Now Brent CCG gets into NHS estate management and development to further the STP

Last week Chris Hopson, Chief Executive of NHS Providers, warned that poor consultation over the NHS  Sustainability and Transformation plans could cause mass opposition on the streets that would scupper the plans LINK while Diane Abbott has referred to the STPs, quotuing that for NW London, as a 'dagger pointed at the heart of the NHS LINK.

One area that has not received much press coverage or comment is the management of the sites and buildings belonging to various parts of the NHS (see table above).

A report LINK going before the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday from the Brent Clinical Commissioing Group and NHS Propery Services, entitled the NHS Estate in Brent,  puts forward plans for various parts of the estate. They see the management of property as an 'enabler' to 'delivering' the STP and Shaping a Healthier Future. In particular they look at increasing the use of void space in the Willesden Centre and Monks Park Centre but also have far reaching plans elsewhere:

The CCG estates strategy identifies three site locations to be developed to support the local hospital and hub strategy. In order to maximise the use of the existing estate the CCG estates plans focus on creating out of hospital Hubs at Wembley Centre for Health and Care, Willesden Centre for Health and Care and Central Middlesex Hospital.

The three Hub locations were identified following an assessment of the main areas of deprivation and service demand across the borough. The CCG also took into account the forecast population growth.

The map below shows the forecast population growth in Brent to 2025.

Brent Population Growth 2015-25

This indicates the greatest population growth density to be forecast in the south west of the borough, suggesting the greatest health care demand in the areas are around the intended Hub locations at Wembley Centre for Health and Care and Central Middlesex Hospital

Wembley is the area with the second biggest capacity for new homes within North West London (11,500 new homes).

The Park Royal development on the border with Ealing has the potential for 1,500 new homes and new development proposals in Alperton will impact on south Brent and north Ealing, creating an increased need for primary care provision around Central Middlesex Hospital.

The majority of out of hospital services will be delivered from the Central Middlesex Hospital site which will become a Hub+. The Hub+ will offer specialist services commissioned for the whole borough alongside standard Hub services such as primary care, community services, one stop assessments and treatments and access to more complex diagnostics for the local population.

The Hubs at Wembley Centre for Health and Care and Willesden Centre for Health and Care will offer the standard Hub services for the local population.

The CCG is working with London North West Hospital Trust to develop a business case for the future configuration of Central Middlesex Hospital which will include the provision of a GP practice. The business case is due to be completed in summer 2017 and will then be submitted to NHS England for approval. It is anticipated that the GP practice (subject to commercial arrangements being in place) will be in occupation late 2017.

The business cases for Willesden Centre for Health and Care and Wembley Centre for Health and Care will follow after Central Middlesex Hospital. The aim is to maximise utilisation of both sites to deliver local services to the population in the area.

The CCG is working in collaboration with Brent Council to commission a property consultant to further their plans:  

  The One Public Estate (OPE) initiative is being delivered in partnership by the Cabinet Office Government Property Unit and the Local Government Association. The initiative provides practical and technical support and funding to Councils to deliver ambitious property-focused programmes in collaboration with central government and other public sector partners.

Brent Council, in partnership with the CCG, has made an application for funding towards the co-ordination of a data capture exercise and to undertake the public sector and health review. In working together to deliver a common local public sector estates vision, Brent Council officers working with the CCG have developed a project brief to be used for the purposes of commissioning a professional property consultant if the application is successful.

The projects identified are:

1.     Northwick Park Hospital Brent in partnership with the London North West Hospitals Trust, the University of Westminster and Network Homes, aims to rationalise services and resource and unlock development land to facilitate hospital redevelopment, new homes and improved services for the community. 


2.     Church End Growth Area Brent’s bid aims to enable the creation of a community hub that will attract public services and businesses to the local area, the key emphasis is ensuring that the public services and businesses provide positive services that will build capacity and benefit the local community. 


3.     Wembley The reduction in staff numbers and more efficient use of office space in Brent’s Civic Centre in Wembley Park, provides an opportunity to look more closely at how local public services may better work together, including a review of the area surround the Wembley Centre for Health and Care. 


Vale Farm area

4.     Vale Farm, Brent’s aim is to deliver a new multi-purpose leisure centre, new homes and possibly a new secondary school in an area that is primarily public open space and metropolitan open land, a feasibility study is proposed to identify opportunities for integration between local public sector services, particularly the Metropolitan Police, Brent CCG and the Council. 


A further bid will be brought forward for:

Brondesbury Road (including the Kilburn Square Clinic). These premises comprise 11-15 Brondesbury Road; which provides a home for community mental health teams. The site is Brent owned, but subject to shared usage with Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, (CNWL), (although current occupation circa 90% CNWL, 10% Brent). The model for the delivery of such services is under review, and is likely to result in a relocation of staff from the building.

The report states:

The CCG will build on the plans already in place to increase patient, user and carer engagement, which is essential for success as it makes the changes outlined in this paper. The CCG will do this in conjunction with the Council where this is appropriate.

Given widespread dissatisfaction with consultation on Shaping a Healthier Future and the NW London Sustainability Transformation Plan the Brent public may need quite a lot of persuading that these plans are in their interest.

Climate Jobs - Not Bombs Lucas Plan Conference Nov 26th

Leading figures from the left, trade union, environmental and peace movements are coming together at a conference on November 26th with a fresh perspective on tackling current crises, using the ideas of socially useful production pioneered in the Lucas Plan. The Plan, produced by workers at the Lucas Aerospace arms company, showed how jobs could be saved by converting to make socially useful products, rather than weapons. See www.lucasplan.org.uk, or the notes below for more information on the Lucas Plan.

The conference will focus on 5 key themes:

The Lucas Plan and socially useful production.
Arms conversion and peace.
Climate change and a socially just transition to sustainability.
The threat to skills and livelihoods from automation.
Local/community economic and industrial planning.
Linking all these issues is the need to rethink how we can produce what people and society actually need and overcome corporate domination through their control of technology.

Highlights of the conference will include:

Talks by Phil Asquith, Brian Salisbury and Mick Cooney (Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine).

Screening of a new film on the Lucas Plan by Steve Sprung.

Contributions from: Chris Baugh (PCS), Suzanne Jeffery (Million Climate Jobs Campaign), Hilary Wainwright (Red Pepper), Natalie Bennett, Molly Scott-Cato and Jonathan Essex (Green Party), Philip Pearson (Greener Jobs Alliance), Romayne Phoenix (People’s Assembly Against Austerity), Mary Pearson (Birmingham Trades Council), Tony Kearns (CWU), Mika Minio-Paluello (Platform), Philippa Hands (UNISON), Stuart Parkinson (Scientists for Global Responsibility), Dave Elliott (Open University), Liz Corbin (Institute of Making), Tony Simpson (Bertrand Russell Foundation), Dave King (Breaking the Frame), Simon Fairlie (The Land magazine), Karen Leach (Localise West Midlands), Marisol Sandoval (City University), Tom Unterrainer (Bertrand Russell Foundation), John Middleton (Medact), Gail Chester (Feminist Library), Julie Ward (Labour Party), David Cullen (Nuclear Information Service) and Richard Lee (Just Space).

The conference on the Lucas Plan 40th anniversary will be held at Birmingham Voluntary Service Council (138 Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 6DR) on November 26, 2016.

See www.lucasplan.org.uk.

The conference is being organised and sponsored by: former members of the Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine, Breaking the Frame, PCS, UCU, Million Climate Jobs Campaign, Green Party, Scientists for Global Responsibility, Campaign Against Arms Trade, CND, Left Unity, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, Red Pepper, War on Want, Conference of Socialist Economists, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Newcastle TUC, Medact, and Momentum.

Tickets are £10/£5 concessions: To book for the conference, visit www.lucasplan.org.uk/tickets. For more information, email info@breakingtheframe.org.uk

BACKGROUND INFO: The Lucas Aerospace Shop Stewards Combine’s Alternative Corporate Plan (‘The Lucas Plan’) was launched in 1976 and became famous worldwide, sparking an international movement for socially useful production and workers’ plans. Facing the threat of redundancies, the Combine collected 150 ideas from shop floor workers about alternative socially useful products that could be produced by the company, instead of relying on military orders. Many of the innovations in the plan, such as hybrid car engines, heat pumps and wind turbines were commercially viable and are now in widespread use. Although the Alternative Plan was rejected by Lucas Aerospace managers, it was instrumental in protecting jobs at Lucas in the 1970s. The Combine was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and Mike Cooley received the Right Livelihood Award in 1982. More information about the Plan, including the 53-page summary of the five 200 page volumes, can be found on the conference website, www.lucasplan.org.uk.

Getting to the Conference

The conference venue, Birmingham Voluntary Service Council at 138 Digbeth B5 6DR, is very close to central Birmingham stations, click here for map. We'll be starting at 10am sharp and we have a packed programme, so please be on time.

How NOT to be scammed - 'The Little Book of Big Scams'

Years ago the Pupil Council at Park Lane Primary School asked if there could be lessons about 'scams'. They reported that their parents, particularly those not yet fluent in English, had been tricked. They went on to discuss 'legal' scams such as those where computer printers were sold cheap only for the customer to discover that replacement ink was extremely expensive and cartridges machine specific.  Now of course some printers have software that prevents cheaper compatible cartridges being used.

The variety of scams has increased since then so the publication of 'The Little Book of Big Scams' published by the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor's Office is very welcome.

My only criticism would be that it is very wordy and so may not be accessible to the parents children spoke.  I am not sure if it is available in languages other than English - a video version would also be useful.

The 'Little Book of Big Scams' can be viewed and downloaded HERE

CORRECTION: Brent Council to debate the West London Alliance on MONDAY

Brent Council is to debate the West London Alliance at its meeting on November 21st. The WLA brinngs the above boroughs together, in various combination, to deliver services.The combined population is nearly twice the size of Birmingham.

Introducing the debate Cllr Butt, Leader of Brent Council states:

The West London Alliance plays a central role in improving the collaborative approach of seven London councils, facilitating a communal approach to the challenges facing the residents and businesses of West London.

In housing, children’s services, in health and wellbeing, in employment and skills – the WLA has been at the forefront of offering innovative, forward-thinking approaches to the issues that matter to us all.

With ongoing central government cuts to local council funding and further reductions expected in the coming years, it is more important than ever that we work in partnership with our neighbouring boroughs. To share best practice and improve our ways of working, to find solutions the challenges that face us all.

Brent Council pledges to continue to work closely with the WLA and our neighbouring boroughs to deliver the best outcomes for the residents and businesses of West London.

Below you can find the presentation to be made at Council by the WLA which is unlikely to be visible to  people watching on Livestream or from the public gallery.


Click bottom right to enlarge the docuement.

Brent Council opens consultation on 2017-18 budget: including cuts and council tax rise

Brent Council has issued the following press release on its budget consultation - printed here unedited.

 Six years of cuts by central government to local authority budgets across the UK has meant Brent Council has needed to find new ways to maintain services, with some difficult decisions made along the way.

Despite growing demand for local services from an increasing and ageing population, the funding that Brent Council receives from the Government is set to fall even further.

Rather than cut vital services, which residents rely on, the council is conducting a ten-week consultation on its budget proposals which includes a rise in council tax by 3.99 percent to help plug the gap left by the government's cuts.

"Imagine your household bills went up every year, but your salary kept being cut. You would have to make some tough choices and find new ways to make your money go further," says Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council.

As well as showing how the council plans to raise income to balance the books the budget details spending plans for 2017/18.

Key areas include everything from investment in making Brent cleaner and safer, rubbish and recycling collection, boosting jobs and skills to protecting the vulnerable, increasing council housing, maintaining parks and open spaces and giving every child the best start in life.

"In recent years, we've taken steps to make sure that Brent Council is as efficient and cost-effective as possible. At the same time, we've worked hard to ensure the services that our residents rely on are protected.

"It is vital that the work we do as a Council reflects the priorities of our residents. That's we are asking the people of Brent to tell us what matters to them. I would encourage as many people as possible to visit the website, or join us at their local Brent Connects meetings taking place at the start of next year."

Have your say online by 1 February 2017 or come along to one of the Brent Connects public meetings in January or February 2017.

Views taken at the Willesden and the Kingsbury and Kenton Brent Connects meetings, after the consultation portal has closed, will be added as an appendix to the Cabinet report and considered on Monday 13 February 2017 at the Cabinet meeting.

Full Council will then make a decision on the final budget for 2017/18 on Monday 27 February 2017.

Tory turmoil is bad for Brent democracy

No, I am not remotely sympathetic to the Tory party.

However, I do believe that with 56 of Brent's 63 councillors being Labour we need an effective opposition to provide proper scrutiny of council policy and in particular its multi-million budget. Instead we have 6 Tories who currently have split into two opposing groups and an ineffective lone Lib Dem.

The Kilburn Times LINK reported this week on a claim by Brondesbury Park Tory John Warren that the three Kenton Tories have been de-selected and then followed that up with a claim by Warren's colleague, Joel Davidson, LINK that Warren had publicly sabotaged a deal that could have seen the two Tory groups come together again.

Doubtless Labour will make the most of this at Monday's Council meeting (you can see it from 7pm on livestreaming HERE)

Brent CEO Carolyn Downs  recently warned the Labout Group at an awayday that their internal squabbles were making it very difficult for Council officers to work effectively and there are reports that even within the Cabinet two camps are developing.

Disagreements are inevitable and a little 'creative tension' over policy can be beneficial but disputes in both camps seem to be more about personalities than policy - Brent residents deserve better.

The Cara Davani Saga - objections to Brent’s 2015/16 Accounts to be investigated

Guest blog by Philip Grant
 

In August 2016, Wembley Matters reported that Cllr. John Warren (as a local elector, not as a councillor) had asked Brent’s Auditor to make a Public Interest report about items of expenditure in the Council’s 2015/16 accounts relating to Cara Davani and the Rosemarie Clarke Employment Tribunal case. LINK  I added a comment to that blog, saying that I had also exercised my right to object to those accounts, and I understand that there were four other Brent electors who objected, with five of the six objections relating to Brent’s £157,610 pay-off in June 2015 to its former HR Director, Cara Davani, and related matters.

I know that a number of interested readers may be wondering “what has happened about this?” Until a few days ago, the answer appeared to be “not very much”, but in the past few days I have received a letter from the Auditor at Messrs KPMG, so can now give you an update. The letter was marked “Private and Confidential”, so I will not attach a copy, but as some of the points are already in the public domain, and others are just an outline of procedure, I am happy that I can share the following information with you.

The Auditor wrote on 14 November to formally accept that my objection of 10 August was validly made under section 27 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. The letter confirmed that I had set out a case which could give grounds for the Auditor to apply to the Court for a declaration that Brent Council made unlawful payments during 2015/16 in respect of: 

a) A proportion of the total amount paid by the Council in the out-of-court settlement of the Rosemarie Clarke case, which should have been the personal liability of the second respondent in that case, Cara Davani (the Council’s former HR Director). 

b) A proportion of the Council’s legal costs (both external and internal) in the Rosemarie Clarke case which should have been recharged to, and paid by, Cara Davani personally, as a separate respondent in that case. 

c) The whole of the £157,610 “compensation for loss of office” paid to Cara Davani, and shown as part of the Senior Employees’ Remuneration to ‘Human Resources Director (to June 2015)’ at Note 30 to the Council’s draft accounts. 

d) The whole of any amount paid around June 2015 as an “Exit Package” to Andrew Potts, the Council’s former Principal Lawyer (Employment and Education) or similar title, which is included in the amounts for either ‘compulsory redundancies’ or ‘other departures agreed’ at Note 32 to the Council’s draft accounts.

The Auditor also accepted that, if his enquiries led him to the view that these payments were not unlawful, I had validly requested that he should issue a public interest report in relation to matters a) and c) above.

The Auditor’s letter also set out how his firm’s enquiries would proceed, in respect of my objection (and other valid objections) to Brent’s 2015/16 accounts, saying they would now:

■ ask the Council for their response to the objection;

■ ask the Council for documents relevant to the objection;

■ collect the documents that we think will help me make a decision about the objection; 

■ give you and the Council the opportunity to make further comments on the objection;

■ make any further enquiries we consider to be appropriate;

■ if appropriate, tell you and the Council our provisional findings and views; and

■ decide the objection.

The letter concludes by saying:

‘While this marks the start of the formal objection process, we encourage you and the Council to discuss the issues raised to see whether you can come to an agreement. Please also note that you are free to withdraw your objection at any time.’

Readers who have followed this saga will realise that I am unlikely to withdraw my objection without seeing convincing evidence that the payments involved were properly made. I would, however, be willing to discuss these issues with the Chief Executive / Chief Finance Officer of Brent Council, if they are willing to make available (“in confidence”, if necessary) the information and documents needed to ensure that any such discussion could be meaningful.

I am aware that Cllr. Warren has received a similar letter from the Auditor in respect of his objection, but I do not know whether any of the other three local electors who also sent objections to payments made by Brent to, or on behalf of, Cara Davani have also heard from Messrs KPMG. It would make sense if the local residents involved could co-ordinate their dealings with Brent Council (if there are to be discussions). If you are one of those objectors, please contact me (via Martin, if necessary, see email address under “Guest Blogs” in right-hand column), or at least put a comment with your views below. Thank you.

Philip Grant

Refinancing agreed for Quintain for further development of Wembley Park

From the Financial Times
 

London developer Quintain has agreed a new £800m corporate development facility following its acquisition by Lone Star Real Estate Fund IV in September last year.

Wells Fargo, AIG and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) three of the biggest global, institutional lenders, have agreed to provide a five-year corporate development facility to Quintain to support the transformation and further development of Wembley Park.

The loan also refinances the existing £425m facility provided by Wells Fargo to support the acquisition of Quintain by Lone Star.

The revolving senior loan, led by Wells Fargo as Agent, and AIG and Wells Fargo as Co-Arrangers, combined with a 36-month availability period under the junior facility, provided by CPPIB, is innovatively structured to offer operational flexibility for Quintain to recycle capital efficiently from non-core assets into the Wembley Park Masterplan.

The refinancing follows approval in May from Brent Council for a new Masterplan for Wembley Park, which aims to transform Wembley Park from a world class events destination into a thriving London neighbourhood, with an exciting combination of new homes, iconic venues, great shops, public spaces and workspaces. 

Quintain’s plans will deliver almost half of Brent Council’s target for new homes delivery as well as 1 million sq ft of new, high quality offices and workspaces which will create the opportunity for more than 7,000 new jobs. The development also features a significant upgrade to the famous Olympic Way (known as “Wembley Way” to football fans) and a new seven‐acre park, equivalent in size to four Wembley football pitches.