| As 2024 draws to a close, it’s worth reflecting on what a year it’s been!
We’ve got on with building more homes to help ease the capital’s housing crisis, welcomed Taylor Swift’s iconic ERAs Tour to Wembley Stadium, and launched a zero-tolerance crackdown on selfish fly-tippers – with more enforcement officers and double the number of fines, the Don’t Mess With Brent message is getting through.
Getting licensed became a legal requirement for every private landlord renting a home in Brent – we introduced this rule to drive up the standard of living for private renters who make up half of all Brent residents.
Despite leading the way on housebuilding for the past decade, the demand for homes and spiralling levels of homelessness is one of the biggest challenges we face as a borough. Our Find A Place You Can Afford campaign was all about squaring up to the difficult reality that the supply of social housing cannot keep pace with demand, and advising people to look in the private sector.
Wembley Jobs Fair returned for a second sold-out year, connecting 8,000 local people to jobs and training opportunities! We celebrated with the borough’s students through tears of pride and relief as they collected their A Level, GCSE and BTEC results.
The Mayor of London came to Brent to announce an extra £800,000 for the community-led MyEnds programme – it meant more cash for grassroots groups who support young people, driving down and preventing violence in our neighbourhoods. This work continues to be urgent and important.
We’ve been marking the hundred-year anniversary of the British Empire Exhibition with frank and difficult conversations about the ongoing legacy of Empire here. In the same month, Brent escaped violent riots that broke out elsewhere – I’m so proud that in this borough we will always celebrate our diversity and reject hatred.
Most recently we celebrated the reopening of Wembley Library, with it’s brand-new Resident Hub, more study areas, and a fantastic space for children to fuel their imagination. For me, it shows that even in the toughest of financial climates, we are determined to think about the long-term needs of local families and invest in the future.
At the end of another big year, I’m grateful to all the volunteers, neighbours and local partners who have made this year better for the communities that call Brent home. Here’s to an even better 2025. Happy New Year!
Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council |
