Olympic Torch Relay – 25th July

The Torch Relay arrives at the Brent border with Harrow at 10 am on 25th July and will travel along Harrow Road, Wembley High Road, the Stadium, and up to Kingsbury via Brent Town Hall to leave the borough into Barnet at 12:15. 

Brent and the Olympics

With Brent involved in hosting some Olympic events, there will be some travel disruption. Between Saturday 28 July and Sunday 12 August, thousands of visitors will travel to Wembley to watch the football at the Stadium and badminton and rhythmic gymnastics at the Arena. Brent web pages have information regarding travel advice and latest news on the Games:

http://www.brent.gov.uk/london2012.nsf/Pages/LBB-17

Free bulky waste collection online

Brent Council now allows you to order its free bulky waste collection service online.  Abolishing the charge for this service (introduced by the Tories and Lib Dems in 2007) was one of our key election pledges in 2010. Allowing people to access the service via the Internet is an essential part of trying to modernise the Council.  Increasing the number of online interactions cuts costs, shortens queues for those who really need face to face or telephone contact and is the preferred method of contact for many people in any case. I have tried it - and it worked!

New Brent logo

This is Brent Council's new modern logo. Not sure I like it. The authority has revealed the new look to replace the old crest used since 1965 when the council was first established.

Highways major works programme

Every year I submit sites for independent inspection for replacement footway paving and resurfacing of road ways.  Some sites, such as Bertie Road, have been submitted every year as needing footway upgrades.  Even with funds of over £2m this year, it will take a number of years to catch up with repair needs as our budget for this is so limited.  This year only three Willesden Green road ways on the resurfacing list: Beaconsfield Road, part of Chapter Road (from 244 to Park Avenue) and St Andrews Road.  TfL will be funding principle road resurfacing: High Road (Dudden Hill Lane to Huddlestone) and Walm Lane (Station Parade to High Road).  No upgrades to Willesden pavements which is a real disappointment.

School exclusions in Brent 2010-2011

Permanent or temporary exclusions from school are rightly of concern to residents. It is to the credit to our school managers and teachers that Brent has a good record for dealing with the issue.  The total number of Brent resident pupils excluded from in and out-Borough schools was at its lowest (49) for more than ten years.

Permanent exclusions from Brent schools have continued to fall by 17% compared to 09-10 and by 37% compared to 08-09;

Permanent exclusions from Brent secondary schools fell to 35, a reduction of 17% compared to 09-10 and 38% compared to 08-09;

Permanent exclusions from Brent primary schools remained low at 4; 

     The most common reasons for exclusions from Brent schools were physical assault against a pupil (10/39) and persistent disruptive behaviour (9/39);

     Number of pupils with Statements of SEN excluded from Brent schools: 2;

     Number of Looked After Children excluded from Brent schools: 1.

Above planning rules?

It appears that our MP, Sarah Teather, has moved offices without the benefit of planning permission for the change of use (from chemist shop) and the installation of an illuminated sign. Both are required, especially within a conservation area. Naughty Lib Dems!

Festivals and events this summer

As this is both the Queen's Jubilee and  Olympics year, special events are being planned.


Brent Celebrates the Flame on Wednesday 25 July 2012, King Edward V11 Park, Park Lane,Wembley. Celebrate the Olympic torch relay passing through the borough. This park event is expected to attract a family audience of about 4,000 people.(Residents encouraged to take picnics and to watch performances.)


Brent Celebrates the Diamond Jubilee, Sunday 3 June 2012, Arena Square, Wembley (Residents encouraged to take picnics and to enjoy a fun afternoon watching performers and visiting stalls)       


Brent Celebrates a Golden Summer, Sunday 9 September 2012, Gladstone Park (Free event to celebrate the events of the summer and looks ahead to beyond the Olympic period). 

Small team of officers now ready to assist organisations plan and deliver their own festivals. A safety board established to monitor plans for events and security/safety aspects. 

Ward Working

Our budget session on Monday was as expected mostly an announcements of efficiencies and reduced services, so it was a pleasant surprise to hear that Ward Working funds would be doubled to £40,000 per ward.  This scheme is very popular with councillors as it enables them to work with residents to make small improvements in the wards. So it was with some surprise that the Lib Dem budget proposals suggested scrapping the scheme entirely. Clearly the group had changed their minds or had forgotten this positive reference in their 2006 election manifesto, when the scheme was known as Neighbourhood Working :


"We have successfully rolled out the Neighbourhood Working scheme, supporting 155 local projects for residents. Our scheme has allowed local councillors to invest £1.5 million in a wide range of local projects such as CCTV, sports and leisure provision for local youth groups, redevelopment of library gardens, personal alarms for vulnerable residents and creative writing courses."

Blast from the past

Always enjoyed using pithy quotes when writing essays. Found these from my past and recognise some relevance to being a councillor and attempting change.


There is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, that to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all who profit by the old order. This luke-warmness arises partly from fear of their adversaries, who have law in their favour, and partly from the incredulity of mankind who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it. (Machiavelli)

We trained very hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form into teams, we would be reorganised. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet every new situation by reorganising; and a wonderful method it is for creating illusions of progress, whilst producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralisation. (Caius Petronius, AD66)