Greens: 'Let's hear May calling this latest terrorist atrocity for what it is'

The Green Party has responded to the suspected terrorist incident in north London
Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:

My thoughts and prayers go to every person directly affected by this attack and to Muslim communities right across the country. Once again our amazing emergency services appear to have responded with diligence and deserve our gratitude for their life saving action.

This was an attack directed at Muslims but it was also an attack on all of us. In the past month, the people of this country have shown enormous resilience and unity in response to some truly horrific events and it is that unity and togetherness that will make us stronger as we face down these threats.

This attack plays into the hands of terrorists and threatens to exacerbate a downward spiral of even greater violence. The prime minister must avoid knee-jerk responses that might appear tough on paper but end up handing terrorists a victory they crave: a curtailment of our freedoms.

Dr Shahrar Ali, Green Party home affairs spokesperson, said:

We are appalled and shocked by the heinous and barbaric terrorist attack on unwitting Muslims in the early hours of today outside Finsbury Park mosque. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected and their families, no less in the month of Ramadan.

Now as ever a strong, zero tolerance approach must be adopted towards rising hate crime directed at Muslims and all faith communities. The Islamophobic intent of the striker of terror today needs to brought out into the open not minimised or covered up.

I shall continue to call out double standards amongst our media reports and politicians' half-baked statements when I see them. These biases only risk to exacerbate the problem and add to injury by fuelling resentment amongst minorities affected that they aren't being treated equally. Let's hear from Theresa May calling this latest terrorist atrocity for what it is.

Barry Gardiner invites Brent tower block residents to fire safety meeting on Monday

Barry Gardiner, MP for Brent North has invited residents of tower blocks in Brent to a meeting on Monday 19th June 7.30pm at St James Church Alperton, 34 Stanley Avenue, HA0

4JB.

In the letter he tells the residents that the primary purpose of the meeting will be to listen to existing concerns about fire safety matters and how suggestions and complaints are handled.

The Borough Fire Commander and Brent Council Chief Executive have been invited or to send substitutes along with the Chief executives of local Housing Associations.

Gardiner states:

Such tragedies (Grenfell Tower) are less likely to happen when there is transparency and good communications between residents and manager of the property. It is my hope that the meeting can help ensure that this is the case.

Gardiner's initiative is welcome, particularly as Brent Council response in the Guardian/Observer today LINK seems to cast doubt on the earlier comment it made to the Kilburn Times LINK.

The Guardian:

 Councils in Coventry, Sandwell, and the London boroughs of Newham and Brent were unable to say if they had carried out any inspections or even how many tower blocks they had.

The Kilburn Times:

In a report shown to the Brent&Kilburn Times, housing chiefs have set up a six-point action plan which includes checks that claddings applied to the outside of buildings are fire rated.

They are also liaising with the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to seek clarity and guidance around the “self evacuation” vs “stay put” briefing as many block residents are told to stay in their properties in the event of a fire.

The inclusion of Housing Associations in Monday's meeting is important because several of our local ones are now in the business of 'building to rent' or acting as managers for sites built by others. LINK

Join in with #GreenforGrenfell school action June 23rd

 

 

Schools are coming together in support of the victims of Grenfell Tower, with a 'Green for Grenfell' dresscode on 23 June 

 

Schools across west London are set to unite to raise money for people affected by Wednesday's tragic fire at Grenfell Tower.

The Fulham College Academy Trust is urging pupils and staff to show their support and solidarity by donating money and wearing #GreenforGrenfell on 23 June.

The idea has struck a chord across the tri-borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham and Westminster, with 50 schools pledging to take part in just 12 hours.

All money donated will go to the Kensington and Chelsea Foundation’s Grenfell Tower Appeal, which has been set up with the support of the London Emergency Trust Fund. You can donate here. Use the hashtag #GreenforGrenfell on Twitter.

I hope some Brent schools will join in. This is how one school is taking part:

 

How schools can take part in clear air action week June 23rd-July 2nd

The NUT nationally has just agreed to endorse the clean air schools pack produced by Friends of the Earth and Muslim Aid  LINK  (or read embedded version below)  that provides lessons plans, assemblies and much more.

Just about every school in London is near enough to a main road to be in breach of EU clean air regulations. This has a significant impact on health. 

The government was taken to court to force it to publish its plans to cut air pollution during the election. Their response was so weak (devolving the responsibility to local authorities with no significant national initiatives) that they are being taken to court again.

Information on the GLA plan to clean up London's air can be see HERE.

Brent Council champions the London Livng Wage by advertising jobs at £7.50 per hour while Political Assistant will earn £34,338 - £37,293

Brent Council has done a great deal of public relations work championing the London Living Wage so I was surprised last week to see the council tweeting a link to the above vacancy at 'up to' £7.50 per hour.

The Council's own Pay Policy statement LINK states:

 The council has implemented the London living wage. This rate has been applied to all staff who receive less than £9.75 per hour. Those whose substantive salary is below the London Living Wage are placed on the nearest spinal column point to ensure an equivalent rate to the London Living Wage. The London Living Wage will not apply to apprentices as they are paid in accordance with nationally defined training rates. The Council is an accredited London Living Wage Employer and asks its contractors supplying services to the Council to pay their staff the London Living Wage. As contractors are employers in their own right, the council cannot legally force contractors to pay the London Living Wage but has built into its procurement procedures a requirement to do so. The Council also encourages schools to pay the London Living Wage. This begs the question on why the Council is using its website and social media to advertise jobs at exploitative poverty wage rates when elsewhere it makes the case for the difference the London Living Wage makes to employees:

 Rather better paid is the post of Political Assistant to the Brent Labour Group currently advertised on the Jobs Go Public website  LINK although the job is only open to internal candidates currently employed by Brent Council or temporary agency workers currently working in the council. See the stern warning I have highlighted in red at the end of the advertisement.

The temporary post will cover the period leading up to the 2018 Council elections:

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Salary range: £34,338 - £37,293 p.a. inc.

Contract: Fixed term (Until 31/05/2018)

Hours of work: 36 hours per week

Location: Civic Centre and other locations from time to time

This is an exciting, high profile opportunity to work at the cutting edge of local government for an innovative local authority.

Brent is a tremendously vibrant London borough where the iconic arch of Wembley Stadium dominates the skyline. Spanning both inner and outer London, it is a borough of huge contrasts in terms of its economic, environmental, ethnic and social make up. Brent’s diversity is evident to all who visit our borough and our long history of ethnic and cultural diversity has created a place that is truly unique and valued by those who live and work here.

The council is pursuing a far-reaching transformation agenda that better meets the needs of our community so it is an exciting time to join us.

The Post

The Labour Group is looking for experience in working – paid or unpaid – in a political environment, a professional approach with the organisational skills to deal with shifting priorities. You will need to demonstrate your awareness of new legislation and political developments (local, regional and national) with particular reference to the Labour Party.

This post is politically restricted and will be offered in line with current legislation governing Political Assistant Posts. This is a temporary role to 31 May 2018.

As the Group’s Political Assistant you will be carrying out a range of interesting duties including:

·      undertaking political research in Council matters

·      assisting with the composition and issuing of press releases

·      attending Labour Group meetings to provide information and advice to Council Members

·      liaising with Members of Parliament and Officers of the Council

The Person

Ideally, you will be a member of the Labour Party and have:

·      research/administrative experience

·      experience of dealing with public bodies or political organisations

·      a good knowledge of Council political structure and public affairs

·      good interpersonal skills and organisational skills

·      good computer skills including word processing, spreadsheets, database and desk top publishing, and

·     the ability to work under pressure as part of a team as well as use your own initiative

We would like to hear from you.

Closing Date: 30 June 2017 (23:59)

Assessment & Interview Date: 12 July 2017

Additional Information

This position is only open to current employees of Brent Council or Temporary Agency Workers currently working in Brent Council. External candidates are not permitted to apply for internal only roles. Forwarding ‘internal only’ roles to external candidates may lead to disciplinary action being taken.

Teacher unions' joint statement on supporting children after Grenfell

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Grenfell: Joint statement by ATL, AEP, NAHT and NUT about need for housing for the children who survived and for support for their schools & classmates.

  "In the aftermath of the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower,  teachers, school leaders and psychologists offer their deepest sympathy to the thousands of people whose lives have been affected by it. We give our sincere respect, once more, to our valiant emergency services. 

We call on the government and on the local authority to support the magnificent work of local schools and  take immediate measures to provide for the security, shelter and well-being of North Kensington’s children.

All families who have been affected by the fire should be housed as quickly as possible in high-quality accommodation in the immediate area, if that is what they wish.

School is one area of children’s lives which can provide them with care and stability.  It is essential that children continue to attend their own school, with teachers and other staff who know them and can support them, and their families.  We know that those who work in education are rising to this challenge. They will need the full support of those around them. 

All schools which have on their roll children from Grenfell Tower, and the area around it, must be provided with counsellors and other necessary resources.  

The government and the local authority must ensure that provision is in place throughout the summer months, and in the years ahead.

The residents of Grenfell Tower feel that they have been failed by a system that should have protected them. We now have a chance to show them a different face of government - one that takes responsibility for their care and support when they are most vulnerable. 

Mary Bousted, Association of Teachers & Lecturers

Kate Fallon, Association of Educational Psychotherapists

Russell Hobby, National Association of Head Teachers

Kevin Courtney, National Union of Teachers

Wonderful Flying Machines - free talk and exhibition at Kingsbury Library

Did you know that Kingsbury was one of the main centres of the aircraft industry 100 years ago? 

This is a subject that local historian and former Fryent Ward councillor, Jim Moher, has been researching since he stepped down from Brent Council in 2014. He will be sharing the story of the people who made some of the best known planes of the First World War, and after, in an illustrated talk. This free "coffee morning" event is taking place at Kingsbury Library on Friday 30 June, from 11am to 12noon, and anyone who would be interested is welcome to attend.

Jim has also worked with Brent Museum on a small exhibition, also called Wonderful Flying Machines, which can be seen at Kingsbury Library from now until November 2017. Even if you cannot make it to the talk, you will find plenty of interesting pictures and information about the Airco factory, which employed 4,400 people (many of them women) by 1918, and the company set up at Stag Lane after the war by its principal designer and test pilot, Geoffrey De Havilland.

Conservation activities at Welsh Harp on Sunday

June 18  10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Free

 

WELSH HARP CONSERVATION GROUP

 

This group was formed last summer and every month, continues to support the activities of the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre. During this event, you will learn some practical conservation techniques to manage the habitats in the area and all activities focus on improving the natural habitat of the 15 acre woodland for biodiversity and ensuring that the outdoor teaching spaces are safe and exciting for the 3000 school children that attend the centre each year.

Previous activities have included clearing glades (open areas within a woodland) and pathways which were choked with ivy and bramble, clearing our Forest School Zone to make room for shelter building activities, moving logs and branches around the site for children’s activities and teaching spaces, pond clearance, and there are many more similar activities to come.

The chosen activities for the day will be selected and emailed out to everyone on the mailing list before the event. If you are not on the mailing list and you wish to be, please email deb.frankiewicz@thames21.org.uk

All welcome! Under 16’s need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. Please bring a packed lunch. Tea, coffee and snacks will be provided.  Please meet inside the Education Centre.
Hope to see you there to continue this amazing work!

Deb Frankiewicz (Education Officer)