Residents to challenge Brent Council on playing field handover to Lycee at Cabinet tonight

Residents from the John Billam, Tenterden Parks and Neighbourhood Group will make representations to the Brent Cabinet tonight on plans to hand the Tenterden Pavilion and playing fields over to the Lycee des Londres Winston Churchill.

They will ask the Cabinet  to:

1. Defer or refuse the officers' recommendation that an agreement be entered into with Wembley Education Charitable Trust, the charity arm of the Lycee.
2. Reserve any decision in respect of the Community Asset Transfer to be made by the Cabinet and not delegated to any other body or person.
3. Confirm the erection of any new building on the site be confined to the footprint of the present building.
4. Agree stipulations for any proposal for an artificial pitch on the site.

This controversy follows others in the borough including the loss of public access to playing fields at the  site now occupied by Ark Academy in Wembley Park; loss of public access to former public space  behind Copland (now Ark Elvin) High School; the proposed move of the London Welsh school to King Edward VII Park, plans to hand over land at Kingsbury High School to Lucozade Power League, and further away in Harrow the public school's plans for new buildings defiling Metropolitan Open Land.

The Tenterden Group claim that the WECT has been unable to conclude negotiations for access to the long-established local Forest United and further that officers are 'well disposed' towards the Lycee. They claim that the Community asset transfer process has not been fair, open and transparent:

The French Lycee are not only a default bidder in what was intended to be a competitive open tender process but the sole funded proposer. In 2014 a comprehensive professionally prepared plan was agreed in principle between Forest united and the then Head of Parks, Ms G Kiefer. The plan provided  an integral; solution to the John Billam and Tenterden Playing fields and enjoyed community support. The critical elements in the plan were the incorporation of the John Billam and Tenterden pitches and a specific restriction on any new building exceeding the Tenterden Pavilion footprint. There was further provision that any pitch on Tenterden Playing Fields should not be enclosed but retained for public access when not in authorised sports use.

The Group claim that the CAT process has been compromised so far as no other accredited sports club can now re-enter the process and that as sole builder the Lycee has been given latitude beyond the prescribed closure date. There is no properly structured agreement on community benefit or participation - the sole benefit cited is polling station provision. (the Lycee has failed to provide this in 2 our of 3 occasions since it took over the former Brent Town Hall). Similarly there are no detailed plans for redevelopment of the Pavilion which raises concerns about the possibility of substantial development on the site.

The campaigners suggest that the officers' claim that the Lycee fufills various equality and diversity requirements is misleading in that less than 20% of its students  reside in Brent and only 20% of these are from ethnic minorities. The average fee is £10,500 and the Lycee is funded by the French Chamber of Commerce and has been described as 'popular with super-rich French business people fleeing to London to escape tax hikes.'

In that context the granting of a 30 year lease at a peppercorn rent  to the Lycee, with potential further development via peripheral clauses, of a site with a land value exceeding £2m raises fundamental questions.

The Cabinet Meeting is at 7pm this evening at Brent Civic Centre.

Lucas: Progressive should unite against prospect of a Tory-UKIP-DUP Brexit government

From Caroline Lucas' blog LINK

Caroline Lucas has reacted to the current crisis in both the Labour and Conservative parties with the following comment:

"Britain is in crisis and people are scared about the future. Never have we had a greater need for calm leadership to be shown by politicians - yet instead both the Tories and Labour are engaging in civil wars. At such a key moment for this country the political establishment is utterly failing the British people.  

"We have a Government in chaos, an economy facing a crisis and people up and down the country facing serious hardship - yet the Labour Party is in utter turmoil, thanks mostly to some Shadow Cabinet Ministers trying to take their party back to 1997 but also partly because Jeremy Corbyn did fail to show the passion needed in the EU referendum.

"Instead of indulging in months of introspection and infighting, this is an opportunity to recognise that a more plural politics is in both the left’s electoral and political interests.  And with the growing likelihood of an early General Election, the importance of progressive parties working together to prevent the formation of a Tory-UKIP-DUP government that would seek to enact an ultra-right Brexit scenario is ever more pressing.

"This crisis also exposes the absurdity of our first past the post electoral system. The Labour Party is no longer one natural entity and, without doubt, it would have split by now if we had a fair voting system. The only fair way to proceed is to have a proportional voting system where people can back the politicians who they believe in, rather than taking a gamble and not knowing which Labour Party they’ll end up with.

"While the other parties fight among themselves, the Green Party, and our many new members who have joined in the last few days, will take a stand against any austerity or slashing of environmental legislation that may come with Brexit. In the coming weeks we will also be holding the Establishment to account as the Chilcot inquiry is published and mounting a campaign against Trident renewal as the vote approaches.”

See also lucas' Guardian article LINK :

I know that many people who voted remain will be angry with those who opted to leave, but such feelings are misplaced. To dismiss them as bigots or racists would be a serious mistake. Instead what we should recognise from these results is a profound rage at a political and economic elite who have held power and wealth close to their chests for far too long

Red Pepper declares coup attempt against Corbyn an emergency & calls for #KeepCorbyn support

As a Red Pepper subscriber I have just received this message. Red Pepper is not an official Labour Party publication and is read by many Greens and non-aligned socialists so this is an unusual intervention.

To Red Pepper readers and supporters

Jeremy Corbyn – the Labour leader who has given us all so much hope – faces a coup threat from Labour MPs, defying the will of the Labour Party membership.

This is now an emergency. Please, do these two things to support Jeremy:

1. Sign the Momentum petition at http://labourunited.peoplesmomentum.com/

If you have a Labour MP, it will also let you write to them in support of Jeremy – this is vital to add to the pressure against the coup.

2. If you can make it to London, come to #KeepCorbyn protest tomorrow (Mon) from 6pm in Parliament Square.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1754368201514480

The place and time is because this is when Labour MPs plan to put the coup motion to the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting. Share the Facebook event and invite your friends.

Jeremy has fought for all of us – now we must fight to make sure Labour Party democracy is respected and he is not ousted as leader.


Red Pepper

Referendum - Brent MPs react

Green Party and Brent Council reactions to EU Referendum result

My view last night

I have just returned from a 'screen-free' holiday in Transylvania - no TV,  ipad or mobile phone so I am still catching up with the Referendum result and its repercussions. Some of my party could not resist finding out the news and the mood on Friday morning at breakfast was one of shock, consternation and fearfulness about a Gove-Boris Johnson administration.  This was despite the group coming from all areas of the country, rural and city, although predominantly middle class with varying degrees of enthusiasm for Remain.  It was an 'eco' walking holiday so that was also a self-selecting factor.

Also interesting was the consternation of some of the Romanian people we met on Friday, as well as a zech national who joined us on holiday,  who were genuinely concerned about the impact of Brexit on the former communist countries of Eastern Europe and in particular on their relationship with Putin.

These are the immediate reactions of the Green Party and Brent Council:

REACTING to the news that the UK has voted to leave the EU, Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:

“People in Britain are angry – and they’ve expressed that anger today by voting to leave the EU. The most important task at hand now is unifying our divided communities.

“Our party will now mobilise alongside the Trade Unions, environmental groups and others to defend our hard-won rights at work and environmental protections.

“If this referendum has shown one thing to be clear it is that the old political party system is not representing people’s views. Politics in the UK is synthetically bound to the Tories and Labour – that’s clearly failing. We’re calling on all sides to come together to fix our democracy here in Britain – starting with electoral reform for the House of Commons. The democratic deficit will not be fixed by leaving the EU – we need to look closer to home too.

“What worries us now is the fate of the many Europeans living here. The Leave campaign said they will be able to stay – and we expect them to honour that. But what about people who have made plans to come here to join family, or British people who have saved up for a lifetime to move to Spain? The prospect of shutting down the right to free movement is frightening, as are the consequences of a campaign that has at times pitted neighbours against one another, whipped up fear and allowed lies and myths to take the place of truth. Britain deserves better and I am pledging anew to fight against division on behalf of my constituents.”

 Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, said:

"We cannot hide our disappointment at this result having campaigned strongly for a vote to Remain. But, we have to listen to the expressed view of the British people.

"We must now turn our attention to the task at hand: unifying our divided communities after an extraordinarily bitter period in British politics.

"The level of alienation against our mainstream politics is evident in this vote. The public have today rejected the views of the parties represented by 98% of our MPs in Westminster.

"There is a very clear division in the results, with very different votes in different parts of Britain. We need to listen to the generally more economically disadvantaged communities who have voted to leave, and take real action to improve their conditions as soon as possible.

"And with our sister party in Scotland launching a petition (1) for a reconsideration of Scotland's relationship with the EU, we need to acknowledge that the vote there was very different to that in England and Wales."

Brent Council Statement 

The Leader of Brent Council has moved to reassure European Union Citizens, local businesses and investors in West London following the referendum result which was announced earlier today (June 24).

Across the UK nearly 52 per cent of people voted to leave the European Union (EU) while in London and Brent the majority wanted to remain. 72,523 Brent residents voted for the UK to remain in the EU, while 48,881 voted to leave.

The vote to leave has caused turbulence in stock markets across the world and raised fears of what a 'Brexit' could mean - in particular for workers and families from Europe.

Brent Council has vowed to work closely with local businesses, public sector partners and local communities following the nationwide result.

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said the consequences of the result will be discussed at a meeting of the West London Alliance (WLA) on Monday. He said: 

"Brent is the most diverse place in the UK and a place where people from all over the world come together to work, live and play. This is one of the things I am most proud of about Brent and one of our key strengths.

"My message to our neighbours and co-workers who are EU citizens and also to investors and employers in West London is not to panic. Nothing will change instantly overnight.

"European nationals will continue to enjoy the same rights as they have now and any changes will be publicised well in advance."

Cllr Roxanne Mashari, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Growth, Employment and Skills, said: 

"The council has received many calls from EU citizens concerned about the possible impact of the referendum result and about their right to stay in the UK.

"The council's message is clear: Brent is open for business and investment. We value the hard work of EU citizens and the positive contribution they make to Brent. In the short-term the UK remains a member of the EU with existing laws and treaty obligations in place. Rules on tariffs, movement of goods and individuals will not change until any renegotiation is complete. We will work hard with other local councils, local business leaders and the West London Alliance to provide the information and support needed at this time."

Andrew Dakers, Chief Executive of West London Business, said:

 "West London remains one of the best places in the world to do business. West London is exceptionally well connected by air, road and rail. We have a highly skilled workforce that is the most productive in London. We are also home to some of the UK's leading entrepreneurs and Higher Education institutions.

"In the weeks ahead we will work with the local business community and our West London Alliance partner local authorities to ensure that the specific business implications arising from Brexit, and any support needed, is fully understood to ensure long term economic growth is sustained."

The Kilburn Times LINK reports Cllr John Warren (Conservative, Brondesbury Park) as saying:

"It’s a very bad day. I can’t believe it’s a good day for Brent in terms of the national decision but that’s not Brent’s fault.

“All the experts say that the economy will suffer. Clearly Brent has a lot of members of the community at the lower end and they are bound to suffer eventually.

“If the economy suffers, money coming to the government suffers and it has a knock on effect.

“Brent did very well out of the EU, it’s a bad day for the residents of Brent.”

THE OFFICIAL BRENT RESULT

60 per cent of Brent residents have voted for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union in yesterday’s referendum.

72,523 residents voted for the United Kingdom to remain in the EU, whereas 48,881 voted to leave, with 267 spoilt ballots.

The turnout was 65 per cent.

Beauty and squalor side by side in Kingsbury

There is a public right of way from St Andrews Road in Kingsbury to the historical and Grade 1 listed Old St Andrews Church which is surrounded by a fascinating graveyard. Attempts to get Brent Council to keep the footpath free of litter and fly-tipping have not been successful. It is a shame that the English country churchyard heritage of Old St Andrews cannot be better cared for.

Is this the end of Brent Housing Partnership?

There was a bit of a jamboree at Brent Civic Centre as Brent Housing Partnership showed their film Stories of Brent LINK but beneath the public relations glow things are not well with BHP, Brent Council's arms length management organisation (ALMO) for housing.

BHP was put under 'special measures' in March due to under-performance. LINK

Now the Brent Cabinet is to consider the future of the organisation LINK in the additional context of the government's housing reforms  which include high value council housing disposal,where the council is forced to sell high value stock;  'pay to stay' in which council tenants with an income of more than £40,000 income will have to pay higher rents from April 2017 - moving towards market rents, 'right to buy' and a 1% reduction in social rents.

In addition the volume of housing stock has been reduced by the South Kilburn regeneration and redevelopment and existing right to buy.

A further pressure, the potential cost of which is not revealed, is a claim for 'significant additional costs' from Wates, the BHP's asset management service which has been carrying out extensive refurbishment on the BHP's estates. 

The question arises as to whether the BHP is fit for purpose in this new situation. Officers recoemmend that the period for BHP's Recovery Plan be extended until September 30th 2016 while a review of options takes places.

These are the options:

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Continuation with BHP .  

   
3.29 Formally this is the most straightforward option but practically will require further and significant reform to assure continued progress, to generate significant cost reductions and to achieve wider outcomes. New operating arrangements and service structures will be needed to achieve this. Preliminary examination of a new Target Operating Model has recently been completed that may provide an initial basis for the development of these. In addition a reformed council client-side function will be required to provide strategic direction and greater assurance, and opportunities to generate additional efficiencies and savings through improved integration between the council and BHP will also be needed. The scope of services to be provided will also need to be considered including what contribution BHP could, in time, make in other areas to the council’s objectives.

 
Bringing the Service Back In-house

 
3.30 The majority of stock-holding councils provide housing management services directly. Simply bringing the service into the council will not in itself assure improved performance and while there may be some direct savings the challenge to generate significant further savings and service could be more fully integrated across a range of council services and functions and this could also support the achievement of wider outcomes but specific expertise and coherence in the service would need to be maintained

3.31 A number of councils with ALMOs have in recent years brought the service in- house. This would require termination of the existing Management Agreement. From the experience of other authorities a minimum period of 6 months would be needed and in a number of cases the process has taken a year. Consultation with tenants and leaseholders would be required in advance.

Service Provision through a Partnership

3.32 A housing management partnership would be formed with another housing management provider with an existing high-quality housing management service in order to raise performance and generate significant economies and efficiencies. This could be a significant local housing association provider. The scope of the partnerships activities (e.g. whether it included affordable housing development) may also be a significant consideration in choosing a suitable partner and in the extent of interest from prospective partners.

3.33 There are two main routes by which this partnership could be established. The council could directly select a suitable partner in place of BHP and enter into the necessary legal arrangements with them to establish a jointly owned housing management company. Alternatively BHP could itself be converted into a partnership housing management organisation, jointly owned and governed by the council and the selected partner. Again consultation with tenants and leaseholders would be required in advance.

4.0 Financial Implications

4.1 The HRA expenditure Budget is £56.9m. This budget is used for the management and maintenance of the HRA stock and for the repayment of the HRA debt. BHP Management Fee for the current year is £7.5m. This fee is for managing and maintaining the HRA properties on behalf of the Council.

4.2 The Housing and Planning Act will have a significant impact on Brent’s council housing and its financial position in coming years. The implications for which are currently being scoped with more comprehensive analysis to follow once the details are published.

4.3 The three options outlined in this report for the management of the council’s stock will each have differing implications in terms of the impact on the HRA and will need to be developed through the formal review process. However, it should be noted that all of the options will result in an initial cost of change, which will need to be factored into the each appraisals.

Private French School to take over Tenterden Pavilion and playing fields

Warning by John Billam Tenterden Parks and Neighbourhood Group earlier this month

Residents have promised 'strong opposition' to a bid by the Lycee International de Londres (the Wembley French School)  through its charity arm,  Wembley Education Charitable Trust (WECT), to take over the Tenterden Pavilion and playing fields. Cabinet will be asked to approve the transfer  on June 27th but  details remain in doubt - in particular an agreement with the long-established and rival bidder Forest United Youth Football Club.  Forest would have first option on the facility when it was not being used by the Lycee. John Billam is no ;onger included as the council wants to retain it as an aset.

The Proposal

.        2.1  That Members approve the proposal for a Community Asset Transfer of the Tenterden Pavilion which involves entering into an agreement to lease that includes provision for granting a lease of the pavilion for up to 30 years and granting a licence on the Sports Ground with the Wembley Education Charitable Trust Ltd (WECT), subject to continued access to community use, planning and funding. 


.        2.2  That Members note proposals for the WECT, in order to meet the community use caveat above, to enter into an agreement with Forest United (1973) Youth FC a local charitable football club at the Tenterden Pavilion and Sports Ground during periods when it is not in use by the WECT and opportunity for community access by other groups, in what will be a significant new local sporting facility. 


.        2.3  That Members delegate authority to the Director of Resources to finalise and agree terms of a leasehold and associated licence disposal to WECT in consultation with the Operational Director of Environment Services. 


 

Risks 

3.17       There are risks with the WECT application:

.        Most prominent is the lack of a full business plan which they have indicated would be worked up, subject to obtaining Cabinet approval. 


.        That WECT is unsuccessful with securing planning consent to build a new indoor sports facility with changing rooms together with an All Weather pitch at the ground, as there may be local opposition. 


.        The WECTi s unsuccessful with its funding proposal to develop the centre to its full potential although the risk is considered small. 


.        That WECT could exercise the lease break option in year 3,were the pupil number not to rise to 1200 at the Lycee International de Londres School. 


.        That WECT and Forest United are unable to agree terms that would allow a collaborative use of the grounds. 

Alternative/Exit Options

3.18    Officers are working with WECT to develop their proposals, however should the collaborative approach be unsuccessful with Forest United then the options for Brent are:

1.     To work with WECT on their own on the new sports facilities development proposal. 


2.     To work with Forest United to develop a much smaller Pavilion fitting on the existing pavilion foot print as detailed in Appendix 1; or 


3.     To consider developing the Pavilion itself in accordance with Brent’s Investment Strategy, provided the investment proposals stacks up, if this options were to be progressed it would be subject to a detailed business case to Cabinet at the appropriate time.

Interim Arrangements 

3.19    The poor condition and disused state of the pavilion on site has created a magnet for anti-social behaviour that has caused residents and the local residents association a lot of concern. As redevelopment plans will take some time to work through. WECT has agreed in principle to assist the Council with demolition of the pavilion. Forest United have said they will consider how a temporary structure can be built in its place, connecting into the existing services that benefit the land. The Council will need to grant a licence to enable this.