More fun than 'work for your benefits'

Title above by Swheatie of the KUWG

The letter introduced below is from Martin Francis' Wembley Matters blog and published online to help compensate for the fact that the Brent & Kilburn Times has not recently included a letters page. A major problem arising from present day deprivation of today's young poor people is that it conspires to prepare them for a life of drudgery and low expectations.

The future for our young people?

Friday, 31 October 2014

Stonebridge: So much more than just a playground

United in the battle to save Stonebridge Adventure Playground

The Kilburn Times is playing a gteat role in publicising and supporting the fight to save Stonebridge Adventure Playground. Unfortunately they have not had a Letters Page for several weeks so I print below a letter I sent them:

 It has been gratifying to see the Brent & Kilburn Times getting behind the local community's fight to save Stonebridge Adventure Playground.

I recently attended the Wembley Connects forum where we were invited to shape a vision for the improvement of the borough. One strong theme that emerged was the need for social spaces where our diverse population could meet, share common interests and learn about each other. It was argued that this  would help produce community cohesion and solidarity.

Stonebridge Adventure Playground is such a space where generations of children and their parents and carers have mixed and shared each others company in an area of disadvantage.  It was noteworthy that Doug and Glynis Lee's MBE nomination for their work on the playground was from grown up children who had helped them build it back in the 1970s.

Continue reading on Wembley Matters blog....

Brent Council's democratic accountability

The following item, by Martin Francis, reminds Swheatie of a Crippen the Disabled Cartoonist cartoon in which the then Disability Minister addresses a group of disabled people with the words: "When we want your opinion, we'll tell you what it is."

Brent, the 'Listening Council', refuses to let me speak but answers an unasked question

Just to keep readers up to date on Brent Council's refusal to let me speak as a deputation last night.

Seconds before the meeting Muhammed Butt, leader of the Council,  came over and took me aside to say he couldn't allow me to speak but he would address my 'question' in his report to the Council.

I had never asked a question but had requested a deputation:

I would like to speak to Full Council on September 8th on the subject of the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive.

There's a touch of Alice In Wonderland here when you are not allowed to speak but the Council decides what question is implied by your request to speak, and then proceeds to answer it....
Continue reading on Martin Francis' Wembley Matters blog ...

PS: Update from Martin Francis:

I get to speak to a Brent Council meeting!

'Democratic deficit' a la LB Brent

By Swheatie of the KUWG

I believe that the link below will be of great interest to the KUWG's LB Brent-based members, especially the one I refer to as 'First Lady of the KUWG' (in honour of her exemplary punctuality at the bizcuits meetings she does manage to attend). Long minutes before the meeting started today, 'First Lady' and I were discussing lead story in this week's Brent & Kilburn Times about how Brent Council is planning to hit disabled people financially for services while it aims to make £53m in its spending cuts, while the councillors have voted a substantial raft of rises for their allowances. I said that I had read of the latter first on the 'Wembley Matters' blog of my friend Martin Francis.

You will note from the link the kind of special dispensation that Martin Francis was awarded in a supposedly erroneously announced 'public speak out' event for LB Brent residents.

;-)

Thursday, 4 September 2014

Ledden claims Brent Council tweeted in 'error' to 8,000 followers inviting them to speak at Monday's Full Council meeting - then bars Martin Francis from speaking