'Capital West London' marketing venture launched by Brent and 6 other West London boroughs

I missed this last week but also cannot recall the decision being discussed by Full Council, perhaps someone will put me right.

Pic from left to right - Cllr MuhammedButt, from Brent Council; Katharine Glass, Director, White Label Creative; Cllr Julian Bell, from Ealing Council; Cllr Steve Curran, from Hounslow Council; Dan Gascoyne, West London Alliance

From Brent Council website:

Seven west London councils have revealed ground-breaking plans to unite their areas as one huge investment opportunity, promoting its combined £69billion economy to a worldwide audience under the brand Capital West London.

Capital West London, the brainchild of the West London Alliance - made up of Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow councils, was successfully launched at the Hilton Hotel Wembley on Wednesday morning.

The ambitious three-year programme will transform West London's reach to the global market, providing a hub of information and allowing potential investors to tap into the second largest economy in the UK with just one call.

The novel and innovative venture is fully endorsed at the most senior level by the officers and members of the local authorities involved, and will work in partnership with the Greater London Authority and London & Partners, with the backing of the Department for International Trade.

Capital West London will bring together a collaborative group of public and private sector stakeholders and centre on the region's key assets with a programme focused on connectivity, investment and trade.

The programme, delivered by regeneration marketing specialists White Label Creative, will ensure the continued success and growth of West London and raise its profile as a one of the world's leading investment destinations, while helping companies within the sub-region reach new markets.

Dan Gascoyne, West London Alliance Director, said:

This is the latest ground-breaking collaboration between our seven local authorities and provides a fantastic platform from which to secure West London's future prosperity. By working together, we can present an opportunity of significant scale to investors combined with the local connections, intelligence and expertise necessary to turn that opportunity into reality.

Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said:

West London is already great. With Wembley Stadium, Westfield, numerous high-quality parks and green spaces, Brent Cross and an impressive educational offer at the universities, colleges and schools, it's a great place to live. And the array of prestigious HQs and global companies, including Sky, GSK, Disney, and L'Oréal, are testament to its appeal as a business destination. This new collaboration will help it stay that way.

Borough Solicitor attempts to put block on Duffy's questions

The Brent Senior Solicitor has written to Cllr John Duffy regarding Duffy's attempts to ask further questions where he feels officers' answers are deficient. Looqman Desai, the Senior Solicitor has told the councillor that officers will not deal with any further questions on issues that they consider dealt with and that any new questions must be dealt with via the Members Enquiries system.

Cllr Duffy has responded that this is disingenous and a way of ensuring his questions are not answered despite the Mayor's promise that officers would answer his questions. He has written to the Mayor, Cllr Chohan, with further questions:

Mr Mayor it is important you stand by what you told the full council and public at the full meeting and do not renege on it  and ensure the officers answer the  following questions or  instigate an independent  investigation by someone with Health and +Safety  experience to answer them.

(1) Will officers confirm that the soil / rubble was stored in a safe lockable area within Carpenders park  prior to its transfer to Paddington Cemetery and explain how the soil/rubble   was delivered into the lockable area and was the rubble purchased as top soil.

(2)  Will the officers confirm the Soil/Rubble transferred to Paddington Cemetery was the same as the Soil/Rubble that the 60 Kgs of waste was sent for disposal under a consignment note as Hazardous waste. If not where did the original contaminated load go?

(3) Will officers confirm that 60 Samples taken by Eton' Environmental Specialists on behalf of the council showed that17(27%) were contaminated by Asbestos and 57 (95%) were contaminated with builders rubble and do officers believe that the level of rubble is appropriate  for the burial of residents.If officers do not believe its appropriate  for burials  of residents why will the CEO and Lead Member of the Environment not consider compensating the relatives of the deceased for the inconvenience , anguish and uncertainty  they have been put through by Brent Council?

(4) Will officers confirm the last burial which took place on the mount by graveyard employees after the 30 KGS of asbestos was discovered. Will they also confirm that graveyard employees  were not given protective equipment the same as the private contractor. I understand the contractors workforce were instructed by Brent Council to continue to bury people without protection up to 21 days after the asbestos was found.

(5) Will officers confirm that workers were bused in on the 26th June to carry out work on the mound and those workers were given no protective clothing or special instructions. Will Officers also confirm the pictures I presented to officers depict workers raising dust on the mound without any protection for the workforce or any attempt to cordon the area from public access.

(6) Will the Head of Finance confirm the failure of senior officers to control the transportation of Hazardous waste to the Paddington Cemetery cost Brent Council over one million pound and provide a full break-down of costs including loss of revenue , cost so far and expected removal costs.

Mr Mayor I met a relative of one of the deceased buried on the mound, who wrongly believe I was a council official.He was upset and wanted to know how could the council allow people to be buried in builders' rubble. I could not answer him. I have attached a picture of the rubble that is thrown around the mound and a picture of Michael Bond's grave on the footpath to show the affect of the council's policy to use builders' rubble. (Above)

Mr Mayor what we are witnessing is abuse of procedures,where powerful officers are using a timetable to keep information from the  public. I  ask you  to stand up to officer and stop this deliberate abuse of  the Purdah period and ensure ALL  relevant staff  are interviewed ASAP and the results of those interviews are published  along with answers to the six questions  asked above before the 19th March, to ensure they are  not caught up in the Purdah period.

Mr Mayor it is important the concerns of the residents, parents and grave-owners are treated with the respect they deserve and dealt with ASAP.

Clean air pledge demanded from Brent parties ahead of May election

The campaign group Clean Air for Brent (CAfB) has written to party leaders in Brent, challenging them to place cleaning up the borough’s dirty air at the top of their manifestos for the May 2018 local elections.

Fiona Mulaisho, Chair of CAfB said:

“The next four years will be absolutely crucial if Brent’s residents are to get the clean air they so desperately need.  Brent Council estimates that at least 200 people in our borough die prematurely from air pollution each year, and too many of our children are being exposed to levels of emissions that far exceed the legal limit.  Indeed, two Brent schools are currently part of the Mayor of London’s Schools Air Quality Audit, because they have the dubious honour of being among the 50 primary schools worst affected by air pollution in the capital.  We urge all parties and candidates to put combating air pollution front and centre in their manifestos and, if elected, to hit the ground running on this all-important issue.”

As well as building on and extending Brent Council’s revised Air Quality Action Plan, CAfB has asked for the following 5 key pledges from local politicians:

1. To support the Mayor’s proposals to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone (currently under consultation). CAfB is strongly in favour of including the North Circular, as large numbers of people reside on its heavily polluted borders. 
2. To propose specific measures for schools next to busy roads – with reference to the Mayor’s recent audits of Ark Franklin and John Keble Primary Schools. 
3. To press the Mayor of London to deliver a clean bus fleet much sooner than is envisaged in TfL plans, as London buses are a major contributor to emissions. Currently, 72% of TfL bus routes in Brent are diesel.
4. To secure greater public involvement in activities to reduce air pollution, such as a Brent-wide anti-idling campaign with schools and elsewhere.
5. To increase public awareness of the public health impact of air pollution.

Clean Air for Brent is ready to work with all parties to deliver these aims.

Burst water main closes Park Lane, Wembley

Monday 10am. Brent Council reports it is now fixed and Park Lane has reopened.

How is Brent Council doing in providing good parks for residents?

Good Parks for London has published its 2017 report comparing parks provision across London boroughs. Brent comes out with a midway score at 13, compatred with 19.5 for Lanbeth, Lewisham and Southwark. Neighbouring Harrow is bottom of the table at 5.5  Lack of dtata exp;ains some low scores.

Provision is based on 10 criteria.  Brent's rating in brackets

1. Public satisfaction with parks (3/4 at least 75% satisfaction)
2. Awards for quality (0/4 Brent opted out of Green Flag awards when park maintenance was out-sourced to Veolia)
3. Collaboration with other boroughs (4/4 Brent supports Parks for London and the London Parks Benchmarking Group)
4. Events ('Making progress' 2/5)
5. Health, fitness and wellbeing (5/6 20% of gyms per ha)
6. Supporting nature ('Making progress' 1/4)
7. Community involvement (5/5 40+ parks friends groups etc)
8. Skills developments (inc apprenticeships) (0/5 no data)
9. Sustainability (2/4 switching from diesel to electrical equipment)
10. Strategy planning (4/4 straget and assess management plans both achieved).

The full report is below:

Brent school closures today

Brent River College

Ashley College
Manor Special School
Phoenix Arch School
The Village School

Anson Primary
Ark Franklin Primary Academy
Barham Primary School
Braintcroft Primary School
Byron Court Primary School
Carlton Vale Infants School
Chalkhill Primary School
Curzon Crescent Nursery School and Children’s Centre
Donnington Primary School
Elsley Primary School
Fawood Nursery School and Children’s Centre
Fryent Primary School
Harlesden Primary School
Islamia Primary School
John Keble School
Kilburn Grange School
Kilburn Park Junior Foundation School
Leopold Primary School
Lyon Park PrimarySchool
Malorees Infants and Juniors School
Mitchell Brook Primary School
Mora Primary School
Newfield Primary School
Northview Primary School
North West London Jewish Day School
Oliver Goldmsith Primary School
Preston Park Primary School
Princess Frederica C of E VA Primary School
Roe Green Infant School
Roe Green Junior School
Roe Green Strathcona School
Salusbury Primary school
St Joseph's RC Primary School
St Marys CE Primary School
Sinai Primary School
Stonebridge Primary School
Sudbury Primary School
Uxendon Manor
Wembley Primary School

Alperton Community School
Capital City
Claremont High School
Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College
Crest Academies
Kingsbury High School
Newman Catholic College
Preston Manor School
Queens Park Community School
St Gregory's Catholic Science College

The Village School governors vote to form multi academy trust with Woodfield School

Cllr Jumbo Chan speaking before the governing body's decision

The governing body of The Village School has released a statement confirming that they voted last night to form a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) with Woodfield School. The MAT will only go ahead if Woodfield governors vote for it on Monday evening.

The statement said:

The governing body concluded that the trust was in the best interests of the school and its pupils.

This is because of the opportunities it allows to embed and deepen collaboration within the security of a long term partnership.

This collaboration can help to increase educational opportunities, reduce costs, and improve our ability to influence other partners because we can speak with a single voice.

Staff terms and conditions would be protected as previously stated.

Dogged Duffy pursues Brent Council on asbestos contamination

Not satisfied with the Mayor's statement on the Paddington Cemetery asbestos issue at Full Council on Monday, Cllr John Duffy, who relinquishes his councillor role in May, has returned with further questions to Chris Whyte of Brent Council:

I wrote to the Mayor and he informed me my questions would be answered. I had hope that Brent council would be more transparent and rely on evidence not hear say. To me its important that any investigation is fact based so residents, the school and grave-owners would be satisfied that the council are transparent and has not reverted to their original position of deny everything , just ignore the evidence and rely on secret internal meetings to keep information from the public.

Mr Whyte you were not at either Carpender Park or Paddington Cemetery when the asbestos was discovered. The only witnesses at Carpenders Park are the operatives who discovered the Asbestos who have not been interviewed, the only evidence is the waste transfer certificate which confirms the fact  that 60kgs of hazardous waste was sent for disposal. The only witnesses at the discovery of the Asbestos found in Paddington Cemetery have not been interview, the only evidence is the asbestos discovered on May 9th was sent for analysts to Tersus Asbestos specialist and they confirmed  it was Asbestos Cement(Cyrysotile)  the remaining Asbestos was sent to Brentwood Essex and weighted 30kgs and the waste consignment note further confirms the fact that is was Asbestos cement (Chrysolite).Just to put the amount of asbestos in prospective 90Kgs is the equivalent of 90 plaster boards (2m x sq) broken up. So Mr Wythe as you were not present at either find , I suggest we concentrate on the evidence which speaks for itself.

I understand all operatives will now be interviewed 10 months after the discovery of the Asbestos. I Have told Brent legal department I am happy to wait until all the operatives have been interviewed to  determine what were  the operational failings with respect to the transfer of the soil/ rubble from Carpender’s Park in 2015 . I believe the evidence will supports me that  the soil/ rubble was knowingly transported  to Paddington Cemetery. It beggars belief that  you are suggesting officers cannot not tell the different between soil and rubble. However we must agree to wait until after all the witnesses have been interviewed.

Mr Whyte I asked the Mayor for the CEO or the Lead Member for the Environment to make a statement. I asked that" the statement should also include plans for compensation to the grave -owners who have buried love ones in section 3D who have paid for soil /earth interment and ended -up with builders rubble". I believe that head of finance should also give an estimate on the total cost to the council, which I believe will be somewhere around the 1 million pound mark ". You have not answered those questions. Instead you inferred I am  misleading grave -owners  with a hurtful suggestion .This is nonsense and is yet another attempt to undermine me and stop any questioning of  how the councils managed to deliver the  rubble ( including Asbestos) instead of the soil / earth  which is normal for  graveyards to Paddington Cemetery.

I assume Brent council officers have read  the reports concerning  the description of there soil / rubble on the mound. If not I suggest you look at the evidence. We known there was three finds of Asbestos one in August 2015 ( Carpenders Park ) and two in Paddington Cemetery in May 2017. We known the soil / rubble for Paddington Cemetery came from Carpenders Park after the original 60 KGs of Asbestos was discovered. We know that 30 Kgs of Asbestos was found in May 2017.  In August 2017 Eton Environmental took 60 sample (appendix 3 of their report ) and they give the exact location and description of the samples taken .Of the 60 sample taken 17  were found to have asbestos this confirms 28% of the sample had Asbestos including one sample that had several large chunks of asbestos cement. We also know that of the 60 samples 57 contained rubble ,that is 95% of samples contained rubble, some called cement  or bitumen ,but all identified as rubble. Officers can also visible verify  the present of rubble by inspecting the  residue from the graves, where they will witness boulders as big as footballs which are clearly visible.

I would suggest officers stop making smears against me and concentrate on the facts. I ask again now that I have pointed out the evidence that 95% of samples contain  (you would be hard put to get that level on a bomb site ) rubble will the CEO or Lead member for the Environment  now confirm that  they will compensated the grave -owners who have buried love ones on the mound and who paid for soil /earth interment (as per their contract)  and ended -up with builders rubble (Q1)? The council position that the mound is not heavily contaminated with builders rubble is unsustainable and the longer the council  remain  in a state of denial, the more I believe it undermines their credibility with the public .If the Mayor, CEO and Lead member  for Environment believe that is OK to buried people in ground , which sample show is  95% of rubble instead of soil is acceptable they should confirm that to the residents of Brent. I would also like confirmation on the full cost to  the council of this fiasco  and hope the Head of Finance will confirm the  cost the council tax-payer, which I believe is around the million pound mark (Q2)?

Mr Whyte as well as the financial cost and the health and safety aspects of the officers reckless decision not to halt the transfer of  soil/ rubble to Paddington cemetery after the discovery of asbestos. The council have destroyed pathway to bury people and have buried people in areas with no proper drainage. All this because of the failure of officers to condemn the waste at Carpenders Park and halt the transfer. Yet I see no humility from officers concerning  the actions  undertaken by officers which have led to the Council turning  parts of a  beautiful  Victorian listed graveyard into a brown field site full of rubble.

Please ensure you answer the 2 questions mentioned above concerning compensation and the full cost.

Mr Whyte I have copied in the CEO, as I am not sure she was aware of the high level of rubble present in the sampling