Issue - meetings

To receive questions submitted by the public to Cabinet Members, in accordance with Standing Order 33.

Members are asked to note that four public questions have been received, which have been attached along with their written response.

NOTED

1.          The written and supplementary verbal response provided by the Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security to a public question submitted by Martin Francis regarding compliance by the Council with the requirements, as a landlord, under the Building Safety Act, including the completion of structural and fire risk assessments on all buildings in scope.

2.          The written response provided by the Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Public Protection to a public question submitted by John Cox on noise nuisance arising from HS2 works impacting on nearby residential properties, including those in Harley Road, NW10.  No supplementary question was received.

3.          The written response provided by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action to a public question submitted by Charlotte Child (who joined the meeting online in order to present a supplementary question) regarding the need, given safety concerns highlighted by local residents, for the installation of a pedestrian crossing at the junction of Cavendish Road, Willesden Lane and The Avenue, NW6.  Whilst noting the initial response provided by the Leader of the Council at the meeting, the Mayor advised that given the Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action had submitted her apologies for absence a written response would also be provided on the issue raised following the meeting.

4.     The written and supplementary verbal response provided by the Cabinet Member for Public Health & Adult Social Care to a public question submitted by Naishadh Patel (with Hitesh Patel attending the meeting in order to ask a supplementary question) regarding the selection and management of social care provision suppliers including local businesses.

Eligible for Call-In: No

The Mayor advised that four questions had been received from members of the public, which were as follows:

Question 1 from Martin Francis to Councillor Knight (Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security) regarding the safety of high-rise, and high-risk, residential buildings in the borough following the introduction of the Building Safety Act in April 2022.

Question 2 from John Cox to Councillor Farah (Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Public Protection) concerning the noise pollution in Harley Road, NW10, arising from the nearby HS2 works in the London Borough of Ealing.

Question 3 from Charlotte Child to Councillor Krupa Sheth (Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action) highlighting concerns relating to pedestrian safety in Cavendish Road, Willesden Lane and The Avenue NW6 and requesting the installation of a pedestrian crossing at the junction.

Question 4 from Naishadh Patel to Councillor Nerva (Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care) regarding the monitoring, suspension and removal of care providers that were deemed unsatisfactory and the options that were currently available to businesses who wished to become a provider of care services.

Members noted the written responses provided on each of the questions, which had been circulated with the agenda. The Mayor advised that each member of the public had been invited to the meeting in order to ask a supplementary question and whilst John Cox had been unable to attend, she was pleased to be able to welcome Martin Francis, Charlotte Child (who was attending online) and Hitesh Patel (who members were advised was attending the meeting in place of Naishadh Patel) to the meeting.

The following supplementary questions were asked of the relevant Cabinet Member(s).

Question 1 Supplementary Question from Martin Francis to Councillor Knight, Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security.

In thanking Councillor Knight for the written response provided to his original question, Martin Francis, in reiterating the importance of building safety and the Council (as landlord) meeting its requirements under the Building Safety Act sought further detail as to whether the Council had conducted full structural surveys on those buildings in scope under the Act.  As part of the question details were also sought on whether any surveys had included the testing of core samples to determine the robustness of the building materials in order to identify any structural defects or issues and also the presence of any Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

In thanking Martin Francis for his question and attendance at the meeting, Councillor Knight (as Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renter’s Security) referred to the detailed response already provided on his original written question.  In terms of structural assessments, she confirmed that a Building Safety Strategy was in place for each of the High-Rise buildings in scope managed by the Council.  This included FRA4 inspections being in place for each building and proactive checks having been conducted by Brent Housing Management in terms of evacuation plans and to ensure that fire stopping measures met the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8

7.1     To receive questions submitted by the public to Cabinet Members, in accordance with Standing Order 33.

Members are asked to note that three public questions have been received, which have been attached along with their written response.

7.2     To receive questions submitted by the Brent Youth Parliament to Cabinet Members, in accordance with Standing Order 33(c).

Members are asked to note that three questions have been received, which have been attached along with their written response.

Republished on 5 July 23 to include the final response to question 7.2(3)

NOTED

1.          The written response provided by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure & Climate Action to a public question submitted by Diane Richard regarding traffic safety in Wrottesley Road.  No supplementary question was received.

2.          The written and supplementary verbal response provided by the Cabinet Member for Customers, Communities & Culture to a public question submitted by Fitzroy Lee on the extent of community engagement undertaken in relation to the renaming of Gladstone Park and Leopold.

3.          The written and supplementary verbal response provided by the Cabinet Member for Customers, Communities & Culture to a public question submitted by Noreen Scott regarding the use of Gladstone Park to host a Windrush 75^th anniversary celebration event given previous concerns raised in relation to the naming of the Park.

4.          The written and supplementary verbal response provided by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Growth to a question submitted by Brent Youth Parliament regarding access to employment services, financial information and guidance by young people and use of information available through the Flourishing Futures research project to focus on the barriers to employment being experienced by young people to support this process.

5.          The written response provided by the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools to a question submitted by Brent Youth Parliament regarding the financial support available for young people to assist in meeting the costs of college and higher education.  No supplementary question was received.

6.          The written and supplementary verbal response provided by the Cabinet Member for Public Health & Adult Social Care to a question submitted by Brent Youth Parliament regarding the range of access to mental health support for young people and ability of the Youth Parliament to support future development and design of services.

8.1     Questions from the Public

The Mayor advised that the following three questions had been received from members of the public.

Question 1 from Diane Richard to Councillor Krupa Sheth (Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure & Climate Action) regarding the introduction of additional signage, traffic calming measures and enforcement of the vehicle weight restriction on Wrottesley Road, NW10.

Question 2 from Fitzroy Lee to Councillor Donnelly-Jackson (Cabinet Member for Customers, Communities and Culture) concerning the renaming of Gladstone Park and Leopold Primary School under the Mayor of London’s Diversity in the Public Realm initiative.

Question 3 from Noreen Scott to Councillor Donnelly-Jackson (Cabinet Member for Customers, Communities and Culture) regarding the use of Gladstone Park to host a Windrush 75^th anniversary celebration event given previous concerns raised in relation to the naming of the Park.

Members noted the written responses provided on each of the questions, which had been circulated with the agenda. The Mayor advised that each member of the public had been invited to the meeting in order to ask any supplementary question and whilst Diane Richard had been unable to attend, she was pleased to be able to welcome Fitzroy Lee and Noreen Scott to the meeting in order to ask a supplementary question.

The following supplementary questions were asked of the relevant Cabinet Member(s).

Question 2 Supplementary Question from Fitzroy Lee to Councillor Donnelly-Jackson, Cabinet Member for Customers, Communities and Culture.

In noting the written response to his original question Fitzroy Lee sought further clarification on the extent of community engagement undertaken in relation to the renaming of Gladstone Park and Leopold School given what he felt had been the lack of reference to this within the original response.

In taking the opportunity to thank Fitzroy Lee for his question and attendance at the meeting, Councillor Donnelly-Jackson by way of further explanation confirmed that a series of drop in consultations had been conducted between December 2021 and January 2022.  These had led to the creation of the artwork in Gladstone Park that acknowledged the Gladstone family’s role in the slave trade and celebrated the considerable contribution and influence of African heritage to the cultural landscape of Brent.  Whilst recognising that the consultation process had taken place during the pandemic the efforts made by the Council to work with local community groups in order to promote the consultation events were highlighted, which it was pointed out had been open for all to attend.

Question 3 Supplementary Question from Noreen Scott to Councillor Donnelly-Jackson, Cabinet Member for Customers, Communities and Culture.

In highlighting her disappointment at the response provided and use of Gladstone Park to host a Windrush 75^th anniversary celebration event Noreen Scott sought clarification on the basis of the decision to use the park for the event as opposed to Roundwood Park, which it was felt would have been more appropriate and inclusive as a venue.

In thanking Noreen Scott for the question, Councillor Donnelly-Jackson apologised if it was felt the original response had not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8