Call for targeted interventions to address hunger and poverty in Brent

The following motion will be debated at the Brent Council meeting on Monday:

This Council welcomes the findings and recommendations of the recent Resource and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee task group report into the use of food banks in Brent.

Given the scale of the problem of destitution and food poverty and likelihood that need will increase with the further roll out of Universal Credit this year, this Council recognises the need for local public, voluntary and private organisations to collaborate on the production of a proactive strategy to bring forward targeted interventions to prevent and address hunger and chronic poverty in the borough.

This Council notes the following findings of the task group:

·      Food banks are playing, and will continue to play, an increasingly significant role in society. The corrosion of the welfare state has meant that food banks have had no choice but to step up to fill in the gap. 


·      1.2 million food aid packages were given out by Trussell Trust food banks during the last financial year and this was the ninth consecutive year in which demand has risen. 


·      In Brent alone last year an estimated 5,636 people accessed food banks 


·      Major drivers behind food bank usage locally are benefit delays and sanctions, the current waiting period before benefits are paid, inaccessibility of services and low wages. 


·      Official figures do not capture the true extent of the problem across the borough; with many residents seeking assistance from religious organisations providing informal meals and food assistance. 


·      Locally, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) moved new single claimants over to Universal Credit(UC) in2015 and have now advised full  rollout of UC across Brent will happen in late 2018. It is likely that implementation of full UC will place further demands on local food banks and information / advice services. 


·      The use of food banks includes both people in and out of work. 


·      Statements from government ministers dismissing food bank use as a lifestyle choice of those who are unable to budget properly has influenced incorrect beliefs about food bank users. This has contributed to stigma, shame, and embarrassment for the people who need to use them.


Brent Council recognises the invaluable work undertaken by food bank staff, volunteers and donors. This  Council formally extends its gratitude to all involved.

Councillor Roaxnne Mashari Welsh Harp Ward 


BRILLIANT BRENT! Winners of Brent Schools' 'Speak Out' Challenge - empowering youth

Aisha Abdirahman of Ark Elvin Academy in Wembley (formerly Copland High School) was the winner of Brent's Regional Final of the Jack Petchey 'Speak Out' Challenge! with a speech entitled 'Apologies'.

Tykayla De-Gale of Capital City Academy was runner up at the 2017-18 “Speak Out” Challenge! Brent Regional Final with a speech entitled ‘Gone Too Soon’



Kaliyl Morris of Queen's Park Community School took third place at the 2017-18 “Speak Out” Challenge! Brent Regional Final with a speech entitled ‘Black History Month’

Pressure mounts over academisation of The Village School

Brent North Labour Party has now joined Brent Central CLP LINK in opposing the academisation of The Village School in Kingsbury through the formation of a Multi-Academy Trust with Woodfield School LINK.

Brent North CLP welcomed what they called Brent Council's 'decision' to return out-sourced services in-house and said that this should also apply to academies, noting the return of Sandown Bay Academy in the Isle of Wight to local authority control. They called for Labour's National Education Service to include a policy to return all privatised academies to local authority control.

They appealed to all governors of the school, whose chair is Brent North Labour member and the Labour Group Whip,  Cllr Sandra Kabir, to pause the process and postpone the vote on academisation due on February 26th so that the school, local authority and unions could have talks to consider alternatives to academisation. In addition they asked that union representatives, who are also staff governors, be allowed to report back on what is going on at governor meetings.

Finally the motion called for the final vote on academisation to take place publicly with observers able to attend and speak.

The motion passed without opposition and, according to sources, the support of Barry Gardiner MP (Labour, Brent) who was present at the meeting.

Foodbanks in Brent: 'Behind every number is a person' - a revealing video

In an enterprising move the Scrutiny Task Group on Foodbanks has made a video about the role of foodbanks in Brent that catered for more than five and  a half thousand people last year. The roll out of Unoversal Credit this year is likely to increase the numners neeeding to use foodbanks.The Task Grpup, led by Cllr Roxanne Mashari, made 35 recommendations which can be read in the embedded document at the foot of this article.

The Task Group reports states:

Many local authorities like Brent find themselves in uncharted territory in relation to food banks . Alongside the absence of guidance for local authorities, the task group feels that there is room for improvement and external oversight with regards to safety, hygiene and safeguarding in many of the food aid providers locally.

The task group could not find any policy framework, or guidance outlining how local authorities should work with or alongside food banks.

This lack of understanding, policy and coordination presents a significant risk to public sector organisations, food banks and food bank users particularly as we approach the wider roll out of universal credit in 2018.

Time and again our task group heard of benefit delays, universal credit design problems, inaccessibility of services and sanctions driving ordinary people to extraordinary levels of desperation and destitution. We must be clear in our collective determination in Brent that our role as public and private sector bodies is to strategically tackle poverty and increase prosperity, not to create deprivation and poverty through our own policies. The fact that actions of publically funded bodies are a major driving force behind local food bank numbers is a cause for alarm and shame.

We cannot wait for the government to decide to take action when it comes to food banks , we must take matters into our own hands by demonstrating leadership and initiative to stem the tide of destitution and desperation . It is up to us to make sure that residents are not falling through the gaps of services and that there is a coordinated, preventative and interventionist approach. 

This task group has brought to light some of the most talented, hardworking and visionary individuals who help run food banks and provide a unique and vital service that would not otherwise be provided .  We have also witnessed heart - wrenching stories of neglect, desperation and abject poverty that have been both s hocking and upsetting.

What is clear is that this level of need and poverty must not be normalised or accepted.

It is time for all of us to take stock, to not shy away from the scale of the problem and to be nimble enough to respond to the shifting shape of provision for those in destitution, whether we agree with government policy in this area or not.

Our recommendations provide a blueprint for the first few steps in organising a coordinated response to this relatively new phenomenon and we will be holding local leaders to account over the next twelve months in order to translate policy and ideas into action that makes a difference on the ground.

Welsh Harp Centre Conservation Day January 20th

From Thames21

We had another very successful event at the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre in December, thank you to the regular Friends that attended.

The next event is Saturday 20^th January, 10am – 12.30pm

We will be starting at the new time of 10am and finishing at 12.30pm. Here is a link to the event with details: LINK

At the next event we will be working on the following tasks:

-          Cut back vegetation from pathways.

-          Prune the apple trees.

-          Cut back shrubby vegetation growing in the meadow.

-          Other tasks as they come up.

The next event date will be combined with the Great British Spring Clean on Saturday 3^rd March, details to be confirmed so stay tuned!

We have achieved a lot since these events have started and we will continue to address many other aspects of the WHEEC Habitat Management Plan that need attending to. If you would like a copy of the management plan, please email me.

Hope to see as many of you as possible at the next event!

welshharpcentre@thames21.org.uk

Brent's 'toothless' Air Quality Action Plan condemned by Clean Air for Brent

 

From yesterday's Twitter

From Clear Air for Brent

Air pollution is now said to be the number one killer in the world, followed by HIV(1). According to Brent Council, 200 premature deaths occur each year which are directly attributable to air pollution as well as further unquantified premature deaths where air quality is a factor, so Clean Air for Brent (CAfB) expected to see bold actions backed by robust measures in Brent’s new Air Quality Action Plan (3,4).

However the plan, which was signed off by Council leaders late last year, contains no specific measures to protect public health or even to comply fully with legal standards (5). The action plan correctly identifies road transport as the major source of harmful emissions, but does not contain adequate solutions, and fails to effectively tackle the worst pollution hotspots and routes.

It is a plan that shies away from real action and accountability on this life-threatening issue. Fiona Mulaisho, Chair of CAfB said:

“In agreeing this toothless plan, Brent Council has missed another opportunity to step up its game, and promise much needed bold actions to its residents.  We appreciate they are under severe financial constraints, but residents' health must be pushed far higher up their priority list.”

The Air Quality Action Plan, which covers the period from 2017-2022, contains four proposed Air Quality Focus Areas; but Brent’s own monitoring data show that these are not the worst affected areas.  If, as stated, the Council's '...ultimate aim is to secure clean air for all especially for those at greatest risk or in the worst affected areas in the borough'; this plan will sadly not deliver it.  CAfB urges the Council go beyond its current confines to:

·      Create a borough-wide Clean Air Zone allowing for targeted action to improve air quality, reducing public exposure to all forms of pollution, delivering health benefits and economic growth.

·      Undertake much more ambitious commitments to increase the proportion of journeys by walking and cycling in the borough (6).

·      As a matter of priority introduce a Low Emission Neighbourhood which focuses action on a genuine priority area with a combination of controls, incentives, dis-incentives and awareness raising, to provide a measurable improvement (compared with a similar non-intervention area) over 5 years.

1.    http://www.thelancet.com/commissions/pollution-and-health

2.     Clean Air for Brent (CAfB) is a coalition of residents' associations, community groups and individuals focused on raising awareness about air quality, changing behaviours to improve air quality, and improving public health outcomes in the Brent Borough through the provision of better air quality. It is also committed to contributing to local and national clean air policy debates.

3.     Brent Council's Air Quality Action Plan can be viewed here:  http://democracy.brent.gov.uk/documents/s47267/Air%20Quality%20Action%20Plan%202017-2022%20-%20Full%20Report.pdf

4.     Air pollution contributes to poor health and is responsible for the premature death of 9,500 Londoners a year, with 112 early deaths in Brent in 2010. It is linked with cancer, strokes, heart disease and respiratory problems. The main pollutants are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter, particularly from diesel vehicles.  Of all outer London local authorities, Brent has the highest number of people - 69,283 - living in the Capital’s worst polluted areas. 

5.     The EU legal mean for NO2 is 40µg/metre3; the World Health Organisation sets it at 20µg/metre3. Similarly, EU legal requirements on particulate matter are 25m/m3, double the World Health Organisation guideline amounts of 12.5m/m3.

6.     The current relevant Brent Cycling Strategy target is to increase the mode share to 3% in 2021 from 1% in 2013.  The equivalent Brent Walking Strategy target is to increase pedestrian mode share to 30% in 2022 from 27% in 2016.

7.     For further information contact: fionamulaisho@yahoo.com

8.     CAfB website: https://cleanairforbrent.wordpress.com Twitter: @CleanAir4Brent  Facebook: Clean Air for Brent

'Severe winter weather' hits Brent Civic Centre

Damaged by 'severe winter weather'?

Brent Civic Centre seems to have its own micro-climate, perhaps caused by all those tall buildings hustling around it, according to a response from Brent Council that blamed ‘severe winter weather’ for the further cracking up of the ‘vanity’ block paving road outside the Civic Centre which cost thousands of pounds.

The rest of us may have experienced a couple of frosty nights and a dusting of snow but clearly something much harsher must have hit the Brent Civic Centre - it makes you crack up!
The Council explanation was made to Paul Lorber who was pressing home the case for action over Engineers Way LINK which runs in front of the building. The Council said:

In May 2017 it was decided that there were patches that needed repairs, which were initially done in asphalt and then replaced more permanently with blocks. Those repairs have held up, but it has become apparent that there is ongoing deterioration generally in other parts of the two areas either side of the central granite-surfaced area.

Currently, as sometimes happens after severe winter weather, there has been further deterioration which will require interim repairs and these will be programme shortly.

Lorber responded:

I am sorry but I find the approach to this very odd. Pavements are being replaced with asphalt to save money - even when residents object.

This section of expensive road has been a problem right from the outset. I do not believe that it is just the weather - the materials used are clearly wrong for an area subject to so much traffic by heavy builders lorries. As the use by lorries will continue for some time the type of patching up repairs you mention are in my view just not going to work and waste more money.

From my recent observations it is more than just two areas/sections that are crumbling and in cases pose a trip hazard for pedestrians.

If not yet obtained I think an independent assessment should be obtained of the best solution and if already obtained I would appreciate a copy under FOI if necessary.

Quintain confirm Carillion 'not active' in Wembley Park

Quintain said today that it was decided in September 2017 not to award the contract for South West Lands to Carillion, the company that went into liquidation earlier today.  Quintain appear to have been more canny than the government following company profit warnings in July 2017.

Quintain said that Carillion are not active in Wembley Park.

Greens call for cancellation of HS2 in the wake of the Carillion collapse

The Green Party has called on the Government to cancel HS2 after the collapse of Carillion, the company building the high speed rail link.

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, also urged the Government to reverse privatisation, bring contracts back in house and launch a full-scale inquiry into the decisions made about the company, and the wider “privatisation experiment”.

Bartley said:

The collapse of Carillion should be the final nail in HS2’s coffin. Cancelling this vanity project would save tens of billions of pounds, and stop the environmental vandalism which would see miles of countryside and ancient woodland covered in concrete. Instead, Britain's rail network has the opportunity to rise like a phoenix from Carillion’s flames. Thousands of jobs could be created by investing instead in the upgrades local rail networks desperately need.

Carillion's demise should be seen as an opportunity to reverse privatisation, and protect jobs and pensions by bringing contracts back in house. It should also be the trigger for a full-scale inquiry, not just into the reckless decisions this Government has made over Carillion but also the whole privatisation experiment, which has been tried and found consistently wanting.

'Pop-up Theatre' for Wembley's Fountain Studios?

Fountain Studios

The Stage LINK reports that Quintain are applying to Brent Council for change of use for Fountain Studios, former venue for the X Factor and Britain's Got Talent.  The studios have been vacant for some time since Quintain's acquisition, although the retail park next door, which they also acquired, is still in operation. LINK   LINK

Quintain want to use the studios as a pop-up theatre for up to 7 years so it looks as if development of the site will be delayed. There is still uncertainty over the fate of the College of North West London building which is situated next to the retail park on Olympic Way.

The Stage reports that Quintain want to erect external seating at ground level and are in talks with a high-profile producer with  'pop-up venue' experience.

Brent Advocacy Concerns step in to fill the PIP advice gap

Brent Advocacy Concerns are still waiting for details of their future accommodation with GPs due to move into their space at Willesden Centre in April.

Meanwhile John Healy told me that they are very much in demand:

On resuming my voluntary work after the holiday, I felt overwhelmed by over 30 emails that needed replying too. My fellow trustees  have concentrated their efforts on sorting out our office move.

I have never experienced such demand with most of the requests being from disabled people needing help with claims for PIP (personal independence payments) or help with appealing their failed PIP claims.   

Brent council have awarded several contracts for providers to undertake this work but it seems to me that disabled people in Brent are either not aware of them or they cannot access them.

Babylon on-line triaging not coming to Brent

From the Health Service Journal LINK
 
Commissioners in London have ditched a planned pilot of Babylon Health’s primary care app after patients in a test “were typically most interested in using the app to speed up GP access, rather than [using] the symptom checker”.

Clinical commissioning groups in north west London were testing Babylon’s app as a tool for reducing GP attendance, by triaging patients online.

North West London Collaboration of CCGs confirmed it had “considered” piloting the Babylon app but it was dropped after tests with patients.

A spokeswoman told HSJ:

“The CCGs considered the merits of this app as a tool to help manage demand on GPs – particularly through the symptom-checker feature.

“We worked closely with patients to find out what demand there was for the app. We found that patients were typically most interested in using the app to speed up GP access, rather than the symptom checker.”

A Babylon spokesman said:

 “Discussions were held after Babylon was selected in a competitive procurement exercise as the best technology to trial in GP practices across North West London. Subsequently a decision was taken not to fund the pilot.”

The CCG collaboration comprises Brent, Central London, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow and West London.
 
A CCG collaboration spokeswoman also said:

 “The information gathered from talking to patients was successful in informing the ongoing work of the sector as we explore this area further.”

It comes after a board paper for the CCG collaboration, dated 25 October, said that in the test of the app patients “effectively manipulated the system in order to secure GP appointments”.

The collaboration has, since this piece was first published, stated that this board paper was incorrect, and amended it.

The new paper says:

 “The board was updated on the evaluation work undertaken to inform a decision of whether to initiate a pilot with Babylon to see if the technology could drive reductions in demand for GP appointments.

“Work over the summer with focus groups to gather insights around perceptions had raised a concern that patients who might use the app could mainly do so because they believed it would get them faster access to GP appointments.

“The focus groups had also commented that there is a risk of some people gaming the symptom checker to achieve a GP appointment.

“The insights gathered therefore revealed that the symptom checker in particular was unlikely to reduce demand on GP services. This reduced the intended benefit of the system significantly. Following questions and further discussion, the board agreed not to proceed to the pilot stage.”

Another board paper from the chief executive of the CWHHE CCG group, in North West London, also dated October, said the app was tested with a “small group of patients” – the test “spanning six patient focus groups and a wide demographic area” in September. The plan had been to move later to a wider pilot involving about 16 GP practices.

Babylon, along with several emerging competitors, is a private company that provides on demand video GP consultation and a chatbot style symptom checker from a smart phone app.

The Babylon app is available privately for a monthly fee but is increasingly also being offered free to NHS patients through their GPs.

Babylon, headed by Circle founder Ali Parsa, is also heavily involved in several national projects with NHS England that, if successful, could lead the company to playing a major role in delivering online NHS services.

Concerns about Babylon’s role in the NHS increased this month after the company launched GP at Hand, a collaboration with London GP practices that will make its video consultation freely available to any NHS patient that switches to participating practices.

GP at Hand has been accused, mostly by GPs, of “cherry picking” relatively healthy patients and excluding those with more complex health needs.

A week after the service was announced, the London local medical committees passed a motion calling for a halt to the deployment of online GP services in the NHS until there was more robust evidence they benefited patients.

The north west London testing was part of the CCGs’ aim to use online consultations to reduce GP demand, as outlined in the area’s sustainability and transformation plan.

The Babylon project was funded by Health Education England with much of the assessment work carried out by Imperial College Health Partners. These organisations will continue to research alternative digital tools for accessing GPs in north west London.

A collaboration spokeswoman said: “The information gathered from talking to patients was successful in informing the ongoing work of the sector as we explore this area further.”

An HEE spokeswoman said the organisation had worked on a pilot with the CCGs and ICHP looking at digital solutions to free up time for busy practices, as well as how staff could be trained to use new technology. She added: “There is ongoing evaluation of this work and HEE continues to work with the STP and the CCG in looking at transformation of the workforce.”

Babylon’s full statement to HSJ said:

 “The NW London CCGs’ collaboration board paper item ‘NW London Babylon Pilot: Emerging findings’ is factually incorrect and deeply misleading.

“No pilot was ever carried out, nor any agreement signed with Babylon for such a pilot. Discussions were held after Babylon was selected in a competitive procurement exercise as the best technology to trial in GP practices across North West London. Subsequently a decision was taken not to fund the pilot.”

Babylon said in a further statement to HSJ this week:

“We have no assurances that any meaningful and robust user tests were ever carried out, and Imperial College Health Partners were not involved in any such testing.”

Brent Council cancels joint venture with HUB for 'commercial reasons'

From Inside Housing LINK

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Brent Council has cancelled a development vehicle it had proposed to form with developer Hub for “commercial reasons”.

A report to be submitted to the council next week LINK notes that the joint venture “is not proceeding at this time” and that the council as a result is focusing on a smaller housing programme in Wembley.

Brent had been in negotiations with Hub over forming a joint venture or a development vehicle aimed at delivering 651 homes, 215 of which would be affordable.

The proposal was to transfer both council land and land owned by Hub into the vehicle. Part of the point of the vehicle was to use it to purchase Network Rail land, as homes built on land sold directly to councils don’t count towards Network Rail’s quotas.

The cabinet voted in June last year to endorse the proposal, with full details to be decided in a following meeting.

It now intends to continue with a smaller development programme on the other, non-Network Rail sites.

The council also provided seed funding of £1.6m to the project, aiming to secure £8m of grant funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA) for land acquisition.

One of the sites to be funded with GLA money, Ujima House, was purchased in June last year after the approval of the plans. 

Inside Housing has asked Brent Council about its alternative plans for funding this purchase.

Barnet Unison launch great recycling video and song

Bobby Moore to disappear under advertising again

The tunnel today with original tiling covered

A section of the original tiling

The panels are seen by Stadium, Arena & LDO visitors using Wembley Park Station

Brent Council is to enter a new 4 year contract with Wembley City Estate Management to sell advertising space on the walls of the pedestrian underpass to Olympic Way beneath the Bobby Moore Bridge.

Wembley City Estate were the previous agent and Brent claims they submitted the best value bid that will increase Council income.  Financial details of the contract have been withheld from public scrutiny.

The historic tiling which illustrates many sports, has not been viewable for several years. The tiling is still in place but concealed beneath a dressing on which the advertising is placed. Recently this has most often been used for the London Designer Outlet or the life style luxury flats recently built in the area.

Brent says that it will be able to specify the nature of the advertising and ensure that it is line with its advertising and sponsorship code.

Brent set to approve pilot dockless bicycle hire scheme

The Brent Cabinet is set to approve a pilot dockless bicycle scheme for the borough which would last for one year before review. As the name implies dockless bikes do not require any additional infrastructure and the officer's report LINK says such a scheme would not impact on the present cash generating parking bays in the borough.

Hirers would book the bikes by mobile phone app and 'leave them in an appropriate place'. What constitutes an appropriate place is not explored. Some councils just mark a section of pavement or have special bollards mounted on the pavement.  Brent hopes to learn from the mixed experience of other councils who have already adopted similar schemes.

It is hoped that such a scheme would contribute to the London Mayor's Transport Strategy which aims that 80% of journeys by 2041 will be by foot, bike or public transport.

Call for volunteer teachers of English successful

Just before Christmas we carried an advertisement LINK asking for people to train as volunteer teachers of English for the Unite Community project that will set up classes in Brent.

Robin Sivapalan reports on the first training session:

--> We had a great teacher training session at the weekend, organised by Brent Unite Community and delivered by English for Action. 

In two days such a lot of content was covered, complex issues explored, and a strong team of colleagues formed. Nobody entered the room with no experience, and we have much to still learn as we go along. The EFA approach towards the teacher volunteers is exactly the one they encourage us to take towards the student participants: that respects prior experience, where we are all simultaneously teachers and learners at all times. 

We have one class confirmed, an intermediate class at CVS Brent, Wednesday afternoons. About 5 more are likely to be confirmed soon. Please let me know of any community groups, housing associations etc that would likely want one of our teachers to run a course with them. It is not an accredited ESOL course; it is a space for people to build confidence communicating in English in the situations where they need it; it is to create community; it is towards welcoming migrants into the local labour movement so we can campaign for social justice more united. 

If you want to become a teacher with us, we will run further training in the year. Please go check out the work English for Action are doing in the city, get involved, donate etc, as you can do with this local project in Brent too, especially by joining Unite Community, only £2.19 a month.
http://www.unitetheunion.org/growing-o…/communitymembership/