Your Green candidates across Brent & what they stand for

Click on image to enlarge

Read about the Green's manifesto in the Kilburn Times this week

LINK TO ON-LINE COPY

Rosemary Osborn your Green candidate for Sudbury

Rose Osborn (Sudbury)

My name is Rose and I moved to London 5 years ago, 4 of which I have lived in Wembley. I enjoy the benefits of city living, but I also recognise the increasing difficulties it creates for its residents health and wellbeing. I am struck by how many people find living here hard work and I believe the Green Party’s principles are ideal for improving residents lives and holding the council to account.  A mixture of representatives voicing the concerns of Brent and working with each other to resolve the issues Brent faces, is a positive alternative to the one party majority present locally.

Green council candidates for Queens Park, Queensbury, Tokyngton & Kensal Green

John Mansook (Queens Park)

John writes:

I have been a sports and exercise coach for over 10 years and have been involved with initiatives to improve the health of people in Brent. I have strong links in Queens Park and Kensal Rise as it has always been my local area and I was the Parliamentary candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn in the 2017 General Election. I am proud to be the lead Green Party candidate for Queens Park and Kensal Rise. I am an advocate for better health in our area and I support any initiative which helps to make our community healthier.

Having worked with children and young people, I understand how important it is to have a safe community for those most vulnerable. As a self-defence instructor I understand the need for people to feel safe. I will support and fight to keep our streets safe from criminals by supporting our local police. Knife and moped crime has been a blight in and around Queens Park and Kensal Rise and I seek to address this major concern for residents.

Air pollution is on the increase in and around Queens Park and Kensal Rise. As your Green party councillor I am committed to ensuring that the state of our roads are maintained to the highest standards  and initiatives to reduce air pollution are scrutinised to ensure that the air we breathe is safe.

I support local businesses. After speaking to business owners about their concerns over how Brent council does business, I am committed to working with small businesses in Queens Park and Kensal Rise to ensure that they thrive and continue to prosper. We have and always will support local businesses that are environmentally responsible with their waste and we would push to offer incentives to businesses that are environmentally conscious and socially responsible.

Nesrin Ahmet (Queensbury)

 Nesrin has lived in Queensbury most of her life, and aspires to do the best she can for her community. She has been a Green Party member for over a year, and strongly believes in pushing for a “greener” society. She hopes that the Green Party will receive the support it deserves at the local elections, which will encourage policymakers to do more to tackle climate change and protect the environment. 

Nesrin is currently studying towards a politics degree at the University of Nottingham and has a passion for helping others. She is currently a fundraiser for the Rosie May Foundation, a charity which aims to help children at risk of abandonment. She hopes to use her compassion and skills learned to help and inspire others, which is why she thinks she would be a great councillor.

Martin Francis (Tokyngton)

Martin Francis was born in Kingsbury and has lived in Harlesden and Wembley. After reporting the London Stock Exchange for Reuters Economic Services he switched careers to teaching.  He has taught in Neasden and Wembley as well as other areas of London. Now retired he is Chair of Governors at a Wembley primary school and a trustee of the Brent Play Association. He runs the voluntary organisation Brent School Without Walls providing nature activities for primary pupils. 

Martin is a member of the National Education Union (formerly the NUT) and is on the steering group of the Anti-Academies Alliance. He is a member of the Green Party Trade Union Group.

Martin believes passionately in local democracy and provides news and scrutiny of Council policies though his blog Wembley Matters. Martin believes that the current composition of Brent Council, overwhelmingly Labour, is bad for democracy and that ineffective scrutiny by the current opposition has allowed the implementation of many poor decisions, especially over regeneration and waste services. 

Martin says:

You may not agree with everything I say but you can’t deny that effective opposition is healthy for democracy and Green councillors are the way of strengthening the accountability of this Council.  As the African proverb says, 'If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.'

Samuel Hopkins (Kensal Green)

Samuel works in the arts and creative industries and has a passion for all things Green. He has a particular interest in LGBT+ rights and affairs, and is delighted to see a strong presence from Brent Green Party at the 2018 local elections.

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SCRAP Universal Credit -Protest May 4th Tothill Street

 At Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group it was agreed we would hold our monthly protest outside Tothill Street HQ  SW1 9LL (St James' Park or Westminster tube) to continue the call to SCRAP Universal Credit, with Unite Community.4th May 12-1pm

Agreed that singing and dancing will also be on the menu and people to speak out. Travel and coffee costs available with receipts.

SCRAP THIS CRAP!

More of your Brent Green Party council election candidates

Sophie Ogier (Mapesbury)

Sophie is a yoga teacher, project co-ordinator and vegan who lives in Mapesbury. Sophie is passionate about the environment and wants to encourage more input into our parks and green spaces in the borough. She believes we should be doing more to make our green spaces accessible and safe so that all residents can enjoy them.

Scott Bartle (Mapesbury)

  Scott is standing as a candidate in Mapesbury, his home ward, for the second time. Scott double majored in Psychology and Human Rights and now works as a psychologist in the NHS from a Human Rights Based Approach. This means he is good at understanding problems and working out how to solve them. At 21, he owned and ran his own business and later held employment as an analyst in the Clean Technology Sector. This means he has an eye to a future away from dirty industries. He wishes to use these skills to help us have a better functioning council.

Lenia Evans (Mapesbury)

 Lenia is a teacher and senior manager in a primary school. Lenia grew up in Mapesbury and after moving to Brondesbury Park later in her childhood, she subsequently returned to Mapesbury 9 years ago. As a Mapesbury resident, Lenia is directly affected by the decisions made for Mapesbury, and has seen many changes in the ward over the years. Her passions are education and elderly care. She believes Brent Council must do more for children, young people & the elderly within our borough. There are so many Labour voices in Brent Council, there needs to be a fresh, new voice to hold the council to account. Lenia would be honoured to stand up and be a Green voice for her fellow residents of Mapesbury. 

Phil Ram (Dudden Hill)

Phil Ram is a Horticulturalist, Musician, loving husband, father and Grandfather and has lived in London all his adult life.
'Fed up with the same old rhetoric while watching life get more expensive and stressful in a world where the hugeness of society issues seem totally beyond our reach? Then put a little sunshine in your life and vote for the Green Party in these important Local Elections. Having even a small “Green” presence on the local council will make a difference.

We will strive to improve where you live, for example air pollution, the ever dangerous litter and increasingly dumped rubbish (and I don’t just mean ineffective poster campaigns). The Greens can encourage community gatherings and discussions and not just online.'

Shonte Lia Miller-Howe

 

Hi, I’m Shonté Miller-Howe I am running for Green Party in the local elections for Kenton. I am a second year Environmental Science student and the university of Greenwich. I live in Kenton and have done for many years. I have experienced the change that Kenton has gone through. I went to St. Bernadette’s primary school. I am apart of the Kenton community and would like to represent the people and what they stand for. I have a passion for the environment and one day want to have a career where I can be involved in environmental protection and education.

Brent Greens: Vote for Accountability, Scrutiny, Democracy & Fresh ideas

Some of the eighteen Green Party candidates standing for election in Brent

Brent Green Party launched its comprehensive manifesto for the Council elections at the weekend. Candidates are standing on a platform of challenging the 'One Party' Brent Council pledging to hold the Council to account for its decisions, ensuring that its policies and decisions are robustly scrutinised, extending democracy so that all councillors have a share in decision making and putting forward imaginative and radical new ideas to improve the quality of life and life chances of Brent residents.

The full Manifesto is available here and can be downloaded (page symbol menu bottom left):

100 YEARS SINCE THE VOTE FOR WOMEN AND 70 YEARS SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF THE WINDRUSH Thursday 26 April @ 6.30pm TUC Congress House PLEASE REGISTER (FREE ADMISSION)

Why voting Green will make a difference. Challenge One Party councils.

Introducing your Green Party candidates in Brent

Over the next few days we will be publishing short biographies of your Green Party candidiates for the May 3^rd Council elections. Brent badly needs councillors who will hold the Labour Party, with its large majority and resulting complacency to account. We have done this as much as we can whilst having no councillors but imagine how much more effective we would be if we were sitting on the Scrutiny Committees. We would provide fresh, orginal ideas on how to improve the lives of ordinary people in Brent and contribute to a much healthier local democracy than we have now.

Here are on our first batch of candidates:

Lawrence McNally (Queens Park)

I’m standing as a candidate for Queens Park in the upcoming local elections. I’ve been a member of the Green Party for around 2 years, joining whilst a student. I’ve previously stood as a Parliamentary candidate for Cities of London and Westminster, and whilst doing this I set up the King’s College London Green Party Society. I’m really passionate about progressive politics, and putting an end to the one party rule on Brent Council. I’m eager to provide balance on the council and hold it accountable for its decisions - for too long now has the maintenance of our roads and public services been forgotten. I’d love to be able to count on your support on the 3^rd of May. Thank you! - Lawrence’

William Relton (Willesden Green)

William Relton has lived in Willesden Green Ward for over 30 years. His relationship with Brent goes back even further in that he spent his early childhood years in Dollis Hill and Wembley, and his grandfather was editor of the Willesden Chronicle. He has worked in the performing arts for over four decades as performer, director and management in this country and in mainland Europe. During this time he has successfully used his skills in logistics, scheduling, budgeting and time management. Local issues of particular concern to him are the state of the roads, the closure of libraries, policing, local planning and the provision of care. He is a passionate Remainer, a member of Open Britain and also of the Electoral Reform Society.

Shaka Lish (Willesden Green)

Shaka Lish has been a Brent resident for all of her life and grew up around Kilburn, Queens Park and now Willesden. Shaka appreciates the diversity of Brent and believes that is one of its strongest assets. She is passionate about applying Green Party principles on a local level and making sure that that voice is heard on the council. Shaka is excited about exploring innovative and inspiring ways to combat and tackle issues such as crime and anti social behaviour, environment and waste and services and education. Shaka would work for her local community on a dual basis – by holding a Labour majority council to account and also by representing and advancing creative and positive solutions that local residents care deeply about.

Simon Rebbitt (Northwick Park)

My name is Simon Rebbitt and I am the Green Party council candidate for Northwick Park. I’ve worked as a comprehensive secondary school teacher in and around Brent for the last 9 years. Working with children inspires – and sometimes exhausts(!) – me. It gives me an insight into the priorities and background and hopes and fears of the children, their families and all the wonderful people of this diverse community. I believe those insights would guide me in best representing our community’s needs on the council. More than that I believe those needs go hand in hand with our commitments to future generations to leave this world in a better state than we found it.

Peter Murry (Willesden Green)

Peter Murry, a retired Lecturer who has lived in Brent for 30 yrs, is still active in his union (University and College Union) and in the Campaign Against Climate Change. 

As a disabled person he  is concerned to improve disabled facilities in Brent. He is standing for the Greens as the only party that effectively campaigns for both climate and social justice

Why Brent Council should divest from fossil fuels - Meeting May 8th

Meeting to discuss

What we can do about climate change

And how divestment (selling fossil fuel investments) can help

DATE AND TIME Tue 8 May 2018 19:30 – 21:30 Petition: https://tinyurl.com/DivestBrent Facebook: www.facebook.com/DivestBrent

LOCATION Meeting room Watling Gardens Estate 97-135 Shoot-Up Hill London NW2 3UB

Do you want to do something about climate change? Come to this meeting, hosted by Divest Brent and Brent Friends of the Earth, and find out what you can do. We will hear from an experienced campaigner (supplemented by video clips) about the role that divestment (disposing of fossil fuel investments) has to play generally and in particular, locally, look at ways to encourage Brent Council’s wish to divest their Pension Fund which has nearly £40 million invested in fossil fuel companies. We will look at divestment success stories and why it is so effective. We will also look at other ways to transition to clean, renewable energy – and most importantly what you can do to contribute to this transition.

Doors open at 7 pm - come then for an opportunity, before the formal evening starts at 7.30 pm, to talk to people in Brent who are already working to combat climate change - and there will be another chance for informal discussion when the formal evening finishes at 9 pm.

Please note that in order to attend, although the event is free, you must first register for a ticket online at https://tinyurl.com/KeepInGround or by writing to Simon Erskine, 61 Mortimer Road, London, NW10 5QR. The location is very close to Kilburn underground station but not that easy to find from the map – when you register online you will find a link to directions – or ask Simon Erskine as above.

Brent Green Party's candidates for Council elections

Brent Green Party submitted the following nominations to Brent Electoral Services on Friday. We will be publishing short biographies of the candidates over the next week or so.

Ward	Candididate
Alperton	Andrew Linnie
Dudden Hill	Phil Ram
Kensal Green	Sam Hopkins
Kenton	Shonte Lia Miller-Howe
Mapesbury	Scott Bartle
Mapesbury	Lenia Evans
Mapesbury	Sophie Ogier
Northwick Park	Simon Rebbitt
Queensbury	Nesrin Ahmet
Queens Park	John Mansook
Queens Park	Lawrence McNally
Queens Park	Poppy Stockbridge
Sudbury	Rosemary Osborn
Tokyngton	Martin Francis
Wembley Central	Rohan Patel
Willesden Green	Shaka Lish
Willesden Green	William Relton
Willesden Green	Peter Murry

End the 'almost one party' Brent council. Elect Green voices on May 3rd

As the Council election approaches here are a few images of Green Party candidates' publicity material distributed in Brent.  We cannot risk another almost 'one party state' Council with very litrtle opposition or scrutiny. Local democracy works best when councils and councillors are called to account. Electing Green councillors will ensure that happens.(Click on images to enlarge)