Where are the Lib Dems on the Environment?

Thinking about the Forward Plan Committee on Thursday, I am struck at how confused the Liberal Democrats are on Environmental policy now. I pointed out before that their position seems to have flipped from the one they have had for several years. At the Thursday meeting, Cllr Daniel Brown was ruled out of order in trying to oppose our emissions based permit scheme by the Chair (His fellow Liberal Democrat Cllr James Allie). I don't think the Chair really has the power to do that, and I am assuming that Allie didn't want to vote on it because the Liberal Democrats are split on the issue.

Likewise, they don't seem willing to support our position on waste management changes but they they equally don't seem to have the courage to propose anything else.

It seems that their leadership simply doesn't know what to do.

Another Water Leak

Yet another leak in Kensal Green. This time water flowing on to the road in front of Kensal Green Tube Station. To report leaks like these you can call Thames Water on 0800 714 614.

Mitre Bridge

I am trying to find out more about one of the causes of heavy traffic in Harlesden Town Centre. Many of the heavy lorries going through are no longer able to use Mitre Bridge off Scrubs Lane because it has had an 18 ton weight restriction put on it. This is inconvenient for them, as they have to take the long route round, but still more so for Harlesden residents who have big lorries trundling past. Hopefully, the situation can be resolved by bridge strengthening and the traffic through Harlesden Town Centre reduced.

I guess it is another example of the baleful effect of having the Borough boundaries so nearby. The problems of Harlesden and Kensal Green do not get on the radar of Hammersmith, and Brent can't do anything about the bridge itself because it is not under our jurisdiction.

Brent's Civic Centre

Although no one on the streets ever talks about it, I thought it might be useful to summarise the arguments around the Brent Civic Centre since for people who work in the Council it seems to absorb an inordinate amount of time. Indeed, our review of the Centre has taken up almost as much time as the Budget.

Firstly, the economic argument is that although it will take up to £7 million to service the debt to pay for the Centre, officers have estimated that we will save £9.5 million. This mainly comes from leaving 15 of the sites that we currently occupy and moving the staff into the new Centrew. Thus, any plan not to go ahead would have to find an extra £2.5 million in the Budget.

Secondly, the environmental beenefits of the new Centre are immense, contributing a 12.2% cut in the Council's overall carbon emissions as well as possibly underpinning a Wembley District Heating scheme.

Thirdly, the Centre helps boost the development around Wem,bley Stadium, which is the principal driver of jobs growth in the local economy.

Fourthly, having a single centre should help to make Brent Council a more efficienct organisation than hitherto, with less time spent passing between various offices.

Brent Civic Centre

Sadly ill informed comment from Martin Francis of the Green Party here. Firstly, we have reviewed the Civic Centre, and decided to go ahead with it. Personally, I have sat in rather more meetings on the subject than I care for, but what is triking about the Green Party position is its failure to recognise the substantial environmental benefits of the new Civic Centre. These include cutting the Council's total carbon emissions by more than 12 per cent, and the possibility of linking into a Wembley District Heating scheme.

It is rather ironic than the Green Party is campaigning against one of the Council's leading environmental projects.

Scrutiny Last Night

Well at least the Liberal Democrat councillors Beck and Ashraf managed to turn up to the Forward Plan Committee last night to talk about the Call In they signed. The same is not true of Cllr Simon Green, Cllr Hayley Matthews or Cllr Paul Lorber (although he did send an alternate). Nor did Cllr Ann Hunter turn up to this or previous meetings despite having called for more consultation. However, they didn't really put forward any actual suggestions. Hopefully more will come in now that the public consultation is free to get under way.

Green flag in Brent

Congratulation to the Brent Parks service for getting seven Green Flag awards for Brent Parks, including Roundwood Park. They are Roundwood, Barham Park, Mapesbury Dell, Fryent Country Park, Welsh Harp Open Space, Preston Park and Gladstone Park.

Call Ins Tonight

Tonight I will be going to the Forward Plan Committee to be asked about the waste Management report. This has been "called in " (i.e. the decision has been delayed) at the request of various Liberal Democrat members. This makes it the seventh report this month to be called in, which seems over the top.

In fact I attended their last meeting to talk about the same report prior to the discussion, so it seems odd that they didn't raise their concerns then. I hope this time they manage to think up some suggestions as to what they want chnaged; otherwise it all seems a bit pointless.

Positive Coverage

Good to see some positive coverage for our emissions based permit proposals, in the Daily Telegraph of all places.

Con Dem Bureaucracy

By the way, another of the strange initiatives coming from the Liberal Democrat / Conservative coalition is that local authorities need to create a public record of all items of expenditure above 500 pounds. What a bureaucratic pointless exercise. I notice that central government will not be applying the same rules to itself. It does seem a bizarre priority at a time when the government is cutting services in the name of efficiency.

Gladstone Park

Although the decision to demolish Dollis Hill House may seen regrettable in many ways, it will allow the other attractions around that part of Gladstone Park (such as the walled garden above) to come into their own. At present, they are blighted by the ruin in their midst. I hope, therefore, that the Secretary of State makes the right decision.

The Misty Moon Harlesden

Made a mistake in my pub post yesterday, the Misty Moon in Harlesden does have a web presence, here.

Teather Changes Tune on Schools (Again)

The wembley Observer has reported on the award of money to the Crest Academies. In commenting , Sarah Teather has changed positions again. When the abolition of Building Schools for the Future was first announced, she said it was because "there was not enough cash to pay for them". In the Wembley Observer story, she suggests they should apply to a "new building fund", presumably one with some money in despite her government's cuts. Thus, having gone through the Building Schools for the Future process, the schools are being asked to start all over again, in the name of reducing bureaucracy.

I get the impression that Ms Teather is simply defending whatever position Michael Gove imposes on her. I am not even sure that she is a sufficently senior underling for Mr Gove to consult on the decision.

It almost makes you feel sorry for her.

Kensal Green Pubs

I have added a link for the Royal Oak at 95 High Street Harlesden, to go with the ones to The Island and the Masons Arms at the Kensal Rise end of the ward. The Misty Moon on Manor Park Road doesn't seem to have one although there is a facebook page. You can also try the Amber Grill, which used to be the Willesden Junction Arms on Station Road, or Os Amigos on Park Parade (although again it doesn't seem to have a web presence).

Willesden Junction Station Approach

I recently met with Network Rail about Willesden Junction and can therefore update on Station Approach.

The road suffers subsidence on the Hammersmith side. Apparently, the engineering issues are particularly difficult due to the way it was constructed, but work is expected to begin in the New Year to shore it up. Once that is done it should have some resurfacing, repaving and maybe the replacement of some the guide rails which currently leave the useable part of the footpath so constricted.

Swimming in Chalkhill

As well as having the Playbuilder money saved from Sarah Teather's depredations, Chalkhill children will also benefit from a temporary swimming pool at Chalkhill primary school. The pool should be operational between September and December.

Chalkhill Park

Amid all the gloom, here is a good news story. The above piece of derelict land is being turned into a public park. It is in Chalkhill, near the Wembley ASDA. Partof the changes were supposed to be paid for by the Playbuilder programme, and as with the Tubbs Road park they are sufficently advanced not to be subject to Sarah Teather's programme of cuts.

Waste Hierarchy

I thought it might be useful to explain the waste hierarchy concept which Brent Council, the West London Waste Authority and the London Plan all use for dealing with waste. Waste is dealt with (in order of preference) through reduction, re use, recycling, recovery and disposal.

Reduction or re-using materials is obviously cheapest and greenest in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, but it is quite hard to measure. How can you tell whether people have not produced waste.

Recycling is next best in environmental and cost terms. Our new waste strategy is intended to raise the proportion of recycling, in order to divert material from landfill.

Landfill is the worst option in terms of cost as the government is increasing landfill tax to discourage it. We also need to discourage as the UK is running out of land to fill. Whether it is the worst option in carbon terms is dependent on the composition of the waste. If there is a high proportion of green waste it generates methane which is many times worse in terms of global warming than carbon dioxide, meaning that it can actually be worse than burning it for power (the recovery stage).

Earth Architecture in Roundwood Park

I had a conversation recently with two people from Groundwork about an "earth architecture" project in Roundwood Park. Not entirely sure what is involved until they send me further details, but it seems to mean building a sustainable structure and then doing a lot of environmental awareness projects in it. the most likely site would be the "wild area" near the toilet block as you walk towards the Summer Theatre.

Congestion Charge Extension

The case against Boris' scrapping of the congestion charge is summarised here. As far as I know, he hasn't bothered to argue the case against of these objections.