UPDATE: Disabled man's 'bitter experience' as he has to don wellies to enter flooded kitchen following Brent Council's failure to act

 UPDATE SEPTEMBER 12TH

Since this article was published a Brent housing officer has been in contact with John regarding his situation and has said she wants to arrange an appointment to restore power to his flat. No date yet. It has emerged that the flooding source is a different flat to the one first suspected.

John Healy, a Brent Council tenant in South Kilburn, has been left having to put on wellies to wade through his flooded kitchen after Wates, Brent Council Housing's out-sourced repair service, deemed the flat that was the source of the flooding unsafe for their employees to enter as the tenant is 'too dangerous.'

John has been waiting for action since last Wednesday. He told Wembley Matters:

Because of the flood in my kitchen, I have been left with no lights, heating, hot water microwave and worst of all having to throw out all of the from my full fridge that has gone off, as there is no power for it along with everything else. I have to put on wellies to enter the kitchen because there is so much water on the floor.

I informed them that I am a disabled 67 year old man with a mobility impairment and I was worried about slipping on my saturated carpets. This did happen but fortunately I was not injured.

Brent Council Housing's mission statement says 'A better experience for residents' unfortunately for be it is ' a bitter experience'. They say they are 'taking a holistic experience with Wates', for me it is more like 'taking the **** approach.'

John visited the South Kilburn repair office yesterday and was told they were dealing with source of the leak but in the evening Wates called in on John with a security officer and told him they could not enter the flat which is the source of the flat. His power cannot be restored because of the flooding.

The Wates officer suggested John  was entitled to be accommodated in bed and breakfast by Brent Council until the issue has been dealt with but the Council has not offered this option. He has submitted a complaint to the Council but this could take up to 20 days to be dealt with.

Wembley Matters has requested a comment from Brent Council.

Five MPs to represent Brent residents under Boundary Commission's final recommendations

Brent will have two main constituencies under the Boundary Commission proposals. Residents in some wards will be in a minority with an MP mainly representing people in a neighbouring borough. It is noteworthy that in some ways the boundaries divide Brent into the old Willesden and Wembley council areas which preceeded the unified borough.

Wembley's dominance of the borough would be reinforced as it is the only constituency which only consists of Brent wards. A consultation is currently in progress to reduce the number of wards by two.

Brent will disappear as a constituency name.

Given the present narrow parliamentary majority of the Tories and the DUP's unhappiness at the proposals for their region it appears by no means certain that parliament will approve the proposals.

Has Duffy been vindicated on Paddington Cemetery asbestos?

Regular readers will know of the dogged campaign by ex Cllr John Duffy on the issue of asbestos at Paddington Cemetery. A search on this blog (right hand column) will bring up many articles including this.

Duffy eventually resigned the Labour whip in frustration at his efforts to reveal the true facts being rebuffed, undermined and ridiculed by the Labour leadership and officers who minimised any risk from asbestos contamination. Duffy stood as an independent in the council election in May but was not elected.

Now it has been revealed that in addition to Brent Council back-filling the ex-mound that contained asbestos they are installing concrete 'coffin liners' in the ground to facilitate burials. Apparently each liner will take two coffins and there are estimates that between 100 and 200 liners will be installed.

Clearly all this is very expensive and will not have been ordered unless there was a very real issue to be dealt with.

Meanwhile I understand that John Duffy has approached the District Auditor requesting an investigation of the illegal dumping of asbestos.

Preston Community Library new building consultation

From Preston Community Library

Council plans for new building: Consultation event on 18th September and Questionnaire

Dear library subscriber,   Two years ago Brent Council made a decision to demolish the current library building and replace it with a development that includes both a library and housing. Since then Preston Community Library has worked with the Council on the details of the library section of the building, and successfully applied for funding to fit the new library out when it is completed. The Council has now issued a consultation about the whole project, and has scheduled an event in the Library where local residents can talk to them and express their views on any aspect of the project.  You can also fill in the questionnaire and send it to them directly.  We will have paper copies available in the library for those who want them. Preston Community Library would strongly encourage residents to submit their views on any aspect of these proposals, and to come to the event on 18th September.  Further details are below. with regards, Philip Bromberg, Chair, Preston Community Library

Fire the Kiln! Demonstration outside the theatre Monday evening

Campaigner fighting to retain the name of the Tricycle Theatre are demonstrating outside the theatre, now renamed The Kiln, next week. 269 Kilburn High Road, London, UK.

The main demonstration is on Monday at 6pm when supporters have been asked to 'dress up as if going to walk down the red carpet or come as you are'.

There are is a further protest on Wednesday September 12th at 6pm.

Organisers said:

When the [management]  banned the local paper [Camden New Journal] from Press Night for reporting local opposition to the name change, it was just the latest example of their sour culture… 

1. Donors gave money to the Tricycle without being told it was for Kiln. 

2. The theatre misled the public about support for the name change, later admitting they did not properly consult. 

3. The leader of Brent Council kept the name-change plans secret for months, even from his own Councillors.  

Please come out for an hour, and bring your friends.  Help us restore the Tricycle’s name, culture and connection with the community.

Be inspired by Brent's positive young people - watch their video

Youth Stories of Brent 2018 was launched today. It is always good to see a positive depiction of our young people when local news is so often dominated by negative events.

Brent Council said:

'Youth Stories of Brent’ is an inspirational documentary film which has been created by young people about growing up and living in Brent in the lead up to #Brent2020. This film captures the journeys, hopes and ambitions of young people from Brent. It also showcases some of the organisations and community groups working locally with young people, inspiring them and supporting them to achieve their potential.

Brent Green's Shaka Lish speak on 'War and the Environment' Monday September 10th

Brent Event Day Parking Enforcement from 8am for a match that starts at 7.45pm today!

Paul Lorber has returned to the issue of Event Day parking restrictions affecting local residents and community activities as restrictions are put in place today for the England vs Spain match.

The notice says that enforcement will run from 8am today until midnight on main roads and between 10am and midnight in residential areas.

The match does not start until 7.45pm.

In an email to Carolyn Downs, Brent Council's Chief Executive, Lorber says:

As someone who helps to run a Community Library in the Wembley area which serves local people - many of whom are disabled and elderly - I find the tone of these emails unacceptable.

The notification does not state the time the soccer match will start and does not make it clear when enforcement against normal parking will be carried out.

This is important as at a public meeting in 2017 the current Leader reassured Wembley residents that enforcement does not start until 2 hours before the start of the event and ends 2 hours after the event finishes.

He did so in response to anger from residents against the Brent Council for allowing growing disruption to their lives by all day parking restrictions/enforcement while allowing a growing number of events at Wembley.

In view of this any tickets issued on easy event for simple parking infringement within the window specified by the Leader of Council should be cancelled. 

Even more importantly the Council should now clarify its Event Day enforcement policy and advise residents clearly and openly.

In addition, as raised in my earlier email to you, the policy of dispensation (granting of parking permits on event days) for local community groups should be reviewed so that they are treated as religious venues so that they too can go about their normal business of serving local people.

I would appreciate your early reply and confirmation that these issues will now be addressed in the interests of and for the benefit of local people.