At a meeting of Brent Council, councillors debated topics ranging from local traffic concerns to international relations, and also reviewed the council's finances. The council approved a motion to push for visitor levy powers, but voted down motions on street cleaning and illegal immigration.

Here's a breakdown of the key discussions:

• Altamira Victorian Villa
• Welsh Harp Education Centre
• B Corridors Management
• Racism and Xenophobia
• Healthy High Streets
• Transport Infrastructure
• Questions from non-cabinet members
• Scrutiny Committee Updates
• Non-Cabinet Member Debate: Illegal Immigration
• Treasury Management Outturn Report

Altamira Victorian Villa

A petition was presented to retain the heritage Victorian villa of Altamira as part of the redeveloping of One Malling Gardens. Philip Graham, representing the Wilson Local History Society, presented the petition, highlighting Altamira's historical significance as a 150-year-old Italianate-style villa and its previous use as an adult education college. He argued for its retention for community use, referencing the council's local plan that states that a demolished heritage asset cannot be replaced.

Councillor Teo Benea, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Property, responded that the council is proposing a site use option of affordable homes and youth facilities for the One Moreland Gardens site, and that any redevelopment proposals will be subject to a full planning application, which would consider the relevant planning and heritage considerations. He stated that no decision has been made on whether to demolish or retain the Altamira building, and that any decision on the building will be subject to a future cabinet report.

Councillor Michael Maurice recalled sitting on the planning committee when the matter was previously discussed, and said that he had suggested keeping the frontage of the building, but was told that doing so would prevent the council from delivering enough homes.

Councillor Kanta Mistry spoke of Philip Grant's passion for local history, and said that erasing history is an act of criminality.

Welsh Harp Education Centre

A petition was presented regarding the future of the Welsh Harp Education Centre. Martin Francis, an ex-teacher and school governor, presented the petition, supported by Brent Parks Forum and Brent Friends of the Earth. The centre has been closed since 2021, and Mr Francis highlighted its importance in enabling children to experience nature first-hand, referencing David Attenborough's quote about motivating children to save nature through experience. He noted that the Brent Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy 2021-30 recognised the importance of the centre. He requested assurances that the Environmental Education Centre will have space in the new building, that the council will make an effort to find a new partner to run the centre, and that the curriculum and activities offered by the centre will continue to enrich the science curriculum.

Councillor Teo Benea responded that the building itself is at the end of its life and in poor condition, and that in May 2023, the cabinet approved a major capital investment to develop a new post-16-scale centre on the site, which will provide a high-quality horticultural facility for young people with SEND¹, with opportunities for work experience, volunteering and wider community use. He said that the new centre will not be closed off to the wider community, and that the design brief has included flexible space for community groups, whether that is Scouts, Guides, Woodcroft folk or groups with a focus on environmental education.

Councillor Mary Mitchell said that it's vital that the council provide opportunities for Brent children to engage with nature, and that she and other Welsh Harp councillors will continue to work with councillors to support efforts to ensuring that any new facility or school will provide opportunities for a variety of young people across Brent to access the Harp, and to learn about this valuable asset that we have in Brent, and more about our natural world.

Councillor Paul Lorber highlighted the need for access to primary schools, and said that it will be interesting to see what the proposals are to accommodate that need when this new place is developed. He suggested that the project would be ideal to be funded from NSIL².

B Corridors Management

Councillor Jayanti Patel moved a motion addressing safety and fly-tipping risks in the B corridor management in Brent, raising concerns about fly-tipping, hygiene risks, and unmanaged vegetation. She suggested that Brent Council should consider something similar to what Harrow Council has got, and install hanging baskets on lampposts and railings to create B corridors by planting brief friendly plants that provide access, accessibility pollens and nectar, while also, while also using pit free composts and incorporating these materials like moss and coni flowers clippings for insects to habitat.

Councillor Sandra Kabir moved an amendment on behalf of the Labour group, arguing that the motion omits a lot of the tried and tested work that's already happening throughout Brent.

Councillor Kanta Mistry supported the work of the environmental department, but suggested better ways of creating the bee and the butterfly corridors, and suggested encouraging the whole of the borough to open up their front gardens.

Councillor Scher said that Brent is already doing much of what's being asked for, and that every bee corridor currently has signers explaining their purpose, and that the council already has a tried and tested method of responding to residents' concerns around fly-tipping or safety via the Fix My Street app.

Councillor Paul Lorber argued that there is no management of the B corridors, and that it is just, let's throw a few seeds and then come back six months later when we have weeds up to waist high, full of rubbish, full of embedded rubbish, which has accumulated over six months and let the mowers get in there and cut everything up and just leave it in situ.

The Labour Group amendment was carried. The substantive motion as amended was carried.

Racism and Xenophobia

Councillor Paul Lorber moved a motion on Standing United Against Racism and Xenophobia in Brent, and accepted Labour amendments.

Councillor Sandra Kabir thanked the Liberal Democrat group for bringing forward the motion, and said that it's incumbent upon elected politicians to use their voice to counter hatred, to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to refugee and migrant communities here in Brent, and to send the clear message that we stand by you.

Councillor Kanta Mistry said that the Liberal Democrat opening statements in their motion reflects more the mood of this country rather than Brent, and that for decades Brent has co-existed in peace and shared cultural tapestry. She said that recent economic migrants arriving via unsafe road crossings places the council to allocate temporary housing before Brent residents who have been on the council waiting list for extended periods, and that this does not imply demonisation of immigrants, but is about demanding transparency and accountability from national systems that are failing both asylum seekers and Brent residents.

Councillor Millie Battelle quoted from the Daily Mail in the 1930s and 1970s to highlight the historical context of anti-immigrant sentiment.

Councillor Charlie Clinton said that this is not just about virtue signalling, and that it matters to the people who are actually scared and angry.

The substantive motion as amended was carried.

Healthy High Streets

Councillor Amer Agha moved a motion on Backing Healthy Sustainable High Streets, saying that high streets are the heart of communities, providing essential services, creating local employment, and serving as places where people meet and connect. He said that residents across Brent will recognise the sheer number of fast food outlets and adult gaming centers popping up on the High Streets, and that although we need to celebrate a mix of premises, we also need to ask ourselves, Is this truly what we want for the future? Is that what best for keeping residents safe and healthy?

Councillor Sunita Hirani said that the Brent Conservative Party recognizes and encourages the importance of thriving and healthy High Streets, but expressed concerns that the proposed policies such as setting up a new task force and interventions may impose unnecessary costs, create inefficiencies and divert limited Council resources away from frontline services that matter most to the residents. She suggested adopting a one-hour free parking that has been so successful in the Conservative Harrow Borough, and reducing business taxes to encourage shoppers to shop locally.

Councillor Robert Johnson said that the council has been leading nationally on tackling harmful clusters of businesses through our work on the Gambling Harms Campaign with over 40 local authorities, and that Brent has called on the Government to give councils greater powers over what opens on the High Street, ensuring residents have a real say over their local environment.

Councillor Kanta Mistry said that if you look at Harrow, a conservative Harrow-run borough who give free parking, what has happened in Harrow Leisure Centre is increased participation from residents to go and visit their Harrow Leisure Centre, and that the businesses have actually welcomed it, their intake has gone up, there's more profitability and many residents from Brent now actually go across to Harrow businesses and they're actually flourishing.

The motion was carried.

Transport Infrastructure

Councillor Lesley Smith moved a motion on Breathing New Life into Brent Transport Infrastructure Projects, saying that Brent has ten Bakerloo stations from Kilburn Park to Kenton. He said that the Bakerloo has the oldest trains in the UK, and that we need the extension that will extend the benefits that we have, well beyond its length, and that we need funds to support the West London Orbital that would make a dramatic difference to our borough and those around it.

Councillor Paul Lorber said that we should be supporting the Bakerloo Line, we should be supporting the West London Orbital, but we should also be supporting the Piccadilly Line, and that this council has acknowledged that there is a need to invest in Alperton Station, in particular, because of the large number of extra residents, and that needs to go hand in hand with more tubes.

Councillor Daniel Kennelly said that the expansion of the Bakerloo Line is absolutely vital, both to our local economy and to add 1.5 billion to our national economy.

Councillor Michael Maurice said that we cannot support projects where there is no funding available, and where the likelihood of funding appears to be virtually zero, and that the Bakerloo Line extension will not bring any benefit to Brent, save that we would eventually get new trains.

Councillor Neil Nerva said that we really do expect the Bakerloo line trains to be, we need new trains that we can have a regular service running to Harrow and Wealdstone, a reliable service, trains which don't have graffiti on.

The substantive motion as amended, was carried.

Questions from non-cabinet members

Non-Cabinet members asked questions of the leader and cabinet members.

• Councillor Lesley Smith asked about step-free access at Queen's Park Station. Councillor Benea expressed support for the lobbying efforts being undertaken by the local campaign.
• Councillor Janice Long asked about parking bays for dockless e-bikes and measures to promote active travel. Councillor Krupa Sheth said that she would ensure the necessary preventative measures were introduced moving forward.
• Councillor Kanta Mistry asked about the equality impact assessment relating to the town twinning arrangements with Nablus. Councillor Muhammed Butt emphasised Brent's commitment to protecting and serving all residents across the borough regardless of their beliefs, faith or background.
• Councillor Paul Lorber asked about the definition of shared ownership as an affordable housing model. Councillor Benea said that the Council's emphasis remained on providing the maximum number of homes at social or London affordable rents of which shared ownership currently formed part of the overall picture.
• Councillor Jayanti Patel asked about the protection of vulnerable people. A written response will be arranged following the meeting.
• Councillor Chan asked about increasing the number of enforcement officers. Councillor Krupa Sheth advised of the measures already introduced to increase the level of enforcement activity and number of officer available supported by enhanced CCTV coverage.
• Councillor Daniel Kennelly asked about the opening of Preston Community Library. Councillor Promise Knight agreed that delivery of the scheme highlighted the importance of the strong relationship between the Council and Voluntary & Community Sector.
• Councillor Kanta Mistry asked about the collection of Council Tax & Business Rate arrears. Councillor Milli Patel assured members that the whilst the approach towards debt recovery was guided by the Council's ethical debt policy and aimed to support those residents genuinely experiencing financial hardship, the Council also remained focussed in taking robust action against those who had made a conscious decision not to pay.
• Councillor Robert Johnson asked about support being provided to schools in Brent in relation to the offer of Additional Resource Provision designed to meet the increasingly complex needs identified. Councillor Grahl highlighted the Council's commitment to providing children with opportunities to learn in mainstream settings wherever possible.
• Councillor Ihtesham Afzal asked about the Council's position regarding the tactics which he felt had been deployed in an attempt to derail and delay the twinning process. Councillor Muhammed Butt said that the Council was committed to stand united against all forms of hatred and division in order to maintain Brent as one of the best examples of unity across London.
• Councillor Paul Lorber asked about the operation of the dockless e-bike scheme by Lime across the borough. Councillor Krupa Sheth advised that the issues raised had been recognised and raised with Lime in relation to their future operation across the borough.

Scrutiny Committee Updates

Councillor Ketan Sheth, Chair of the Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, highlighted the committee's focus on safeguarding, engagement with Brent Youth Parliament, and work with the North West London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Daniel Kennelly, Vice Chair of the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee, noted the committee's focus on housing repairs, recycling rates, affordable housing, and the upcoming Budget Task Group.

Non-Cabinet Member Debate: Illegal Immigration

Councillor Suresh Kansagra introduced a debate on the deterrence, integration, and accommodation impacts of illegal immigration on Brent. He said that the current pressures caused by immigration didn't appear in a vacuum, and that Western intervention in Libya, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan are the real cause of instability in those countries and large-scale movement of people towards the West.

Councillor Paul Lorber said that the motion is provocative and misinformed, and that it talks about illegal immigration and implies that the people in hotels are illegal immigrants, but that they are genuine asylum seekers until such time as their cases have been reviewed and a decision has been made.

Councillor Charlie Clinton said that in the last few weeks we have seen a terrifying rise in hate crime in this country, and that this is where anti-immigrant rhetoric leads.

Councillor Mili Patel said that to malign to dehumanise to attack asylum seekers and refugees people who are seeking a better life it is shameful, and that immigrants asylum seekers refugees are not the cause of the housing crisis decades of austerity underfunding privatisation and an economy rigged by and for billionaires in favour of landlords and profiteers that is the problem.

Councillor Michael Maurice said that there has been a lot of hate from the far right, but there's also been a lot of hate from the left, and especially but not just from those who march in support of palestine. He said that hotels are not an answer, they are costly unsuitable for those placed there and unfair on thousands of families who follow the rules and wait for housing.

Councillor Neil Nerva said that he thinks about 80% of us here have at least one grandparent who came from abroad, and that if we do nothing else we maintain and support community cohesion.

Councillor Kanta Mistry said that we cannot sleep our way into not sharing the worries of residents at the increase of migrants in hotels putting pressures on the housing sector, and that some of these people coming across do not always share our values and they have assaulted our women and girls and respecting our laws.

The motion was lost.

Treasury Management Outturn Report

Councillor Millie Battelle introduced the Treasury Management Outturn Report 2024-25, highlighting the council's commitment to financial transparency and sustainable borrowing for infrastructure projects. The report detailed borrowing and investment decisions, noting an increase in borrowing and a decrease in cash investments. The council's average debt pool rate was 3.85%, and the rate of return on cash investments decreased to 4.53%.

The council formally noted and approved the Treasury Management Outturn Report.