Can you contribute to the Brent Community Cookbook 'From Brent to Bowl' with recipes to reduce food waste by using leftovers?

 

From Brent Council

Brent Community Cookbook – planet saving recipes!

We are looking for winning community recipes that make use of leftovers (reducing food waste!) or are plant-based. ‘From Brent to Bowl’, an exciting new community cookbook is being launched that will tantalise your taste buds, and showcase the best food in the borough with recipes from around the world representing Brent, that help to tackle the climate emergency.

All recipe entries will be shortlisted by Brent Council and Veolia, and the winning 20 recipes will be published in the cookbook, as well as receiving a £75 voucher for the London Designer Outlet, which can be spent at any shop or restaurant. The book will be hosted for FREE on Brent Council’s website in September.

If you have a winning recipe, applications are open up until 1 August 2021, submit your recipe here. For more information, please email  recyclemore@brent.gov.uk.

Brent Lead Members answer some pertinent questions from councillors on support for pandemic's financial victims, climate action, tackling poverty and access to Recycling Centre after ULEZ expansion

Questions to Cabinet members from opposition councillors and non-Cabinet members are sometimes worth reading, although there are so few opposition councillors they tend to be 'friendly' questions enabling lead members to showcase their achievements.  These are the questions tabled for Monday's Full Council and the full answers are in the document posted below. Remember click bottom right for full page.

1.    Question from Councillor Parvez Ahmed to Councillor Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader:

 

Can the Deputy Leader set out what is being done to support those of this borough’s residents whose financial situations have been hardest hit by the pandemic? Likewise, can the Deputy Leader explain what steps this council is taking to help the types of small businesses that local economies like Brent’s depend upon?

 

2.   Question from Councillor Orleen Hylton to Councillor Krupa Sheth, Lead Member for Environment:

 

In July 2019, Brent Council declared a climate and ecological emergency and committed to do all in its gift to strive for carbon neutrality by 2030. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the current efforts towards recovery, can the Cabinet Member for Environment set out how Brent’s efforts to build back better will help deliver on this borough’s climate commitments?

 

3.   Question from Councillor Gwen Grahl to Councillor Eleanor Southwood, Lead Member for Housing & Welfare Reform:

 

Can the Cabinet Member for Housing and Welfare Reform update on how Brent has so far delivered on its promise to tackle poverty, in all its forms, as so starkly laid out in last year’s Independent Poverty Commission’s findings.

 

4.    Question from Councillor Michael  Maurice to Councillor Krupa Sheth, Lead Member for Environment:

 

From 25 October 2021, the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)is expanding from central London to create a single, larger zone up to the A406 North Circular Road. Petrol cars registered before 2006 and diesel cars registered before 2015 are likely to incur a £12.50 daily charge should they travel into the ULEZ area. This means that Brent residents living north of the North Circular Road with an older vehicle will incur a charge should they use the Household Waste and Recycling Centre situated at Abbey Road. This will impact those on low incomes disproportionately and potentially result in an increase of fly tipping. Will this Council make representations to Transport for London and the Mayor of London seeking an exemption from the charge for Brent residents legitimately using the HWRC. Alternatively, will the Council request that Brent residents living north of the zone be allowed to utilise Harrow Council’s facility at Forward Drive, thus avoiding the requirement to enter the ULEZ area? A map has been attached for further background

 

Fryent Way closed 2pm-Midnight Today, Wednesday and Sunday due to increased number of fans at Wembley matches

Fryent Way back in  2011 when it was closed for the  Championship League match between Barcelona and Manchester United

 Statement from Brent Council

Due to the increase in the number of fans attending the EURO 2020 Semi-Final and Final at Wembley Stadium, Fryent Way will be closed and used for parking on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday this week.

This is to allow for more fan parking in designated zones and has been planned to help minimise disruption to residents. The closure will go into effect at 2pm with vehicles diverted via Kingsbury Road and Church Lane, and will be lifted at midnight. The road will have a central lane open for emergency vehicles only.

We would still encourage Ticketholders to travel by public transport or coach. Wembley Stadium will not provide parking for private vehicles during the event, except accessible parking.  Nearby street parking is reserved for local residents and businesses. 

Event Day parking restrictions will be active from 8am to midnight on main roads and from 10am to midnight on residential roads. If you have a paper Event Day permit, please make sure it is clearly displayed in the vehicle. Electronic permit holders do not need to display a permit.

 

2011 (Photos: Philip Grant)

 

The Myth of UK Housing Shortage Exposed by the Bank of England

 Guest comment piece by Nan Tewari

Given the unconscionable volumes of building going on in the borough (and elsewhere) we might hope the numbers of homeless families would be falling.  Yet this is far from being the case.  

The housing shortage rhetoric is somewhat at odds with the content of this article. It may well be time for public policy to recognise that having a home must be, first and foremost, a human right.  Housing as just an asset should be coming way down the list of what is acceptable in a civilised society when so many remain without a secure roof over their head.  

 Extracts from Posiitve Money's coverage of a Bank of England  LINK

If we look at the data, [...]. Housing stock levels have consistently risen at a higher rate than population growth even in the past couple of decades, and even in London. So, according to the laws of supply and demand, if houses were a simple consumer good, prices should have fallen – obviously not the case.

In the 1930s a typical three bed house was just 1 and a half times the average annual salary. By 1997 the average house price was 3.6 times the average salary. But in just twenty years that has more than doubled to nearly 8 times, and in London an ‘affordable’ home is 13 times first-time buyers’ salaries.

ALERT: Submissions to Wembley Park Station/Brook Avenue Planning Inquiry have to be in by Thursday July 8th - Read Philip Grant's submission

 

Submissions to the Planning Inquiry on the Wembley Park Station/Brook Avenue have a deadline of Thursday July 8th.

The referral to the Planning Inspectorate was made by Robert Jenrick MP, the Communites Secretary, after concern that the Planning Committee's approval decision was unsound as it was alleged to be in breach of Brent Council's own policies. LINK

Local historian Philip Grant has made a detailed submission that you can find below. Click bottom right for a full page view.

The closing date for comments, ahead of the Public Inquiry, is Thursday 8 July. Anyone who wishes to, but has not yet done so, can submit their comments to: leanne.palmer@planninginspectorate.gov.uk , quoting the reference: APP/T5150/ V/21/3275339. 

This may affect YOU! Far-reaching Neasden development plan consultations start tomorrow

 I am very familiar with residents saying they haven't heard about development plans and consultations in Brent - sometimes only realising something is afoot when building starts. This consultation has had some extra publicity due to the data breach caused when emails were sent in open format, so that everyone's email address could be seen by all recipients. LINK

Often afterwards the Council will give a long list of people written to, web announcements and consultation events. Those I have been to often attract fewer people than the number of developer/council and public relations staff attending.

This plans covers a wide area including industrial sites around Neasden Lane, the side of the railway and eventually the College of North West London site on Dudden Hill Lane. 'Neasden Stations' is a bit of a misnomer as it covers such a big area. It could take a decade to complete.

The Council says the the Draft Neasden Stations Growth Area Masterplan:

 '...Aims to provide at least 2000 new homes and employment and support infrastructure to bring the physical and social-economic regeneration of the area.'

 

THE MASTER PLAN

DESIGN OPTIONS VIABILITY REPORT 

LINK TO ON-LINE CONSULTATION
 

Brent stands up for the NHS on its 73rd birthday

 

 The first event organised by Brent Keep Our NHS Public saw a cross party and non-party group, along with Brent Trades Council,  demonstrate outside the Willesden Centre for Health and Care today.

The event coincided with the 73rd anniversary of the NHS and centred on defending it from privatisation, including the US takeover of some Brent GP surgeries and the potential selling of patient data, and support for the NHS15 campaign for a 15% rise for health workers who have lost 20% of their pay in real terms over the last 10 years.

 

Apart from fairness to the staff the pay rise is also necessary for the effective running of the NHS , with 100,000 vacancies and 36% of nurses thinking of leaving already impacting on the quality of care.  A significant increase such as 15% would help maintain staff numbers and improve recruitment, leading to a reduction in waiting times for patients and better care all round.

Our NHS as a 'public good' is being undermined in a variety of ways but immediate action on pay would make a considerable difference in  the short and longer term.

Clapping is not enough.

Vaccination sessions in Brent and Camden for over 18s today - Central Mosque, Willesden Green & Sidings Community Centre, Kilburn