Monday 9 February 2015

Guest blog: We must embrace and appreciate our natural environment

'Plain Jaine' sent in a comment in response to Viv Stein's letter in the Kilburn Times regarding Brent Council's environmental cuts and the FoE submission on the budget. LINK In her letter Viv asked readers to imagine what Brent might be like after the cuts. Jaine's article was too long to publish as a comment so I publish it below as a Guest Blog.


Viv, thank you for comments.


But  for us Residents, this is something I don't need to imagine, this is not a figment of my imagination,  this is happening right now.   In the street where I live, it is not cleaned regularly although when it is the regular guy does do  a good job, however it's getting less and less frequent.   Getting regular fly-tipping removed a constant battle, at least a few emails, photographs and threats of embarrassment normally does the trick, but hey they're REACTIVE  not PROACTIVE. 



 Brent Council are actively engaging with developers to build on our parks to hell with the residents and their needs and desires for accessible Green Open Space, ( which in Wembley is less than 50% of what should be provided)   their slogan  " a better cleaner, environmentally friendly Brent".



Get real! this is just PR on behalf of the LB Brent.  They have already implemented many of the cuts already, I have the photographic evidence.     We have consultations to engage the public, but WE the public never find out about them until the last minute, because,  Hey!  they are not actually publicised. How does that work?  A recent FOI request was refused,  although to the prior to the request the majority of information was on LB Brent system and readily available has become extremely difficult for them to retrieve and we were informed, that should we be serious in our request please pay £480.00 we may be able to supply this information?



The Welsh Harp Area hold's a special place in my heart.  Somewhere I could go and feel at one with nature, tranquillity, walk, feed the Ducks, Swans, see Frog Spawn , to get away from the rubbish that is happening on my doorstep.  Beautiful landscape that has now been defiled by Barratt Homes and Barnet Council, who have flatly refused to accept the findings of the West Hendon Residents ,  the  original residents who resided  in the location only to discover they have been consistently been mislead, fraudulently represented, , abused,  and betrayed by the Planning System and have a real case to fight under  Human Rights legislation. 

Surely there must be a way forward, With regard to the Nature Reserve ant Teaching Facility, I recall that Carey's Group supported this as part of their Charitable Trust and giving back to the community surely we can engage more business partners in Brent to help keep this afloat?



Is there no way back?



 Should we align ourselves with the self proclaimed  saviours of LB Brent,   QUINTAIN  PLC , who are developing Wembley with so called prestigious housing developments, the new North West Village?


Poetic Licence has gone mad!!, 1 acre of green space, with a lot of nice landscaping and plants, some which are far from the definition of a Village, I hereto explain:-


 To be a Village a settlement must  list  the following of amenities  have:-      
                         

1   a church,                          

2    a village hall or community centre,

3    a school(though not necessarily),  

4    some shops, usually including a post office,                               

5   a  village green,                   

6    allotments,                        

7   places to work,                    

8    a public house,                    

9    Houses etc.,usually to include  Private, Council rented and Privately rented to give a mixed community.    

10  a Parish Council or Parish Meeting. 

                                    

Nice concept shame about the delivery.


 Hey who am I?



Having grown up in a Real Village  with a Duck pond,  Social club/Community centre,  Church with Warden, Women's Institute,  Social Club etc.

Are  LB Brent climbing in bed with  "The Devil's Advocate?"

Are we, the  residents of Brent  going to continue to endorse this alliance or are we going to a  take a stand, reject the council's austerity measures,  be proactive and support  anyone or  organisation, irrespective of our sympathetic allegiance to any political party.



 We need  to protect Our  Future, Our Children's Future,  Sustain our Community and Green Space  to  ensure all of us  grow up in the best natural environment  we are able to experience,  embrace and  appreciate everything that nature has to offer from now to infinity 3.14.



Martin, my  apologies if I am thought to be shouting

regards

Plain Jaine

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

No sure why it is but in deprived communities the powers that be seem to think in the name of progress and great affluency building tower blocks is the solution.

If you look at Richmond Borough for example they have been able to retain their green spaces with few large tower blocks.

Brent could do the same if only they listen to the people

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group said...

I was en route from Wembley Park Stn this afternoon to a Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group demo outside the Civic Centre in relation to Brent Housing Partnership's absolute determination to vacate social housing tenants out of Gloucester House and into the private sector that they cannot afford and that does not like people who have lived in LB Brent since 1997 and now require Housing Benefit on account of a change of fortune. And it was then that I saw an advertising hoarding for this so-called 'Wembley Village North'.

I was struck by the message: "Discover exceptional village living." My interpretation of that message was that it was code for: "Discover 'stuff all you plebs who cannot afford to live in this ghetto for the global wealthy who get also wealthy cabinet members to collude with them toward eroding secure tenancy rights. And I wondered whether the 2010 coalition of millionaires' interpretation of localism as in the 'localism act' might have something to do with exclusivity of wealth?

But maybe it is only really 'exceptional' in how it differs from Plain Jaine's ideal typical model of a village?

Anyhow, I commend to readers of this blog post two old but timely Community Care blog pieces:

Poor must meet Gordon
and
Iain Duncan Smith admits ghettoisation under Tory housing policy.

Dude Swheatie of Kwug