A disturbing report that every Brent councillor and relevant officer should read about last Sunday's mayhem at Wembley Stadium

 

Newspaper commentary has focused on many  aspects of last Sunday's disturbances at the Euro2020 Final at Wembley Stadium, including how the new high density developments around the stadium may have contributed by funnelling  the crowd into a narrow space. The Independent today has a comprehensive special report that every Brent councillor should read as well as senior officers and those responsible on the day.

I asked Brent Council Press Office on Monday for a statement. Today  I was told that someone was working on it. Even a statement of sympathy for those injured or otherwise affected would have at least been an acknowledgement of the seriousnes  of what had happened - but nothing has been heard up to the time of the publication of this artcile.

The full independent article can be read HERE - I will publish just three extracts below which I think will be of interest, but do try and read the whole article. Comments welcome.

 

Several sources have told The Independent that the local council and the FA do not want strong numbers of the force around as “it’s bad for optics”.

Tim Roberts, who has lived across from Wembley for 16 years and was involved in the building of it, says the priority has been “ensuring the value of the area for retail and residential investment”.

He says that Quintain, the development and asset management team behind Wembley Park, wields massive power in the area.

“The local council, Quintain and the FA have an uncomfortably close relationship, which means there is no scrutiny. We are yet to have a comment from anyone political in Brent after what we saw on Sunday, which is shocking.

“It’s as though nothing happened when we were very lucky that there wasn’t a loss of life. All the blame has been placed on the fans, but they are not solely responsible. The management of the stadium and the area around it has been appalling. Whenever issues are pointed out, it’s brushed under the carpet.

“I have spent the last few days removing far-right insignia and even acknowledging there is a large element of that accompanying England and games here just goes ignored. It’s about pretending everything is great, Wembley is great, Wembley Park is great.”

 

 

Three employees from Wise Security, which provided stewards for the final, have approached The Independent to criticise the lack of preparation they received and care after a harrowing experience.

None of them are over 22. They have spoken anonymously to prevent being blacklisted for future jobs and confirmed that there had been fake stewards inside Wembley, that some accepted bribes because “the pay is a joke”, that there was no detailed plan of anything that could go wrong on the day or how to handle it, and that even after suffering both racist and physical abuse by ticketless fans, there’s “been more PR than caring about what we’ve just been through and asking if we need help.”

One of them, a young Asian male born in the south of England who was stationed in a stand that became overrun with ticketless fans, was racially abused. “I was told, ‘Go back to Pakistan. Don’t tell us where we can go in our own country, this is our stadium. All lives matter, but not P*** lives.’”

He says he was in fear of his own safety, but more worried that “a lot of people could die here, right in front of me”.

 

 

While the unacceptable actions of ticketless fans was deplorable and central to the dangerous scenes on Sunday, there was also a “serious failure of security and stewarding,” according to a safety officer of a Premier League club. Accountability must follow.

He was “completely staggered” by what he saw unfold at the stadium. He reached out to The Independent, but asked for his identity to be protected. His account of events tallies with a stream of testimonies from several different stakeholders.

“I can categorically tell you that the majority of stewards I directly came across or watched on Sunday had no training for the role. I would put money on it that a lot of them have never worked a big football match before, or any kind of match. They were young, out of their depth, and the ones who innocently turned up to do what must seem a fun job are also victims of what happened.

“Who was the stadium safety officer? What was the plan and protocol? Was every steward clued up on the layout and what to do in case of any and all emergency situations?

“What I saw on Sunday is a product of what we’ve seen for a long time in my line of work: cost-cutting and loss of quality control. There are very few solid, reputable security companies. Most will hit the number of stewards by any means necessary, which includes not bothering whether they have an NVQ or not.”

 

FOOTNOTE

From the Leader of Brent Council, Muhammed Butt's  Register of Interests on the Council website

11/07/2021 - 2 x tickets Final Euro's. Aprroximate value £150.00 x 2. Received from GLA
7/7/2021 - 2 x tickets England v Denmark. Approximate value £150.00 x 2. Received from GLA
13/06/2021 - 2 x tickets England v Croatia. Approximate value £150.00 x 2. Received from GLA

Do you know Brent youngsters on Universal Credit who would like a job placement? Details of Kickstart Scheme here

 Press Release from Brent Council

Brent Council has launched a new youth work placement scheme, helping to provide a much needed boost to employment in the borough.

 

The Kickstart scheme is part of a £2 billion national programme developed to create employment opportunities for young people, improve their confidence, and prevent long gaps in employment.

 

Available to Brent residents aged 16-24 and in receipt of Universal Credit, the work placements run for six months, supporting young people to follow their aspirations, develop employability skills and eventually find work.*

 

More than 70 local businesses have signed up to create over 250 job placements across a diverse range of occupations. Opportunities on offer include a Graphic Designer placement at Excelsior Graphic Designer, a Trainee Hairdresser placement at Chop Chop in Wembley Park, and a Bar Runner placement at BOXPARK Wembley – to name just a few.

 

There are also 30 placements at Brent Council, paid the London Living Wage, where young people will have the opportunity to work alongside and learn from the council teams.

 

Cllr Thomas Stephens, Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills said: 

The Kickstart placement scheme has come at a time when it is most needed, following a year of high employment, furloughs and job uncertainty, all brought on by the pandemic. 

 

As we come out of the final lockdown restrictions, the council is renewing its focus in supporting our young people and increasing community employment. Through the Kickstart scheme, young people in Brent can pursue their career aspirations and develop employable skills.

 

On Thursday 22 July from 10.30am to 12.00pm, Brent Works will host an online information session about Kickstart and the opportunities on offer. It is open to everyone, including young people, to find out more information and ask questions. To attend, register by email at brent.works@brent.gov.uk.

 

If you work with or know young people, living in Brent, who would like to discover more employment opportunities, please direct them to the Brent Works opportunities page.

 

EDITOR'S COMMENT

 

I askd Brent Council for further information on whether the 70 local businesses were paying the young people taking up job placements. This was the response:

The jobs are paid National Minimum Wage. The council jobs and some employers pay London Living Wage and top up to 35 hours per week. Depending on the individual’s circumstances they may get a top-up from Universal Credit, e.g. for housing.

So worth checking the details if you apply.  The National Minium Wage for 18-20 year olds is £6.56 per hour. The London Living Wage for over 18s is £10.85 per hour.

Bee Walk at the Welsh Harp on Saturday

 

Let's Walk- Bees and Other Pollinators Guided Walk, Saturday 17th July, 11.30am – 1.00pm

 

Canal & River Trust together with Friends of the Welsh Harp bring you a Bees & Other Pollinators Walk with ecologist Russell Miller.

Russell will demonstrate how to find and identify bumblebees, solitary bees, hoverflies and other pollinating insects.

This is also a great way to explore what's on your doorstep and meet new people.

 

All ages welcome to attend! 

 

Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../lets-walk-bees-and-other...

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Solidarity with Pete Firmin trapped in a Kafkaesque Labour nightmare

 

 

Readers of Wembley Matters will be familiar with the name Pete Firmin. Pete has written many guest posts for Wembley Matters, mainly focusing on issues on the South Kilburn Estate where he is active on housing and tenancy issues. His last post was only yesterday on problems over getting help regarding the flooding in the Kilburn area.

Pete has been suspended from the Labour Party for some months, although you would think he is just the sort of committed socialist and grassroots activist that the Labour Party should welcome with open arms.

This letter has just been published by the Kilburn Times LINK explaining the background to his suspension by the Labour Party and the Kafkaesque situation that Pete finds himself in. Putting aside political differences (I am a Green Party member) I would like to express solidarity with Pete and Bridget in their predicament.

 

THE LETTER

When will the Labour Party Leadership’s purge of Left wing Labour members end?

 

It is now almost eight months since Pete Firmin (the chair) and Bridget Dunne (the vice-chair) of Hampstead and Kilburn Constituency Labour Party (CLP) were suspended from the Party.

 

Pete and Bridget have been given no opportunity to explain or defend themselves. 

 

Pete and Bridget’s only transgression was allowing Hampstead and Kilburn CLP members to debate a motion opposing the withdrawal of the Whip from Jeremy Corbyn. The Hampstead and Kilburn General Committee meeting in November last year, voted for this motion in solidarity with Jeremy Corbyn. The following day Pete and Bridget were suspended.

 

Pete Firmin was suspended from the Labour Party with Bridget Dunne, eight months ago - in taking disciplinary action against two Party members - action that has never been explained legally or made public - the Labour hierarchy have obviously acted against the principles of natural justice. Their decision was secretive, manifestly sectarian and profoundly undemocratic.

 

Using such draconian methods against individuals who were only carrying out the wishes of the Constituency has damaged not only the morale and fabric of the local Party but Labour’s case for fairness.

 

In all the years I have been a member of Labour (including eight years as a Kilburn ward councillor) I have never known the Party to be so authoritarian and undemocratic. Pete and Bridget are dedicated socialists and trade unionists with over 40 years’ service to the Labour Party between them. These are the very people our party needs if we are to defeat Boris Johnson’s ruthless Tory government. But we won’t defeat them by being every bit as dictatorial. 

 

Over 30 members of Hampstead CLP recently submitted a statement to our MP, Tulip Siddiq asking her to support Pete and Bridget’s immediate reinstatement. I urge Tulip to stand by Pete and Bridget. Sir Keir Starmer should start fighting the Tory government and not Labour party members. He should also restore the Labour whip to Jeremy Corbyn.

 

Angie Birtill, Kilburn, full address supplied

UPDATED: Brent Scrutiny recommend to Brent Council Cabinet that they undertake a public review of lessons learnt from Sunday's incidents at Wembley Stadium

 

Shortly after UEFA announced an investigation into Sunday's events at the Euro2020 match at Wembley, Brent Scrutiny Committee attempted to find out whether Brent Council was going to hold a review of its own responsibilities in the matter.

Brent Council is responsible for scrutinising all the public safety arrangements at the Stadium and for issuing the safety licence. The Council also chairs the Wembley Stadium Advisory Group.

 

Recording of yesterday's meeting

Committee Chair, Roxanne Mashari, had to repeatedly remind officers that the Committee had a right and a duty to scrutinise these issues in the light of the seriousness of what had taken place. Residents need to be reassured that concerns were addressed and that similar events would not happen again.

In response officers said it was too soon after the event to consider these issues and wanted to wait until Tuesday's meeting with partners in the SafetyAdvisory Group for information that would be forthcoming. The Advisory Group includes the Council, Police, Wembley Stadium and the Football Association. It was evident that Chris Bryant, representing the FA, had been taken by surprise by the UEFA announcement.

Chris Whyte for Brent Council outlined the Council's role and particularly the activities of the Council's two Public Safety Officers who were present before, during and after events to check arrangements both inside and outside the stadium. Such arrangements included how the checking of tickets at turnstiles was managed; management of licensed premises inside the stadium; management of the seating arrangements once the match started; crowd management outside the stadium including the enforcement of Public Space Prohibition Orders over illegal trading, advertising, ticket touting; and working with partners via the Stadium Control Room bringing any incidents to their attention. No councillor questioned whether two Public Safety Officers were sufficient for such a large stadium with 60,000 plus attending.

Whyte clarified it was only the Council's operation alplan that he was responsible for signing off, and not those covering policing and stewarding. The plan was forwarded to the CEO and Council Leader. The police and Wembley Stadium made their own risk assessments for specific events and subsequent deployment decisions.

Cllr Hassan wanted to know the terms of reference for any inquiry and what it would cover and whether the Council deployed different numbers for different events. Chris Whyte said it was too early to discuss terms of reference for an inquiry and the Council should wait for the meeting with other stakeholders. The level of resources that the Council had deployed recognised the importance of Euro2020 ands was well in excess of the number that would be deployed at a Spice Girls concert.

Cllr Mashari was frustrated at not being able to get a clear commitment to a public review by the Council itself and her suggestion that the Committee recommend that Tuesday's stakeholders meeting should be held in public was rejected. Cllr Janice Long suggested that this  demand amounted to grandstanding and Mashari should not believe everything she read in the papers. Cllr Mashari said the allegation of grandstanding diminished the seriousness of the incident where people were injured and a tragedy could have happened.

 

 

Video Evidence in Tos Atkins' BBC  Report HERE

After further discussion when most members agreed to wait for more information, the Committee agreed that information from the Safety Advisory Group, including the Minutes, should be brought to the next Scrutiny Committee meeting and made a recommendation that the Cabinet undertake a public review of lessons learnt from Sunday's incidents.

The leader of the Council, Muhammed Butt, was present latterly during the discussion but did not take part.

Another informative article worth reading revealing there were advance plans for fans to 'jib' into the stadium- points to a failure in pre-match intelligence:  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/euro-2020-wembley-security-failings-b1884231.html

Wembley Stadium mayhem on tonight's Brent_Council Scrutiny Committee agenda

 From the Independent LINK

It is worth reading the above article in full ahead of tonight's Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee. Using an innovation introduced by Committee Chair, Cllr Roxanne Mashari, the Committee will be able to have a preliminary discussion about Sunday's events, under Item 8 : Topical Item.

The meeting starts at 6pm and can be watched live HERE.

FLOOD EMERGENCY: Brent Council fails in its duty to residents

 

 

Guest post by Pete Firmin, chair, Alpha, Gorefield and Canterbury Tenants and Residents Association

Yesterday, across North and North West London we had thunderstorms and torrential rain. And the torrential is no exaggeration.

Areas which don't normally experience flooding got flooded. I'm not claiming any special case for the part of South Kilburn where I live, I know that other areas of Brent (and elsewhere) had it worse. But I want to use the opportunity to show the poor response of those who are supposed to react speedily to such events.

 

 

Here, water was gushing out of several manholes, so forcefully that it pushed bricks out of the roadway. While some of the kids enjoyed themselves paddling (and even sitting in) the water, many ground floor residents were concerned that the rising levels of water risked entering their flats (and it did in some cases).

So, who do you turn to in this situation?

Thames Water's website says "problems with flooded roads should be reported to your local council." Not much point in trying them then.

Fire Brigade? When I (and others) eventually get through we're told that the London Fire Brigade is overwhelmed with flooding issues and - understandably - they can only come to you if someone is in danger. Luckily, that wasn't the case, but it doesn't help much either.

Kilburn Park tube station was closed due to flooding (as were other stations on the Bakerloo line), but those attending there were London Transport emergency vehicles and staff, so not able to assist us (and probably had their hands full anyway).

Brent Council website said nothing about flooding emergences (it still doesn't), so I text one of our Councillors, telling her briefly of the situation and asking who we should contact. She says to try Brent's out of hours line, which I do. When I eventually speak to someone, I'm told that their emergency out of hours only deals with emergency household repairs, nothing else. Clearly the many other "out of hours" emergencies that can arise are of no concern to Brent. They suggest I contact Thames Water. Pointing out that their advice is to contact the local Council makes no impression.

Yet the Local Government Association's "A Councillor's guide to civil emergencies" LINK says explicitly:

"If a flood happens, all councils as ‘category one responders’ must have plans in place not only to respond to flooding emergencies, but also to control or reduce the impact of a flooding emergency."

Remember when we criticise the government for not having plans in place to deal with the pandemic, despite having carried out an exercise years ago to test readiness? Well, it seems Brent is equally ignoring its duty.

And this document contains much about the authorities responsibilities after the immediate crisis is over. We'll see.

Residents were left to their own devices, clearing blocked drains with brooms, garden forks and even umbrellas. Eventually much of the water recedes, helped by the rain easing off (though not stopping). Some of the problems are clearly caused by the fact that when grass and shrubs are cut back, most of the cuttings are then left to rot. With rain like yesterday's that means they're swept into the drains.

Eventually, after 2230 some of us got a message that we would get a proper response if we rang Brent's out of hours line. It had been taken over by the "emergency response team". Many hours after that should have been speedily done.

 

The flooding caused an additional major problem - as noted above, the water gushing out of some of the drains had caused bricks in the road to rise. It meant that some cars were unable to get out of their parking spaces, and two roads had bricks strewn over them (see photos). The roads looked both dangerous for vehicles which drove over them and who knows what further damage might be caused to the road. Several people got on to several services, including Brent, to say something needed to be done, possibly closing roads until proper action could be taken. Eventually a team - presumably from the Council - did come and take a look, but did nothing and didn't block the road to traffic.

Even from our small part of the borough, there must be lessons drawn by the Council. Scrutiny might like to look, for instance, at how well Brent dealt with the situation. Not just the immediate crisis, but its aftermath. And once again, Brent made no attempt to contact our Tenants and Residents Association. Surely they should be a source of information, both about the extent of the problem and what needs to be done.

Chair of Scrutiny calls on Brent Council & Wembley Stadium staff to appear at tomorrow's meeting to address 'serious security and safety concerns' after yesterday's incidents

Following yesterday's breach of security at the England-Italy match at Wembley Stadium, Cllr Roxanne Mashari, Chair of Brent Council Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committe,  has requested relevant staff to appear at tomorrow's public Scrutiny Meeting.

In a tweet Cllr Mashari said  that she wanted Brent Council and Wembley Stadium staff to answer questions regarding serious security and safety concerns at the stadium.

Guardian's account HERE