Cllr Muhammed Butt and Cllr Sarah Hayward vow to spruce up thoroughfare during a public meeting

The leaders of Brent and Camden Council have both pledged their commitment to finding ways of rejuvenating Kilburn High Road, after a grilling from residents concerned about the future.

Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, was joined by Cllr Sarah Hayward, leader of Camden Council, and Glenda Jackson, MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, at Kingsgate Community Centre in Kingsgate Road, Kilburn, on Wednesday August 29.

The meeting was organised to find ways of getting cross-council work on ways of improving the High Road.

Ms Jackson said: “I think both leaders would acknowledge that Kilburn High Road is not a boundary as far as people use it and people who live either side of it – it’s their area.

“Part of this evening is to see how, given that the very severe economic strictures that both local authorities are working under, they can work together for the good of not only the High Road itself but the businesses and the people who live and work there.”

Traffic flow, road safety, empty shops and community facilities were all issues of concern as well as seemingly never-ending roadworks.

The Times reported earlier this year that the High Road had been subjected to nine water pipe bursts in just four years.

Cllr Mary Arnold, Kilburn ward, Brent Council, put forward the suggestion of creating a local area plan which would allow both councils to pool their resources to take forward.

Residents and businesses backed the return of the Kilburn Partnership – which they said allowed both councils to work together on matters affected the High Road.

Cllr Butt said: “Both councils have different priorities, but it does not mean we can’t work to find solutions to the problems of Kilburn High Road.

“Most of the problems we were aware of but the focus has been lost as we have funding restrictions.

“First of all we will be taking a look at how we can improve the transport and safety of the road as there have been some deaths down there recently.

“On the whole, the meeting was quite enlightening and seeing the number of people who attended, shows that there is a commitment to the area from residents and businesses.”

Cllr Butt said he and Cllr Hayward were looking at creating regular meetings between the two to ensure that the matter was taken forward.