Clean Air Day report calls for urgent action by Brent Council

From Clean Air for Brent (CAfB)

Clean Air for Brent (CAfB)’s aim is to see air quality significantly improved in the London borough of Brent. As a tool towards helping Brent Council and residents achieve this goal, CAfB ispleased to launch ‘A Study on Air Quality in Brent’ on 21 June 2018 – national Clean Air Day. Following a proposal from CAfB, Imperial College MSc Environmental Technology students carried out this study between January and March 2018.

Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise and Harlesden High Street were chosen as case studies to analyse Brent’s air pollution problem and establish causes. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in both areas critically exceed the legal limit deemed fit for humans. 

Children are one of the most vulnerable groups harmed by  air pollution – including asthma, lung stunting and cognitive impairment.  John Keble C of E Primary is next to Harlesden High Street and Ark Franklin Primary is on Chamberlayne Road. Both are among the 50 most polluted primary schools in the capital that were included in the Mayor of London’s recent Air Quality School Audit. 

This report, the first deep-dive air pollution study of its kind for the two areas, not only identifies the causes but also recommends sources of funding to tackle the issue.

Unsurprisingly, the primary cause of the air pollution problems in the two areas is road traffic.

·      Traffic surveys show that a large proportion of the vehicles travelling through the study areas are diesel powered - 63% in Chamberlayne and 42% in Harlesden High Street.

·      Interviews conducted with drivers also reveal the significant role of non-local journeys – through traffic making up 50-60% of rush hour vehicles. 

·      Both routes carry traffic volumes double the national average for the time of day in question.

At a Celebration of Clean Air event held jointly with Brent Council and Brent Friends of the Earth at Civic Centre on Thursday evening, Chair of CAfB Fiona Mulaisho commented:

Today we are all signing up to a Brent Clean Air Pledge, and in keeping with that CAfB hopes Brent Councillors and officers will draw and act on this report.   As well as working with the worst affected schools to limit their exposure to filthy air in the playground and the classroom, we urge them to use all their powers to tackle the root causes and clean up the air our children and we breathe.

The full report is available on CAfB’s website: cleanairforbrent.wordpress.com.

Art Exhibition today at Yellow Pavilion Wembley

Brent Council announces Spurs have the right to play at Wembley until December 2018

Residents who breathed a sigh of relief that they could soon go about their business in Wembley at weekends without the traffic jams and suspended bus routes associated with Spurs occupation of Wembley may have to think again. Tottenham's stadium may not be  ready for the new season and an announcement on Brent Council's website clearly doesn't see that as a problem:

Tottenham Hotspur will play their first game of the new football season at Wembley, against Fulham on 18 August 2018.

With the development of their new stadium yet to be completed and a number of test events due to take place before it can be officially opened, Tottenham have asked to again use Wembley for their opening fixture.

Tottenham have stated they will move into their new stadium in time for the Liverpool fixture on Saturday 15 September 2018.

However, until that is contractually confirmed, Tottenham retain the option to play home games at Wembley up until 7 October 2018 and Champions League games up until 12 December 2018.

Any Tottenham games at Wembley next season will be accommodated within the existing planning permission for the Stadium, and be part of their agreed programme of events for the year.

The cost of allotment neglect in Brent

Birchen Grove allotments in Kingsbury

In Spring 2016 Brent Council consulted on the possibility of our allotments becoming self-managing. Allotment holders were not enthusiastic LINK and as far as I know none, apart from Kingsbury which was already self-managing, opted to self-manage.

I spoke up for the then Council Allotments Officer and the fine job she did but shortly afterwards she was gone.  Without a named officer the role was taken over by the depleted parks department - depleted after Veolia took over the maintenance contract for parks and the Green Flag scheme was abandoned.

Now the Birchen Grove site,  where I have two plots, is looking neglected and overgrown.  There seems to be no system of checking on active cultivation and  expediting the reletting of abandoned plots although I understand there is a waiting list and the Council is supposed to be encouraging local food cultivation LINK

The practical effect of plots being overgrown  is that they are much harder to bring back into cultivation and any new allotment holder can become demoralised by the sheer hard work involved. Grass and weed seeds spread over neighbouring cultivated plots and become a nuisance,

I would be interested to hear about experiences on other Brent allotments and perhaps Cllr Krupa Sheth, Cabinet member for the Environment, could look into the issue. It would be useful for the Scrutiny Committee to review the success or otherwise of the Council's Food Growing and Allotments Strategy.

Meanwhile, following other examples of neglect of council resources such as garages on estates, there is a fear that pictures of neglect and low use rates such as those above, could lead to justification for a polocy of selling off  allotments to be used for housing developments.

Campaign launched to beat loneliness in Brent

Eleven Brent charities have launched a campaign to raise awareness of loneliness and community activities across Brent. The Together in Brent campaign promotes the Jo Cox Great Get Together on June 22^nd and the following week, as a Borough-wide Open Day. It encourages residents to try out one activity and discover what’s in their local area and to volunteer to help tackle loneliness. 

There are over 1,000 social activities where you can meet people in Brent. From singing, exercise, drawing, crafts, volunteering, lunch clubs, computer classes to the more unusual such as acting or fixing electronics. 

The campaign includes a free arts exhibition exploring isolation, Peeking Through Windows. This tells stories from across the borough through original art pieces, sculpture, dance, photography and video. 

Loneliness affects people of all ages. It’s a deeply personal issue people can’t easily talk about and yet so important that the Government created a new Minister for Loneliness this year. There is a range of specialist support locally in Brent for people experiencing emotional distress, carers, older people and others. There are also projects that help build confidence and can even accompany you to an activity the first few times to help settle in, understanding that it’s not easy to go to a new place and meet new people. 

Peeking Through Windows is open to all, on Thursday 21^st June, 12-2pm at the Yellow Pavilion, Wembley[M1]  Park, HA9 0EG. To find out about activities in your area, support and volunteering phone 0741 531 5998, email togetherinbrent@cvsbrent.org.uk or join the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/togetherinbrent/ or follow on twitter @togetherinbrent  

The charities involved are: Age UK Brent, Ashford Place, Brent Carers Centre, Brent Community Transport, Brent Mencap, British Red Cross, CVS Brent through the Social Involvement in Brent Initiative (SIBI), Elders Voice, Hestia, Linking Lives, Youth With A Mission

Why vote Green in Willesden Green?

The election for the last three seats on Brent Council takes place on Thursday June 21st and the voters in Willesden Green have an opportunity to ensure that the Council's actions are subject to rigorous scrutiny.

They won't do that by electing yet more Labour councillors - there are already 57 pitched against 3 lack lustre Tories.  Immediately after the May 3rd election Muhammed Butt, leader of the Council, tightened his grip on power appointing a rubber-stamping Cabinet and extending his period of office.  Just after the election councillors gave themselves a rise and the Cabinet confirmed that that £17.8m of public money would be spent on cosmetic 'improvements' to Olympic Way.  Their actions have shown us what we face  for the next four years unless electors make a stand.

This matters because the right-wing is still firmly in control on the Council despite an increase in Momentum activists in the borough. The latter found themselves campaigning for council candidates who had little sympathy with Corbyn and unlikely to mount any significant opposition to cuts or Butt's close relationship with developers.  There are perhaps 3 or 4 of the 57 who may ask awkward questions and it would considerably strengthen their hands if Green councillors were elected on the 21st.

But Green councillors on their own would provide a new dynamic committed as they are to a range of policies far more radical than those of Brent Labour providing rigorous scrutiny of issues such as social housing, planning, clear air, the use of the community infrastructure levy, the condition of roads and pavements, protection of open spaces, upkeep of parks, provision of affordable meeting places for community groups, effective consultation rather than a tick box system and opposition to academisation.  They would challenge the current Wembleycentric bias in Brent.

Green councillors in other London borough have shown that even one Green voice can make a big difference. Willesden Green voters should seize the chance on June 21st.

Green Party Willesden Green Election Action Day Sunday June 17th

Action Day for Willesden Green by-election. Join us, take pics, help out, ask questions, grab posters & find out about @TheGreenParty! Sunday 17th June 11am-1pm Willesden Green station.

Sian Berry (Green Party Assembly Member) and Rashid Nix (Green party activist from Lambeth) will be joing us. 

Our candidates are Shaka Lish (above), William Relton and Peter Murry.

Brent receives share of migration funding

Unedited press release from Brent Council

Brent has been awarded over £440,000 of funding over three years from a £19 million government pot to help support emerging communities in Brent.


Aiming to ease pressure on local services from recent migration, the fund will help Brent Council provide services to meet the growth in new communities and put support structures in place for new residents which promote independence and help them to adapt to life in the UK.


This includes a new community outreach team as well as drop-in sessions, Eastern European and Latin American fairs and recognised courses in English Language (ESOL), which will cover CV-building, employability and citizenship skills, designed to equip residents with the tools they need to participate in daily life.


Also on offer will be conversational English workshops and cross-cultural activities to celebrate and share community culture.


Cllr Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of Brent Council said:

Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in London and we want to make sure that new residents feel supported and equipped to take part in everyday life. We work hard to make Brent a great place to live and work. At a time of stretched resources for councils across the country, this funding will help meet the challenges of a growing population as we take a joined up approach to easing pressure on local services.


This funding gives us the opportunity to provide a wealth of resources for new residents which they can rely on, reducing the risk of exploitation by rogue landlords or employers who pay below the legal minimum wage.

The funding will be delivered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to support projects until 2020.