News letter - Brent Council

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Home  |  Planning  |  Parking  |  Events  |  Jobs  |  Council Tax  |  Contact us Variant of concern first found in India means we need to remain cautious   A message from Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council   From Monday (17 May), the Government has announced that COVID-19 lockdown restrictions across England will be loosened further as the nation moves a step closer to a more normal way of life. However, figures from Public Health England (PHE) show that the spread of the ‘variant of concern’, which first emerged in India, has more than doubled in the past week.  Nationally cases of this variant have risen from 520 cases last week to 1,313 this week. Given our diverse population in London and in Brent, this means that – even as the lockdown in loosened nationally – we need to remain cautious for our own safety and for the safety of the people we love. The new national rules from Monday mean we can now meet family and friends indoors – up to two households or six people can now socialise inside and this includes overnight stays. I know many of us are really keen to see family and friends, and spend time with them. It might be easy to get carried away, but think about their safety before getting too close. The Government has shared some guidelinesto help everyone stay safe when meeting up. As we go out more and see even more people, there are more chances to catch COVID-19. When you are out and about, remember the Hands, Face, Space, Fresh Air guidelines. Following these steps can help reduce the spread of COVID-19. To keep your loved ones safe and to give you peace of mind, please also include twice weekly testing in your weekly routine. You can get tested at a testing site in the borough or you can test yourself at home. If you are over 38 years old, you can now book in for your COVID-19 vaccine. We have worked closely with the local NHS to make it as easy as possible to get tested. You can visit a pop up site, get vaccinated on our vaccine bus or head to your local GP. Please get the vaccine when it is offered to you. It helps to protect you and those around you, and remains our best defence against the virus. Finally, I want to wish all those celebrating, a belated Eid Mubarak. Watch: Cllr Muhammed Butt discusses the easing of restrictions Renting privately? Take our survey Tenants who rent privately in Brent are being invited to share any issues that affect their quality of life in a new survey. The survey is aimed at people living in privately rented rooms, flats and houses and gives a voice to private tenants who may have had to put up with shoddy living conditions at premium prices or dodgy landlords. All respondents to the survey will be in with a chance of winning a £50 gift voucher prize. >> Complete the survey now Neighbours, join forces for the Great British Spring Clean!  Neighbours are urged to join forces once more to improve their local parks and streets during this year’s Great British Spring Clean. Between 28 May and 13 June, communities across the country will come together to banish litter. Get involved by organising a Community Clean-Up in your area! To support local Clean-Ups, Brent Council and Veolia will lend groups free gloves, litter pickers and bags. We’ll also make sure all the rubbish is cleared away afterwards. To request supplies to run your own event, fill in this form or for more information, contact recyclemore@brent.gov.uk Get active this Spring and Summer! Brent has a number of wonderful parks and open spaces where you can enjoy a walk with friends, family or with a walk leader. You can also play tennis, join in one of the FREE Our Parks exercise sessions or do a workout with a qualified instructor at one of the outdoor gyms. Our three sports centres (Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre, Willesden Sports Centre and Vale Farm) are now open and local people are encouraged to enjoy the activities on offer - including the gym, exercise classes, swimming and indoor and outdoor sports. Anyone aged 60+, under 5 or disabled can swim for free during public sessions. There is something for everyone. So get up off the sofa and get moving. Dining and drinking out after 17 May? Remember, everyone now needs to individually register or scan the NHS QR code on arrival. This is in case you come into close contact with somebody who tests positive for COVID-19 and need to be contacted. You will also be asked to wear a face mask if you need to leave your seat for any reason. Please be patient with staff – table service takes time and can slow down service when a business is busy! Event: Together in Brent Spring Festival Brent Emerging Communities Programme invites you to celebrate our Eastern European & Latin American communities at the second Together in Brent Festival on Saturday 22 May at 11am. Join us online to see stunning performances, music, dance, songs, enchanting stories, delicious cooking, and even puppets from Peru.Discover the manifold Eastern European & Latin American cultures and celebrate our communities with us. >> Book online today Webinar: Beginner’s Guide to the Climate Emergency Join our expert speakers as they share their no-nonsense guide to help you make sense of the climate emergency. This is the first in a series of ‘Beginner’s Guide’ webinars, brought to you by the newly-formed Brent Environmental Network. Each session break down some of the meatiest climate topics. >> Register online New Mayor of Brent sworn in at a virtual ceremony Cllr Lia Colacicco is the new Mayor of Brent after being elected as the borough’s first citizen at the council’s Annual General Meeting. It is the first time that the mayor making ceremony has been held virtually in Brent’s 56-year history. >> Read more about Cllr Colacicco's plans for her year as Mayor Last bricks are laid for 149 new homes in Harlesden There are smiles all around as Brent Council and Wates Residential gather to celebrate the topping out of 149 new council homes at Knowles House in Harlesden, marking the completion of the brickwork on the buildings. Works at Knowles House will include 92 new homes that will be used as temporary accommodation for households waiting to be rehoused permanently by the council. The development will also provide 57 homes that will enable people to live independently, whilst having access to support. >> Find out more Council spending power mobilised to tackle climate change New procurement rules introduced this week will utilise Brent's huge purchasing power by requiring potential new suppliers to show how they are tackling climate change and working towards zero carbon emissions by 2030 when bidding for contracts. All applicable tenders will now include a sustainability assessment, which will form part of legally binding contracts awarded to successful bidders. >> Find out more Register online to access Family Wellbeing Centres Family Wellbeing Centres support your family from the moment you know you are expecting, through pregnancy and birth, until your child is 18 years old (or up to 25 for young people with additional needs). There is a wide range of services available from midwifery and baby clinics, to family learning, after school and holiday activities for children of all ages and parenting programmes.   To ensure you can access the services, you will need to register in advance first. You can register online. Once you have registered, you will be able to book online for appointments for various services. If you need help to register online, you can go to a local library or community hub. FA Cup Final – Wembley test event On Saturday 15 May, the FA Cup Final will be held at Wembley Stadium. This is a pilot event and part of the Government’s Events Research Programme. All attendees will be asked to show evidence of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours of the event. We are expecting the testing centre at Brent Civic Centre to be busy on Saturday 15 April with ticket-holders, and ask that anyone who is not attending the event uses another testing site nearby. >> See the list of testing sites in Brent Take part in Foster Care Fortnight 2021 Foster Care Fortnight is taking place between 10 and 23 May. In 2021, Brent Fostering is focusing on the reasons why people care about children and what keeps local foster parents motivated. Are you curious to know more? Read about the campaign and show your support by sharing the news with your family and friends. Submit your nomination for the Pride of Brent Youth Awards You have just over two weeks to submit nominations for the Pride of Brent Youth Awards as the deadline has been extended until 31 May 2021. The Pride of Brent Youth Awards aim to celebrate the achievements of young people across Brent. We want to recognise young people who try hard to make a difference in their community and those who often put others before themselves. If you know of any young people who would qualify for an award, please complete the nomination form. International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 17 May marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.  This year’s theme is Together: Resisting, Supporting, Healing! For Brent Council this means working together with our LGBT+ Staff Network and our communities and partners to support the work to tackle hate crime in our borough and to celebrate LGBT+ identities. Find out more about the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Accessible formats and different languages The dedicated COVID-19 section of our website includes information, support and signposts about coronavirus in accessible formats and alternative languages, including: Translations Easy read leaflets  British Sign Language Resources for Blind and partially sighted people Support for DeafBlind people Learning disability support Translate our website Click ‘Translate this page’ to translate any page on our website to one of 90 languages including: Arabic, Farsi, Gujarati, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Somali and Tamil. Please support friends, family members or neighbours who do not speak English as a first language by offering to translate this email for them. Courtesy of Brent Council.