Pensioners fight back: Hands Off Universal Benefits!

The National Pensioners Convention is campaigning to preserve universal benefits in the context of explaining that older people rather than a 'burden on society' make a positive contribution.

CAMPAIGN TO DEFEND UNIVERSAL PENSIONER BENEFITS SUCH AS THE BUS PASS AND WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE. SIGN THE PETITION HERE

The NPC’s Fair Care campaign will raise the arguments in favour of a National Care Service funded through general taxation, like the NHS. The campaign will also call for improved standards, better training and pay for care staff and the introduction of a Dignity Code to give rights to all older people in receipt of care. 

Get involved in the NPC’s ongoing Rights in Retirement Campaign for decent state pensions, proper care and an end to fuel poverty.

Sign up to receive our free monthly newsletter by sending your email address to info@npcuk.org.

You can also follow the NPC on Twitter @NPCUK or find your nearest NPC  regional group by following this link.

The Convention has published a guide to the new pension arrangements. The order form is here:

Now Wembley Central development up for sale

St Modwen has announced that it is putting its Wembley Central development up for sale. This follows Quintain's £700m sale of Wembley Park to US private finance firm Lone Star.

The Wembley Central sale is much smaller with an  expected price in excess of £37.5m for a project with 118,000 square feet of retail space, a 24 hr car park and Travel Lodge hotel. 273 new housing units have been built at Wembley Central.

The sale is being handled by Kitchen LaFrenais Morgan LINK

Copland/Elvin: Onward and Upward?

Guest blog from  local school chaplain Elvin Bishop

The benefits of Tory education policy (ably assisted by Cllrs Pavey and Butt) are taking time to become apparent at one local school, as these figures appear to show:

2012: Copland 5 A*-C GCSEs including English and Maths                 40%

2013: Copland 5 A*-C GCSEs including English and Maths                  43%

2014: Copland 5 A*-C GCSEs including English and Maths                  46%

September2014 and Forced Academisation takes place against the wishes of parents, students and staff but backed by Michaels Gove and Pavey and Leader Mo Butt. Copland becomes Ark Elvin Academy.

2015: Copland 5 A*-C GCSEs including English and Maths                    34%*

*figure from Ark Elvin website

Still, as Jose Mourinho probably  said to Roman Abramovich on Sunday, ‘early days’.

Brent recommends Thames21 to take over Welsh Harp Education Centre

One of the Centre ponds that has become overgrown and dried out due to lack of maintenance over the summer

The Cabinet will consider a recommendation that the charity Thames21 takes over the lease of the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre at its meeting on September 21st. They also recommend that Thames21 talk to the other bidder, Careys, about the possibility of forming a partnership to run the Centre.

Local schools have been uncertain about the future of the Centre and normally school visits would have been starting next week.  The report LINK suggests that visits will start again in October but that seems a little optimistic given what needs to be put in place before children attend.

The report bases its recommendation on the bid evaluation:

Based on the evaluation, the recommendation is to proceed with the Thames 21 application. Thames 21 is an experienced environmental education organisation with a strong track record of delivering effective, community volunteering, engagement and educational events and activities to local communities promoting environmental awareness. The charity delivers practical and engaging environmental activities that teach young people about the need to care for their natural environment. As well as the educational work, Thames 21 looks to connect local people and communities with their local environment enabling a stronger sense of community ownership. With an existing environmental education programme in place, in addition to an established centre at the WHEEC, Thames 21 will transform the way environmental education activities are already currently being delivered and will make a positive difference

 However there are risks involved:

.        It is noteworthy that there are risks associated with the Thames 21 application. Most prominent is the lack of a full business plan., The submitted application noted the following risks: 
       The current income is not sufficient to support the expenditure or running the service. 

       The risk of the education centre shutting down reduces demand next year.
       That Thames 21 is unsuccessful with various funding applications to 
develop the centre to its full potential. 

       The cost of upgrading the infrastructure of the centre is significantly higher 
then envisaged. 

       The running costs of the centre are significantly higher then envisaged. 


.        The following mitigation plan is proposed by Thames 21 with outcomes reviewed at the year end self assessment process as detailed in the CAT policy: 
       To inspect financial records for the centre. 

       To contact all schools who have used the centre previously to ensure they 
are aware that the centre will be remaining open. Use current staff knowledge and relationships to build links with schools/ users. Attend School Heads meetings within Brent and surrounding boroughs to promote the centre. 

       To use Thames 21 experience, expertise and contacts for successful funding applications.
       To undertake inspections of the site (infrastructure) and development of a costed business plan and to develop alternative funding sources. 

       To undertake inspections of the site (running costs) and develop a costed business plan and to develop alternative funding sources.    

Next steps 

A proposed programme is set out below (proposed dates may be subject to change):

1.     Welsh Harp was consecrated in the 1950’s as the original proposal was that the site would at some stage become a graveyard. This creates complexities that will need to be resolved before the letting can take place and expert advice is being sought. 


2.     Heads of terms have been issued – subject to Cabinet and contract - on 21 August 2015. 


3.     On receipt of the signed heads of terms the draft CAT lease will be issued by 1 September 2015 – subject to Cabinet approval. 


4.     Cabinet consideration - 21 September 2015. 


5.     Thames 21 to open the WHEEC by October 2015 


The consecrated land issue has  previously been highlighted on this blog:  Kingsbury Lawn Cemetery LINK

ShahrarAli: Corbyn victory a good result for everyone on the left in British politics

Will Corbyn end the 'dented shield' in local government?

Congratulations to local Labour Party activists who worked hard in the Corbyn campaign. As one of them remarked to me at the 'Refugees Welcome Here' demonstration yesterday 'this is only the beginning of the struggle.'

The Party's adherence to neoliberalism, the anti-Corbyn Parliamentary Labour Party, and the role of democracy within the party, including Party Conference, are just some of the areas where battles will need to be fought.

On social media today it is clear that some Greens have decided to throw in their lot with the Labour Party, and this includes a number who left Labour for the Greens when they thought Labour had 'lost its way'. However others have stated their intention to stay with the Greens on the basis that eco-socialism is a separate strand of political thinking in contrast to Corbynism which remains committed to 'productivism' LINK

Although this still leaves space for a 'progressive alliance' with the Labour Left on some issues there are problems on the ground with the positions adopted by Labour locally.

Most local councils are beginning their budget process this Autumn ready for April 2016.  Even Conservative council have said that they can no longer provide effective services with the planned cuts in funding.

Labour councils have adopted a 'dented shield position' up this point which means implementing the cuts rather than taking a principled stand against them and setting 'illegal' budgets. This was also true of the minority Green council in Brighton.  In the process services have been cut to the core and out-sourcing has become the norm with some handing over to the voluntary sector.

So how will 'dented shield' councils such as Brent adapt to the new leadership and will this mean that at last they make common cause with anti-austerity and trade union campaigners who have been challenging the cuts both in terms of their necessity and of the damage that they cause?

The May Labour NEC discussed local government issues and included this statement: LINK

Since May 2010 local government has had its funding dramatically cut. Many Councils have had their funding cut by 50% or more. This majority Conservative Government seeks to continue to cut Councils even further and puts vital public services at risk. These cuts are unsustainable and threaten services across the board, including in education, health, social care, fostering and adoption and community safety. We called on colleagues across the Labour movement to work together with Local Government to defend the vital public services our communities rely on. We look forward to working closely with Trade Unions, MPs and others to fight for a fairer deal for local government.

I think it is not just a fight for a 'fairer deal' for local government but for its very survival. In addition to the campaign  over funding there is also the need to preserve the role of local government in providing services with a public sector' ethos and purpose. This means challenging the privatisation of our education system that has taken place through academies and free schools, the out-sourcing of adult social care, children's services and youth provision.

Brent Council has eroded that ethos and undermined the role of democratically  accountable local government by accepting, and sometimes promulgating, the idea that services can be better provided by the private and voluntary sectors.

Only a few Brent Labour councillors nailed their colours to the Corbyn mast during the Labour election campaign and its leader, Cllr Muhammed Butt, argued against his CLP backing Corbyn.

This leaves the Labour Group on Brent Council out of line with both the party nationally and locally. There should be some interesting discussions ahead.

Preston Library Roald Dahl Day- Today Noon-3pm

Remember Wembley & Kingsbury Road Closures Today for 'Run to the Beat'