Brent Council to provide incentive for council tenants to downsize

With the 'Bedroom Tax' leading to protests across the country and some Labour Councils joining Brighton and Hove Green Council in announcing that they will not evict tenants in arrears solely because of the tax, Brent Council has announced that it will introduce an incentive for tenants to down-size.

So far neither they or their arm's length Brent Housing Partnership have defined what constituents an 'extra bedroom'. Some housing associations have reclassified small extra rooms as boxrooms rather than bedrooms thus avoiding tenants getting caught by the tax.

This is the  proposal to be discussed by the Executive at tonight's Brent Town Hall meeting:

"The Size Criteria, or ‘Bedroom Tax’ will be implemented for underoccupiers of social housing stock from the 1st April 2013, and tenants will receive a reduced amount of Housing Benefit to pay the rent with. Given the current demand on social housing, particularly from homeless households who will be affected by other Welfare Reform measures, transferring underoccupiers to right sized accommodation is favoured, and needs to be encouraged. The currently financial incentive offered to households to motivate the move is a flat rate of £1,000. The proposal is to increase this to £2,000 per bedroom released, per household (to a maximum amount of £6,000) to encourage underoccupiers to move to smaller homes. The cost of providing the increased incentive payments is offset against savings to both the Temporary Accommodation (TA) budget and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA)."

Councillors belatedly realise they can have a role in director apppintments

Brent's Labour Councillors seem to be arising from their slumber, albeit rather late in the day. Standing in for Muhammed Butt on April 18th, Ruth Moher gave the Leaders' report.  She is alleged  to have admitted,  when speaking about the proposed restructuring LINK , that councillors had only recently realised they should get involved in the appointment of Directors. I can only assume, although that seems rather incredible, that appointments have previously been made by officers themselves.
 
This adds a different perspective to my call at the General Purposes Committee  LINK that they appoint a strong director for education who will champion the local authority's role in education. Perhaps they hadn't realised they could do that?

Barry Gardiner says no demand for Michaela Free School and urges residents to make their views known

In a letter to a constituent, Barry Gardiner MP (Labour, Brent North) has said that he has seen no desire in Brent for the Michaela Free School which is run by Katharine Birbalsingh:

Although there is a shortage of school places in Brent, I do not think that a free school In Wembley is the best solution to this problem, especially as there has not been, to my knowledge, a call from the community to open such a school.

He goes on to urge residents to make their views known on the issue before tomorrow's deadline:

The school has not yet been approved by the DfE and as the consultation period is still open, I would urge you and other concerned residents to complete the online questionnaire so that the views of local people are taken into account. The deadline for submissions is on Monday 22nd April 2013 and the questionnaire can be found here: http://www.mcsbrent.co.uk/questionnaire/ .

Be aware that the questionnaire contains some seemingly fairly innocuous statements which few would disgree with but where agreement can be used to claim that the school is supported.

Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools, had written to Gardiner on behalf of Michael Gove and claims that Michaela have had 'production meetings' with Brent Council officials:  

The proposers of Michael Community School are committed to opening a school with a distinct ethos and high expectations that will serve disadvantaged communities in London. The Department considered that their application to open a Free School was strong   and we have been working with them seince September 20122 to develop their school. As Free School projects develop, there are often aspects of the original application that evolve and change. Ministers will consider the final location, evidence of demand and revised plans for the school before making the final decision to open the school.

The Michael Community School is proposing to open in Brent for September 2014. Following an extebnsive site search, the Education Funding Agnecy has been helping the proiposers identify as site which ahs the ca[acity for their proposed school and can serve disadvantaged communities. We believe it is likely that the school will help meet rising demand for places across Brent. The Secretary of State will also consider any evidence that the school proposers provide that the school will improve choice for parents alongside any evidence of basic need for places before deciding whether to enter a funding agreement.

Brent Council has been aware that the Michaela Community School was looking at potentially opening in Brent since last summer. I understand that representatives of the school have had productive meetings with council officials. The Department will write to Brent Council during the school proposers' consultation to seek their further views on the school before a final decision on whether to open the school is made. (My emphasis)

The Secretary of State will ot make the final decision on whether to pen the Michael Community School until the school is ready to enter into a funding agreement. By that point, the school's proposers will have completed a public consultation on the opening of the school. The Secretary of State will also consider the evidence of demand for the school and the potential impact on other nearby state-funded schools.

Finally, we are fully committed to making the Free School programme transparent and accountable. The Department will publish the final pre-opening development cost of each project shortly after the school opens. The Department will also publish the final capital cost of each school once it has been established, which can be after the opening date as sometimes work continues after a school has opened.

Clearly it is important that we know what Brent Council has said during the consultation. The fact that only 8 people in total turned up to the consultation meetings and most, if not all, were opposed to Michaela should have given Brent Council the message that the school is not wanted her.

It is telling that we cannot know the cost, which might well contribute to our views on the project until after the school has opened.


  

 

Green perspective on fragmentation of education through academies and free schools

For the record and for the wider audience beyond Brent interested in academies and free schools here is the letter I had published in the Brent and Kilburn Times two weeks ago:

Mary Arnold (Labour, lead member for children and families) claims  that Brent schools are 'far from fragmentation' and accuses me of 'distorted views'. In June 2011 the then Brent Chief Executive, Gareth Daniel warned against fragmentation of the education service when he spoke at the Brent Governors' Conference. In a reference to academies and free schools he said that it was crucial to keep Brent's 'family of schools' together.  He stressed the vital  role of the local authority when things go wrong in individual schools

At the same conference Krutika Pau, Director of Children and Families,  urged governors to keep their eyes on the long-term and reflect on the permanent damage that would be caused by a fragmented school system.

In May 2012 Mary Arnold herself wrote to Queens Park Secondary Community School which was considering academy conversion and said:

'It is vitally important to maintain high levels of collaboration across Brent’s education community and avoid the risks of fragmentation from academy conversions.

The government’s school reform legislation, the huge reduction in capital spending just at a time when population increases demand school expansion in Brent (and London-wide) and the diversion of funding away from local authorities towards academies is changing the education landscape and putting significant pressure on local authorities.'

Now In April 2013 we only have one non-academy non-faith secondary school left in Brent: Copland High School, which may well come under pressure after its recent Ofsted report.  In the primary sector Sudbury has converted to academy status, Salusbury converted to academy status with the Park Federation after Ofsted put it into Special Measures and Kensal Rise last week announced it was being taken over by Ark Schools. Academies are answerable to Michael Gove and not the local authority.

Gladstone Park Primary is under enormous pressure from Department for Education brokers to convert to academy status after just one poor Ofsted Report and despite its above average results.

Despite this escalation of the situation since the earlier warnings Mary Arnold now seeks to downplay the danger, She prefers to see this as a 'mixed economy' of schools rather than fragmentation and appears ready for this continue with the added ingredient of free schools over which the local authority has no control. Brent Labour Party appears to have given up the fight against Michael Gove's policies and instead seeks to work with them. An early promise to write to the DfE stating that the local authority thought that Gladstone Park had the capacity to improve with local authority support has not been fulfilled. Parents have been left on their own to challenge DfE bullying.

I understand that the argument within the council is that if they were to make a stand against the DfE and challenge forced academies it would bring the wrath of the DfE and Ofsted down on the council and local schools and make matters worse. An alternative view is that if the local authority acquiesces so easily the DfE will see easy pickings in Brent  and move to force more primary schools to become academies. The council's policy gives in to bullying and leaves parents and residents who want to support their local school and the benefits of the local authority school system out on a limb.

I spoke at the recent Brent General Purposes Committee calling for strong leadership in education that would champion the role of the local authority  in school improvement, in ensuring equality of access to schools, and in making schools democratically accountable to the local community. I too am proud of what Brent schools have achieved and want to ensure that this is not undermined by Michael Gove's ill-thought out reforms. I think this is best down by challenging forced academies, free schools and the privatisation of education  while Mary Arnold thinks  a softly, softly approach of collaboration which retains an arms length role for the local authority will succeed.


Martin Francis
Brent Green Party spokesperson on children and families

Greens make frontal assault on austerity agenda in local elections

As in all political parties in the Green Party there are different views and emphases and considerable debate, not least on issues such as the the implementation of cuts as a result of the Coalition's attacks on local government and its financing.

In Brent we have no elections coming up in May (unless the absent Lib Dem councillors do the decent thing and resign), but I thought it was worth sharing our party political broadcast with you:

Brent Central hopeful calls for Labour to embrace entrepreneurship

Sabina Khan promised something different as a candidate for the Brent Central Labour nomination and her  post on Progress on-Line LINK is certainly that.

Writing as a 'businesswoman and Labour activist' she calls for Labour to embrace entrepreneurship to harness the energy and creativity of youth:

There is another way to approach this. It involves making use of the third sector and social enterprise to promote collaborative working with communities to offer a practical vision for young people to engage in the world of work. By establishing a single national social enterprise operating across the country, funded and supported by central government, with the remit to help young entrepreneurs in turning their ideas, passion and creativity into businesses generating income and profit and a livelihood for them.

In addition this would support community groups to focus on developing young people as potential entrepreneurs. If a young teenage mother has a passion and talent for clothes and fashion, the community group should have the tools and support in place to spot the opportunity and encourage her to pursue her passion through the social enterprise. This government-backed enterprise would utilise the services of industry specialists, able to help and develop people and their ideas based on their own knowledge and experience of starting and running businesses. This last point is important as it needs to be a body seen to be competent and being able to ‘walk the walk’ in delivering in its goals.

It is often said that the best ideas and successful businesses arise during hard times.  Labour needs to position itself as the party of choice for young people by offering hope and a vehicle for their aspirations through innovative models such as this. By implementing this entrepreneurship scheme in conjunction with Labour's youth job guarantee, this will offer a real chance for everyone which breaks away from the idea that jobs are made only within the confines of existing businesses. Labour should commit itself to helping young people start their own businesses in this way.

There is only one comment so far on the article but the individual concerned seems to be well aware of Sabina's ambitions:

I can tell from your article you are a no non sense person and an Innovative Leader. Please take my word and do - become a politician. Britain needs people like you.

I felt the conviction, passion, attitude and strenght when I read your article and hope your idea can become a policy for the next Labour Goverment.

If I was eighteen years old or parents of an eighteen year old and you were my Member of Parliament candidate or your policy was on the table I will vote for you any day because I know you will make a difference to my life.

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