Join BrentFoE outside Barclays Bank, Cricklewood tomorrow, 12.30pm to protest against the bank's investment in fossil fuels

 

Brent Friends of the Earth will be demonstrating alongside other activists outside Barclays Bank, Cricklewood tomorrow in opposition to the bank's investments in fossil fuels.

On its Facebook page Brent FoE say:

Barclays is the largest individual provider of current accounts in the UK and the “worst banker of fossil fuels” in Europe, according to the impact rating carried out by Ethical Consumer magazine.

 

Barclays has been Europe’s biggest investor in fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement, according to the Banking on Climate Change report, providing 36% more finance than the next worst European banker (HSBC). From 2016-19 the company invested $118.1 billion (£862 billion) in fossil fuels. It is the tenth biggest funder of fossil fuel expansion internationally.

 

At its AGM in May 2020, over 75% of Barclays shareholders voted against a resolution to end the company’s investments in fossil fuels.

 

Among the fossil fuel projects funded by Barclays are:

 

Bangladesh’s coal expansion

 

Barclays has provided funding for the Rampal Power Plant in Bangladesh. The plant threatens the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans, a vital carbon sink that reduces CO2 in the atmosphere.

 

The Bangladeshi government plans to increase dependence on coal from 2.8% to 37% over the next decade.

 

According to Tonny Nowshin, a researcher at environmental and human rights organisation Urgewald, the pollution from the plant would cause low birth weight for 24,000 babies and premature death for 6,000 people.

 

Financing deforestation

 

Barclays has provided financial services worth millions to five beef and soy companies known for their links with deforestation. These include meat producer JBS, whose controllers confessed to bribing more than 1,800 politicians in Brazil in 2017.

 

Violations of Indigenous rights

 

Many of the projects that Barclays backs are linked to serious human rights abuses, including ongoing violations of Indigenous rights. These include the Dakota Access Pipeline and tar sands pipeline projects which will cross Indigenous territories.

 

TO JOIN THE DEMONSTRATION MEET OUTSIDE THE CROWN HOTEL, CRICKLEWOOD BROADAY AT 12.15PM. THE DEMONSTRATION IS AT THE BRANCH OF BARCLAYS OPPOSITE THE HOTEL FROM 12.30PM.

AND ANOTHER ONE TODAY! Confusing Communications from HS2 perplex South Kilburn residents

 

 

The HS2 project and its impact on South Kilburn residents is a sensitive issue to say the least and good communication from the project essential.

However, residents were perplexted to received the communication below.  It refers residents to the HS2  Ealing  page rather than Brent but the link actuall leads to the Camden page.

Dear Residents

HS2 Works: Utility drainage surveys on Rupert Road, Denmark Road and residential compounds 

We recently wrote to you regarding drainage surveys in your local area. We would like to inform you that we will be carrying out further surveys on Rupert Road, Denmark Road and in the grounds of Walbrook Court and Winterleys residential properties. These surveys will help us to understand the condition of the drainage system in the area and how best to protect it during construction of the railway. We will investigate the condition of the sewer system using a camera and may need to flush the system if any blockages are found. Your utility services will not be affected during these works.

You can find out more about the works from our recent notification. 

For more information about HS2 in Ealing, please see the Ealing page of our website.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.  

Yours sincerely,

HS2 Community Engagement team
 
Contact our Helpdesk team all day, every day of the year by:
Freephone: 08081 434 434 | Minicom: 08081 456 472 | Email: HS2Enquiries@hs2.org.uk
To keep up to date with what is happening in your local area, visit: www.hs2inyourarea.co.uk

Follow us on social media: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube

South Kilburn resident Pete Firmin adds November 2nd 2021:

And so it continues - leaflet (photo below) arrives today. "Update meeting for residents near our Canterbury Works site". Okay, that's South Kilburn. But then at the online meeting we will "find out more about SCSJV's current and upcoming works at the Atlas Road site". I've no idea what SCSJV stands for, but I do know that Atlas Road is at Old Oak Common, nowhere near the Canterbury Works site. Confusing is an understatement.

 

EDITOR'S COMMENT: With such terrific in-depth geographical expertise at HS2 Ltd the line may well end up in Ipswich.

Brent Climate Festival kicks off tomorrow - Monday November 1st

 

 

From Brent Council (The curtain raiser event, Brent Climate Question Time, attracted around 50 people but unfortunately was not  recorded). 

Brent’s Climate Festival (1-12 November) is an exciting two-week long programme of activities and events which aims to raise awareness and inspire action on climate change.

 

The festival is a local reflection of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, which is taking place over the same time period.

Brent Council is committed to tackling the climate emergency, and we are working together with residents to make Brent a carbon neutral borough by 2030.

Climate change affects every single one of us, and we need to take action as a community. Many of the changes we must make will not only protect our planet, they can also save you money, improve air quality and help you feel healthier.

We are bringing communities together to learn about climate change, provide helpful tips on reducing our carbon emissions and showcase the good work already happening.

 

We can all start making a difference by taking a pledge for climate change. Make your voice heard via the ‘Count us in’ pledge pages. LINK

 

Programme of events

 

We have a variety of in-person and online activities which everyone can take part in.

 

As well as council-led events, we are working alongside local groups, businesses, libraries and other partners.

 

 

Get involved

If you have any questions about the Brent Climate Festival or the Climate Emergency in Brent, you can contact us:

Email: climateemergency@brent.gov.uk

Call for council estate parking 'consultation' to be withdrawn

 

Parking on Saltcroft Close, Wembley

Paul Lorber, of Brent Liberal Democrats, has written to Brent Council calling for the current consultation on council estate parking to be withdrawn. Wembley Matters is aware of discontent at various estates across the borough which often centre on out of date information contained in the consultation, inaccurate maps, and as Lorber says an apparent threat that if residents do not agree with the proposal no alternative arrangements will be considered. This is compounded by the fact that some residents who have attempted to respond on-line find that their area, such as Saltcroft Close (above), is not listed on the consultation website.

 

Once again a ham-fisted approach undermines finding a solution to what is for some a very real problem.

 

Paul Lorber’s letter to Brent Council.

 

 I have been contacted by residents from Gauntlett Court, Barham Court and Elms Gardens and have seen the consultation document sent to Gauntlett Court.

You will be aware that the Council proposal have not been well received. 

Residents of Gauntlett Court agreed to the Wing service some years ago with a permit charge of £10 per car. They were also entitled to a visitor permit.

The inclusion of the sentence “Please note that should residents not support the proposal to introduce a TMO an alternative service will not be available on the estate” was a mistake by the Council. To make this statement or even to take this position makes it look as if the residents views do not count and the so called consultation is not sincere and therefore pointless.

I think, that in view of the above, the current consultation should be withdrawn and a new consultation letter sent out making it clear that local residents views do matter and that any parking scheme is intended to provide a better parking scheme for residents and not simply make money for the Council.

The following specific points apply to all 3 Estates:

1. The residents find the £50 charge excessive compared to the £10 before. They also do not trust the present Council about future rises as they are aware that CPZ charges have been raised astronomically since those schemes were introduced.

2. All the estates contain elderly residents many of whom need care and therefor visitors (either family members or agency carers). Without visitor permits those visits will be difficult as nearby parking outside the Estates is limited or covered by other CPZs.

3. Visitor Permits are also needed for trades people - plumbers, electricians etc - who also need to bring their tools and materials and need visitor permits. If visitor permits are not available - or arrangements not possible for pre registered number plates - the repair people will avoid the Estates.

4. Spaces (despite what is said about double yellow lines) need also to be highlighted for delivery vehicles (of which there are many more since the start of the pandemic).

5. There is concern about loss of parking spaces - as none of the 3 Estates suffer from pavement parking or major obstruction.

6. There is no information at all about the expected number of enforcement visits in a typical day or if special visits can be arrangements when parking from outsiders is anticipated.

7. There is also no information about exceptional arrangements for parking during funerals, weddings etc

Without concessions in all these areas I expect the Council proposals to be overwhelmingly rejected at the statutory consultation stage.

I also make the following general points:

1. The Elms Gardens block of 16 flats is exclusively for elderly or disabled residents. Many need visitors and therefore visitor permits are essential. 

2. Gauntlett Court has currently around 65 parking spaces for the 100 flats which seems sufficient for the Estate even with visitor permits. The Estate road is wide enough. There does not seem a need for extending existing double yellow lines in a way that would take away any parking.

3. Barham Court seems to get some commercial vehicle parking but otherwise there seem to be sufficient number of spaces.

Conclusion:

1. The proposed £50 permit charge needs to be substantially reduced.
2. Visitor permits must be offered - or an affordable system to order (similar to the Ringo system) made available for family, carers or trade visitors.
3. Loss of parking spaces needs to be avoided.
4. There has to be flexibility and circumstances of each estate and nature of residents considered.
5. Likely frequency of Enforcement visits needs to be confirmed or whether Camera type control systems may be introduced explained. (If people become aware that no visits take place after 6pm the reference to 24hour controls will be fairly pointless).

I trust that my comments will be considered seriously and hopefully acted upon.

 

Gareth Armstrong's 'Shylock' at Preston Community Library (Ashley Gardens) November 9th

 

This is the first production at Preston Community Library since its temporary move to Ashley Gardens while its orginal building is being redeveloped.

BOOKING
 

Brent Climate Emergency Question Time Tonight Online 7-9pm

Brent Climate Emergency Question Time Event 7-9pm Online

 
To attend register HERE

This online event will follow the BBC Question Time format, but all questions will be about the climate and the environment. Ollie More from Sustrans and Ian Saville from Brent Friends of the Earth will join Cllr Krupa Sheth (Lead member for the Environment, Labour Party), Cllr Kansagra (Conservative Party), and Cllr Georgiou (Liberal Democrats) to form a panel to discuss environmental issues raised by you. Register via Eventbrite (linked
provided above) and submit a question by emailing localdemocracyweek@brent.gov.uk

 The session will be split into 4 key themes:

• Consumptions and waste
• Transport
• Homes and buildings
• How you can get involved
  

 

 

In the wake of the IOPC report on Fryent murders Brent Council urges women not to be discouraged from reporting sexual crimes and unsafe places

 Brent Council Press Release

Statement from Cllr Promise Knight, Lead Member for Community Safety & Engagement at Brent Council

We offer our condolences to Mina Smallman and her family following the findings of the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s report. An apology from the Police is due, but it is no substitute for action.

As a Council, we are committed to highlighting the experience of women and girls in conversations with partners, and to do our part to make addressing the underlying problems in the system a priority.

One issue we want to highlight, in the wake of this news, is reporting. Clearly, recent events are unlikely to inspire confidence in the women and girls of this borough who may be considering coming forward, and especially Black and Asian women. But I urge you not to be discouraged.

We know that sexual crimes, from cat-calling and unwanted touching, to rape, are vastly under-reported. And yet it is so important if we are to build a clearer picture of perpetrators. Those reports also help us make the argument for investing in the public services needed to address these issues in a meaningful way. In an emergency, always dial 999, or you can get in touch with the Police’s non-emergency service by calling 101 or reporting online.

For our part, we would like to develop better ways for the community to anonymously report places where they feel unsafe in the borough to the council. We are currently consulting with partners about the best way of doing this, so that we can understand and address high risk areas.   

We are also planning a community forum to coincide with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence in November, giving local women and girls a chance to share their views and experiences. There will be other activities during the 16 Days and more information will be published on our website shortly.

You can view our latest Community Safety Strategy, which has more detail on how we are working to address Violence Against Women and Girls in Brent, here: www.brent.gov.uk/your-council/about-brent-council/council-structure-and-how-we-work/strategies-and-plans/community-safety-strategy