Greens take up key scrutiny roles on Brent Council as new appointments announced ahead of tonight's Council EGM

The full list of Cabinet and Committee changes has been published ahead of tonight's Extraordinary General Meeting of Brent Full Council.  The changes follow the creation of a Green Group when 5 former Labour councillors made the positive choice to transfer their allegience to the Green Party.

Cllr Ishma Moeen (Wembey Hill ward) will succeed Cllr Harbi Farah in the revised portfolio of Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Cohesion. Cllr Moeen has wide outside interests in addition to her councillor responsibilities:

 

The full changes are appended but it is  worth noting that Cllr Nerva is replaced by Cllr Farah on the General Purposes Committee and that Cllr Dixon comes off Planning. Cllr Dixon becomes Chief Whip succeeding Cllr Ahmadi Moghaddam who has joined the Greens.

The need for effective scrutiny and full transparency has long been a theme of the Green Party in Brent Cllr Mitchell, leader of the Green Group) is on the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee and Cllr Ethapemi on the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee. Cllr Gbajumo joins the Audit and Standards Committee and Advisory Committee.

Cllr Bajwa, currently revelling in the role of Deputy Mayor, comes off the Licensing Committee and is replaced by Cllr Ethapemi.

Greens now take over the role of second opposition party from the Lib Dems.

The appointments come on the eve of what I understand is a return visit of the Campaign Improvement Board that made the Labour selections for May 2026. 

 

UPDATED: Proposed Stopping-up Order near Olympic Steps - Does Brent Council really want to embarrass itself in Court?

Guest Post by Philip Grant in a personal capacity

 

The meeting where submission of the Stopping-up Order application was approved.
(Note the date!)

 

UPDATE: Brent Council have put off the Court hearing for their Stopping-up Order application, but the main Officer involved still seems determined to go ahead with it. He wrote on 15 January:

'The current position is that we have asked Willesden Magistrates Court to vacate the date next Thursday. We had originally only booked a one hour slot at 2pm, but in light of your objections, it was considered that more time would be likely to be needed for the magistrates to consider the matters at hand. Once we have been provided with a new date for the Magistrates’ Court, we will reissue the S116 Stopping Up Notice ....'

The full text of the email, and my response to it, are available in the comments section below ("For Information 3, and 4") for anyone who wishes to read them.

 

In a guest post on 1 January I asked: Why does Brent want to Stop-up “highway” near the Olympic Steps? I have had a couple of email exchanges with Council Officers about this matter since then, the full texts of which are included as “FOR INFORMATION” comments under that article (along with several comments from WM readers).

 

In the latest response, from a mid-ranking Council Officer on 8 January, it was suggested that if I had wanted to challenge the application for Brent’s proposed Stopping-up Order, I should have sought a Judicial Review of a decision made by Brent’s General Purposes Committee nearly four years ago! That was nonsense – any member of the public has the right to be heard when the application is actually made to the Magistrates’ Court.

 

The hearing is scheduled for 2pm on Thursday 22 January. But as I’m convinced that even making the application is a mistake, and unnecessary (and I can be very persistent when I feel strongly about something), I have tried one final attempt to make Brent Council see sense. As I had failed to convince them with words, I decided to use pictures as well. This is the text of the email that I sent on the morning of Monday 12 January to Brent’s Public Realm Director, Chief Executive and Director of Law (and I have asked Martin to include the “pictures” attachment below this post):

This is an Open Email

 

Dear Mr Whyte, Ms Wright and Ms Henry,

 

I have tried, in my emails of 2 and 8 January, to persuade Council Officers in words why Brent Council need not, and should not, pursue this Section 116 Highways Act Stopping-up Order application. 

 

I realise that it must be frustrating when an ordinary resident seeks to tell Officers that they are "going down the wrong road", but when I can see that the present course is wrong, and that there is a right way, I feel I have a civic duty to draw this to your attention. 

 

If my words cannot persuade you, I hope that my pictures will, so please look at the attached document. It shows that the areas of highway, which the proposed Order seeks to remove the legal right for pedestrians and vehicles to cross over, are in everyday use by the people of our borough and visitors to it.

 

Does Brent Council really want to embarrass itself in Court, by claiming that these areas of highway are unnecessary?

 

I realise that Brent Council, and Quintain Limited, wish to resolve an outstanding problem over these areas of land as "adopted public highway", and Highways Act 1980 does provide the right way to do that. It is Section 256, not Section 116:

 

 

 

[From Highways Act 1980 on www.legislation.gov.uk ]

 

 

I sincerely hope that reason and good sense can now prevail, and that the Council will withdraw its Stopping-up application from the Willesden Magistrates' Court list for Thursday 22 January. I look forward to receiving your reply, in good time before that date. Best wishes,

 

Philip Grant.

 

LETTER: When is 9.9% NOT 9.9%? Brent's core funding increase claim challenged.

 

Dear Editor,

On 21 December Wembley Matters posted a story based on Labour spin.

Stating that Brent is to get an increase of 9.9% in “core funding”.

Sadly this is not true.

The Labour Government has juggled Grants and other Government funding and came up with a figure for Brent’s ‘core spending power’.

The 9,9% assumes that the Council imposes the full 5% Council Tax rise. So the 9.9% core spending increase includes the extra local people will need to pay as part of the latest Council Tax rise and at a briefing with Finance Officers we were told that the Council Tax rise represent about a 3rd of this 9.9%. So only 6.6% - and NO Labour did not simply invert the numbers. The Labour Deputy Leader was simply not telling the truth.

The situation is even worse than this. 3 months ago we were told the overspend this year stands at £9 million. Now the Cabinet is being told on Monday the most up to date overspend is £12.5 million. An increase of £3.5 million! 

And the reason for the £3.5 million is mostly in social care - care packages more expensive because providers are passing on the higher costs of energy and staffing. And why is cost employees going up? - because Labour hiked up employers National Insurance. So Local Government is being hit the same way as the hospitality sector and any other service reliant on people to provide it.

Because these extra costs are recurring year on year the so called 9.9% (actually only 6.6%) has already been wiped out.

So the Brent Labour claims that things would get better under a Labour Government are pure fiction. 

The Lead Member for Finance is clearly completely out of her depth. Tried to mislead us on the true figures, has no control of the Brent Budget and should  resign or be sacked. 


All the best,

  
Paul Lorber (Leader of Brent Council Liberal Democrat Group)
 

London pensioners launch mass petition defence of their Freedom Pass including proposal to limit it to buses only

 

London Councils is to conduct a formal review of the provisions of the Freedom Pass LINK, the free travel pass for London Pensions that gives free transport on buses, the tube and railway networks withing the GLA boundary.

They cite an expected 12% rise in the cost to London councils in 2026-7 and a total expenditure of £372m.  One possibility is reducing the provisions to buses only.

The proposal has produced a speedy petition response (LINK TO SIGN) currently with more than 44,000 signatories.

THE PETITION 

The Issue

 

I am 71 years old, and my only income is the state pension. This means my budget is tight, and every penny counts. The Freedom Pass, as the name suggests, grants me something invaluable—freedom. This pass allows me to access not just buses, but also London's tube and overground networks. These services enable me to participate fully in the community, visiting friends, attending hospital appointments, and engaging in social activities that keep me vibrant and connected to the world.

Recent proposals to limit the Freedom Pass to buses only would be a significant blow, not just to my independence, but to thousands of pensioners and individuals reliant on this essential pass. Restricting access to trains and the tube would confine many of us to our homes, making London's vast and culturally diverse landscape inaccessible. The social isolation that many seniors already battle could deepen, and life's simple joys and necessities could become major logistical challenges, affecting our mental and physical well-being.

The Freedom Pass is a cherished entitlement for senior citizens across the city, and any move to curtail its scope jeopardizes the quality of life for those who have contributed so much to society throughout their lives. London's transport system is the lifeline for older adults, offering the independence and encouragement to stay physically active, mentally engaged, and socially involved.

Let's remember that inclusivity in mobility is a hallmark of a compassionate society. The City of London has a reputation for valuing its residents, and this means ensuring everyone, regardless of age, has unrestrained access to its robust public transportation network.

Instead of cutting back on Freedom Pass access, there should be efforts to strengthen it, ensuring the elderly remain integrated into the urban fabric. Maintain the inclusivity and respect the dignity of our senior citizens by safeguarding their ability to travel freely across the capital.

Please sign this petition to urge the local government to halt any attempts to restrict the Freedom Pass to buses alone, preserving the freedom and dignity of London’s seniors.

Lawyer Monthly LINK has pubished an interesting detailed review of the statutory and legal risk of the proposal. Here is a key extract:

The potential for civil unrest or political backlash creates a reputational risk for council leaders that extends beyond simple accounting.

Reducing mobility for the elderly has documented second-order effects on public health, which may eventually increase the burden on the National Health Service.

Local government insurers often look at social stability as a metric for risk assessment.

A sudden removal of transport rights could lead to increased social isolation, potentially triggering higher claims in social care sectors that the boroughs are also responsible for funding.

The debate has already spilled into the public sphere, highlighted by high-profile social media disputes involving media figures and authors.

These public-facing conflicts serve as a bellwether for the level of scrutiny any legislative change will receive from the broader electorate.

Strategic irony lies in the fact that the more successful the Freedom Pass is in encouraging travel, the more it threatens the solvency of the councils providing it.

This "success trap" requires a fundamental rethink of how concessionary travel is valued in a modern urban economy.

Institutional investors in London’s infrastructure are watching these developments closely.

Any sign of a breakdown in the cooperation between the Mayor of London and the boroughs could signal broader instability in how the capital manages its essential public services.

 

Together Against the Far Right - campaign building meeting January 28th 7pm Chalkhill Community Centre

 

Update on recent cases on adult social care highlighted by Wembley Matters

 I wrote in the week before Christmas about a pensioner with dementia who left his care home for 7-1/2 hours and ended up in hospital. An official complaint was made calling for an investigation. See LINK. I understand that  Glen Atkins has now moved from Beechwood Court to a residential setting that is better  able to meet his needs and safeguard his wellbeing.

I am told he is much happier in his new home, his needs are being met and he is safe.

Menwhile the first stage of the investigation has concluded that provider concerns were identified that warranted further investigations that are currently in progress.

Unfortunately in another case we covered over the holiday, that of John H in an Octavia property in South Kilburn, who was without central heating for 45 days, the outcome is not as satisfactory. His heating has been restored after 17 appointments and 45 days without heating  LINK but in the process of 'repair' parts of the system were disconnected meaning he cannot not top up credit for his heating. The engineer put in a temporary £10 credit which in the current cold weather is likely to run out quickly.

John wrote yesterday evening:

Just to update you.

No one from Octavia, Abri and Brent Council have been in touch today.

I still do not know if I will lose my heating when the 10 pounds of emergency credit runs out. 

My wall mounted meter screen remains blank and my Insite Energy credit balance is still frozen at the same amount as it was on Tuesday, when it was disconnected.

There was another case earlier this week when an elderly and vulnerable council tenant got locked out of her home and Brent Council proved less than helpful. 

Changes will needed if Brent Council is to realise its ambition to become an 'age-friendly borough'.

Barry Gardiner MP raises the case of hunger striker constituent Heba Muraisi in Parliament

Given previous coverage of calls for Barry Gardiner to act, this is the Hansard record of an exchange in the House of Commons yesterday;

Barry Gardiner MP

 

Happy new year to you, Mr Speaker. Delays in the court system mean that one of my constituents has been in prison on remand awaiting trial for over a year. She is in New Hall Prison, 200 miles away from her mother, who is disabled and cannot make that journey. She has requested a transfer to Bronzefield Prison, so her mother can visit. Today, Heba Muraisi is close to death because she has been on a hunger strike protest for 67 days. I plead with the Leader of the House to let common sense and humanity prevail, to urgently intervene to agree the transfer, and to consider allowing her release on bail to her family home in my constituency—

 

(Speaker intervened warning Barry Gardiner: Order: ‘We have to be very careful. You are getting into the details, and I cannot afford that. Have you finished?’. Gardiner accepted the ruling)

Sir Alan Campbell for the Government

 

If my hon. Friend gives me the details of the case—I am talking about where the person concerned is currently—I will raise that with the Justice Secretary. On the wider point, we continually assess prisoners’ wellbeing and will always take appropriate action, including taking prisoners to hospital if their situation requires that. If he raises the issue with me, I will not only draw it to the attention of the Justice Secretary but make sure he gets the assurances that he and the family need.

Spirits remain high and solidarity firm as ever as NEU General Secretary joins Woodfield School picket line on 12th strike day

 

 

I visited the picket line at Woodfield Special School on its 12th strike day and found spirits and energy high (just watch that dance!) and solidarity as strong as ever. They are school support staff whose support for each as well as pupils is incredibly strong.

It was clear that these school staff were not going to let the Academy Trust get away with cutting their colleagues' hours and thus their pay while they have £3m in reserves and highly paid executives.

A meeting of staff and parents has been scheduled to discuss the strike and Dawn Butler, the local MP will be contacted by NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede to gain her support.

The strikers were joined on the picket line by supportive members of Brent TUC, Brent Green Party and Your Party.