Brent Council has praised new schemes that seek to improve day-to-day life in the borough through dedicated area managers.

Town centre managers and neighbourhood managers work with the council and residents to improve Brent as a whole.

According to the most recent report, the scheme has been a success – but councillors noted the need for further developments to ensure this is continued.

Cllr Sandra Kabir pointed out that the local expertise gathered by councillors and managers should be used more effectively.

“There is a lot of scope for us to work closer together on a strategic level, which will benefit residents in Brent,” she said.

Cllr Krupa Sheth agreed and said monthly meetings will be held to discuss the various priorities and how best to move forwards.

The town centre scheme was introduced in May 2017, though some did not assume their roles until early in 2018.

The area management scheme started in January this year and Cllr Shama Tatler explained that, given both are relatively new programmes, things are still settling into place.

She said: “This is part of the drive to look at things more locally and making things more needs-based.

“We need to understand that everywhere has different needs and we want to look at how to address these needs.

“For example, in Harlesden, there is a focus on anti-social behaviour, whereas in Kilburn, we want to look at protecting the economy.”

But there is a set of general goals for the coming year, including the development of business partnerships, the deliverance of cultural events and tackling environmental issues.