KUWG urge Brent Labour to reject DWP's justification for job centre closures

Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group KUWG) are urging Brent councillors on the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee not to accept a DWP report tonight which reports on the closure of Kilburn and Neasden Job Centres. LINK

KUWG's case is set out in the leaflet below (Click on image to enlarge):

 The campaign group are organising a demonstration on March 2nd to mark the closure of the Kilburn Job Centre Plus.

 

Police called to Brent Civic Centre as Village School strikers protest

From the Brent National Education Union

The NEU members of The Village school in Brent took their protest to the steps inside Brent Civic Centre again today. As about forty staff, on strike for the second day this week against the proposed academy trust, moved onto the steps with their banners, frantic security staff rushed over. One tried to prevent a banner proclaiming NEU staff say no academy at Village school being unrolled. The campaigners calmly continued, holding up placards and flags, and singing their protest songs. 

Yesterday, after their morning picket, they were seen writing letters on the very same steps without complaint. When the police finally arrived today, the Civic Centre having been regaled with a variety of songs and chants and becoming the centre of attention, the protest was packing away. The security staff called the protesters ‘disruptive’. However, the police saw no breach of the peace and were very sympathetic to the strikers, understanding that privatisation was affecting all public services. 

We have been reliably informed that the responses to the consultation were OVERWHELMINGLY against the proposal (including more than 95% of TVS staff). This further crushing blow to those backing the scheme comes after Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council declared public opposition of both himself and the Labour Cabinet to handing over this valuable Council asset (the new school cost £29 million) lock, stock and barrel to the privateers. 

The Governors meet next Wednesday 28^th to make the decision, but papers sent to Governors clearly recommend agreement to become a Multi Academy Trust. Such is the assumption this will go ahead, the next item on the agenda is a discussion of the Articles of Association and even the suggested name for the MAT. NEU staff are determined to keep up the fight to save their school from being privatised. They will be on strike tomorrow (22^nd) and next week on 27^th and 28^th as well as turning up at the Governors meeting.

Key questions on Wembley regeneration for Scrutiny Committee

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The Wembley skyline from Chalkhill Park

Tonight's Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee is discussing a report on Wembley Regeneration LINK this evening.

The report by Amar Dave, Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment, reads more like a public relations plug for Quintain than an objective, warts and all assessment of the regeneration of Wembley so far.

The Scrutiny Committee are asked merely to note the contents of the report but I hope they will go a lot further in assessing this multi-million project.

Apart from the issue of  the 17.8m payment of CIL money for improvements to the public realm around Wembley Stadium, which includes new steps to replace the present stadium entrance ramps, there are other issues worthy of probing questions from committee members.

The issue of the provision of truly affordable housing looms large for many Brent people and the report claims that over 30% of the housing provided is affordable. This raises the question, aired many times on Wembley Matters, of what is meant by affordable. The committee should seek precise figures on how much has been provided at 80%, 65%, or 50% of marker rent or at the London Living Rent recommended by the GLA. What proportion of the housing could be afforded by Brent residents earning the median family income for the borough?

There is increasing criticism of the way high rise buildings are being squeezed into every available space by Quintain and it is worth assessing to what extent they have departed from the original plans and whether this more speculative build is the result of Quintain's takeover by Texas Star. The report merely notes that the acquisition has accelerated delivery without discussing whether this has led to any deterioration in quality.

Planning officers' recommendation of granting of planning permission even when  buildings do not meet London or Brent planning guidelines on factors such as height, light and density deserve probing as does the controversy surrounding the leader of the council's and lead member's meetings with developers.

The amount of student accommodation in the area deserves consideration following the planning department's decision to move the goal posts. They now assess the proportion against the target in terms of future build rather than current build enabling more applications to be approved.

The report makes great claims for job creation but the committee should be interested in the quality and sustainability of the jobs created, the proportion that are low paid or zero hours contracts as well as the number of jobs that have been lost when small businesses have moved out to make way for more high rise blocks.

There are many more issues but one of the most pressing is the plan to build a new three form entry primary free school, to be run by Ark,  on the site of the York House car park. Its position on a road with heavy polluting traffic and on a small site that necessitates a roof top playground has been criticised, but whether such a school is needed is also subject to debate.



 

How Brent schools have been hit by real-terms funding cut

From the National Education Union

While schools have been doing all they can to shield their pupils from the damage caused by the £2.8 billion real-terms cut from school budgets since 2015, the lack of investment in education is really biting.

The latest research from the School Cuts Coalition, drawn from figures produced by the Government itself, shows that secondary school staff numbers in England have fallen by 15,000 between 2014/15 and 2016/17 despite them having 4,500 more pupils to teach.

Secondary schools have seen their staffing fall by an average of 5.5 posts since 2015. These cuts are affecting front line teaching, with each school losing an average of 2.4 classroom teachers and 1.6 teaching assistants as well as 1.5 support staff. 

The School Cuts coalition warn that the situation is likely to get even worse, as 17,942 (nine out of ten) primary and secondary schools in England and Wales are predicted to be hit by a real-terms cut in funding per pupil between 2015-19.

Hank Roberts, Brent ATL secretary said, “Government cuts to education are really hurting Brent’s schools. This new research shows the effect cuts are having on Brent's schools.”

Sotira Michael, Brent NUT secretary said, “We should be investing in our young people. Education Secretary Damian Hinds must make school funding is top priority.”

To see how funding cuts have affected your school, visit schoolcuts.org.uk

 

THE FIGURES FOR BRENT SCHOOLS ARE IN THE SPREADSHEET BELOW (Click bottom right square to enlarge)

The data is drawn from a comparison of School workforce in England: November 2016 and School workforce in England: November 2014. We have also used Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2015 and Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2017 to calculate the pupil : classroom teacher ratio and the pupil : teaching assistant ratio. 

Forget the KFC crisis - new healthy cafe to open in Roundwood Park

Roundwood Park

 There was dismay in Harlesden and Willesden when the well-loved community cafe in Roundwood Park closed its doors last year.

Now with Spring on its way it has been announced that a new cafe will open in mid-March.

JSS Catering made a successful bid to run an environmentally friendly cafe in the park. The Roundwood Lodge Cafe will offer a wide range of dishes exemplifying its 'farm to table' ethos. A family-friendly atmosphere will make it an ideal meeting place for local people and their children.

The cafe will also offer cooking classes showing visitors how to prepare their favourite dishes from the menu.

The cafe will add to the facilties in the park which include an aviary, bowling green, outdoor gym and children's playground.

A cafe with a lovely park attached - what's not to like? I wish them well.

Academisation battle: Village School staff strike for another 3 days this week and withdraw goodwill

From the NEU


As staff in the NEU at The Village school in Brent take three more days of strike action this week (20^th, 21^st and 22^nd) they are also withdrawing goodwill. Every non-strike day between now and the 28^th February when the Governors meet to make their decision as to whether to convert to an academy or not, they will only “work your proper hours”. Usually they work many extra hours of non-directed time every week. 

Cllr Jumbo Chan, said “I am very proud that many of my Brent Labour Group colleagues, including the leadership, are supporting the teachers and support staff of The Village School, who are being forced again this week to take action to stop their school being academised. I do hope the governors finally acknowledge this move as unpopular and unnecessary, and to immediately halt the misguided move towards academisation.” 

As part of their action staff will be holding a letter writing session to Governors on Tuesday after the early morning picket on the steps inside the Brent Civic Centre. On Wednesday, they will return to protest and sing songs to highlight their campaign. They have also been trying to organise one to one meetings with Governors over the three strike days. Gail Tolley, Strategic Director for Children and Young People has agreed to meet the strikers on Wednesday. 

Barry Gardiner, MP for Brent North has written further to the Head, Kay Charles following the public meeting on 8^th February. In a detailed letter outlining arguments that called into question the depth of the consultation and the one-sided view given, he urged her to, “convey to all Governors ... the absolute opposition that was expressed by parents, teachers, staff, local council representatives and other fellow citizens of the Borough.” 

He concluded warning Governors that taking what would be “an irrevocable decision” would cut the school off from the “democratic accountability of the local authority” an authority that had given The Village school “the extraordinary endowment of £29 million”. He hoped the Governors would “decide to keep the school as part of the Brent family of schools and decide not to become a Multi Academy Trust” rather than rely on a “potentially distant and hostile secretary of state”. 

Martin Powell-Davies, London Regional Secretary NEU, NUT Section said, “It is astonishing that Governors should be considering academisation of this school in the face of overwhelming evidence that the academies system is failing to improve pupil attainment but, instead, is resulting in an expensive, unstable, inefficient and undemocratic mess.”

Doru Athinodoru, Regional Official NEU, ATL Section said, “Public money, Public ownership, public accountability.” 

These comments mirror the conclusions of the very well attended meeting organised by Barry Gardiner on 8^th February. Staff and others are lobbying for the Governors meeting on 28^th February to be open to the public as Barry Gardiner had urged the Chair to do so. There has been some movement on this but the lobbying continues.

So where has Brent Council's CIL cash gone?

The £17.8m Community Infrastructure Levy allocated to infrastructure improvement by Brent Council to the area around the stadium, including the replacement of the ramp by steps, has rightly caused considerable controversy. 

Quintain's total CIL liability to date is  £31.8m of which £11.4m has been paid. Add in the £17.8m and there isn't a lot left.

Of the total CIL monies 85% is alllocated to major infrastructure projects and 15% to Neighbourhood Projects.

These are the allocations for Round 1 of the Neighbourhood CIL projects. Around £250,000 went to projects in the Wembley area (Click square on bottom right to enlarge):

Another round of applications closes in June 2018.

In addition  Quintain and its development partners Wates, McLaren, Jon Sisk and Son, McAleer and Rushe have set up the Wembley Community Fund for projects in Wembley Park and 'the surrounding area'. Grants are betweem £1,000 and £10,000.

These are its allocations so far:

Brent reveals its property and assets - look out for some surprises

There's an intruiging item on the agenda for the Public Realm and Resources Scrutiny Committee meeting on Wednesday February 21st.

The Committee had asked for a list of all Brent properties and assets. In the past the Council has been quite vague about its property ownership and seemed to be surprised at times to find it owened properties such as the Boxing Club at the  old Teachers Centre in Brentfield Road (now the Leopold Primary Annex). Sometimes this resulted in tenants being suddenly asked for substantial rents rather than previous peppercorn rents.

Although the list is an attempt to get things in order the Committee may well want to question some of the valuations in a list of assets that range from crematoria to children's centres, from public toilets to schools, community centres to libraries - as well as the income generated by the assets. Some of the map references are completely wrong.  If I were a member of the Scrutiny Committee I would be inclined to refer the list back to officers for correction and further  thorough research, particularly on some of the extremely low valuations of some of the properties.

The List (Click on bottom right square to enlarge)