Are the Tory Government making the same mistakes about Monkeypox as their predecessors made about AIDs?

 

Brent Liberal Democrat councillors and the Liberal Democrat Diversity Officer have written to Dr Melanie Smith (Brent Director of Public Health)  and Cllr Neal Nerva expressing concern over the prevalence of Monkeypox in the borough and suggesting joint action to push the Government into action.. 

Diversity Officer.  Edan Powel, said:

The Government’s seeming inaction shows a lack of care towards the most at-risk communities. To me and the Brent Liberal Democrats, it is sadly unsurprising that the Government are not taking Monkeypox as seriously, given that it is currently mainly affecting men who have sex with men. Parallels can be drawn to the way previous Conservative Governments responded to the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, a period of time that still haunts our community. We need urgent action now to prevent mass contagion.

The letter to Cllr Nerva and Dr Smith said:

We are writing to you with huge concerns about rising Monkeypox cases in Brent and across London. According to data released by the UK Health Security Agency on the 9th August 2022, our Borough is in the top 10 in London with the highest number of confirmed cases. This is alarming.

The World Health Organisation has already declared this a public health emergency of international concern. Therefore, we believe the Council must put pressure on the Government and the Department of Health and Social Care to make smallpox vaccines, approved for use against Monkeypox, available to eligible groups, especially in areas where the virus is currently increasing the most.

To date, impacted groups have very limited places to go to get the vaccine. A small Monkeypox walk-in vaccine clinic was open briefly at Guys’ Hospital, which was overflowing with people willing to get themselves and those around them protected. The Government’s seeming inaction shows a lack of care towards the most at-risk communities, and the DHSC’s disregard towards the NHS Constitution principles of bridging the health inequality gap.

As we know, Monkeypox can affect all; however, it is very important to recognise that it is currently disproportionately affecting men who have sex with men. It is not unsurprising therefore that the Conservative Government is not taking this seriously, given their party’s track record of discriminatory policies during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.

People’s health and lives are not a game. We must collectively call for urgent action to protect the health of all. COVID has been a real wakeup call and even though many have recovered from the COVID virus, some still live with the damage that the virus has done to their bodies. We should not wait to find out what the long-term impact of mass contagion of Monkeypox could be. There is an opportunity to contain the spread of Monkeypox – let’s work together to push the Government to act now.

Kind regards,

Cllr Anton Georgiou, Leader of the Brent Liberal Democrata , Cllr Paul Lorber, Deputy Leader , Cllr Hannah Matin, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Alperton, and  Edan Powell, Brent Liberal Democrat Diversity Officer

I undesrtand that no response has been received as yet but will publish when available.

Information about Monkeypox from Guys and St Thomas' Hospital on this  LINK

Good Law Project issues judicial review after contracting authority ‘unlawfully’ awarded £70bn public sector net zero procurement process

 Good Law Project  has filed a judicial review against contracting authority East of England Broadband Network (E2BN) after it handed over a £70 billion procurement process to a Cornwall-based ‘micro-company’ specialising in education services.

 

E2BN’s ‘Everything Net Zero’ is a framework agreement that offers the UK’s entire public sector, from the NHS to local government offices, a way to award contracts even loosely connected to ‘climate’ issues without having to comply with the usual rules about public procurement. Despite covering up to £70 billion, management of the framework agreement has been handed over to just one company  - a consultancy called Place Group, listed by Companies House as a ‘micro-company’ run by two directors in Penzance, Cornwall, with net assets of just under £350,000.

 

Jo Maugham, Director of Good Law Project, said:

 

The drive to achieve Net Zero is one of the most important challenges the UK faces today.  Why was E2BN, ‘a regional broadband consortium’, allowed to write such a poor example of a framework agreement and to make a decision that could have such a far-reaching impact on the UK’s climate response? Why did they decide to outsource control over billions of pounds in emissions reductions contracts to the Place Group, a tiny company whose main experience seems to be in the education sector?  Why was Place Group the only company to submit a tender? These are vital questions the public deserves to have an answer to and which E2BN has so far refused to answer.

 

Good Law Project is bringing this action as E2BN’s decisions and conduct in respect of the Everything Net Zero Framework appear to be in breach of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. As it currently stands, it seems that billions of pounds worth of public contracts could be awarded by the Place Group to unspecified suppliers without open, transparent and fair competition. GLP has asked the Court to hold proceedings for a month to give E2BN another chance to provide proper answers.

 

In July, GLP along with Joanna Wheatley, Client Earth and Friends of the Earth successfully sued the Government over its strategy for delivering on its Net Zero targets, on the basis proposals were too vague and lacked enough detail.  GLP will continue to campaign for accountability and transparency where the Government’s approach to the climate crisis is concerned, including its procurement process.  

 

Planning Committee dumps Brent Poverty Commission recommendations on social rent and leave disabled residents of Rokesby Place in the lurch

 

The recommendation accepted by Brent Cabinet in September 2020

The Planning Committee tonight failed to challenge the change of tenure from Social Rent to London Affordable Rent in the Rokesby Place planning application and the conditions tonight. 

I suspect that this may mean that London Affordable Rent (LAR) is becoming the default position on Brent's new council housing. As Alan Lunt did before, in another application, the planning officer presenting the report minimised the difference claiming that LAR was genuinely affordable. She first said that she hadn't got the numbers but LAR was 'very, very similar' to social rent. She was given time to get the figures and stated  that the difference was that LAR was 8% higher than social rent but did not mention that unlike social housing services, LAR services are not capped.  No councillor asked her to explain why the change had been made.  

Making light of an 8% plus increase on the original rent, particularly during a cost of living crisis on accommodation for large families, is not acceptable.

It seems that  Labour members of planning committee can see things that are wrong, ask a question, but then withdraw even when the answer provided is obviously inadequate.

They challenge but don't pursue all under the  emolliative chairing of Cllr Kelcher.

Similarly vague answers from Maddox, Brent Council's agents, were accepted and this included a claim that argued there was no requirement to take into account the disability adjustments needed for existing disabled residents as a result of the development, as well as the dismissing of LAR even though(not mentioned by councillors) their report stated that the development was for social rent. 

This followed a heart-felt presentation by a Rokesby Place resident on the impact of the changes on access of the proposed layout changes on access for those using a wheelchair. It was left to Conservative councillor Michael Maurice )Ken ton  ward)  to oppose the application on grounds of lack of disabled parking as well as parking for visiting carers and medical staff,  reduction of  amenity space for existing residents and an increase in density on a very small site. Cllr Rajan Seelan (Labour - Wembley Central) also voted against on vehicle access grounds but the application was passed 6-2.

In her presentation resident Shahida Khan had said that the present car park that will be removed was the only place for a disabled person to get out of a car safely.  There was no evidence of an equality impact assessment for disabled people and she suggested that councillors get in a wheelchair themselves and tried to get in and out of a car. The process has not been fair and the disabled had not been considered. She wanted the application deferred for further consultation.

Residents voiced oncerns about the difficulty of access for fire tenders but officers argued that the new houses would be fitted with sprinklers so that rather than the requirement for a 45 metre hose distance from appliance to the house that a 70 metre distance would apply.

Cllr Ketan Sheth (Labour - Wembley Central) a former chair of planning committee, gave a 5 minute presentation opposing the application and supporting the residents' views. 

He said that while private amenity space and a shared amenity space had been provided for residents of the new houses, the plans took away well-used existing amenity space for current residents. What was now proposed was a scant replacement for what they would lose.

Residents' everyday experience of parking on the estate meant that they rejected the officers' assessment of parking needs. The suggestion that they park on nearby streets would put them in competition with existing use by staff from the post office sorting office, fire station,  police station and a nursing home.

He challenged the officers' view that it was unlikely that hedgehogs were present in the current green space by saying as well as residents' sighting, he had seen them for himself. The loss of mature trees was disappointing and would discourage wildlife.

Cllr Sheth was also concerned about the new development's impact on the privacy of residents. The new car park would mean that at night headlights would shine straight into bedrooms and the proximity of the amenity meant noise would disturb residents.

He drew attention to the discrepancy in the documents that referred to social rent  in the applciation and London Affordable Rent in Condition 3.  The Council's own Poverty Commssion had identified that LAR was not affordable to most Brent residents. He suggested that Condition 3 be changed back to social rent.

That was not to be.

BACKGROUND: Wembley Matters has raised some questions about the make up of the Planning Committee and its inter-relationships in a previous article Planning and Probity.

A fascinating Brent Exhibition on our links with colonialism, and our multi-racial and mixed heritage history - and you can visit without leaving home!

 

'By The Cut of Their Cloth' is a virtual exhibition that enables you to explore the story of Brent's multi-racial and mixed heritage history (1) and the links with colonialism (2).

You can browse different exhibits and go deeper into topics that interest you by clicking on the images that you will find on the website at: 

https://mixedmuseum.org.uk/BTCOTC/

These are some of the images that lead you deeper into the virtual exhibition:

 

(1)   In her note at the front of her book  'MIXED/OTHER' (Trapeze) Natalie Morris explores terminology and concludes:

I'll briefly lay out why I stuck with 'mixed' over some of the other possible descriptions that I considered. First, bi-racial: this term is too limited for what I am exploring in this book, as some people who are mixed have more than two different ethnicities in their heritage. Next, multiracial: this covers the different possible groups, but I want to avoid language that overtly uses 'race' as part of that description. Dual heritage, again has limits in focusing on duality. Multiheritage: this is defintely a viable alternative option, but my unfamiliarity with the term and the fact that it isn't commonly used in the UK discouraged me.

What follows  is a subtle discussion of the mixed experience in the UK and how attitudes towards mixed people has changed over recent decades. Enriched by many interviews with a diversity of people it is clear that this is a multi-dimensional topic with a multitude of different histories and viewpoints. Thorny topics such as 'colourism' and 'passing' are tackled.

(2) For an accessible account of colonialism I strongly recommend the graphic story by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Cole Henley, 'You're Thinking about Tomatoes' (Unbound).  On a class trip to a stately home a primary pupil, who isn't doing well at school is bored with the worksheet he has to complete.  A voice calls from a classic painting and turns out to be a Black girl, concealed from the public, who steps out to guide him through Chiltern House, accompanied by other characters, and shows him the true history of colonialism.  

Rosen's story is engaging, never preachy, and aided by the lively illustrations, imparts an awful lot of knowledge in a throughly entertaining but thoughtful way.

The book is published by Unbound, the world's first crowdfunding publisher, established in 2011.  It is a platform that brings together readers and authors. Hundreds of people contributed to crowdfund 'You're Thinking About Tomatoes'.

I recommend that every Brent primary school orders a copy.

BREAKING: Call for multi-agency action on threat of severe flooding of the Wealdstone Brook in Kenton

 

The course of the Wealdstone Brook causing concern over flood risk

Following a series of  recent first hand observations of the Wealdstone Brook between Becmead Avenue in Harrow and the Falcon Way bridge in Brent, John Timms MBE – a local expert hydrologist with a wealth of knowledge and 35 years of experience on hydrology issues including the Wealdstone Brook - and John Poole, a local Kenton resident for 50 years whose garden also backs on to the Wealdstone Brook, have both concluded that they are very concerned about the potential impact of a severe storm event in the Kenton area of the Brent catchment.

 

The lack of Wealdstone Brook base and bank maintenance and observed obstructions in the brook have led us to conclude that there is the potential for a serious flooding event the next time there is a torrential downpour which can cause the brook to fill up rapidly, for the water in the brook to move at a speed approaching 2.5 metres per second and a discharge of 20 cubic metres per second, for the foul surface and foul sewer network to reach maximum capacity quickly and overflow creating a major flooding event in the area.

 

On the 16^th and 17^th of August 1977 1,200 homes and business were flooded to a depth of up to 1.5 metres in the Brent catchment. The factors that exacerbated the flooding then are still present 45 years later and John Poole personally witnessed the event in 1977.

 

We are issuing this joint statement because, although Thames Water is presently carrying out its legal duties in locating and dealing with sewage and surface water pollution of the Wealdstone Brook in Harrow and Brent, we do not believe that the agencies with responsibility for maintaining flood risks in the area, namely Harrow and Brent councils, Thames Water and the Environment Agency, are taking the necessary action to reduce the risks from potential flooding in the area.

 

We have photographic evidence of potential obstructions in the Wealdstone Brook which, during a severe storm event, may cause blockages of culverts along the open length of the brook, which is mainly in Brent, with consequential flooding of residential and public properties.

 

We call upon Brent and Harrow Councils, Thames Water and the Environment Agency to find ways of working together with local stakeholders to urgently find a resolution to these issues of the maintenance of the Wealdstone Brook in order to reduce the risks of flooding in the future. This should include recommendations to improve resilience to future flooding events as well as implementing locally the final recommendations in July 2022 of the Independent Review into the severe flooding in London on 12 July 2021 and 25 July 2021.

 

Key questions for Kenton councillors over Brent Council's action on polio virus

 

COPY OF EMAIL SENT TO THE 3 KENTON WARD COUNCILLORS – WEDNESDAY 17^TH AUGUST 2022 –

 

Wednesday 17^th August 2022.

 

Dear Kenton Ward Councillors,

 

Re: Cllr.Neil Nerva’s email to all Brent Councillors and the UKHSA Press Release

 

As I am sure you are aware I have been raising serious concerns about the presence of untreated raw human sewage seen floating in the Wealdstone Brook as it flows through the open access areas of Woodcock Park here in the Kenton Ward of Brent for some months now.

 

The latest press release from the UK Health Security Agency included in Cllr Neil Nerva’s email to all Brent Councillors dated Monday 10^th August 2022 includes reference to the detection of the polio virus in Brent waterways along with the detection of this virus in 7 other north London Boroughs connected in some way or the other with the Beckton Sewage Works in east London.

 

Councillors are being urged by Cllr Nerva and indeed the UK HSA along with health professionals in the areas concerned to promote the polio booster vaccination programme for children aged one to nine.

 

My questions to you as my Kenton Ward Councillors included in the email from Cllr.Nerva are;

 

1.    From which waterways in Brent were samples taken that indicated the presence of the polio virus?

2.    What measures are Brent Council putting in place to secure those waterways to help prevent access and reduce the potential for infection?

3.    Will samples of the water flowing in the Wealdstone Brook be included in the analysis being undertaken by the UKHSA and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)? And will these samples include both the water flowing in Brent as well as in Harrow?

4.    Given that in the UK HSA Press Release dated 10^th August there is the following statement; 

 

“ The level of poliovirus found and high genetic diversity among the PV2 isolates suggest that there is some level of virus transmission in these boroughs which may extend to adjacent areas. This suggests that transmission has gone beyond a close network of a few individuals.”

 

what immediate measures are Brent Council taking to monitor whether there is any indication of any individual in Brent showing potential signs of infection from the polio virus?

 

Our recent understanding and experiences from the Covid-19 virus pandemic would surely be enough to set alarm bells ringing amongst Brent Councillors and Brent Council Officers, that action in dealing with this polio virus outbreak has to be top priority for the health and safety of Brent residents.

 

Yours sincerely

 

John Poole,

(Kenton address supplied)

 

Another Coldplay car park in Fryent Country Park this evening

 

In a comment on my previous post about Brent Council undermining the Aslef and RMT strikes by providing a car park in a Fryent Country Park field, a reader asked about safety and security and who was paying for it. LINK

There are generators with some lighting stands  and a number of stewards. I saw about eight stewards scattered around the area when I visited at 5pm today.  As you can see there is also a portacabin, portaloos and rather a lot of temporary fencing.  There is signage in the field and along the walking route to Wembley Stadium.

It does not look like a temporary operation.

I presume all that is financed from the £20 car parking fee.

Some early arrivals went off to the stadium without raincoats.  They might get very wet if there is heavy rain tonight and it will seem quite a long walk back.

LETTER: Brent councillors & officers should have training on disease danger from raw human sewage

 Dear Editor,

Reading all the latest from Neil Nerva and UKHSA (see Notes below) plus other local commentary you can imagine that I am just appalled at the previous lack of action given that indications are that the polio virus is spreading and mutating. Why Brent Council has not declared a ‘Major Incident’ is totally and utterly beyond my comprehension. 

 

Once again, Brent Council is trying to shut the gate after the horses have bolted. The total combined lack of understanding and action is just appalling.

 

Perhaps some in-service training for Councillors and Council Officers on the connection between the presence of untreated raw human sewage in waterways and the spread of diseases might be in order?

 

John Poole

 

Notes:

 

Cllr Neil Nerva (Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care) wrote to all Brent councillors on August 10th attaching the UK Health Security Agency on the health dangers after detection of the pokio virus in waste water in the borough. He stated:

Councillors have a key role to promote vaccination for children aged one to nine.

 UK Health Security Agency Press Release

JCVI has advised all children aged one to nine in London are offered a polio booster vaccine, prioritising the areas where the virus is present. The NHS in London will contact parents when it's their child’s turn to come forward for a booster or catch-up polio dose. Vaccine-derived poliovirus has been detected in sewage in Barnet, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest. There have been no confirmed cases of polio and the risk to the wider population is low. Across London, childhood vaccination uptake is lower than the rest of the country.

Following the discovery of type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus in sewage in north and east London, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that a targeted inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) booster dose should be offered to all children between the ages of one and nine in all London boroughs. This will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis and help reduce further spread of the virus. Nationally the overall risk of paralytic polio is considered low because most people are protected from this by vaccination. Many countries globally, including the USA and EU countries like Belgium, provide an additional dose of polio-containing vaccine as part of their childhood vaccination schedule. The NHS in London will contact parents when it's their child’s turn to come forward for a booster or catch-up polio dose - parents should take up the offer as soon as possible. The programme will start with the areas affected, where the poliovirus has been detected and vaccination rates are low. This will be followed by rapid rollout across all boroughs. This booster dose will be in addition to the NHS childhood vaccination catch up campaign across London. It’s important all children aged 1-9, even if up-to-date with their vaccinations, accept this vaccine when offered to further strengthen their protection against the poliovirus. Following the findings earlier this year of type 2 poliovirus (PV2) collected from the Beckton sewage treatment works, further upstream sampling undertaken by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has now identified at least one positive sample of the poliovirus currently present in parts of several boroughs: Barnet, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest. The sampling has also detected the virus in lower concentrations and frequency in areas adjacent to the Beckton catchment area to the South (immediately below the Thames) and to the east of Beckton. However, it is not clear whether the virus has established itself in these areas or if the detections are due to people from the affected area visiting these neighbouring areas. The level of poliovirus found and the high genetic diversity among the PV2 isolates suggests that there is some level of virus transmission in these boroughs which may extend to the adjacent areas. This suggests that transmission has gone beyond a close network of a few individuals. A total of 116 PV2 isolates have been identified in 19 sewage samples collected in London between 8 February and 5 July this year, but most are vaccine-like virus and only a few have sufficient mutations to be classified as vaccine derived poliovirus (VDPV2). VDPV2 is of greater concern as it behaves more like naturally occurring ‘wild’ polio and may, on rare occasions, lead to cases of paralysis in unvaccinated individuals. UKHSA is working closely with health agencies in New York and Israel alongside the World Health Organisation (WHO) to investigate the links between the poliovirus detected in London and recent polio incidents in these two other countries. Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA said: No cases of polio have been reported and for the majority of the population, who are fully vaccinated, the risk is low. But we know the areas in London where the poliovirus is being transmitted have some of the lowest vaccination rates. This is why the virus is spreading in these communities and puts those residents not fully vaccinated at greater risk. Polio is a serious infection that can cause paralysis but nationally the overall risk is considered low because most people are protected by vaccination. The last case of polio in the UK was in 1984, but decades ago before we introduced the polio vaccination programme around 8000 people would develop paralysis every year. It is vital parents ensure their children are fully vaccinated for their age. Following JCVI advice all children aged one to nine years in London need to have a dose of polio vaccine now – whether it’s an extra booster dose or just to catch up with their routine vaccinations. It will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis. This may also help stop the virus spreading further. Jane Clegg, Chief Nurse for the NHS in London said: While the majority of Londoners are protected from polio, the NHS will shortly be contacting parents of eligible children aged one to nine years old to offer them a top-up dose to ensure they have maximum protection from the virus. We are already reaching out to parents and carers of children who aren’t up to date with their routine vaccinations, who can book a catch-up appointment with their GP surgery now and for anyone not sure of their child’s vaccination status, they can check their Red Book. The UKHSA, working with the MHRA, has already increased sewage surveillance to assess the extent of spread of the virus and are currently sampling eight further sites across London. A further 15 sites in London will start sewage sampling in mid-August, and 10 -15 sites will be stood up nationally to determine if poliovirus is spreading outside of London.

Editor's Note:  With primary schools closed for the summer holiday the usual method of communication  with parents of young children is unavailable. Brent Council should be seeking imaginative ways of communicating the urgent information about the need for parents  to take advantage of the vaccination offerfor their children (aged 1-9. Councillors could be doing that for their wards via social media, Facebook sites and Next Door as well as personal contact.