South Kilburn residents vent their opposition on HS2 - next stop Parliament!

Select Commitee Visit Photo: Arantxa Arranz

Guest blog by Pete Firmin, chair, Alpha, Gorefield and Canterbury Tenants and Residents Association

Bad news for those who hoped that opposition to the HS2 LINK vent shaft being sited in the middle of a residential area and next to a primary school in South Kilburn would go away once Brent Council had persuaded HS2 of the wisdom of this.

On the contrary, campaigners turned out to lobby the parliamentary select committee when they visited the proposed site on Monday 9th November. Although it was meant to be a flying (5 minute!) visit, the visitors were persuaded to stop and briefly listen to us spelling out the problems with the site, LINK some of them also engaging in one-to-one conversations as well. One of the Brent Councillors and a lead officer looked none to pleased at this. Campaigners in many other places on the proposed  HS2 route also turned out to lobby at proposed sites.

A stark illustration of the problem was given to the select committee when they got stuck in traffic on Albert Road, the route down which they want to send 80 heavy lorries a day! But such irony is probably lost on Brent Council which the same week chose to announce that work was starting on Woodhouse Urban park on the same road. No doubt a highly relaxing place with lorries going past every few minutes.

Before and after the visit, local campaigners were out collecting signatures against the siting of the vent shaft here, from residents, parents of children at the school and a local business. It was impossible to find anyone in favour of the vent shaft being sited here, something which the Council has steered clear of mentioning. Indeed, while the Council website says “we are in dialogue with HS2, the school and local residents to discuss the proposed change and suitable mitigation measures”, a Freedom of Information request as to what this dialogue consists of has been refused.

Petitions had to be submitted to parliament by Friday 13th November, and on the day before our MP, Tulip Siddiq, brought all her staff to the area to assist in ensuring the petitions were in order, not an easy task. At least 6 different petitions have gone in, together with hundreds of signatures. Incidentally, in Camden the Council put council facilities at the service of petitioners. Brent, of course, has done the opposite.

What happens now? We will get letters from the select committee in the next few weeks responding to the points raised in the petitions, after which, if we are not satisfied – highly unlikely – we will get the opportunity to address them at a hearing in Westminster. Watch this space.

Kensal Green's Bolder Voices sing the praises of the Freedom Pass. Yeh!

'Love that Freedom Pass' was officially launched today on You Tube. Sung by the Bolder Voices of Kensal Green  (aged 65-95) it celebrates the  contribution of the Freedom Pass to health, happiness and friendship - and takes on some of the criticism levelled at this 'perk' for older people.

Brimming with talent, warmth and humour this is a wonderful way to stand up for what you value!

Declaration of interest: I have a Freedom Pass...

Andy Donald appointed Chief Executive of Redbridge Council

Andy Donald, probably the most powerful of Brent Council's three strategic directors, was  confirmed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Redbridge Council tonight.

His portfolio has expanded over his term in Brent to cover regeneration, planning, council housing, adult skills, environmental health, school expansion and the sale of some of the Council's own property. His approach to regeneration has often been controversial as a result of his view that the role of the Council is to smooth the way for developers. LINK

He is Deputy Chief Executive in addition to these roles. He is also a founder board member of The Future of London and Chair of the Meanwhile Foundation, a national charoty set up by Brent Council.

During his tenure there have been major regenerations in Wembley (Quintain), South Kilburn, Park Royal and Alperton.  The high rise skyline of Brent will be his most visible legacy. Among the more controversial schemes have been the school expansion/new housing that saw the closure of Stonebridge Adventure Playground and the Willesden Green library development which resulted in luxury flats being sold at inflated prices in Singapore.

His predecessor at Redbridge, Roger Hampson, had a salary of £193,301. 

UPDATE First steps taken in making ASDA/Forty Lane/Kings Drive junction safe

New markings were installed this morning on King's Drive, Wembley, at the junction with Forty Lane and the ASDA slip road.

Campaigners including Wembley Matters and local resident Ann Fitzgerald have drawn attention to the dangers at the crossing. LINK Often people drive straight across six lanes of traffic (there are no traffic lights on King's Drive) and do a u-turn on the Asda slip road to drive north to Bridge Road/Forty Avenue. The large 'Turn Left' sign and cross hatching make it clearer that cars should not drive across Forty Lane. In addition there are now no parking zig zags outside the French School entrance in King's Drive which used to be the Town Hall car park entrance, very close to the junction.

Ann Fitzgerald who has witnessed numerous infringements at the junction said the news was 'Brilliant!':

I’m so fearful of one of the children getting knocked down. A BMW on Monday did that Kings Drive cut through at speed.  I just don’t know if I could live with myself – thus I feel I have become a nag.  But as you know yourself, it’s right by the entry gates to the Lycee and I do think drivers get a tunnel vision with gaining time and just don’t think pedestrian.

Ironically cars were seen using the manoeuvre even while the  workmen were painting the signs.

The installation of a yellow junction box LINK at the junction is the next stage in making the junction safe.  This will address the problem in the morning school-run rush hour of slow moving traffic blocking the pedestrian crossing even when the lights are on green.

It is hoped that the box junction will be installed before December 7th.  It will have to be done overnight due to the volume of day time traffic and timing will be dependent on the weather.

There are also plans for a new signal crossing at the junction of The Paddocks and Forty Lane, the other side of the French School. It is hoped that this might deter people crossing Forty Lane from the bus stop outside the old Town Hall entrance to the Chalkhill Estate.

Green councillors call for end to 'destructive', 'ideologically driven' local government cuts

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Green Councillors, Jenny Jones and Carline Lucas at Dopwning Street today

Six Green councillors will hand in a joint letter LINK to Number 10 Downing Street today November 18th on behalf of all 168 Green councillors to call on the Conservative government to end the destructive cuts to local government. 

Ahead of the Comprehensive Spending review (CSR) the Green Party are calling for an end to the government’s ideologically-driven austerity programme. 

Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, and Baroness Jones of Moulscomb, will all attend the event.

Bennett said:

The Green Party calls on the Prime Minister to not make any further cuts to local authority spending in the Comprehensive Spending Review on 25^th November.

Green councillors up and down the country tell me on a daily basis how this government’s cuts are wrecking essential services and damaging communities.

The Green Party is calling for a genuine review of economic policy in this Spending Review. Rather than Chancellor George Osborne continuing with his austerity agenda for the next three years, we must invest in people, in secure energy, and in vital welfare support.

Caroline Lucas MP said:

Proposed cuts to local authority grants will unleash further devastation to communities across Britain. In Brighton my constituents are facing the hollowing out of council services – included the proposed closure of up to five children’s centres.

Enough is enough. The Government must rethink its callous and counterproductive austerity programme and give local authorities the resources they need to deliver service to the people they work for.

Jenny Jones said:

The government’s austerity agenda is derailing the provision of services for all of us, all over the UK. Local government cuts strike at many of the things we have come to rely on, such as litter collection and services for children and old people, but also the things which enrich and improve lives, including parks, leisure, sports, libraries and museums.

The Prime Minister and his government must be made to acknowledge the damage they have already caused and we demand that rather than making it worse, they commit to repairing the damage they have done.

Comedians for Corbyn head up Voter Registration gig at The Good Ship on Sunday

The new Brent Momentum organisation has launched a campaign to persuade more people to get registered to vote following the loss of thousands from the electoral register following changes to the registration system.

The Votes for Voices gog is partof that campaign.  Brent Momentum has asked that Wembley Matters advertise the event.

They have not yet made up their minds on whether to admit members of other parties who stand against Labour in elections, such as the Greens, to the organisation which is still very much in its early days.

Momentum grew out of the swathe of new members who joined the Labour Party  in order to help elect Jeremy Corbyn to the Labour leadership.

Gardiner calls for Safer Neighborhood Teams to be retained and enhanced in the wake of Paris attacks

Barry Gardiner, Labour MP for Brent North, asked Home Secretary Theresa May in the House of Commons to meet the Police Commissioner to ensure that local neighbourhood teams are kept in place and enhanced in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Gardiner followed up May's statement to the House with this request:

--> I welcome the Home Secretary’s statement. She is aware that my constituency of Brent North has the highest number of refugees and asylum seekers from the Middle East in the country. In the light of the clear advice of both current and former Metropolitan Police Commissioners on the importance of neighbourhood safety teams and local policing, will she meet the current commissioner and look at the needs of constituencies such as mine, to ensure that those local neighbourhood safety teams are kept in place and enhanced in order to ensure that the strategy is followed.Theresa May replied that she regularly met with the Metropolitan Police Commissioenr to discuss the policing of London and wider issues. LINK

Greens warn against Paris attacks dictating policy on refugees

As Paris mourns its dead and cares for its wounded after the hideous weekend attack, the Green Party says it is important to ensure that we do not act in ways that fuel ISIS and terrorism.

Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett said:

There is a real risk that amongst the outcomes of the heinous attacks in Paris will be increased fear and division, the stirring up of Islamophobia and an impulse to retreat from the compassion and support with which Europe has so far met those fleeing ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

ISIS does not want to see that compassion, inclusion and displays of fraternity.

While sensible screening measures and checks need to be maintained; to cut off escape routes for desperate people fleeing war and persecution would only play into ISIS's hands.

We cannot let the actions of a handful of extremists dictate our response to the ongoing refugee crisis. The Green Party will resist calls to reduce Britain and Europe's access to refugees and are redoubling our calls for Britain to welcome its fair share of the refugees reaching Europe.

We also want to acknowledge and highlight the way in which so many communities around the world live with regular similar atrocities, including attacks in Beirut, Ankara, Baghdad and Kabul. And we need to note that the actions of Turkey in attacking Kurdish communities fighting ISIS within Syria have been disastrous, damaging, and deserve the strongest condemnation.

Green Party foreign affairs spokesperson, Tony Clarke said:

The killing has to stop and world leaders must find a way forward that defeats ISIS using the weapon that these terrorists fear most of all, peace talks.

There were signs over the weekend that those talks may now have some new foundation and I would encourage presidents and prime ministers to recognise that the drones cannot provide a solution and pick up the phones and find a way of halting this never ending circle of death.