November review for Dog Control Orders

I understand that there will be a review of  Brent Council's Dog Control Orders in November, 6 month's after implementation (rather than six month's after the policy was approved which seems fair enough)..  Paul Hutchinson of the Sports and Parks Service  wrote to Barn Hill Residents Association

We agreed to a review of the orders,(six months after implementation) which will take place November this year. This will give us the chance to look at whether we think that 6 dogs is still problematic and seek to change this to 4 if we wish.

We are currently working with Brent’s legal team on how best to implement the orders and whether we should give fixed penalty notices or address the issue of repeat offence through the courts. (I have attached a copy of the actual orders that were agreed by the executive for the purpose of clarity)

It would be fair to say that the implementation is proving difficult with current staffing resources, but we are targeting the problem sites and hope by doing this we can solve the problem. I understand that the ‘Control’ notices at Fryent Country park are being taken down by the dog walkers and that the Parks staff will continue to erect them where necessary.

I can only agree that the idea of large packs of dogs roaming our open spaces is not what we would like to see, and I can fully understand that it certainly does spoil some peoples enjoyment of our local open spaces and Parks. I would like to assure you that we are doing all we can to minimise the problem.

 As I pointed out at the Executive the current orders leaves a loophole where two people walking together can still have up to 12 dogs between them which means that the problem of a large pack remains. I suggest that a simple amendment along the lines of 'The number of dogs being walked together by one or more persons should never exceed six (or 8)' would deal with the problem.

Teather fails to support battle for Central Middlesex A&E

Cllr Krupesh Hirani, Brent Executive member and lead member for Health and Social Care, has tweeted that he door-stepped Sarah Teather MP today with the petition to save Central Middlesex A&E.

He says she refused to sign.

A new primary school for Wembley and other children's issues

The September 19th Brent Council Executive will be a big night for Krutika Pau, Director of Children and Families, with several major reports from her department being discussed.

However the first on is being fronted by Andy Donald, Director of Major Projects and Regeneration and concerns the acquisition of a site in the Wembley Stadium area for a new primary school.  This has been on the cards for a while and was part of the original Quintain/Wembley Plan. It was expected to be in Fulton Road but concerns have been expressed about the proximity of 'bad neighbour' waste management facilities. These concerns will have been heightened by the recent problem with a vile stench from the Careys/Seneca MRF in Hannah Close.

Educationally, and this is where Krutika Pau comes in, it is likely to be controversial if the council follows through the Executive's August decision to vigorously purse partnerships with free school and academy providers.

Ms Pau will be leading on 'A Plan for Children and Families in Brent 2012-2015' which sets out how to keep Brent children healthy and safe, close the attainment gap between different groups, provide school places and integrate services to 'develop resilient families'. Complex and challenging.

The Executive will also consider the Local Safeguarding Children's Board Annual Report and will be expecting to see significant improvements in some areas that were only deemed adequate when last assessed.  The Annual Fostering and Adoption Annual Report is also due to be considered and attention will focus on whether there have been improvements in the rate of adoption placements, the number of adoption orders, increasing the number of Brent adopters for Brent children and earlier matching of children to adopters.

For fostering the council seeks to increase the number of foster parents recruited and move children out of Independent Fostering Agencies.

Brent parks: charging and privatisation

Poster for recent Eid event at Fryent Country Park

Following the council's cuts in festivals and other events, and the subsequent use of the parks and open spaces by organisations putting on their own events, the September Executive will consider a range of charges to contribute towards the council's costs in assisting the groups meet health and safety requirements. Having lost their grants the community organisations will now face charges when they try and put on their own events to replace those cut by the council!

I can confirm my July prediction LINK that Brent Council appears likely to combine waste management, recycling, street cleaning and parks maintenance in one new 'super contract'. The Council's Forward Plan LINK lists these items under the heading 'Managing the Public Realm' and states that it is considering collaboration with Barnet, Richmond and Hounslow councils on the delivering of the services.  Consultation on this will only be internally within the council and the decision on procurement arrangements will be made at the15th October Executive.

This seems to rule out any public debate on whether the parks maintenance service should be out-sourced (privatised)..

Better news is the declaration of Masons Field, Kingsbury as a Local Nature Reserve, and part of Fryent Country Park.

Nine reasons why public libraries are vital

The fight to save public libraries is happening in the US as well as the UK. Stephen Abram an American writer on strategies and innovations in public library provision has published this list on his blog LINK

“Here are some reasons why our libraries are still the place where we as a nation will achieve our destiny:

1. The house of the 99%: The foundation of democracy is an educated electorate. When the economy is down, it is all the more vital that we the people have access to information, education, news… and now in modern times the internet, computers, and other sources of media tools as well. Libraries do that. For everyone.
2. Libraries build equity: Research shows that depressed neighborhoods and declining communities are not just culturally enriched by libraries. The institutions serve as a community focal point, like a town square, and communities that have that resource rebound.
3. Community hope chest: Libraries don’t just curate the Harry Potter series and lend copies of the latest blockbusters on DVD, they also house special collections based on the needs and unique identities of the communities they serve. The library district where I live houses a special collection on a World War II magnesium plant that helped turned the tide of the war (as well as establishing the second largest city in Nevada). That’s living history that gets lost without a public space to keep it alive.
4. Renewable resource: How much do you save by being able to borrow materials from the library? How helpful is it to have this resource — especially now that even retail bookstores, movie rental shops, and record stores are closing? There’s a calculator for that.
5. Literacy: Studies show (PDF) that children’s literacy is greatly improved by access to summer reading programs and preschool reading programs at public libraries. And children’s literacy is a building-block of adult literacy. When I was in college I interned at a non-profit that worked on illiteracy, targeting at-risk youth. I worked in their summer reading program at an elementary school with one of the lowest rates of economic depression in the state (Oregon). This meant that most of the kids who went to that school were enrolled in summer school — even if they were good students — simply because it was a cheaper alternative to child care. At the end of the program each child got to pick out one brand-new book to keep. For all but just a few of the children, it was the first book they ever owned. Maybe you don’t “own” the books at the library (although, as a tax-payer I would argue we do), but the libraries are a place where the socio-economic realities that push the starting line so far back for so many can be equalized. And that’s like a small miracle in the life of a child who has already had to learn how to be hard in the face of a world that cuts them no breaks. There are very few individuals who could buy every child a book and start them on the road to literacy. (And it’s been shown that access to books in childhood is one of the biggest predictors of literacy.) But all of us together can buy a kid a building full of books. That is a miracle.
6. Leveling the playing field: Libraries offer vital resources for communities that might not otherwise be served or feel integrated. People learning English (or other languages), the elderly, deaf people, the homeless… the list goes on.
7. Safe space: In some communities, the public library may be the only free space available that is also a safe space. Young victims of bullying, kids who live with domestic violence, LGBT youth, and many more can find a safe place (and often a caring librarian) at the library. I know from personal experience — having spent time camped at my local library when I had no other safe place to go as a teenager.
8. Cultural touchstone: Many libraries showcase art — often by local artists. Likewise, the buildings themselves are often architecturally significant and enhance the beauty and character of the communities they serve.
9. Drop in or drop out: Libraries can also be a place that means the difference between a child’s success or failure in school. Many libraries offer tutoring programs, free classes, as well as access to volumes of information and technology that a kid might not have anywhere else. Believe it or not, even in these modern times there are kids who don’t have computers at home who need to type their papers for school. There are kids who can’t afford the expensive private tutor to get through Algebra. Libraries can make the difference to a kid teetering on the edge. And high school dropout rates have a direct correlation to the health of a community.”

Efficacy of dog walking limits need to be reviewed

Dog walkers on Barn Hill earlier this week

I spoke at the Brent Council Executive in November last year LINK on the proposed restrictions on the number of dogs one person could walk in Brent parks. The proposal was to restrict the numbers walked by 'professional dog walkers' who earn upwards of £10 per dog per walk, to six. I had witnessed one dog walker with 15 dogs.

I suggested that enforcement would be a problem with the number of wardens cuts and many of the walkers coming from outside Brent.  I was also concerned that they would bring along a friend and thus reduce the ratio to the prescribed limit.

At the same meeting Cllr Powney agreed to a suggestion by Cllr Gavin Sneddon that the dog control orders should be reviewed after 6 months.  This appears not to have been done yet.

Last week I came across the dog walkers above on Barn Hill in Fryent Country Park  (there is another dog out of the picture) and two women who appeared to be waiting for them to move on.  The  women told me that the previous day they had been jogging around the field and were pursued by a pack of dogs, they thought there more than in the above picture, and that the solitary dog walker with them was unable to call them off.  A confrontation ensued about her lack of control.  As a result the women were now fearful of jogging when large numbers of dogs are around and it had spoiled their enjoyment of the park. They did remark that the walkers in the above picture appeared to have their dogs under better control but they were not taking any chances.

I am concerned that if this situation continues the public will be put off using the park and, in the worst case, there could be a serious incident. One dog walker who contacted me by e-mail to berate  Brent Council for introducing the ban quite unselfconsciously referred to 'my pack' of dogs. We really shouldn't be in the position of having packs of out of control dogs roaming in one of our Green Flag parks.

A review of the effectiveness of this policy is urgently needed.

Northern jaws drop at sight of Civic Centre

This morning I  was asked by a couple of northerners down for tomorrow's rugby challenge final about the strange building arising opposite the Wembley Arena and the Stadium. They were staggered when they heard it was the council's Civic Centre and cost £100m. They thought we were all mad when I said the same council had closed down half our libraries.

Never mind, Cllr Powney still berates Brent Green Party  for opposing a fantastic green building. If the council erected a marble Stalinist Palace of Culture in his honour at a cost of £250m he would still expect us to support it if it had a grass roof!

Anyway make up your own minds. For my friends from the south who may not yet have seen it here are some pictures taken today. Decide for yourself if this is just a touch grandiose...

The cost of schooling - CAB campaign tries to help

Uniforms were not always the norm - my class in 1980s

I was chatting to a neighbour who has a child in the primary school at Wembley ARK Academy the other day.  She was remarking on how, although it was not a private school, she was finding herself paying out money every term - not least for trips. She had only one child at the school but pointed out that it was proving difficult for families with several children.

Trips are to be encouraged but their costs impact on family budgets at a time when many are hard up. If they contribute to learning it is clear that all chidlren should have an opportunity to gain from them.

Another factor for many parents is the high cost of school uniform when they are asked to purchase from specialist school uniform shops or from the school itself, rather than buy the generic uniforms available from stores such as ASDA. Rapidly growing children will requite new uniforms regularly but may end up, due to lack of money, sprouting out of clothes far too small for them.  Some schools help by arranging uniform swap shops or arranging sales of second hand uniforms. Grants or vouchers are available in some areas towards school uniforms but not in Brent.

The Citizen's Advice Bureau has set up a campaign to address these issues:

Get involved in the Adding Up campaign today and help families struggling to meet the costs of schooling
This is what you can do to help:

• Encourage: Does your local authority provides school clothing grants? Then make sure the grants don’t become victims of cuts by writing to the local authority. Here is a model letter ( 28kb) for you to use.

• Don’t know what your Local Authority Policy is? For a quick check type a post code into the section on school uniform grants on the Directgov website.

• Top tips: Could schools in your area do more to help parents by making uniforms, trips and kit more affordable ? If so then check out Citizens Advice top tips ( 160kb). Send a copy to your head teacher and/or chair of governors and ask what they are doing to help families.

• Tell us about it ? The Adding up campaign wants to hear your experiences on school costs. Do you feel you are paying too much for uniforms, trips and other essential equipment ? What help is available in your local authority area and what is your experience of accessing it ? email Citizens Advice campaigns

• Perhaps schools and the local authority in your area have helped parents ? If they have, then email Citizens Advice campaigns

The Adding up campaign helps families by:

• encouraging schools and education authorities to promote cost-cutting policies on school uniforms, trips, kit and other items. This can save families hundreds of pounds a year
• lobbying local authorities to tackle child poverty by offering school clothing grants to those most in need.