Conservatives and Lib Dems savage childrens’ futures

Conservative Education Minister, Michael Gove, supported by his junior minister, Sarah Teather, MP for Brent Central, has withdrawn £80 million worth of funding for Brent schools under the ‘Building Schools for the Future’ (BSF) programme. The decision forms part of the Liberal Democrats ’savage cuts’ agenda announced by Nick Clegg at last year’s Lib Dem conference and being implemented by the Con Dem coalition government.

Brent has a rising school population and a shortage of school places at both primary and secondary stages. Seven of the borough’s secondary schools are in very poor condition, not fit for purpose and require urgent replacement. The first phase of the BSF Funding was to cover the rebuilding and expansion of Copland Community School, Cardinal Hinsley Catholic College, Queen’s Park Community School and Alperton Community School.

The government’s decision means that Brent will not be able to meet the demand for new school places.

Brent Labour hit the ground running since poll win

The new Labour majority, which will take charge of Brent Council following the Council’s Annual General Meeting, has already taken a number of steps to improve the lives of local people.

In addition to the scrapping of the unpopular £25 charge for bulky refuse collection, Labour will:

* Cancel the sale of the Scout Hut at Oliver Goldsmith School in Fryent ward;
* Seek to cancel the sale of land at Barham Park, on which the previous administration had sought to build a block of flats;
* Bring forward plans for new youth facilities in Chalkhill;
* Bring forward an urgent report on the health and safety issues relating to the dining facility at Byron Court Primary School;
* Investigate sharing services with neighbouring councils in order to achieve the savings needed to avoid cuts in front line services;
* Ensure that low paid staff are protected during the difficult financial times which lie ahead.

The Leader of Brent Council, Councillor Ann John, said: “It is important that we deliver on the promises we made during the election campaign and we will continue to make progress as quickly as we can.

Tribute to Brent Labour stalwart, Dai Davies

Our friend and comrade, Dai, a stalwart of his union and the Brent Labour Party over many decades, has just died. It is fitting that we remember his contribution to Brent education, society and politics.

Son of a Welsh miner, Dai began his teaching and political career soon after coming to London in the 1950s, where he joined the Communist Party. He met his Australian wife, Monica, who became his lifelong partner in the struggle for teachers’ rights and socialism. Fortunately for us, the Australian government refused him entry because of his CP membership. In those ‘Cold War’ days, card-carrying members of the CP, were also banned from promotion to headships of schools, which energised Dai into the campaign to remove the ban.

Dai was a leading figure in the Brent Teachers Association for many years, in which role he helped to negotiate some of the best teacher/pupil ratios in the country, as well as premium terms and conditions for all teachers.

Brent Labour’s landslide reflects borough’s diversity

Dumpers’ Charter to be scrapped promises Labour.

Labour has taken power in Brent following a landslide victory in the local elections. Labour made a staggering nineteen gains winning seats in wards like Barnhill, Northwick Park, Preston and Sudbury for the first time ever. Casualties of the Labour tide included Lib Dem Education Chief, Bob Wharton, veteran Tory councillor Irwin Van Colle and the Mayor of the borough, Jim O’Sullivan.

The new Labour group of councillors is the most representative in the history of the borough, 57.5% are of African, African-Caribbean and Asian heritage and 7.5% were born in Ireland. Councillors from the Somali and Tamil communities have been elected for the first time. Labour’s councillors include representatives of all major faith groups including Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish. 40% of Labour’s councillors are women including, of course, the Leader of Council, Councillor Ann M John, OBE.

Brent Labour promises free parking for local people

Local resident Mary Daly who lives in Northwick Avenue Kenton was one of the latest victims of Brent Council’s rapacious parking enforcement officers when her car was clamped in a council owned car park in Wembley on Saturday 10th April. Mrs Daly arrived in the car park at 12:55, clamped at 13:03 and was forced to pay a £90.00 fine to release her car.

Mrs Daly said: “This is nothing to do with the environment but the Liberal Democrats simply want to commit highway robbery wherever they can. Motorists are the victims of a punitive and unreasonable tax”.

Labour is committed to free parking for the first hour in all council owned car parks to encourage ‘local shopping for local people’.

Stonebridge left in the dark after Lib Dems cut lighting budget

Poor lighting can lead to more street crime.

The Leader of Brent Council’s Labour Opposition, Cllr Ann M John, OBE, who represents Stonebridge Ward has written to the Chief Executive and Director of Environment about the poor quality of street lighting in Stonebridge in general and Sapphire Road in particular. Cllr John has been lobbied by Hillside Housing Association, which has repeatedly contacted the Council about the poor quality of street lighting only to be told that, whilst the Council accepts that the lighting is inadequate there is no money in the budget to upgrade it.

Meanwhile, Cllr John had first-hand experience of the effects of poor street lighting when she tripped on a poorly lit and uneven pavement outside the Hillside Hub on Monday 8 March and broke her wrist. She is now unable to drive and will have her arm in a sling for at least six weeks.

Glenda Jackson slams Brent Lib Dems for closure of Kilburn ‘In2 Work’ centre

Local Labour MP Glenda Jackson and Kilburn ward Labour councillor Mary Arnold have attacked the Brent Lib Dems for closing yet another community facility in Kilburn after the Council announced it is shutting Kilburn’s Brent In2 Work centre in Malvern Road.

The In2 Work programme has assisted thousands of local people to find work. However, the Lib Dem Council are to cut the Kilburn centre whilst retaining parts of the programme based in the north of the borough.

As with most of the Lib Dem cuts starting with the swingeing increases in care charges for elderly people, the 143% increase in the cost of burying children and the new charges for bulky refuse collection, it is the poorest who will suffer most from their “savage cuts”.

Councillor Mary Arnold, said:

“Labour is campaigning with the centre’s users to fight the cut and keep it open.

Brent Lib Dems lack the grit to deal with big freeze

Lib Dem and Tory controlled Brent Council is rapidly running out of grit to deal with the wintry conditions on Brent’s roads and pavements. The Council’s Head of Environmental Management has admitted that ‘grit stock levels are now at a very critical level’ and ‘We are treating a reduced network of priority roads’.

Meanwhile all refuse and recycling collections have been suspended and will not return to normal until 18 January. In some parts of the borough residents have not had their refuse collected since Christmas Eve.

Labour has tabled a motion for the next council meeting (25 January) calling for a report on how the Council’s response to adverse weather conditions can be improved in the future.

Council grit bins providing grit for local residents had already run out by last weekend.

It’s snow joke, Brent Lib Dems fail to show grit

Opposition Labour councillors have been deluged with complaints from constituents about the treacherous state of pavements and road surfaces following recent snow falls in Brent. The situation is particularly bad in hilly areas of the borough like Kingsbury. Labour Leader Councillor Ann John, who lives in Meadowbank Road, Kingsbury nearly fell over on two occasions yesterday whilst out delivering Christmas cards in Kingsbury’s bungalow estate.

Councillor John has received complaints from her constituents in Stonebridge ward and Councillor Janice Long’s road in Willesden Green was not gritted until after the snow had fallen whilst neighbouring roads in that area were not gritted at all.

Councillor John said: “Everybody knew it was going to snow last week yet Brent Council failed to grit most of the roads across the borough.

Victory for Brent Labour’s campaign to save Welsh Harp Park

Welsh Harp Labour councillors Harry Singh and Mary Farrell, supported by local Labour Action Team members Dhiraj Kataria and Roxanne Mashari, and Brent South’s Labour MP Dawn Butler, have won their campaign to save the Welsh Harp Open Space from housing development.

At its meeting on 16 December, Brent Council’s Planning Committee rejected the proposal to build 71 dwellings on the site of the Greenhouse Garden Centre in Birchen Grove adjacent to the Welsh Harp Park. Labour is also opposing similar proposals on the Barnet side of the park. Labour Opposition Leader, Cllr Ann John, OBE and Navin Shah, who represents local people on the London Assembly were amongst those who attended the Planning Committee to speak against the proposals.

Labour led the campaign, co-ordinating objections and launching a petition, which was signed by over 400 local residents.