Vernon says mental health is now 'core business' for the Met

Patrick Vernon, who is campaigning for Labour's Brent Central nomination has posted an article on his blog  LINK about the Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing in which he took part.

He said:

The inquiry report makes mental health core business for Metropolitan Police Service. At times it was real hard and emotionally challenging to examine and review the 55 cases along with listening to the families’ experiences of the systematic failure leading to the death of their love ones. Respect to all the families who are still fighting for justice and peace

Some of the key findings in the report include:

• In most cases, there were failures in systems, mis-judgments or errors by individuals, resource limitations, poor co-ordination with other services or discriminatory attitudes towards people with mental illness that led eventually to these deaths.
• People with mental health issues complained they were treated like criminals by the police. They also felt individuals with mental health issues were handled with too much force, that the police should engage more with the families, and that police and NHS staff should have more mental health training.
• Many families said they could not understand why there was not better liaison between agencies. Some professionals made similar points in evidence.
• The Commission did have access to MPS files. However paper files and records were incomplete. This is clearly unacceptable for a 21st Century, customer-focused police service.
• Care pathways must be recognised and developed and there needs to be greater operational working together, such as inter-agency working within the NHS, clinical commissioning groups and local government.
• The Commission’s report was based on evidence direct from families over five years, MPS files as well as wide consultation with the public, service users and professionals. The Commission panel was independent and made up of experts who gave detailed consideration to the evidence.

Meanwhile Vernon, along with Muhammed Butt and former Brent South MP Lord Boateng, are involved in a project aimed at mentoring individuals who have been through the mental or criminal justice systemsL

PLIAS Resettlement is stepping up to the mark to fill a gap with the development of a mentoring programme geared towards supporting the over representation of BME individuals who have been through the criminal justice or mental health systems. PLIAS is offering a solution based mentoring and support programme for BME members of the community which aims to reduce re-offending.  This project supports alternatives to custody and diversionary activities by delivering supported care in the community.

The mentoring programme is the cornerstone of PLIAS Resettlement Court Liaison and Diversion Project. By equipping and empowering BME individuals with mental health issues to improve their lives and achieve their vision through personal mentoring relationships, PLIAS Resettlement is positioning the organisation to be a major advocate for BME individuals to guide them into making good choices for themselves

Wembley Connects Forum gets a new chair

Cllr Krupa Sheth

Cllr Mitchell Murray

Cllr Krupa Sheth, (Labour Wembley Central) will take over chairing the Wembley Connects forum from Cllr Wilhelmena Mitchell Murray in the next round.

Sheth, who lives in St Michael's Aveneue, won the Wembley Central by-election in late December 2011 at the age of 20. She will be quite a contrast to the 'tough cookie' Mitchell Murray who controversially stopped discussion of Veolia's human rights record in occupied Palestine at the last Wembley Connects on the grounds that a section of the audience found the topic 'offensive'.

Mitchell Murray has a large personality which, accompanied by a sometimes sarcastic sense of humour, was given free reign at the forum. Krupa Sheth's personality and sense of humour has been largely hidden from public view.

Cllr Sheth was involved in her own spot of controversy when a member of the public accused her of texting throughout a vital Planning Committee discussing the Willesden Green Library redevelopment. She defended herself by saying she was looking up information about the issues under discussion.

Cllr Mitchell Murray has taken over the  chair of the Children and Young  People Overview and Scrutiny Committee from Cllr Roxanne Mashari.

New Committee Chairs and members for 2013-14 approved at Council AGM

Brent Council's Annual Meeting this evening was enlivened by some well-deserved Community Champion Awards which went to a very representative range of Brent's diverse community. Lincoln Beswick,  in an often emotional speech, nominated Bobby Thomas as Brent's first Mayor of Jamaican origin. The significance of the occasion was marked by the presence of the Jamaican High Commissioner and even more by the crowd which came forward to record the moment on cameras and mobile phones.

Otherwise the evening was marked by a considerable amount of mutual political grooming on the last occasion in which the meeting will take place at Brent (formerly Wembley) Town Hall. The move to the Civic Centre will take place in mid-June.

The Executive and Committee positions were confirmed and the members of each of the main  committees is recorded below. The political balance is shown in brackets (Labour/Lib Dem/Conservative). In addition there are first and second alternates. Full details will be on the Council's website.

GENERAL PURPOSE (6/3/1)
Butt (Chair), Hirani, Mashari, J Moher, R Moher (VC), Pavey, Brown, Hopkins, Lorber, Kansagra

SENIOR STAFF APPOINTMENTS SUB-COMMITTEE (3/1/1) Important in light of senior officer restructuring)
Butt (Chair), Denselow, R Moher (VC), Lorber, Kansagra

PLANNING (7/3/1)
Aden, John (VC), Kabir, Kataria, Powney, Ketan Sheth (Chair), Singh, Cummins, Hashmi, CJ Patel, Baker

ONE COUNCIL OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE (5/2/1)
Chohan, Harrison, Long, Mitchell Murray, Powney, Ashraf (Chair), Lorber, Colwill (VC)

BUDGET AND FINANCE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE (5/2/1)
S Choudhary, Kataria (VC), RS Patel, Ketan Sheth, Van Kalwala, Brown, Hopkins (Chair), HB Patel

CALL-IN OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE (5/2/1)
Daly, Jones (VC), Kabir, RS Patel, Krupa Sheth, Ashraf (Chair), Lorber, HB Patel

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (5/2/1)
Aden, Al-Ebadi, Arnold, Gladbaum, Mitchell-Murray (Chair), Matthews (VC), CJ Patel, Kansagara
(There are also co-optees and observers on this comittee)

HEALTH PARTNERSHIPS OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE (5/2/1)
Daly (Chair), Harrison, Hector, Hossain, Ketan Sheth, Hunter (Vice Chair), Leaman, Colwill

BRENT CONNECTS FORUMS - Chairs
HARLESDEN: Hector
KILBURN AND KENSAL: Oladapo
KINGSBURY  AND KENTON: RS Patel
WEMBLEY: Krupa Sheth
WILLESDEN: Jones

Reprise: The Battles of Kensal Rise and Preston Libraries

I thought that after today's news it was worth playing these videos again. Respect to the Kensal Rise and Preston campaigners and those from Barham and other libraries.

Butt and Pavey refuse to back Copland teachers' action against forced academy status

Well that didn't take long! Brent Council released this statement a few minutes ago:

Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council has today urged teachers at Copland school not to go on strike, after they announced their intention to take action at a Governors meeting last night. Copland was placed in special measures by the Department of education earlier this month after it received a ‘failing’ Ofsted report. Under DfE rules, the School most now become an Academy.

Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council said:

“Nothing is more important than our children’s education. I am a trade unionist myself and hugely supportive of workers’ rights but our children’s education is at risk at Copland and strike action can only make things worse. I strongly urge all teachers at Copland to reconsider and to work together with me, children's parents and the Government to deliver the best possible outcome for the school.”

 Cllr Michael Pavey, Lead Member for Children and Families said:

“I am opposed to forcing Schools which are not failing to become academies, but this is simply not the situation at Copland. Our children deserve a better education than they are currently receiving there and no governance arrangement is more important than that. I urge teachers to stay at work and be part of the solution.”

Testing time for Pavey as Copland strikes against forced academy status

Cllr Michael Pavey, who took over as lead member for children and families at the weekend, has hardly filled up his ink well and manoeuvred his long legs under his desk, but already a big problem has landed in his lap.

Teachers at Copland High School have decided to strike next week on Thursday May 23rd in the first of what could be a sequence of actions over the DfE's decision announced yesterday to force the school into academy status.

Pavey, who has signalled a more robust approach to free schools and academies, will have to decide whether to support the staff, and possibly the governors, in resistance to forced academy status.

On Monday Cllr Pavey had a discussion with the Parent Action Group at Gladstone Park who have fiercely campaigned against a similar move at their schools. An extraordinary meeting of the Gladstone Park Primary School's governing tomorrow will hear a report-back on the recent meeting between some governors and Michael Gove which was held at the DfE.

Brent Labour's 'Spring Clean' continues as Ann John deselected and Powney not short-listed

The Preston Library 'Wall of Shame' demonstrates residents' anger

 It's a bit like one of those property programmes on TV when an 'expert' moves in to help sell a house that hasn't attracted any buyers and proceeds to move out all the old furniture and give it a lick of paint and other cosmetic touches..

This is what Brent Labour appear to be doing, with first the new look Executive replacing some of the tired veterans, and now Ann John has been deselected making way for a new face.  John's demise will appear to many as the result of library closures coming home to roost. James Powney failed to make the short-list for his own Kensal Green ward but could apply for another ward.

Mindful of Harold Wilson's dictum that 'a week is a long time in politics' Labour will be hoping that the electorate will be impressed by their spruced up property when it goes on the market in May 2014.

Certainly the new lead member for Environment and Neighbourhoods, Cllr Roxanne Mashari, will have to do far more than apply cosmetics if she is to deal with the toxic issue of library closures with the campaigns still up and running and the umbrella SOS Brent Libraries group due to meet at the weekend.

National Children's Day celebrated amidst the stress of SATs

 

It is perhaps appropriate that the first National Children's Day UK is being celebrated this week as 7 and 11 year olds are in the midst of their SATs, with the 11 year olds now having just sat the controversial SPAG test.

Many of those teachers and teaching assistants supervising the tests, despite their best efforts to keep things in perspective, are finding that children are stressed by them. I spoke to one Year 6 child last week who told me about waking up from a nightmare where she had been given a W (Working towards) grade rather than her expected Level 5.

National Children's Day is an initiative of the Save Childhood Movement and supported by a diverse group of organisations including  the National Trust, Play England, Play Scotland, Forestry Commission, Community Playthings, Project Wild Things and Leave Our Kids Alone.

Their website states:

  Celebrating the Rights and Freedoms of Children

    "There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace." 
                                                                              -Kofi Annan

We are launching National Children's Day UK on the 15th of May and everyone is invited to get involved. This is our first year - and it will be only two weeks after the launch of the movement - so help us spread the word! You can access our banner and posters here. We then hope to make it a much bigger affair next year.

Many other countries celebrate the rights of children on the 20th of November  - the United Nations nominated day. However, we think that it is really important that British children should be able to get outside on Children's Day, into their neighbourhoods and nature, so we have chosen to hold it at the beginning of the summer.

Childhood is precious. It creates the values, mindsets and dispositions that determine our interaction with the world around us for the rest of our lives. Children, therefore, have one very special right - and that is the ability to be able to develop, naturally and happily, to their full potential. National Children's Day UK is dedicated to helping ensure that this can happen.

The picture on play is mixed in Brent. There are fewer Easter and Summer playschemes and the private ones that exist are often too expensive for low income families. Afterschool clubs find it hard to survive and schools are increasingly providing their own with teacher volunteers.  At the same time the number of holiday, weekend and lunchtime SAT preparation classes have increased and a significant and growing number of children attend after school sessions with private tutors. In such circumstances attempts to put the SATs tests into perspective and reduce stress are doomed to failure.

Under the influence of academies and free schools, Michael Gove is pushing for longer school days and shorter school holidays.

However, on the other hand, some schools are broadening their curriculum and encouraging more outdoor activities such as cycling. The new Chalkhill Park and the planned BMX track nearby are signs that play is valued by some in the council. Brent's Gordon Brown (no relation) Outdoor Education Centre in Hampshire continues to provide residential activites for primary pupils and the Stonebridge Adventure Playground has survived funding crises.

It is not the best of summer days today but I hope Brent kids will be out and about after school today having fun engaged in play activities