Monthly Archives: August 2010

Liberal Democrats worried by prospect of fortnightly collections

Posted on August 11, 2010 | Leave a comment

Reacting to proposals, set to be approved at the next Labour Executive meeting on 11th August, Liberal Democrats today expressed concern at the prospect of fortnightly bin collections in Brent.

The report, entitled “Waste Strategy Review”, will see Labour Councillors agreeing a £1.2 million cut in the Council’s waste budget.  £700,000 of this will be from “Street Cleansing” – details of which have yet to be revealed – and the remaining £500,000 will be from “Waste Collection”.

The report goes on to detail how the Labour  Administration plan to cut £500,000 from the waste budget – including “Alternate weekly collection using existing wheeled bin” for “residual waste” or normal household rubbish (page 28 of report).

The report also admits the Council will be unlikely to reach the 60% recycling target that Labour pledged in their manifesto in the run up to the 2010 elections.

Across the country, fortnightly collections of rubbish have been controversial, with many residents complaining of overflowing bins, poor smells and hygiene concerns. Labour are also proposing that only waste in the bins will be collected. Liberal Democrat Councillors in Brent are saying that more needs to be done to increase what can be recycled so that more waste is diverted from ordinary bins that way.

Speaking about the proposals, Cllr Ann Hunter, Liberal Democrat Spokeswoman for Environment said:

“Labour made a big deal about designing a “resident’s charter” for Green issue in Brent.  Here however we find Labour trying to bring through a huge policy change in an Executive report when many people are away on holiday.

This has been a very controversial policy in many parts of the country and residents will rightly have concerns.  I think we need to have a serious debate on this issue, not simply have it approved quietly while everyone is on holiday.

Liberal Democrats in Brent have always pushed for an increase in recycling.  Bringing in compulsory recycling was hugely successful in that regard.  What needs to happen now is a focus on improving what can be recycled, not what you can’t throw away. When people return from their holidays, Labour will have some explaining to do.”

You can read the report here: Waste Strategy Review

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Posted in Clean Streets, Environment, Finance

Lib Dems slam 300% increase in Residents Parking Permit Charges

Posted on August 11, 2010 | Leave a comment

Brent residents are to be heavily clobbered for the second time within a month by the Labour Council, according to Opposition Liberal Democrat councillors.

Labour want to charge some residents who currently pay £50 for their Permit a revised rate of £200 – a massive 300 percent more.  Their new charging regime, to be agreed at an Executive meeting on 11th August  (p.37 of the papers), is set to rake in £2 million a year – up by £1.1 million from the £894,000 income received currently.

According to the Liberal Democrats, when CPZs were rolled out across Brent in the 1990s, residents were told that the objective was “to give residents parking priority, and not to make profits out of them.”   Labour councillors will now break that promise as they aim to collect an extra £1.1 million from the 17,000 CPZ Permit holders across Brent.

Labour’s huge hike in Permit charges follows their decision last month to install CCTV in Bus Lanes and at junctions to raise an extra £1 million – labelled a “money-spinner” by senior councillors.   The two measures combined mean Labour will collect an extra £2.1 million a year from motorists – DESPITE issuing local election literature in the Labour Leader’s own ward claiming the Council was taking too much money off Brent motorists!

Councillor Daniel Brown, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson, says:

” In view of Labour’s election promises, their latest attack on Brent motorists is an absolute disgrace.”

” For the second time since the election, Labour are increasing the amount of money they will take from Brent’s motorists. Even the report says the main aim is to increase income.”

” Labour’s plan to collect an extra £1.1 million in Parking Permit charges will cost the 17,000 Permit holders an average of £65 more, with some facing a 300% rise. To more than double overall charges for Residents Permits is very unfair in these difficult times.”

In 2008, the Lib Dem-led Council introduced Free Permits for cars with the smallest engine sizes to encourage residents to switch to more environmentally friendly cars.

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Posted in Finance, Labour Failure, Transport

“Scrap expensive Away Days” call – Liberal Democrats

Posted on August 11, 2010 | 1 Comment

Brent residents are outraged that Brent Council’s ruling Labour Executive took themselves to an all expenses paid “Away Day” in a plush hotel – Latimer Place De Vere Hotel in Chesham, Buckinghamshire – to plan multi-million pound cuts to Brent’s Budget. This included dinner, wine and accommodation at a cost of around £5000.

Angry Liberal Democrats have started a petition which local residents can sign up to calling on the Labour Administration to scrap the further Away Days they have planned in October.  It is expected that this further Away Day will cost a similar amount – another £5000.

The petition reads:

“As a local resident I oppose the Labour Council’s wasteful and unnecessary “Away Days” to a plush country hotel in Buckinghamshire at Council Taxpayers expense and call on Brent’s Labour Administration to scrap the planned October trip to the hotel and hold the Away Days in Brent at a fraction of the cost.”

With two of these events held every year that will be £40,000 Labour will spend over the course of the next 4 years of the Administration.

The cost of the Away Day was increased by Labour’s decision to bring along their political officers – the Group Chair, the Group Whip and the Group Secretary – to the event, despite not being members of the Council’s Executive.

As one of their first moves to save Council Tax payers’ money on taking control of the Council in 2006, the Liberal Democrat leadership scrapped the expense of having the Executive stay away in expensive Hotel venues.

Between 2006 – 2010 the Liberal Democrat Leader of Brent Council, Cllr Paul Lorber, insisted that all Executive budget planning meetings would take place in Brent, in Brent Council owned facilities.  Under the Liberal Democrats, these meetings were held at Bridge Park Community Centre or the Council’s training centre in Wembley, without overnight stays, as a result over the 4 years period around £40,000 was saved.

Liberal Democrats are challenging Labour to explain why Bridge Park was good enough before the elections (see attached picture from Labour election leaflet), but now they expect taxpayers to foot the bill for plush hotels.

Speaking about the petition, which he hopes to take directly to the Labour Executive Members, Cllr Paul Lorber, Leader of Brent’s Liberal Democrat Group said,

“The Liberal Democrats believe that when Council Taxpayers money is at stake having these kinds of meetings in plush hotels outside of Brent is not justifiable.  We’re calling on the Labour Executive to scrap their proposed trip to the hotel in October and in future years and to hold their meetings in Brent at a fraction of the cost.”

Local residents can sign the petition at www.campaigns.libdems.org.uk/ScrapAwayDays

The Labour Councillors who attended:

Cllr Ann M John, OBE – Leader
Cllr Muhammed Butt – Deputy Leader
Cllr Ruth Moher – Executive Member for Adults, Health and Social Care
Cllr Mary Arnold – Executive Member for Children and Families
Cllr Lincoln Beswick – Executive Member for Crime and Community Safety
Cllr James Powney – Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Culture
Cllr James Moher – Executive Member for Highways and Transportation
Cllr Bobby Thomas – Executive Member for Housing and Customer Services
Cllr Lesley Jones – Executive Member for Human Resources and Diversity, Local Democracy and Consultation
Cllr George Crane – Executive Member for Regeneration and Economic Development

Cllr Helga Gladbaum – Chair of the Labour Group
Cllr Janice Long – Labour Group Secretary
Cllr Ramesh Patel – Chair of the Planning Committee
Cllr Colum Moloney – Chief Whip

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Posted in Campaigns, Council Tax, Finance, Labour Failure

Riverside Gardens recycling is…rubbish!

Posted on August 3, 2010 | Leave a comment

Residents in Riverside Gardens Alperton were appalled recently when they saw their green boxes emptied into dustcarts with the rubbish and driven away by the Council’s contractor.

Local resident Andy Rimmer said,

“Last time this happened we complained to the Council. It’s a disgrace when residents work hard to sort out the recycling and yet the Council just throws it away. If they can get the dustcart in the road then why can’t we be allowed to recycle?”

Alperton Liberal Democrat Councillor Daniel Brown said,

“When the Liberal Democrats ran Brent we introduced Compulsory Recycling yet now that Labour are running the Council they seem to be throwing that away. The Council should be encouraging recycling, and not putting recyclable materials into the dustcart.”

“I am really worried about this happening when the new Labour Administration at Brent Council looks set to slash Brent’s street sweeping and bin collection budget by a massive £1.2million pounds.  This cut comes as part of the “Waste and Street Cleaning Review” being undertaken by Brent Council’s Labour bosses. They have yet to unveil details.”

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Posted in Clean Streets, Environment

Bring Legible London to Wembley say Lib Dems

Posted on August 3, 2010 | Leave a comment

Brent’s Liberal Democrat Councillors are urging Town Hall chiefs to bring “Legible London” to Wembley to improve people’s experiences of coming to Wembley in time for the Olympics and to promote getting around the borough on foot.

Legible London, a scheme which sees street signs loaded with information, directions and maps installed at key locations, is a way of helping people find their way around on foot while reducing street clutter.  Following a pilot in the Bond Street area of Westminster, Transport for London have now rolled out the scheme in three distinct areas of London. The further pilots saw new signs being installed in late 2009 have been testing the sign’s effectiveness in a range of environments, both in central London, but also further out in Richmond.

The signs use a range of information, including street signs and printed maps, to help people find their way. They are also integrated with other transport modes so when people are leaving the Underground, for example, they can quickly identify the route to their destination.  With thousands of people expected for the Olympics in 2 years, when Wembley will host football at the stadium and badminton and rhythmic gymnastics in the Arena, better signage in Wembley will be essential.

“Improving the signs around Wembley could really improve the look of the area as well as helping the thousands of people who will be coming to Wembley for the Olympics in 2012 so I really hope that Brent Council will look into this and make it happen.”

Details of the scheme can be found here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/legible-london/13.aspx

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Posted in Clean Streets, Mayor of London, Transport

Lib Dems slam Boris on Jubilee Line “No Show”

Posted on August 3, 2010 | Leave a comment

Brent’s Liberal Democrat Councillors have slammed London Mayor Boris Johnson for failing the people of Brent, by not showing up to experience the almost weekly frustrations of Brent residents due to the Jubilee line closures by joining Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson Daniel Brown on a Rail Replacement bus last weekend.

The £500 million Jubilee Line upgrade should have been completed by the end of 2009, yet customers have already endured about 150 closures with no clear end in sight.

Councillor Daniel Brown, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson at Brent Council, said:

“It’s a disgrace – I invited the Mayor, who now has full control over these works, to experience the problems they are causing local people by accompanying me on a Rail Replacement Bus this weekend, when both the Met and Jubilee Lines were closed.  So unimportant does he seem to think the problem is that he didn’t even reply.”

The Liberal Democrats have revealed a video of Mr Johnson at a meeting with residents in West Hampstead before the recent election, where he promised that the works would be completed this year.  They are concerned that despite this election promise, the Jubilee line closures look set to continue until into 2011, according to an official TfL report.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Daniel Brown added:

“It’s a shame that the Mayor does not seem to want to meet local people to explain why he is not delivering on his promises, however Brent’s Liberal Democrats will continue to impress upon Transport for London and the Mayor that they must make every effort to minimise the impact of line closures as bus replacement services are only a minimum substitute of service; and that they must bring the works to an end as soon as possible.”

Brent’s Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather, working with Liberal Democrat councillors, last year persuaded London Underground to stop Metropolitan Line trains at Willesden Green station when engineering work closes the Jubilee Line, to help the many London Underground customers who regularly lose access to the Tube system at weekends.

The video of Mayor Boris Johnson pledging to have the Jubilee Line works completed by the end of this year can be found here (5 mins 17 secs):

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Posted in Campaigns, Mayor of London, Transport