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

 

Need for an inquiry into what went wrong after security breaches & fighting at Euro2020 Final at Wembley Stadium

 

 

Video by Mr Lee Baines LINK

 

SKY NEWS COVERAGE LINK 

Detailed analysis in the Independent

Further videos via Twitter:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1414316503445483530

 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1414313656850976787

 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1414277010743078912

 

https://twitter.com/Gav_M/status/1414277290775695365

 

https://twitter.com/dandicker83/status/1414272491699245056

 

A minority of fans, marred yesterday's Euro2020 Final before the game had even started, by breaching the security and fighting with stewards and each other. The stewards appear to have been left exposed and I hope that none were injured in what appears to be hand to hand fighting. 19 police officers were reported to have been injured in central London and Wembley.

London Football LINK provided the following account this morning:

Arriving at the stadium four hours before kick off it was already clear that the atmosphere, so positive and overwhelmingly friendly up to this point in the tournament, was turning dark.

Instead of spraying beer, unopened cans and bottles were being thrown into crowds. One man near the corner towards Wembley Arena was receiving medical attention after being struck by a missile.

There were two pressure points in terms of forced entries, both entrances just off Wembley Way attacked a little after 6pm. You will have all seen the videos by now - of people breaking through a gate and people already inside trying to force them out, of people fighting over seats inside.

Throughout the game the gangways in the north side of the stadium were jammed with bodies that should not have been there. Several Italians ended up standing on an overcrowded platform intended for wheelchair users because their seats had been occupied. They were eventually relocated elsewhere.

Even deep in extra time there were arguments over people in seats meant for others, the stewards still powerless to do anything and the only police officers in sight protecting the perimeter of the pitch because, well, above all the show must go on.

Outside the Met’s presence appeared greater but still insufficient as they sought to stop any other intruders. Leaving a little after midnight there was a team of dogs with their handlers departing, and rows of officers in riot gear standing amid the broken glass, empty cans and supermarket bags for life as a couple of thousand fans continued to loiter, predominantly in a daze.

There are a host of questions for the local organising committee, the police and security staff to answer. Had they not foreseen this happening? Why were there so few stewards to deal with the mayhem? Why was there not a wider perimeter placed around Wembley to keep ticketless fans further away? Why did the response seem reactive rather than proactive?

Communication, too, was an issue. A stadium spokesperson initially said that no supporter had successfully breached security but that was evidently false as dozens could be seen forcing their way through the turnstiles with ticket holders.

The only seats that appeared empty come kick off appeared to be in the corporate areas and looking at how overcrowded some sections of the stadium was it does not feel a stretch to say it was actually at full 90,000 capacity.

 There is a multi-agency security committee for Wembley Park and Wembley events including the police, Brent Council, Wembley Stadium, Football Association and Quintain.  They will need to consider what went wrong and what needs to be in place in the future to both protect fans and staff as well as the many local residents now accommodated in flats around the stadium.  It is true as some commented on Twitter that residents bought or rented flats knowing that they were next to the national stadium, but they also deserve to be protected from mismanagement of events.

Brent Council has been asked for a comment.