WEMBLEY MATTERS News and views on local politics, the environment, climate change, culture and local history
From Brent Friends of the Earth
After the success of our Eco-Panto at two libraries in Brent (see report here), it's been agreed with Brent Council that we will perform the show again at the Civic Centre Atrium on 23rd October at 11:45am (during schools' half-term).
We hope to see you there.
From QPARA
Queen’s Park Day: Sunday 17th September 2023
12 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
This year, as well as all the usual events and stalls to enjoy, QPARA will be celebrating its 50th Birthday in style. Come to the 50th Anniversary tent to see a special exhibition of our achievements in continuing to make Queen’s Park a great place to be. Buy a 50th mug and obtain a copy of our mini-history “50 Years On”.
Queen’s Park Day – fun, friends and food – is the highlight of the year for families from miles around. Part village fête with makers and bakers, live music and exhilarating arena acts, the day is a full-on celebration of our local community.
The complete programme is below. You can download it if that makes reading it easier for you.
We have exhilarating feats of derring-do in the main arena, where we kick off the day with an expanded dog show (with two extra classes).
Our two stages feature local (and not so local) music, dance and performance, with the addition this year of a fabulous sustainable fashion show: handmade, homemade and locally sourced haute couture, modelled on our very own Park runway.
Puppet shows, donkey rides, climbing walls and inflatables will keep the youngest folk amused, while a range of 20 street food stalls featuring flavours from round the world ensure no one needs go hungry.
Ever fancied riding a reclining bicycle? You’ll have a chance!
Aspiring Bake Off contestants, bring along your zestiest lemon meringue pie to be judged, or let your crafty ingenuity shine in one of our ‘making’ competitions. (Full details on the competitions page.)
And there will be a smorgasbord of local traders, businesses and services on show among our 120 stalls.
Queen’s Park Day is organised by a team of volunteers on behalf of QPARA. Big thanks to all who
support us and make it possible to keep the day free and inclusive. Blue skies!
PROGRAMME - Click bottom right square to enlarge
DON'T MISS!
See special production by the Brent Friends of the Earth Theatre Group on the Community Stage at 3.20pm (watch out for the polar bear!)
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE EARTH AND INFLUENCE CREATURES:
What YOU can do about COP 28 and the Climate Crisis
AND DON'T FORGET TO VISIT THEIR STALL (A9) NEAR THE QPARA MARQUE
No, it's not about legalising drugs but a chat with Brent Friends of the Earth's Pam Laurance who will be tackling some of those thorny questions people find themselves asking (or being asked) when it comes to taking action on climate change.
What do we think about cutting down on flying when many people in Brent want to keep in touch with family back in their home countries and attend important weddings and funerals? Should you ration holidays by air or stop completely - particularly when it can be such a hassle? Stop short-haul?
Many people are changing their eating habits to cut down on meat and significant numbers of people, especially in the north of the borough area, are already vegetarian, what are the pros and cons of a vegetarian or vegan diet? How should you start to change your diet and how does it work with changing the diet of a young family keen on fast food?
I am sure that driving (including the school run and shopping), low traffic neighbourhoods, reducing air pollution, cycling and much else will be raised by listeners.
Pam will be asked to choose a record to be played on the show. Speculation is rife about which song she will choose but I don't think it will be this one.
https://www.chalkhillcommunityradio.com/
From Brent Friends of the Earth
We hope to have a regular slot on the local Community Radio station, Chalkhill Community Radio. I'll be kicking off tomorrow, talking about how we can cut down on meat and dairy consumption.
You can tune in by going to www.chalkhillcommunityradio.com and clicking on 'listen live'. Recording available later.
Studio number for texts and calls 07956 548 781
Sheila Simpson made a presentation at tonight's Scrutiny Committe on behalf of Brent Friends of the Earth, ahead of the Committee's consideration of progress on the Council's Climate Emergency Strategy. Three members of the Committee declared an interest as members of Brent FoE and it became clear that several members of the Committee led by Cllr Tom Miller (not a member of Brent FoE) shared many of the concerns Sheila had expressed. The Strategy was too patchy and ignored some major areas. It lacked any effective means of measuring local progress in terms of emissions and of comparing progress with other London boroughs.
There was diligent questioning of officers and Cllr Krupa Sheth, Lead Member for Environment, and the Committee made a number of recommendations. (Exact wording will be finalised by officers):
1. The provision of a framework and dashboard to enable assessment of progres.
2. As lack of resources was a major factor in making progress to lobby the government on the issue,
3. A review of progress to be brought to the Committee.
4. Every service in the Council should include a climate action impact statement in their reports as they do with equality assessments.
5. Explore ways that Strategic CIL could be used to deliver the infrastructure necessary to to tackle climate change.
Sheila Simpon's Presentation
Good evening, I’m Sheila Simpson a member of Brent Friends of the Earth with over 200 people on our mailing list. Thank you for the opportunity to speak on their behalf.
Deep concern about the urgency of the climate and ecological crisis and lack of government action is growing. Our members were amongst many thousands of people on the streets of Westminster last weekend hoping to raise awareness, work on solutions and open dialogue with Parliament.
Locally, too, we must work in partnership to make progress. No-one is outside the effects of climate change. In this spirit, I’m sharing some of our comments, concerns and suggestions in relation to the Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy Update: Delivery Plan & Green Neighbourhoods. The aims are rightly ambitious.
The rationale for a narrower focus of resources on the selected Green Neighbourhoods is clear. Maximising impact and testing solutions in this way makes sense, but also risks taking time we may not have and leaving the majority of Brent untouched.
The commitment to consulting and co-designing plans with residents is welcome and key to creating a sense of community ownership. At a workshop for Church End and Roundwood Greener Neighbourhood, I saw how elements of our discussion were fed into the plan.
The resulting ‘patchwork’ of multiple, small-scale, individual projects can have some effect on carbon emissions within the area. But it is not clear which actions would be prioritised given limited resources, and some key proposals don’t appear.
For example, increasing active travel: bicycle hangars will be of practical immediate help to some, whereas the longer-term vision of creating safe cycle/pedestrian friendly Green Corridors, is more tenuous, dependent upon feasibility studies, although it is more likely to get results. (Cyclists who feel themselves at risk from traffic are not bothered if the cars that present a danger use fossil fuel or electricity).
Aside from increasing the number of School Streets there is little action or clear aspiration to actively discourage or limit car use, this is effective in shifting behaviour away from harmful travel choices. Perhaps more action is envisaged, see para. 5.18 where the feasibility study may ‘consider potential for more ambitious interventions in the healthy streets agenda’?
Evidence grows for low traffic neighbourhoods improving safety and the quality of life for residents.
Supporting car clubs can provide affordable access to a low-emission vehicles and reduce demand for on-road parking. (see Dept. of Transport guidance)
Kingsbury Greener Neighbourhood focuses on schools Though a small number of schools are involved their enthusiasm and energy is promising; students have potential to be influencers at home, reaching diverse communities where extended families may well be living now with the consequences of our choices here.
We see further scope for quick wins with wider long-term impact.
Could the council be working more closely with Brent Pure Energy to get Solar Panels installed on school roofs?
Over-consumption of meat and dairy products as a major source of emissions, is not directly addressed in the plan. Work could start now to encourage plant-based diets in schools, (learning from the success of other local authorities, linking with organisations like ProVegUK and Plant Based Universities) leading to life-long switches to healthy low-carbon eating.
The Development Led Pilot with greater potential to impact the environment, is less formed and harder to comment on. Brent Friends of the Earth and individual members submitted considered and detailed views on plans for South Kilburn expressing many concerns including loss of tree cover, biodiversity and open space, and risk of flooding.
Brent’s 2021-2030 C.E.E. Strategy sees members of Brent’s Environmental Network as key to community-led behaviour change. Residents and businesses outside the green neighbourhoods also need to be informed and involved in these issues. The B.E.N. website is not always up to this task, (for example if you look at the section on Solar Power it leads to finding there is no current programme of support on offer or any signposting elsewhere. It is also unclear how often the ‘regular’ newsletter can be expected)
Friends of the Earth distribute information and engage in climate conversations with the public; it would be good to be able to point them to council sources of up-to-date advice and information.
We will meet Cllr Donnelly-Jackson to discuss ongoing plans for meaningful Brent-wide public engagement.
Brent won’t monitor the effect of interventions, relying on UK government statistics to benchmark and demonstrate progress. This makes it almost impossible to see what the result of the planned actions is, and what is attributable to more general national and local trends. Without information linked to reduced emissions how will competing demands for resources be prioritised or effective action targeted towards net zero?
Public engagement needs credible feedback demonstrating results to avoid burnout or cynicism.
Friends of the Earth’s ‘Near You’ online database enables comparisons with similar local authorities, and we’ll follow progress closely.
Only 6.5 years to 2030. You have a vital task to keep the council on target to reach net zero emissions. Given the urgency, size, and complexity of the problem we suggest this committee form a sub-group to focus on climate emergency issues.
We wish you every success.
Thank you.
From Brent Friends of the Earth
We had a great afternoon with the Brent FoE stall in the sunshine at the London Designer Outlet, near the Brent Civic Centre on Sunday. Some re-elected and newly elected councillors were among the volunteers running the event.
We engaged with adults and children, using our bunting flags to get pledges and demands from members of the public. The bunting was hung on the railings of the children's playground behind the stall, and later transferred to fencing around a building site in Neasden, where it would be seen by people at the nearby bus stop.
We also had some lively contact with people using our 'fortune-teller' gizmos, which opened up, after people made their choices, to give some advice on what people could do about climate change.
We handed out a lot of our newly printed 'Climate Crisis - What you can do' trifold leaflets.Click bottom right corner for full page version.
These Councillor candidates in Brent have pledged to do all they can to ensure that Brent Pensions Fund ends its investment in fossil fuels and invests in a just transition to a zero-carbon economy.
Jumbo Chan Brent Council Harlesden and Kensal Green Labour
Iman Ahmadi Moghaddam Brent Council Wembley Park Labour
Mary Mitchell Brent Council Welsh Harp Labour
Ryan Hack Brent Council Brondesbury Park Labour
William Relton Brent Council Willesden Green Green Party
Simon Erskine Brent Council Stonebridge Green Party
Martin Francis Brent Council Tokyngton Green Party
The list will be updated HERE as more candidates sign up.
If you are a candidate and would like to take the pledge, please fill in this short form and you will be added to the public pledge list at the bottom of divest.org.uk/elections-2022.
Brent Council invests over £20 million of their pension fund money in planet-wrecking fossil fuels. This also puts members’ pensions in jeopardy as fossil fuel investments now pose a dangerous long-term financial risk.
Cardiff, Waltham Forest, Southwark, Islington, and Lambeth councils have already committed to divesting their pensions.
If you have any further questions on this, please contact us at Brent FoE or the UK Divest team at ukdivest@gmail.com. Here is a short guide to divestment which provides some more information on the issue. UK Divest is also hosting a webinar for sitting councillors and prospective candidates on Tuesday 26 April which will explore the moral and financial benefits of divesting from gas, oil and coal. If you are interested Please register here
It's not a scientific poll and just for fun but a poll of voting intentions was taken before candidates spoke at this evening's Friends of the Earth Environmental hustings and afterwards.
This was the result:
|
Candidate |
Party |
Before % |
After % |
|
David Stevens |
Green |
29 |
31 |
|
Anton Georgiou |
Liberal Democrat |
21 |
33 |
|
Sunita Hirani |
Conservative |
15 |
14 |
|
Muhammed Butt |
Labour |
35 |
17 |
|
|
Undecided |
9 |
6 |
The speakers at the the Brent FoE Environmental Hustings (in alphabetical order) will be:
Councillor Muhammed Butt (Labour) - Currently Leader of Brent Council
Councillor Anton Georgiou (Liberal Democrat) - Currently representing Alperton Ward
Sunita Hirani (Conservative) Candidate for Kenton Ward
David Stevens (Green Party) - Candidate for Welsh Harp Ward
While Brent Friends of the Earth very much welcomed the “Healthy Streets” programme by Brent Council, we are now very disappointed to see that the Council has decided to suspend the implementation of five of these Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes. This is in sharp contrast to the experience of many London boroughs which have successfully implemented LTNs.
We appreciate that there was a great deal of vociferous opposition to this initiative, but its implementation appears to have been somewhat half-hearted, and it has been abandoned before the communities affected really had a chance to experience the full benefits. It also appears that the online consultation process was not well designed, and there are questions about whether the results, with mostly very low engagement rates, were really representative of the community as a whole.
Monitoring appears to show that even these partially implemented trials did result in a reduction in traffic. In order to keep within targets for CO2 and air quality reduction, Brent Council really does need to take traffic reduction measures seriously, strongly encouraging walking, cycling and other means of active travel. We hope that the Council will come back with improved LTN proposals very soon.
We hope that future schemes will be better implemented and consulted on, ensuring that the voices of the many in Brent who do not own cars are heard as clearly as those who do. It is also imperative that such schemes should have a chance to run for a reasonable length of time, in order to demonstrate the proven benefits of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods for health, safety and the environment.
We are pleased to see that the School Streets programme has been successful and is being retained.
Brent Friends of the Earth will be demonstrating alongside other activists outside Barclays Bank, Cricklewood tomorrow in opposition to the bank's investments in fossil fuels.
On its Facebook page Brent FoE say:
Brent Friends of the Earth took their stall to Queens Park today and set up outside the Farmers' Market at Salusbury Primary School.
Children and adults answered the call to send messages to the Government and the Conference on the need for urgent action to address the climate emergency.
The messages have been recorded and the pennants left hanging on the school railings for pupils, parent and staff to see tomorrow morning.
River Brent catchment area
GLA Brent flood risk areas LINK
A press release from the London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, on September 23rd reported on Climate Vulnerability Mapping carried out ahead of COP26. LINK
It said:
The boroughs at particularly high risk, meaning that the risk of both flooding and overheating are very high, jeopardising lives and livelihoods are:
A combination of factor contribute to flooding including over-flowing rivers; reduced permeability due to development, including reduced green space and the paving over of gardens, and drainage systems unable to cope with extreme weather events.
Aware of this, Brent Friends of the Earth last week conducted a Flood and Nature Awareness walk from Wembley Park to Stonebridge Park along the Wealdstone Brook and the River Brent. This article provides some of the background requested by the walkers.
The top image above shows the catchment area of the River Brent with Wembley at its centre. The lower image is the flood risk of all types captured in the Climate Vulnerability Mapping. Unfortunately there is no data for the immediate Wembley regeneration area but the 'High Risk' vulnerability is clear. The map is interactive so you can zoom into different areas by following the link.
The maps below whilst not so up to date gives more detail - the darker the blue the more vulnerable to flooding. Light blue is surface flooding:
Ten years ago Brent Council's Surface Water Management Plan said: LINK
Finally, a combination of poor historical planning decisions, urban creep and infill development has had a further detrimental impact on the ability of the Borough to hold back the rain where it falls, Thames Water have calculated that there has been a 17% increase since 1971 in impermeable area across North West London, as residents have added extensions or have paved over front gardens. This results in greater volumes of surface water for each rain event entering the system. This effect accumulates further down the system where the increasing volumes create greater pressures on the below ground piped assets, tending to result in overland flood flows, increasing frequencies and levels of discharges at overflows and flooding of peoples properties with contaminated foul and commercial wastewaters.
The amount of impermeable land in the borough must have increased greatly since then.
Wikipedia records fluvial flooding LINK:
Local resident John Timms who has studied the 1977 flood in detail says that in fact the flow of the Wealdstone Brook had already increased significantly before the Welsh Harp sluice gates were opened and had caused flooding in Kenton and flooding followed down river with the draiage system unable to cope.
Laurie Pavitt, MP for what was then Brent South presented a petition to the House of Commons:
With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I beg leave to present a petition signed by 588 of my constituents who seek relief from the acute anxiety that arises especially among the elderly, in my area whenever there is a heavy downpour of rain.
The petition sheweth That 71 households were flooded with sewerage water following the heavy rainfall on 16th and 17th August 1977. That this disaster has caused severe physical, mental and financial distress, and that investigations reveal that these floods were not unexpected, and according to expert engineering opinion the risk of further flooding has been rapidly increasing due to extensive new building developments and drainage systems. Planned and approved alleviation works have not been implemented and the reason given for this failure has been the shortage of finance. At a time of cuts in public expenditure which affect all citizens, the people of Stonebridge have had the additional burden of living through a disaster which has destroyed the contents of the ground floors of their homes, with all the consequent hardship and suffering. Nor will they have the wherewithal to replace their losses, as most families have a weekly wage and live from week to week.
The petition concludes: Wherefore your petitioners pray that your honourable House by legislation or otherwise ensure that:
(1) full compensation be paid adequately to restore that which was lost.
(2) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shall, in conjunction with the Greater London Council, seek to implement a satisfactory flood alleviation scheme as a matter of urgency.
(3) temporary works and an effective flood warning system be put into operation immediately and that the lowering of the 1126 water level in the reservoir known as the Welsh Harp shall have high priority.
If you or your family were affected by these floods, and particularly if you have any photographs, John Timms is keen to hear from you for his research. Write to me at martinrfrancis@virginmedia.com and I will pass it on.
This was the background to our walk which started on the bridge over the Wealdstone Brook on Bridge Road.
Wealdstone Brook serving as a green corridor from Bridge Road (north side)
Brook Avenue, named after Wealdstone Brook which flows alongside it, is the site of planned tower blocks on the station car park (currently subject to a Public Inquiry) but has also been ear-marked in the Local Plan as a potential site for development between the avenue and the brook.
The surburban side of Brook Avenue where gardens back on to the brook
The modification to the Local Plan both suggests development of the site, including a larger Premier Inn, and enhancement of the brook area:
The Premier Inn site provides the opportunity to provide a more defined edge to Wembley Park Drive/Brook Avenue and introduce an active frontage containing main town centre uses.
The site is adjacent to a mixture of residential and commercial buildings up to ten storeys. Within this context, development that is taller than the existing two storey suburban dwellings will be acceptable to the eastern side of the site, stepping down towards the residential buildings to the west of the site which is identified as an intensification corridor along Forty Avenue.
· A minimum of 8m setback from Wealdstone Brook will be sought. Development will be required to positively contribute to the biodiversity, improve access to the waterway and provide an appropriate landscaped setback which may include public open space.
· The building line should be closer towards Brook Avenue.
The brook flows beneath Bridge Road to the College of North West London on the south side. Here it emerges into a small green space with mature trees and some landscaping.
College of North West London Grounds
The College building is adjacent to a major redevelopment site called the 'Fulton Quarter' which includes the retail park, McDonalds and the former studios, currently the temporary Troubadour theatre. The College site is also due to be redeveloped.
According to John Timms in the 1977 flood this park of the brook reached a height of 11-1/2 feet.
However, the modifications to the Local Plan concentrate on surface water:
The site is in flood zones 2 and 3a and susceptible to surface water flooding. All proposed development will require a detailed Flood Risk Assessment (FRA). Development must be consistent with the recommendations of the Brent Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Level 2.
Due to the site’s location in Flood Zone 3a, the ‘sequential approach’ at site level should be applied to steer more vulnerable development such as residential, student accommodation, hotels, and certain community uses towards areas of lowest risk within the site; north west area and southern edge.
Associated infrastructure including water attenuation tanks, and the diversion of any utilities and services to accommodate the development.
· Green and sustainable infrastructure should be part of the development process and the development.
Most significantly a paragraph follows in bold that is repeated for many of the developments, including Brook Avenue, covered in the Local Plan Modifications, which really requires additional scrutiny. Who in Brent will provide it?
Waste water facilities enhancement Thames Water has indicated the scale of development is likely to require upgrades to the wastewater network. Thames Water will need to be engaged at the earliest opportunity to agree a housing and infrastructure phasing plan to ensure essential infrastructure is delivered prior to the development creating identified additional capacity requirements.
The Fulton Quarter (yellow) with CNWL and Wealdstone Brook bottom left. Numbers equal storeys.
The Wealdstone Brook is culverted beneath Olympic Way and emerges next to 1 Olympic Way which has recently been converted from office accommodation to housing. Previously, as with the neighbouring Michaela School building, and as planned for the Fulton Quarter, the ground floor was not occupied, presumably because of the flooding risk.
Wealdstone Brook emerges from beneath 1 Olympic Way
The brook is canalised here and very soon is out of view as a platform has been erected over it:
Now the brook meanders either side of North End Road with the attractive low rise Empire and Danes Court contrasting with the high rise developments. Soon we come across an interesting new development that was faced with the problem of potential flooding. It is on the former Amex site and as you can see from the diagram surrounded on what is almost three sides by the Wealdstone Brook.
The planners recognised the flood risk:
The NPPF requires the Exception Test to be applied in the circumstances shown in Table 3 of the ‘Planning Practice Guidance: Flood Risk and Coastal Change’. Paragraph 102 of the NPPF makes clear that all elements of the test must be passed for development to be permitted. Part 2 of the test requires the applicant to demonstrate that the development will be safe for its lifetime taking account of the vulnerability of its users, without increasing flood risk elsewhere, and, where possible will reduce flood risk overall.
The flood modelling prepared by the applicant shows that North End Road would be inundated in both the 1 in 100 35% climate change event and the 1 in 100 70% climate change event, which appears to be the only access/egress route. This means that safe refuge within the development is required for future occupants as safe access and egress cannot be achieved.The finished floor levels of the development have been raised above the 1 in 100 chance in any year, including an allowance for climate change flood extent. This means that floodwater is unlikely to enter the property during a 1 in 100 chance in any year plus climate change flood extent.The applicant has overcome the EA’s previous objection by submitting an acceptable emergency flood plan framework to the local planning authority that deals with matters of evacuation and refuge to demonstrate that people will not be exposed to flood hazards.
Since the development was completed North End Road has been reconnected with Bridge Road at a very steep junction which in extreme torrential rain could see a flood of water coming down the road.
This development also raises a continuing problem - that of the pastekl drawings of the development versus the harsh reality. The long term plan to utilise and enhance the Wealdstone Brook as a feature was addressed in the application's depiction of a waterside walk. At the time it was unclear whether this would be open to the public - another long-term plan. It was festooned with Private notices when we dropped by. Compare the artists's impression with the reality.
The brook now runs past industrial buildings and another ptential development site named rather anonymously 'Central Place' -. It is between Fulton Road and Fifth Way with Wealdstone Brook to the north. There is a big warehouse and car park occupying the site.
The Local Plan Modification states (NB items in bold:
North of the site is the SINC Grade II Wealdstone brook. The site is recognised as a waterside development, as such, developers will be required to contribute towards restoration and naturalisation of the Brook, improve access to the waterway, provide appropriate landscaped setback, enhance water quality and biodiversity.
· Small sections of the site is susceptible to surface water flooding. The site is also adjacent to flood zone 3a (fluvial and tidal) so an appropriate buffer zone along the brook will remove the developable area of the site of any major risks.
A critical trunk sewer runs through this site which would need to be considered.
A buffer strip of at least 10m wide should be retained for a publicly accessible brook side park to allow for a cycle way/footpath, associated landscaping, tree planting and street furniture as agreed in consultation with the Environment Agency and Brent Council.
Infrastructure Requirements
· Developers would be required to contribute towards restoration and naturalisation of the SINC Grade II Wealdstone brook.
· Further master planning work will provide additional requirements.
· Green and sustainable infrastructure should be part of the development process and the development.
· Thames Water has indicated the local water network capacity in this area may be unable to support the demand anticipated from this development. Upgrades to the wastewater network are likely to be required. Thames Water will need to be engaged at the earliest opportunity to agree a housing and infrastructure phasing plan to ensure essential infrastructure is delivered prior to the development creating identified additional capacity requirements. Public sewers cross or are close to the site. The risk of damage during construction must be minimised. It must be ensured that development doesn't inhibit access for maintenance or the services in any other way.
There is quite a lot of vagueness in all this and as we have seen pretty plans sometime turn into something much less and there does not seem to be a reliable process, with staff availability low after government cuts,to make sure promises are delivered.
As a result over concerns over potential flood danger as a result of climate change and severe weather events, now with the addition of Sadiq Khan's warning, I have put two questions to November's Full Council meeting:
In the light of the increased prevalence of extreme weather events as a result of climate change and recent flooding in the borough, as well as a large number of new developments and increasing numbers of paved over gardens, does Brent Council:
Intend to work with partners including the Environment Agency and Thames Water to review and revise Brent Council’s
1) Flood Risk Management Strategy
2) Surface Water Management Plan
and advise property owners and developers on mitigation measures?
Look out for Part 2 where we walk from Brent River Park to the North Circular at Stonebridge
NOTE
In case you feel you need to know more about how to react in a flood as a reesult of reading this article this is the guidance from Brent Council:
Be Aware. Be Prepared. The time to think is now don't wait until it happens.
See how putting a grab bag may will help you to respond see the preparing for an emergency page.
If your house is potentially at risk from flooding here are some key things to remember.
If you are in a flood risk area find out if you can
sign up to the Environment Agency's free 24 hour Floodline Warnings Direct
service by calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188 (or Type Talk: 0345 602 6340).
You can select to receive warnings by phone, text or email.
Keep details of your insurance policy and the emergency contact numbers for
your local council, emergency services and Floodline quick dial number
somewhere safe - preferably as part of your emergency flood kit.
Know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water mains supplies.
If a flood is forecasted, take valuable items upstairs and take photos for insurance purposes.
Leave internal doors open, or ideally, remove them and store them upstairs.
Outside the house
Move anything not fixed down into a safer location, e.g. dustbins, garden chemicals car oil and similar.
Move your car to higher ground to avoid damage.
Weigh down manhole covers outside the house to prevent them floating away and leaving a hazardous hole.
See our page about who to call regarding drains and gullies for more advice.
For more information on preparing for a flood and other publications visit the Environment Agency's website
Sandbags
We do not supply sandbags or flood protection products directly to the public.
Builder's Merchants and DIY Stores may have sandbags available.
If you can't obtain sandbags, you can make them yourself by filling things like compost bags, old pillowcases or carrier bags filled with earth or sand.
https://www.brent.gov.uk/emergencies/severe-weather/flooding/
