In his Message To The Grassroots, on November 10 1963, Omowale Malcolm X famously asserted that land is “Land is the basis of all independence. Land is the basis of freedom, justice, and equality.” (1)
This is something that Leonard Johnson, leader of the Harlesden Peoples Community Council (HPCC) understood, even at 21 years of age. Around 1980 the HPCC had a vision to develop a community complex to expand the mix of Educational, Social and Commercial initiatives they were already engaged in. They identified the land, upon which stood a disused bus garage located at the junction of the North Circular Road and Harrow Road in the north west London borough of Brent. Negotiations with the owners, London Transport went well and HPCC managed to secure a reduction in the sale price from £3 Million to £1.8 Million. They were also given eighteen months to raise the funds. (2)
The fundraising process ended up being a masterclass in how to out manoeuvrer the system:
“HPCC were then able to enter serious discussion with Brent about getting some of our local money back in the form of a grant. Brent doubted our bid would succeed, but had to take us seriously because we had LT’s support. Whilst we felt the site being worth £3 Million represented go value for Brent to grant us the full £1.8Million they only offered a grant of £700,000.00. Following advice we approached both the then Greater London Council (GLC) and Department of Environment (DOE). This was difficult as Brent would only give us a soft promise and would not formalise the offer until we could prove we could raise the balance of the money. To our surprise both the GLC and DOE adopted the same stance. We now had the promise of the funds but couldn’t prove it as neither party would formalise their offer, this went on for months and now threatened our position with LT. Leonard had a brilliant idea, he called Lord Young (DOE) and asked for a personal meeting it was agreed. When Lord Young turned up he was surprised to see both Brent and the GLC there also have been invited by Leonard in the same way. Leonard then said “you have left HPCC offer until the very last moment, telling us you will not formalise the offer until it was signed off by the other parties, you are now face to face and can all now sign together”. They were without further excuse, left smiling after discussion and exchanges they each signed!.” (3)
However, as HPCC was not in a position to hold community assets it was agreed that the application would be done in HPCC’s name and Brent would be HPCC’s custodians for the purchase. Then to protect HPCC’s control and interest a permanent protective covenant was written into the purchase. In addition, Brent agreed once HPCC was properly constituted complete control and responsibility of the building the freehold would be transferred to HPCC’s new organisation. (4)
Once up and running the centre delivered was was described as a “a bewildering array of facilities,” including:
“A 1500 seater multipurpose gymnasium, squash courts, sauna, physiotherapy rooms, 32 workshop units for new businesses, training and seminar rooms, a bar, restaurant and a hall for 400 people with stage and lighting facilities, And if that’s not enough, there is a recording studio, a playgroup for three to five year-olds and a training centre for up to 50 teenagers under the Youth Training Scheme. This gives a two-year course in basic electronics and business computing.” (5)
Throughout the years the centre experienced a testy but manageable relationship with Brent council. Or so they thought. The covenant placed on the Bridge Park land was supposed to protect the land for community use and from future sale to private owners. However, behind the scenes stories emerged in early 2017 of Brent Council working with the London Borough of Bromley (who now holds former GLC’s interests) to remove or undermine the covenant, using taxpayer resources and without consulting the community. (6)
Having done this the Labour controlled authority (95% of the council seats) then planned to underhandedly sell Bridge Park to a Luxembourg-based company called General Mediterranean Holdings (GMH). GMH already owns the empty Unisys building adjacent to Bridge Park and they plan to invest over £850 million on the land in a private development of; Hotels, Offices and 600 Flats with only 30 going to the community (5% affordable). In return for the sale of the Bridge Park land, GMH were to build on a relatively very small portion of retained land a Gym and National standards Swimming Pool for the community. Yet there was no community consultation for any of this and the proposed sale was not even put through the full and open tender that is usually the case for projects of this size. (7)
The Bridge Park Community Council Steering Group (BPCC), the successors to the HPCC, took up the case with the aim of establishing the communities’ interest in Bridge Park and to ensure a stake in the control, development and future of the Land.
So with Brent Council, without consultation, having removed the protective covenant on the land then entered into the Conditional Land Sale Agreement (exchange of contracts) with General Mediterranean Holdings (GMH) who as guarantor for the sale of the Bridge Park Complex in June 2017. The BPCC swung into action. Given that a strict condition of the sale is that the land must be free of all interests, the community declared its interest in the land and in August 2017 submitted an RX1 application through its lawyers to the Land Registry to restrict Brent Council, to stop the Sale of Bridge Park. The application was successful. (8)
Brent Council’s decision to engage with GMH is as curious as it is concerning. First of all when offshore companies are involved, suspicions can always be raised about who is really behind them, and whether tax avoidance may be involved. Moreover, GMH’s founder, Anglo-Iraqi businessman Nadhmi Auchi, is a convicted fraudster, who in the words of one blogger: “should be disqualified from holding any positions of trust in any company trading or owning land in this country.” (9)
Indeed, Auchi was described in one council meeting as a “friend” of Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt. (10) Whether they are friends or not (and the council was quick to try and downplay that impression), convicted fraudster Nadhmi Auchi does has connections high up in the Labour Party. He is reportedly a “friend” of ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair (11) and on very good terms with Leicester East MP, former the Minister for Europe, Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz, who has been described for several decades in terms like “an important point of contact for the Asian community” (12) and “one of the best MPs for the Asian community.” (13)
The relationship between Vaz and Auchi even extended to him offering the Midlands MP a job on the board of the British banking arm of his Luxembourg-based empire. (14)
Having stopped the sale of Bridge Park, that on the face of it seemed riddled with subterfuge, the community advanced it’s own vision for the site:
“To build an iconic Centre of Excellence (Educational, Social, Commercial, Technology) along with the UK’s largest African & Caribbean supermarket & wholesale, Banqueting/Theatre and Multi-Faith Centre on the land – all self-funding with 200 residential flats, with up to 25% affordable.” (15)
Nevertheless, Brent Council’s determination to sell the land cannot be underestimated so BPCC have launched a fund-raising drive to support the legal campaign (www.gofundme.com/bridgepark) as well as a community awareness campaign – attracting support from the likes of Shaun Wallace of Mastermind and The Chase fame (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLPSH3krqfo) and talk show host and business-woman, Chrystal Rose (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FUk9oWLi2k). There is a major community meeting planned at the centre for December 9th.
The Brent Park situation highlights several issues extending beyond north west London to heart of the Afrikan community’s organising principles and the alliances it makes. For example, the Afrikan community has by and large been staunch supporters of the Labour Party for well over fifty years. (16) Yet the propensity of Labour controlled councils such as Haringey (73% of council seats), Lambeth (83%) and now Brent to try and strip buildings away from the community cannot be ignored forever, irrespective of how popular the party leader is. (17) It’s interesting to note that local Labour MP Sis. Dawn Butler has few reported comments on the Bridge Park situation.
In addition, perhaps it’s also time to examine the connections between Brent Council leader, Muhammed Butt, ‘Asian community’ MP Keith Vaz and notorious businessman Nadhmi Auchi ans whether the Bridge Park manoeuvrers are merely a strategy to secure the site for the Asian community.
(1) Malcolm X (10/11/63) Message To The Grassroots. http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/message-to-grassroots/
(2) Bridge Park Complex (2017) The Story. http://bridgeparkcomplex.com/the-story/
(3) Ibid.
(4) Ibid.
(5) For A Change (01/04/88) The Builders of Brent. Volume 1, Number 8. http://www.forachange.co.uk/browse/2207.html
(6) Bridge Park Community Council (2017) Urgent Petition. http://bridgeparkcomplex.com/urgent-petition/
(7) Bridge Park Complex. Op. Cit.
(8) Ibid.
(9) Wembley Matters (08/11/17) The murk behind Brent Council’s Bridge Park deal that was opposed by the community last week. https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-murk-behind-brent-councils-bridge.html
(10) Ibid.
(11) Guardian Politics (27/05/01) A tycoon, a Minister and Interpol. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/may/27/election2001.labour1
(12) George Jones (26/01/01) Hague puts pressure on Vaz over passports. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/may/27/election2001.labour1
(13) Asian Times Online (07/09/16) Keith Vaz ‘one of the best MPs for the Asian community. ‘https://www.asiantimesonline.co.uk/keith-vaz-one-best-mps-asian-community/
(14) Guardian Politics Op. Cit.
(15) Bridge Park Complex. Op. Cit.
(16) Bagehot (06/07/18) British politics Labour is no longer the party of the traditional working class. https://www.economist.com/bagehots-notebook/2018/07/06/labour-is-no-longer-the-party-of-the-traditional-working-class
(17) Simon Allin (16/07/18) Haringey cultural centre faces uncertain future. https://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/16356791.haringey-cultural-centre-faces-uncertain-future/ ; Ed Leahy (30/09/16) Community group visited by Muhammad Ali fights to stay in Brixton. http://www.swlondoner.co.uk/community-group-visited-muhammad-ali-fights-stay-brixton/
we ask the question:
Bridge Park Complex: What do we need to do to keep it?
1) Did you attend the Bridge Park campaign meeting on December 9th?
2) Why do we lose so many community buildings?
3 Why does Brent Council think it could break the covenant giving ownership to the Afrikan community?
4) Does the Labour Party still deserve our support?
5) Do we need to re-evaluate our allegiances?
Our Special Guests:
Representatives from the Save Bridge Park Campaign
Sis. Patricia Wharton: is community supporter of the Save Bridge Park Campaign and an Advocate for change and for empowerment. She has spent over 30 years of her professional career, working with children and families to ensure that they are fully functioning caring and providing the emotional and social support that they need. As an advocate for empowerment, it is no surprise that Patricia started to feel that there was more beyond the 9 to 5 and set up ‘Parent Power’. Patricia is a freelance Parenting Practitioner offering Parenting Seminars workshops and courses, including running programmes in prison. Patricia offers talking sessions to young people at risk of Social Exculsions, Exculsion from school, self harming depression, school refusers amongst other challenges.
She works closely with Potential Mentoring an organisation affiliated to Brent Councils Early Help Team. Patricia has a background in senior leadership and continues to support local authorities with their Early Help Agenda.
Patricia is the presenter for ‘The Let’s Talk Show’ Chalkhill Community Radio Station.
Patricia is also featured within an upcoming documentary on community and social engagement, produced by The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Patricia was recently nominated as a female who is considered an asset to Local and National Government and to this end was invited to spend the day at the houses of Parliament.
Patricia is most certainly the author of her own life and has realised the true power of saying “Yes”! To this end, Patricia is now working to help others also find their voices, pack their parachutes and scale the full height of their potential