Brent faces up to the challenge to plan for the next 20 years - details of report going to Full Council on November 25th

Brent Council, with partners, has faced up to the formidable challenge of devising an 'Inclusive Growth Strategy' for the next 20 years.

The report on the Strategy which is to be discussed at Full Council on November 25th  states:

The Inclusive Growth Strategy (IGS) is a long term strategy that identifies choices available to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of growth over the next 20 years. Broader in scope than a Regeneration Strategy, the IGS is supported by a detailed evidence base drawn up in-house by officers across all the council service areas, with early support provided by the LSE Cities programme. The IGS builds on the medium term Borough Plan and takes a longer term scan of the horizon of different futures. Headline growth trends and impacts considered in the IGS include: 

Brent’s population projected to grow 17% and reach 400,000 people by 2040

Brent’s population over 80 years old projected to double by 2040

Automation placing a third of jobs in Brent at higher risk

Employment growth in creative and circular economies 

Rise of older workers driving demand for retraining and flexible employment 

Increasing housing unaffordability, as house prices outstrip wage growth 

Private renters increasing to be 40% of London’s households by 2025 

Growing water demand and widening deficit versus available water supply

Sewer capacity at critical levels by 2050 in north and west parts of Brent 

Transformation of Brent’s energy mix to reach zero carbon by 2050 – requiring fossil fuel use reduction of 80% and increased renewable energy use of 500% 

Ageing population, obesity levels and increased risks for black and minority ethnic groups, driving even higher levels of diabetes in Brent’s population 

Continued decline in traditional retail and greater high street diversification

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The full report with an attached Action Plan is a hefty 73 pages and embedded below for convenience. Click bottom right square for full page view.

Brent Council and Vaillant Boilers leave disabled pensioner out in the cold for a week

John Healy, a disabled pensioner living in a Brent Council property on the South Kilburn Estate has found himself without heating  for a week. Both Brent Council and Vaillant Boilers failed to look after his well-being after his boiler broke down last Friday. He is still waiting for the repair.

John told Wembley Matters:

My boiler broke down last Friday night and Brent's engineer said I needed a new pump. He told me  I had to contact the Council  on Monday which I did.

Vallant who supplied my boiler made an appointment for me last Wednesday but they never showed.  They made another appointment for today but they failed to show up again.

I visited the Kilburn HUB on Wednesday  saying I wanted to make a complaint against the Council but they told me I could not make one.

I rang the Council around 4pm the same day (Wednesday) but again they said I could not make a complaint against the council but I could make one against Vaillant.

I have asked Vaillant twice to send me a copy of their complaints form but they have not sent  it to me.  Instead they are trying to put the blame on me by suggesting that my hearing impairment is the problem.

So today I made an on-line complant to Brent Council.  

In conclusion, I am a disabled pensioner who needs his home to be warm and going without any heating or hot water for over a week has made me ill.

UPDATE via email  from John sent at 18.27 (2 hours after this story was published and tweeted)

Oakray have offered me an appointment for next Monday morning and they say they have their own parking permits for the council car park next to my block.

Still that will be 10 days without any heating or hot water but hopefully it will not be for any longer.

Introducing your Green Party candidates for Brent Central and Brent North

William Relton making the case for  the Green Party in Willesden Green

My name is William Relton. I am honoured and delighted to have been selected as the candidate for the Green Party in Brent Central. This really is the most important election for decades. The timing is not right for a proper General Election on the broader issues concerning most people up and down the country, which is how a General Election should work. This election will be forever remembered as the Brexit election. Just as Caroline Lucas has been campaigning ever since the ’16 referendum, we really should have had a proper People’s Choice referendum before this election. However, Parliament, or at least the two largest parties, has decided that we should have an election now, so here we are.

This will be a very important election for the smaller parties. People have really begun to realise that our two party, first past the post system, just doesn’t work anymore. A total reform of our electoral system is urgently needed. A vote for the smaller parties is a step in the right direction towards Proportional Representation, a system that the vast majority of modern democracies use. The Lib Dems are still badly tainted by their record in the coalition government with the Tories. A vote for the Green Party will help support a movement for a fairer, cleaner, happier Britain. Please do vote for me, William Relton, Green Party, Brent Central on December 12.

Secondary school teacher Simon Rebbitt

My name is Simon Rebbitt. I am a secondary school teacher of History and Geography and the Green Party’s candidate for Brent North. I have lived in Brent for the last ten years and have taught in comprehensive schools in this community all that time. The things that are important to me I believe are important to all of us: the huge rents that stop people moving onto the property ladder, the general cost of living and especially transport costs. They affect me and they affect you too. First and foremost, as the representative for Brent I would want to make sure these concerns are known in Parliament. 

As a Green Party member, I care about the environment yes, but then again, I haven’t ever met anyone who doesn’t. We all want a healthy world we can leave for our children. That doesn’t mean banning all cars or forcing everyone to become vegans, it means finding workable solutions that can make us make positive changes to our lifestyles. But right now, the biggest distraction is Brexit. The leave result was a crude answer to a complicated set of problems championed by pandering politicians looking to advance their careers at the cost of everybody else. I first joined the Greens when I saw how impotently Corbyn tried to oppose the Leave campaign. The Green Party opposes division, it stands for unity, for the planet and for its people. I stand with them and for Brent now and for the future.

Green Party withdraws nomination for Harrow East

Emma Wallace, the Green Party candidate for the marginal Harrow East constituency has withdrawn her nomination. The controversial Conservative and Modi supporter, Robert Blackman, is the Conservative candidate in a three way contest with Pamela Fitzpatrick, Labour and Adam Bernard, Liberal Democrat.

This is tonight's statement from Emma:

The reasons I have chosen to stand down in Harrow East include this being a unique, snap General Election where tactical candidacy withdrawal in a number of constituencies has been necessary. This is not part of the 'Unite to remain' Green Party, Lib Dem and Plaid Cymru electoral pact. As Harrow East has been identified as one of the 44 key marginals, with only 1700 between the current Conservative incumbent and Labour in the last election, I do not want to split the left vote further. With Nigel Farage announcing the withdrawal of half of his Brexit Party candidates to ensure a Conservative majority, it is even more important that the left work together to prevent the hard right takeover of government. 

Bob Blackman's divisive stance and appalling record of voting, including the rejection of measures to tackle climate change, being against gay and human rights, not supporting fair increases in welfare benefits and voting for reducing central funding for local government, with Harrow being one of the worst cut areas, we believe we give voters the best opportunity to vote against him through the withdrawal of Green candidacy. 

Whilst there are a number of differences between the Labour party and the Green party, we believe Pamela Fitzpatrick is a progressive voice, one that is committed to working with the local Harrow East community and standing up for all their best interests. We hope to work with her towards securing proportional representation and the implementation of a Green New Deal. Until we have a fair electoral system, where individual votes truly represent what people vote for, we are required to participate in such tactical practices.

Emma Wallace
Harrow Green Party

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The 2017 Result:

General Election candidates for Brent Central, Brent North and Hampstead & Kilburn

These are the candidates standing for the General Election in Brent constituencies following the close of nominations: (Alphabetical order)

BRENT CENTRAL
David Brescia (Conservative Party)
Dawn Butler (Labour Party)
William Relton (Green Party)
Deborah Unger (Liberal Democrats)

BRENT NORTH
Noel Coonan (Independent)
Barry Gardiner (Labour Party)
Elcena Jeffers (Independent)
Paul Lorber (Liberal Democrat)
Suzie O'Brien (Brexit Party)
Anjana Patel (Conservative Party)
Simon Rebbitt (Green Party)

HAMPSTEAD & KILBURN (Shared with Camden)
Johnny Luk (Conservative Party)
James Pointon (Brexit Party)
Matt Sanders (Liberal Democrats)
Tulip Siddiq (Labour Party)
David Stansell (Green Party)

LBOC 2020 - Will we be allowed to see the Bobby Moore Bridge tile murals next year?

The east side of the subway, with new illuminated panels and one mural scene displayed, 5 Nov. 2019.

Guest post by Philip Grant

I have written a number of guest blogs about the Bobby Moore Bridge tile murals in the past year, including one saying ‘now you see them, soon you won’t.’ LINK  For those who are interested, I am trying to get Quintain and the Council to let you see at least some of the murals for a few months during Brent’s year as London Borough of Culture 2020.

Last weekend, I wrote to Quintain’s recently appointed Cultural Director for Wembley Park Arts, Josh McNorton LINK , setting out my suggestions for how the murals (or full size images of them) could be put on display. To make this happen would involve working with the Council, so I have now sent a pdf copy of my letter to Brent’s Chief Executive, Carolyn Downs, with copies to the Lead Member for Culture, the Artistic Director for LBOC 2020 and other officers and councillors who should be interested. This is my letter to Josh McNorton:

(I believe that the photograph of the east wall murals, on page 3 of my letter, is the work of local photographer Amanda Rose.)

In my email to Ms Downs I have said:

‘As you are aware, from previous discussions with representatives of Wembley History Society, the murals are a Council-owned public work of art, specially commissioned for the subway between Wembley Park Station and Olympic Way in 1993. They colourfully celebrate a wide range of sports and entertainment events held at the stadium and arena. They are a heritage asset, reflecting the cultural history of Wembley Park, which deserves to be seen again by residents and visitors during our year as London Borough of Culture.

I hope that you will forward this email and attachment to the officers and councillors who need to be involved, and encourage them to work with Wembley Park Arts / Quintain to ensure that the murals are displayed during 2020, and that the Council and LBOC 2020 actively publicise when they will be on display, so that as many people as possible can enjoy seeing them.’

The mural scene showing footballers and the old ”twin towers” stadium is now back on display, after six years of being covered-up. That will be of interest to thousands of fans coming to the stadium for Euro 2020 matches and other games, but there is far more to Wembley Park’s sports and entertainment heritage than just football.


I know that there are a number of Brent councillors who would like to see all, or at least as many as possible, of the tile murals displayed next year. I hope that they will use their best efforts to ensure that this happens. But whether we will see the tile murals again for a time during 2020 remains an open question

Give Brent Council your ideas on how we can combat climate change in the borough

Brent Council is going to set up a Climate Assembly following its declaration of a Climate Emergency. It has launched a website to  collect residents' views on what can be done in the borough.
Comments on link below should be sent in by November 17th. There were only 66 comments at the time of writing.

Extract from the website LINK

How can we work together to limit climate change and its impact while protecting our environment, our health and our wellbeing? Consider the council, businesses and organisations, individuals.

Have a read of how councils, businesses and other organisations, and individuals can help limit climate change and its impact and then let us know what you think at the bottom of this page.

Climate Action at Home:

There are 121,250 homes in Brent, of which 41% are owner occupied, 37% private rented and 22% social rented. These contribute 43% of Brent’s carbon emissions.
72% of these emissions are from gas and 27% is from electricity use.
Carbon emissions from households in Brent fell by 35% between 2005 and 2017.
Save energy by switching off lights and appliances when not in use and reduce, reuse and recycle your waste.
If you are lucky enough to own your own home and want to reduce your carbon emissions, you could:

• Check your loft and cavity walls are properly insulated
• Look into installing solar panels
• Consider replacing gas boilers and hobs with greener alternatives
• Install a water butt. Use the rain you collect to water your plants, clean your car and wash your windows

Household lifestyle decisions can also make a big difference to carbon emissions. Walking, cycling or using public transport instead of using a car will reduce transport related emissions and improve local air quality. What you eat, buy, wear and the choices you make about flying all have a big impact - more about these in the About the Climate Assembly section.

Climate action in my neighbourhood:

In our neighbourhoods other sources of carbon emissions include buildings such as businesses, institutions and schools. These non-domestic buildings in Brent account for 34% of our emissions, 61% of this from electricity use 30% gas, and 9% other fuels.

Carbon emissions from non-domestic buildings in Brent fell by 41% between 2005 and 2017.
The council is currently exploring how it can increase its support for businesses and other institutions to help them reduce their emissions and to help grow the green economy in Brent.
Low energy lighting, insulation for older buildings, renewable energy systems, community energy projects and zero carbon new development can all help reduce carbon emissions at a neighbourhood level.

Road transport accounts for approximately 23% of the carbon emissions in the Borough. Reductions to transport emissions also have a major positive impact on local air quality via non-climate related emissions such as nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. Driving less by walking, cycling and taking public transport more often is the best way to reduce your carbon emissions.

Climate Action by the Council:

Our council buildings, street lighting and vehicle fleet contribute just 1% to Brent’s overall emissions. Our Civic Centre is one of the greenest buildings of its type and we have the most energy efficient street lighting in London. We are reviewing our fleet to see how we can lower emissions from our vehicles.

CO2 emissions from the council’s non-housing estate and operations have seen a reduction of 56% from April 2010 to March 19. Our target is to reduce by 60% by 2021 and we are assessing how we can achieve net zero carbon by 2030.

Read more about green initiatives by Brent Council in the second half of the About the Climate Assembly section.

USEFUL COMMENT

FoE are doing surveys of LAs and the key issues that they have identified for Brent are:

1. Tree cover. As a built up area we have challenges with this. At the moment we have 3% tree cover. The best result for a comparable area is 13%. In Greater Manchester they are doing a survey of all existing trees and identifying every potential site for planting more. Worth looking into what they are doing and seeing if we can do the same.

2. Transport. Planning with TFL for integrated public transport beyond the tubes. How do we reduce car use and the space taken up by cars? This is often a precondition for increased cycle use. Can we try out "mini Holland" schemes like those in Walthamstow - which have reduced car use in residential areas and not had a displacement effect onto main roads. Can we roll out School Streets more broadly? Currently 68% of commuter journeys are by public transport. can we get that up to 80% by 2030?

3. Housing. At the moment 41% of Brent homes are well insulated. The private rented sector is likely to be the main problem here and this will require national legislation for minimum standards - which will require a change of government. Can the council work with the GLA to retrofit existing social housing and build new council housing to passivhaus standards on the model of the RIBA award winning Goldsmith St development in Norwich? Fitting solar panels and heat pumps at the same time would help generate more renewable energy - and - because they are right there - cut out the waste involved in transmission through the grid. If there is a change of government this will be financed through the Green Industrial Revolution programme. 

4. Renewable energy. Brent currently has 3 megawatts of renewable energy available. The best similar local council areas have 28 megawatts. What are they doing and how could we do it? Can we make sure that all public buildings are insulated and fitted with renewable energy? Schools could be particularly important here as an exemplar.

5. Waste. 37% of household waste in Brent is reused, recycled or composted. Litter is one of the most visible expressions of a wasteful society with no collective self respect. The key thing here is to reduce the materials at source - so there's less of it to start with. 

6. Education. We need a review of the national curriculum to make it fit for purpose in retooling society to combat climate change. That requires a change of government and/or a massive campaign to that effect. The LA can help by organising cross borough insets on different aspects of sustainability education that can be built into the limited curriculum we have now. A review of apprenticeships available in the borough, so there are more on the skills we need to make the transition.

Northwick Park and Central Middlesex hospitals still require improvement - some child services 'Inadequate'

The Care Quality Commission inspected the London NW University Healthcare NHS Trust, which covers Central Middlesex Hospital and Northwick Park Hospital, in the summer.  The report has now been published and makes worrying reading.

Of most concern will be the red light 'Inadequate rating' for three areas of Services for Children and Young People at Central Middlesex Hospital.

The Commission said:

·       We found a lack of clarity over where the overall responsibility and accountability of children and young people services lies within Central Middlesex Hospital. We also found a lack of clarity for how and where this service feeds into the trust. 

·       Governance in children and young people services at Central Middlesex Hospital was weak. The risk register for the recovery ward was out of date. There was a lack of up to date policies and associated audits demonstrating that the care being delivered was compliant [with] national standards and best practice. We were not assured that the service was guided or supported via a paediatric surgical network. 

·       There was no clear evidence that areas from the last inspection for children and young people services had been addressed or necessary improvements made. 

·       In medical care, risks were mitigated and managed but there had been limited action to address risks directly.

·       The senior leadership team for medical care at Central Middlesex Hospital recognised the sometimes poor relationship between its staff and local authority staff, but there had been no action to address this

There were many issues regarding safety. The report says:

·       Our rating of safe stayed the same. We rated it as requires improvement because: 

·       The trust provided mandatory training in key skills however there was some confusion among midwifery staff as to the correct length of mandatory training and its content. Compliance rates for mandatory training and safeguarding training were below trust targets in the surgical services at Northwick Park Hospital and Central Middlesex Hospital. Not all clinical staff in children and young people services at Central Middlesex Hospital caring for children were trained to safeguarding level three however, plans were in place to ensure all staff received this training. 

·       In medical care at Central Middlesex Hospital, some staff did not always report incidents and, in particular, near misses. 

·       The trust did not always control infection risk well. Hand hygiene was not consistently being undertaken in maternity services. In children and young people services, the Rainbow Unit at Central Middlesex Hospital was found to be untidy and we could not be assured that children’s toys were regularly cleaned. 

·       Due to capacity issues in the emergency department at Northwick Park Hospital, patients were still being cared for on trolleys in the corridor which meant private conversations could be overheard. 

·       At our last inspection we found that the clinical decisions unit (CDU) was being used inappropriately to treat level two patients. Whilst the service assured us that this was no longer the case we did find that the area was being used as overflow for patients requiring inpatient beds and patients within the CDU could be there for over four hours and sometimes up to three days. In children and young people services at Central Middlesex Hospital, staff we spoke with in Recovery Stage One told us that children were cared for in a mixed four bedded recovery bay with adults. 

·       Staff at Central Middlesex Hospital did not use a nationally recognised tool to identify deteriorating patients, such as Paediatric Early Warning Signs (PEWS) or a validated acuity score system to assess patients. We were told that not all medical staff had European Paediatric Life Support (EPLS) or Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) training. There was no paediatrician available on-site at Central Middlesex Hospital. Staff had to refer to the consultant of the day or week, who was based at a different hospital in the trust. Some staff were not aware of this arrangement. 

·       Some medicine storage areas did not meet national guidance for security for controlled drugs in the Northwick Park surgical service. 

However:

• Mandatory training compliance rates at Northwick Park and Ealing emergency departments had improved. Staff monitored patients who were at risk of deteriorating appropriately.

 The Commission fournd 'Outstandin Practice' in Urgent and Emergency Care at Northwick Park Hospital:

In Urgent and emergency care at Northwick Park Hospital-

The department had developed a patient sepsis video for parents whose children attend the paediatric emergency department with a fever or suspected infection. The video was a four minute video aiming to educate parents about the warning signs to look out for sepsis. 

The department had done a rotational shift with the local mental health trust. The purpose of this was for staff to get an ideas how the other service was run, learn and share knowledge and understanding to improve the way they worked together.

FULL REPORT HERE

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