energy/computers
acknowledgements to Howard Thorp
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM BRENT GREEN PARTY - VOTE GREEN IN THE GENERAL ELECTION
20 Dec 2017
superhub for aggregate waste
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17 Dec 2017
HDV: 4 December lobby of Haringey Civic Centre -- YouTube video!
url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0hDcrh9D70&sns=em
10 Dec 2017
The Village School in Kingsbury
As Green Party Trade Union Liaison Officer for Brent and for the London Federation of Green Parties, I wish to send support to the teachers at The Village School in Kingsbury who have voted to take strike action against the proposal to turn the school into an academy. If this retrograde step takes place it means the loss of a substantial educational asset for the people of Brent which large amounts of council resources have been paid to develop. I would like to second the questions of NEU (National Education Union) reps who ask why Brent Council is not opposing this proposed academisation, inspite of the reported opposition of Brent Central Constituency Labour party which the council purports to represent on behalf of the communities of Brent.
P.Murry 10/12/2017
29 Nov 2017
Tulip Siddiq in hot water after Channel 4 News interview
My statement on Channel 4's news report last night pic.twitter.com/fODWYgxATU
— Tulip Siddiq (@TulipSiddiq) November 29, 2017
24 Nov 2017
Support the Campaign! Divest Brent Council from Fossil Fuels
Make a contribution to challenging Climate Change and for ethical local Government by singing this petition LINK
Brent Council should divest its pension fund from fossil fuel companies to
protect the people of Brent. So we ask Brent Council to make a public
divestment statement committing the Brent Pension Fund to:
1. Immediately freeze any new investment in the top 200 publicly-traded fossil fuel companies with largest known carbon reserves (oil, coal and gas)
2. Divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds in the top 200 list and shift these funds to lower risk, ethical investments within 5 years
3. Advocate to other pension funds, including the London Pension Fund Authority and Local Government Pension Scheme members to do the same
4. To do the above in a timely manner - by setting up a working group to report back on a strategy to bring about divestment within three months from the submission of this petition
Climate change is the greatest challenge humanity has encountered. The 20 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1981 and 2016 was the hottest ever [1]. Higher average temperatures are directly linked to extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, floods and storms.
Scientists have unanimously concluded that these changes are a consequence of human activity, arising from the burning of fossil fuels [2]. Moreover, this activity has resulted in unprecedented levels of air pollution, now regarded as a major world killer [3].
In a speech at Lloyd’s of London in September 2015, Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England said that by the time ‘climate change becomes a defining issue for financial stability, it may already be too late’. Carney warned investors that policies to address climate change ‘would render the vast majority of reserves ‘stranded’ – oil, gas and coal that will be literary unburnable’ [4].
In order to continue developing fossil fuel reserves – particularly in the difficult areas where the remaining reserves are located (including the Arctic, the mouth of the Amazon and tar sands in sensitive areas) the developing companies need investment – divestment is a way of cutting off the funds needed to carry out these damaging activities. It also sends a powerful signal to the companies and others that it is time to move away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy.
References:
[1] http://tinyurl.com/y9tkm4sn
[2] http://tinyurl.com/3e3zv
[3] http://tinyurl.com/pqgdd5q
[4] http://tinyurl.com/ycspl5sg
To: Brent Council
Divest Brent Council from Fossil Fuels
1. Immediately freeze any new investment in the top 200 publicly-traded fossil fuel companies with largest known carbon reserves (oil, coal and gas)
2. Divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds in the top 200 list and shift these funds to lower risk, ethical investments within 5 years
3. Advocate to other pension funds, including the London Pension Fund Authority and Local Government Pension Scheme members to do the same
4. To do the above in a timely manner - by setting up a working group to report back on a strategy to bring about divestment within three months from the submission of this petition
Why is this important?
We believe divestment from fossil fuels to be not only ethically and environmentally correct, but also financially prudent.Climate change is the greatest challenge humanity has encountered. The 20 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1981 and 2016 was the hottest ever [1]. Higher average temperatures are directly linked to extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, floods and storms.
Scientists have unanimously concluded that these changes are a consequence of human activity, arising from the burning of fossil fuels [2]. Moreover, this activity has resulted in unprecedented levels of air pollution, now regarded as a major world killer [3].
In a speech at Lloyd’s of London in September 2015, Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England said that by the time ‘climate change becomes a defining issue for financial stability, it may already be too late’. Carney warned investors that policies to address climate change ‘would render the vast majority of reserves ‘stranded’ – oil, gas and coal that will be literary unburnable’ [4].
In order to continue developing fossil fuel reserves – particularly in the difficult areas where the remaining reserves are located (including the Arctic, the mouth of the Amazon and tar sands in sensitive areas) the developing companies need investment – divestment is a way of cutting off the funds needed to carry out these damaging activities. It also sends a powerful signal to the companies and others that it is time to move away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy.
References:
[1] http://tinyurl.com/y9tkm4sn
[2] http://tinyurl.com/3e3zv
[3] http://tinyurl.com/pqgdd5q
[4] http://tinyurl.com/ycspl5sg
Brent Greens set the local agenda
Brent Green Party had a hand in three local stories this week helping set the agenda ahead of the local elections to be held in May 2018:
10 Nov 2017
Jonathan Bartley drag shock!
The police just stopped me protesting outside the fracking site in Ryedale.
They didn't do it nicely. They physically dragged me and several other protesters, pushing us around, and pulling us along the floor.
I knew the police there could be rough, but I didn't know how rough until I experienced it myself.
It shows they are rattled. The government and Third Energy know they've lost the battle of arguments so they're using all they have left: brute force.
It means we can win. They can't drag us all away. They can't ignore all of our voices.
We've got them spooked and now is the time to act. Email Greg Clark today and tell him you won't put up with fracking or his bullying.
Yours,
Jonathan Bartley
Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
4 Nov 2017
Brent Connects Willesden
Date: Thursday 9 November 2017
Time: 7pm to 9pm
Place: The Library at Willesden Green, 95 High Road, London NW10 2SF
Time: 7pm to 9pm
Place: The Library at Willesden Green, 95 High Road, London NW10 2SF
Agenda
London Borough of Culture Bid
As part of the London Mayor’s plans to support the arts in London, Brent will be bidding to be the London Borough of Culture in 2020. Find out more about what this exciting project could mean for your area.
As part of the London Mayor’s plans to support the arts in London, Brent will be bidding to be the London Borough of Culture in 2020. Find out more about what this exciting project could mean for your area.
Town Centre Management
Your chance to meet the new Town Centre Manager and find out more about how they’re working to improve Willesden
Your chance to meet the new Town Centre Manager and find out more about how they’re working to improve Willesden
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
Learn more about the funding resource that helps deliver additional infrastructure support to areas that are being developed.
Learn more about the funding resource that helps deliver additional infrastructure support to areas that are being developed.
Transport for London (TFL)
Local issues and concerns discussion.
Local issues and concerns discussion.
Policing Update
The local PCSO provides an update to policing in the Willesden.
The local PCSO provides an update to policing in the Willesden.
If you are unable to attend, please share your ideas with us by emailing: brent.connects@brent.gov.uk.
During the break, there will be an opportunity to talk to ward councillors, local safer neighbourhood team, guest speakers and council officers.
Alison Teal to STAG. Sheffield Tree Action Groups.
Alison TealtoSTAG. Sheffield Tree Action Groups.
and wasting public money this way. It's a serious abuse of power and there must be many good Labour politicians who are as concerned about what's happened as I am. Bringing law suits against residents and councillors over healthy trees is madness.
GRENFELL: FROM SOCIAL HARM TO SOCIAL MURDER?
GRENFELL: FROM SOCIAL HARM TO SOCIAL MURDER?
Engaged Scholarship on Citizenship & Governance Seminar Series
Wed 15 November 2017
14:00 – 16:00 GMT
Chaired by Dr Thomas McManus, Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London
ArtsOne Lecture Theatre, Queen Mary University of London (building 37 on map )
Speakers:
2 Nov 2017
Brent Greens back Duffy's call for consultation on improving waste services
Brent Green Party has announced that it backs Cllr John Duffy’s call for a public consultation on improving Brent Council’s environmental services.
A spokesperson said:
‘Leaving aside Cllr Duffy’s difficulties with the Labour Group we believe it is in residents’ interests to review environmental services, particularly waste collection and fly-tipping, with a view to improving efficiency and value for money.
'We know from speaking to residents that their daily experience of Brent as a ‘dirty borough’ littered with discarded mattresses, clothing and much else, is demoralising and degrading.
‘Cllr Duffy has expertise in this area that the Council should utilise rather than ignore.’
http:
28 Oct 2017
Hands off our Jobcentres! Demonstration Monday November 6th 3-4pm
From Brent Fightback Facebook
Hands off our Jobcentres! Demonstration
Monday November 6th 3-4pm
Department of Work and Pensions, Caxton House, 12 Tothill St, Westminster, SW1H
The government has already closed 24 jobcentres since August this year. They plan to close a further 78 Jobcentres by April of 2018.
16 of these Jobcentres are in London.
The poor and vulnerable need local jobcentres, not some superhub that they have to walk miles to reach.
Benefit money is too little to cover regular trips on public transport. People will have to walk. And don't be late or too ill to walk over a mile each way as often as the jobcentre demands– you'll be up for a sanction!
The Tories say that much of the jobcentres' work is now done online, but 5.3 million people in Britain have never used the internet, and 10 million lack the basic digital skills. And millions of these people will be in receipt of benefits.
You can't use the internet if you are learning disabled.
You can't use the internet if you can't afford a computer or a mobile phone contract or or the fee for using library or internet cafe
You can't use the internet if you are illiterate (and six to eight million Britons are borderline or fully illiterate)
Our local Jobcentres, Kilburn and Neasden, serve one of the most deprived areas in the country. If they are closed then over half of the borough of Camden and around two thirds of Brent will be more than half a mile from the nearest jobcentre, i.e. more than a mile round trip. These areas contain heavily populated areas: a lot of people are going to be affected.
In amongst the people who can't use the internet are hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their disability benefit because they aren't disabled enough for the Tories. They may be able to walk just 200 meters, or sometimes panic when out and get lost, or nor be able to plan a journey to places they don’t know, or have epilepsy. They may be seriously depressed or suffering from brain fog brought on by medication or illnesses like Fibromyalgia. They may be recovering from cancer or waiting for a heart operation. They may have variable conditions that mean that they can't guarantee being able to go out at all on any particular day.
But if you miss an appointment, or are simply late, you'll be considered for a sanction!
Let's meet outside the DWP's headquarters at Caxton House and let them know what we think about this.
Save our Jobcentres!
The 16 London jobcentres that are closing are:
Highgate, 24 November 2017
Edgware, 8 December 2017
Finchley, 12 January 2018
Dagenham, 19 January 2018
Southall, January 2018
Kingston, February 2018
Brixton,- 9 February 2018
Neasden 16 February 2018
Clapham 23 February 2018
Kilburn, March 2018
Hammersmit,h 9 March 2018
Croydon, 16 March 2018
Wandsworth, 23 March 2018
Leytonstone,- 30 March 2018
Hounslow, 10 Montague Road,
16 of these Jobcentres are in London.
The poor and vulnerable need local jobcentres, not some superhub that they have to walk miles to reach.
Benefit money is too little to cover regular trips on public transport. People will have to walk. And don't be late or too ill to walk over a mile each way as often as the jobcentre demands– you'll be up for a sanction!
The Tories say that much of the jobcentres' work is now done online, but 5.3 million people in Britain have never used the internet, and 10 million lack the basic digital skills. And millions of these people will be in receipt of benefits.
You can't use the internet if you are learning disabled.
You can't use the internet if you can't afford a computer or a mobile phone contract or or the fee for using library or internet cafe
You can't use the internet if you are illiterate (and six to eight million Britons are borderline or fully illiterate)
Our local Jobcentres, Kilburn and Neasden, serve one of the most deprived areas in the country. If they are closed then over half of the borough of Camden and around two thirds of Brent will be more than half a mile from the nearest jobcentre, i.e. more than a mile round trip. These areas contain heavily populated areas: a lot of people are going to be affected.
In amongst the people who can't use the internet are hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their disability benefit because they aren't disabled enough for the Tories. They may be able to walk just 200 meters, or sometimes panic when out and get lost, or nor be able to plan a journey to places they don’t know, or have epilepsy. They may be seriously depressed or suffering from brain fog brought on by medication or illnesses like Fibromyalgia. They may be recovering from cancer or waiting for a heart operation. They may have variable conditions that mean that they can't guarantee being able to go out at all on any particular day.
But if you miss an appointment, or are simply late, you'll be considered for a sanction!
Let's meet outside the DWP's headquarters at Caxton House and let them know what we think about this.
Save our Jobcentres!
The 16 London jobcentres that are closing are:
Highgate, 24 November 2017
Edgware, 8 December 2017
Finchley, 12 January 2018
Dagenham, 19 January 2018
Southall, January 2018
Kingston, February 2018
Brixton,- 9 February 2018
Neasden 16 February 2018
Clapham 23 February 2018
Kilburn, March 2018
Hammersmit,h 9 March 2018
Croydon, 16 March 2018
Wandsworth, 23 March 2018
Leytonstone,- 30 March 2018
Hounslow, 10 Montague Road,
12 Sept 2017
C04 Climate change Motion 10 and amendments passed unan 12/9/2017
C04 Climate change Motion 10 and amendments
Congress notes the
irrefutable evidence that dangerous climate change is driving unprecedented
changes to our environment such as the devastating flooding witnessed in the UK
in 2004. Congress further notes the risk to meeting the challenge of climate change
with the announcement of Donald Trump to withdraw the US from the Paris Climate
Agreement.
Similarly, Brexit negotiations and incoherent UK government
policy risk undermining measures to achieve the UK carbon reduction targets.
Congress welcomes the
report by the Transnational Institute Reclaiming Public Service: how cities and
citizens are turning back privatization, which details the global trend to
remunicipalise public services, including energy, and supports efforts by
unions internationally to raise issues such as public ownership and democratic
control as part of solutions to climate change.
Congress notes that
transport is responsible for a quarter of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions and
believes that a reduction in carbon dioxide levels must be the basis of the
UK’s future transport policy in addition to building public transport capacity
and moving more freight from road to rail.
Congress believes that to effectively combat climate change
and move towards a low carbon economy we cannot leave this to the markets and
therefore need a strong role for the public sector in driving the measures
needed to undertake this transition.
Congress notes that
pension schemes invest billions of pounds into fossil fuel corporations. To
this end, Congress calls on the TUC to:
i.
work with the Labour Party and others that
advocate for an end to the UK’s rigged energy system to bring it back into
public ownership and democratic control
ii.
. advocate for a mass programme of retrofit and
insulation of Britain’s homes and public buildings
iii.
. lobby to demand rights for workplace
environmental reps iv. lobby for the establishment of a Just Transition
strategy for those workers affected by the industrial changes necessary to
develop a more environmentally sustainable future for all, and develop
practical steps needed to achieve this as integral to industrial strategy v.
consult with all affiliates to seek input into the development of a cross
sector industrial strategy that works towards delivering internationally agreed
carbon emission reduction targets
iv.
. investigate the long-term risks for pension
funds investing in fossil fuels, promote divestment, and alternative
reinvestment in the sustainable economy.
Mover: Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union
Seconder: Communication Workers Union
Supporters: Fire Brigades Union; ASLEF; TSSA
31 Aug 2017
Transition Kensal to Kilburn september events
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3:35 PM (1 hour ago)
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3 Aug 2017
the biggest attempted privatisation of local authority assets in UK history
Gordon Peters of Haringey Green Party and Stop the Haringey Development Vehicle Campaign writes below to mobilise people to support the judicial challenge to Haringey Council and the march on 23 September. This is becoming a London wide issue. It is thought that Camden Council are considering a similar setup. There will be a meeting hosted by Sian Berry in Camden Town Hall to discuss that on Tuesday Aug. 8 at 6.30. Find out more about the Haringey campaign at https://www.facebook.com/
Please spread this far and wide!
Anne Gray
Gordon Peters says....
A Judicial Review of this is being filed in the High Court this week [by 4 August] on the grounds of it not having been consulted on, nor even having gone to a full Council, on equalities impact not having been adequately considered, and on the risk to public finances not being made transparent or explained. There was a successful crowdfunding campaign which along with local collections and donations has raised £25,000 towards legal costs. The last update on this is on <www.crowdjustice.org/case/
September is a critical month in linking this — the biggest attempted privatisation of local authority assets in UK history — with the various similar attempts at social cleansing and depriving ordinary people of their rights to housing across London in favour of corporate developer-led ‘’regeneration’’. We are aware particularly of what Lendlease has done in Southwark, of the Cressingham Gardens campaign in Lambeth, and of new developments in Tower Hamlets, and possibly Camden, and in most cases in Labour-controlled authorities. We wish to mobilise with groups such as the Radical Housing Network, ASH, Defend Council Housing, those demanding justice for Grenfell in K and C, and others to build a fightback across London sufficient to turn the tide against these ‘’regenerations’’ which are attacking the very lives of our communities.
StopHDV is calling a march on Saturday 23 September in Haringey which will have key speakers from elsewhere as well and we want as many as possible from across the capital to join. First details below:
The plan so far is to assemble on Saturday 23rd September at around noon at Tottenham Green (150 yards up the hill from Seven Sisters Tube station), then march from 1pm to assemble around 2.30 - 3 at Finsbury Park. The route should take us past Seven Sisters up West Green Road along Green Lanes to Finsbury Park. Depending on consent from the authorities, we may have to reverse the route and start at Finsbury Park.
Finsbury Park is by two tube stations (Manor House and Finsbury Park.). It is also where Haringey, Hackney and Islington meet and not far from the Camden borders. No local Spurs match that day (they'll be playing at Wembley) and no Arsenal one either, so no congestion on transport from football crowds.
The start and end points should make it fairly easy for most of London to get to and from. It just needs building across London. Please tell your contacts!
Any comments/suggestions you have would be most welcome. If we all work together we should be able to build a sizeable march that could get publicity in the weekend before Labour Party conference, when a motion on Social Cleansing is being debated.
27 Jul 2017
Brent Connects: Willesden on Fire safety-3rd august,
I received a letter re a meeting of Brent Connects: Willesden on “Fire safety-providing information on the council’s fire safety improvement package for the borough.” At Willesden Library at 7pm on 3rd august, the council’s website does not seem to have been updated to include this meeting.
It does say that these meetings, (which also take place in other parts of Brent, are chaired by councillors and “At each meeting, there is also a soapbox slot. This is your chance to have your say on any issue that concerns you, your neighbours or your community.” which, I assume, can be applied for via the council’s website
21 Jul 2017
Wales this week repealed the Trade Union Act
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18 Jul 2017
“There is no place for fracking in our city."
Green MEP pledges to fight new proposal to bring fracking to London
13 July 2017
London’s Green MEP has pledged to oppose any attempt to bring fracking in London, following reports that an energy company is applying to begin exploring opportunities in Willesden. [1]
Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, says:
“There is no place for fracking in our city. London is already in the midst of a public health emergency, whereby 9,000 people die prematurely each year as a result of breathing our toxic air. This proposal to begin drilling for shale gas in Brent would be catastrophic for the local area, which already exceeds the EU’s legal clean air limits.
Brent’s poor air quality is largely caused by road transport, construction and local energy generation. [2] Introducing fracking would simply amplify each of these issues, adding to the problem instead of helping to resolve it.
The potential consequences of fracking – including, noise pollution and risks to drinking water supplies – make it unsuitable for use anywhere in the UK. However, the detrimental impact could be much greater in a diverse and highly-populated city such as London, one of the world’s most water-stressed cities.
While the UK Government may be completely ambivalent to the dangers posed by fracking, Greens will not sit back while prospectors dig up our land. Alongside my colleagues, I will oppose any attempt to extract shale gas from under Londoners’ feet.”
ENDS
Notes:
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