Sufra Summer Garden Party - Saturday 30th August 1pm-4pm

 

Two years ago a video explained how young people created the meanwhile Samovar Space at Wembley Park - soon to be redeveloped

 

Quintain statement on the future of Samovar Space at the foot of the Stadium Steps - hotel or offices planned plus creation of two new public spaces

 

 The current layout - the removed Soundshell in the foreground

 

Quintain have replied this afternoon to my request for information regarding the future of the Samovar Space at the foot of the Wembley Stadium steps. Apparently my earier communication to them went astray.

 

Over the last couple of weeks we have been in contact with Brent Councillors, Planning team, Landsby Residents and our Resident's Team at Quintain Living relating to Plot NW04 and the existing meanwhile uses of Market Square and Samovar Space clarifying the following:

 

To the Landsby Resident's Team:

Together with Brent Council we have a vision for the transformation of Wembley Park that will be delivered in phases. The later plots to be developed have been enlivened in the interim as 'meanwhile uses' with Brent Council's full support. The Samovar Space is a brilliant example of this. Designed with input from local young people and enjoyed by many. 

 

The removal of the soundshell does not signify the closure of any part of Market Square or Samovar Space that will remain for at least the next 12 months. The Soundshell was moved to due to the need to undergo significant repairs and to allow space for upcoming Coldplay concert activations.

 

The 'NW04' site next to Landsby was granted outline planning approval in 2011 and was revised in 2018, and has formed one of our meanwhile plots for development later in the masterplan. 

 

To Brent Council:

 

Samovar Space and Market Square form part of plot NW04 in the Wembley Masterplan.  They are both meantime (temporary) uses of the plot until the building development is brought forward.  Market Square and “Wembley Splay” were primarily built to facilitate a more direct pedestrian connection between Olympic Way and Wembley Park Boulevard around the old Pedway.  Samovar Space was part of a project co-curated with young people in Brent.

 

NW04 has outline planning approval for either a Hotel or Office use and the form and position of the building on the site were approved in 2018*.

 

Designs are currently being prepared by Quintain for a Hotel on the site and it is intended that the Reserved Matters Application (RMA) will be submitted in early 2026.  Engagement with residents and other stakeholders will take place as part of the process before the application is submitted.

 

Recent “construction” activity on site has been related to the various site surveys – topographical, ground investigation etc – that are necessary to inform the design.

 

There have also been quite a few event activities on the site, sometimes related to the various concerts and other events happening in the stadium this summer.

 

It is important to note that The Soundshell, which formed an integral part of Samovar Space, was removed due to the need to undergo significant repairs and to allow space for the upcoming Coldplay concert activations. The removal of the soundshell does not signify the closure of any part of Market Square or Samovar Space which will remain for at least the next calendar year.

 

The approved parameter plans for the NW04 site allow for the creation of two new public spaces.  A combined space that fulfils the functions of Market Square and Samovar Space is created – effectively rotating the space through 90 degrees to sit along the Engineers Way frontage, linking Olympic Way to the Civic Centre and Wembley Park Boulevard.  A second space is created as a “pocket space” that will sit as a terraced area roughly where Wembley Splay is located at present.

 

The Cherry Trees in the southern part of Market Square will be retained and reconfigured as part of the design.  The various elements within Samovar Space were designed to be relocated and we will be reusing the structures where possible or donating them to local community groups, charities etc where this isn't feasible?

 

The overall construction process will be described in the construction method statement.  There will be further liaison over the construction arrangements as has been the case for all of the plots constructed at Wembley Park.

*Planning reference 2018/0968 LINK

Former Palace of Arts and Industry, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9
Proposal	Minor Material Amendment to vary Condition 4 (Approved Drawings) of planning permission reference 14/3054 (dated 21 October 2014) for an outline application for the demolition of existing buildings and redevelopment of the site to provide up to 160,000sqm of mixed use floorspace. (See previous application record for full description of development). The minor material changes sought are to create a new south facing public square fronting Engineers Way, to increase the height of the previously approved main building from 88.5m to 100m AOD, the reduction of the length of the previously approved block plan, changes to the massing of the previously approved building form, the creation of a collonaded single storey pavillion building along Olympic Way, increased basement level, and the provision of pedestrian and public realm improvements, and a bridge link to Brent Civic Centre.
Status	Approved.

 Images from that application:

 

The alternatives from an early PowerPoint presentation:

 

 

Wembley Park residents encounter wall of silence over plans for the Samovar Space following sound shell removal and surveyor activity

 

Wembley Park visitors and residents of Wembley Park will be familiar with the Samovar Open Space with its concert shell and play area at the foor of the stadium steps. This is what Brent Council wrote about it:

Seen & Heard and the Apprenticeship gave young people aged 16-24 a voice in the design and management of their local public spaces at Wembley Park.The outcome includes Samovar Space, a purpose-built area at the foot of the Olympic Steps and Wembley Stadium, designed for and by young people as part of the Apprenticeship in City Design.

Samovar Space is an inclusive space designed for and by young. The aim was to design a place to ‘just be’. It features dining, shelter and collaborative areas, including a purpose-built platform that will play host to events for young people throughout the year.

The engagement with young people sustained over four years and sees young adults aged 16-24, who are often overlooked by conventional development and planning, working with architects and developers to co-create spaces and places that are welcoming for them. 

 This is the space now following removal of the concert shell;

 

Now Wembley Park residents are protesting that they have neither been seen nor heard over potential redevelopment of the site butare suspicious after seeing surveying work in progress:

It seems as though Quintain have decided that they are going to exercise their old planning permission for the NW04 site right next to Wembley Library, which will result in the destruction of the Market Square and Samovar Space community spaces.

The sound shell bandstand was removed from the Samovar Space, ironically during the night after Wembley Park’s recent Coldplay community event, held in the sound shell. Wembley Park and Quintain celebrated the event and the community space on social media that evening, though didn’t mention in those posts that right after the event they were dismantling the sound shell.

They aren’t being open with the local community or with existing or new renters in their Landsby East building (which is directly next to the construction) as to what their plans are, or that a major construction site will be appearing next door.

The planning permission was granted many years ago, before there was anything in the area, but now there is a significant local population with large residential buildings all-around, plus the space between Wembley Library and Olympic Way has become a vibrant and much used community space that is also useful for Wembley Stadium events (the old Silver Car Park space is often used for merch areas or fan zones).

It sounds as though they are planning to construct a mixed-use office or hotel in the space, with a small and uninspiring paved square as a concession to Brent Council. This in no way replaces the trees in Market Square or the multifunctional space that exists currently.

It’s hugely disappointing that local residents are a) not being given any sort of consultation opportunity and b) Quintain are not being transparent and pro-active about informing the community of what is going on.

 A resident spotted the sound shell dumped in the nearby Union Park:

 The public space was the result of Brent Council reaching an agreement with Quintain not to build on NW04 in order to provide a public space beside the Civic Centre. This was part  of the £17.8m CIL money that Brent Council paid Quintain for Olympic Way improvements, including the demolition of the pedway and installation of the stadium steps.

 

 The NW04 site in context

Extract from Cabinet Report 24th July 2017:

Cabinet approve a contribution of up to £17.8 million towards the delivery of the Olympic Way Zones B and C.

2.2 That such a contribution would be contingent on Quintain:

a) Not pursuing development of site NW04 adjacent to the Civic Centre to the extent currently permitted in the parameters plans associated with outline planning permission 10/3032

b) Working with the Council to deliver a development that better complements the role and setting of the Civic Centre, in particular creating a significant new square outside the Civic Centre Library

c) Agreeing a business plan and heads of terms, between Quintain and the council, for the future sharing and reinvestment of net income generated through assets on Olympic Way.

 Apart from the Samovar Open Space, trees and the orange seating area the space outside the Civic Centre has also been used for market stalls:

 Interestingly what appeared to be future plans for the space appeared on the website of Flanagan Lawrence, leading Wembley Park architects,   https://www.flanaganlawrence.com/nw04   but the page was taken down, perhaps as a result of residents asking questions.

I am still waiting for answers to my enquiries of a week ago about future use of the site from Quintain and Brent Planning and have tried again today. Residents also report a wall of silence:

Several residents have shared that they've since also reached-out to Brent Council (the two Wembley Park Councillors and also Cllr. Butt) and have equally had radio silence. One said they asked Wembley Park's event manager, who also evaded answering the question. 

 

Another said they had reached-out to Quintain Living's head of operations for clarity seeing as they had just signed a 12 month contract in the Landsby East building and no-one mentioned anything about future construction work, again, radio silence.

 

It seems as though they are trying to do 'something' with the site, but for whatever reason do not want the community to know any details...

 

 

 

 

BE AWARE: Brent Local Plan Review coming up - this will affect your community, your area and perhaps even your home

 

Image from the 2019-2041 Brent Local Plan

Admittedly a consultation about the Brent Local Plan isn't likely to cause a huge amount of excitement but lack of engagement with an upcoming Review that will be discussed at next Tuesday's Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee could cost residents dear.

The 2019-2041 Plan, spearheaded by Cllr Shama Tatler, shaped planning decisions based on support for tall buildings, densification, intensification corridors and the designation of eight Growth Areas. This is transforming our borough. 

The proposal is for a Full Review covering all areas of the Plan rather than a few areas as some other councils are undertaking. LINK  Bold emphasis is mine.

The current Plan is immense and contains proposals for sites across the borough but current conditions and changes in planning laws mean a review is necessary:

     The principal rationale for review is to embrace the need to plan longer term to meet the needs of a growing population to at least 2046 and possibly beyond. The largest priority is to ensure housing delivery can be sustained at high levels in the future. This requires identifying sites well in advance of when they are needed. Due to the complicated nature of future opportunities (the need to parcel up sites that currently include individual homes) this could well be longer than was needed in the past. Large single ownership sites such as Grand Union in Alperton are getting rarer. Sites are more likely to be like 1-22 Brook Avenue allocated in 2011, having publicly been identified 3 years earlier in the draft plan; this only had a comprehensive planning application submitted in 2023 (15 years after first being identified) and it is understood that full site ownership has still not yet been achieved by the applicant. 

Brook Avenue is the road next to Wembley Park station where the developer pressured owners of the suburban houses to sell up to enable a developer to build tower blocks. If they failed to agree the Council would consider compulsory purchase to enable the development to go ahead – it was in the Local Plan. It appears one at east owner is holding out.

 

The paper going to the Committee implies predicts there may be more such proposals:

 

To date much of the population of Brent has accepted the ambitious levels of development that the last Local Plan promoted. The next Local Plan may wellhave to deal with accommodating more development amongst suburban housing, most of which will be in good condition and privately owner occupied.

As well as potentially affecting more people’s homes, it could more likely to result in more areas having more substantial changes in character compared to currently. This may well increase the amount of objection and challenge to the plan from Brent residents or community groups. This could again slow down the plan’s delivery, requiring further levels of engagement and revision to plancontent or policy direction.

 

You have been warned. Look up your area/address on the current Local Plan and you may well be surprised/shocked by what you find. LINK

 

Another reason for review is that the Council has been unable to meet its targets due to the current economic and labour supply situation, and new safety regulations:

 

Brent’s delivery [of housing] prior to 23/24 was excellent. In the 3 financial years to 22/23 Brent delivered the equivalent of 8136 net additional dwellings Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) official figures. This represented 131% of its target against the Housing Delivery Test (HDT). Delivery in 23/24 was however very weak at 656 net dwellings. This is not yet reflected in the latest MHCLG HDT figures but represents only 28% of the 2,325 annual minimum target. Completions for 24/25 have not been finalised but are likely to be well below the target. Lack of planning permissions are not what is holding back delivery. The latest GLA datahub information indicates that as of 31st March 2024, 16,985 dwellings had permission but had not been completed. It is other factors including viability, construction capacity, the contraction of the private sales market, investor caution and building safety regulator sign-off (for buildings 6 or more storeys) that are having the biggest slowdown impact.

  

We know that a higher proportion of private housing is likely on South Kilburn due to these factors and that there is a slowdown in the already limited building of new council homes – the only truly affordable option for most Brent residents. Remember that the definition of ‘affordable’ is often 80% of the market rate and these targets are not being met:

 

In respect of other Local Plan housing objectives, the amount/ percentage of affordable housing, when compared to overall housing delivery, is below the 35% London Plan fast track route target and significantly below the 50% strategic Local Plan target. In 23/24 19.7% of the homes that were completed in the borough were affordable, and 26.7% of the homes that were approved that year were affordable. For 23/24 homes delivered which were subject to an affordable housing S106 obligation, the percentage delivered was 44%.

 

Given the number of families on the Council list, and the Council’s policy to persuade them to move into private accommodation outside of the borough, the policy for more family-sized homes has also failed:

 

The Local Plan has a target of 1 in every new 4 (25%) homes requiring permission being 3 or more bedrooms. In 23/24 delivery was below this at 12.2%. Delivery of this target is impacted by small scale schemes that might be for three of less dwellings, thus not required to provide a three-bed home; on larger schemes, there is often a trade-off reflecting the viability considerations. 3+ bedroom schemes do not attain the same values (per square metre) as properties with 1 or 2 bedrooms, thus requiring the 25% affects development viability and can reduce the number of affordable homes that can be delivered. 

 

If there are to be more smaller developments in future these also have their drawbacks:

 

For minor developments, the range of policies that apply are fewer, in part reflective of the Government’s position that to support the small builders’ sector there should be lower costs/ simpler processes. In addition, many of the homes in this sector in Brent are delivered via conversions of existing homes (e.g. conversions of houses to flats). These factors can bring compromises that might not be applicable in larger schemes, e.g. no lifts, inability to provide outdoor amenity space for upper floor dwellings, encouragement to attain higher energy efficiency/ renewables, rather than requirement, etc.

Although officers try to reassure, there are also issues when builders try to reduce costs:

 

The Council ensures that the quality of the affordable homes is consistent with that delivered for private homes. Applicants know that the Council will not accept obvious lower standards or development that is not tenure blind particularly in terms of outward appearance and location. There however, may be subtle differences, (e.g. communal facilities such as size of lobbies, corridor finishes, incorporation of soft furnishings, gym facilities) as registered providers seek to reduce on-going service charges to occupants.

 

Officers outline other areas of the Local Plan where it is likely that changes will be needed;

In respect of the topic area policies sections changes are likely to be required to reflect recent and proposed trends, e.g. during and post Covid the move towards on-line trading will mean some retail uses are diminishing, meaning town centres are at greater risk of contraction, whilst hospitality uses are also struggling, with existing numbers of pubs proving difficult to maintain as viable. The Council will need to review its viability tests/ periods of vacancy that are acceptable to ensure its not unnecessarily maintaining property vacancies. Review of the borough’s green spaces indicates an inconsistency in categorisation and levels of protection provided for those not identified. These will need a detailed review and amended policy. The affordable workspace policy will need review to apply it to a lower size threshold of development. It was subject to change during the last examination by the Inspectors as it received objections, which the Council was not allowed to address properly due to submission of additional viability being inadmissible. The amount and concentration of student housing has also become a more pronounced concern for councillors and the Plan will consider how to best address this, balancing up London’s strategic student housing needs against Brent’s housing priorities including very high affordable housing needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help the talented and inspiring Brent Mencap AllStars record their first album of original songs

 

 

From Brent Mencap

 

We are AllStars – a band of singers with learning disabilities and/or autism, turning our stories into music that speaks to everyone.

​

We’ve written 11 powerful original songs about love, friendship, fears, and dreams – the same hopes and feelings we all share. Now we’re ready to release our first album and bring it to life with a live performance! But to make this dream shine, we need your help. 

We already have £2,300, but we need £1,500 more to:

• Professionally mix and master our tracks

• Hire a rehearsal space

• Host our album launch with a live show

 

By supporting us, you’ll not only hear amazing music – you’ll also highlight how talented and capable people with learning disabilities are. Together, we can inspire other people with a Learning Disability across the UK to share their talents too.

​

Be part of the dream. Help us light up the stage.

And donate on our Just Giving page to make it real.

 

At Brent Civic Centre

Our Music Artists

 The Power of Music: Our Singing Groups

At Brent Mencap, music is more than just a pastime — it’s a powerful tool for connection, self-expression, and joy. We currently run two singing groups:

• One is open to anyone who simply loves to sing, whether you're a shower-singer or stage-ready star!

• The other is something truly special...it's Mencap AllStars!

​

Meet the Mencap AllStars

Our Mencap AllStars have been on an incredible musical journey. With guidance from Milly, a professional singer-songwriter, the group has been writing and composing their own original songs — songs that tell stories of life, personal experience, friendship, and shared human emotions. Their music is honest, heartfelt, and deeply moving. With the amazing support of our neighbours at BBMC Music Studio, the AllStars have been recording their tracks professionally. The next step? Turning their dream into reality!

​

The Vision: An Original Album

We are currently applying for Arts Council funding to support the production of a full 12-track album — featuring one original song from each group member.

But this project is about more than just the music:

• The group will design the album artwork in collaboration with our art group

• They plan to launch the album with a live band performance

• And they want to take the lead on promoting and sharing their music with the world

​

This is their voice. Their stories. Their creativity. And we can’t wait to help them bring it all to life! 

 

Stay tuned for more updates — and get ready to hear something truly extraordinary!​

22 week reconstruction of a section of Harlesden High Street to start from September 15th 2025

 

It has been hard to ignore the troughs of collapsed cobbled road on Harlesden High Street but now action is being taken.  Brent Council says it will take 22 weeks but perhaps that will enable Council  PR to greet a slightly earlier finish as a great success:

The Council is planning to deliver much needed carriageway reconstruction works in High Street Harlesden, between Tavistock Road and the Harlesden Jubilee clock end of the road (the buses only section of the High Street) from 15 September 2025. The works are expected to last 22 weeks under a road closure, where buses will operate under a diversion route. Pedestrian access will be maintained as normal.

 

Deliveries to local shops and businesses will be catered for from delivery areas outside the closure at the Tavistock Road end of the High Street. Brent will also have a site-based team to help with deliveries during the hours of 08:00 and 16:30.

 

The map above shows the full area affected. If you have any issue, the Public Liaison Officer for this scheme is Michael Heffernan who can be contacted via email Michael.heffernan@gwhighways.co.uk or phone 01202 043259

 As yet I can find no details of the bus diversion route. 

Carnival arrangements for the Brent Harrow Road corridor: Harlesden, Kensal Rise, Kensal Green

 

Thanks to DJ AG for this video

 

Update from local councillors to residents on planning for Notting Hill Carnival which takes place this weekend. 

Brent Council Carnival Information Webpage

Brent’s Brent Council Notting Hill Carnival 2025 webpage is now live - https://www.brent.gov.uk/nottinghillcarnival2025  Please do read and share.

Though the southern part of Brent is not on the formal  Carnival  route, the Harrow Road corridor will be a much visited location  

There have been a series of planning meetings between Brent Council officers, the MP’s office, the metropolitan police and other agencies to learn from previous years’ experience, pass on and seek to alleviate residents’ concerns raised through councillors or by other means and try to ensure that the event is an enjoyable and safe celebration with disruption during and after the event managed as well as is possible.  
 
Carnival begins at 10am on Sunday 24 August and Monday 25 August 2025. The official schedule, including fringe events over the weekend, is on the Notting Hill Carnival https://nhcarnival.org/
 
The following local arrangements will be in place during the event on Sunday, 24 and Monday, 25 August:

Traffic and Parking: We will have a Traffic Management Order (TMO) in place. There will be no parking or waiting at any time (including in parking bays) on certain roads.  The traffic management arrangements are listed here

No parking or waiting (including in parking bays) will be permitted on Sunday 24 and Monday 25 August 2025 in:-

Banister Road;
Chamberlayne Road, between Kilburn Lane and Mortimer Road;
Harrow Road (Kensal Green), between Kilburn Lane and College Road;
Kilburn Lane, the west and north sides, between Harrow Road (Kensal Green) and the south-western arm of Claremont Road;
Mortimer Road, the north side only.

There will also be no waiting (except in parking bays) on Sunday and Monday in: Kilburn Lane, north side, between the south-west arm of Claremont Road and the north-east arm of Claremont Road.

Residents in these streets will be able to park in their neighbouring CPZ, as below and have received letters to this effect:

Mortimer Road residents (KR Zone) and their visitors, will be able to park in KL and KQ zones;

Holders of KC zone permits and their visitors, will be able to park within KL, KR and KQ zones.
 
Parking enforcement: We will also have additional parking enforcement from 7am to 11pm throughout Carnival in the most affected areas. This will include Harrow Road, Chamberlayne Road, Kilburn Lane, Banister Road and Mortimer Road where parking will be suspended.  There will also be additional enforcement in the wider footprint including Kensal Rise, Kensal Green , Harlesden and Queens Park.  The dedicated parking enforcement team in the area will include mobile, foot-patrols and tow-trucks.

There will be a road closure and public safety barriers in Harlesden, to prevent members of the public spilling on to the roads.

 Policing:  Following discussions and concerns raised by councillors, supporting residents’ concerns an increased police presence has been committed including outside the main carnival area.  This will include:

BBQ patrols: Police officers, helped by Council officers will ensure the removal of BBQs or sound systems that have been setup outside any permitted area.
 

Immediate area: Increased Police presence throughout the Notting Hill Carnival weekend.
Harlesden Town Centre: Additional Police resource in Harlesden.

Specialist Licensing Police team available to deal with Licensing contraventions.
Additional Police in Westminster who will support our Brent Policing team where necessary.
 
CCTV: There will be additional CCTV during Carnival and Brent Council officers, linked to police command, will be monitoring CCTV covering the area around the carnival to ensure resident safety.

Toilets: There will be 15 toilets including disabled access toilets along Harrow Road and Kensal Rose station with directional signage for carnival attendees.

Enforcement patrols will team up with local police officers to ensure compliance, including preventing illegal street trading, barbecues and street parties. They will be out early with the police to prevent barbeques and stalls setting up where these are not permitted.

Noise Nuisance patrols will be available to deal with any complaints. Please encourage residents to use our noise app to let us know about anyone.
 
Clean up: Brent has planned and booked extra clean up resources to ensure rapid clean-up during and post event, including inspections of our streets before carnival.

A team will clear the streets between Sunday and Monday from 3am and will include mechanical sweepers, physical sweepers and a pickup crew.

The same will apply on Monday night at the end of the event and in the early hours of Tuesday morning the jet washing crew will begin a deeper clean. Note that full cleaning of adjacent streets will be done as soon as possible but may take more than a day.

Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) canisters.  Because of the gas in the canisters they have to be cleared separately to other waste. (To avoid the high risk of explosion when crushed.) They will therefore only be collected once other waste is cleared from the streets. If you see these in piles across the area, they are for collection by our waste contractor Veolia. Please bear with the team as they clear the canisters up and please DO NOT add them to other bins.
 
 
This and more detailed information on TMOs, parking, safety, cleaning and more can be found here https://www.brent.gov.uk/nottinghillcarnival2025  

TEN days of parking restrictions and disruption in Wembley Park on dates from this Friday until Monday September 8th for Coldplay concerts

 

 

From Brent Coucil

 

Wembley Stadium will be hosting the COLDPLAY MUSIC OF THE SPHERES WORLD TOUR in August on Friday 22 August, Saturday 23 August, Tuesday 26 August, Wednesday 27 August, Saturday 30 August and Sunday 31 August. [Editor's note: Coldplay added  Wednesday 3 September,  Thursday 4 September, Sunday 7 September and Monday 8 September]

EDITOR NOTE:  Be aware Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th September and Monday 8th September may affect children travelling between Harlesden and Wembley Park and v/v due to road closures and bus diversions. Not great for those starting secondary school in Year 7 and perhaps travelling alone for the first time. In particular look out for the early curtialment of the 206 bus at Brent Park (IKEA/TESCO).

Timings

- The COLDPLAY MUSIC OF THE SPHERES WORLD TOUR doors will open at 6pm and road closures will be in place from 2pm for all above events.

We expect the area around Wembley Stadium to be very busy before and after this event so please avoid the area if you can, unless you have a ticket for the event.

 

 

Event day parking

Event day parking restrictions will be in place from 8am to midnight on main roads and from 10am to midnight on residential roads on Friday 22 August, Saturday 23 August, Tuesday 26 August, Wednesday 27 August, Saturday 30 August and Sunday 31 August. [See additional dates above]

Potential Labour candidates for Brent Council 2026 election await the CIB's verdict on their selection

The Campaign Improvement Board (CIB) the external body that is carrying out the selection of Labour Party candidates for the 2026 Brent Council elections will soon be choosing successful applicants from a shortlist to stand in the Brent Council election in May 2026, probably helped by the London Region of the Labour Party.

Decisions on placements - which candidates for which wards - take place after panel interviews that judge whether the candidate is a 'good Labour person' . The panels are made up of Labour members and councillors from outside Brent and they submit the shortlist for decision by the CIB.  

Candidates have been left hanging, not knowing if they have been selected and if selected, the ward they have been allocated. Whatever the individual outcomes the end result is likely to be controversial.

There is still uncertainty over why Brent was selected by the Labour Region for the imposition of external selection. Among the possible issues cited have been an allegation that a candidate paid for friends and families to join the Labour Party in order to vote for him last time round (he wasn't selected), dissatisfaction with the Buttocracy and Cllr Muhammed Butt's longevity as leader, and the Nablus Twinning (a suggestion pushed by Lee Harpin of Jewish News).

There is also speculation over whether any rejected candidates will decide to stand as Independents or join an opposition party.

Of course the most important aspect is what the electorate will make of all this - or will they even notice? 

Watch this space. 

£46k grant to catalogue Brent Trades Council's decades of struggle for workers' rights and social justice

The Brent Trades Council banner at demonstration against privatisation of the NHS (Wembley Matters)

 

From Brent Council

 

Brent Museum and Archives (BMA) has been awarded £45,900.71 from The National Archives’ 'Archives Revealed' grant programme to catalogue a significant local archive collection – the Brent Trades Council collection.

Brent Museum and Archives, located in The Library at Willesden Green, preserves and showcases the history of the London Borough of Brent. It houses a vast collection of over 10,000 objects, including historical documents, photographs, and artifacts as well as council records, local newspapers, and more. 

With this funding, the museum will undertake a detailed cataloguing project of the Brent Trades Council (BTUC) archive, which documents the organisation’s involvement in a wide range of local and national campaigns and social justice issues from the 1960s through to 2013.

The Brent Trades Council is the community branch of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for the London Borough of Brent. It represents union members from organisations including UCU, RMT, GMB, CWU, Brent NEU, and various Unite branches, working in solidarity to champion workers’ rights and social activism.

The cataloguing project will deliver access to this vital collection, enabling local communities, schools, and researchers to explore Brent’s rich history of trade unionism and political activism. BMA will also use the BTUC’s archives to create greater engagement with the borough’s diverse communities and encourage conversations about Brent’s past and present identity.

Cllr Promise Knight, Cabinet Member for Customer Experience, Resident Support and Culture said:

 

This funding is a fantastic opportunity to preserve and share the powerful history of the Brent Trades Council. These archives capture the voices and struggles of our local communities and workers, and through this project, we can ensure that their stories inspire and educate future generations.

 

The project is expected to be completed over the next year, with the collection becoming fully accessible for public use and academic research.