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Tuesday 22 January 2019

Brent Budget Panel Generally Disappointing

Yesterday's post on the Brent Budget Panel was highly critical of its intellectual thinness with regard to libraries, but is worth remarking that it appeared quite thin in other regards, including basic knowledge.

For instance it appears to recommend a "Considerate Contractor Scheme" as "used in Westminster".  This is actually a national scheme and widely used in Brent.  It can be set as a planning condition and frequently is.  Did no one point this out to the councillors?  Similarly the Council can charge (and I believe does) for the use of highways and damage caused to them.  Did no point this out to the councillors?

To pick another example, the Panel suggest that the West London Alliance runs the Abbey Road site.  The West London Alliance is a shared service arrangement between Boroughs and includes Brent.  The Abbey Road site is actually run by the West London Waste Authority (WLWA).  WLWA is a statutory authority and therefore cannot be altered or abolished without Parliamentary legislation.  Do they just not know or what?  They also just don't seem to know about the whole industry that lies behind back end recycling, including WLWA's obligation's to its power plant

I would have expected them to be at least aware of current practice.

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