Environmental Groups Protest as Climate Posts Axed

Environmental groups across Brent angered at Brent Council’s decision to cut key Environment posts will be holding a protest outside Brent Town Hall in on Monday 12th July. They have requested speaking rights at the Council Executive meeting to voice their concerns.

Brent Campaign against Climate Change[1] made up of environmental, trade union, political and community groups across the Borough are infuriated that Brent Council have cut two posts in Environment and Culture, including a new Climate Change Officer post. The campaigners believe the post, which would have would oversee and deliver the Borough’s Climate Change strategy, should be exempt from the cuts which will otherwise seriously impede the Council’s work to deliver a sustainable agenda.

Brent’s Climate Change strategy [2] was launched at an event in Wembley in December last year. A strategy steering group was due to be set up comprising public services, businesses, voluntary sector and community group representatives, but this new post was the only paid one on the committee. The other places are entirely voluntary, non-expert and do not carry any authority. The steering group is yet to be set up and the officer post, due to be recruited last year, was put on hold due to a recruitment freeze across the Council this Spring, and has now been axed. This work is instead being designated to existing staff, which campaigners believe will compromise what can be achieved.

Ken Montague, Chair of Brent Campaign against Climate Change says, “Brent Council really need to get their heads round the seriousness and urgency of the problem facing us. Climate change is happening now and it won't wait till they've balanced their budgets. This is a short sighted decision which shows that Brent is not planning for the future."

"We should save the planet not the bankers. Brent Council must lead the way and not give way to Con Dem budget cuts. Brent Councillors don't have to answer to us. They will have to answer to their grandchildren."

Steffi Gray, of Brent Friends of the Earth (FoE), who is hoping to address the Council meeting says, “This is outrageous. Brent have spent forty thousand pounds of our council tax hiring consultants to come up with this strategy, but have now pulled the plug on any further money to actually deliver the scheme. What’s more they have made a big deal of signing up to the 10:10 campaign [3] to reduce emissions by 10% in 2010, but this target is actually LESS than the amount they agreed to previously[4]."

“We want Brent Council to get serious about climate change, but we fear these cuts will put a sustainable agenda at risk. Given the urgency of climate change, this post should be a priority and be made exempt from the cuts.”

Shahrar Ali, Brent Green party spokesperson for planning and environment said, “We need to take urgent action on climate change mitigation locally. The Brent climate change strategy called for a full-time officer to work with other agencies and the public - today, not the day after tomorrow. Failure to recruit the post is environmentally irresponsible. We are calling for all newly elected councillors to see sense, for the sake of current and future generations."

Brent Council faces two hundred staff cuts in September, whilst Council tax has been frozen for the coming year. The decision to cut the posts was made without consultation with community groups who had previously been involved in shaping the Borough’s climate change strategy [5].

Members of Brent FoE, Brent Green Party, Brent Red-Green Forum, Brent and Harrow Socialist Workers Party, Brent Socialist Resistance, and Kensal to Kilburn Transition Town will be outside Brent Town Hall in Wembley at 7pm on Monday 12th July. The Council executive meeting starts at 7.15pm.

Notes

1. Brent Campaign against Climate Change is a non-profit making network and information exchange for participating environmental groups, trade union organisations, tenants’ and residents’ associations, and individual climate activists within the London Borough of Brent. It is the local group of the national Campaign against Climate Change. For more information see http://www.brentcacc.com/

2. Brent’s Climate Change strategy can be seen at http://www.brent.gov.uk/directorate.nsf/Climate%20change/LBB-12

3. http://www.1010uk.org/

4. In 2007 Brent agreed a cut in greenhouse gas emissions of 20% by 2011.

5. A Council staffing and structure review was agreed in March 2010, but internal consultation to review this ended on July 2nd. Groups including Brent FoE and Brent Green party were consulted in the strategy development.

Welsh Harp Campaign - Willesden and Wembley Observer Nov 26th

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Welsh Harp Campaign and Green Queen's Park By-election Candidate- Willesden and Brent Times Nov 26th

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People of Brent to Protect Wildlife of Welsh Harp

On Friday 20 November, Brent Green Party and Brent Friends of the Earth joined forces with local residents and Brent MP Sarah Teather to unveil a banner to "PROTECT WILD OPEN SPACES" and voice their outright opposition to the threat to wildlife from a proposed housing development on the Greenhouse garden centre at Welsh Harp.

Brent Greens and Brent Friends of the Earth have contacted many local residents and groupings united in their opposition to the plans to build 71 flats on the Brent side and another 90 flats on the Barnet side of the Greenhouse site. Local residents have submitted petitions to the Council on Friday 20 Nov, the deadline for receipt of planning objections to Brent Council.

Lora Rubner, spokesperson for Church View Residents' Association said: "I understand that people need housing but they must be in the right place not to ruin one of the most beautiful places in London. Local residents have been countersigning our petition in great numbers."

Shahrar Ali, Brent Green Party spokesperson for Environment and Planning and Chair of the Church View Residents' Association in Welsh Harp said: "Local people, campaign groups and politicians have signalled their determination to see this planning proposal kicked into the long grass. Instead we demand the preservation of our local grasslands which form an extraordinarily beautiful breathing space for the people of Brent. The local residents association has already lodged a petition with hundreds of residents opposed to the plans."

Kitty D'Costa of Brent Friends of the Earth, said: “The lives of Brent and Barnet residents are enriched by the Welsh Harp resevoir with its teeming insect, bird and wildllife. The Welsh Harp has been given many designations in order to protect the many species that live there. We oppose proposals to build 70 housing units on the Brent side of Welsh Harp and 91 housing units on the Barnet side. We believe that since the area that has been put forward for development is designated as Metropolitan Open Land, it should be classified as a conservation area, and therefore these planning applications should be rejected.”

Martin Francis, spokesperson for Brent School Without Walls said: "As an educator and environmentalist I am passionately committed to ensuring that children in the local area have access to the natural world. This involves direct experience via all the senses and has scientific, aesthetic and spiritual dimensions. The Welsh Harp offers such an experience and must be protected at all costs."

NOTES.
1. Photo by Jonathan Goldberg: Front left to right Shahrar Ali of Brent Greens, Kitty D'Costa of Brent Friends of the Earth and Sarah Teather MP forming a united front with members of the Church View Residents Association, Welsh Harp Conservationists and local RSPB at the entrance to the Welsh Harp nature reserve.

2. Brent Greens and Brent Friends of the Earth invited many representatives to the photocall including: Brent Liberal Democrats, Brent Schools without Walls,Church View Residents' Association, Federation of Residents' Associations Across Barnet (FORAB), Welsh Harp Conservation Group. We have received correspondence from others opposed to the plans, notably: Leader of the Conservative Group Welsh Harp Joint Consultative Committee, Welsh Harp Labour Action Team, RSPB.

3. Brent Greens have solicited an objection from the RSPB, who have given us permission to make it publicly available here.

4. To view the planning application see. Brent Green Party submission here.

Press coverage: Brent Times, 'Wading in the Reservoir Fight' (26 Nov 09)