by NICOLE LAMPERT

The latest figures from the Audit Commission show both Harrow and Brent as tough on the disadvantaged.

Both boroughs are mean in giving carers a break, a report reveals. Figures showing the number of respite nights provided for each 1,000 people list Brent offering 26, the third lowest in London, while Harrow does not do much better with 39. The London average is 57.

Neither borough does well in determining the needs of the disadvantaged and saying what it will do to meet those needs. None of Harrow's residents was given a statement of needs last year, while only 15 per cent of Brent's citizens were. The London average is 56 per cent.

Brent does well in providing pedestrian crossings with facilities for the disabled, with all of its crossings "disabled friendly". Harrow does less well, with 65 per cent, but is above the London average of 55 per cent.

Brent is slower at collecting rent owed to it and is the third worst borough in London, with 23.3 per cent of its council tenants in arrears by more than three months. Harrow has the sixth lowest rate of arrears, with only three per cent of council tenants being more than three months behind.

Brent also falls behind on the total amount of council tax it collects, with only 81 per cent of the tax owed being collected, while Harrow collects 96.4 per cent. The London average is 91 per cent.

And Brent does not show itself in a green light. Only 2.5 per cent of the borough's household waste is recycled, the lowest figure in London. Harrow fares little better, recycling 7.4 per cent.

Both boroughs beat the London average in inspecting food premises. Brent came top of the league by carrying out 100 per cent of its inspections while Harrow checked 94 per cent. The average for London was 82 per cent.

But both were below the average of 0.38 per cent for trading standards visits to high and medium risk premises with Harrow visiting 0.31 per cent and Brent visiting 0.15.

Finally, the figures show that despite cutbacks in library opening times, the number of visits to libraries per head of population was still quite high. Brent logged 7.7 visits, while Harrow had 7, compared to the London average of 7.5.

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