We MUST hear from Children and Families about these vital issues

Brent Council's website is acting up but there still appears to be no report from Children and Families going to the Executive this evening.

I have posted before on this silence regarding a major area of Council business.  Here are some of the things happening right now that the Executive really should be asking about:

CHILDREN'S SAFEGUARDING - The possible injury or death of a child is quite high up in Brent Council's Corporate Risk Assessment and the Council's last Ofsted inspection in this area was only 'satisfactory' with some inadequate areas.

CHILDREN NOT IN SCHOOL - Failure to meet statutory obligations regarding offering all children of school age a school place is another issue on the Risk Register and it appears that some expansion programmes are falling behind.

FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT IN BRENT SCHOOL - A forth Brent headteacher hit the headlines in the Evening Standard last week after being suspended while investigations into financial management issues take place and the Copland accused appeared in court. These matters are damaging the reputation of Brent Council and Brent schools and deserve some scrutiny.

FREE SCHOOL - The School Expansion Report confirmed that the Council was seeking partners to set up a free school and this is something that split the local Labour Party.  Have any sponsors been found? Are they the rumoured Christian organisation?

ACADEMIES - Staff at Alperton high School have been on strike following the governing body's decision to seek Cooperative Academy status and Queens Park and Wembley High are  considering co-op conversion. All this will mean a further loss of money to the hard-pressed local authority. Meanwhile Sudbury Primary, already a foundation school, is also trying to fast-track to academy status. Sudbury was in the headlines last week for charging children to listen to the children's poet (and socialist activist) Michael Rosen.

COOPERATIVE TRUST - A public notice was published last week indicating Preston Manor All-though School's decision to go for Trust status with partners including The College of North West London, the Wembley Primary School Cluster and Woodfield Special School. The LA will have one trustee on the board.  

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT SERVICE - It appears that Brent Primary Headteachers' Group  has rejected all the possible options for future school improvement services and in-service education provision put forward by the Council and appear to be determined to 'go it alone' unless the SIS comes up with something better. This raises all sorts of questions about whether schools have the ability to provide such a service, how it will affect the workload of headteachers, and whether it will be sufficiently stringent to ensure that failing schools are spotted early on before children are damaged.


Neither the Lib Dem nor Tory opposition groups have a spokesperson on Children and Families, despite it being a major department, and it seems to me that these issues are not being given the attention they deserve.

The lack of leadership on education from either Brent officers or councillors has created a vacuum which ate present appears to have been filled by the two Johns: Yates and Simpson who as consultants are advising Brent primary headteachers.

Willesden Bookshop selling off stock - but haven't given up yet

The Willesden Bookshop has started selling off its stock at bargain prices today but owner Steve Adams is adamant that this is not the death knell for the shop. This applies to all stock, including children's books.

He said that although the council has extended the lease until the end of August, the shop will be subject to a one week notice (either way) from the beginning of August. "We simply cannot move in one week so we are beginning to clear our stock now.  We are still looking at alternatives in Willesden and hope to carry on, but we have to be practical at the same time."

He says of course that it would be wonderful if the council saw sense and by one means or another the planning application was withdrawn in the next few week.s 

The shop is hoping to be able to carry on the much-valued service to local schools, even if it is not able to have a store front for a period.  More details about this will be sent to schools over the next few days.

Don't miss this vital meeting tomorrow

Romayne Phoenix, a London Green Party activist will be chairing this important meeting tomorrow evening. We will be brought right up to date with the events in Greece as well as strike action being planned by various unions.

Bringing  together the public sector unions, campaigns and  community activists this will be a vital step in organising the resistance to austerity and privatisation.

HS2 will devastate our community

Follow this LINK to see how HS2 will impact on a long established community.

Get rid of your surplus and broken electricals on Thursday

Today's fast moving developments in electronics combine with  feverish consumerism,  the search for the latest gadget and a 'throw away' society to produce a breathtaking amount of electronic waste. Computers, printers, video players, analogue TVs and mobile phones are a major stream along with broken kettles and other kitchen gadgets.

Harrow Council is giving residents a chance to get rid of their surplus electricals and  simultaneously showing concern for the environment by giving them a chance to  drop off unwanted electrical appliances at the council’s ‘Bring Event’ on Thursday 21^st June.

As part of National Recycle Week, Harrow Council’s Civic Centre will be transformed into a collection site for unwanted or broken electrical equipment. The event is being supported by 1, 2, 3 Recycle for Free, a free electrical recycling service recently launched in Harrow.

The service collects items directly from businesses to be recycled at an approved treatment facility. The service is a partnership between DHL Envirosolutions and SWEEEP Kuusakosk, supported by Harrow Council.

Harrow Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment and Community Safety, Cllr Phillip O’Dell, said:

By recycling old electrical appliances instead of throwing them away, residents will be helping to save landfill space, save valuable resources and prevent damage to the environment. We must reduce and reuse wherever possible!

Harrow residents are doing tremendously well at recycling – our rates are among the highest of all London Councils. This is why waste minimisation has been identified as an area we would like to work on. Reducing waste will ultimately have a huge impact on landfill costs.

 A staggering 1.2 million tonnes of electrical waste goes to landfill in the UK every year - the equivalent of 150,000 double decker buses.

To do your bit to reduce the general level of waste that the borough sends to landfill drop your unwanted electrical equipment at the civic centre in Station Road, from 9am until 4pm.

For more information on the service provided by 123 Recycle for free, please visit http://www.123recycleforfree.com

Preston Manor moves towards Trust status

Preston Manor All-Through School has launched its bid to become a Cooperative Trust with a public notice (below) in local newspapers. At the same time Alperton Hugh School is moving to convert to a Cooperative Academy.

The distinction is important, the former remains locally authority funded with national conditions of service for staff, the latter follows the government's privatisation route. The concern of many, including myself, is that Trust status is only a transitional step to full Academy status.  We will need considerable reassurances from Preston Manor that this is ruled out as an option.

The counter-argument is that Trust status, in a period when Michael Gove is using various methods to try and get all schools to convert to academies (including forcing schools such as Downshill in Harringey) that a Trust gives some kind of protection.

The Preston Manor Co-operative Learning Trust Statutory Notice

Notice is hereby given in accordance with section 19(3) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that: the governing body of Preston Manor School intends to make a prescribed alteration to Preston Manor School which is a Foundation School located at Preston Manor School, Carlton Avenue East, Wembley, HA9 8NA

The proposed alteration is to: Together with one or more of the proposed partners to acquire a trust established otherwise than under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

The proposed name of the Trust will be The Preston Manor Co-operative Learning Trust and the proposed implementation date is 31st July 2012

The Trust does not already act as a foundation for any foundation or voluntary school.

The proposed members of the trust are:

§ Co-operative College (1 Trustee)

§ The Local Authority (Brent Council) (1 Trustee)

§ The College of North West London (1 Trustee)

§ Wembley Schools Cluster (1 Trustee)

§ Woodfield Special School (1 Trustee)

§ Preston Manor School (2 Trustees)

§ Trust Forum or Council (2 Trustees)

In addition, learners at the school, parents, staff, members of the local community and local community organisations will be able to become members of the Trust. The Trust will have a Stakeholder Forum composed of members, which will be able to appoint some of the Trust’s trustees. As the Trust develops the Trust will welcome other schools joining the Trust.

The rationale for acquiring the Trust, the contribution it will make, and the direction it will provide to the schools can be summarised as follows:

Our desire to be at the heart of our community leads us to seek new challenges and opportunities to help children fulfil their potential. As an all-through school, we build relationships with local families in our Lower School through to our Sixth Form. 

Formally embracing Co-operative Values would reinforce our emphasis on placing responsibilities before rights; this has been embodied in the school motto, Munus Prae Jure, since 1938.

We believe that acquiring Co-operative Trust status will help us to further develop our community and social dimensions and to make this school even better. The proposed Trust, supported by a range of partners and stakeholders who are united behind our vision, will enable the school to benefit from their skills to enhance learning. We hope to not only transform the life chances of every pupil that passes through our own school, but to have lasting positive impact on the wider community as well.

This notice is an extract from the complete proposal.

Copies of the full proposals can be obtained from www.pmanor.brent.sch.uk or from the school by writing to the Governing Body (address above) or e-mail consult@pmanor.brent.sch.uk

Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal any person may object to or make comments on the proposals by sending them to the school at consult@pmanor.brent.sch.uk or in writing to the Governing Body of the school (address above). 

Signed:

Ms Christine Collins

Chair of the Governing Body

Dated: June 14^th 2012

Campaigning on youth unemployment in Brent

Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group will be hosting a talk by TUC envoy David Braniff at the regular KUWG meeting on Thursday, 21 June that starts at 3pm. David is setting up a campaign on youth unemployment in Brent. The  meeting is at Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH and lasts until 5pm.

Campaign launched to save Central Middlesex Hospital

The overnight closure of the Accident and Emergency service at Park Royal's Central Middlesex Hospital is likely to be the first step in running down the hospital and its eventual closure a Harlesden meeting was told last week.

North West London NHS is currently consulting on an amalgamation of Ealing, Central Middlesex and Northwick Park hospitals and it looks as if Harlesden and Stonebridge, the poorest areas in Brent may lose their local hospital and have to travel to A and E at Northwick Park, despite very poor public transport links. It is likely that A and E at Ealing, Charing Cross and Hammersmith may also close.

John Lister addresses the meeting

 John Lister, from the London Health Emergency has been commissioned by Ealing, Brent and Harrow Trade Union Councils, to write a report on the likely impact of the cost-cutting changes. The report will be available soon and a condensed version will be distributed as a tabloid newspaper.

Lister said that the pattern was one of a gradual reduction of different services, starting with A and E, eventually leaving the hospital as an nearly empty shell, which is then closed because people are not using it and nurses and doctors are reluctant to apply for jobs there,

With £314m cuts to be made by NW London NHS by 2015 the hospital closures are just the beginning. Stressing that decisions are being made in order to balance the books, and not on clinical grounds, Lister said that 1,750 jobs will go in the near future, of which 1,000 are clinical.

The aim is to direct patients to 'lower cost' settings, including the setting in which you die. That setting may be your front room and the carer yourself. Jargon such as 'pathway redesign' and 'corporate efficiency' conceal an overall strategy to reduce the number of patients seeking treatment and to restrict access to expensive treatments. The target is to reduce emergency cases annually to a level equivalent to 391 hospital beds and a 22% cut in out-patient appointments.

A further aim is to introduce private providers into the service so that the NHS, the largest public sector organisation, is open to exploitation for profit. The NHS will be left with A & E and maternity services, which are 'too dangerous' for private companies but 'any qualified provider' will offer other services (Virgin, Sainsbury's) undermining pay structures and qualification systems. Lister stressed that with PCTs due to go,GP commissioners will be left holding the baby, but wouldn't have been responsible for the changes that have been made.

John Lister urged local people to use the consultation period to build a movement against the local changes AND against the privatisation of the NHS, lobbying GPs, MPs and local councillors.

Candy Unwin urges broad-based campaigning

 Candy Unwin from Camden Keep Our NHS Public recounted campaign success in saving Whittington Hospital . Different hospitals, cross party and non-party political groups, trades unions, tenants and unions had come together in a united campaign. She said that 1 in 6 Labour members of the house of Lords and 1 in 4 Tories get money from private companies and that 30 MPs get funding from Virgin, one of the main bidders.

Phil Rose, a regional official from UNITE, said that the changes would result in high quality provision for private patients and low quality for the rest of us. He said that one thing standing in the way of privatisation was NHS workers' terms and conditions which the private sector cannot match. The pensions changes was an attempt to reduce these conditions to make the sector attractive to the private sector. He urged support for the '68 is too late' campaign on retirement age and drew parallels with the creeping  privatisation of schools. Job cuts, down-grading of jobs and pay cuts were all in the offing.

In a powerful speech a member of the Methodist Church spoke about Harlesden being a poor area and needing and valuing its local hospital and pledged herself to make people aware of the situation. She said 'Some people are going to die because of these changes'.

 I spoke about the link between health and schools as not being just in terms of the privatisation issue, but also that schools were frequent users of A and E when children have accidents and reliant on accessible emergency treatment in incidents such as that at Chalkhill Primary (see below). With its many railway lines, the North Circular Road, Wembley Stadium, industry at Park Royal and Neasden, there was a risk of a major incident and we needed accessible emergency services to cope. Added to that, although things were quieter at present, there was the possibility of violence and the need for a hospital experiences, as Central Middlesex is, in the treatment of gun shot and knife injuries.

Graham Durham's suggestion of a march in September from Harlesden to Central Middlesex Hospital under the banner of Save Central Middlesex Hospital, Save North West London Health Services, was enthusiastically endorsed by the meeting as was a message of solidarity to doctors taking action on Thursday.