, which was taken today, the destruction is almost complete and Cllr Cummins is too late.

Quintain estates turned down an appeal from local historian Philip Grant to at least leave one wall of the historic building, one of the first to extensively use reinforced concrete,  in time for celebrations of the 90th anniversary of the British Empire Exhibition which takes place next year.

Brent's lack of respect for our local heritage continues...

Glenda 'tells it like it was' in magnificent anti-Thatcher speech

Magnificent speech by Glenda Jackson who represents parts of Brent as well as Camden. The  section of her speech on the state of schools and classrooms back then absolutely ring true to my experience as a teacher at the time. Unfortunately schools like Copland are experiencing the same kind of conditions now.

Labour 'Young Turks' may challenge for Brent Executive positions

The challengers are probably too young to remember this!

The Brent Executive may have a more youthful profile following Labour's Annual General Meeting in May. AGMs of any organisation are an occasion for elected positions to be open to challenge and part of that process is for members to assess the performance of the incumbents and consider alternatives.

According to my sources among the incumbents under particular scrutiny this time round are Cllr Lesley Jones, Cllr Mary Arnold and Cllr James Powney. 'Alternatives' that have been mentioned include the very able Cllr James Denselow who has a background in journalism; Cllr Michael Pavey, energetic Barnhill by-election winner, who is  a school governor and has launched a high profile campaign to safeguard Children's Centres; and Cllr Roxanne Mashari who yesterday announced she was not standing for the Brent Central parliamentary selection. Presumably experience as a member of the Brent Executive would stand her in good stead in any future parliamentary bid. I have heard that Cllr Lincoln Beswick is not expected to carry on but Jim Moher, contrary to weekend reports, is to stand again.

Meanwhile Cllr Butt himself has contributed a new blog on the Council website which calls on residents to campaign on cuts to the fire service and on the A&E closures. This adopts a slightly harder line than previously.  LINK

Following my posting yesterday on the front runners for the Brent Central selection I have had somewhat conflicting information. There has been a suggestion that Cllr Ann John has joined James Powney in backing Catherine West but others claim that West is seeking nomination in another constituency.

Apparently there has been some disquiet that members of the short-listing panel, who it is claimed should remain neutral, have been involved in backing particular candidates. Meanwhile I have let all the  prospective candidates I am aware of  that in the interests of an informed public I am happy to carry their Guest Blogs on this site.

Brent Housing Action launched to campaign on housing emergency

After a successful strategy meeting last night Brent Housing Action has been formed and a website and Facebook group have been set up.

The website states:

Brent Housing Action was formed by a group of residents, campaigners and community organisations in Brent in April 2013.

We want to support our friends, our neighbours and one another to fight against cuts to vital benefits and to the threat to our homes an communities. We want our council to support us in challenging changes which might mean the difference between home and homelessness for over 600 Brent families. And we need your support.

The next meeting with be on Tuesday 23rd April 7pm at Mencap High Road Willesden,
 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/brenthousingaction/

http://brenthousingaction.wordpress.com/