Do you want to participate in Brent planning process re quality and benefit? Consider joining the Community Review Panel. Applications close December 4th

 

Brent Council has retweeted the invitation above which may indicate a lack of response. This is what the Council website says about the Panel:

 

Community Review

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) emphasises the importance of involving communities in the decision-making process. The aim of this is to increase design quality and place benefit. Whilst no specific mechanism on how to do this is set out in the NPPF, community review panels are becoming increasingly popular amongst local authorities for enabling greater participation in the planning process.

Brent Community Review Panel

The council is looking to recruit local people to a new Brent Community Review Panel (CRP). This aims to give a voice to local people on new developments in their area.

The panel will help the council to better understand the needs of the local community by playing an independent advisory role in the planning process through discussion of issues around housing, transport, public and green spaces, and the environment. This will help ensure that new developments are of the highest design quality, and meet the needs of people living in, working in, studying in and visiting Brent in the future.

Frame Projects, who manage the Brent Quality Review Panel on behalf of the council, is responsible for recruiting and managing the panel, ensuring that it is independent, well-briefed, and able to effectively communicate its views. Frame Projects will provide panel members with the support needed for their role through free training sessions.

Who can be on the panel?

The panel is aimed at residents, workers, students and regular visitors within the Brent community who are at least 16 years old. We are keenly looking for candidates who do not already have a strong voice or position of influence in their area. Councillors and Brent Council employees are not eligible to apply.

Will I be paid to be on the panel?

Panel members will receive a £25 voucher for each two-hour review meeting they attend, with reasonable expenses for travel and other necessary costs also covered.

How can I find out more and apply to join the panel?

You can email Frame Projects at brent@frame-projects.co.uk or call 020 8164 9980 to find out more and request an application form.

Application forms must be submitted by 5:30pm on Monday 4 December 2023.

If shortlisted, you will be invited to a selection workshop in January 2024 (exact date to be confirmed) with other candidates, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

Panel Chair

Daisy Froud

Daisy is a community engagement strategist, design critic and educator with over 20 years’ experience of devising tools and processes that allow communities to meaningfully contribute to built environment decision-making. She has particular expertise in enabling diverse groups to find common ground in situations where policy constraints or low budgets pose challenges, specialising in brokering productive communication between professionals and non-professionals. Daisy sits on a number of design review and advisory panels across London, including serving as the Chair of the Ealing Community Review Panel.

Islamophobia: A Racial or Religious Discrimination? Why it Matters. Sunday 26th November

 

NEU refuse to accept job losses and 'fire and rehire' of frontline workers at Lyon Park Primary School and will strike on Tuesday

 

 From Brent Branch of the Natioaal Education Union (NEU)

 

NEU members at Lyon Park Primary School are to strike in a fight to save support staff jobs which are proposed to go in a huge restructure. PICKET LINE OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL TUESDAY 7^TH NOVEMBER 7.30-10am!

 

Staff at Lyon Park Primary School will be on strike to save the jobs and pay of their hardworking support staff. Many of these long-serving staff served the school’s community throughout the pandemic and face their jobs either being axed or a situation of “fire and rehire” to drop their pay. Teachers face a loss of support in the classroom and children will lose out on the vital support they need. The school has cited budget difficulties as the reason for the cuts. Ironically the school now has an expensive Executive Headteacher, who has not appeared at any of the restructure meetings to date and has not attempted any talks with unions.

 

100% OF NEU MEMBERS WHO VOTED IN THE BALLOT FOR STRIKE ACTION AT THE SCHOOL VOTED TO STRIKE OVER MULTIPLE DATES THIS MONTH.

 

Staff and their supporters will protest at a picket line outside the school from 7.30am Tuesday and will continue to try to negotiate with the governors in a bid to reach an agreement. Staff have shown willingness to accept voluntary redundancies but after a call for applications, the school have now said they cannot accept the applications.

 

Jenny Cooper of the NEU National Executive stated:

 

These striking members are the people who were on the Brent frontline in the pandemic; these are key workers, supporting vulnerable families and working daily with children from the Wembley and Alperton communities. They undertake difficult jobs every day and have expertise and knowledge that should be valued in our schools. If we can afford big sums for executive school leaders, we can afford to retain the pay of our frontline staff, and to fund those that request voluntary redundancy. The NEU will NOT accept fire and rehire and we remain hopeful the school will reach an agreement with us to resolve this dispute in which case the action could be suspended

Brent to mark 'Islamophobia Awareness Month' with exhibition and in-person event

From Brent Council

 

This Islamophobia Awareness Month, get involved in listening to people’s ‘Muslim stories’ to raise awareness of Islamophobia.

Islamophobia Awareness Month takes place annually during the month of November to celebrate the positive contributions of Muslims to British society and raise awareness of Islamophobia, with the hope of creating a society free from hate.

This year’s theme is ‘Muslim stories’, aiming to build connections among individuals from diverse backgrounds using the transformative power of storytelling to help raise awareness of all forms of discrimination and hatred.

All residents are invited to join an in-person event on 21 November from 6 to 8pm at Brent Civic Centre, Training Centre (First Floor), to discover the rich tapestry of Muslim Stories through engaging discussions, presentations, and thought-provoking narratives.

Our esteemed speakers will share their personal experiences, shedding light on the impact of Islamophobia and the importance of fostering understanding and tolerance. Through these powerful narratives, we hope to inspire change and combat misconceptions.

There will also be an exhibition to raise awareness of Islamophobia in society. The exhibition will be up at Wembley Library, from 15 to 17 November during opening hours, with stock displays at Wembley and Willesden Green Libraries every day throughout the month.

Councillor Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Equalities and Culture, said: 

Brent is a place where people of all faiths and backgrounds live and work side-by-side.

Islamophobia Awareness Month aims to bring people together in solidarity to stand against discrimination and hate crime in all its forms. We will always strive to make Brent an inclusive and accepting place for people of all backgrounds.

I hope many of you will join our in-person event to celebrate diversity, challenge stereotypes, and bring greater awareness across the borough. You’ll hear personal experiences from our guest speakers, shedding light on the impact of Islamophobia and the importance of fostering understanding and tolerance.

If you’ve been affected by Islamophobia or any other hate crime, report it online or contact Crimestoppers to report anonymously.

Book your place on Eventbrite.

 

Readers may be interested in a publication by the Brent-based An-Nisa Society titled 'Islamophobia: from Denial to Action'. LINK

Writen during Islamophobia Awareness Month 2022 it was launched on UN International  Islamophobia Day March 15th 2023.

The report rejects the definition that sees ‘Islamophobia as a form of racism’ and suggests 'a better way forward'.

An-Nisa write:

We believe the biggest obstacle to addressing anti-Muslim discrimination is classifying it as a ‘form of racism.’ We recognised this approach was not working for Muslims in the mid-1980’s and campaigned for faith discrimination to be made illegal on its own terms. We argued for a multi- ethnic British Muslim identity and faith-based needs for Muslims.

 

When the Equality Act 2010 came into force, finally making religious discrimination unlawful, we were hopeful this would be a game changer to positively changing theconditions of British Muslims. But this was not to be. We remain bogged down in arguments about the word ‘Islamophobia’ and what it means; freedom of speech about the criticism of Islam and denial that it even exists.

 

Prior to the Equalities Act 2010, which has nine protected areas, including for the first time “religion or belief’, there had not been any legal protection for Muslims against anti-Muslim discrimination. One of the critical issues An-Nisa Society found in the mid-1980’s was that the Race Relations Act 1976 recommendations, policies and services that come from it did not work for Muslims. It only extended protection to ‘racial’ groups and Muslims  are not one racial group. It did not recognise religious discrimination. Our realisation is not a denial of racism or that it can also impact Muslims, who in this country are mainly people of colour. The problem was the framework of tackling racism institutionally and in the delivery of race-based services which was bypassing the Muslim experience.

Informal consultation opens on closure of Brentfield Road site of Leopold Primary School

 

The informal consultation process on the closure of the Brentfield Road (Gwenneth Rickus building) site of Leopold Primary School began yesterday with a letter to parents:

 

Brent Council has launched an informal consultation seeking the views of the public regarding the closure of the Gwenneth Rickus site of Leopold Primary School. This is being proposed in response to falling pupil numbers in Brent, resulting in a high number of spare places in local primary schools.

The proposal will not result in changes to the provision of education on the Hawkshead Road site.

No decisions have been taken yet, but if the proposal to close the Gwenneth Rickus site was to be implemented it would begin to take effect from September 2025.

It is important you have a chance to have your say on this proposal. A consultation document and response form is available on the Brent website at www.brent.gov.uk/neighbourhoods-and- communities/have-your-say, via email LeopoldConsultation@brent.gov.uk and hard copies are also available from the school’s reception. All documents are also available on this webpage www.brent.gov.uk/leopoldconsultation where you can find facilities to translate them into different languages.

There will be six public consultation meetings where you will be able to find out more about the proposal and express your views. Public consultation meetings are being held at:

• 9am, 3.30pm and 6.00pm on 14 November 2023 at Leopold Primary School, Gwenneth Rickus Site, Brentfield Road, Neasden, NW10 8HE
• 9am, 3.30pm and 6.00pm on 15 November 2023 at Leopold Primary School, Hawkshead Road, Harlesden, NW10 9UR

The informal consultation runs from Wednesday 1 November until Wednesday 13 December 2023.

Please note that when I went to the webpage this morning it was not accepting submission at present.

For ease of reference I embed the consultation document below:

 

As funding crisis begins to hit Brent schools join Education Cuts Hurt - Fund Our Schools Rally November 22nd 6pm

 

 

Parents, students, governors, support staff, teachers and councillors are being urged to make their voices heard over school funding as long-term underfunding begins to hit local schools by attending the above rally tim ed to coincide with the Autumn Statement.

'Restructures' are taking place in many schools with support staff likely to be hit by redundancies. As Wembley Matters has pointed out before support staff have become vital to the achievement of higher quality education in Brent schools. They run special programmes of support in primary schools with a focus on maths and literacy, deliver 1:1 programmes on speech and language that may have previously been delivered by speech therapists, and provide behaviour and pastoral support. 

A long way from the 'washing paintpots' role of the 70s that readers may have experienced. 

Teaching support staff are so integrated into the classroom that many children see them as another teacher.

The differences are hidden and include low pay and for some term-time only contracts. In Brent they are overwhelmingly women and ethnic minority and if the main wage earner, often have to take on another job in order to make ends meet.

By far the biggest proportion of the  school budget is spent on salaries. Essential equipment and materials prices have increased with inflation. not to leave out soaring energy costs, so it is staffing costs that bear the brunt of budget cuts. Every class or subject has to have a teacher, so inevitably it is support staff, the often invisible backbone of the school, who face redundancy.

The situation is so bad that the National Education Union now runs training sessions for its school representatives in restructuring and redundancy - and resistance:

 

 

Local authority schools (as distinct from academies) that are unable to balance their budget can request a 'licensed deficit'. This means the LA will support them over a period of several years to bring their budget back into balance. They have to submit plans to reduce costs over that period to gain a licence and this can mean  more time to allow 'natural wastage' to take effect, as long as it includes a rationale that maintains the quality of education in the longer term. A difficult task. The LA's capacity to do this is limited by its own financial constraints so it is not the answer to widespread difficulties.

Falling pupil numbers also contribute to the budget crisis as schools are funded per pupil. If schools cannot fill their classes the staffing costs for a teacher (and a class teaching assistant) remain the same for a 24 pupil class as for a 30 pupil class. Smaller classes are welcome but need proper funding.   Brent Council is currently reviewing primary provision and will be proposing changes such as reducing some schools by a class per year with the possibility of mergers or closures in the longer term. They are currently consulting on the closure of the Brentfield Road site of Leopold Primary School.

There have been decades of under-investment in schools. This year was going to be difficult anyway but the situation has been made worse by the Government's mistake in the simple foecast of the number of  pupils in schools, so that schools have a lower budget than promised.

Leaders of the teaching unions wrote to the Secretary of State on October 15th:

On 17 July, Schools Minister Nick Gibb told the House of Commons:  

“Funding for mainstream schools through the schools National Funding Formula is increasing by 2.7 per cent per pupil compared to 2023-24.  

“The minimum per-pupil funding levels (MPPLs) will increase by 2.4 per cent compared to 2023-24. This will mean that, next year, every primary school will receive at least £4,655 per pupil, and every secondary school at least £6,050.  

“The core factors in the schools NFF (such as basic per-pupil funding, and the lump sum that all schools attract) will increase by 2.4 per cent.”  

On 6 October we were informed that there had been an error resulting in an underestimate in forecasting pupil numbers, and that the NFF tables issued in July were being revised and republished to stay within the already announced Core Schools Budget.  

Funding for mainstream schools through the schools NFF will now increase by just 1.9 per cent. The minimum per-pupil funding level for primary schools will be £4,610 (£45 less per pupil) and for secondary schools it will be £5,995 (£55 less per pupil). The core factors of the NFF will now only increase by 1.4 per cent.  

Government’s revisions to the NFF, in light of higher than forecast pupil numbers, effectively reduce the value of the NFF by £370 million. Schools are already having difficulty balancing their books; some will now face the very real prospect of cuts to provision.

Brent teachers and parents are already hearing about the difficulties and proposed cuts to provision. The November 22nd Rally organisers say:

After more than a decade of underfunding of education, we see the results in crumbling buildings, a profound teacher recruitment crisis and redundancies and restructures in schools across the city.

Cuts to Special Educational Needs provision are damaging the education and life chances of millions of children and young people.

Hear from those organising and fighting for the money we need, including trade unionists, parent campaigners and politicians.

Join the short demonstration beforehand as parliament meets to hear the Tories' Autumn Statement. Bring friends, colleagues and family to demand better. Save our schools, fund education.

Join the Resistance - book your place HERE

 

Just in case... Flood warning advice from Brent Council flooding emergency page

 

Information from Brent Council website in case you are affected  LINK

Flood warnings

When there is a risk of flooding warnings are broadcast on television and radio weather forecasts and travel bulletins. Make sure you know the frequency for your local radio station.

The Environment Agency provides flood warnings and public advice, as well as a 24-hour flood information service.

The number for Floodline is 0345 988 1188 (or Type Talk: 0345 602 6340) where you can listen to recorded flood warning information or speak to an operator for general information and advice 24 hours a day.

The person who can do the most to prepare for flooding is you.

During a flood, you may find you're without lighting, heating or a telephone line so the better prepared you are the better you'll cope if you are caught in a flood situation.

Be Aware. Be Prepared. The time to think is now don't wait until it happens.

See how putting a grab bag may will help you to respond see the preparing for an emergency page.

If your house is potentially at risk from flooding here are some key things to remember.

If you are in a flood risk area find out if you can sign up to the Environment Agency's free 24 hour Floodline Warnings Direct service by calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188 (or Type Talk: 0345 602 6340). You can select to receive warnings by phone, text or email.

Keep details of your insurance policy and the emergency contact numbers for your local council, emergency services and Floodline quick dial number somewhere safe - preferably as part of your emergency flood kit.

Know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water mains supplies.

If a flood is forecasted, take valuable items upstairs and take photos for insurance purposes.

Leave internal doors open, or ideally, remove them and store them upstairs.

Outside the house

Move anything not fixed down into a safer location, e.g. dustbins, garden chemicals car oil and similar.

Move your car to higher ground to avoid damage.

Weigh down manhole covers outside the house to prevent them floating away and leaving a hazardous hole.

See our page about who to call regarding drains and gullies for more advice.

For more information on preparing for a flood and other publications visit the Environment Agency's website

Sandbags

We do not supply sandbags or flood protection products directly to the public.

Builder's Merchants and DIY Stores may have sandbags available.

If you can't obtain sandbags, you can make them yourself by filling things like compost bags, old pillowcases or carrier bags filled with earth or sand.

'Listen to the People' - Green Party Leaders' message to Government and Labour on a ceasefire

 The co-leaders of the Green Party have written to the UK government and the official opposition urging them to "listen to the people” and join international calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

In a letter to both the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly and his Labour counterpart, Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Green co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, deputy leader Zack Polanski and Global Solidarity spokesperson Carne Ross set out how the only way to protect civilians is for the fighting to stop.

In addition, they call on both the Conservatives and Labour to throw their weight behind an “internationally arbitrated once-and-for-all settlement” so that “Israeli and Palestinian citizens can live in safety and security with their rights, at last, fully protected.”

Co-leader Carla Denyer said:

The mass civilian suffering we have seen in Israel and Gaza has shocked the world. Over 700 civilians are being killed every day, one child every ten minutes. The dire humanitarian situation is clearly intolerable and must end.

We cannot hear arguments about violence now somehow preventing further violence in future without shuddering. The lives of children cannot be bartered in this way.

We are deeply concerned that neither the UK government nor the official opposition has joined international calls for a ceasefire. It is with deep regret that the Green Party feels the need to point out that at times like these, silence is complicity.

We urge both the government and the Labour Party to listen to the British people, three-quarters of whom want an immediate ceasefire .

In the letters, the Green Party sets out how war crimes have been committed by both sides since Hamas’s horrific attacks on 7 October.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

The awful attacks committed by Hamas on 7 October were brutal violence, and the hostages must be released unconditionally, but the horrific attacks we saw on that day cannot justify military actions that break international law.

There is no military route to long-term safety and security for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, as they both deserve. Instead, there must be a political settlement, based on the requirements of international law and beginning with an end to the occupation.

The UK government should push for an internationally arbitrated once-and-for-all settlement that fully ends the occupation of Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem, in accordance with the requirements of international law.

It used to be the case that international law was the basis of UK government policy, and the positions of both Conservatives and Labour.  It is deeply troubling that this seems to have been forgotten by both government and opposition.  Such an abandonment will do long-term harm to Britain’s already-questionable reputation as a defender of the international rules-based order.