'We're all in this together' - how the cuts affect us locally

One of the areas hardest hit by the government-induced cuts in Council services has been our Environment and Neighbourhood Services (ENS). Last year it lost nearly £11m (over 19%) and again this year it looks
to be in the front line for cuts/savings.

One area within the ENS Department hardest hit has been our parks staffing with the number of wardens being reduced from 12 to 5 and the loss of two vehicles. This severe contraction is now beginning to impact on the work in the parks. Not the (politically inspired) 'privatisation' scares, but the far less dramatic inability to do many of the things the Department would like to do.

A recent example in this neck of the woods is the withdrawal of a facility much appreciated by our conservation volunteers in Fryent Country Park. The work they have been doing almost every week for 28 years no matter what the weather - enhancing and preserving this historic (16th century boundaries) and richly biodiverse nature of what is designated as Metropolitan Open Land - is simply amazing. For some time, the ENS Department have assisted them with a vehicle and driver. This is to drop off and pick up the heavy equipment (barrows, slashers etc) which the volunteers take out from the Walled Garden in Kingsbury to the park each Sunday. With the reduction in wardens and vehicles, however, the Department budget can no longer afford this.

Naturally, we as local councillors, couldn't just shrug our shoulders and walk away. So, we brought the ENS senior officers out to meet many of the volunteers at the Walled Garden and discussed various possibilities (including the use of Ward Working funds - though that proved not feasible for this ongoing expenditure). However, the officers agreed to continue providing vehicles and a driver for all the Sundays in January while alternatives were being explored.

Happy to say, a volunteer driver and vehicle has now agreed to come to the rescue on a regular basis and so the crisis is averted. The Ward Working officers are also considering how to assist the volunteers who perform such an important service, in the future, perhaps with one-off grants. The Walled Garden lease has also been renewed by the Council on a free basis, in recognition of the work the Barn Hill Conservation Group do.

This is just one small  example of the difficult decisions that Councillors and officers face each day now on behalf of their residents, (most of which do not find such a ready solution). People used to take this kind of service for granted in Brent (unlike in many other neighbouring councils), but now as the government 'turn off the funding tap', it simply cannot be afforded. We haven't had a Council Tax increase for 2 years either and this year is likely to be  the same. Is this what we want?