CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

Dear Residents,

Jim, Ruth and George would like to wish all Fryent residents best wishes for Christmas and a happy New Year.

Many people have to work at Christmas, Police, Fire-fighters, Doctors and Nurses providing emergency services. Others provide essential public services or are on call.  Our thanks go to everybody who are working over Christmas and keeping us safe or looking after others in whatever role.

We know that Christmas is a time for celebration and family reunions; but it is also a time to reflect on what confronts those less fortunate than ourselves, at home and throughout the world. 

2011 has been a difficult year for many, in particular those facing the continuing effects of the economic downturn. Sadly it does not seem that things will improve in the short term and we hope that it is not having too drastic effect on people’s lives this Christmas.

It is also important to keep discussing issues that concern us all – there can be no more valuable role for our community in Fryent and we want you to keep us informed of your views. 

With best wishes for a Happy and Peaceful New Year.

Our police officers

At a recent meeting of the Fryent Safer Neighbourhood Team of local police and
residents and councillors, we discussed crime issues in the area. We received a
full report on the horrific assault on four officers by a very disturbed character
in Kingsbury recently with a 12"knife. Called to an incident in Kingsbury Town
a man ran into a butcher's shop to grap the knife and slash one officer's face.
Three other officers were also injured in trying to contain this very disturbed individual
and the most seriously injured officer struggled for his life in hospital. He will be
left with a serious permanent facial disability. This reminds us all of how these officers
risk their lives on the frontline against crime.

On another issue of burglary, we heard 'tips' from  a convicted burglar on what to do
to discourage 'opportunist' crime. He said that  burglars would not select a property
with the following characteristics:

                 * A well lit premises;           * The presence of a dog;
                 * Anti-climbing paint on drainpipes, balconies and so on;
                 * Barrier fencing  above gardens gates and perimeter walls;
                 * Motion sensor lighting;     *Beware of dog stickers;
                 *Alarm warning stickers;    *Pebbles/shingle near rear patio doors;
                 *CCTV camera (dummy or live)
                 *Pad sensors behind doors/windows;   * 'Switch house alarms on'

Check how many of these precautions you have?If none, why not put up a
'burglar welcome' notice!

Tennis in Roe Green Park

We forgot to say that this new facility, (if approved by planning) is entirely due
to our efforts to develop this park. For some time we have been lobbying the
Council to build on the Multi-games area and Trim trail which we secured a
while back as part of a 3year development plan. Unfortunately, the previous
administration (2006-10) abandoned this plan in favour of another 'dream'
bid for a swimming pool in the park. Of course, we would all like a swimming
pool in the area, but after the collapse of three commercial bids it was never
going to happen.

So, in 2011 that dream was abandoned in favour of a pool in Wembley Park -
which could be o'k for Kingsbury residents. But we pressed for the original
plan for tennis courts and other sports facilities in Roe Green to be revisited.
Pleased to say that with a new Labour administration we were able to
persuade the Council in these tough times to allocate £258,000 for this tennis
court plan and many other improvements (see earlier blog item). We don't
give up!

KINGSBURY AND KENTON AREA FORUM

Have your say - join the debate on Brent's next budget.
The next meeting will take place on 8th February commencing at 7.00 pm to be held at Kingsbury High School, Princess Ave, Kingsbury N.W.9

Brent Council is inviting residents and businesses to have their say about its proposed budget for the next financial year by joining the discussions at the next Area Forum meeting.


The proposals for the 2012/13 budget recognise the difficult financial position faced by Brent Council because of the loss of central government grants and other funding, which will be equivalent to a 26 per cent loss in funding between April 2011 and March 2015.

At the recent Full Council meeting, the Council Executive proposed six priorities for the 2012-2013 budget. The priority areas include increasing employment and job opportunities for Brent residents, improving our neighbourhoods and people's quality of life, working with young people, integration of social care and NHS health services and further regeneration of the borough.

We look forward to hearing your views.

Cllr George Crane, Jim and Ruth Moher

NHS WAITING LIST’S RISING

You might be forgiven, with all the talk of the dire economic climate, in forgetting that the Health and Social Care Bill is still being debated through the House of Lords.

A recent e mail from the Socialist Health Assoc warns of very worrying increases in waiting times within our local NHS. Brent NHS has a 54% increase in the number of patients waiting more than 18 weeks since May 2010. The figure for Harrow is even worse the increase is 75%. You can check out figures for the whole Country at the following link.
http://www.sochealth.co.uk/news/Cost.

Even more worrying is the disintegration of the local NHS or PCT’s before Parliament has given consent to the Bill.

If you know of anyone locally in Fryent waiting for urgent treatment within the NHS please let us know.

RECYCLING IN BRENT UP 50%

Some more good news on the new recycling system introduced in October this year. Brent Council has hailed a dramatic improvement in recycling in the borough since the start of its new waste and recycling service with recycling rates rising by up to 50 per cent.

Figures released by Brent Council show that for the first month since 3 October this year, when the new waste and recycling service was introduced, the combined recycling rate of all organic and dry waste rose to 45 per cent in October from 31 per cent in September this year. Kerbside dry recycling alone rose by 50 per cent from 838 tonnes in September to 1,260 tonnes in October this year thanks to the switch from green boxes to blue-topped bins.

In addition, just 3,890 tonnes of waste were sent to landfill in October compared with 6,574 tonnes in September - a fall of 41 per cent.


Fryent Councillors Jim and Ruth Moher and George Crane said :
"We would like to applaud and thank all Fryent residents who have contributed to the success of Recycle More in its first month. These are tremendous figures and show that many more residents in Brent have taken to the new recycling service.”

"The less waste we send to landfill means we will have to pay less in carbon tax and we will as a borough have a less negative effect on the environment.”

UK ECONOMY NOT WORKING - Who should take the blame?

One year ago Chancellor George Osborne said “we have a plan for the economy.” The plan involved billions in cuts on spending, mainly in the public sector, on welfare, social housing, local Council spending and many other areas. (The austerity measures are the direct result of the Council having to find 100 million of savings over four years)
These cuts we are told are vital to reduce debt and get the economy moving again.

Economies all over the world rely on spending to drive an increase in GDP (Gross domestic product) The UK jobless total is the highest for 17 years, growth is so small it has almost stalled into a recession.
Cuts in public spending stop consumers spending, which then hits jobs and damages business. People fear for their jobs, stop spending, and we have this vicious spiral of despair.

Cameron, Osborne and Clegg have consistently blamed the previous Government but their own policies are not working. Inflation is up higher than ever, driven by higher energy prices, petrol and food price increases. Growth is lower, not Labour’s fault, add to this the Government‘s own income is suffering from lower Corporation Tax and lower Income Tax. Europe is in crisis and although Britain is not part of the Euro we are Europe’s biggest trading partner. The UK jobless total is the highest for 17 years, but redundant workers don’t help the economy, they don’t pay tax but claim benefit.

So what can be done? Instead of giving money to the bankers why don’t the Government give money to manufacturing industries? Create an investment bank to lend money to industries to build houses, invest in infrastructure projects, and create jobs. We need to manufacture and export to create growth. People need to have the confidence to spend, that means job security.
We still need to cut the debt, but it doesn’t have to be done so quickly. The coalition Government seems to want to portray the UK economy as a basket case. Nothing could be further from the truth, the UK debt is actually the 50th most indebted Country in the World. Not that bad and far less than the USA which stands at 15 trillion dollars, Canada, France and Germany.

This week Mr Osborne the Tory Chancellor told the House of Commons in the Autumn statement “people know that promises of quick fixes and more spending this Country can’t afford, at times like this, are like the promise of a quack doctor selling a miracle cure.” I think that what he really means is the medicine isn’t working but it’s not the medicine that’s the problem, you just haven’t had enough of it yet.

It’s a long time since I studied Economics but I was always told you can grow the Economy out of debt but you can’t cut your way out of debt. Unfortunately this Government’s not listening we haven’t had enough of their medicine yet.