Issue - meetings

For Members to consider any petitions with more than 200 signatures for which a request has been received for their presentation, in accordance with the Council’s petition rules and Standing Order 66.

Members are asked to note that the following petition is due to be presented at the meeting:

Reopen public toilets in Roundwood Park

The supporting details on the petition have been attached, for reference.

For Members to consider any petitions with more than 200 signatures for which a request has been received for their presentation, in accordance with the Council’s petition rules and Standing Order 66.

Members are asked to note that the following petitions are due to be presented at the meeting:

(a)       Retain the heritage Victorian villa, Altamira, as part of Morland Gardens redevelopment

(b)       Save Welsh Harp Education Centre

The supporting details on each petition have been attached, for reference.

The Mayor advised that he had accepted requests for the presentation of two separate petitions at the meeting, which had met the threshold for consideration at Full Council based on them containing more than 200 signatures.

The petitions to be presented, were highlighted as follows, with the Mayor advising that unless otherwise indicated by members, he intended to allow up to five minutes for the presentation of each petition by the lead petitioner before then providing the relevant Cabinet Members up to two minutes to respond on each matter and then providing any other members who indicated they would like to speak with an opportunity to contribute (within the overall time limit available).

•       1st petition – Retain the heritage Victorian Villa (Altamira) as part of the redevelopment at 1 Morland Gardens

•       2nd petition – Save Welsh Harp Education Centre

(1)    Retain the heritage Victorian Villa (Altamira) as part of the redevelopment at 1 Morland Gardens

As no objections were raised on the approach outlined, the Mayor then moved on to welcome Philip Grant to the meeting to present the first petition (representing the Willesden Local History Society).  Prior to the petition being presented, Philip Grant welcomed the approach outlined by the Mayor in enabling other members to contribute and speak as part of the approach in considering the petition and also referred members to the photograph of the Villa circulated as part of the agenda text.

In thanking the Mayor for the opportunity to present the petition, Philip Grant began by taking the opportunity to remind members of the history of the Altamira building which he descried as a beautiful, Italianate-style Victorian villa built 150 years ago, at the entrance to an estate called Stonebridge Park which had subsequently given its name to the area.  Members were advised that the Council had bought the building in the 1990s and restored it as home to an Adult Education college and inspiring place of learning in one of the borough’s most deprived areas.

In highlighting the buildings status as a high value locally listed heritage asset, he pointed out those who had signed the petition felt this had not been recognised by the Council when in January 2020, the Cabinet had been persuaded to approve a project which included its demolition.  Referring to the hundreds of objections submitted by local residents in response to the subsequent planning application determined in 2020, as well objections from the Victorian Society, he reminded members that these had also been supported by a Professor of Architecture whom he quoted as having written:

“1 Morland Gardens is not just any nineteenth-century villa, but a characteristic work by an architect of genuine and lasting significance. Its destruction would be a terrible loss, not only to the local environment, but also to the architectural heritage of Victorian Britain.”

It was also pointed out that Councillor Aden (representing the local Stonebridge ward councillors) had also spoken against the demolition at the 2020 Planning Committee meeting, and asked  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9

For Members to consider any petitions with more than 200 signatures for which a request has been received for their presentation, in accordance with the Council’s petition rules and Standing Order 68.

Members are asked to note that the following petitions are due to be presented at the meeting:

(a)       No to Twinning with Nablus

(b)       Save East Lane Theatre

(c)        Support Barham Park

Members are asked to note that the supporting details on each petition have been attached, for reference.

The Mayor advised that he had accepted requests for the presentation of three separate petitions at the meeting, which had all met the threshold for consideration at Full Council based on them containing more than 200 signatures.

The petitions to be presented, were as follows, with the Mayor advising that unless otherwise indicated by members, he intended to allow up to five minutes for the presentation of each petition by the lead petitioner before then providing the relevant Cabinet Members up to two minutes to respond on each matter:

·            1^st petition - No to Twining with Nablus

·            2^nd petition – Save East Lane Theatre; and

·            3^rd petition – Save Barham Park

(1)       No to Twinning with Nablus

As no objections were raised on the approach outlined, the Mayor then moved on to welcome Ian Collier to the meeting to present the first petition.  Prior to the petition being presented the Mayor felt it important to remind everyone, given the matter related to the Council’s proposed twinning arrangement with Nablus (and as he had done when the issue had been considered at the Annual Council meeting) of his focus in seeking to celebrate the diverse nature of the borough and recognise the peaceful relationships that existed between the many different communities residing in Brent, reflecting the strong level of community cohesion across the borough.  As such he hoped all those present would be able to remember those principles during consideration of the petition, for which he thanked everyone in advance for their support.

Ian Collier was then invited to present the petition, who began by thanking the Mayor for the opportunity to represent a significant group of residents in Brent who he advised were completely opposed to, as well as upset by, the Council’s recent decision to twin the borough with the town of Nablus.  In referring to comments made by the sponsor of the twinning initiative about “twinning affirming the commitment of the borough to solidarity and shared values” he highlighted concerns regarding Nablus being a focus of militancy, hatred, terror and racism which he felt need to be taken into account in order to reflect that Brent as a borough did not share these values or stand in solidarity with them and with the normal reasons for twinning (including tourism, education and cultural influences) it was felt also not being met.

As a result, he advised the petitioners in opposition to the arrangement had been forced to conclude that the process was nothing more than political symbolism reflecting religious sectarianism in a way that was unrepresentative of the majority of Brent’s residents.  In referring to the most recent example of sectarian politics in the UK, he outlined the impact of the troubles in Northern Ireland and called on the Council to avoid a return to religious sectarian politics feeling that the recent decision to twin with Nablus had created division across the borough and driven a wedge between different communities.

Highlighting that the names of those  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9

For Members to consider any petitions with more than 200 signatures on which a debate has been requested, in accordance with the Council’s petition rules and Standing Order 68.

Members are asked to note that at the time of agenda publication no petitions have been submitted for presentation at the meeting.

The Mayor advised that no requests for the presentation or debate of any petitions had been received for consideration at the meeting.

For Members to consider any petitions with more than 200 signatures on which a debate has been requested, in accordance with the Council’s petition rules and Standing Order 68.

Members are asked to note that the following petition is due to be presented at the meeting:

Divest for Palestine  (Brent & Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign Lead petitioner – Sheila Guhadasan)

The Mayor advised that he had accepted a request for a petition to be presented at the meeting.  The petition, containing a total of 1210 signatures, had been submitted by the Brent & Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign (with Sheila Guhadasan as lead petitioner) and was related to a Divest for Palestine campaign.

Unless otherwise indicated by members, the Mayor advised he intended to allow up to five minutes for presentation of the petition before then providing Councillor Mili Patel (as Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Finance & Resources) up to two minutes to respond.

As no objections were raised on the approach outlined, the Mayor welcomed Sheila Guhadasan to the meeting and prior to inviting her to present the petition took the opportunity to remind everyone present at the meeting that one of the things he was most proud about as Mayor was the diverse nature of the borough and peaceful relationships that existed between its many different communities enabling them to live side by side in peace and harmony.  Whilst advising that his heart went out to all those affected by the conflict in Israel and Gaza and recognising the different ways in which people expressed their solidarity with those affected, the Mayor was keen to ensure the efforts to foster community cohesion within the borough were maintained during consideration of the item for which he thanked everyone for their support.

The Mayor then invited Sheila Guhadasan to present the petition, who began by thanking the Mayor and advising she was being supported in her presentation by two Brent residents one of Palestinian and the other of Jewish heritage.  Highlighting the current number of signatures received (totalling over 2000 including 773 via an e-petition) it was pointed out these included residents from all faith and backgrounds and the petition calling on the Council to recognise what were felt to be its legal and moral responsibilities and join the growing number of Councils, public bodies and institutions divesting for Palestine

Referring to the thousands of Palestinian lives lost during the current Israeli assault on the Gaza strip, almost half of whom had been children, Sheila Guhadasan felt it important to recognise the impact in terms of 90% of Gaza’s population having also been displaced, many on multiple occasions, and nowhere being safe to shelter with families also facing famine due to the ongoing blockade and targeting of key infrastructure.  This was on top of what the petitioners felt to be the illegal settlement of the West Bank and ongoing occupation and oppression of Palestinians in Gaza, which it was felt required a stand to be taken and everything possible to be done in an attempt to bring the suffering to an end.

Referring to an interim ruling in January 2024 by the International Court of Justice, Sheila Guhadasan felt the UK as a state party to the Genocide Convention had a binding obligation to employ all means reasonably available to prevent and deter what those in support of the petition regarded  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9

For Members to consider any petitions with more than 200 signatures on which a debate has been requested, in accordance with the Council’s petition rules and Standing Order 68.

Members are asked to note there are no petitions due to be received at this meeting of the Council.

The Mayor advised that no requests for debates on any petitions had been received for consideration at the meeting.