Brent Council answers Full Council Meeting questions from the public

Questions from the public will ne answered for the first time at the Brent Council Meeting tomorrow. The answers have been published in advance in a Supplementary Report which I have posted below.  It also contains answers to questions from Councillors and reports from the two Scrutiny Committees.

Butt welcomes input from Preston on Community Library Strategy

Titus Bear from Barham Community Library visits Preston Library

Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, has copied me into his response to Philip Bromberg of Preston Community Library who requested consultation over the development of a Community Library Strategy LINK:

Philip

Many thanks for attending the cabinet meeting and for your contribution along side the other contributions.

I sincerely do want a positive outcome for all and hence the suggestion from myself for a   Community library strategy that doesn't just cover the PCL but any other community library including the good work being done with Kensal and Cricklewood.

There will need to be a concerted effort from all areas especially from the library service and from property as well.

It would be good to have some input from yourself as we move this forward in formulating this policy. Let me and Michael start the discussion with our officers and WWE will get together soon.

Libraries are under the remit of Cllr Pavey with Phil Porter as the Strategic Director and property is under my remit with Althea Loderick as the Strategic Director for Resources, we will need to work together closely to make sure that we get the best outcomes in making sure that organisations that work with us and deliver services such as PCL are recognised.

Philip please don't hesitate to pick the phone up or contact me if you want to discuss things.

Kind Regards
Muhammed

Cllr Muhammed Butt
Leader of Brent Council

Meanwhile the papers for tomorrow's  Full Meeting of the Council contains this question from Cllr Reg Colwill (Leader of the Kenton Conservative Group) and Cllr Michael Pavey's, Lead Member for Stronger Communities and Libraries, reply:

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7. Question to the Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities from Councillor Reg Colwill, Kenton

The residents of the Preston Ward have done a fantastic job in keeping the library active and working to make sure that all the residents have access to books in a very professional manner.

Will the Council now honour what they told the residents that is that they would give them the library to continue their good work?

If yes, the Committee running the library would like to know when.

Preston Community Library have done an absolutely superb job in keeping a library running in extremely difficult circumstances. They have delivered a truly inclusive range of exceptional activities and have brought the whole community together. 

I would make the small point that although many of the Library volunteers are indeed Preston residents, many others live in Barnhill and surrounding wards - they all deserve immense credit.

We plan to redevelop the Preston Library building to provide new housing, however these plans will also incorporate high quality new community space. Cabinet felt that the published report paving the way for this redevelopment did not sufficiently recognise the excellent work of the Preston Community Library, nor did it do enough to pledge ongoing support for that library. 

Consequently Cabinet committed to take three months to work with Preston Community Library, as well as the community libraries in Cricklewood, Kensal Rise and Barham Park, to develop a new Community Library Strategy over and above which the Council has a duty to provide. In addition to broader issues, this strategy will directly address access to the new Preston Library building.

Cabinet has also stated a very clear preference that both the tender process and the rental level for the new community space at the redeveloped building should be clearly weighted towards social value, rather than financial value. 

All four Brent community libraries are extremely important partners of the Brent Library Service. We are grateful for their excellent work and look forward to working with them to develop an exciting new strategy to assist in securing the long term future of each library.

Anonymity: the pros and cons

Further information

 The issue of anonymity has come up for discussion on this blog a number of times and my preferene is for those making a comment to use their real names if possible. However there are circumstances where anonymity has been essential to protect sources and this was particularly so during the Cara Davani controversy, where workers at Brent Council used this blog to reveal what was really going on.

The Autumn issue of  Index on Censorship explores anonymity from pen names to online privacy. This is what they say about the issue:

Anonymity is out of fashion. There are plenty of critics who want it banned on social media. It’s part of a harmful armoury of abuse, they argue. Anonymous trolls send vile verbal attacks to anyone who expresses opinions they disagree with. 

So why do we need anonymity?  Why does it matter? Why don’t we just ban it or make it illegal if it can be used for all these harmful purposes?

“Anonymity is an integral part of our freedom of expression. For many people it is a valuable way of allowing them to speak. It protects from danger, and it allows those who wouldn’t be able to speak or write to get the words out,” Index on Censorship editor Rachael Jolley writes in the magazine. 

The autumn 2016 issue special report looks at the pros and cons of masking identities from the perspective of a variety of players, from online trolls to intelligence agencies, whistleblowers, activists, artists, journalists, bloggers and fixers.

•       Valerie Plame Wilson writes on the damage done when her cover was blown.

•       John Lloyd looks at how terrorist attacks have affected surveillance needs worldwide.

•       Ananya Azad explains why he was forced to leave Bangladesh after violent attacks on secular writers.

•       Julian Baggini looks at the power of literary aliases through the ages.

•       Edward Lucas shares The Economist’s perspective on keeping its writers unnamed.

•       John Crace imagines a meeting at Trolls Anonymous. 

•   Caroline Lees looks at how fixers can be endangered by working with foreign news companies.

Surveillance: The War at Home - Meeting in Brent on Monday

                                                                                             Banksy

 From Brent Stop the War

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19th 7.30 pm
Brent Trades & Labour Hall, 375 High Rd Willesden NW10 2JR
Very close to Willesden Bus Garage and five minutes walk from Dollis Hill station (Jubilee line)

Monitoring activists who oppose government policy - including foreign policy - has long been a practice of the security services and the police. Whole ‘suspect’ communities fall under covert security surveillance activities, which can involve illegal means. In November 2015, current Prime Minister Theresa May, admitted, as Home Secretary, that in fact all British citizens are suspect and the security services have been monitoring e-mail and telephone communications for over a decade LINK.

At our September meeting on Monday, we will be joined by Donal O'Driscoll from the Undercover Research Group and a core participant in the Pitchford Inquiry into Undercover Policing who will talk about the state of play with regards to the public inquiry and introduce some of his group's work on exposing undercover police in protest movements.

Come and find out how you may be affected.

Two new free schools approved in Brent

Justine Greening announced approval for 77 new free schools which includes two in Brent.  Approval is only the first step as sites have to be found and staff and pupils recuited.

The first is the North Brent School which I wrote about HERE

The school is backed by three Brent academies, Claremont, Queens Park and Wembley High. Gil Bal, Executive Head of Wembley High, would head up the new school along with her current duties.

The other  is Avanti Brent School,  where the plan is for an all-through (4 yrs-19ys)  Hindu faith school 'open to all backgrounds'  LINK:

Each of our schools whilst underpinned by the same principals of Educational Excellence, Character Formation and Spiritual Insight will of course be unique and meet local needs. We plan for these schools to have a nursery provision, 2 and 6 forms of entry at Primary & Secondary phases respectively as well as a sixth form.

Finding sites is obviously an issue given previous difficulties.

A new special school sponsored by Woodfield, Manor and Village did have a site in mind LINK but is not on today's list.

A feature of today's list is the rapid expansion of the Reach2 free school chain which has its own dangers.

Support Comprehensive Education - Thursday September 22nd - Fair Education Alliance

From Fair Education Alliance

Join us on Thursday September 22nd  for a gathering to show our collective support for comprehensive education and our opposition to the creation of new grammar schools.

This will be a positive rally that will involve a number of inspirational speakers, a chance to find out what happens next and the opportunity to share any ideas you have to try and win the argument in public and in parliament. It should also be great opportunity to meet others who share your concerns about the Green Paper.

We have an incredible line up of speakers. Confirmed speakers include:

Fiona Millar, Writer and Founder of Local Schools Network
Becky Allen, Director of Education Datalab
Joanne Bartley, Kent parent and chair of Kent Education Network
David Weston, Founder and Chief Executive of the Teacher Development Trust
Laura McInerney, Editor of Schools Week
Melissa Benn, Writer and current Chair of Comprehensive Future
Katrina Black, Regional Director - Europe, Teach For All
Louka Travlos, Impact Strategy, National Citizens Service
Ndidi Okezie, Executive Director – Delivery, Teach First

The event kicks off at 7pm at King Solomon Academy, Penfold St, London NW1 6RX

This event is free but you must sign up for a ticket to secure a place. Please sign up HERE:

Brent Council External Audit certificate delayed while objections to accounts are investigated

The report of the external auditors, KPMG, is tabled for the Brent Council Audit Commitee on Thursday September 22nd, 7pm, Brent Civic Centre.

KPMG note on page 9 LINK:

In order for us to issue an audit certificate, we are required to have completed all our responsibilities relating to the financial year. We are not in a position to issue our audit certificate with the audit opinion as we have received six objections to the accounts from local electors.

We are currently in the process of considering these objections and assess the work we need to fulfil our statutory duties.

It is likely that some of these objection relate to the Council's £157,610 pay-off to ex-head of Brent Human Resources, Cara Davani. The auditor was asked to make a public interest report under Section 24 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act on the payment LINK:

This is the submission by Cllr John Warren:

I seek your consideration of a public interest report in respect of the Accounts of the L.B.of Brent for 2015/2016...........

1. I am on the electoral register in the Brondesbury Park  Ward in HBP4.

2.” Why you are objecting and facts on which you rely.”

I am objecting that you have not issued a report on what I shall refer to as the “ Rosemarie Clarke saga .”.......and put forward the following....

(a) L.B.Brent has suffered a significant financial loss due to mismanagement,incompetence,and decision - making at the highest level that fail totally to pass ANY test of “ reasonableness.”
(b) The cumulative cost of this saga totals in excess of £1 m. for 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.
(c) There is considerable interest in this saga from Brent residents.
(d) As admitted by L.B. of Brent, here has been considerable reputational damage to the Council as a result of this saga.

3. “ Details of any matter you think the external auditor should make a public interest report about .”.......

(a) The saga as referred to above with specific reference to .....

•          did the personal relationship between Christine Gilbert ,former Chief Executive ,and Cara Davani have any effect on the decision - making  in this saga?
•          did the fact that  the two afore-  mentioned individuals had previously worked together at both Ofsted and L.B. of Tower Hamlets play any part in the decision - making in this saga?
•          was it ,in  any way possible, “ reasonable “ for Ms Gilbert NOT to  initiate a disciplinary process against M/ s Davani in the light of the brutal judgement and comments by the Judge in the  Employment Tribunal case  at Watford - 3302741/2013?
•          did “ unreasonable “ decision - making in this saga mean that Brent Council should never have been placed in the position of having to agree an exit payment to M/ s Davani of £157,610 - as per 2015/16 accounts?
•          was it a proper use of public monies for L.B.of Brent to pay the costs/ damages awarded personally - as a defendant- against M/ Davani?

4. “ What you would like the external auditor to do ?”

I should like you to issue a public interest report on the reasonableness or otherwise of the decision - making in the “ Rosemarie Clarke saga. “..... because of the significant cost in money terms, Council reputational damage  and Brent  staff- relations ....
•          was it reasonable to take disciplinary action in the first place against Ms Clarke?
•          was it reasonable to appeal the Tribunal verdict in the light of the Judge’ s comment that “ Brent had no reasonable prospect of success ?”
•          was it reasonable not to take disciplinary action against Ms Davani in the light of the Tribunal judgement?
•          was it reasonable for Brent to pay all Ms Davani ‘ legal costs and damages personally awarded against her?
•          was it reasonable for Brent to make the exit payment of £157,610 to Ms Davani?

Brent Mini Pride on Saturday, Harlesden

From Terrence Higgins Trust

When: Saturday 17 September 2016, 12pm to 6pm

Where: Rucklidge Avenue and Furness Road Junction Green (opposite the Harrow Road entrance to Willesden Junction Tube)

In conjunction with Brent LGBT Forum and Terrence Higgins Trust this LGBT community event day offers members and supporters of Brent’s vibrant LGBT community the opportunity to come out and shine. We will have deck chairs, mellow sounds and an ice cream bar.

Contact Us

2nd Floor, Unit 53
The Design Works,
Park Parade
NW10 4HT
Telephone: 020 3815 5730

HIV rates are on the rise in Brent. Those most affected are men who have sex with men (MSM), people from black and minority ethnic communities and sex workers.

Give us a call on 0203 815 5730 if you live in Brent and would like to speak about HIV or sexual health.

What we do: we offer advice and a range of services for people living in Brent to ensure people with HIV live healthy lives free from prejudice, and that good sexual health is a right and reality for all.
For people living with or affected by HIV in Brent we offer group/peer/online support, free contraception, interactive workshops, HIV and sexual health advice and referrals to relevant partners dependent on your needs.
We also provide health promotion and HIV awareness training events for groups/organisations.

Soul Brothers

Questions about your sexual health?
Want somewhere to discuss issues around your sexual identity?
Need support but don’t know where to go?
Terrence Higgins Trust Soul Brothers Brent is a new service aimed at BAME (Black and Asian Minority Ethnic) MSM.
We offer a safe, free and private place for you and others to come and discuss issues you feel you would like support with.
The group meets fortnightly. It is free and confidential and open to anyone who would like to attend.
We offer support around:

• Sexual health
• HIV awareness and prevention
• Mental health
• Peer support
• Group support
• Self esteem
• Substance abuse

For more information please email mark.banfield@tht.org.uk or join our mailing list to find out more about news and events from Terrence Higgins Trust Brent.