Philip Grant: Open letter to Brent Council on Equalities

Guest blog by Philip Grant. The Equalities Committee agenda and papers can be found HERE

 

Open Letter to Equalities Committee, 9 July 2015

Dear Councillors Pavey, Harrison, Kansagra, Tatler and Thomas,

Congratulations on the first meeting of this new committee next Monday, and my best wishes for its efforts to help improve equalities and HR management at Brent Council. I will not be able to attend that meeting in person, so have not asked to speak as a Deputation at it, but there are points which I would like to make in respect of both main items on your agenda. I will set these out below in this open letter, and hope that you will be able to find time to read my views, and take them into account in your discussions.

Item 5 – Equalities and HR review: action plan

Cllr. Pavey is aware of my views on this matter, but I need to set them out for other committee members, and by way of introduction to my second point below. I had hoped to make this point to Scrutiny Committee on 30 April 2015, but was not allowed to present my Deputation there.

The point relates to Section 2 of the draft Action Plan [see page 5 of equalities-hr-review-app2].  This was prepared by Cara Davani, until recently Brent’s Director of HR and Administration, and is entitled ‘Achieving Excellence in Employment Policies’.  

I am deeply concerned at one of the “success criteria” which she proposed. This reads:
  

‘Number of employment tribunals is low against benchmarked councils (benchmarks TBA) and ET cases are successfully defended.’ 

It is the second part of this that I find most worrying. “Success”, according to Ms Davani, should be measured by successfully defending Employment Tribunal cases. The risk of setting such a “target” is that it might encourage Council staff involved in these cases to fabricate or falsify the evidence that they give.  

You may consider that such a concern is far-fetched, but in the Rosemarie Clarke Employment Tribunal case (which Cllr. Pavey’s review was set up to learn the lessons from), a key factor
in the finding of ‘racial discrimination’ against Brent Council was the decision to continue disciplinary proceedings against Ms Clarke after she had ceased to be a Council employee. In Para. 240 of the judgment in that case it says: 

‘With regards to the decision being taken to pursue disciplinary action against the claimant [Ms Clarke], following the termination of her employment, the respondents [Brent Council and Cara Davani] have been unable to state by whom or when that decision was made.’ 

As there would have been very few Council employees who could have made that decision, and at least some of those were witnesses at the Tribunal, this totally undermined the credibility of the Council’s evidence. It is quite likely that one or more of those witnesses was willing to commit perjury in order to cover up who had made the decision, and why it was made, in an attempt to conceal from the Tribunal facts that would have added to the evidence in support of Ms Clarke’s claim.

I do not believe that this was an isolated case of fabricated or false evidence being used by Brent Council in Employment Tribunal cases. I have heard, from someone close to the former Brent Libraries employee involved, although I do not know the full facts or have evidence 

to support the accusation, that false evidence was given at a Tribunal where Brent was “successful” in defending a claim against it for unfair dismissal. In another case (see my P.S. at the end of this letter for details), Brent had to concede a claim against it for unfair dismissal when it realised that its false evidence would not stand up to close examination by the Tribunal.

I would strongly suggest that the “success criteria” I referred to above should be deleted from the Action Plan. “Success” over Employment Tribunals is having none, and to achieve this I would suggest that the “criteria” should be:  

100% of managers honour in practice the core value set out in Cllr. Pavey’s review:  ‘Every Brent Council employee deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.’

LORDS ECONOMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO QUESTION SIR HOWARD DAVIES ON AIRPORT COMMISSION FINDINGS

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee will next week hold a one-off evidence session with Sir Howard Davies, Chairman of the Airports Commission, following the recent publication of the Commission’s report.

The session, which will be Sir Howard’s first appearance in front of a Parliamentary Committee since the publication of the report, will focus on the Commission’s economic modelling which used a bespoke model rather than the traditional method of undertaking aviation transport appraisals which consider the direct impact of a scheme on users, providers and government revenue.

Questions the Committee are expected to put to Sir Howard include:

• How confident was the Commission that there is sustained demand for additional runway capacity at Heathrow?
• Can the UK meet its climate change obligations at the same time as increasing aviation?
• Given that the Commission’s own calculations estimate that the return on investment for a new runway at Heathrow is 8x investment and Gatwick’s is 13x investment why did the Commission recommend Heathrow as the preferred option?
• Why was the Commission so confident that an expanded Gatwick could not serve as a hub airport?
• Given that many other hub airports have four runways why is the Commission asking the Government to block Heathrow at three?
• How will a ban on night flights work with the aspiration for more long haul flights particularly flights from Asia? Can the local community be confident the ban will be maintained?

The evidence session will start at 4:05pm on Wednesday 15 July in Committee Room 3 of the House of Lords.

The evidence session is open to the public. If you wish to attend you should go to Parliament’s Cromwell Green Entrance and allow time for security screening,

Natalie Bennett's message of solidarity to tube and rail strikers

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Last year's strike notice

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett has expressed support for the rail and Tube strikes. The Rail and Maritime Transport union have begun a three-day walkout after a dispute with First Great Western over job cuts and safety, while around 2,000 London Underground workers are on strike today.

Bennett said:

“I stand in solidarity with the workers striking this week. These strikes are the last resort of workers seriously concerned over issues of safety, staffing and pay, and it is clear that employers in both cases have failed to provide the reasonable assurances that their employees have the right to ask for.

"In any significant change to services and the conditions of those who work on them - be it the night Tube or the new inner-city trains - the needs of those who will be staffing them must be a high priority, and workers forced to take industrial action to ensure that this is the case have my support.”

Greens start process to choose London Mayoral candidate with hustings on Saturday

Six candidates will compete to be the Green Party’s London Mayoral candidate 

In what the Green Party is describing as its “most competitive and high profile contest to date”, London Councillors Sian Berry and Caroline Russell, Party Spokespeople Tom Chance, Benali Hamdache, and Jonathan Bartley, and mentor and activist Rashid Nix, will now compete in a series of internal hustings before voting closes on 30^th August.

The party is expected to announce the winner of the contest in the first week of September.
Caroline Allen, Co-Chair of the London Green Party, said:

“The breadth of experience, skills, and knowledge amongst our six candidates is a testament to just how far the Green Party has come in London and shows that we are going to be a force to be reckoned with come next May, no matter who is our candidate. It’s my pleasure to wish each of our candidates good luck in what I know will be high quality and close-fought contest.

“Our priority is that we use the coming weeks to throw open our doors to the public and debate and discuss the issues affecting London and what it is we are going to do about them. With the right Mayor and Assembly in place, London doesn’t have to continue being the play-thing of rich investors and housing speculators. We invite everyone to get involved with our campaigns. Together, we can take back London for Londoners.”

Baroness Jenny Jones AM and Darren Johnson AM, the Green Party’s two current members of the London Assembly, have both already declared their intention not to stand either for Mayor or for re-nomination as Assembly Members. 

Next week, On Thursday 16th July at 7.30pm, Brent Central Constituency Labour Party will be meeting 'on the nomination/s' for  Labour Party Leader and Deputy Leader. Registration starts at 7.15pm at Neasden Methodist Church and people who arrive after the debate 'on the merits of each candidate will NOT be entitled to vote.' Attendees are asked to bring their Labour Party membership card, Photo ID card and proof of address.

Chalkhill School's innovative whole school approach to teaching of Spanish

There's much to be positive about in Brent schools and I think this video about a whole school approach to the teaching of Spanish at Chalkhill Primary School deserves a wider audience.  The commitment and involvement of all the staff, the cross-curricular approach and the deepening of language and cultural knowledge through a residential trip to Spain are impressive.


 Note: As recorded in the Declaration of Interests page, I am a governor at Chalkhill Primary School.

Lucas: Budget 'Cruel and counterproductive'

Caroline Lucas MP (Green Party)  has labelled yesterday’s emergency budget as ‘cruel and counterproductive’ after the Chancellor announced deep cuts in welfare spending and failed to propose serious action on climate change.

Lucas said:

“This cruel and counterproductive budget is dire news for people in Britain and a serious blow to the Government’s already stained record on climate change.

“The welfare cuts announced today will plunge thousands of people in poverty, and cause families to be evicted from their homes. I’m deeply concerned that my own constituents are set to face needless hardship as this Government continues its economically illiterate and utterly unjust mission to hack away at our welfare state and public services.

“This Government’s ideological obsession with welfare cuts is gutting our social security system. It’s now vital that the Labour Party quickly rises from its post-election slumber and fulfils its job as the official opposition – giving in to the Tories on an issue like the benefits cap cut would be an utter betrayal of the many people in Britain who are struggling to get by.”

Lucas labelled the budget as a ‘serious blow’ for the fight against climate change.

"There is an enormous climate shaped hole in this budget.”

“Ministers know that climate change presents a huge threat to our economy and national security - not just to public health and our environment.  Yet George Osborne has refused to change direction and, in axing the climate-change levy exemption for renewable electricity and committing to further funding for road building, he’s putting progress on climate change in jeopardy . We’ve seen yet another example of reckless short-term policy making that prioritises the profits of polluters over the public interest in a safe and habitable climate."

Lucas has also cautiously welcomed the Chancellor’s promise to increase wages.

Inheritance tax needs ‘radical overhaul’

Lucas is calling for a ‘radical overhaul’ of inheritance tax policy so that levels of taxation depend on the wealth of the recipient, not the donor.

She said:

“The plan to raise the inheritance tax threshold will, according to Treasury’s own analysis, benefit high income and wealthy households.

“Only five constituencies in the entire country have average house prices above £1m – all of them in London. The rise in the threshold will benefit just the wealthiest, at a time when we’re seeing swingeing cuts to our welfare state.

“Given that at present inheritance tax is one of the easiest taxes to both avoid and evade, and the very rich often find ways of paying very little –it’s clear we need to radically rethink the whole policy.  

“The level of the tax should depend on the wealth of the recipient, not the donor, so that, for example, all bequests to individual recipients who have less than around £200,000 should be tax free. This would encourage people to spread their wealth more widely.”

Dawn Butler tables parliamentary questions on Gaza siege and settler violence

In response to constituents' concerns Dawn Butler, MP for Brent Central, has tabled the following two parliamentary questions:

"What measures is the UK government currently taking to lift the blockade of Gaza, particularly with respect to ensuring the vital entry of humanitarian aid after the devastating attacks seen in 2014?"

"In the light of the UN reported recording of 221 incidents of settler violence with virtually no prosecutions, what discussions has the minister held with Israeli ministers over the failure to prosecute settlers for acts of violence against Palestinians?"

The questions are tabled for Tuesday July 14th and if not picked to be answered orally should receive written answers,

Dawn Butler has become Vice Chair of the Labour Friends of Palestine.

We need a budget fit for the future, says Caroline Lucas MP

Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, is calling for a budget ‘fit for the future’ as George Osborne prepares to announce his Government’s spending plans tomorrow.
 

‘A challenge to Labour’

Lucas challenged the Labour Party to oppose the proposed ‘benefits caps’ which will reduce the amount of money any family can receive from the welfare state. She said:

“Our welfare state is on the edge of collapse, yet the so-called opposition seem unable to muster the strength to oppose further pernicious cuts to social security spending.

“The cut in the benefit cap will hit people hard. Housing experts are saying that families will be forced out of South East England because they will no longer be able to pay the rent.

“Progressive MPs must come together to oppose the lowering of the welfare cap – and to fight for a welfare state that serves all of us when we need it. There is simply no excuse for Labour supporting this proposal.”

‘A tough new law on Tax dodging’

Lucas is also calling for Osborne to honour his Government’s commitment to cracking down on tax avoidance. She said:

“This budget must include a very clear road map on tackling tax avoidance. Indeed if the Government is serious about recouping the billions of pounds lost through tax avoidance it should urgently introduce a tax dodging bill which enshrines into law a commitment to a global tax system that’s fair for everyone.”

“Decisive action on climate change”

Lucas is calling for ‘decisive’ action on climate change ahead of a global summit in Paris later this year. She said:

“Ministers know that climate change presents a huge threat to our economy and national security - not just to public health and our environment.  Unless George Osborne changes direction and puts the green economy at the heart of this Budget, it’ll be another example of reckless short-term policy making that prioritises the profits of polluters over the public interest in a safe and habitable climate.”

“The Government must get serious about leaving the vast majority of fossil fuels in the ground. It should start by cancelling unaffordable and unsustainable tax-breaks for fracking and other polluting industries. Instead, Government should be investing in a rapid transition to clean, home-grown renewable energy, and the roll-out of energy efficiency measures for homes and business across the UK, thus creating jobs, cutting fuel bills and reducing carbon emissions.”