Michael Pavey claims his position on academies has been consistent,

Cllr Michael Pavey has responded to my posting earlier today which accused him of diluting his earlier opposition to academies and free schools.

Here is what he has to say (unedited):

My position on academies has been consistent.

I distrust academies as a dangerous step towards the marketisation of education. But I have always been clear that Copland is a necessary exception. The recent Ofsted report highlighted extremely serious failures at Copland. Extremely troublingly it found that the most disadvantaged pupils were suffering the most. This is unacceptable and profound change is necessary. I wish this could be achieved through local authority leadership, but years of budget cuts have left us under-resourced for a school improvement challenge of this magnitude. An academy conversion was the only feasible alternative to give Copland the fresh start it desperately needs.

Furthermore, I am delighted to be proposing a partnership with Ark Wembley, an enormously popular local school.

The situation at Gladstone is considerably more complicated. I met the campaigners as one of my first acts after becoming Lead Member – and I applaud their work. However it is right and proper that the lead on this is provided by the school Governing Body. Far from cutting them adrift, the Council has provided close support and I fully respect the decisions they taken.

I’ve not changed my views on academies but the world is not as black and white as some would like to assume.

My responsibility is to the families of Brent and their children. I’m always happy to meet any residents to discuss my positions on academies or any other issues. Virtually every time I meet them they are disinterested in discussions about structures and just want to talk about raising standards. Local families want their children to get a top quality education so they can make something of their lives. That is the driving force behind every decision we have taken.”

Cllr. Michael Pavey

Lead Member for Children & Families

Labour Councillor for Barnhill, Brent Council

www.michaelpavey.org

07941474261  @mikeypavey 

Lucas: Government must retain obligation to tackle fuel poverty

The Green MP Caroline Lucas will today accuse the Coalition of trying to “weasel out” of a long-standing duty to eliminate fuel poverty.

Ahead of today’s Commons debate on fuel prices she has drawn attention to a move by the Government to abolish its statutory obligation to eliminate fuel poverty.  

Under the 2000 Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act, the Government has a duty to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016.   However, the Coalition tabled an amendment to the Energy Bill in the Lords, which would replace this duty with a commitment merely to address the situation of people living in fuel poverty, without any targets or timescale.

Lucas has tabled an Early Day Motion calling for ambitious fuel poverty targets to be reinstated, with the support of other MPs on the cross party parliamentary fuel poverty group.

The motion urges Government and parliament to support an amendment from crossbench peer Lord O’Neill of Clackmannan, which reintroduces energy efficiency targets in order to ensure robust action to eradicate fuel poverty.

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:

It’s a scandal that millions of households in England are currently in fuel poverty, with this figure set to grow dramatically as wages fall and energy costs rise. The Coalition is weaselling out of its duty to help people struggling with cold homes and high fuel bills.  Without targets set in legislation, there is no guarantee that this or any future government will take the necessary action on fuel poverty.

The Coalition must rethink its decision to downgrade its commitment to ending fuel poverty and recognise that energy efficiency provides the only cost effective long-term solution to unaffordable energy bills.  This needs to be a higher priority for all politicians. Having clear fuel poverty and energy efficiency objectives in primary legislation is a crucial first step.

This would help drive a nationwide upgrade to the housing stock, which would be a great boost for the energy efficiency industry and jobs too.

Harlesden Incinerator decision deferred again

This message from Peter J Lee of Ealing Planning Department means that the Harlesden Incinerator is OFF tonight's Ealing Planning Committee Agenda.

I write to inform you that it has been decided to DEFER consideration of the Energy Recovery Centre (known to many as the Harlesden Incinerator) application from this evenings meeting as we have not yet received the updated comments of the GLA following the Secretary of State’s decision to re-issue the HS2 Safeguarding Order to take account of their decision to proceed with the Northolt corridor bored tunnel option. 

As you know this re-issue did not take place until 24^th October 2013 and the GLA haven’t yet confirmed what their position is in respect of this change in circumstance which could have a significant bearing on their original Stage 1 comments where they raised no significant objections to the proposal.

Pavey backs Ark Academy takeover of Copland and fails Gladstone Park parents

Michael Pavey, lead member for Children and Families, on Brent Council is taking part in a Guardian on-line discussion on education this lunchtime.

Pavey, who replaced Mary Arnold as lead member, made great play of his opposition to free schools and academies when he stood for the role. He wanted to see a much more robust response from the Council.

Unfortunately that opposition has been diluted in office to the extent that in a Kilburn Times statement on the proposed takeover of Copland Community School by the Wembley Ark Academy he says LINK

This is a fantastic opportunity for a new beginning at Copland. Ark Academy in Wembley is hugely popular with local parents.We want Copland to be just as good and just as popular. I warmly encourage local families to get involved (in the consultation) to shape the future of their school.

Parents at Gladstone Primary School thought that Pavey would support their energetic campaign against becoming a forced academy but their initial hopes were soon dashed when he failed to take the lead in putting his weight, and that of the local authority, behind them. In contrast, Snaresbrook Primary in Redbridge has recently avoided forced academisation after their local authority (a Tory one) strongly supported the school and its parents.

Starved of that backing it appears the Gladstone parents have decided that if they have to become an academy they will opt for one with CfBT which of all the options conformed most closely to the school's ethos. One parent commented:

'I would say "no" to academisation but if we must become an academy CfBT is the best choice'

 The consultation result on becoming a CfBT academy was:

72 in favour, 26 against and 18 not sure.

The Governing Body of Gladstone Park Primary will be making their decision on Tuesday November 12th.

London free school parents support LA oversight

As  Michael Gove's free schools policy comes under closer scrutiny London Councils publishes a survey that  shows the majority of free school parents would welcome local authority oversight. I hope that at their Spring Conference the Green Party will adopt a policy of integration of free schools and academies into a local authority school system with improved democratic accountability.
The London Councils statement:

The first survey of London parents’ attitudes to the new educational system reveals that a majority of parents (62 per cent) with children at a free school support councils having a role in dealing with underperforming free schools. This rises to 77 per cent of parents with children in a local authority maintained school who think local authorities should have powers of influence over maintained schools.

The YouGov attitudinal survey, commissioned by London Councils, which represents London’s 33 local authorities, provides evidence of high levels of support among parents for a local government role in taking action to ensure school standards remain high and children and young peoples’ interests are championed.

The majority of parents (76 per cent) support a council role in creating school places through having the ability to influence all schools in their area to find more school places or expand, and 95 per cent think the greatest pressure on places is in London.

The survey also found that:

• London is seen as the best performing region in terms of GCSE performance by London parents (77 per cent), followed by the south east (65 per cent) and the south west (42 per cent)
• 91 per cent of parents with a child at a free school think local authorities have an important role in ensuring high educational standards
• 78 per cent thought the council-run process of applying for a school place was ‘easy’ and 93 per cent got their child into one of their top three choices of schools – (with 72 per cent receiving their first place)
• After the new school system was explained, 53 per cent of parents said that the education system is under more central government control than they had thought previously, with 29 per cent thinking the system was under more local control – 19 per cent did not know.

London’s school situation in particular is of national significance. London requires 118,000 places by 2017 –  and London’s schools have been transformed from one of the UK’s worst performing regions to the highest, following the launch of London Challenge, a partnership of councils, schools and government, in 2003.

Cllr Peter John, London Councils’ Executive Member for Children and Young People, said:

“Parents have been clear in this survey how essential good council involvement is in their children’s education.  It’s especially striking that free school parents are so strong in their support for councils’ work.

“Parents are plainly worried about the school places crisis and want a clear role for councils to work in partnership with all schools so that every child has a place and to ensure school standards continue to rise.

“The government should work with councils to ensure that schools are accountable locally to the communities they serve.”

Labour's Brent Central ups and downs

I'm a little behind with the Brent Central Labour nominations as busy burning my bridges - or at least my energy bills, yesterday.

The hot news, or the news causing some heat, is that Janice Long ordered a recount at Harlesden after Zaffar van Kalwala lost to Bobby Thomas by only one vote. Following the recount she awarded the male nomination to Zaffar.

Meanwhile Dollis Hill ward nominated  Dawn Butler as the female candidate and Liaquat Ali as the male. Word is that this result also had a one vote margin, while there are rumours of a recount at Willesden Green.(See comments)

The position so far (subject to recounts):
.

Ward	Female nomination	Male Nomination
Tokyngton	Dawn Butler	Zaffar Van Kalwala
Stonebridge	Butler	Kalwala
Harlesden	Butler	Kalwala
Willesden Green	Sabina Khan	Imran Ahmed
Kensal Green	Khan	Parmijit Dhanda
Dollis Hill	Butler	Liaquat Ali
Mapesbury (Nov 6th)
Dudden Hill (Nov 7th)
Welsh Harp (Nov 7th)

Protesters light Bonfire of Austerity on Westminster Bridge

In a demonstration organised by the People's Assembly Against Austerity several hundred people marched across Westminster Bridge this evening, stopping to light a symbolic bonfire, burning an effigy of David Cameron (or a Big 6 energy boss - it wasn't clear)  and dozens of  energy bills.

Wrap Up London Brent- Windermere drop-off for coats

Last year, building on the success of the inaugural campaign in 2011, Wrap Up London collected and distributed 8,520 coats to 68 different shelters and refuges, to keep London's most vulnerable warm during winter. This year the targets and reach of the campaign have grown.  

Wrap Up London said:

This year we are aiming to distribute over 10,000 coats to over 100 charitable organisations across Greater London.   

We will be distributing to a wide range of organisations in London including homeless shelters, women's refuges, youth centres, refugee support groups, care homes, centres for the elderly, and food banks. 

In Brent  take your unwanted coats to the Windermere pub, next to South Kenton Station (Overground and Bakerloo), 13th-15th November and have a jar at the same time: