Brent and Camden Council leaders have committed to reinvigorate the Kilburn Partnership which aims to revitalise the High Rd. Cllr Mo Butt and Cllr Sarah Hayward are supporting plans which will be discussed at the next Brent Connects meeting – a joint forum for local residents from Brent and Camden to be held at the iconic Gaumont Kilburn State, courtesy of Ruach Ministries, on April 17th at 7pm.

Put this date in your diary and come along to discuss the plans and ideas with a panel representing Brent and Camden residents and the Local Government Association (LGA) Economy and Transport.

Plans include improving pedestrian safety and reducing congestion on the High Rd and increasing the footfall by diversifying and introducing new business opportunities through meanwhile or pop-up shops. Ideas for improving access to fair credit and financial support for residents and traders are also topical in Kilburn.

Please tell your friends and neighbours to come along.

Cllr Mary Arnold, Kilburn Ward
Lead Member for Children and Families, LB Brent

 
 
Mary Arnold
Cllr, Kilburn Ward, LB Brent
Lead Member for Children and Families
07961 406 005
 

(Health warning: it’s long, but there was a lot to respond to!)

Don’t forget that there’s a meeting to discuss the future of West Hampstead police station this coming Thursday (7th) at 6:30pm at West Hampstead Library, with Camden’s cabinet member for Community Safety and the Borough Commander.

Response to MOPAC’s consultation on the Police and Crime Plan 2013-17

1.       I am responding to this consultation as a councillor for Kilburn ward in the London Borough of Camden, and a resident in West Hampstead.

2.       Kilburn faces some of the biggest crime and policing challenges in the Borough. We have an unhappy history of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and youth violence in and around our estates in the ward, which has manifested itself in a range of activity, from low-level nuisance, through persistent drug-dealing to fatal stabbings.

3.       Fortunately, through ongoing engagement between our Safer Neighbourhood police team (SNT), residents (through the Safer Neighbourhood Panel) and council officers, many of the issues have received focused police attention, which has led to some effective resolution.  For instance, after many years of continually having to make ASB on the Alexandra & Ainsworth Estate (commonly known as Rowley Way) a SNT priority, success in driving this down has enabled us to shift focus away and deprioritise that estate.  This would have been unthinkable as little as eighteen months ago, and demonstrates the effectiveness of the SNT model of community policing.

4.       It is for this reason that I am very concerned about the dilution of the link at ward level between a strong officer team and local residents.  We have an excellent Panel, which meets quarterly or bi-monthly and which is effectively an open meeting.  This encourages active reporting of ASB and other issues and is an essential tool in helping the police team, along with Camden’s community safety officers, prioritise what matters to local residents.

5.       Our neighbouring wards have quite different demographics, types and levels of crime activity and thus different crime priorities. Under the ‘cluster’ model proposed for community policing in the Plan, I share the concerns of residents and the Chair of our SNP that Kilburn’s voice and needs will be marginalised.  This is in no way a criticism of neighbouring wards’ SNPs and SNTs; merely a reflection that others wards in the proposed north Camden cluster have much more in common with each other than they have with Kilburn.

6.       Ultimately, this will serve to marginalise some of the most disadvantaged residents in Camden, whose estates and homes have been at prey from some of the most persistent gang-related violence and ASB in the borough.

7.       Furthermore, these proposals risk a return to the pre-SNT “sector based” policing model which has been largely discredited since the introduction of the superior, ward based, safer neighbourhood approach.  The SNT model has been widely praised across the political spectrum and has strong support in my ward, and across Kilburn.

8.       Linked to this is, of course, huge concern over the proposal to dedicate just one PC and PCSO to each ward; as part of wider concern over the wider reduction in numbers of officers in Camden, and the manner in which those figures have been presented.  It is worth noting that the effect of this reduction would be even more marked in Kilburn, which has a slightly larger establishment than a standard SNT (one additional PC) than a standard SNT, in recognition of the challenges the ward faces.

9.       Taking the presentational point first, I note that Joanne McCartney AM has written to the UK Statistics Authority seeking clarification about the accuracy of the figures used by the Mayor and MOPAC in this consultation.  Currently, information on the number of police officers is made publicly available through the Mayor’s London Datastore but this information differs from that being used by the Mayor in his public consultation.

10.   Given this seriousness of the matters under review, and the long-term nature of the plan, any attempt to manipulate or distort the data being used for public consultation is a matter of deep regret.  It requires speedy clarification and, if proven at fault by the Statistics Authority, for the consultation to be re-run using accurate data about current and future police numbers.

11.   Whilst the Plan’s forecast for more police officers is strictly accurate, this claim is heavily dependent on the year chosen as the comparator base year: 2011. At this point, there was a police recruitment freeze and numbers had dropped dramatically. (Nevertheless, the Mayor’s claim for extra officers based on an end date of 2015, is slight – just an extra two officers, across the whole Met.)

12.   I would contend that a fairer period of comparison would be from May 2010, when the Coalition Government came to power and inherited the police service from the previous Government, to the Mayor’s chosen end point of 2015, when Government’s term of office expires and the next general election is due.

13.   For Camden, the total number of police officers in post in May 2010 was 884; the projected number of officers for 2015 is 751 – a net loss of 133 officers, or an 11 percent reduction over the five-year period.

14.   Turning to the SNT teams, the total number of officers in Camden falls by an even greater proportion.  In May 2010 there were 122 SNT officers in post.  The projected number of officers for 2015 is 103 – a net loss of 17 SNT officers or 14 percent.  It is also worth noting that the current numbers also reflect the substantial subsidy from Camden Council to pay for extra SNT PCs for Camden Town. It is not clear if the Met will continue this arrangement.

15.   Kilburn also benefits from the presence of the Kilburn tasking team, which deals exclusively with commercial and non-residential crime on and around the Kilburn High Road.  As this road is a local authority boundary (between Camden and Brent) the team operates very effectively as a cross-border force. It has had numerous successes in dealing with a wide variety of crime on the High Road (including illegal pavement sellers and shops being used as a front for stolen goods).  It has also had the not insignificant additional benefit of freeing up ward SNTs to focus solely on residential crime.  Prior to the introduction of the tasking team in 2010, ward SNTs were tasked with dealing with crime priorities linked to the High Road economy, as well as ‘residential’ crime like anti-social behaviour.  I would urge the retention of the special team, given its successful track record and benefits it brings to SNT policing.

16.   Turning lastly to the issue of contact points and police properties, the proposal to close West Hampstead, Hampstead and Albany police stations to the public is to be deeply regretted. It means there will be no police station open to public access in the north and west of the borough at all, with Kentish Town being open for just 40 hours per week.

17.   It leaves Holborn, in the far south of Camden, as the only station open round the clock – not readily accessible to residents in NW2, NW6, NW3 and NW8.  Whilst more reporting of crime by phone is to be welcomed, it cannot be the only answer for victims of crimes of a sensitive or personal nature, like rape or domestic violence.  Also, it will make it far more difficult, time-consuming and potentially expensive for those required to answer bail at a police station.  This could lead to high levels of bail default, which of course would take up more police time and thus prove a false economy.

18.   Far greater clarity about the location and function is required for the proposed replacement “contact points”.  Comments made by the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Stephen Greenhalgh, during the consultation event in the Camden Centre on 22 January 2013, that contact points would not be used for crime reporting, directly conflicts with statements in the draft Policing Plan.  Now it seems that plans for using coffee shops and post offices have been abandoned, restricting contact points to Met-owned property.  These proposals have been so confused and unclear that any consultation on them ought to be rerun, following much greater clarification of what services would be available where – listing putative locations and having undertaken some proper feasibility studies of non-Met sites (if these are to be used) including discussion with current owners/occupants about the way the building would be used by the police.

19.   For residents in Kilburn, West Hampstead and Fortune Green, I would urge the retention of counter services at West Hampstead police station.  The Plan stresses that the “most deprived communities in London need face-to-face access, particularly where there are language barriers”.  Some of my constituents in Kilburn fit this description; it is unclear how face-to-face contact will be guaranteed for them.

20.   Finally, I would add that it is extremely unfortunate that the Mayor and his Deputy have risked politicising our professional, non-partisan police force by asking them to take so much of the lead in presenting the Crime and Police Plan.  Aspects of this plan are highly political and contentious; it is neither right nor fair that the Mayor and Mr Greenhalgh have failed to take a clear lead in explaining and justifying the funding cuts which are at the heart of this plan and are driven by the Mayor’s political objective of managing down the GLA precept on council tax.  We all value the professionalism of our police personnel; the Mayor’s approach to presenting and advocating this plan has put this at risk and is deeply regrettable.

A massive reorganisation of community policing and a decision to close West Hampstead police station in Hillfield Road to the public risks a severe diminution in access to local police services for people living in NW6.

I’m especially concerned that the proposals to close the counter service at West Hampstead hasn’t been thought through – with the decision to close Albany Street and restrict Kentish Town to 40 hours, it leaves only Holborn police station open 24/7.

Having worked with our Labour Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Cllr Abdul Hai, on the issue, I’m really pleased he’s going to be leading a public meeting for residents with the Borough Commander on the issue at:

 18:30 to 20:30

 Thursday 7 March

West Hampstead Library, Dennington Park Road, NW6

Please also remember to respond to the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) consultation on the new policing plan.

Also, I’ve tabled a motion at the next meeting of Camden Full Council (Monday 4 March) – because I want to air my concerns not just about the police cuts, but cuts to our fire service too:

This council believes that the safety and security of residents in Camden is being put at risk as a result of cuts to emergency services being pushed through by the Mayor and the Conservative led government to our key emergency services, particularly the Metropolitan Police Service and London Fire Brigade.

Furthermore, this council:

• condemns the proposal to close Belsize Fire Station could have a huge impact for residents in the north of the borough.  This fire station covers a wide area of the borough, from Kilburn in the west to Gospel Oak in the east.  These are densely populated wards which can suffer from extremely congested roads.

• notes that Camden currently has the second best fire service attendance times in London, and that the decision to close Belsize Fire Station, and also stations in Islington and Westminster, along with the decision to abandon plans for an extra fire engine replacement for Euston will mean attendance times in Camden on average will increase by 45 seconds- a huge impact, given that a fire doubles in intensity every thirty seconds.

• notes that the Mayor’s decision that police stations at Hampstead, West Hampstead and Albany Street are to close their doors to the public completely means there will be no police station open to public access in the north and west of the borough at all, with Kentish Town being open for 40 hours per week.

• calls for much greater clarity about the location and function for police ‘contact points’, given that comments from the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Stephen Greenhalgh during the consultation event in the Camden Centre on 22 January 2013, that contact points would not be used for crime reporting, directly conflicts with statements in the draft Policing Plan

• notes that, by the time of the next election in 2015 the projected number of police officers in Camden will be fall by 133, or 11%, compared with 2010; and that the number of officers in Camden Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) will fall by 17, or 14%, over the same period

• warns that the Mayor’s proposal that each SNT will have just two officers actually allocated to the ward – a PC and a PCSO – with remaining officers working across a much larger cluster may make it harder for SNTs to reflect the specific needs of residents in each ward, and instead heralds a return to the pre-SNT “sector based” policing model which did not work

The council believes that the cuts are going too far and too fast and that the many millions of pounds being cut from the budgets the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Fire Brigade will lead to longer response times and make their services less accessible to Camden’s residents.

This council challenges the Mayor’s position that the scale of cuts are necessary and acceptable. This council calls on the Mayor to stand up for Londoners against the cuts being imposed by the Conservative-led government and to reconsider his own draconian cuts to the emergency services on which we rely to keep Londoners safe.

The latest figures show the economy has shrunk by 0.3% in the last quarter of 2012.  As we are one more quarter of negatvie growth away from experiencing the unfortunate novelty of a triple-dip recession, the Government and Chancellor’s record is stark.

To recap the Labour List analysis:

• our economy has grown just 0.4% in more than two years
• it has shrunk in five of the nine quarters since the Government’s 2010 spending review
• by comparison, over the same nine quarters, the US economy has grown by more than 45 (ten times as much); Germany’s by more than 3.5% and France’s by 1.5%
• during the Government’s first quarter in office, operating under Labour’s spending plans,  the economy grew by 0.6% – there was more growth in this one quarter than in the nine which followed the Coalition’s spending review

Now it seems no-one is in doubt that the Government’s austerity plan is failing our economy and the country.  Consider the following views (courtesy of the Independent)

“The more time that passes, the clearer it is that America’s gradual and delayed approach to  fiscal tightening is the right one” Trevor Greetham, investment group Fidelity

“It’s worse than the 1920s; it’s worse than the Great Depression,” Stephen Boyle, head of group economics, Royal Bank of Scotland

“These figures are very disappointing. If the Government does indeed have a strategy for growth, it plainly isn’t working”  Mark Littlewood, Institute of Economic Affairs

“The hair shirt stuff, the Stafford Cripps agenda – that is not the way to get Britain motoring again.” Boris Johnson, Mayor of London

When it isn’t only bankers and city analysts criticising your policy, but one of the most right-wing think tanks and your own party’s Mayor of London, it really is time for the Government to drop the dogma and pursue a plan B.

Perhaps investing for growth and jobs is worth a go.  It can’t produce worse results than we’ve had over the past couple of years.

As regular readers of this blog will know, I’ve spent a fair amount of time campaigning (successfully!) to address the deficit of primary school places in NW6.

As night follows day, it follows that there’s also real demand for properly affordable childcare, that suits the lives of busy, often working, parents (especially working mothers).  Camden deserves real credit on this score by restoring its universal provision of 25 hours of free childcare for three and four year-olds in its schools and childrens’ centres, as announced in the last few days.

However, we want to hear your views on what can be done to improve access to childcare, and thus enable more parents to work or train.  This isn’t just about getting hard-pressed families off benefits (although NW6 has more private tenants claiming housing benefit than anywhere else in Camden) – it’s about helping families at every level, from those on the minimum wage to the much-talked about ‘squeezed middle to be able to work the hours they need.

If you’ve got any views or experiences on the matter, please do come along and share them.

Do come along – it’s open to all residents, and gives local people a chance to talk to their ward councillors and put their view forward.

• most people on benefits are in work, not feckless, idle or fraudulent
• when the Tories say “we’re all in it together”, they either dissemble or fail to comprehend the real impact of their policies.

(Of course, I can’t claim credit for either – the Labour Party tweeted the first image; former foreign secretary David Miliband tweeted the second (a 1929 election poster), following his superb speech in the Commons debate today).

Glenda can help with a whole range of issues  – including benefits, NHS and immigration issues – for anyone who lives in the Hampstead & Kilburn constituency (which covers both Camden and Brent – if you’re not sure who your MP is, enter your postcode here).

As Camden councillors, Mike, Thomas and Maryam can help with issues relating to Camden services – housing, parking, rubbish collection/recycling, planning, licensing etc.

For both sets of surgeries, no appointment is necessary; just turn up when they are on.

2013 council surgery

Camden flying the flag for the London Living Wage…(l to r) Cabinet Member Cllr Valerie Leach, Rhys Moore, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, council leader Cllr Sarah Hayward and deputy leader Cllr Pat Callaghan

In fact (and this shows up my tardiness in blogging about it) Camden was only the third council in the country to become nationally accredited LLW authorities. Now there are 19 in all – all of them Labour (of course!).

Under Labour, Camden has become a trailblazer in fair pay – something of which we should be rightly proud.

It’s worth noting in the margins that there isn’t a single Tory borough even pursuing accreditation and, even though Boris Johnson, lauds the London Living Wage, the GLA isn’t accredited.

Yesterday, Labour leader Ed Miliband launched a new three point plan to promote fair pay across Britain through the Living Wage. He highlighted Labour councils, including Camden, that have already taken a lead on this.

Ed Miliband said: “There are almost five million people in Britain who aren’t earning the living wage; people who got up early this morning, spent hours getting to work – who are putting in all the effort they can – but who often don’t get paid enough to look after their families, to heat their homes, feed their kids, care for elderly relatives and plan for the future … Britain needs a government that will work with the best of British business to build greater prosperity and share it more fairly. That is what One Nation is about. The living wage is an important part of helping to make that happen. It is an idea whose time has come.”

He said that we had a lot to learn from councils like Camden who not only pay staff the London Living Wage of £8.30 an hour but are making fair pay an integral part of the decision making process in tendering contracts to external employers.

The London Living Wage is a campaign run by Citizens UK and the Living Wage Foundation. It is an hourly rate set independently and calculated according to the cost of living in the UK.

Labour Camden leader Cllr Sarah Hayward said: “We are proud to be one of the first boroughs in London to not only commit to introducing the London Living Wage but to act on that commitment, and I am proud that it is Labour councils leading the way on this issue. In times like these, paying a living wage is even more important as the Tory-led government cuts £18 billion from welfare benefits, including those paid to people in work.”

It is becoming almost passé to repeat, but there is a real crisis of affordability facing many of us in NW6 (indeed, across north London). Nowhere is this more acutely felt – nor indeed should a progressive society feel a responsibility for – than those on the lowest wages. The LLW is an obvious way to redress the balance in the capital an begin to address the high cost of living in a world city.

The alternative? Living in a hollowed out city (think Paris on steroids) with few of the vibrant, mixed communities like Kilburn and West Hampstead.

I don’t think LLW is a cure-all – the ever-thoughtful Hopi Sen has a very interesting take on the practicalities of implementing a living wage LLW on his blog. But it’s a good start.