Landmark mature trees felled in Wembley Park

Last week when I passed a tree maintenance vehicle parked on Kings Drive, Wembley Park, I though they were there to reduce the size of the rather magnificent pair of trees in the corner of the Lycée (formerly Brent Town Hall/Wembley Town Hall) grounds. A day later I was shocked to see they were completely gone.

 

 

The trees had been there for decades and were a local landmark, lately contrasting with the Quintain tower blocks on the horizon.

We are lucky to have a good number of mature trees in this part of Wembley Park with trees preserved in the grounds of  King's Court and Carmel Court (on the right in above picture) and on the Kings Drive-Pilgrims Way council estate further up the hill.

Lately, we have lost the wonderful willow on Greenhill Way. This followed another willow lost on The Paddocks side of the Lycée  grounds some time ago, perhaps through storm damage.

 

Greenhill Way willow

Lycée  willow

The 'after' photographs of these sites present a forlorn picture:

King's Drive

Greenhill Way

The  Lycée King's Drive willow before removal
 

 Lycée King's Drive after removal of the willow and laying of artificial turf

 

I asked the Lycée for a statement about the felling this morning, particularly given their participation in eco-schools and commitment to bio-diversity.

 

Notice on the Forty Lane gardens, near the bus stop

They kindly responded promptly:

We're unfortunately not at liberty to expose all the details  but those trees weren't felled for the sole intention of felling them. They have been proven by many experts over the course of years to damage property and we had no choice but to prevent any further issues and were asked to remove them. 

Our eco-school programme remains. We have, in this mind, retained all we could of those trees. Trunks will foster our forest-school area by providing seating for the children and all the chippings have been kept on the grounds to provide compost to all our beds and growing trees.

 

 

The importance of tree cover was emphasised by the Tree Council in their ubrna tree canopy survey:

Urban trees are being increasingly recognised for the many benefits they provide, such as removing carbon dioxide and pollutants from the air, providing habitats for wildlife, and making our urban areas more attractive, enjoyable and healthy places to live and spend time in. To help manage and understand this important resource, Trees for Cities, Brillianto, Woodland Trust and Forest Research have hosted a citizen science project to map the canopy cover of towns and cities across the England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Contributors have helped to build this canopy cover map for the UK by measuring the canopy cover across the UK.

This map section with the Lycée  at the foot of the image and King's Drive at the top gave a tree canopy estimate of 17.9%, better than the average, but lost trees will need to be replaced by a number of smaller trees given the canopy size of mature trees and the time need for replacements to reach maturity.

Canopy of the Greenhill Way willow (Google Earth)

Canopies of the King's Drive trees
 

Responding to a request for a statement on the issue Brent Council's Principal Tree Officer said:

I can advise that the original planning application 13/1995 did have a condition relating to tree protection, and a subsequent application 14/0315 was discharged relating to tree protection, however this was only relevant for the period of the development of the site and for a period of five years following the development of the site.

 

Any longer term tree protection would only be afforded to the trees if they were protected by a Tree Preservation Order and I can advise that no Tree Preservation Order appears to have been made.

 

 Another mature tree in the Lycée International de Londres grounds, can it be protected?

 

Half-Term activites for children 6-11 at Welsh Harp Environmental Study Centre Thursday October 31st and Friday 1st November

 

I am not sure why Brent Council's logo is not included but the activity is taking place in Brent at the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre, Birchen Grove, NW9

Come join us and explore the Welsh Harp Reservoir this half term holiday for FREE activities at the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre. These activities are part of the Action for Silk Stream project who are working in partnership with the Community Roots Project (Brent) and supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Activities suitable for ages 6-11.

Afternoon activity 2-3.30pm – We will be pond dipping to identify what is living in our 2 freshwater ponds. We will also make some bird cake for you to take home and feed the birds now the weather is getting colder.

Book here: Action for Silk Stream – Welsh Harp Half term fun – Thames21 Limited (plinth.org.uk)

Evening activity 4.30-6pm – We have a spooky Halloween trail for you to navigate through the woods, ending with a marshmallow roasting campfire.

Book  here: Action for Silk Stream – Welsh Harp half term fun – Thames21 Limited (plinth.org.uk)

 

Further info:

• An adult must attend & supervise children throughout activities.
• You only need to reserve one ticket per child and no need to print, we have your details once you book.
• Places are limited and booking is essential, please cancel your booking if you can no longer attend.
• Children and adults should wear comfortable outdoor clothing and shoes that may get dirty as we will be walking on woodland pathways. Please bring a waterproof jacket if it is forecast to rain.

Location:

Meet at Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre (Google Maps link)

Birchen Grove, NW9 8RY. Follow the signs towards the Birchen Grove Garden Centre.

Any Questions?

Deb Frankiewicz, Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre

Email: welshharpcentre@thames21.org.uk

Ph: 07711 701 694

Helen Cardy, Action for Silk Stream

Email: Helen.Cardy@thames21.org.uk

Ph: 07743 927799

Letter: Brent Council is using heavily biased language in its Paddington Old Cemetery dog PSPO consultation - what are their real plans?

 Dear Editor,

The leader of Brent Council Muhammed Butt and his Cabinet have been accused of “treating voters with contempt” and “turning neighbours against each other” in Kilburn, with a completely farcical ‘consultation’ aimed at banning dogs being walked off leash in one of the few green spaces in that part of Brent. 

Paddington Old Cemetery – a Grade II listed historic green space and graveyard - which was landscaped by Westminster Council in the 1980s – has been an increasingly popular location for dog owners (who make up nearly half of the local population based on London dog ownership figures) in recent years. The cemetery is a wonderful open space for local residents walking their dogs. There are large spaces with no graves where dogs can exercise without troubling anyone.

It is also a vital source of bio-diversity, with many rare species living there as well as thriving bee hives. Growing visitor numbers have driven away the drug dealers who used to plague the cemetery, and residents living nearby say that dog walkers have made their homes safer.  

Things changed when management of the cemetery passed from Brent’s Parks Department to the Cemeteries team, who seem determined to extract as much money from the site as they can, regardless of the consequences to the community. Getting rid of dogs completely is being seen as the first step in that process. 

Brent has amended its borough-wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to force dogs to be on the leash in the cemetery without discussing it with community groups, and without telling anyone until two weeks before it was due to take effect on 1 October. Following a strong push-back from local residents, Cllr Butt announced an eleventh-hour u-turn and paused the implementation of the new regulations pending a consultation. Nearly 450 residents have signed an ePetition calling on Brent to ensure that this consultation is “fair, open, transparent and balanced”.

However, those hopes were dashed when the Brent Council’s survey went live last Friday. Marketing expert, dog owner and founder of the group Dogs of Paddington Old Cemetery (DoPOC) Eleni Chalmers described it as “one of the worst surveys I have ever seen in my life”. 

Chalmers said: “The questions are leading and designed to gather evidence to support removing the freedom of off-lead dog walking in the cemetery, rather than being an authentic request for community input. The survey options are unbalanced and the language is loaded, such as options to ‘agree' with ‘dogs urinating and defecating on graves’. Most questions have a simple default option of ‘I don’t agree with dogs in the cemetery’. Further outrage has been caused by Brent’s edict that only one person in a household can fill in the survey and barring anyone who responded to the first after it was amended in the middle of the consultation. It simply breaks all rules of effective research.  It’s clearly designed to get the outcome Brent wants - which is to remove all access to this rare community green space to dog owners.” 

Brent has now taken the unprecedented step of sending letters by first-class post to residents in Kilburn and Queen’s Park to publicise the survey. This letter again uses loaded, heavily biased language, talking about increasing complaints about dogs “causing distress to visitors” and “causing disturbance to burial services” without providing any evidence to support this. 

Residents have been left wondering what the cost of this exercise has been to a borough that consistently pleads poverty and has cut street cleaning in Kilburn to the minimum.

“This was a missed opportunity to have a genuine dialogue with all cemetery users about how to manage the increasing popularity of the cemetery,” said Cordelia Uys, a local dog owner and DPOC member. 

“Responsible dog owners recognise that there are things we need to do to ensure that dogs and people visiting graves can co-exist, like reducing the number of dogs professional walkers can bring in and stopping people driving long distances to the cemetery to exercise dogs. This is what the consultation should have explored. Instead, they are using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”

Chris Maggs walks her dog daily in the cemetery and also visits the graves of her great-grandparents there.

Maggs said: “It’s also important to remember that nearly half of the people who visit graves own dogs themselves and they often want to bring their pets with them. It’s simply false to try to pretend that dog owners and grave visitors are two completely different sets of people”

Brent’s Cemeteries team hit the headlines a few years ago when they dumped asbestos-ridden waste in the cemetery in a bid to create an artificial-raised section in which to dig new graves. [Editor: See LINK] As a result of the delays to that project they allowed the use of destroyed historic paths, and other unused areas in the cemetery, for burials. Michael Bond, the creator of Paddington Bear, is buried in one such pathway area and his tombstone is already leaning. After heavy rainfall his grave is often left temporarily underwater. 

Why are Brent pursuing this path for a green space that is full to capacity with an estimated 200,000 bodies in marked and unmarked graves? Residents and visitors to the cemetery strongly suspect that once dogs are banned, the Council’s next step will be to investigate whether it can dig-up old graves and re-sell the plots. 

Local residents including the Friends of Paddington Old Cemetery (FoPOC) and its dog loving counterpart DoPOC, want a permanent joint consultation committee with Brent on the future of POC in order to save it - for all members of the community.

 

Brent resident and dog owner

 

 

Barry Gardiner responds regarding the 'continuing tragedy' in Gaza

 This  is Barry Gardiner's reponse to an email to Keir Starner and copied to him, part of which said:

In the north of Gaza, Israel is transforming whole neighbourhoods into mass graves. Densely populated areas are under relentless attack. Bodies are left lying on the roads or under the rubble. Israel is firing on Palestinians attempting to rescue the injured or retrieve the dead. Since the start of the month, no food or medicines have been allowed in and all attempts to provide humanitarian assistance are denied. Schools and hospitals serving as evacuation centres are deliberately destroyed to drive out the population. Everyone expects to be killed at any moment. The head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has written that ‘the smell of death is everywhere.’  

These barbaric horrors cannot be allowed to continue. You must not remain silent in the face of such atrocities. I urge you to take immediate action and use every possible lever to pressure Israel to halt its liquidation of the north of Gaza.  

Barry Gardiner responded: 

Thank you for your recent email concerning the continuing tragedy unfolding in Gaza.

Since the horrific attack by Hamas on October 7th and the unjustifiable seizure of hostages, the situation in Gaza has become intolerable. Children are starving, the healthcare system is being dismantled and approximately 40,000 people have been killed. 70% of the civilian infrastructure – homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship have all been destroyed.
 
On Thursday, October 10th I made a speech in Westminster Hall where I laid out the UK’s current failings in line with international law. I argued that in order to abide by our commitment to the international rule of law the UK must recognise the state of Palestine and ensure that we as a nation do not support or condone the illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories. You can watch and read this speech here: https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-in-the-commons
 
Earlier this year I welcomed the foreign secretary David Lammy’s call for a ceasefire and reinstatement of funding for UNWRA, and pressured him to end arms sales to Israel. Watch this here:  https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-in-the-commons/what-are-the-government-doing-to-pressure-the-israeli-government-on-human-rights

As I have said in my previous letters, the situation is so fast-moving that it is difficult to summarise events and their consequences in an email without the risk of being out of date by the time it is read. That is why I have always tried to set out the principles upon which I base my judgements and decisions, rather than simply responding to each twist and turn of events.
 
You will know that:

 
I was the first Member of Parliament to go on the media to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

 
I have also been constant in demanding the removal of all restrictions on humanitarian aid, and the need to uphold international law.

 
I have insisted upon the unconditional release of all hostages and illegally detained people.

 
I spoke out in advance against the offensive by the IDF in Rafah, and predicted it would be a humanitarian catastrophe.

 
I demanded the reinstatement and restoration of funding to UNWRA.

 
I called for a visa scheme that can provide a safe route to reunite Palestinians in Gaza with their family members here in the UK.

 
I have written to the former Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary demanding that the UK stop arms sales to Israel which are in danger of making our country complicit in breaches of international law and what the ICJ has described as “plausible risk” of war crimes.
 
 
Here in Britain, the former President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, Baroness Hale of Richmond, along with 1,100 lawyers, legal academics and former members of the judiciary, signed a joint legal opinion indicating that suspending funding to UNRWA puts the UK in breach of its international obligations to prevent genocide. The government must immediately do all it can to help aid get into Gaza and this includes reinstating funding for the UNWRA now.
 
The importance of the International Court of Justice cannot be overestimated. The ICJ has ruled that South Africa has brought a plausible case that the people of Palestine need to be protected against genocide and that as such, their rights are at risk of irreparable damage. I support the court’s rulings and call for Israel to implement the provisional measures that the ICJ has demanded.
 
I signed the Early Day Motion 177 and have advocated for it on the mainstream media. You can access my most recent statements in relation to the ICJ here: https://vimeo.com/943986809?share=copy

You can also read the letter I co-signed with my colleague Zarah Sultana here: https://twitter.com/zarahsultana/status/1772898790053155083

As the situation has worsened in Gaza, we have seen increasing breaches of international law in the West Bank. The increase in settler violence against Palestinians, demolition of their homes and property, and the deliberate and systematic spread of Israeli settlements appears to be part of a deliberate campaign to annexe more and more Palestinian land in the West Bank, making the settlements a fait acompli. That is why I have always called for a restriction on settlement goods being imported into the UK.
 
The need for emergency visa schemes to get people out of an active warzone is one I have always supported – whether it be for civilians in Ukraine, Afghanistan or Gaza. The UK must do all it can to allow families to reunite in safety. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK government introduced the Ukraine Family Scheme. The government must now do the same for the Palestinians.

Finally I have signed a letter to the former Foreign Secretary urging him to respect the International Criminal Court and not allow its work to be undermined If you would like to discover more about my responses as the situation has unfolded since October 7 2023, you can visit my website where you will also find links to my appearances on the Today Programme, ITV News, BBC Politics Live, Politics Joe and more.

In all these interviews I make it clear that a ceasefire is the only way to move the situation forward and that the UK must not be complicit in breaches of international law.

You can find these by clicking on the links here:

 
https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-on-the-box/israel-gaza-war-barry-will-vote-for-a-ceasefire-today

https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-on-the-box/we-must-take-moral-leadership-and-negotiate-a-ceasefire

https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-on-the-box/why-barry-will-vote-for-a-ceasefire-today


My original letter to constituents following October 7th is also there: https://www.barrygardiner.com/policy-responses/israel-gaza-war-15th-october-2023

 
Sincerely,

Barry Gardiner
Member of Parliament for Brent West

Demonstration against the Far-Right threat in London tomorrow. Brent Council assesses the threat of current events to social cohesion in the borough

The TUC, many trade unions and community organisations have come together to roganise tomorrow's demonstration against the far right. In the summer many such organisations came together to demonstrate community solidarity against the far right following the riots. One such gathering took place in Harrow. LINK

The risk to Community Cohesion figures for the first time in the Brent Strategic Risk report and comes near the top:

Putting Prevent at the top of Key Controls/Mitigating Action is likely to be controversial due to distrust in some communities of its underlying assumptions:

 

Brent had a higher rate of population growth than London and England from 2011 to 2021 Census. It also became more diverse over this period with smaller groups “Any other ethnic group seeing” 145% increase, followed by Arab (+57%). The three largest ethnic groups are Indian (19.5%), Other White (15.9%), and White British (15.2%). This rich diversity of the population brings opportunities for cohesion and unity, but it is not immune to the risks of community tension and conflict. With such a diverse community, we recognise that global events can have a local impact, creating tensions amongst otherwise communities that coexist peacefully. We are therefore mindful of tensions escalating and the possibility of violence disorder in Brent. Unchecked tensions can result in a breakdown in community cohesion and provide permissive environment for prejudice and extremism to thrive and escalate into terrorism.

 

The aftermath of the Israel-Hamas conflict since October 2023 has led to an increase in hate crimes, notably anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, reflecting heightened tensions within local communities. Protests by Palestine supporters and potential counter-protests by the Jewish community seen in September 2024 near Brent Civic centre was peaceful but such protests could serve as flashpoints for escalating tensions if not effectively managed.

 

The UK national threat level for Terrorism remains substantial and Brent experience complex risks and challenges. Brent has received targeted Home Office funding to respond to the risks of radicalisation and was recognised as a priority borough by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) for community cohesion. Persistent threats from extremist groups and the potential for reduced Prevent funding beyond March 2025 are major concerns, threatening the sustainability of initiatives aimed at preventing radicalisation, community safety and cohesion.

 

Recent far-right riots nationally and the conviction of a Brent based far-right supporter for terrorist offenses highlights Brent’s susceptibility to this threat. Muslim communities and Community sector partners have expressed significant fear following recent far-right riots, with local multi-faith forums and community engagement indicating a critical need for supportive interventions.

 

Key Controls/Mitigating Actions

 

Ensure effective delivery of preventing radicalisation and counter - terrorism work, overseen by the multi – agency – Prevent  Oversight Board, chaired at CMT level.

▪ Advocate for continued and increased funding to ensure the sustainability of crucial initiatives, reflecting Brent’s community cohesion risks.

▪ Broaden and strengthen the scope of community engagement into effective partnership arrangements to maintain community safety, with a particular focus on tackling extremism, prejudice hate crime and promoting cohesion. Optimising upon the support from Community Leaders, Key Organisations, Police, Multi-faith Forum’s and Schools.

▪ Continuously assess the impact of current initiatives and remain flexible to adapt strategies based on real-time community feedback and emerging challenges.

 

 Source LINK.

This Sunday at Preston Community Library 3pm. Philip Grant on the British Empire Exhibition

 

Protesters say loud and clear, 'We want truly affordable housing here!' The housing crisis comes to Quintain and Brent Council amidst Wembley Park's luxury high-rise blocks

 

Campaigners outside the Brent Civic Centre chant, 'We are the waiting list.'

Brent Renters Union held a march (which involved a bit of a teach-in using the local high rises as a visual aid) and protested outside Quintain Living and Brent Council today. Under the slogan, 'We can't afford the rent in Brent!' they drew attention to the lack of affordable public housing in Wembley Park despite the thousands of units built by Quintain, the US based developer.

They called for affordable homes, rent controls and more social housing as they stood amidst the glossy high rises. The flats were in stark contrast to the photographs some of the protesters showed me of cockroach, flies, bed bugs and vermin infested temporary homes and poorly maintainance of those managed by NottingHillGenesis.

 

 

One mother pointed to the bites on her son's arms and face and said that he was ashamed to go go school among his clear-skinned class mates. 'He is not well,' she sighed, saying that he was also suffering from asthma.

The Union had written a letter outlining their demands to Quintain Living but found the doors locked against them. They managed to slip the letter through the narrow gaps between the doors where it just lay on the floor. 

Very symbolic.

 

Miss Mohamud, of the Brent Branch of the London Renters Union, gave Wembley Matters an eloquent interview about the issues renters face.

 

The march finished with a protest outside Brent Civic Centre with the longest banner seen in any demonstration there! The demonstration was peaceful with an underlying anger about injustice and a resolute determination to bring about change. Many of the councillors were away, including several, including Council leader Muhammed Butt, at a wedding in Pakistan but one councillor came out and spoke to the demonstrators. 

A young woman from a homeless family in temporary accommodation made a passionate speech.

📢 "Landlords are profiting off of our problems!"

💥 Last week, renters in Brent took to the streets to demand affordable homes.

📈 We're sick of seeing new expensive flats that price ordinary people out. We need social homes for families and rent controls now. pic.twitter.com/AhEl3xPpv1

— London Renters Union (@LDNRentersUnion) October 29, 2024

 

 

 

Brent Renters Union can be contacted at brent@londonrentersunion.org 

07521 758 523 Twitter: @brentrenters 

LONDONRENTERSUNION.ORG/JOIN

 

Their next Brent Community Meeting is on Saturday November 2nd 12-4pm at Mencap, 379 High Road, NW10 2JR

Brent Council calls on the Government to give councils the power to crack down on proliferation of gambling premises

 

The present tense is perhaps over-claiming, Brent Council would like the power to crack down on gamblng harms.

 

Following the recent granting of a plannning application for an Adult Gaming Centre in Park Parade, Harlesden, by Brent Planning Committee, Cllr Muhammed Butt has written to the Government calling for a change in the law.

Writing as Brent Council Leader, rather than Brent Labour,  he cites the unanimous motion, supported by all parties on the Council, about the gambling harms in the Brent borough:

This is a growing issues for our communities due to the increase in the clustering of gambling premises within Brent generally, and Harlesden in particular. All councillors in Brent are united in our desire to reform the Gambling Act 2005, to ensure it is fit for purpose  in protecting our most vulnerable residents.

He claims that despite the shared opposition local authorities have found themselves powerless to intervene due to the statutory 'Aim to Permit' policy that severely limits the power to intervene:

The policy has left local authorities and communities grappling with outdated and inadequate legislation that fails to protect vulnerable residents from the harms associated with gambling.

The letter to Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State, calls for the Government to support the following reforms:

1. Reform the 'Aims to Permit' Policy: Grant local authorities the power to reject premise license applications that threaten the community's welfare and safety. 

2. Categorisation of Gambling Premises: Ensure that the incoming NPPF stipulates that Bingo Halls and Adult Gaming Centres be placed in the same planning category as bookmakers, so they cannot bypass the 3% cap by splitting premises.

3. Planning Applications: Allows councils to consider local household debt levels when evaluating planning applications for high street casinos and prevent the proliferation of gambling dens in close proximity to school[s], in the same way councils can limit junk food establishments in those areas.

4. Statutory Levy for Gambling Harm Prevention: Introduce a statutory levy on gambling operators for research, education and treatment, initially set at 1% of gross revenue, to be administered by an independent public body.

5. Ban on Gambling Advertising: Prohibit gambling advertising, promotion and sponsorship to prevent exposure, especially to children and young people.

6. Stop Progress on Proposals to Liberalise Adult Gaming Centres: Following the Gambling Survey for Great Britain which underlines the need for a review of spin speed and excess staking levels on harmful B3 machines.