The election for the last three seats on Brent Council takes place on Thursday June 21st and the voters in Willesden Green have an opportunity to ensure that the Council's actions are subject to rigorous scrutiny.
They won't do that by electing yet more Labour councillors - there are already 57 pitched against 3 lack lustre Tories. Immediately after the May 3rd election Muhammed Butt, leader of the Council, tightened his grip on power appointing a rubber-stamping Cabinet and extending his period of office. Just after the election councillors gave themselves a rise and the Cabinet confirmed that that £17.8m of public money would be spent on cosmetic 'improvements' to Olympic Way. Their actions have shown us what we face for the next four years unless electors make a stand.
This matters because the right-wing is still firmly in control on the Council despite an increase in Momentum activists in the borough. The latter found themselves campaigning for council candidates who had little sympathy with Corbyn and unlikely to mount any significant opposition to cuts or Butt's close relationship with developers. There are perhaps 3 or 4 of the 57 who may ask awkward questions and it would considerably strengthen their hands if Green councillors were elected on the 21st.
But Green councillors on their own would provide a new dynamic committed as they are to a range of policies far more radical than those of Brent Labour providing rigorous scrutiny of issues such as social housing, planning, clear air, the use of the community infrastructure levy, the condition of roads and pavements, protection of open spaces, upkeep of parks, provision of affordable meeting places for community groups, effective consultation rather than a tick box system and opposition to academisation. They would challenge the current Wembleycentric bias in Brent.
Green councillors in other London borough have shown that even one Green voice can make a big difference. Willesden Green voters should seize the chance on June 21st.
They won't do that by electing yet more Labour councillors - there are already 57 pitched against 3 lack lustre Tories. Immediately after the May 3rd election Muhammed Butt, leader of the Council, tightened his grip on power appointing a rubber-stamping Cabinet and extending his period of office. Just after the election councillors gave themselves a rise and the Cabinet confirmed that that £17.8m of public money would be spent on cosmetic 'improvements' to Olympic Way. Their actions have shown us what we face for the next four years unless electors make a stand.
This matters because the right-wing is still firmly in control on the Council despite an increase in Momentum activists in the borough. The latter found themselves campaigning for council candidates who had little sympathy with Corbyn and unlikely to mount any significant opposition to cuts or Butt's close relationship with developers. There are perhaps 3 or 4 of the 57 who may ask awkward questions and it would considerably strengthen their hands if Green councillors were elected on the 21st.
But Green councillors on their own would provide a new dynamic committed as they are to a range of policies far more radical than those of Brent Labour providing rigorous scrutiny of issues such as social housing, planning, clear air, the use of the community infrastructure levy, the condition of roads and pavements, protection of open spaces, upkeep of parks, provision of affordable meeting places for community groups, effective consultation rather than a tick box system and opposition to academisation. They would challenge the current Wembleycentric bias in Brent.
Green councillors in other London borough have shown that even one Green voice can make a big difference. Willesden Green voters should seize the chance on June 21st.