Brent's inspirational primary school choirs sing their hearts out in Choir of the Year final

The Mount Stewart Choir celebrate their win

I was privileged to be able to attend the Brent Primary School Choir of the Year final at Chalkhill Primary School yesterday. 

The six schools present had been narrowed down from an initial entry of 30 schools and at the outset were told by Brent Music Service that they were all winners for having got so far in the competition.

The singing was of an extremely high standard with, as one would expect in Brent, from a diverse range of cultures and in many styles, featuring some hugely confident soloists,  3 part harmony, a capella and in one showing stopping performance a boy's improvisation against the background of his choir's performance.

The result was 3rd Place: The Bluebirds Chalkhill Primary School. 2nd Place: St Robert Southwell Primary School Choir; and the winners were Mount Stewart Junior School Choir.

The other finalists were Princess Frederica Primary, St Mary Magdalene, and Anson Primary.

Brent Music Service said:

The standard of performances was inspirational and we look forward to welcoming all these talented young singers to join the BMS choirs!

Congratulations to every single singer at today's competition - you and your school should be extremely proud of you all!

I was impressed by the  respect BMS gave the children when providing feedback on their performance. Rather than just giving them a pat on the head they provided detailed professional  feedback on both the strengths of their performance and areas which need working on to reach a higher standard.

As Brent schools face budget cuts I hope that governing bodies will continue to buy into the Brent Music Service. They provide a much needed extra creative dimension to the curriculum and with their London and nationwide links a route to a lifetime's enjoyment of musical performance and perhaps even a professional career.

Further information (including later video of perfoamnces) on the Brent Music Service Facebook page HERE

Could Peel Precinct provide temporary home for Grenfell Tower homeless?

Cllr John Duffy, (Labour Kilburn) wrote to Carolyn Downs, Brent Council CEO, yesterday proposing that Brent Council could offer short-term accommodation to those made homeless by the Grenfell Tower fire:

I am sure Brent officers are doing their best to help Kensington and Chelsea officers to deal with the dreadful situation that happened this morning in Grenfell Tower.

I am sure in the short term accommodation (over the next couple of weeks) can be found for the residents of Grenfell Tower. This will probably be a combination of  b+bs  and friends putting them up. I have already been informed from one Kilburn resident they are taking in residents from the block on a short-term arrangement.

However I believe we could and should do more for our fellow Londoners. I am suggesting we offer K+C to short-life Peel Precinct (PP). As you know PP has only just been decanted a few months ago and therefore  all the services are available. I believe short-lifing it for 9 months to K+C, while they sort out their the permanent re-housing of the Grenfell Tower residents would be a worthy offer from a neighbour. I believe that PP could be ready for short life in a reasonably amount of time.

Since this morning I have been moved by the strong support for the victims, by residents of South Kilburn and the links between both the communities.

I am sure the government will fund this short -life project and the costs in the delay in the regeneration around PP. However i believe this is important to show solidarity with those who have lost all their belongings and in some cases loved ones. I believe that offering a temporary home close to their original home will hopefully help them re-build their lives and their community.

Sainsbury's unfair change to Fairtrade designation - join the campaign

From Brent Fairtrade Network

Sainsbury's has announced plans for "Fairly Traded" tea to replace their Fairtrade Red Label, Gold Label and green brands of tea: see Sainsbury’s announcement. The new system will not be independently audited and will take away from producers their right to decide democratically how to spend the Fairtrade Premium. Tea is a pilot for this new approach which could then spread to coffee, bananas and many other products.

This plan is opposed by the Fairtrade Foundation  and by Bananalink, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam GB, Traidcraft and the Women's Institute LINK

You can write to Sainsbury's Chief Executive Mr Mike Coupe at mike.coupe@sainsburys.co.uk or by letter to: Mr Mike Coupe, Chief Executive, J Sainsbury’s, Sainsbury’s Store Support Centre, 33 Holborn,  London EC1N 2HT. In my letter I expressed three main concerns:

1. This system will lack the independent auditing that is a key part of the Fairtrade system.
2. This system will take away from producers their power to decide democratically how to invest their Fairtrade Premium.
3. The new system will confuse consumers by adding yet another label. It would be much better to stick to the well-established, soundly based and widely recognised Fairtrade label.

Don't let them rip the heart out of South Kilburn - meeting Wednesday

From Granville Community Kitchen

 I am really sorry to tell you that the South Kilburn Trust and the RCKa Architects have 'responded'  to our outrage at the loss of the community Main Hall in Granville Plus Centre to a business hub. 

When the community  protested that it was losing the only large public space in the area, they have  responded by taking all the community space in the basement to  create a large 'event space there. 

This event space will have no kitchen. They say this can be hired by the community so is a 'community space'

THIS IS NOT COMMUNITY SPACE!

That means the community lose the Granville Community Kitchen (GCK) and all the other spaces in the basement. It is said the Community Kitchen can go in the 'living room'  kitchen on the ground floor. This space is open to anyone who comes into the building. This means that community groups, groups of parents and children, and vulnerable groups will have not have safe and dedicated space. Our children will not be allowed to be children with no space to play freely or safely. Anyone adult or child with lots of energy will have to be quiet and careful of their behaviour as they may disturb the business users. 

It means the needs of business users are placed first, over the community who have been using the building for generations!

Community users and Business users have different needs! They need separate spaces!

If the building loses it's sense of community purpose THAT IT WAS BUILT FOR it is no longer a community building!

The Mayor of London of London says that London is for All. He speaks of social integration and economic fairness. Where is the social integration in destroying the fabric of the Granville Community Centre and pushing the community out?  Where is the economic fairness if community is not given the opportunities to learn, to gather, to be supported, to express, to celebrate, to mourn? Economic fairness cannot be achieved without the social values that community bring.

Is this the legacy that the GLA, South Kilburn Trust and Brent truly want? One of reinforcing social inqualities? Of widening the gaps between the haves and the have nots? Of increasing social isolation of vulnerable people? Of not investing in the future of  our children and young people? Of having people go hungry? Of valuing money instead of people?

The Granville is the HEART of the South Kilburn community. Rip it out that heart and it dies!!

WE CAN STILL CHANGE THEIR MINDS!

What can you do?

Come to Granville, Carlton Vale, NW6 5HE

This Wednesday 14  June 

3pm - 8pm 

Voice your anger about this! Tell them you want seperate community spaces where we feel safe and that we control.. We want the  original purpose of the building prioritised and kept.

You will need to write it down but people will be there from GCK to help.

Please come and TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS to come too!

-- 

You can find Granville Community Kitchen at

The Granville Plus Centre, Carlton Vale, NW6 5HE

http://granvillecommunitykitchen.wordpress.com

or  follow us at

@GranComKitchen

Like us on Facbook

GranvilleCommunityKitchen

Sunday's Wembley road closures

From Brent Council

The Color (sic) Run – billed as the “craziest, most colourful 5k race” – is coming back to Wembley Park on Sunday 11 June.

It is a five-kilometre, un-timed race in which thousands of participants are doused from head to toe in different colours at each kilometre point – and on the finish line too.

There will be several road closures and diversions in the Wembley area from 11am to 9pm. The following roads will be closed:

• Engineers Way – Access to Brent Civic Centre car park will be maintained from Empire Way
• South Way – Access to Ibis Hotel will be maintained from Wembley Hill Road
• First Way
• Fifth Way
• Fourth Way
• Atlas Road
• Hannah Close
• Great Central Way
• Carey Way

TUSC sweep to victory

The Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) may not have stood in the General Election but this did not stop them sweeping to victory in the election held at Queens Park Community School on Wednesday.

The result was:

TUSC                              123
Labour                              83
Womens Equality Party   56
Liberal Democrats           49
Green Party                      42
Sinn Fein                          17
Spoilt papers                      6

The TUSC candidates Femi and Sean will now meet with the headteacher to discuss their policies asking for shorts to be allowed as regular uniform in hot weather and for the freedom to eat lunches anywhere in school.

Help clean up the River Brent at Chalkhill on Saturday

From Thames21

June 10 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Come help clean-up the River Brent at Chalkhill Open Space.

Create an inviting space for people and wildlife. No experience necessary and all tools provided-  just be prepared to get stuck in! Finishing up with well deserved refreshments.

All welcome but under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Meet Waterside Close, just off Barnhill Road, HA9 9PB.

Locals challenge Brent Council's 'vision' for South Kilburn regeneration

The Brent Cabinet of June 19th, starting at the earlier time of 6pm, has a full agenda with several items relating to the controversial South Kilburn regeneration. The main item is adoption of a revised South Kilburn Supplementary Planning document. I receommed a full reading of the Officers' responses to representations made by local people (report embedded below) and others but here is a taster:

Leslie Barson and Dee Woods representing users of Granvill Plus Centre and the Carlton Centre

The vision is not the vision of the people of South Kilburn. It is an imposed vision whose prime purpose is to maximize housing. This has no long term benefits for the people of South Kilburn nor does it address the council’s own aims such as “improved public realm” (Masterplan Consultation Website) building for health and happiness. In fact it feels that the views are used to justify the decisions the Council wants with those decisions not necessarily in the interests of those who live and work in South Kilburn. They may coincide but they may not. The document has so many inaccuracies that it is hard to believe the people writing it really knew or were interested in South Kilburn. Its platitudes and disingenuous statements skew the reader to the decision the Council would like to see but don’t show the full picture. Brent Council should sign up to Community Engagement Principles as defined in the National Standards for Community Engagement (http://www.scdc.org.uk/what/national-standards/) putting these into action in South Kilburn to make some recompense for the years of bad practice. 

Officer response

The vision is an update of the original South Kilburn SPD, informed by the New Deal for Communities work. It has been subject to extensive engagement and reflects the opportunities that the area provides taking account of the area’s social, environmental and economic assets within the wider macro context that exists; particularly the need for viable delivery of new social rent dwellings, greater tenure diversity in the area, update of and additional provision of social infrastructure, increased opportunity for residents plus updated London planning policy which requires the efficient use of land.
Identifying that the masterplan has no long-term benefits for the people of South Kilburn is clearly inconsistent with the evidence of what has been achieved so far, including feedback from tenants who have moved into new dwellings, or accessed new/updated facilities. It also ignores the external validation of the work achieved for example by the Mayor of London. The Council recognises that regeneration is more than just a physical process ‘done’ to the local community; it complicated and requires engagement/support/participation and covers a multiplicity of issues. The Council has sought to follow good principles of regeneration wherever it can and for the vast majority of resident’s/local community groups, this is evidenced by a positive feedback. Inaccuracies have not been identified by the respondent and their response contains the type of sweeping generalisations it identifies the Council exhibit in the SPD. The masterplan process since 2005 and regeneration of the estate has quite rightly given the proposed level of change exhibited substantial levels of sustained engagement.

South Kilburn Trust

There is a risk of creating a divided community – on the one hand of people in social housing, set against private housing - very expensive to buy, or at high rents on short tenancies. There are a huge swathe of people in between - people who are working, and can’t get into social housing, but increasingly can’t afford to live in South Kilburn, let alone buy or rent a space big enough for their family. Different tenures and opportunities needs to seriously be considered so as not to end up with community of, bluntly speaking, rich and poor. And so it needs to be considered whether making the most amount of money out of a site is the best thing to do for the regeneration of an area.

Officer response

This scenario is one which officers are well aware of and is recognised in the SPD. The SPD identifies that ideally a wider range of tenures should be provided in the area. Nevertheless, it also identifies that firstly that the Council must make good on its promise to replace the number of existing social rented homes lost to the regeneration.
Unfortunately in the financial climate within the public sector currently, without grant/additional external funds opportunities for provision of alternative tenure types will be very limited. Social rent properties are extremely expensive to subsidise. The only other alternative would be to increase density to create greater subsidy. The Council is not using South Kilburn as a money making exercise; all proceeds are recycled within the regeneration of the area. The Council takes a whole life view of its assets and functions balancing up commercial property values with its role as a wider supporter of the community a significant number of which are reliant on many of the services it provides. 

Residents will be concerned about another proposal on the Agenda which  'appropriates' the green space to enable the redevelopment of Gloucester House and Durham Court to go ahead. A 'quality' replacement is promised:

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The redevelopment of Gloucester House and Durham Court site consists of:

·      The demolition of 209 residential units and garages contained within the Gloucester House and Durham Court site 


·      Erection of 236 new residential units - market sale (134 new homes) and affordable social rented (102 new homes) 


·      Relocation and improvement of the public open space and play area at the north of the Site 


·      New public realm and improved routes through the Site 


·      Landscaped private and shared gardens 


·      Basement car park providing 91 spaces 


·      Space for an energy centre for the South Kilburn District Energy System. 


·      Market and affordable dwellings including a range of 1 to 4 bed flats and 3 
and 4 bed duplex family units 


·       

The appropriation includes open space with a public children’s play area, however a new replacement play area will be provided. The Planning Committee Report of 20 August 2014 identified that in order to justify the proposed redevelopment it is important that the replacement facility is of a significantly improved quality. The report found that overall, the proposals appear to be of sufficient quality to justify the redevelopment of the existing play area and inconvenience that will be caused during construction when no play area will be provided. 


It should also be noted that Paddington Recreation Ground is around 330m away, South Kilburn Urban Park approximately 400m away and in May 2016 the new Woodhouse Urban Park in South Kilburn opened which is just over 500m away.