Commentary on local democracy and other matters in Brent by James Powney
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Sunday 18 December 2011
Harlesden Town Centre Plans
The plans to transform Harlesden Town Centre are well advanced, and likely to go out to consultation in January. Brent officers deserve enormous credit for getting investment of about £5 million to improve the Town Centre at a time of enormous cuts.
My comments were talking about the area rather than the people of Harlesden or intended to insult them. On reflection I could have made my point differently, and I sincerely apologise for any offence or hurt feelings caused.
Harlesden is a terrific space and location but more could be done to make it more attractive and attract big businesses back to the area it's good the Council are doing this.
The point I was trying to make (reading it back, not as well as I could have) is that the Preston area is starting to deteriorate and it would be nice to see the Council trying to stop it before it happens.
At the moment people in many parts of Brent have to travel outside of the borough to access key services such as big name shops. We go to places like Harrow, Brent Cross, Westfield, Central London. What would be nice is if the Council could create a strategy to attract these businesses back to Brent so that people can shop locally for the goods they want.
This will become especially important should the government go through with their plans to change the way councils are funded and make them more dependant on local businesses.
Public debate is a good thing. Why not reply and set the record straight. Say what the good points of Harlesden Town Centre are that you hope are preserved in the Council's plans?
3 comments:
Securing that amount of funding in this climate is a great achievement.
I really hope you fix the road signs in Harlesden as part of this, they are some of the most confusing in the borough in my humble opinion.
Surely the plans should have gone out to consultation before they became well advanced?
When are we going to see Council officers making efforts to gain funding for Preston?
Do we have to wait until it becomes as vulgar and crime ridden as Harlesden? I hope not.
Sagar_Shah: As a Harlesden resident, I think you should keep your revolting opinions to yourself.
Dear Anonymous,
My comments were talking about the area rather than the people of Harlesden or intended to insult them. On reflection I could have made my point differently, and I sincerely apologise for any offence or hurt feelings caused.
Harlesden is a terrific space and location but more could be done to make it more attractive and attract big businesses back to the area it's good the Council are doing this.
The point I was trying to make (reading it back, not as well as I could have) is that the Preston area is starting to deteriorate and it would be nice to see the Council trying to stop it before it happens.
At the moment people in many parts of Brent have to travel outside of the borough to access key services such as big name shops. We go to places like Harrow, Brent Cross, Westfield, Central London. What would be nice is if the Council could create a strategy to attract these businesses back to Brent so that people can shop locally for the goods they want.
This will become especially important should the government go through with their plans to change the way councils are funded and make them more dependant on local businesses.
Public debate is a good thing. Why not reply and set the record straight. Say what the good points of Harlesden Town Centre are that you hope are preserved in the Council's plans?
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