Local residents penalised on Wembley Event days

As locals know it is pretty hard getting around the borough on Wembley Event Days with over-crowded public transport, traffic jams, curtailed bus routes and parking restrictions. Many give up moving around the area to go about their normal business, shopping, visting relatives or attending local events.

Now it appears to have got harder with Brent Council refusing Barham Community Library, staffed by volunteers,  Event Day parking permits for library events and community lettings that happen to take place on event days.

Paul Lorber asked for what he thought would be routine parking permits for the library and received this reponse from Brent Council:

After consulting our 2015 parking strategy document which is available online at https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/16403337/parking-strategy-2015.pdf, I can confirm that we are unable to issue the dispensations that you have requested. I have attached a copy of this strategy for your convenience. 

I draw your attention to article 3.120, titled “Places of worship and community centres”. therein it states;

“Many places of worship are situated in residential areas. People often use their cars to travel to worship or to attend related community activities, and this can sometimes cause   congestion and/or conflict with the parking needs of local residents and businesses. With the exception of event-day place of worship permits in Wembley (only premises that are not in a CPZ are eligible), no special on-street parking provision is made for places of worship and community centres.”

I believe that this article precludes the library from any issuance of dispensations, or any other special on-street parking provision.  

I have reviewed the public transport options available around the library, I note.

·      Sudbury Town Station is 0.2 miles away (five minute walk) serving the Piccadilly line.

·      Sudbury and Harrow Road Station is 0.3 miles away (6 minute walk) serving the Chiltern Line on the National Rail.

·      Wembley Central Station is 0.7 miles away (14 minute walk) serving the London Overground (Watford DC line), the Bakerloo line and the National Rail serving the London and North-Western Railway and Southern lines.

·      A bus stop serving the 18, 92, 182, 204 & H17 routes is 300ft north-west of the library entrance.

I would encourage visitors to make use of the readily available public transport, as well as walking and cycling, our published strategy seeks to reduce trips by cars throughout the Borough.

I understand that this may not have been the response you were expecting. However, we have a published strategy to seek to achieve a balance between the needs of residents to park, access to local employment and local retail and service providers in addition to the reduction of car trips. 

John Wild

Contract Operations Manager

Lorber challenged Wild in his response:

Dear Mr Wild

Thank you for your email.

Firstly I consider it inappropriate for anyone from Brent Council to recommend cycling to anyone until such time as the local roads are repaired. As things state many roads are in such a poor state of repair that they are death traps for cyclists.

Barham Community Library has now been open for almost 2 years and up to now all our requests for permits for events at our Library have been met irrespective of the out of touch policy/document you refer to.

What has suddenly changed?

I am concerned because our Library is attended by many older and disabled people who are often brought by others. Without receiving a lift from a relative or friend who then needs to park locally that person would not be able to come.

This policy is therefore depriving elderly and disabled people for accessing our Library on Event days and preventing us to organise events for our local community for many weekends during the year. How does this approach help to meet the other Council objective to tackle loneliness?

If the intention is for Brent Council and its officers to deprive community facilities the ability to function or for disabled or elderly people to be disadvantaged then I suggest that you clearly state this intent and publicise it - rather than simply hide behind a document which no one is aware of.

Whenever the issue of the Wembley Event Zone was discussed officers and leading councillors reassured residents and organisations that they could always apply for Event Day permits. I cannot recall anyone stating that they were restricted to funerals and weddings only and recall summer BBQs, birthday parties being mentioned too.

The fact that up to now our requests for permits were always granted proves that the above approach was followed up to now. Hence my question - what has changed and who issued instructions to change the approach.

I am copying these exchanges to the Chief Executive so that she can sort out this mess and stop local people and local organisations being disadvantaged in this appalling way just to accommodate Wembley Stadium and their growing number of events.

Regards

Paul Lorber

Lorber told Wembley Matters:

We have been asking for permits regularly and until recently received them for days when the Library was open, or for the Tamil School or even for lets to other groups or individuals for a social/party. One group who regularly uses us for small social gatherings are the  Caribbean Muslim Group made up mostly of older people. They usually finish around 10:30pm and feel safer to go by car with their family. Without the ability to park for their elders or disabled people they will simply give up.

A return bus ride costs £3 - and most people are unlikely to want to spend so much to simply come to a library.

We are not talking of a vast numbers of people and lack of parking spaces or congestion is not an issue for us as Barham Park is some way from the Stadium.

Tge trouble is that the rules are being imposed and enforced by people who do not live here and do not appreciate  the damage their draconian restrictions cause for local people and voluntary groups.

Surely it is wrong that the local council that is supposed to represent the interests of its residents has decided to restrict their lives on event days?

Tribute to Mick Woods - Fighter and Friend

Mick Woods 28.12.54-17.7.18 

Guest post by Pete Firmin

My close friend and comrade Mick Woods has died at the early age of 64.

Born near Southend, Mick lived in Manchester and London, before settling in Denmark. Or, as his Facebook page says “too many places to mention”.

Mick also moved around a bit between political organisations on the left. But he preferred action to sitting in meetings. Whether in support of the 84-85 miners’ strike, fighting fascists on the streets or campaigning against the Poll Tax, Mick was always in the front line.

I well remember the time when, after a period on the dole, we both got new jobs on the same day, me on the railways, Mick with a small engineering firm. Within 2 days we were both on strike. But Mick never got his job back, whereas the NUR strike was over the same week.

Mick was elected a Labour Councillor for Carlton (now part of Kilburn) ward in Brent in 1986 as part of a fightback by the left in local government. He and other councillors refused to vote for cuts and were “disciplined” for their principles.

In 1993, Workers’ Aid was formed to support the fight to keep Bosnia multinational at a time when it was under siege from the Serbian army. Mick volunteered to drive convoys of aid to the embattled miners of Tuzla in Bosnia. In all, Mick drove to Tuzla 25 times. At his funeral in Aarhus, his courage as a convoy leader was emphasised.

During this time, Mick met Lone. He moved to Denmark and they had a daughter, Ina. Their relationship did not last but Mick was immensely proud, in his understated way, of how Ina developed into a proudly independent politically active woman. It was a sad irony he was not able to hear that she had addressed the final rally of the Fourth International youth camp in Denmark on behalf of the host delegation just 10 days after his death.

Mick kept in touch with some friends in Britain both on line and through mutual visits.

Since Mick’s death, many tributes have been paid; remembering his love of birdwatching, poetry and food as well as his militant activity and his extensive knowledge of politics and history. Many remember Mick’s generosity, which I can vouch for, having slept on the floor of his one bed Council flat when I was homeless. John McDonnell recalls fondly Mick working with him at the Greater London Council.

Always suffering health issues – with psoriasis often covering his whole body – recently Mick developed sclerotic arteries, which eventually led to both his legs being amputated. He became severely depressed and eventually died in hospital.

A memorial event for Mick will take place in London on Friday September 7^th. More details can be got from me via Labour Briefing.

Mick would have echoed the words of Joe Hill, “Don’t waste any time in mourning. Organize.”

The wake/memorial gathering for Mick Woods will be on

Friday 7^th September, 7-10 p.m.

At the Marian Community Centre, 1 Stafford Road, London NW6 5RS 

There will be (Indian finger) food and a pay bar (including soft drinks)

As well as the opportunity to socialise, meet old friends, chat about memories of Mick, the intention is to have an open mic where those who want to can share memories of Mick with everyone.

Unfortunately, some who would like to won’t be able to make this date. This would be inevitable whatever the date. If you can’t make it, but would like memories of Mick to be read out please either pass them to a friend who you know is coming, or email them to me. If you haven't already, you can also post memories of Mick in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/225855551393330/

Please let me know if you are coming, so we can have an idea of numbers to cater for.

If you have questions, please contact me, petefirmin@btinternet.com

For those who don’t know, the Marian Centre is where Carlton branch Labour Party held its meetings during the period when Mick was a local Councillor, and is directly opposite Austen House, the tower block where Mick lived for a period.

There will be a box for voluntary donations to cover costs on the night.

Help restore colourful Wembley High Road mural

Local campaigner Paul Lorber is urging local residents and business to chip in towards the £150 cost of repairing a vandalised mural in Wembley High Road.

The mural in Wembley was commissioned by Wembley Futures to improve the appearance of the High Road. The work was carried by Alessandra Grasso, an artist in residence with Friends of a Barham Library.

Unfortunately one section of one of the 5 murals has been vandalised for the second time and needs to be repaired. It would seem that someone has taken a dislike to one of the national flag.

Paul Lorber, Wembley Futures and Friends of Barham Library are keen to repair the mural and have started the £150 needed to carry out the repair.

Anyone willing to donate can send a cheque payable to Friends of Barham Library and send it to Paul Lorber c/o 17 Stapenhill Road Wembley HA0 3JF. Anyone interested in contributing can email Paul on barhamlibrary@hitmail.co.uk and he will send you a Gift Aid form and details of how to pay.

Paul said:

The Murals in Wembley High Road brightened up the local area and it would be good to get them back to their original perfect condition.

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Fire making & outdoor cooking at Welsh Harp Thursday August 23rd

From Thames21
Activities for chidlren at Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre

DETAILS

Thursday 23rd Aug   Fire making & outdoor cooking

10am – 12pm each date
Address: Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre, Birchen Grove, NW9 8RY
Suitable for children aged 8 – 12yrs
Costs £3.50 per child

Booking essential – contact Edel on welshharpcentre@thames21.org.uk / 07734 871 728
Children and adults should wear comfortable outdoor clothing that may get dirty.

• Visits must only be cancelled in extenuating circumstances and Thames21 must be notified in advance.
• Thames21 reserves the right to cancel a visit if weather conditions are deemed unsafe or if adult to child ratio is not met.
An adult must attend & supervise participating children throughout all activities making sure that:
• Supervise children at all times and are responsible for their behaviour.
• Minimum ratio of 1 adult to 5 children
• Will need to provide any specific medication for children or have the child’s parent attend the visit.

NEXT ACTIVITY:

 30th Aug   Bow & arrow firing range

Don't terminate our 223 Harrow bus at Northwick Park Hospital - residents respond to 'sham' consultation

 Thanks to Linda Green for this guest post outlining how the changes to the 223 bus route  will affect residents' and school children's public transport.
 

Last year TFL decided that it would change a large number of bus services throughout London, because of 'The Elizabeth Line', which will not come to Brent.  This included cutting the 223 bus that goes from Wembley to Harrow via the Preston Park area.  Instead of going to Harrow it will terminate outside Northwick Park hospital.

As I heard a rumour about it I tried searching TFL's website, but couldn't find anything until a friend sent me a link.

I asked on the bus, and the driver said 'they plan something this week then next week they change it'.  At Harrow bus station I asked for information but they didn't have any.  I wrote to TFL and asked for copies of the consultation documents to be sent to the library, as lots of the 223 users don't have the internet and don't have any information.  They did not reply.

Apparently there was a note about this in Metro.  There was no information put in buses, and nothing put in Harrow bus station and nothing put up in bus stops.  If you live in the Preston area, and your main use of public transport is the 223 or other local buses, you do not see Metro and hence have no way of knowing that the consultation was taking place.

The issues affecting local people are:

·      Many residents of Wembley, Preston and Kenton see Harrow as their main shopping area, and use the 223 to get there.  They also go to Harrow for entertainment, such as cinemas and restaurants.  They do not want to change at Northwick Park.

·      It is the only bus service at all for many residents, and for many it is too far to either walk to the tube station, or to manage the large number of steps at the stations, especially if they have heavy bags of shopping or babies in pushchairs. 

·      It would be especially stressful and difficult for elderly and disabled people and parents to have to get themselves and their shopping off the bus to wait for another one at Northwick Park, where there are no facilities, shelter from the weather or proper seats.

·      It would be unpleasant to wait at Northwick Park in the dark.  It is very creepy at night and people would feel vulnerable. All there is are two bus stops and a grassy area with trees.

·      Many children and young people use the route to go to and from school in Harrow.  They get on at Harrow bus station and get off all through from Woodcock Hill, Kenton, Preston and later stops through to Wembley and Wembley Park.  Many Brent sixth-formers get the 223 to Harrow bus station then change to other buses to go to Harrow Weald College and other Harrow high schools. In future they would need to get three buses. I doubt if the pupils and students know that their transport to school and college is about to be cut.

·      Young people go to pubs and clubs in Harrow then get the last 223 back to the Preston Park area as well as to the Avenue and Wembley Park.  They would risk missing another last bus from Northwick Park hospital and be vulnerable waiting there or having to walk back.

·      A whole range of people goes to Harrow to visit the cinema and restaurants, and will have similar problems to the young people mentioned above.

·      The 223 is hail and ride for much of the route, so that people can get off near their homes.  For this reason people who have disabilities or who feel vulnerable like to use this bus.  It means that it is easier than using the tube.

·      The bus is also the cheaper option compared with the tube.

·      Many of Preston Community Library's volunteers and members use this bus to visit the library.

Personally, I would stop going to the cinema and restaurants at Harrow if there were no bus home at night. I would not feel safe waiting in the dark, rain or snow by the hospital. Also, after I have walked around shopping etc I seldom have the strength left to climb the steps into Harrow tube station or the steps inside Preston Road station.

Residents can make a complaint via London Travel Watch: http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/complaints/

They could also write to Navin Shah, the London Assembly member for Brent and Harrow, or to their MP or the London Mayor. Copy in your local councillors.

When complaining do emphasize that the consultation was a sham, and that users of the bus mostly knew nothing about the proposals at all. 'Tell them how it affects you personally.

 Other bus routes will be affected also, so it is worth contacting TFL to see if there are other cuts which affect you.

TfL consultation response HERE

Michaela seeks permission for a gigantic new school sign

The current school sign

The proposed new sign

A comparison of the two signs from Bridge Road

Michaela Free School in Wembley Park which already has a large school sign that hits you eye in the eye as you cross Bridge Road from Wembley Park station has applied to Brent Council to erect a new. much larger replacement sign on the same posts as the current sign.

As the architect's drawing shows the sign against the full height of the Michaela building it is not easy to gauge the impact of the change at human eye level so I have reproduced them  below for comparison. It is almost as if the application seeks to minimise the true scale.

Present sign

Proposed sign

As far as I can see the planning application does not give the dimensions of the present sign.  The replacement sign is 3.6 metres x 2 metres ( approx 12 ft by 6-1/2ft) - much larger than any school sign I know and in my view more suitable for a commercial premises.  

Readers can comment on the application18/2675 before August 21st. The application seeks permission until July 2032. 

Comment HERE

Copland School Six must pay back 'swindled' money to Brent Council

 

Hank Roberts, the union representative whose courageous whistle blowing eventually led to today's outcome

 A former head teacher, who arranged to pay himself a whopping £400,000 in one year, and former colleagues face paying back thousands of pounds they received unlawfully as part of a school bonuses scandal.

Alan Davies, the former Head teacher of Copland Community School in Wembley, alongside former Deputy Head, Dr Richard Evans, former HR Manager Michele McKenzie and former School Bursar Columbus Udokoro were found to have benefitted from the “vast sums” they received in illicit bonuses over several years before Mr Davies was suspended in May 2009.

Davies, who had previously been knighted for services to education, took home more than £400,000 in one year, three times the going rate for the job, and was convicted of false accounting in 2013. He was stripped of his knighthood in 2014 following his conviction. The High Court today (17 August) found that his justifications for the excessive payments were “patently untrue” and “false”.

The purported bonuses to Davies and the others were sanctioned by former Chair of Governors Dr Indravadan Patel and former Vice Chair of Governors, Martin Day, both of whom were criticised by the Judge for “dishonest breach of fiduciary duty”, “wholesale failures” and “reckless indifference”.

Mr Davies, Dr Patel and Mr Day were today found by the High Court to have breached their fiduciary duties to the Council, leading to losses of more than £1million. Dr Evans, Mr Udokoro and Ms McKenzie were found to have been in knowing receipt of payments arising from those breaches of duties. 

The exact sums that each of the six must now pay back will be decided at a further Court Hearing in October.

Cllr Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of Brent Council, said:

We are delighted with the verdict as it means the money, which had been swindled, will be returned and can now be used for the benefit of local people.

Davies and his chums were arrogantly paying themselves ridiculously high and unjustified bonuses, including Davies pocketing a whopping £400,000 in one year – which is around three times the going rate for the job.

It has taken years of stamina and determination to win this victory but justice has finally been done.

The verdict comes five years after a criminal conviction was secured against Mr Davies at Southwark Crown Court, who pleaded guilty to false accounting at the school. Copland Community School closed on 31 August 2014. A new school, the Ark Elvin Academy, opened on the same site on 1 September 2014.

Hank Roberts, the original whistle-blower on the case and a member of the National Education Union  Joint Executive Council said:

Brent Council was totally justified and I praise its commendable action in bringing a High Court case against Alan Davies et al. Davies had already been given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years for pleading guilty to six charges of false accounting. He was subsequently stripped of his knighthood. However, none of the large sums misappropriated were ever paid back. Davies received over £400,000 in a single year alone.

Justice Zacaroli’s judgement found against a conspiracy charge; but found that all six defendants had received and or authorised receipt of large sums from the school funds that were totally unjustified. Those in receipt will now have to pay back their ill-gotten gains.

I, and the other school Reps, Shane Johnschwager, NASUWT and John Kubenk, NUT were suspended by Davies and faced dismissal charges after I blew the whistle. Later Davies was suspended and we were reinstated. I, the Unions and the Council have been totally vindicated.

It was tough at the time, but I would encourage all who discover anything similar to whistleblow.

This is occurring far too often especially in academies that have totally inadequate system of financial oversight and control.

To lessen this corruption, all academies should be brought back under local authority control.

Woodcock Hill's elderly residents wait 20 years for a bus

Cllr Reg Colwill (Conservative, Kenton) has backed a 20 year battle by North Brent Parks and Residents' Association (NBPRA) to persuade Transport for London (TfL) to modify the 223 bus route so that it serves elderly residents on Woodcock Hill. According to residents Cllr Colwill has been waiting for a response for 5 months.

 In a letter to Gavin Clark of TfL Consultation Team regarding their recent consultation, NBPRA state:

Please run the 223 up Woodcock Hill around the roundabout at Shaftesbury Avenue and back down to connect to its current route to the Kenton Road.  We are all writing to TFL to contact Cllr Colwill.  Where is the response Mr Clark? This is an indictment of how the Retired Residents of Kenton have been treated for 20 years.  It’s time for a change Mr Clark.

TFL stated that they are considering our proposal that has been repeatedly requested for over 20 years now.   Do we have to get a very large petition?   The over 60s retired and disabled residents, many of whom were either war veterans or had served in Local Government,  maybe they have all just been too polite not to get a large petition together and some being old and not on social media/internet have missed this ‘consultation’.  Again the over 60s Retired Residents know that they have not been heard.   

Please try and finally take into account the over 60s of the Woodcock Hill area – over 100 retired people in two blocks on Woodcock Hill and numerous others approx. 80 on the Woodcock Hill, Mount Stewart, Manning Gardens,  Woodcock Dell, Windermere Avenue,  Some prominent community workers now retired are all in need of this simple 223 bus route extension.  

Not much to ask when you have given your life for your Country is it?   

Three key points as to why this should work for Woodcock Hill:

• The feasibility of this extra section has already been established:  the metropolitan line tube is often closed during the weekends (busy shopping days),  and the rail-replacement route uses this exact journey.   
• During the bridge repairs to Preston Road – the rail replacement bus service ran along this route for over 4 months.   How much more workability studies do you need to know that this has worked.  
• We now have ‘DYL‘ double yellow lines along Woodcock Hill South side and parking additional restrictions on the North side,  thanks to Mr Kemp a former Police Officer and Crime Risk advisor, chairman of Residents’ Association, who worked in partnership with the local Council to make key changes that worked.  

We await the same cooperation from TFL even though it has taken over 20 years so far:  don’t make more elderly wait for the change they need to be mobile.   This needs your action TFL.

NB Taxi-Card and Dial - a - Ride.   Taxi - Cards (reduced Taxi fares for disabled.  This service has very restricted usage per year  (approx FOUR  rides per annum) !