Sign for disability benefits cuts 'stop and review'

As both Coalition and Brent Council cuts hit people with disabilities I urge you to sign this on-line petition:

Stop and review the cuts to benefits and services which are falling disproportionately on disabled people, their carers and families (Responsible department: Department for Work and Pensions)

The government were embarking on wholesale reform of the benefit system when the economic crisis struck. These welfare reforms had not been piloted and the plan was to monitor and assess the impact of the new untried approach as it was introduced in a buoyant economy. Unfortunately since then the economy has gone in to crisis and the government has simultaneously embarked on a massive programme of cuts. This has created a perfect storm and left disabled people/those with ill health, and their carers reeling, confused and afraid. 

We ask the government to stop this massive programme of piecemeal change until they can review the impact of all these changes, taken together, on disabled people and their carers. We ask the government to stand by its duty of care to disabled people and their carers. At the moment the covenant seems to be broken and they do not feel safe. Illness or disability could affect any one of us at any time, while many more of us are potential carers. 

 Signing the petition is comparatively simple. Go to LINK

Brent Labour isolated on library closures as Ken backs campaign

The number of senior Labour Party figures opposed to Brent Labour Council's library closures was joined by Ken Livingstone when his Head of Research and Policy wrote to Brent library campaigners.

Ken regards libraries as a valuable resource for the whole community and is opposed to their wholesale closure.

Ken supports the campaign to keep libraries open in Brent and wishes the campaign every success.

If he is elected Mayor in May he will add his voice and use his office to help prevent library closures.

Michael Burke
Head of Research & Policy Development

Barry Gardiner, Labour MP for Brent North has already opposed the Brent closures and Ed Miliband, Labour leader, has opposed library closures in general.

Weighty evidence on library closures

The evidence supplied to the Parliamentary Selection Committee (Culture, Media and Sports) by Brent SOS Libraries is now available at www.publications.parliament.uk LINK

A PDF of evidence submitted by Brent campaigns and many other bodies is available HERE

Jeremy Hunt is expected to make a statement soon on whether he will order a public inquiry into the Brent closures.

Stimulating and provocative Green Party speaker at Willesden Green Library

Derek Wall

Economics lecturer, writer and Green party activist, Derek Wall will be at the Willesden Green Library Centre on Monday 20^th February at 7.30pm to talk about his book, the “No-Nonsense Guide to Green Politics” and a book he is currently completing on the history of the commons.

 

This event is the fourth in a series of “Environmental Writers” meetings at the Willesden Green Library Centre, where authors read from their books with environmental themes and discuss them with the audience. The series is organised by the Brent Campaign against Climate Change in liaison with the Brent Library Service.

 

Derek Wall is an economics lecturer and writer. He has been a member of the Green Party since 1980 and was Green Party Principal Speaker from 2006 to 2007. Derek is a founder of the Ecosocialist International and Green Left. He has written a number of books on green politics including the No Nonsense Guide to Green Politics and has a blog at http://another-green-world.blogspot.com/. He works closely with Hugo Blanco - the Peruvian green activist who publishes Luca Indigena (Indigenous fight). Derek is currently researching a book on the environmental history of the commons and is a parish councillor in North Ascot.  He lives in Berkshire and has three sons.

 

Ken Montague, Secretary of the Brent Campaign against Climate Change says, “Derek is a stimulating and provocative speaker who is bound to stir up a debate about politics and the future of our planet. I am especially looking forward to hearing more about his new book, which I’m sure will make us look at British history in a new light.”

 

The discussion will take place at 7.30pm on Monday 20^th February in the Willesden Green Library, 95 High Road, Willesden, NW10 2SF. This is a free event and all are welcome.

 

This meeting is in the tradition of stimulating public meetings at Willesden Green Library which will be demolished under regeneration plans. The rather sketchy proposals for the replacement Willesden Cultural Centre do not appear to include plans for public meeting rooms.

Protect social work from privatisation

I recently spoke at a meeting of SWAN (Social Work Action Network) about the link between privatisation in education and that of other council services.  In some areas social work is being out-sourced with a number of 'Social Work Practice Pilots'. Particularly worrying is proposals for Child Protection to be out-sourced.

Privatisation of care for the elderly has led to carers having less time to spend with their clients and rushing in and out with barely time to converse. In contrast with local authority carers they are not paid for travel time (hence the rush) and are paid lower rates so the contractor can make their profit, have fewer employment rights and are not unionised. Often training is less thorough and turnover high so the old people do not get the continuity of care and contact that they need.

Extend this to social work and particularly children's social work and you can see the dangers quite clearly. Brent Council has said that faced with the immense cuts that they have to make that EVERYTHING is under consideration. We need to keep careful watch as things are fairly stable in Brent at present with fewer agency and temporary social workers. Stability is vital and we have to defend it.

Council seeks views on equality as it proposes cuts that hit the vulnerable

When Brent Council is considering cuts that will affect  children with disabilities, special needs and mental health problems as well as adult social care, it is more than ironical that it is launching a public consultation on equality. The Council has also faced strong criticism over the Equality Impact Assessments it made regarding the closure of libraries last year.

The press release from the council says:

Brent Council is inviting local people to have their say on the development of its equality objectives for the next few years.

Open to all residents, service users and other stakeholders, the council wants to hear their views to help ensure the best possible services are provided for all communities.

Over the past six months the council has been looking at everything it does to make sure that it is complying with the Equalities Act 2010 and published its equalities information on the Brent Council website at the end of January.

The consultation will run until 12 March 2012 and can be accessed at www.brent.gov.uk/consultation

For more information contact the Corporate Diversity Team on 020 937 1069 or visit www.brent.gov.uk/equality

Benefit cap row: Curtains for Teather?

The Independent carried a story on Thursday about Sarah Teather which I reproduce below for any constituents who may have missed it:

A Coalition dispute erupted yesterday over a Liberal Democrat minister missing a Commons votes on welfare cuts.

Sarah Teather, the Children's minister, has previously criticised the move to impose a £26,000 cap on the annual amount of benefits that families can claim. She was absent in Sheffield on "ministerial business" when MPs voted on the policy last week.

Conservative MPs have called for her to be sacked and David Cameron's spokeswoman said her absence had been cleared in advance. He told MPs: "She supports Government policy, as all Government ministers do."

Later a Downing Street source said: "If she speaks out again, it will be curtains for her."

A Liberal Democrat source countered: "That is just nonsense. She is a very highly valued member of the Government. This is being whipped up by the Tories."

Ms Teather, who is regarded as on the left of the Liberal Democrats, insisted she backed the Government's agenda, but did not explicitly say she supported the benefits cap.

Brent Council consults on carers' services

The following notice has been published on the Brent Council website:

Carers are invited to have their say on Brent Council and NHS Brent's proposals for the services provided to carers.

The consultation meetings will be an opportunity to discuss the:

• background to existing services 
• priorities for services for carers
• proposals and choices
• future for carers                                                                                                   

The sessions will take place on:

• Monday 27 February 2012 from 4.30pm to 8.00pm at Brent Town Hall, Committee Rooms 1,2 and 3, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 9HD
• Thursday 8 March 2012 from 12noon to 3pm at Patidar House, 22 London Road, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 7EX

LINK TO BRENT  COUNCIL CONSULTATION PAGE

To reserve your place email dipti.naker@brent.gov.uk or call 020 937 2394 by 22 February. Please advise if you have any special requirements