Lucas supports Palestine UN bid

Caroline Lucas MP has called for support for the Palestinian bid for admission to UN:

It's time. Now. 

Rather than wait for the international community to get its act together, the Palestinians have taken hold of the diplomatic agenda. Their application for admission to the UN in September is an attempt to breathe genuine life into a peace process that currently lies inert. The Palestinians are seeking only what they have been promised for decades - but which the international community has failed to deliver. 

Appealing to the UN is the very opposite of taking "unilateral" action as they have been accused. The Palestinians have stated clearly that admission is not the same as statehood. Peace and statehood will come only via negotiations - but admission offers the best, the most effective guarantor of a resumption of good faith negotiations. Without those, a lasting peace
amounts to little more than a forgotten speech, a remark in an interview or a quickly abandoned election promise. 

The Palestinians have appealed to civil societies around the world to support them. 650,000 people signed a global petition organised by Avaaz - that probably includes you. The UK government has given us a chance to formally express that support and we ought to take the opportunity to do so.

We have watched as negotiations brought no gains - even as more illegal settlements are planned, announced and built. We do not need merely to watch any longer.

The link to the epetition site is here:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/593

 

Brent Fightback Meeting Postponed

The Brent Fightback meeting planned for tomorrow (Tuesday) evening is being postponed. There are other important events that some of Fightback's most active supporters will be attending, principally the Barnet Council Unison strike rally and the Public Meeting on Kingsbury High School  in the main hall of the Father O'Callaghan Centre, 26 Hay Lane at 7.00 pm.

Boundary changes will mean 5 MPs representing Brent wards

Proposals today from the Boundary Commission for England and Wales could see the people of Brent represented by five different members of parliament.  In order to distribute the electorate of each constituency fairly the following changes are put forward:

• Kenton ward would join a new Harrow constituency , renamed from the old Harrow East constituency (Current MP Bob Blackman, Conservative)
• Fryent and Queesnbury wards would join a new Stanmore constituency, renamed from the old Harrow West constituency (Current MP Gareth Thomas (Labour)
• Brondesbury Park would be taken out of Hampstead and Kilburn, and put into Brent Central and the constituency would be  renamed Willesden. It will now include College Park and Old Oak wards from Hammersmith and Fulham. (Current MP Sarah Teather Liberal Democrat)
• Brent North would be renamed Wembley and Perivale and include Tokyngton ward and Perivale ward from the old Ealing North Constituency. (Current MP Barry Gardiner Labour)
•  Kilburn and Queens Park wards will remain in Hampstead and Kilburn constituency. Current MP Glenda Jackson Labour)

The proposals will have all the Brent political parties busy  trying to work out the impact on their vote. For older Brentonians the names will bring back memories of the two political entities that were merged to make Brent: Willesden and Wembley. 'Brent' disappears from the parliamentary political landscape.

Brent Citizen's Advice and Brent Law Centre to be funded for further 6 months

The Executive is due to discuss a recommendation to continue funding Brent Citizen's Advice Bureau and the Brent Community Law Centre for a further 6 months from October 1st 2011 to March 31st 2012. Additional funding from Brent Child and Families for outreach work at the CAB also expires in March 2012.

The battle will now commence to ensure funding in the new financial year when a further round of council cuts is due and when demand for the services will increase as benefit cuts bite.

Brent's detailed response on HS2 consultation

The Brent Executive will be asked to approve the following officers' response to the government's consultation on HS2 at their meeting on September 19th:

i. Brent Council supports, in principle, the development of high speed rail to help provide the basis for long-term and sustainable economic growth, whilst having the potential to deliver reductions in carbon emissions by achieving a modal shift from air travel. However, investment in high speed rail should not detract from funding for other rail infrastructure.

ii. Brent Council supports the proposals for the Y’ shaped network as one which delivers the greatest benefits for connecting the Midlands and the North to London.

iii. Brent Council welcomes the commitment to link HS2 to HS1. However, it is considered that the current proposal, to use existing track on the North London Line, could adversely impact upon existing suburban services, or upon future proposals to improve these. Any link should have dedicated infrastructure so as not to compromise capacity on the North London Line and/or the frequency or running speed of the HS operation.

The proposal for an interchange station at Old Oak Common is also supported in principle. However, this must maximise the potential for surface and rail connectivity with the surrounding area so that it can become a major transport hub for West London inthe same way that Stratford has developed as a major hub in East London.

There is an opportunity for interchange not only with Crossrail and the Great Western line, but also with the North and West London lines and with the existing West Coast Main Line and London Midland services at Willesden Junction, less than 800 metres away.

The Council believes that maximum benefit would be gained from linking Crossrail at Old Oak Common to the existing West Coast Main Line so that Crossrail trains could then run through onto this track and extend Crossrail northwards through Wembley Central station. This would support Brent’s largest growth area where substantial mixed use development is proposed, and make use of the track capacity anticipated to be generated by HS2.

Such a proposal would not only help maximise connectivity at Old Oak Common but would, more importantly, further relieve pressure from passengers arriving at Euston. The Council are of the view that the scope of HS2 should be widened to develop this proposal hand in hand with HS2.

Additionally the Council is concerned that the proposals do not contain details of arrangements for surface level connectivity to the hub station. The Council are of the view that the hub station should provide increased opportunity for residents in Brent, particularly those in the Harlesden and Kensal Green areas, to access employment opportunities in the region. This should be afforded by direct and suitable surface connectivity to the OOC hub station through Willesden Junction.

v The Council echoes concerns that have been expressed by residents in Brent about the potential effect on residential amenity of a tunnel for high speed trains located directly beneath their homes. Those concerns have not been addressed by information HS2 has provided during the consultation period about the impact
during construction and when HS2 is in operation.

It is Brent Council’s view that it should be possible for a tunnel to be constructed under the current West Coast Main Line track for a substantial part of the route from Old Oak Common to Euston, thus avoiding the possibility of such additional disturbance.

The Council is of the view that HS2 should undertake further work to explore the possibility of re-aligning the route (to the North Acton portal) beneath the WCML.

Additionally HS2 should ensure that construction and operational arrangements for any length of HS2 (or the HS2-HS1 link) in tunnel clearly demonstrate the absence of any impact on properties above the route so as to eliminate current concerns about amenity and blight.

The Council is also concerned about the potential impact of the proposed vent shaft on the Queens Park Station site at Salusbury Road. This is an important site which is a key part of the South Kilburn regeneration proposals, providing a mix of housing (around 200 homes) over lower ground commercial uses. The Council understands that the vent shafts are required approximately every 2 kilometres of tunnel, and that this is the distance between vents implemented on HS1. It is also understood that there is some flexibility over the precise siting of the vent shafts.

The Council is proceeding with the development of the Queens Park station site and therefore asks that the vent be located on an alternative site that is of less value to the South Kilburn redevelopment programme. For example, the vent shaftcould be located on land to the east of Queens Park station which is currently used as a builders yard/depot.

Brent Council also has an interest, as a member of the West London Waste Authority, in the potential impact of the route on the waste management site around Victoria Road in the London Borough of Hillingdon. Brent would wish to see a reconsideration of the route at this point so that it no longer impacts upon the operation of, or future operational proposals at, the Victoria Road waste transfer station.

Finally, and in the wider context, the Council is concerned about the development of HS2 proposals in the absence of plans to manage onward dispersal from Euston.Notwithstanding the positive impact of the OOC hub station on the numbers of passengers needing to use Euston, the Council is concerned that proposals for HS2 are developed and progressed in tandem with a package of measures to ensure that the transport network at, around and beyond, Euston can cope with the additional passenger numbers anticipated as a result of HS2 and regional growth.

Lollipop patrol cuts withdrawn for time being

Officers are to recommend, following the strong responses to the consultation,  that the Council should not proceed with the cuts in school crossing patrols 'at this time'. The full receommendations are below:

2.1 Agree not to proceed with the proposed withdrawal of School Crossing Patrol officers at this time,

2.2 Agree that the Director of Environment & Neighbourhood Services, together with the Director of Children & Families, undertake a detailed consultation with schools, including governors, encouraging them to contribute voluntarily to the costs of the service and further promoting the importance of road safety
education in schools,

2.3 Agree the adoption of the risk evaluation matrix set out in Section 4.2, based on rates of vehicular and pedestrian traffic flows, additional risk factors and evaluation of mitigation, and the safety ranking of sites implied by that matrix,

2.4 Agree that this matrix be used to prioritise the deployment of school crossing patrol officers at such time when there is natural turnover of staff within the service, ensuring that sites with a higher risk assessment (with an adjusted score greater than 1x106) are prioritised for cover.

2.5 Note the prioritisation of risk mitigation measures at school crossing patrol sites, particularly the introduction of speed reduction interventions and controlled crossings that will continue to reduce the adjusted risk scores of sites.

Brent Fightback recently staged a well-publicised demonstration in Kilburn against the cuts in school crossing patrols and street sweeping. The Council received the following petitions:

1. Save Brent’s Lollipops

“I believe the safety of children is very important. I oppose Labour’s plans to scrap my local lollipop person and the school crossing patrol they provide.”(Some with above generic statement, others include specific reference to particular crossings in the borough in Sudbury, Convent of Jesus and Mary Infants, Park Avenue and High Road Willesden). (529 signatures approx.)
From: Brent Liberal Democrats

2. Petition is support of Simon Isaacs from the Parents of Gladstone Park Primary School
“We the undersigned wish to express the strongest possible support for Simon Isaacs our school
crossing patrolman. We want to emphasise the quality of his personal influence on the safety of
children. Pointing out how his happy, positive and inclusive manner affects the whole community
crucially including passing drivers with no connection to the school. This criterion to the exclusion
of others should be the most important for judging whether he remains in post.”
From: Gladstone Park Primary School PSA Committee (301 signatures approx.)

3. The proposed plans to cut the fund for our School Crossing Patrol
“We the parents and children of Leopold School and residents object to our school losing our lollipop lady during the staff cutbacks. She is a valuable community member actively preventing accidents and fatalities around the school in the morning and afternoon. We would like Brent Council to reconsider its decision and keep our lollipop lady.”

From: Leopold Primary School (321 signatures approx.)
4. Petition – objection to proposed changes to the School Crossing Patrol
“We the undersigned are deeply unhappy at Brent Council’s decision to sack 30 of the 47 School Crossing Patrol Officers currently working near Brent’s schools, despite the high rates of child injury and fatality in this country, including many tragic accidents in Brent. We are also very unhappy at Brent allowing just one month for consultation, which gives no real chance for views to be gathered or for preparations to be made. The so-called consultation process is woefully inadequate.

We therefore demand that Brent’s current plans be suspended, pending adequate consultation
and consideration of all the issues.”

Lead petitioner: George Burn (682 signatures approx.)

FBU call for your support in fighting privatisation

A message from Ian Leahair, Executive Council Member of the London Region of the Fire Brigaes Union

You may or may not be aware, that the London Fire Brigade (LFB) have embarked upon a privatisation agenda of the service in London, there is no doubt that this madness and disgraceful attack on one of the best performing emergency services, is being driven by the Chair of LFEPA Councillor Brian Coleman, supported in the main by his Conservative colleagues on the authority.


The Conservative group currently have control of the authority, which was ensured by the gerrymandering of the numbers by the London Mayor, Boris Johnson, who also appears to support their actions and current direction.

You may also not be aware of the current fiasco with Asset Co (see below), the private company responsible for the supply and maintenance of the entire fleet of London fire engines and equipment, who are currently on the verge of collapse, such a collapse or winding up of Asset Co would potentially leave the entire fleet of fire engines and equipment in the hands of any creditors who already bracing themselves for considerable financial losses due to the debts owed by Asset Co.

Taking no cognisance of the current situation with asset Co, the LFB are now embarking upon outsourcing the LFB control room functions along with seeking a private company to take over the training of all London Firefighters, this embarkation can only lead to a worse service if Asset Co is the example to be followed.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) believes that the continued large scale privatisation of parts of the LFB may only lead to a worse service for the communities we serve, and we should not entertain or accept such approach from a conservative led authority, whose only agenda is to inject the private sector into an emergency service to raise profits for investors and shareholders.

The London Region of the FBU asks you, your friends, colleagues and members  to support our campaign to prevent this madness from continuing, by signing the UNISON e-petition below, against the privatisation of the LFB training and demanding that the brigade retain and enhance the current training provisions in house.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/14313

In advance of your support for this e-petition, we like to take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of all London FBU Firefighters.

Green Party calls for government to stop using ATOS

Green Party members yesterday voted to pass an emergency motion calling on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to stop using IT firm ATOS as its assessor of benefit claimants.

Concerns have been raised over the company’s suitability to conduct assessments, ranging from the lack of disabled access at their assessment centres to the shocking fact that 40% of their decisions have been found to be wrong on appeal [1].

Jillian Creasy, Green councillor for Sheffield Central who also works as a GP, said:

“ATOS’s computer-led assessment is far too blunt an instrument to assess a benefit that is vital for so many. For example, the box-ticking exercise is close to useless for assessing a condition such as autism. Not only that, but the number of decisions that have been reversed means that an awful lot of taxpayers’ money has been wasted.

“Disabled people should be afforded the dignity they deserve throughout any assessment process, and should not be presumed guilty or treated like they’re avoiding work. ATOS has no place in such a sensitive area, and we urge the government to sever all ties with the company.”