'Heritage murals' at Bobby Moore Bridge, Olympic Way partially uncovered for just 3 weeks

 

 

Just two weeks ago Philip Grant wrote about the 'dodgy deal' behind the covering over of the famous sporting and musical tile murals at Bobby Moore Bridge at the Olympic Way pedestrian route to Wembley Stadium,

Now Brent Council has published a press release advertising that the mural will be partially uncovered for just three weeks. It is good that Brent Council is now recognising that these are 'heritage' but that makes their covering up  action even more inexplicable.

The Press Release:

More heritage murals on display at Wembley Park’s Bobby Moore Bridge during March

Extra areas of the heritage tile murals outside Wembley Park station will be revealed from the 10th to 28th March, as part of an annual display.

The colourful ceramic tiles, which show scenes from famous sports and entertainment events at Wembley Stadium and the SSE Arena, Wembley, date back to 1993 when they were originally dedicated to the legendary England football captain and 1966 World Cup Winner Bobby Moore.

Mayor of Brent, Cllr Ernest Ezeajughi, said: "I'm delighted that residents living close to Wembley Park and our amazing keyworkers who are still travelling into work will be able to enjoy these wonderful murals during the month of March. We may not be London's Borough of Culture this year, but we remain the borough of cultures, including the major events we host in Wembley. It's great to showcase that and pay tribute to some of the icons of our recent past especially as we start to look forward to the Euro football finals coming to the stadium this summer."

Please maintain social distancing and consider wearing a face mask whilst viewing the tiled murals.

The first scene outside the subway shows American Football players.  Many people think that the sport at Wembley Stadium started with the first NFL game there in 1983, with matches played annually at the new stadium since 2007. However, its history goes back a further 40 years, to the Second World War when two U.S. Forces teams played.

The middle scene shows a tackle involving two rugby league players. The Rugby League Challenge Cup Final was first played at the Stadium in 1929. It proved very popular, as a great day out for supporters. The final was played annually at Wembley (apart from during the Second World War) until the old stadium closed in 2000, and it has been a fixture at the new stadium since 2007.

The Empire Pool (now Arena) was built in 1934, as a year-round venue, for swimming in the summer and ice hockey and public skating in winter. It got its name because the first event held there was the swimming competition for the 1934 British Empire Games. From the autumn of that year, it was home to two ice hockey teams, the "Wembley Lions" (who played there until 1968 and were national champions four times) and the "Wembley Monarchs".

Brent Council Budget approved

 As expected the Budget and Council Tax rise was approved yesterday  by Full Council.

The Conservative amendment was lost with the 3 Conservatives voting For and Labour and the Lib Dem voting Against.

Lib Dem Cllr Anton Georgiou was allowed to move his budget proposals and he was the only vote For.

The Labour Group  budget was approved with only Conservatives and the Lib Dem Against. Labour councillor Cllr Gill abstained.

Some councillors appeared to be  missing during the roll call (recorded vote).

Brent NEU responds to Government's 'irresponsible' road map for full re-opening of schools

Following this afternoon's announcement of a return of all pupils and students to schools and colleges on March 8th, Jenny Cooper, joint secretary of Brent National Education Union said:

With  cases still high in Brent and sadly many deaths in our community, the Prime Minister's road map beginning with full reopening of schools on March 8th is irresponsible at best.

The Prime Minister stated that 'the threat remains substantial'.  On that basis the NEU will now be advising its members on how best to push back for a careful, sensible and phased return of pupils rather than the proposed return of 10 million at once.

Unions' response to Johnson's Schools & Colleges Reopening statement

 

Unions have responded to the Prime Minister’s statement that schools will reopen on March 8. (from Union News website LINK)

NEU general secretary Dr Mary Bousted said: 

“Today’s announcement that all pupils will return to English schools on 8 March demonstrates, again, that Boris Johnson has, despite all his words of caution, failed to learn the lessons of his previous mistakes.

“Whilst cases of Covid infection are falling, along with hospitalisation rates, it remains the case, unfortunately, that cases are three times higher now than when schools re-opened last September. This fact, alone, should have induced caution rather than, in the words of Nadhim Zahawi an ‘ambitious’ school return which runs the risk of schools, once again, becoming, in the Prime Minister’s words on 4 January, ‘vector of transmission’ into the community.  This risk is greatly elevated because of the new variants of Covid which are significantly more transmissive.

“Why has the English government not taken the same route as Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland whose cautious, phased approach to school opening will enable their governments to assess the impact a return to the classroom will have on the R rate and to make necessary adjustments to their plans.

“A ‘big bang’ school reopening brings 10 million people back into crowded buildings with no social distancing and inadequate ventilation.  The wearing of face masks by pupils and staff in in secondary school lessons is a welcome measure but it is not, on its own enough.

“The government has had two months to put extra mitigations in place to stop the growth in infection in schools that was seen from September to December. Where are the ventilation units for classrooms? Where are the nightingale classrooms? Where is the PHE testing which school leaders could rely upon to give more accurate results? It is no good political parties talking about these safeguards when they know very well that they have not been put in place and will not be put in place by 8 March. Words are cheap. Actions are needed.

“The government must publish the science and the modelling which informs their unique school return plan. It should also make plans to protect vulnerable and older education staff who should be supported to work from home until their vaccinations take effect.

“While schools and colleges will, as always, go the extra mile, headteachers should have been given the flexibility offered in the other nations to plan for a phased school return.  It would have been far better to take that time to plan and implement a successful and sustainable wider opening – which today’s announcement does not, unfortunately, guarantee.”

The UCU said any wider reopening of college and university campuses from 8 March is irresponsible and risks undoing the country’s hard work to get Covid rates down.

The union called on employers to use common sense and keep teaching online wherever possible to reduce the risk of further Covid outbreaks. It said that for many courses this would mean there should mean no return to on-campus activity this academic year.

Where courses do require an element of in-person teaching, the union said employers must meet with UCU health and safety representatives to agree new risk assessments to protect staff, students and the wider community. It said assessments need to take account of a number of factors including the increased transmissibility of new variants, ventilation, PPE and how to support workers who need to shield. It also raised concerns over the potential use of unreliable lateral flow tests.

UCU said that where staff feel their health and safety is being put at risk, it will support members to fight to protect themselves, colleagues and students, including through industrial action ballots.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said:

 “The Prime Minister seems to be pushing ahead with an irresponsible reopening of schools, colleges and universities at the same time. Pushing students and staff back onsite increases the risk of more Covid outbreaks and threatens to undo the country’s hard work to get infection rates down.

“Lateral flow tests are completely unsuitable for testing on campuses. They are unreliable and incorrect negative results may give people a false sense of security, increasing the risk outbreaks. The government must not use them to reopen colleges and universities.

“We expect employers to keep teaching online wherever possible to prevent campuses from seeding the virus. For many courses this will mean no return to campus this academic year. UCU accepts that some university and college courses will need some in-person teaching but this needs to be very carefully managed to keep staff and students safe. Employers will need to agree new risk assessments with our health and safety representatives that take account of increased transmission rates of new variants, ventilation, PPE and how vulnerable employees will be supported to stay off campus.

“Employers must work with us to protect staff and student safety. If our members feel their health and safety is being put at risk, then we will support them to protect themselves, including through balloting for industrial action where necessary.”

Further Police Appeal for help after Preston Road murder

Ford Mondeo at the scene

 

Detectives investigating the murder of a teenage boy in Brent are appealing for assistance from the public and in particular want information about a car connected to the killing.

They are also appealing for a van driver who stopped briefly near to the scene to come forward as a potentially vital witness.

Police were called to a boy with stab injuries in Preston Road, Brent shortly after 23:30hrs on Thursday, 18 February. The victim has been identified as 16-year-old Drekwon Patterson from the Wembley area.

He was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital. Despite the efforts of emergency services, he died shortly before 09:00hrs on Friday, 19 February.

Specialist officers are supporting Drekwon’s family. A post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

Homicide detectives from Specialist Crime are investigating, led by Detectives Chief Inspector Richard Leonard.

DCI Leonard said:  

We have been working intensively since Drekwon’s killing to establish what happened on Thursday night and to find the people responsible.

Our investigation has included detailed forensic analysis and an intensive search for, and of, relevant CCTV material. These and other lines of enquiry are continuing, and I can assure Drekwon’s family and the local community of our total commitment to bringing those responsible to justice.

We have been well supported by the public in and around Preston Road and further afield, and I am appealing for their help today. I need to hear from any witnesses or anyone with information about this tragic murder – if you know anything that may be significant, please get in touch.

In particular, I need to find out more information about a car – a black Ford Mondeo, using registration number YR54 NHN – which was seen on CCTV driving away from the scene and found burnt out in Silver Jubilee Park, NW9 on Friday 19 February.

I believe this car was used in an initial attempt to injure Drekwon in a collision on Preston Road. After the Mondeo had been driven at him, Drekwon ran away and was chased by four suspects who had got out of the car, before being caught and fatally stabbed.

We have to yet to establish who was using this Mondeo in the days leading up to the murder, and I am appealing for anyone who may have seen it to get in touch. This is a fairly large vehicle and quite old, so it would have been noticed. It is possible that the car appeared suspicious and wasn’t familiar to local residents in the area where it was parked, or maybe people using the car were seen behaving suspiciously.

This car is clearly a key line of inquiry, and I am asking everyone – in particular people in north-west London – to think carefully about whether they have seen this Ford Mondeo and who may have been using it.

I also want to trace the driver of a van, which was seen on CCCTV to stop briefly near to the scene, who might have witnessed a crucial part of the incident. I am appealing for that driver to please come forward as a witness.

Officers are releasing images of the Ford Mondeo captured on CCTV near to the scene in addition to a stock image of a similar black Mondeo. They are also releasing a CCTV image of the van near to the scene.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8721 4622 or call police on 101 quoting CAD 8167/18Feb. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

There has been no arrest at this stage.

Officers from the Met’s North West Command Unit continue to conduct additional patrols in the area. Local residents are urged to speak with these officers if they have any information or concerns.

Greens demand further protections for schools to avoid another lockdown

 It's an international issue - demonstration in South Africa

The Green Party is urging the government to introduce additional measures to protect schools which could save lives and avoid another lockdown in the coming months.

The Green Party Education Spokesperson Vix Lowthion said:

It is vital to stop transmission in schools by introducing effective protections to make them safer - such as masks in classrooms, adequate ventilation, a rota system and utilising outdoor and community spaces to allow social distancing as part of a phased return to school.

These protections are commonplace in European nations, and a phased return is what is happening in Scotland and Wales. This government's belief in English exceptionalism is incredibly dangerous.

If new, additional protections are not introduced then we could face exactly the same issues as we did in December, and a fourth lockdown in the coming months.

 

Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley added:

It is essential that Boris Johnson carefully follows the science as the nation comes out of our third lockdown. In the past the government has lifted restrictions too quickly, causing thousands of people to tragically lose their lives, many more than should have been the case.

The chancellor has a chance at the upcoming March budget to provide financial security for all those struggling to deal with the economic hardships the pandemic has brought. It is vital he acts with the interests of the most vulnerable at the centre of his attention.

Does the 'Battle for Stonebridge' film provide additional evidence on the Bridge Park Complex ownership case?

 

 

This film from 1987, transferred from tape (the quality improves), is more than a unique historical document, it has a direct bearing on last year's court case about the disputed ownership of Bridge Park which found in favour of Brent Council.

The  film was made by Franco Rosso and narrated by Linton Kwesi Johnson (Dread, Beat & Blood) and puts the project in the context of the 1981 urban uprisings. 

Importantly it perhaps provides answers to some of the questions that were asked during the court case. I don't think the  film was submitted as evidence, or if such a submission is permissable.

The section on ownership of the Complex occurs at 35.00 but much of the rest of the film puts flesh on the arguments that were made in court.

The passion and achievement of the group of young people who formed the Harlesden Peoples Community Council shines through. A comment on  You Tube says:

Insightful information behind Stonebridge Complex. Stonebridge Complex's history and fight for this Centre to enhance and benefit the local community is commendable and refreshing. The HPCC deserve a big applause and massive respect👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽✊🏼🤝🏽. We thank-you HPCC. They never gave up or give in, remained consistent and stood together to accomplish a well used and great centre for the residents of Stonebridge and Brent❤🤎🖤🧡🤍. Local authorities always have their own way as they hold the purse strings. We see how they push out brown and black people as employees to work on the building development at Stonebridge Complex and failed to provide employment opportunities to those skilled & employable living in the local community. Unemployment still is a big issue. Regardless HPCC paved the way, initated the idea and project...they deserve huge recognition. Many good times and memories had at Complex including attending leisure facilties, meetings, wedding receptions , parties, music concerts, health & fitness and educational courses etc. STONEBRIDGE COMPLEX HAS TO REMAIN AND MUST FOR STONEBRIDGE & RESIDENTS OF BRENT!!

  

Brent Lib Dem councillor puts forward alternative proposals before Monday's Budget setting meeting

It is some time since Brent Liberal Democrats have presented a formal alternative budget to that of the ruling Labour Party and even with a Liberal Democrat voted in at the Alperton by-election just over a year  ago this is still the case and his proposals will not be voted on. Cllr Anton Georgiou will have just 3 minutes to speak at the Council Tax and Budget Setting Meeting at 4pm tomorrow. LINK TO LIVE BROADCAST

 

Brent Labour has 59 councillors to the Conservative's 3 and the lone Liberal Democrat so approval of the budget is a formality. However, in the interests of democracy (not because I approve of the proposals) I think it is right that residents should be able to see and discuss the alternative proposals. I published the Conservative proposals last week HERE.

 

Labour’s budget includes a Council Tax hike of 6%, 4.99% from Brent Council and a further approximately 1% from Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan. Cllr Georgiou, in his proposals, argues that this can be and should be halved. 

 

Cllr Georgiou’s proposal also seeks to spend more money on the issues local people care about and invest in areas that will lessen the inequalities that have been exposed by the pandemic, particularly for Brent’s young people.  

 

Cllr Georgiou said:

 

I represent Alperton, a ward that has been hit very hard by the pandemic. Many residents are really struggling right now which is why I am alarmed that the Labour Council have proposed to hike Council Tax by so much.  

 

It is wrong to dump further financial burdens on local people, particularly when, as I outline in my proposals, money exists in the massive revenue reserves to halve the Council Tax rise. Brent residents have already paid for these reserves over the years, and it is impossible to justify asking them to pay even more when they don’t have to.

 

In addition to his plans to at least halve the Council Tax rise, Cllr Georgiou wants to see more money allocated to clean up Brent, to urgently repair pavements in small streets and overlooked areas and to make cycle routes safer.  

 

 Proposals in detail (click bottom right square for full page view)