Unite Pensioners protest against Winter Fuel Allowance Cut
Georgia Gould, the recently elected MP for the new constituency of Queens Park and Maida Vale, that includes three Brent wards, has defended the cut in Pensioner's Winter Fuel Allowance.
She writes:
Dear constituent,
Thank you for your email and
setting out your thoughts on the Chancellor’s decision on Winter Fuel Payments.
I apologise for the delay in responding to you, setting up my office has
created a significant backlog in correspondence and I appreciate your
patience.
I can assure you this was not a
decision that was taken lightly. The fact is that the previous Conservative
government knowingly and recklessly overspent on departmental budgets, then
covered it up, called an election and ran away from the problem, leaving a
£22bn black hole in our country’s finances. Sadly, this means the Chancellor
has had to make some really tough choices. As the Conservatives made commitment
after commitment without knowing where the money was going to come, it is now
up to the new Government to clean up the mess and take action to ensure the
scale of the inheritance they have left us does not continue to threaten our
economic stability.
Again, while it was a difficult
decision, linking Winter Fuel Payment to Pension Credit means that payments are
better targeted at those most in need. Of course, some low-income pensioners
still aren’t claiming Pension Credit <https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator> , and we are increasing
our work with external partners and local authorities to boost uptake and
target additional support to the poorest pensioners. This would then allow them
to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds
that could really help them.
For those who are not eligible
for Pension Credit, the Chancellor has repeated Labour’s manifesto commitment
to protecting the triple lock. This will, over the next five years, mean that
over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pension increase by thousands
of pounds.
We are also working to tackle
the cost of living crisis by saving money for citizens across the board
including through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in
insulation and low carbon heating – saving households money on their gas and
electricity bills. Our ultimate aim is to bring stability back to our economy
and to people’s lives, as creating economic stability benefits pensioners who
are on fixed incomes with little or no means to supplement their income.
Whilst I understand things
remain tough, I hope this goes some way in reassuring you that we are trying
our absolute best to support everyone with the resources we have available.
Thank you again for your email.
Yours sincerely,
Georgia Gould MP Member of
Parliament (Queen’s Park and Maida Vale)
Sunday 13th October 3pm-6pm at Willesden Green Linrary
Join us at The Library at
Willesden Green for a powerful event marking 30 years of South African
democracy and the people of Brent who supported the anti-apartheid struggle.
This
event is a moment to critically reflect and continue the fight for justice,
delving into the ongoing struggles for equality, freedom, and dignity in South
Africa and beyond.
Through
a blend of radical art, stirring literature, and historical reflection, we will
confront the complexities and challenges of a post-apartheid society,
highlighting the role of Brent in supporting the anti-apartheid struggle.
Speakers
include:
Suresh
Kamath, an anti-apartheid activist and former executive
of the Anti-Apartheid Movement (ACTSA), who will discuss his role in organizing
the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert and the 1990 Freedom Concert. Kwaku,
a history researcher and founder of BBM/BMC, will speak about his work
promoting British Black music and organizing events with South African music
and history themes. Prof. Chris Mullard, a sociologist and anti-racism
activist, will share insights on race relations, social entrepreneurship, and
his involvement with the Notting Hill Carnival. Eugene Skeef FRSA, a
South African-born percussionist and Black Consciousness Movement activist,
will reflect on his experiences in exile and his contributions to music
education and activism.
Xnau Drawings
Decolonisation
is firmly foregrounded across the multiple mediums in which artist Garth
Erasmus works. He means with intention to unsettle the hegemonic, exclusionary
constructions of African and “coloured” identity in the South African context.
This
event offers a taster of a forthcoming exhibiton featuring the politically charged
Xnau Drawings by Garth which exposes the painful legacies of apartheid and
colonialism.
The Woman from Mzanzi
M.L.
Hufkie will present her urgent and unapologetic work, Woman from Mzanzi,
(published by Livina Press) shedding light on the continued struggles faced
by South African women. Her reading will be accompanied by the improvisation of
of Barbie Mukoda on flute.
Historical Artifacts
Unveiling
rare items from Brent’s direct involvement in the South African anti-apartheid
struggle, reminding us that the fight for justice is an international concern.
This
is more than just a commemoration of the right for all South Africans to vote
in 1994 - it's a call to action in the continuous struggle for equity,
diversity and inclusivity. It aligns with Brent Council's Corporate Anti-Racism
Action Plan
Engage
with the ongoing realities of systemic inequality, hear stories of resistance,
and draw inspiration to continue pushing for global justice.
"It
always seems impossible until it's done." Nelson Mandela
Graham Durham publicly calling for Brent MPs, Dawn Butler, Barry Gardiner and Georgia Gould, to vote to keep pensioners' Winter Fuel Allowance
Former Brent Labour councillor, Graham Durham, now a local National Pensioner Convention activist, has attacked his MP Dawn Butler for failing to oppose the cutting of the Winter Fuel allowance by the Labour government, and failing to respond to her constituents' concerns.
The cut has led to a storm of protests across the country. Many are predicting that the poorest pensioners will struggle to heat their homes this winter and over half a million people have signed an Age UK petition opposing the cut.
Unite the Union October 7th Lobby of Parliament
Graham Durham, aged 70, said:
It is sadly inevitable that some old people in Brent will die as a result of this cut if we have a cold winter. Over 3,000 poorer pensioners in Brent East are affected so it is very sad that Dawn Butler did not vote against the cut in Parliament.
To add insult to injury Dawn Butler has failed to respond to constituents who wrote to her expressing concern over many months and failed to meet constituents when they joined the national lobby at the House of Commons on 7 October.
We need our local MP to stand up for us and oppose this cruel cut.
Graham Durham will be speaking about his recently published novel, A Peal of Socialism, at Kilburn Library, Salusbury Road, NW6, tomorrow 11am-12. The novel is set in Kilburn, Cricklewood and Willesden.
Brent Cabinet will consider the Climate and Ecological Emergency Programme 2024-2026 at next week's meeting. It is a hefty document but discussion will probably be limited to two proposals requiring Cabinet approval with a much deeper consideration at a future Scrutiny Committee:
Approve £3m CIL expenditure for the implementation of the Church End & Roundwood Green Corridors Scheme.
Removal of current weightings in the Brent Carbon Offset Fund Allocations Policy to provide flexibility to maximise overall funding.
There is much more in the documentation and I embed two of the key documents below which outline the plans and progress.
An interesting addition is New Green Neighbourhood Action Plans linked to development for St Raphael's Estate and South Kilburn.
In his forward to the Cabinet paper LINK Jake Rubin, lead member for Climate Action, says:
Achieving carbon neutrality
by 2030 remains extremely challenging, requiring a massive upscaling in
nationally funded infrastructure programmes as well as concerted action and
behaviour change from all sectors and individuals across society. Regardless of
whether this aspiration is considered achievable, the climate science tells us that
every action taken now to either directly reduce carbon emissions or to improve
Brent’s resilience to climate change will help to lessen the worst impacts of climate
change in future.
We also know that the
adverse impacts of climate change, such as the severe flooding and heatwaves that
we have already experienced in recent years, will affect working class
communities and those with the greatest needs the most, while action to tackle the
climate and ecological emergency has the potential to bring positive change for
the whole local community on many of the issues that matter most to people, such
as cleaner air, greener spaces, warmer homes, healthier travel and a
thriving local economy. Our Climate Programme is therefore vital in improving lives and
livelihoods, promoting health and wellbeing and environmental and social
justice.
The programme reflects difficulties regarding direct funding at a time of a local government finance crisis. The retrofitting of council homes, for example, is confined to a small pilot although it could significantly impact reduce energy bills for residents across the borough. It is very much an 'invest to save' issue. On the Dashboard below it is well worth paying close attention to the items where Brent Council has 'Direct' powers.
An area that requires cooperation with another body is provision of cycling lanes where Brent Council and TfL/GLA have a joint responsibility. Brent urgently needs a network of safe cycle lanes in addition to the Wembley to Harlesden project recently consulted on.
The papers. (Click on the cross bottom right for full page view)
Funfair owner and developer George Irvin was the elephant in the room that popped up now and again at yesterday's Scrutiny Committee. He first emerged when Cllr Paul Lorber mentioned him as a lobbyist in his declaration of interests when setting out the reasons for the Call-in of the Strategic and Operational aspects of the Barham Park Trustees performance.
Irvin came up again in ex-Labour councillor Gaynor Lloyd'a presentation when she focused on Trustees' plans to remove 'restrictive aspects' of the covenant on commercial development of the Barham Park park and buildings.
Removal would enable George Irvin to go ahead with the development of the two park workers' houses in the park that he purchased some time ago LINK as well as enable the Trustees to convert some of the park buildings for commercial use.
Gaynor Lloyd said:
Barham Park, its buildings, and these valuable covenants are all
ASSETS ofa charity. Charity Commission
consent is needed for any change in the restrictive covenants. There is a
process to get that consent but Trustees must comply with requirements of charity law to get to a decision. To quote from the Charity commission website, Trusteesmust be
able to show they have based their decisions on enough relevant information;
they are expected to think about the
impact and risks of the decision, including on their charity’s property or reputation, the
costs involved, whether the decision may
be controversial. Trustees must get
professional advice and consult beneficiaries : in this case, the residents of Wembley.
See Gaynor Lloyd's guest blog post on this issue in 2021 LINK.
George Irvin had written to a local residents' association saying that he had bought the houses to protect the park from overdevelopment that would affect his two annual funfairs.
All a little strange with the developer and Trustees both having an interest in doing away with the covenant for different reasons, but both with a commercial interest.
Gaynor Lloyd pointed out that the Trustee beneficiaries, the people of Wembley, had not been consulted but were clearly opposed to development along with four councillors and the local MP.
Paul Lorber reiterated his case about mismanagement of the Trust by Trustees and misleading or wrong advice from officers who now have delegated responsibility for the relevant matters. See Call-in notice HERE
There were presentations from current voluntary groups making use of the Barham Park buildings who face increases in rents and imposition of service charges that had not been collected previously. The Memory Lounge, Gurkha's Group and Veterans' Club all gave moving accounts of their work and the impact on users if the property could no longer be afforded.
When Trust Chair and Council Leader Muhammed Butt said how good it was to get the views of users, Cllr Geogiou made a fierce intervention pointing out that Cllr Butt had not allowed representations from users, particularly Barham Library, at the two recent Trustees meetings.
Butt said that they would be consulted once the basic proposal outline had been approved and management of the various projects would be at liberty to meet with their members ahead of any meetings with officers. There was a determination to talk with each group separately 'as their needs were different' (thus opening the way to divide and rule?). Cllr Geogiou asked again why they had not been allowed to address the Trustees' meeting. When Cllr Butt started repeating his earlier statement about future consultation Georgiou said it was not worth him going on as he was not answering the question.
Cllr Janice Long (extract on video above) suggested that the Barham Park buildings were a millstone around the Council's neck. Cllr Butt expressed some sympathy with her views.
Cllr Mary Mitchell disagreed strongly and underlined the importance of social value of such facilities during a funding crisis. She then asked some pertinent questions about the financial risk involved in the move to remove the covenant, the £20,000 spent on the architects' report in 2023 for a project that not would happen until 2031 (the £20k was first going to be paid by the Council but would now be paid for by the Trustees), and no business case had been developed. She remarked that under Climate Change implications the report said 'Nil' and wondered if that was true.
An officer in response to a question about the claw-back of Sure Start funds for the Children's Centre that was no longer operating in one of the buildings, said that Brent Council would have to meet the cost which was currently £93,000 but would reduce over time.
Another empty building on the site' known as Unit 7, that had been earmarked for a Dementia Advice Unit after Friends of Barham Library had secured funding, had been delayed for 6 years officers said while a strategic plan was formulated to 'better understand' how it would fit in with the estate.
Officers and Cllr Butt pointed out that the Gold and Silver options would have meant more commercialisation and would have undermined the aims of the Trust. They claimed the Bronze option balanced the need to generate income with the maintenance of the Trust's responsibilities to fulfil its aims.
Cllr Mitchell asked about Governance and why the Trust had delegated powers to officers rather than recruiting new Trustees. Debra Norman, Head of Governance, said Governance reviews had taken place regularly. Cllr Butt said that this came up every year and he had looked around for alternatives but he had struggled to find anything better.
The Scrutiny Committee voted against sending the items back for further consideration. Cllr Georgiou voted for, stating that issues had not be sufficiently addressed (rent arrears, failure to collect service charges, unit 7 six lost years etc). He did not have confidence in the Trustees or in the officers' advice.
Cllr Mary Mitchell and Cllr Iman Ahmadi Moghaddam abstained.
UPDATE
Philip Grant has commented below regarding a proposal he put to the Barham Park Trust (or wanted brought to their attention) in early 2023. He writes:
Early in
2023, I had suggested what I believe would be a better and workable
alternative governance arrangement for the Barham Park Trust. This was
not mentioned in the governance report that went to the September 2023
Trust Committee meeting, so I wanted to bring it to their attention.
I
was not able to attend that meeting, but I had requested that I could
"speak" for two minutes through a short statement read out on my behalf.
the Chair of the Committee, Cllr. Muhammed Butt, refused to agree, so
my suggestion was not voiced at the meeting, and not reflected in any
official record of it.
