I have send this complaint to the London Fire Brigade in the hope that   they will serve a notice on the CEO to remove the fire risk.

Dear Ms Downs ,

As you know the tragic events that took place on 14th June at Grenfell Tower has cost over a hundred lives has left a mark on our city.

Over the years we have seen manny similar tragic events, but normally they are in factories (sweat shops) in the far east  or a collapse of building on the outskirts (shanty -town) of a south American city. The only difference is  between this the others tragic events is the fact it happen only a few miles away in a neighbouring borough right on Kilburn's doorsteps in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

I raised the issues of Fire safety in South Kilburn directly with you on the 15th June 2017 concerning George and Swift House together with the Fire Safety concerns surrounding William Dunbar house. 

As you know you refused to allow a full council meeting on the July 3th for Councillors  and the head of legal would only allow A 1/2 meeting for councillors  to raise their concerns and to illustrate the way Kilburn is being neglected by senior officers and cabinet members.So on the 4/5th of July I sent you and  all Labour Councillors pictures taken on the 03/07/2017  (see directly below) raising my concerns  about the fire risk at William Dunbar house , which were dully ignored by you and the lead members for environment , regeneration and housing . 

The risk include the placing by Brent council of Waste bins directly under balconies ,the fact there is also outside netting (which is flammable as far as I can Tell) which goes up the full length of Dunbar house, which would create a fire bridge the length of the building. This risk would increased in the  summer when windows were open and  fire would be spread by the netting and the toxic fumes could penetrate the flats. 

 

I continued  to write to officers throughout 2017 about the placing of the bins  and even moving them myself with a resident.However as it is normally the case the powers to be at the Civic Centre ignored my advice to remove the bins and place them on a concrete base nearby  .So things instead of improving got worst and the fire risk still prevails to this day please see pictures below taken on the  18/04/2018 

What I object to is the different way Brent council tenants are treated in comparison to how the residents of the new £1, million pound flats in the area are treated. The way these residents are being being neglected by the  senior officer and cabinet councillors is unacceptable .Do your officers or cabinet members  honestly believe bins would be placed directly under a balcony in one of South Kilburn's more expensive block ?

Neglect of Kilburn 

It is clear that  Senior Brent council officers  have not  learnt anything from the Grenfell Tower disaster on how you support areas of deprivation, It was not just the fire risk that was ignored it was the way the council continue to  ignore the needs of the area in general .The Labour Party have used every piece of Land (some of it sold on the cheap) in South Kilburn, to build houses many for the private sector, which are worth up to £1million pound each.Local residents have given -up green space,had to withstand thousands of Lorries careering up and down their roads with the obvious Air and noise pollution,while they got on with lives.

The reward for putting up with these hardships was the promised a Health Centre that has not appeared and community investment.Instead the Council instructed a consultant (paying him around £40k )who never even when to Kilburn ,but drew up plans to close the Granville and Carlton Centre together with Granville Plus Nursery School .The plan being to build more private housing without any local consultation. 

I believe  the council have neglected Kilburn and its residents .Your officers and the cabinet have overseen a lack of investment in Pavement / roads probably the lowest in Brent .The residents have now been told that £1.2 million Pounds they were promised from developers Via the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), will not be ringed fenced for Kilburn Ward but will be taken from them .The money from the levy is legitimately owed to Kilburn for the hardship they endured and should be ringed fenced for Kilburn.It is illegitimate for  officers and lead members to try and take it aways from a deprive area to spend on other wealthier  areas who have not suffer the hardship of Kilburn. 

Kilburn is now facing the HS2 ( an 100 extra lorries going up and down South Kilburn's roads ) development and the council is doing nothing to ensure the community is protected from the environmental fallout and transport management . Senior officers seemingly believe  that Kilburn is a long way from the Wembley Civic Centre and therefore does not matter.

It would seem Brent Council believe that lessons to be learned were short term and everything could go back to normal , with areas of High deprivation lIke Kilburn , push to the back of the queue and their resources taken from them,.I  can no longer play ping -pong email with council officers over Fire safety issues and have ask the London Fire Brigade  to intervene and issue a safety notice against Brent Council to ensure Kilburn residents are kept safe.

I have attach of the some emails ( there are many more)  that show my desperation to get things done .All emails were either sent to you direct or you were copied in , i have redacted the names of all the other officers as I believe on this issue the buck should stop with you.

Please treat this as a stage one complaint against the you and the Council for failing to take reasonably steps to protect Kilburn residents  

Regards