Mapesbury go for Katz and Khan for Brent Central Labour nomination

Th provisional ballot results for Mapesbury ward's nomination for Brent Central Labour Parliamentary Candidate  are Sabina Khan for the female candidate and Mike Katz the male candidate.

This leaves Dawn Butler one ahead of Sabina Khan across the wards and Zaffar van Kalwala as the only male candidate backed by more than one ward.

Dudden Hill and Welsh Harp decide tomorrow.

Angie Bray MP supports Brent's concern over Harlesden Incinerator pollution

Angie Bray, Conservative MP for Ealing Central and Acton has spoken out against the proposed 'Harlesden Incinerator' LINK

Following the deferral of the item which was due to be discussed in about an hour at Ealing Planning Committee she publishes the speech she had prepared to deliver:

I have been keeping a concerned eye on some of the pollution issues affecting the different parts of Acton for some time. These include the pollution generated by the Horn Lane site, the problems emanating from the Powerday site and the natural concerns that local residents have around the fact that five sites have been identified for waste disposal around Park Royal.  Clean Power's application comes on top of all of this.

My first concern was immediately created at the meeting I had with Clean Power in Parliament, when they came to brief me on their proposals. I asked whether their application was to run one of the five waste sites whose location had been identified by the Council around Park Royal, as part of the Mayor's London Waste Plan. Imagine my surprise when they clearly had no idea what I was talking about. Later it transpired that they were actually proposing to establish potentially a sixth waste site in this corner of my constituency. Obviously, no one expects that the five sites identified by the Council will all be used, but this addition to those that may be would still add substantially to the problems that would be faced by the community - not least: pollution, odours, transport congestion and noise.

My next concern, following on from what I've just said, is that the residents' community in North Acton, who are living alongside Powerday, would, were this application to succeed, find themselves literally wedged between two major waste disposal sites. I don't think any of us would disagree that Powerday is the source of continual problems for local residents, however much the management say otherwise and indeed work to ameliorate the odours and general pollution. There have been times in particularly hot weather where residents are unable to open their windows - such is the stink caused by the site. And then of course there are rats and do I need I go on...

So is it reasonable to expect residents to have to live with yet another waste disposal site - anaerobic digestive or otherwise - just to the other side of them?

Obviously too there will be the nature of the waste traffic. Residents have had to get used to the traffic generated by Powerday's and the Freightliner site's existing operations, but is the Council really going to expect them now to tolerate even more waste lorry traffic that will inevitably arrive as a result of the operations by Clean Power? How much more heavy traffic is this part of North Acton able to sustain without an intolerable impact on the lives of the local residents?

What has been striking to many of us, which I list as my third concern, is the lack of evidence that Clean Power is able to produce to demonstrate how well their operations work on other sites. Clearly, if we had been able to see happy residents close by to a Clean Power site, then that might have helped to allay fears.  But when I go on their website, all I see is a list of would-be sites, which they hope to develop in the future.  Surely the Council will require better evidence than that?

My fifth and final question is about the choice of the site itself. As I understand it, this site is currently safeguarded for HS2.  Now I recognise that there has been much debate about HS2 - and there may have been some who thought that the cross-party support for the project was breaking down - however, last week in Parliament all parties lined up with very few dissenting members, to support the HS2 project going forward. It strikes me that this site will remain HS2's as the project is unrolled. 

So why is Ealing Council even taking time to consider this proposal when we all know that the safeguarding by HS2 remains firmly in place, as does the project itself? As things stand, there is no site for Clean Power to develop, so can we just recognise reality and put a stop to any further blight of this kind on local residents? I notice Brent is focusing very hard on the pollution aspects of this proposal, and both Brent and Ealing pollution experts are calling for rejection of the plan.  I would like to add my voice to theirs.”

Michael Pavey claims his position on academies has been consistent,

Cllr Michael Pavey has responded to my posting earlier today which accused him of diluting his earlier opposition to academies and free schools.

Here is what he has to say (unedited):

My position on academies has been consistent.

I distrust academies as a dangerous step towards the marketisation of education. But I have always been clear that Copland is a necessary exception. The recent Ofsted report highlighted extremely serious failures at Copland. Extremely troublingly it found that the most disadvantaged pupils were suffering the most. This is unacceptable and profound change is necessary. I wish this could be achieved through local authority leadership, but years of budget cuts have left us under-resourced for a school improvement challenge of this magnitude. An academy conversion was the only feasible alternative to give Copland the fresh start it desperately needs.

Furthermore, I am delighted to be proposing a partnership with Ark Wembley, an enormously popular local school.

The situation at Gladstone is considerably more complicated. I met the campaigners as one of my first acts after becoming Lead Member – and I applaud their work. However it is right and proper that the lead on this is provided by the school Governing Body. Far from cutting them adrift, the Council has provided close support and I fully respect the decisions they taken.

I’ve not changed my views on academies but the world is not as black and white as some would like to assume.

My responsibility is to the families of Brent and their children. I’m always happy to meet any residents to discuss my positions on academies or any other issues. Virtually every time I meet them they are disinterested in discussions about structures and just want to talk about raising standards. Local families want their children to get a top quality education so they can make something of their lives. That is the driving force behind every decision we have taken.”

Cllr. Michael Pavey

Lead Member for Children & Families

Labour Councillor for Barnhill, Brent Council

www.michaelpavey.org

07941474261  @mikeypavey 

Lucas: Government must retain obligation to tackle fuel poverty

The Green MP Caroline Lucas will today accuse the Coalition of trying to “weasel out” of a long-standing duty to eliminate fuel poverty.

Ahead of today’s Commons debate on fuel prices she has drawn attention to a move by the Government to abolish its statutory obligation to eliminate fuel poverty.  

Under the 2000 Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act, the Government has a duty to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016.   However, the Coalition tabled an amendment to the Energy Bill in the Lords, which would replace this duty with a commitment merely to address the situation of people living in fuel poverty, without any targets or timescale.

Lucas has tabled an Early Day Motion calling for ambitious fuel poverty targets to be reinstated, with the support of other MPs on the cross party parliamentary fuel poverty group.

The motion urges Government and parliament to support an amendment from crossbench peer Lord O’Neill of Clackmannan, which reintroduces energy efficiency targets in order to ensure robust action to eradicate fuel poverty.

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:

It’s a scandal that millions of households in England are currently in fuel poverty, with this figure set to grow dramatically as wages fall and energy costs rise. The Coalition is weaselling out of its duty to help people struggling with cold homes and high fuel bills.  Without targets set in legislation, there is no guarantee that this or any future government will take the necessary action on fuel poverty.

The Coalition must rethink its decision to downgrade its commitment to ending fuel poverty and recognise that energy efficiency provides the only cost effective long-term solution to unaffordable energy bills.  This needs to be a higher priority for all politicians. Having clear fuel poverty and energy efficiency objectives in primary legislation is a crucial first step.

This would help drive a nationwide upgrade to the housing stock, which would be a great boost for the energy efficiency industry and jobs too.

Harlesden Incinerator decision deferred again

This message from Peter J Lee of Ealing Planning Department means that the Harlesden Incinerator is OFF tonight's Ealing Planning Committee Agenda.

I write to inform you that it has been decided to DEFER consideration of the Energy Recovery Centre (known to many as the Harlesden Incinerator) application from this evenings meeting as we have not yet received the updated comments of the GLA following the Secretary of State’s decision to re-issue the HS2 Safeguarding Order to take account of their decision to proceed with the Northolt corridor bored tunnel option. 

As you know this re-issue did not take place until 24^th October 2013 and the GLA haven’t yet confirmed what their position is in respect of this change in circumstance which could have a significant bearing on their original Stage 1 comments where they raised no significant objections to the proposal.

Pavey backs Ark Academy takeover of Copland and fails Gladstone Park parents

Michael Pavey, lead member for Children and Families, on Brent Council is taking part in a Guardian on-line discussion on education this lunchtime.

Pavey, who replaced Mary Arnold as lead member, made great play of his opposition to free schools and academies when he stood for the role. He wanted to see a much more robust response from the Council.

Unfortunately that opposition has been diluted in office to the extent that in a Kilburn Times statement on the proposed takeover of Copland Community School by the Wembley Ark Academy he says LINK

This is a fantastic opportunity for a new beginning at Copland. Ark Academy in Wembley is hugely popular with local parents.We want Copland to be just as good and just as popular. I warmly encourage local families to get involved (in the consultation) to shape the future of their school.

Parents at Gladstone Primary School thought that Pavey would support their energetic campaign against becoming a forced academy but their initial hopes were soon dashed when he failed to take the lead in putting his weight, and that of the local authority, behind them. In contrast, Snaresbrook Primary in Redbridge has recently avoided forced academisation after their local authority (a Tory one) strongly supported the school and its parents.

Starved of that backing it appears the Gladstone parents have decided that if they have to become an academy they will opt for one with CfBT which of all the options conformed most closely to the school's ethos. One parent commented:

'I would say "no" to academisation but if we must become an academy CfBT is the best choice'

 The consultation result on becoming a CfBT academy was:

72 in favour, 26 against and 18 not sure.

The Governing Body of Gladstone Park Primary will be making their decision on Tuesday November 12th.

London free school parents support LA oversight

As  Michael Gove's free schools policy comes under closer scrutiny London Councils publishes a survey that  shows the majority of free school parents would welcome local authority oversight. I hope that at their Spring Conference the Green Party will adopt a policy of integration of free schools and academies into a local authority school system with improved democratic accountability.
The London Councils statement:

The first survey of London parents’ attitudes to the new educational system reveals that a majority of parents (62 per cent) with children at a free school support councils having a role in dealing with underperforming free schools. This rises to 77 per cent of parents with children in a local authority maintained school who think local authorities should have powers of influence over maintained schools.

The YouGov attitudinal survey, commissioned by London Councils, which represents London’s 33 local authorities, provides evidence of high levels of support among parents for a local government role in taking action to ensure school standards remain high and children and young peoples’ interests are championed.

The majority of parents (76 per cent) support a council role in creating school places through having the ability to influence all schools in their area to find more school places or expand, and 95 per cent think the greatest pressure on places is in London.

The survey also found that:

• London is seen as the best performing region in terms of GCSE performance by London parents (77 per cent), followed by the south east (65 per cent) and the south west (42 per cent)
• 91 per cent of parents with a child at a free school think local authorities have an important role in ensuring high educational standards
• 78 per cent thought the council-run process of applying for a school place was ‘easy’ and 93 per cent got their child into one of their top three choices of schools – (with 72 per cent receiving their first place)
• After the new school system was explained, 53 per cent of parents said that the education system is under more central government control than they had thought previously, with 29 per cent thinking the system was under more local control – 19 per cent did not know.

London’s school situation in particular is of national significance. London requires 118,000 places by 2017 –  and London’s schools have been transformed from one of the UK’s worst performing regions to the highest, following the launch of London Challenge, a partnership of councils, schools and government, in 2003.

Cllr Peter John, London Councils’ Executive Member for Children and Young People, said:

“Parents have been clear in this survey how essential good council involvement is in their children’s education.  It’s especially striking that free school parents are so strong in their support for councils’ work.

“Parents are plainly worried about the school places crisis and want a clear role for councils to work in partnership with all schools so that every child has a place and to ensure school standards continue to rise.

“The government should work with councils to ensure that schools are accountable locally to the communities they serve.”

Labour's Brent Central ups and downs

I'm a little behind with the Brent Central Labour nominations as busy burning my bridges - or at least my energy bills, yesterday.

The hot news, or the news causing some heat, is that Janice Long ordered a recount at Harlesden after Zaffar van Kalwala lost to Bobby Thomas by only one vote. Following the recount she awarded the male nomination to Zaffar.

Meanwhile Dollis Hill ward nominated  Dawn Butler as the female candidate and Liaquat Ali as the male. Word is that this result also had a one vote margin, while there are rumours of a recount at Willesden Green.(See comments)

The position so far (subject to recounts):
.

Ward	Female nomination	Male Nomination
Tokyngton	Dawn Butler	Zaffar Van Kalwala
Stonebridge	Butler	Kalwala
Harlesden	Butler	Kalwala
Willesden Green	Sabina Khan	Imran Ahmed
Kensal Green	Khan	Parmijit Dhanda
Dollis Hill	Butler	Liaquat Ali
Mapesbury (Nov 6th)
Dudden Hill (Nov 7th)
Welsh Harp (Nov 7th)