Brent Council live streaming fails again

Brent Council seems beset by technical problems that recently have included its telephone system, parking booking system, planning portal and now the live streaming of Council meetings.

As Alexi points out the absence of a live webcast of yesterday's Full Council is detrimental to democracy. No warning of non-availability was given on the webcast portal on the Council's website and so far no apology given to residents.

LATE NEWS July 10th 16.50

The recording of the meeting is now available HERE

Brent Council eventually apologises:

  

New Alperton development exhibition Thursday July 12th

New extended plans are being put forward by developers for a site in Alperton next to the Grand Union Canal at the junction of Ealing Road and Bridgewater Road.

The site is now not just Alperton House (The Boat pub), 346 Ealing Road  but also the college and Topps Tiles next door (units 9-10 Abercorn Commercial Centre),

The exhibition is at Brent Play Association at Peppermint Point (next to the Sainsbury's Superstore) 4.30pm – 7.30pm Northwick Road, HA0 1LG.

Redrow Homes and Peabody have formed a partnership and promise reprovision of the pub/restaurant, a new canal side public space, new affordable homes, retail and workspaces.

Cllr Abdirazak loses his place on Brent Planning Committee

UPDATE Cllr Abdirazak Abdi WAS replaced on the Planning Committee by a vote of Brent Council last night. The item was moved up the Agenda and taken before his fellow Kilburn councillors arrived in the chamber.

Below posted before the Council Meeting

I understand that Brent Council's Labour Leader is set to remove Cllr Abdirazak Abdi from the Planning Committee at tonight's meeting of Brent Council.

Cllr Abdi has proved to have a mind of his own on the Committee and voted against several planning applications.  Councillors on the Committee are of course supposed to be independent of political decisions but unfortunately Abdirazak's independence appears to have displeased 'The Leader', who is quoting the need to find committeee places for the recently elected Willesden Green councillors as the pretext for the removal.
 
As several Labour councillors hold a number of committeee positions this does not hold much water. Abdi is only on one committee.

Butt's decision has to be ratified by this afternoon's  Labour Group meeting which precedes Full Council.

Cllr Andi is due to be replaced by Cllr Elliot Chappel, newly elected for Willesden Green. LINK

Cllr Abdirazak Abdi represents Kilburn ward where Cllr Duffy was previously councillor. Duffy famously stood up to be counted over a number of issues including Paddington Cemetery asbestos and the Council's waste policy.

ADDITION

The Secretary of the Kilburn (Brent) branch of the Hampstead and Kilburn CLP has now written to Brent Labour Group Executive members about the issue:

To executive members, Brent Labour Group

As secretary of Kilburn (Brent) Labour Party branch, I'm appalled to hear that Councillor Abdi Abdirazak is being removed from his position on the planning committee of Brent Council, and at such short notice that it will be ratified at the Council meeting this evening.

Although the pretext appears to be to make room for the newly elected Willesden Green Councillors, this is clearly not the case, since Abdi is only on one committee whereas there are councillors on several who could have made way.

It is clear that Abdi is being "punished" for voting "the wrong way" on the planning committee. Abdi reported to our branch last week on his work on planning committee and had the support of the branch.

On behalf of the branch, I ask that you withdraw this proposal.

We will be discussing this at our Branch EC meeting and will decide what further action needs to be taken; I would therefore welcome an early reply so that this can be taken into account.

Council estate residents may have to pay £85 annual parking charge

Brent Housing Scrutiny Committee will discuss a report at its June 12th meeting on the possible introduction of off-street parking controls on its estates which would mean residents paying £85 rather than the current £10 annual charge.

The report says controls are need because of parking issues on many of its estates and has chosen five of the worst affected for a consultation. They are:

Alexander Court
Landua House
Joules House
Windmill Court
Seymour Court

The charge has been aligned with the current Controlled Parking Zone charge of £85 but would not be subject to the complex arrangements for that charge.

During consultation tenats, lease holders and owner occupiers on the estates will be asked to choose from:

• Preferred type of parking control
• Preferred hours of control
• Areas that wil be included
• No parking controls

If  approved the arrangements would be implemented in early April next year.

Brent Council claims support for 'park meadows' policy as Lorber escalates complaint

Responding to a complaint  by Paul Lorber regarding Brent Council’s policy of not mowing grass in large sections of the borough’s parks Chris Whyte, Operational Director of Environmental Services, has written justifying the policy:

Dear Paul,

I am sorry you feel the council’s parks are no longer accessible to the general public.

That’s not intended. We have committed to retaining and cutting recreational space in all our parks. However, the extent of that must now be dependent on the cost and the resources that are available. That is a very real constraint, I’m afraid.

The council must now manage all its larger parks in this way. It is necessary because it enables the council to better prioritise its funds. In addition, it means a different habitat is created in our parks, which is intended to be a positive.

It’s a shame you reject this approach; there are other ‘Friends of’ groups who see it as a positive. It may be seen as an untidy cost cutting exercise, but this group have asked that it is retained and that we cut once a year as intended, providing them with the cut grass which they can then use for their environmental project work. They’ve also kindly provided a list of benefits they say the long grass will bring to their park. I’ve attached it so you can get a sense of their enthusiasm.

They’re clear – ‘grass of differing heights and maintenance levels provides a greater variety of habitats for wildlife and greatly increases the bio-diversity of the park’. We’re hopeful these benefits will start to become more obvious over time.

There is a three-way balance to be struck here.

Maintaining access for recreational use which we do by still cutting the popular areas, managing the operation within the budget that is still available, and creating new and vital urban habitats for wildlife. That’s what is taking effect at Barham and the other Brent parks. The meadows will be an important way of trying to protect native species of wildflowers, as well as the insects and birds that feed on them. In recent years, many populations of bees and other pollinators have been declining significantly. This has been seen globally as a threat to biodiversity, long-term food production and ultimately human health.

I am aware the visual impact will take some getting used to but we see this approach as being much more vital than simply and relentlessly cutting the grass in a way that provides no ecological value.

You mentioned separately you’d like the matter discussed at a forthcoming [Barham] Trust meeting. That can happen. Not least, we would welcome the opportunity to sell the benefits and to get your support.

Lorber has replied asking for his complaint to be moved to the next stage of the Council’s Complaints Procedure:

For the avoidance of doubt I now wish to have my complaint pursued to the next stage.

In considering my complaint you should refer to the Brent Borough Plan 2015 - 19 which makes numerous references to the importance of local Parks and gives the promises that they will be well cared and looked after.

This promise has been broken in the case of Barham Park. The Park lost its Green Flag status some time back because of previioys decisions. The well regarded annual planting which brought a lot of colour to part of the Park ceased many years ago. Shrubs are neglected and poorly maintained by the contractors - they are hacked rather than properly probed.

The latest decision not to cut the grass in large parts of the Park has made the large areas unusable for public recreation and created no go areas.

The condition of these neglected areas in this hot weather is a potential fire hazard. I doubt that a risk assessment has been carried out and if by chance it has perhaps you can provide a copy.

By copy the officers involved with the preparation of the last borough plan can perhaps provide a definition of ‘well cared for parks’ and explain what was/is in their view the purpose a Park in the urban environment and what the disadvantages are of creating large no go areas for the Public.

If by chance you wish my complaint to be withdrawn than please arrange for the large areas of the uncut grass to be cut and for the grass cutting to be fully removed.

Saying 'No' to Trump is not enough - we need alternatives

Shaka Lish of Brent Green Party and Greens of Colour, spoke yesterday at Brent Stands Up to Trump! a meeting called to publicise the demonstrations on July 13th and 14th. The meeting was supported by Brent Central Labour Party, Brent Stand Up to Racism and Brent Stop the War. After hearing from panelists those at the meeting organised leafleting throughout the borough to publicise the demonstrations.

£6m plan to re-connect Bridge Road and North End Road in Wembley

The existing steps and ramp that provide pedestrians access to Olympic Way and North End Road from Bridge Road (closed when crowds leave the stadium)

The Brent Cabinet will make a decision on a £6m plus scheme to rejoin North End Road, Wembley Park to Bridge Road at its meeting on July 16th.  An artist's visualisation of the project will not be published until the day of the meeting but I expect the road extension to run close to the Michaela Community School. (see above)

The plans has been on the back burner for many years but has become a necessity as a result of the Council's decision to fund the removal of the Wembley Stadium pedway and its replacement by steps. That scheme plus other public realm improvements  on Olympic Way is costing £17.8m the Council has allocated from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and the additional £6m is also likely to come from CIL.

The officers' report states:

A planning application has recently been submitted to remove the existing pedway that enables spectators to cross Engineers Way. This will require Engineers Way to be closed prior to events as well as afterwards, The outcome of this is there will be not east-west vehicular movements across the growth area for an extended period of time, further impacting on residents and businesses as well as reducing the number of buses able to access the twin centres and shopping areas (Tesco and IKEA).

If the pedway is replaced by steps the construction of the North End Road connection becomes essential to provide a vehicular route which is not impacted by the vehicular exclusion required on event days around the stadium. Additional benefits could be [my emphasis] buses would also not be required to divert away from the area enabling journeys to be completed without inconvenience. If implemented it is expected that the steps will be constructed in 2019.

I am not sure the residents of North End Road will welcome the transformation of what is currently a quiet road into a busy thoroughfare, perhaps with buses, although some motorists may welcome better access.  I will await confirmation from TfL regarding the practicality running buses on this alternative route.  Certainly residents on my estate, Kings Drive, are frustrated by the curtailment of the 206 bus service on Wembley event days.

In addition to this major infrastructural project the Cabinet will also consider proposals to introduce 'two-way working'  on South Way between VDC Careys and Great Central Way, Fifth Way and Fourth Way 'to improve the operation of the highway network on event days and provide some mitigation on the delay experienced by residents and business in North End Road through avoiding having to flow around the gyratory with event day traffic.' VDC Careys will accommodate the new Wembley Stadium coach park, becoming operational in January 2020.

Officers argue:

Two-way working is also proven to lower traffic speeds just through the experience of having oncoming traffic movements, this will assist in providing a better environment for pedestrians and cyclists to be in and encourage sustainable and active travel into this vehicle domination area.

The outcome is intended to achieve an appealing gateway to Wembley, improved public realm for the existing community and improve the environmental conditions to attract future investment.

Persuaded?

Brent Council to discuss motion on Gaza inquiry & arms control

Brent Council is to discuss a motion on Gaza at Monday's meeting put forward by the Labour Group:

Full Council – 9 July 2018 Motion selected by the Labour Group 

This council joins international condemnation of the recent killings of 130 Palestinian protestors by Israeli forces – firing live ammunition into crowds of unarmed civilians is illegal and must not be tolerated; any escalation in this long-running dispute is deeply regrettable. 

This council is appalled that more than two thirds of Palestinians are reliant on humanitarian assistance, with limited access to essential amenities such as water and electricity. 

This council supports the right to protest against such awful conditions, against the continuing blockade of Gaza, and occupation of Palestinian land, and in support of a viable two state solution. 

This council calls upon the UK government to encourage the UN Secretary General to renew his call for an independent international inquiry into these killings, and review the sale of arms that could be used in violation of international law. 

Councillor Kieron Gill Brondesbury Park Ward