UPDATED: Brent's new website lacks direct link to local democracy and citizen engagement

 

The re-vamped Brent Council website is attractive and the link to services useful but there is a missing link that is important for active citizens who want to participate in decision making.

There is no link to 'Local Democracy'  where citizens can find details of their councillors' contacts, meeting agendas and minutes, information on how to arrange to speak at meetings, information on petitions, election timetables and results and current consultations and consultation results.

These can all be found indirectly by using the 'search' facility, although you have to get the search term right, but for ease of use and accessibility there should be a direct link.

The most common request made by Wembley Matters readers is for councillor contact information and details of consultations - Brent Council should be providing that on its landing page.

There is a feedback form on the site to help make improvements. I have completed it and this is the link if you wish to provide feedback LINK

 UPDATE:

I am grateful to Life in Kilburn for pointing out via Twitter that you can get to the information via the 'Brent Council' tab right at the top of the page next to the Search button. Not at all obvious and as there is a separate tab for 'Residents' doesn't seem to apply to them.  

 

In my opinion it should be far more prominent but this is what the 'Brent Council' tab leads to:

 

Brent Covid deaths pass the 1,000 mark while booster rates remain troubling low

 

With Brent schools struggling to cover classes due to high Covid rates amongst staff and a lack of supply teachers it is sobering to see that by February 4th the numbers of deaths from Covid had passed 1,000.

At the same time, according to BBC figures above, only 38% of the population of Brent, despite the best imaginative efforts of the NHS and Brent Public Health, had received a booster or third dose.

Omicron may generally be mild in impact but another variant could come along and 'long covid' rates are troubling.

 It isn't over yet.

Council Housing and Common Sense – Brent’s reply

 Guest post by Philip Grant in personal capacity

 

Earlier this month I sent a letter to Brent Council’s Leader and Chief Executive headed “Council Housing and Common Sense”, which was published as a guest blog. It set out my view that the Council has become too complicated in the way it seeks to provide the new Council homes that many local people need. 

 

My letter focused on two Cabinet decisions in the past six months. One was to spend at least around £48m of borrowed money to buy 155 leasehold flats in a 26-storey tower block, yet to be built on the former Alperton Bus Garage site. These would not be acquired directly from the developer, Telford Homes, but from an unidentified “Asset Special Purpose Vehicle”.

 

The block in Alperton where the 155 leasehold flats will be built.

 

The second decision was to allow a private developer to buy 152 of the 250 homes that Brent Council will be building on land that it owns at Cecil Avenue in Wembley, and sell them for profit, rather than using all 250 of those homes as affordable housing for local people who need them.

 

What the High Road frontage of Brent’s Cecil Avenue development will look like.

 

I have received a reply to my letter, from Brent Council’s Director of Finance, and this is what he has written:-

 

‘Dear Mr Grant,

 

The Council continues to increase the delivery of affordable housing for our residents through self-delivery, via the use of S106 agreements with developers and working in partnership with Registered Providers. To maximise the delivery, the Council utilises GLA subsidy to support scheme viability but this is becoming increasingly challenging. This means the Council has to explore more complex ways of delivery, one of which has been the Alperton Bus Garage Development.   

 

The development at the Alperton Bus Garage site provides a unique opportunity to purchase the affordable units in the wider development as part of a lease structure. The original proposal contained a tenure mix of 57 shared ownership units and 97 rented. By entering into this lease structure, it allows the Council to convert the shared ownership units into more affordable rented units. In this specific development, without the involvement of the Council a Registered Provider is unlikely to be able to offer the most affordable rented product due to viability limitations so the acquisition will further Brent’s key priority of providing homes that are most affordable. The lease option demonstrates value for money against our average development cost across our New Council Homes Programme of £280k per home, which includes both leasehold and freehold tenures.

 

The acquisition of the homes takes place through a lease structure that includes both the development and lease agreements. These areas of the report are exempt as they contain the following category of exempt information as specified in Paragraph 3, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, namely: “Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)".

 

The Council has undertaken due diligence with regards to the SDLT exemption for the acquisition and assumes the Council will receive the exemption given the Council is deemed to be the relevant housing provider that is controlled by its tenants and the application of GLA grant receipts meets the requirement of a qualifying public subsidy. Until this has been confirmed by HMRC on acquisition, the potential cost needs to be highlighted as a factor of the scheme’s viability. 

 

The Cecil Avenue site is part of a wider development in the Wembley Housing Zones Programme and includes the adjacent site Ujima House. This site is intended to deliver 100% affordable housing and a target of 50% across both sites. The development will also include workspace to support job creation and economic growth, community space, highway and public realm improvements and new publicly accessible open space. The Council needs to ensure the entire programme is financially viable within the GLA grant available hence the requirement for a mixed tenure development in order to subsidise the delivery of the affordable elements. The application of the funding structure available for the Alperton Bus Garage site cannot be applied to improve viability in the Wembley Housing Zone Programme to provide more affordable housing within the existing development.

 

As evidenced, the Council is committed to seek all opportunities to deliver more affordable housing within the financial viability constraints to ensure the optimum housing mix can be provided for our residents.

Regards

 

Minesh Patel

Director of Finance’

 

The main messages in this reply seem to be that the Council has to use more complex methods of funding, in order to make its Council housing schemes viable, but because this involves information relating to the Council’s financial affairs, they don’t have to explain the details to us. So much for openness and transparency!

 

 

The reply does not mention the shadowy “Asset Special Purchase Vehicle” for the Alperton acquisition, simply referring to ‘a lease structure that includes both the development and lease agreements’, which we are not allowed to know about, because that is ‘exempt information’.

 

 

The response over the Cecil Avenue homes may sound familiar. Some of it appears to be from the same source as Cllr. Butt’s recent reply to me. At least one sentence is identical, and must have been “copied and pasted”!

 

 

Parody Brent Council publicity photo for its Cecil Avenue development.

 

I still do not understand why the Cecil Avenue development, on land the Council already owns, can only be viable if just 37 of the 250 homes (just under 15%!) are made available to Council tenants at affordable rents. And why 152 of them (over 60%) have to be for the contractor, who Brent will pay to build them, to purchase for a fixed price and sell at a profit. I will continue to question that, as best I can.

 

 

Philip Grant.

Fire Safety concerns and a consultation opportunity for public, councillors & planning officers

 

The review of Fire Safety was the second item on the recent Brent Scrutiny Commitete agenda and was not as comprehensive as the Flood item.

 

A Brent council tenant who listened carefully to the discussion said:

 

The scrutiny committee did not seem to know much about the subject they were discussing with the biggest fault being they made no mention as to how residents will be involved, which was the main focus of the Building Safety bill and they failed to even mention Dame Judith Hackitt's three reports on Building Safety and the Fire Safety Act which updated the Fire Safety Order (2005.

 

Their 'experts' seemed to believe that it is only new buildings that the Building Safety bill applies to but that is not the case, as it also applies to current buildings.

 

Although they mentioned cladding, no one mentioned fire doors but to be generous the absentee technical officer might have brought them into the discussion and Cllr. Conneely tried to raise issues like fire doors but was told it was a 'housing issue'.

 

They were also vague about the training competences required but if they had read the Health & Safety reports on Building Safety led by Mr. Baker, the Regulator, they would understand that any new Inspectors would need to start from level 7 (Honours Degree) and have post grad qualifications in Fire Safety and related areas.  That is why it is so hard to find suitable candidates, as most surveyors only have an honours degree but nothing higher.

 

I could go on, but I suppose it was a start, but I would give it a 3 rating (out of 10) as the council needs to start reading all the material that has already been published, although they seem to be waiting for someone to guide them to it.

 

As Dame Hackitt said only 10% of councils are 'on the ball' e.g. Camden but unfortunately Brent is within the remaining 90%.

 Details of the proposed legislation  HERE

 

Meanwhile planning applicants, Brent Council planning officers and members of the Planning Committee as well as the public may wish to take part in this series of meetings organised by the GLA (My hgihlighting):

Consultation Opportunity – Fire Safety London Plan Guidance We are consulting on a new Fire Safety London Plan Guidance (LPG) covering London Plan Policies D12 Fire safety and D5 Inclusive design (specifically on evacuation lifts). The Fire safety LPG sets out how planning applicants should demonstrate their developments can achieve the highest standards in fire safety.  The Fire Safety LPG reiterates that the fire safety of developments needs to be considered from the outset. It is essential that fire safety measures and the evacuation strategy are integral to the overall layout and design of a development, rather than considered for the first time at the Building Control stage.  The guidance confirms that planning officers are not experts in fire safety, and therefore places the onus is on the applicant and the fire safety expert to demonstrate compliance with the London Plan fire safety policies. The consultation closes on 20 June 2022.  Online Events We’re running the following events (all online):  Wednesday 9 March – 6pm – 7pm This event is a general briefing for the general public to find out more about the new London Plan Guidance document that relate to fire safety. It is open to all and is suitable for interest groups, public campaign groups and Londoners to ask questions and find out more about the guidance.  Tuesday 15 March – 10.00am – 11.00am This session introduces the guidance document to borough planning and building officers in London. Thursday 17 March – 10.00am – 11.00am This session introduces the guidance document to fire engineers, planning consultants and building control officers in London. Tuesday 17 May – 6pm – 7pm This session is open to all to revisit the guidance and for attendees to ask any questions of the team.  Useful Links View details on the consultation and submit your response: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/implementing-london-plan/london-plan-guidance/fire-safety-lpg Sign up to attend our online events: http://londonplanguidance.eventbrite.com The London Plan 2021 can be viewed on our website: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/london-plan/new-london-plan/london-plan-2021 Any queries can be emailed to FireSafetyLPG@london.gov.uk. You can post responses to: The Planning Team, Greater London Authority, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, LONDON, E16 1ZE.  Kind regards  The London Plan and Growth Strategies Team

 

 

Walter Citrine, of the TUC and 1st Baron of Wembley - talk February 23rd

 

Ram Singh Nehra – the full story now online in one accessible document

 Guest post by Philip Grant

Regular readers may remember a short series of local history articles which Martin published last December about “a Wembley Indian in the 1930s”.

 

Ram Singh Nehra in London, c.1930. (Courtesy of Tyrone Naylor)

 

By good chance, the “Wembley Matters” blog for Part 1 was found on the internet by one of Nehra’s grandchildren, living in Canada. He provided me with some extra information and images. Some of those were used in the Part 3 article, but I was able to include more, and make some minor corrections, when preparing a single, accessible version of Ram Singh Nehra’s story for Brent Archives.

 

Ram Singh Nehra, as a newly qualified barrister in 1921. (Courtesy of Tyrone Naylor)

 

After my “Wembley Matters” articles had been shared with other members of the family, I was put in touch with two more granddaughters, and with Nehra’s daughter by his second marriage. One of the corrections I’ve had to make was how Ram Singh met his first wife, Myfanwy. He was visiting another lawyer’s office, soon after qualifying as a barrister of the Middle Temple, when they noticed that a button had come loose on his suit. The lawyer called in his secretary and asked her to sew the button back on. Ram Singh was impressed with her sewing, and with the secretary! She got to know him better, and later sailed to Mombasa to marry him.

 

Eileen Myfanwy Brazel in the early 1920s. (Courtesy of Elizabeth Sansom)

 

My articles quoted from articles which Nehra had written in a magazine he published, called “The Indian”. The full version includes several more interesting snippets, as well as illustrations from the magazine itself.

 

A cover, and a column, from “The Indian” in 1935. (Images from the internet)

 

My original article mentioned that Nehra had been an early member of The League of Coloured Peoples, founded in 1931 by the Jamaican-born doctor, Harold Moody. In the accessible version of the story, I’ve been able to include a photograph taken, at a garden party held for the League, at the Nehra’s Chalkhill Road home around 1936. Ram Singh Nehra is the man in the white suit, with Harold Moody, wearing glasses, just behind him.

 

Members of The League of Coloured Peoples at a garden party in Wembley, c.1936.
(Courtesy of Tyrone Naylor)

 

Ram Singh Nehra’s story tells us a lot about Britain and its Empire the 1930s, through the eyes of an Indian lawyer. It also shares an insight into the man himself, and his efforts to break down prejudice between races and religions, through his own example. 

 

You can find the accessible pdf on the Brent Archives local history articles Google Drive , by “clicking” on the link. I hope you will read it, and share it with others. 

 

Thank you.

Philip Grant.

Brent Half-Term activities

 

GLA Consultation on Design Guidance (London Plan)

 From the Greater London Authority (GLA)

Consultation Opportunity – Design guidance: Characterisation and growth strategies, Optimising site capacity, a design led approach; Small site design codes; and Housing design standards London Plan Guidance

We are consulting on four new pieces of London Plan Guidance (LPG) relating to design and housing quality. This is the second consultation on this guidance, which builds on the Good Quality Homes for All Londoners Guidance that was consulted on between 13 October 2020 and 15 January 2021. 

We are consulting again because we have made quite significant changes to the guidance including making it into four separate LPG. 

1. Characterisation and growth strategy LPG

This relates to the following policies in the London Plan and is used for plan-making: 

Policy D1 London’s form, character and capacity for growth Policy D2 Infrastructure requirements for sustainable densities Policy D3 Optimising site capacity through the design-led approach Policy D9 Tall buildings Policy HC1 Policy HC1 Heritage conservation and growth, and Policy SD9 (Part B) Town centres: Local partnerships and implementation

It sets out a three-stage process to survey and analyse the characteristics of areas and uses this to identify the character of different areas and define tall buildings. This is then used to support growth strategies that take account of areas’ capacity for change and capacity for growth, including areas where tall buildings might be appropriate and the heights in these locations. 

2. Optimising site capacity: a design led approach LPG

This relates to the following policies in the London Plan and is used for plan-making and directly informing planning applications: 

Policy D1 London’s form, character and capacity for growth Policy D3 Optimising site capacity through the design-led approach, and Policy D4 Delivering good design

It sets out a five-stage process for implementing the design-led approach to plan-making and the site assessments that inform specific planning applications. 

3. Small site design codes LPG

This relates to London Plan Policy H2 Small sites, parts B2 – 4, setting out a process to analyse the opportunities for small site development and prepare and implement design codes. It will be used for plan-making and directly informing planning applications. It covers relevant aspects of the National Model Design Code published in 2021 by national government. 

4. Housing design standards LPG

This relates to London Plan Policy D6 Housing quality and standards and provides a checklist of London Plan policy requirements for new build, change of use and housing conversions in one place, with appropriate cross references back to the relevant policy in the London Plan and guidance about the type of development different standards apply to. 

The new guidance will be of interest to architects, designers, planners, developers, boroughs, neighbourhood planning groups, community groups and others. 

The consultation closes on 27 March 2022. 

Online Events

We’re running the following events (all online): 

Friday 4 March – 10am – 11:30am
This event is a general briefing for the general public to find out more about the new London Plan Guidance documents that relate to design and characterisation. It is open to all and is suitable for planning agents, architects and developers to ask questions and find out more about the guidance.
Register on this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/261016205497

Friday 11 March – 10.00am – 11.30am
This session introduces the four new London Plan Guidance documents that provide guidance on design and characterisation. It is aimed at the borough officers in London, interested in design and characterisation.
Register on this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/261071370497

We are also attending three Urban Design London events on the 8th, 9th and 16th March where we will present and set out the guidance documents that are out for consultation. To sign up to these events, please sign up on the UDL website. https://www.urbandesignlondon.com/events/2021-2022/london/

Useful Links

View details on the consultation and submit your response:
https://consult.london.gov.uk/designandcharacterisationguidance

Sign up to attend our online events:
http://londonplanguidance.eventbrite.com

The London Plan 2021 can be viewed on our website:
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/london-plan/new-london-plan/london-plan-2021

Any queries can be emailed to QualityHomesLPG@london.gov.uk. You can post responses to: The Planning Team, Greater London Authority, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, LONDON, E16 1ZE. 

Kind regards 

The London Plan and Growth Strategies Team