Current casework from residents as of 12/10/2014

Access to telephone service for parking issues.

Penalty notices on suspended parking bays.

Landlord and environmental issues, Cooper Road.

Information sought from Brent Police Commander re manning for Willesden Green.

Tree needing pruning in Chaplin Road.

"Working on" Projects

Signage and parking controls for Grunwick Close.

Lights for cultural centre tree – liaison with Galliford Try for winter months lighting.

ASB and dumping in Villiers and Chaplin Roads (with co-councillors).

Future of former police station (awaiting planning application).

Planning enforcement issues: Churchmead Road, Walm Lane.

Use of "Pay Back" team to clear garden area by bus stop, Dudden Hill Lane/Meyrick Road junction.

Dispersal order – Unity Close.

Environmental issues, Gowan Road.

Landlord and environmental issues, Cooper Road.

Monitoring planning applications for Kings Rd and High Road.

CCTV at No. 8 Hostel

A local bar and hostel in Willesden has been ordered to install CCTV outside and hire bouncers following a series of violent fights involving its drinkers.  The new requirements follow a review of their licence by the Council following a request by the police. The alcohol and entertainment licensing sub-committee heard on July 31 this year a drinker was glassed in the face and other incidents included a reveller being punched several times during a brawl.Under the new rules the bar must have a CCTV camera installed to cover the main entrance and an additional one for the point of access at Churchmead Road. Other conditions include storing CCTV records, employ at least two Security Industry Authority approved door supervisors (one female) to stand guard from 9pm when the venue is open past midnight.  The decision comes one month after The Lounge, in Park Royal, was stripped of its licence after a man was shot and a second one injured on its doorstep during foam party at the venue. Following the incident, Chief Supt Mike Gallagher, Brent Police borough’s commander, pledged to increase scrutiny into licensed premises in the borough.

New Cultural Centre - Parking review

Have just been informed of Transportation's forward planning for the CPZ areas around the Cultural Centre:

"The review is planned to be undertaken approximately six months after the Centre opens, to give it time to bed in and start hosting regular events.  This will ensure that when we consult with residents and businesses, their responses will be based upon a true picture of the parking impact of the Centre, thus avoiding the scenario whereby a review is undertaken on a partly operational Centre, that would then have to be repeated at a future date as the Centre becomes more fully utilised.

The review is likely to focus on the operational hours of the CPZ in nearby streets in zones GC, GH, GS, KS and the High Road itself, particularly with regard to evenings and weekends, to provide greater protection for residents at those times if required.  If hours are altered, existing parking permits would continue to be valid over the revised operational times, but residents of the new flats within the development will not be eligible to apply for such permits as this is a permit free development with on-site parking."

Registering landlords

Casework can include visiting residents at home. I am often appalled at the awful places where some families live in small and often sub-standard accommodation. Where I can, I have reported these poor conditions. Developers and landlords are often greedy, packing in extra tenants and charging excessive rents. It seems that developers and landlords are kings in the current housing market, but there are ways to stop the worst offenders. At Harrow Court, for example, a landlord was ordered to pay more than £160,000 after being convicted of illegally converting the property into flats. She was told to pay a confiscation order of just under £159,000 - a slice of the amount she received in rent payments - for the unlawful renovation of the site into 10 separate dwellings and had a fine of £3,500. In Willesden, I have found and reported a 6-flat building converted to eleven flats. = Brent council wants to ensure the quality of accommodation in the borough, so a pilot scheme to register landlords is being undertaken in parts of Brent including Willesden. Licensing schemes for landlords of "Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO's)" are already in place. The pilot scheme will register other properties, properly converted and managed. The other side of the pilot is enforcing action against the landlords providing sub-standard accommodation.

Steel pan concert

The St Michael and All Angels Church (Stonebridge) Youth Music Project has been running for almost 18 years, involving skilled players teaching young people to play steel pan. The project aims to deliver the opportunity to raise their self esteem and develop essential life-long skills to improve their academic and employability potential. They run an annual four week Summer Music Project, ending with an evening concert where the young people demonstrate and share their learning with family, friends and the local community. A wonderful concert. They are truly expert in their playing!

Being Deputy Mayor

Only two months in as Brent's Deputy Mayor and am really enjoying it. Have attended 15 events to date, visiting a number of settings and meeting a wide variety of people. Most notable was the launch party for the Notting Hill Carnival, the grand opening of the splendid Kingsbury Mandir and the laying of the stone in Lechmere Road, Willesden to commemorate the Victoria Cross (VC) awarded to Charles Ernest Garforth for his bravery in saving fellow soldiers from attack in the first World War. Charles Garforth was born at 19 Chaplin Road, Willesden, and was one of the first to receive this the highest medal for bravery. A ceremony included army officers, councillors, members of Charles Garforth's family and a very special visitor, Sgt Beharry, the only living recipient of the VC for bravery in Iraq. I was pleased to have had a long conversation with Sgt Beharry. Being Deputy Mayor has opened up some very interesting experiences!

Recent councillor casework

Current casework from residents as of 11/8/2014

Relocation of bus stop, Pound Lane

Tree problem in gardens, Chapter Road and Gowan Road

Fly tip in Willesden Lane

Environmental issues, Gowan Road

Neighbour dispute, Chapter Road

Landlord and environmental issues, Cooper Road

Noisy neighbours, Churchmead Road

Overgrown garden, Chaplin Road

"Working on" Projects

Signage for Grunwick Close
Lights in cultural centre tree – liaison with Galliford Try for winter months lighting

ASB in Villiers and Chaplin Roads (with co-councillors)

Future of former police station (awaiting planning application)

Planning enforcement issues: Churchmead Road, Walm Lane

Council tax enforcement: Litchfield Gardens
Use of "Pay Back" team to clear garden area by bus stop, Dudden Hill Lane/Meyrick Road junction

Cheaper street parties

Hosting street parties in Brent have been been made cheaper after Brent Council approved plans to reduce the fee. Members voted in favour of proposals which will see the charge to hold special events slashed to £200. The cost of holding commemorative functions had previously totalled to more than £1,300. The council reviewed the process and requirements for road closures, including removing the need to place expensive advertisements and notices in the local press, enabling the fee to be significantly reduced. Under these new rules, the time it takes to process permission for street parties will also be reduced from 8 weeks to just 6 weeks. The council has listened to residents who have asked for ways that they can hold more of these events.  We hope to see lots of street parties and special events in Brent in the future.

Walm Lane clean up

Congratulations to Deborah Mahs and the rest of the Willesden Town Team for organising this clean up. 30+ residents, with brooms and brushes and water provided by the fire brigade, gave Walm Lane shop fronts a very welcome 'wash and brush up', supported by Veolia and London Transport staff and local shopkeepers. The event highlighted that while the council has a duty to keep streets clean, whether we live, work or just pass through an area, we have a responsibility to respect neighbourhoods and not to litter the streets. We hope there will be similar events in other parts of Willesden.

Taxicard scheme - important information for users

Changes are being made to the Taxicard scheme database. The Taxicard scheme is paid for by the London boroughs and TfL and is managed by London Councils on the boroughs’ behalf. The scheme provides subsidised transport in taxis and private hire vehicles for people who have mobility impairments and difficulty in using public transport. To ensure only active users are kept on the Taxicard database, holders who have not used their card in the last two years have been identified and could have their membership cancelled at the end of the month. The review is to ensure that the database is kept up to date and to remove records of members who no longer use the scheme. This will ensure that data handling is more efficient and will prevent sending unnecessary information to members who no longer use the scheme. In addition, the exercise will ensure that boroughs are able to forecast their budgets more accurately. If a Taxicard holder wishes to reapply for the scheme they can contact London Councils’ Taxicard team for advice.

Should you or a Taxicard holder have any further queries, email taxicard@londoncouncils.gov.uk or contact the Taxicard helpline on 020 7934 9791.