Navin Shah AM Brent and Harrow Assembly Member City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA Telephone: 0207 983 4377 email: navin.shah@london.gov.uk

The Coalition Government’s cuts to the Met’s budget by £330million will be spread over the next four years. We are now beginning to see the impact on London’s policing. Under plans revealed in a report presented to the Metropolitan Police Authority, 900 fewer police officers will be recruited next year, with the likely result that 19 officers will be lost in Brent and 11 in Harrow. Due to the cuts the Mayor has called for greater ‘flexibility’ with Safer Neighbourhood Teams, allowing for ‘safer’ wards to move their SNT officers to more challenging areas. I believe the current fixed model of one police sergeant, two constables and three community support officers has served Brent and Harrow well since it was introduced. If the ’flexible’ working approach was to be deployed it would be critical to ensure that the so-called ’safe’ wards do not end up being neglected areas and crime hotspots, wiping out the good work carried out over the past years and endangering strong partnerships with local communities.

Impact of Police Cuts Already the cuts are having an impact on Police targets as the Met has struggled in the first quarter of this financial year 2010/11. Robbery is up 5.8%; knife crime has increased to 4.1%; and car thefts have increased for the first time in eleven years.

During industrial action currently ongoing over shift pattern changes, the London Fire Brigade is legally required to provide emergency cover for London. As a result, the removal of 27 fire appliances from fire stations was ordered for the emergency crews provided by AssetCo. The removal of fire appliances has faced fierce controversy, with accusations lives could have been saved. At the past two Mayor’s Question Times I have repeatedly asked for assurances from the Mayor that the missing appliances would be returned and there were no plans to cut the number of fire appliances. He assured me that this was so. However, the Chairman of LFEPA has asked for a review to see if London could function with reduced number of engines permanently. I am concerned by the lack of consistency between the Mayor and the Chairman of LFEPA . It is hoped that the recent recommendations from the Resolution Advi-sory Panel (mediators) will bring about the settlement of shift pattern changes. I will campaign to ensure the missing fire appliances will be returned to stations as soon as possible and the number of fire appliances are not reduced.

THREAT TO LONDON’S FIRE COVER: A THREAT TO LIVES

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Season’s Greetings

Warm wishes for a happy and peaceful New Year

CUTS TO FRONTLINE POLICING Brent could lose 19 officers

Harrow could lose 11 officers

Log on to my new website for further information on Brent and Harrow www. navinshah.com

Navin Shah AM Brent and Harrow Assembly Member

ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR MUSLIM CITIZENS’ TOUR CITY HALL

Local groups encouraged to visit

I was joined by the revered Association of Senior Muslim Citizens at the beginning of November for a tour of City Hall. I enjoyed speaking to everyone who came along about my role in the London Assembly, local services in Brent and Harrow and their own aspirations, priorities and concerns. I was pleased to see that the group, led by Mr Abdul Sheikh, found the visit very worthwhile. I would like to encourage residents associations and organisations in Brent and Harrow to get in touch with my office if they would like to meet with me in City Hall. I would be delighted to explain to you personally about what the role of the London Assembly Member is and give you a tour of City Hall—an iconic modern building and a fitting home for citywide government.

ARCHBISHOP VISITS HARROW’S

Zoroastrians welcome historic visit

I was proud to be part of the congregation that welcomed the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Zoroastrian Centre in October. Dr Rowan Williams is the first ever Anglican clergyman to visit the Zoroastrian centre and learn about the ancient faiths and beliefs of the Zoroastrian people.

The archbishop felt it was important to recognise the multi-faith aspects of London and celebrate the diversity of its faith communities. The Zoroastrian Centre is a prime place of worship in Europe for Iranian and Indian Parsee worshippers and an integral part of Harrow’s multi-faith fabric.

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(Left to Right—Navin Shah AM, Tariq Dar, Cllr Ann John, Judy Langley, Danny Maher, Chief Inspector (Barnet) Simon Causer)

Left to Right—Malcolm Deboo, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Cllr Rekha Shah and Navin Shah AM

CRICKLEWOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Improving NW2

I fully support the new initiative by Cricklewood Homeless Concern (CHC), who have joined with residents and local traders in a partnership to encourage the revitalisation of their area into a safe, healthy and vibrant neighbourhood where local residents take a lead role in deciding what they need and want in their community. I particularly welcome this initiative as Cricklewood is split between the boroughs of Barnet, Brent and Camden and the forum should help to overcome the difficulties and sense of neglect residents often feel when living in administrative bor-ders. It is hoped this scheme will eliminate any such situation and will help reduce crime, regenerate the local area and

improve amenities for all residents. The ‘CIP’ encourages the police, councils and politicians responsible for the area to work more collectively, using the resources already at their disposal. I very much look forward to working with the group to improve this often-forgotten corner of North London.

Left to Right—Navin Shah AM, Tariq Dar, Cllr Ann John, Judy Lang-ley, Danny Maher, Chief Inspector (Barnet) Simon Causer

Navin Shah AM Brent and Harrow Assembly Member

TALL AND TIMBER FRAMED BUILDINGS Cause for Concern

Following several high profile fires in 2009, most recently the fires in Southwark, the London Assembly’s Planning and Housing Committee examined the planning regime in regard to fire safety in London’s tall and timber framed buildings. We focused our investigation on residential buildings that were 5 floors high and above. Approximately 30,000 buildings fall into this category and for around 527,000 Londoners this is home, a number that is only set to increase.

The Committee found deep concerns about the fire safety of timber frame buildings. There are particular issues identified during the course of construction. I am of the firm view that banning timber frame construction is not the answer because once completed this sustainable and affordable material poses no more risk than any other form of construction.

Recommendations of the Committee’s report include: Immediate review of the ’Building Regulations’ Restricting partial occupation of Timber Frame buildings and National Scheme for mandatory standards, training & accrediting risk assessors . Use of sprinklers in tall and timber frame

buildings.

For the full report visit www. navinshah.com

TRAVEL UPDATE FOR 2011 - JUBILEE LINE

Passengers on the Jubilee Line will have to endure another four months of weekend engineering works as TfL have scheduled weekend closures until Spring 2011. I have pressed the Mayor to publish a timetable but the Mayor cannot guarantee that the engineering works will be completed by Easter. I want a firm commitment from the Mayor that there will be an early completion of these never-ending engineering works. TfL have indicated that the ‘state-of-the-art’ signaling system, the improvements to the Jubilee line's tracks and trains and control centre will allow 33 per cent more passengers on to the service. Journey times are expected to be cut down by 22 per cent. Stations are getting an overhaul too with Wembley Park, Dollis Hill, Neasden and Kil-burn already being modernised ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. For more information please visit tfl.gov.uk/plannedworks.

ACCESSIBLE STATIONS Stanmore and Harrow-on-the-Hill

Stations fall short Stanmore Station’s lack of accessibility has been an issue for a number of years. The close proximity to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and the charity Aspire means many wheelchair users travel through Stanmore station. Patients from around the country travel to Stanmore for treatment at the RNOH, yet they find it incredibly difficult to move around the station.

Organisations such as the Stanmore Society, Elm Park Resident’s Association and Aspire have raised their concerns with me and I’m continuing to support the cause and raise the issue with London’s Mayor. In December I had a joint visit of the station with TfL and Aspire representatives when a range of short and long term solutions like signage, provision of a suitable lift access and decking of the car park were discussed.

TfL accepted the need for a fully integrated and accessible public transport hub in Harrow Town Centre and £25 million of funding was agreed. This funding was withdrawn by the Mayor last year until 2020. I’m continuing to campaign and press the Mayor for the earlier reinstatement of our accessibility funding. I am re-launching a campaign to make Stanmore and Harrow on the Hill accessible for all. I have persistently questioned the Mayor of London about this. Log on www.london.gov.uk/mqt/ for more information.

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To contact Navin Shah Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow

Call on 020 7983 4377 or Email: navin.shah@london.gov.uk LOCAL SURGERIES are held once a month on Fridays

in Brent and Harrow by appointment only. www. navinshah.com

MY COMMITTEE WORK

Brent and Harrow at Mayor’s Question Time

My recent questions have included the following topics...

Extension of weekend engineering works to Jubilee line…Attitude of the Chair of LFEPA… Lack of accessibility for wheelchair users at Stanmore and Harrow on the Hill Stations…

Student demonstrations…Cycling in North West London…High Speed 2 and use of Old Oak Common station…Reduction in police officers…Post Office closures…FBU Strike and the removal of 27 fire appliances…Road safety in Donnington Road…Removal of pedestrian crossings…Tube strikes…Harlesden Town Charter…Vulnerable Londoners and closing of ticket offices…Mayor of Harrow’s

Pakistan Flood Relief Appeal…Dial-a-Ride and community transport networks…Halal meat in Greater London Authority buildings…Housing Benefit Cap and its affects

For more information on the Mayor’s answers please visit the ‘Mayor answers’ section of the www.london.gov.uk website.

CHILDHOOD OBESITY INVESTIGATION

The Health and Public Services Committee examined the subject and prevalence on childhood obesity in London, compared with other parts of the UK. One in five young people in London are obese and levels of obesity in London are much higher then elsewhere in the country. As part of the investigation I met with a group of young people and asked them their views on food and exercise. The investigation into childhood obesity focuses on the Mayor’s strategic role in addressing the problem. It considers what progress the Mayor has made so far into this area through the Mayor’s initiatives and what more the Mayor could do to reduce obesity. The Committee examined sports in schools, how open spaces could be improved and how children in London can be more active generally in their daily lives.

NHS AND PUBLIC HEALTH WHITE PAPERS

The Health and Public Services Committee has now published its brief response to the Coalition Government’s white paper on the review of NHS. The report has emphasised the scale of the challenge that London faces in implementing white paper proposals. The committee has pointed out how widely primary care provision in London differs in quality between areas. There are a significant number of NHS trusts in London whose financial and clinical viability will make it difficult for them to achieve foundation trust status. Concerns have been expressed that the white paper does not appear to have considered the cost of assembling the new structure for GP Consortia. Early in the new year (2011) the committee will be examining the Public Health white paper published recently and respond to the consultation—in particular the Committee will examine the issue of the Mayor of London’s strategic role. At this stage it is proposed that Public Health responsibilities are to be transferred back to Local Authorities.

All Committee reports are published on the Assembly website

http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/assembly.

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