UEFA Women’s Euros football tournament is coming to Wembley in July - OFFSIDE and more Women’s Football events from Brent Culture Service

 Many thanks to Philip Grant for this guest post

 

 

This July, the UEFA Women’s Euros football tournament is coming to Wembley, and Brent Culture Service is celebrating this with a number of special events. The season kicks off with a performance of the acclaimed drama “OFFSIDE”, at Willesden Green Library on Friday 17 June at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 to £7, and can be booked here.

 

It’s a story about the struggle for women’s right to play football, and the challenges still faced by female players today. Futures Theatre, who are touring the play around the country ahead of the Euros, give this information about it:

 

‘It is 1892. It is 1921. It is 2017. Four women from across the centuries live, breathe, and play football.

 

Whilst each of them face very different obstacles, the possibility that the beautiful game will change their futures – and the world – is tantalisingly close.

 

Offside is told through lyrical dialogue, poetry, and punchy prose, placing the audience on the touchline of the game of a lifetime.’

 

Scene from “Offside”, being performed in Edinburgh. (Photo by Lidia Crissafulli)

 

If you want to see this “one night only” performance in Brent, I’d suggest that you book your tickets now! But there are plenty of other events celebrating women’s football, for all the family and most of them free, taking place over the next two months.

 

The Women’s Euros tournament begins on 6 July, with England playing their opening group match at Old Trafford in Manchester. Just over 50 years ago, that would not have been possible. The Football Association (“FA”) was run for men, by men who believed that football was not a suitable game for “the fair sex”. For decades it had banned all of its member clubs from allowing women to play football on their pitches!

 

Things began to change when 44 women’s teams from across the UK met in 1969 to set up the Women’s Football Association of Great Britain (“WFA”). By the 1970/71 season they held their first Cup competition, the Mitre Challenge Trophy. This has gone on to be the Women’s FA Cup, and Brent is celebrating with a free coffee morning talk, at Kilburn Library, on Wednesday 6 July from 11am-12noon: “A History of the Women’s FA Cup Final – 50 Years, Gone in a Flash.” (Please see details and register your interest on Eventbrite).

 

The England Women’s football team, 1972.

 

Brent could not have found a better speaker, to guide her audience through the development of the women’s game since the 1960s, than Patricia Gregory. She was Secretary of the WFA from 1972 to 1982, and saw an official England Women’s team play a first international match against Scotland in 1972 (a full century after the first men’s international between the two old rivals). The WFA carried on until 1993, when control of women’s football in England passed to the FA.

 

Wednesday 6 July also sees the start of a Brent Museum and Archives programme of talks at Wembley Stadium, which carries on until Saturday 30 July. “One two, one two” will give Brent residents the chance to hear inspirational stories about women’s football history from some of our local football heroes. Look out for more details online, or at Brent Libraries!

 

You can also see portraits of Brent’s Female Football Stars, specially commissioned from local photographer Roy Mehta, in an exhibition at Brent Civic Centre, which runs from 18 June until 6 November. The “Women of the Match” exhibition, prepared by Brent Museum and Archives, will also include vintage photographs and football memorabilia.

 

Manisha Taylor, QPR football coach. (Photo by Roy Mehta)

 

One of the football stars featured in the exhibition is Manisha Tailor MBE. She is a coach for the Academy players at Queens Park Rangers F.C., and the first South Asian woman to hold a coaching role at a men’s Football League club. One of the women who inspired her was Rachel Yankey (who I wrote about in my “Football IS Coming Home” article last summer). After having to pretend to be a boy, so she could play for a football team, while at Malorees Primary School in the 1980s, she had a long and distinguished career as a player, then went on to earn her coaching badges.

 

Rachel Yankey, in a football coaching role. (Image from the internet)

 

Wembley High Road will see events to help all the family to get into the UEFA Women’s Euros spirit, during the tournament. “Bend it Like Beckham, Be A Lioness!!” will take place on the wide section of pavement near Nando’s on a number of afternoons from 1-5pm. The fun activities will include the chance to take a penalty kick in a football shoot-out with a controlled AI simulator, watch exclusive female football freestylers and take selfies with a lioness mascot!

 

Although the 1923 FA Cup final was first played at the Stadium in 1923, Wembley hasn’t always been the home of women’s football. The “Lionesses” didn’t play their first international match here until November 2014, and the first Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley was in 2015. That attracted a crowd of around 30,000, which had risen to nearly 50,000 for the May 2022 final. It will be a “full house” at Wembley Stadium for the UEFA Women’s Euros final on 31 July, and in the build up to that Brent Culture Service is staging two big events. 

 

“A Stadium Of The Future -  If I can't dance , I don't want to be part of your revolution”, on Friday 29 July, from 2-8pm at Bridge Park Leisure Centre, promises a unique event for women combining music, dancing, activism, food and celebration. The group “Idle Women” will be collaborating with women in Brent, and say: ‘It’s about women taking up space and making visible their essential role in solving the social and environmental challenges with face locally and globally.’

 

On the eve of the final itself, Saturday 30 July from noon until 5pm, everyone is invited to Olympic Way for “Emma Smith's Supercompensation Cycle installation and dance performance”, along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and local musicians performing the 'Brent Anthem'. This will celebrate the arrival of the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros at Wembley.

 

England Women’s manager Sarina Wiegman congratulating some of her players after an Arnold Clark Trophy match earlier this year. (Image from the internet)

 

The excitement will be even greater if England are one of the teams taking part in the final. England Manager Sarina Wiegman (who won the previous Women’s Euros tournament with The Netherlands) has got an excellent squad, which has been playing well and won the Arnold Clark Trophy international tournament earlier this year. Can the “Lionesses” go one better than the England Men’s “Three Lions” team at Wembley last year? 

 

We will see! And as well as following the UEFA Women’s Euros championship, I hope that you can enjoy some of the Brent Culture Service events being held along the way to 31 July.

 

Philip Grant.

 

Scrutiny Committee upholds Alan Lunt's decision on 1 Morland Gardens (Altamira)

Members of the public and opposition councillors presented at the Call-in Scrutiny Committee over a Key Decision on the  controversial 1 Morland Gardens made by the Director of Regeneration. 

Philip Grant’s presentation to R&PR Scrutiny meeting on 9 June:

The Key Decision Report briefly mentions the Council’s need to have ‘all the necessary statutory approvals in place’. It doesn’t have those approvals yet, and may never get them.

 

In January 2019, Officers were told they’d need to stop-up the highway outside 1 Morland Gardens, and appropriate the land, if they wanted to build on it. They failed to consider what the effect of this would be, and have continued to do so.

 

I’m one of several people who’ve objected to the proposed Order, for environmental and public health reasons.

 

Pedestrians who currently use footpaths across the land are shielded from Hillside and Brentfield Road by the trees of the Community Garden. Stopping-up and building over the land would force them to walk beside that junction instead.

 

Planning application documents showed dangerous levels of NO2 and particulates there. This meant that all windows in the new building, up to the second floor, must be sealed, with fresh air provided by mechanical ventilation. No thought was given to people walking past!

 

The health risks to local people, especially children, who’d have to walk through this polluted air, are a strong reason why objections to the proposed Order may well be upheld.

 

That will be decided by an independent Inspector, and it’s likely to be next year before the Council knows the outcome.

 

Melvyn Leach

Presentation to Brent Council R&PR Scrutiny meeting on 9 June 2022

After being deputy headteacher in a Brent secondary school, in 1994 I was appointed as the first head of Brent Adult College, now Brent Start, that opened at 1 Morland Gardens.  I hope to persuade you not to allow its unnecessary demolition.

Brent Council and Harlesden City Challenge invested significantly to regenerate the site into a tastefully restored heritage building, used as a successful new adult education centre. At that time decision-makers in Brent Council showed huge pride and value in preserving the local and architectural history of 1 Morland Gardens.

1 Morland Gardens is an attractive listed heritage asset. My experience as a teacher has shown how significant such buildings are in helping students relate to, and learn about, the lives of people who lived and worked in Brent in the past.

 

If the Council can’t get approval to build on the extra land, it could draw up alternative plans that retain the Italianate villa as part of a modern development.

 

Heritage sites like this can show young people the importance of Brent Council promoting and enabling conservation, alongside essential regeneration. Political Leaders need to set an example of the value of such special assets. Children learn by example. 

 

The heritage building and educational facilities are too valuable to demolish. Unless it’s absolutely certain that the proposed redevelopment can legally go ahead, I urge you to prevent the unnecessary loss of 1 Morland Gardens and the community garden.

 

Alan Lunt, Director of Regeneration, apologised for the delay in the stopping up orde for 1 Morland Gardens and assured the Commitete that it would not happen again.  Cllr Rita Conneely, Chair expressed the strong opinion that the Committee expected that strong checks and balances should be put in place  to ensure that this was the case.

One comment by Alan Lunt that the difference between Council rents and London Affordable Rent (the scheme is the latter) was 'only' £10 a week (£520 a year) was challenged on Twitter with this reference LINK but accepted at face value by councillors and quoted by them.

 

Emphasising that this was a two stage project, Stage 1 Design and Stage 2 Build, Lunt said that the Design Stage would cost £1.1m, but if a contract was not signed and work started by August, if only a hoarding around the site, the Council stood to lose the £6.5m GLA grant towards affordable housing. Any delay would mean a significant rise in costs, Someone suggested 13%, because of current inflation in materials.

The Adult College had already been moved to the Stonebridge Annex site (previously occupied by Stonebridge Primary School) and the buildings were empty.  He undertook that no demolition would take place on the Altamira heritage site until a Stopping Up Order was in place, although the Council were ready to start on demolition.

Lunch said that it was highly unusual for the public to object to such Orders and the normal process was objections from utilitiy  companies until negotiations had taken place for access or diversion of their resources.  The Council was using the right powers for the right reasons and issued Stopping-Up-Orders about six times a year. None had been refused but if the London Mayor did so it would go the the Planning Inspectorate with a lead-in time of about 6 months.

Objectors had raised concerns that the plans for the site did not conform to the Council's commitments on air quality and the climate emergency. Mr Lunt maintained that the development would reduce pollution and any increase in public exposure using the revised pedestrian route would be 'miniscule'. In any case the extension of the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) the ban on new petrol cars in 2030 and hybrids in 2035, would reduce emissions.

There was only a minor contribution to the discussion by Cllr Mili Patel, Cabinet lead for Finance and Resources, who emphasised the benefits of the scheme for the local Stonebridge community in terms of education, 'affordable' housing and a community cafe. 

 Some of the issues to do with loss of mature trees and the heritage building were deemed not to come under the Committee's remit as they had been dealt with by the Planning Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee vice chair, Cllr Janice Long, expressed the view that 'life is a risk' and that the potential gains of the scheme were a risk worth taking. 

She was disparaging about the City Challenge community garden on the site and could not imagine why anyone would want to sit in such an unattractive area. Alan Lunt had said that the garden was being moved rather than destroyed and that although mature trees would be lost they would be replaced by semi-mature trees rather than saplings.

The Committee voted to support the following option set out in the Officer's Report:

The Committee does not wish to refer the matter back to the decision maker or to Council, at which point the decision is deemed to be confirmed and takes effect immediately following the meeting.

It is worth noting that the meeting was well-chaired and the process explained with opportunities for all to contribute. There was an absence of any political point scoring. New Labour councillor Mary Mitchell acknowledged that the Call-in was based on legitimate concerns.

A promising start to a new era of effective scrutiny?

 

NOTE

Once again there were technical hitches. The public watching on the Live Feed were able to hear Melvyn Leach on zoom but the Committee were not, with the result that his presentation had to be read out.

 

 

Another problem was that the live feed camera maintained a wide view of the whole committee during the webcast so it was sometimes difficult to know who was speaking unless their name was clearly said when they were called upon to speak. Apologies for any mis-attributions.

 

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Festival of Place at Box Park on July 6th will address key questions on development and equality

 

Wembley Matters likes to keep you informed about what is going on locally and this event at Box Park on Olympic Way may intrigue you. However with  BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free) tickets at £474 including VAT you may not be rushing for the special offer. It would be interesting to know if Brent Cabinet housing and regeneration leads will be attending as some of the questions in 'Key Themes' are well worth addressing in terms of development in the borough.

 From the event website LINK. (original punctuation etc)

 

The third annual Festival of Place is back on 6 July at Boxpark Wembley in Wembley Park, London, a stone’s throw from the legendary stadium in Europe’s largest build-to-rent development.

 

Bringing together our community to discern and imagine a positive social, equitable and environmental future for places. Featuring fresh thinking and challenging conversations with a riot of talks and workshops that inspire and connect our creative community of placemakers seeking to renew our cities, designing and developing human networks and habitats.

 

Special offer! Add one ticket in your basket, and your second ticket is free! After checkout please assign both names to your tickets (you can reassign anytime before the event) 

 

Update your thinking. Learn. Get inspired.

 

Break down silos and come together with professionals to tackle the major issues facing urban development in an environment where it is safe to ask questions.

 

Gain frank insight from experts, including authors, scientists, cultural leaders, developers, investors, scientists, designers, community workers and city leaders.

 

Ideal for the whole placemaking team, from developer to designer, investor to local government. 

 

Participate and meet new collaborators seeking to address the biggest challenges facing makers of place, through online masterclasses and workshops, where you will roll your sleeves up around the table.

  

Key themes for 2022

 

how can the design of places support public health and reduce inequalities? 

what are the key ingredients that developers and designers can get right in order to reduce health and social inequalities through their place interventions? we tackle the issue from several angles, inviting economists, researchers and public health professionals to share their insights on meaningful infrastructure and place interventions

 

myth-busting and greenwash: secrets and lies in ESG investment
what are the emerging issues with the growth in investment targeting social and environmental impact? what does good look like, and what are the challenges and opportunities as capital is nudging place and regeneration?

 

regeneration without leaving folks behind
how to ensure inclusive and good growth in rapidly changing places, from manchester to birmingham? what would a truly levelled-up country look like? 

 

feminist urbanism: exploring an equal city
how can the design of places promote gender equality and what research and activism is taking place to create more equal places

 

putting empathy and care at the heart of places
what if we centred empathy and caring? how would our places be designed and developed if they were focussed on nuturing empathy? 

 

radical land reform and renewable design
how are the systems around land ownership and land value limiting our ability to tackle the pressing challenges of our time? what can we do about it and what are the alternatives?

 

FBU slams government rejection of key Grenfell inquiry recommendation for disabled people

 

From the Fire Brigades Union

The Fire Brigades Union has written to the government to demand it rethinks its decision to reject a key Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendation, on the evacuation of disabled residents of high-rise buildings.

The inquiry recommended that “that the owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to prepare personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs)” for all disabled residents.

But last month the government rejected the recommendation and revealed downgraded plans, which have been roundly criticised including by Grenfell campaigners and disability rights campaigners.

The government had promised to implement the Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase one recommendations “in full”, of which this is one.

In a letter to Lord Greenhalgh dated 6 June 2022, Minister of State for Building Safety, Fire and Communities, Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary wrote [abridged]:

The FBU was disappointed with the Westminster government’s decision to downgrade work towards ensuring residents with disabilities are provided with Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs)

The [government] statement claims that implementation would involve significant issues with practicality, proportionality and safety. The FBU argues that resident safety is paramount, so there is a greater safety issue in declining to implement PEEPs. As for proportionality, the Inquiry has found the introduction of PEEPs to be a proportionate strategy, and the FBU agrees.

Some reasons given for the refusal seem poorly evidenced, for example stating that if a PEEP advised the purchase of an evacuation chair, there would be an “impact on the good relations between disabled residents and non-disabled residents if disproportionate costs were passed on to the latter. Building owners should carry the costs.”

The government’s decision is a negative, backward step, and the FBU stands with disability campaigners, the Grenfell campaign groups and the LGA in asking you to reconsider.

15 out of 37 disabled Grenfell Tower residents lost their lives in the fire.

 

New London Councils cross-party Executive will work together across boroughs to deliver a shared agenda

 

The new London Councils Executive

There's a bit of a spat going on via Twitter this morning after Labour's Cllr Shama Tatler criticised Lib Dem Cllr Anton Georgiou for meeting with Tory Cllr Sunita for what Georgiou described as an attempt  'find ways to work together to improve our communities' despite being on 'different teams'.

 

The concept was clearly anathema to Cllr Tatler but the reality is that on many councils and similar bodies different political parties have worked together for the benefit of the community. London Councils is one such body bringing together mayors and council leaders from different parties across London.  Indeed, until yesterday's AGM, Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council was the London Councils Executive Member for Welfare, Empowerment and Inclusion.

In the press release from London Councils below I have emphasised in bold a pertinent comment by the Chair of London Councils who is also leader of Camden Council:

Cllr Georgia Gould has been re-elected Chair of London Councils, promising to deliver on the boroughs’ shared agenda at this “important moment” for the capital.

 

At London Councils’ Leaders Committee AGM, held  yesterday borough Leaders and Directly Elected Mayors from across the 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation met to agree leadership roles.

 

Cllr Georgia Gould, Chair of London Councils, said:

 

The next few years present huge challenges for London - tackling inequality in our city, supporting residents and businesses through the cost-of-living crisis and ensuring London’s voice is part of debates on levelling up.

 

Having stepped up to support our communities during the pandemic despite incredibly difficult circumstances for us all, London boroughs are committed to working together on our shared ambitions from tackling the climate crisis to supporting Londoners facing a cost-of-living crisis. Together we will make the case for London and make sure the voices of Londoners are heard.

 

I feel incredibly hopeful that at this important moment for our city, London boroughs will focus on delivering for communities across the capital.

 

The following Leaders and directly elected Mayors were elected to London Councils’ Executive:

Chair: Cllr Georgia Gould (Lab, Camden)

 

Deputy Chair and Executive member for Regeneration, Housing and Planning: Cllr Darren Rodwell (Lab, Barking and Dagenham)

 

Vice Chair: Cllr Teresa O’Neill OBE (Con, Bexley)

 

Vice Chair: Cllr Ruth Dombey OBE (Lib Dem, Sutton)

 

Vice Chair: Deputy Chris Hayward (Ind, City of London Corporation)

 

Climate Change, Transport and Environment Lead and Digital Lead: Mayor Philip Glanville (Lab, Hackney)

 

Executive member for London’s Future (Business, Economy and Culture): Cllr Elizabeth Campbell (Con, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea)

 

Executive member for Communities (Welfare, Empowerment and Inclusion): Cllr Claire Holland (Lab, Lambeth)

 

Executive member for Children and Young People: Cllr Ian Edwards (Con, Hillingdon)

 

Executive member for Community Safety and Violence against Women and Girls: Cllr Jas Athwal (Lab, Redbridge)

 

Executive member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Care: Cllr Nesil Caliskan (Lab, Enfield)

 

Executive member for Skills and Employment: Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE (Lab, Newham) 

 

 

Women tell the Met 'Enough is Enough' as they march for justice for Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry

 Bearing the slogan, 'Enough is Enough', a group of mainly women set off at 1pm from Barn Hill, Wembley today, to march the 10 miles to New Scotland Yard, to demand an end to the police racism and misogyny that so impacted on family and friends of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman.

Mina Smallman, the women's mother, was unable to  take part but sent a message of support.

Marchers were asked to set their mobile phone timers for 16 hours so that their alarms would go off after the march was over, demonstrating how long it took the police to act on reports of the women's disappearance.

The Raised Voices choir sang as people assembled on Barn Hill and the music loved by Nicole and Bibaa  accompanied the marchers.

The Women's Equality Party who organised the march said that this was just the beginning of the campaign for justice.

The London Flood Review’s Stage 3 findings re the Kilburn and Maida Vale Area

 Guest post by David Walton

This review https://londonfloodreview.co.uk/ published in May 2022 states that:

 

"New sewer systems are typically designed such that all flows are contained within the sewer (no flooding at ground level) up to a 1-in 30 year return period. Older sewer systems do not have the same requirements and often have a capacity much less than the current 1-in-30 year standard. While the Victorian sewer system for London had ample capacity at the time of its construction, the evolution of the cityscape has had an effect on the ability of the sewer system to cope with the current flows which drain to it. This results in areas of London with sewers which cannot cope with a 1-in-5 year event, despite Thames Water’s continuous upgrade in the sewer network where performance issues are identified".

 

See London Flooding Review Maida Vale Study Area. Its red line includes the South Kilburn Growth Area Tall Building Zone.

 

"We confirm that the scale of the events experienced in July far exceeds any design standards for sewer systems and acknowledge it may not be economical or practicable to implement schemes to eliminate risk for a similar event. Whilst we report specifically on the performance of Thames Water’s assets, due to the scale of the events in July 2021, and the flooding mechanisms, multiple organisations had a duty of care and responsibility to their customers, so the responsibility does not lie wholly with Thames Water."

 

"Typically, Thames Water uses a 1-in-30 year return period design standard for new flood protection schemes; with a range of duration storm events….it is recommended to apply climate change factors to design rainfall, increasing the intensity of the rainfall event."

 

The question, is can South Kilburn Growth Area Tall Building Zone re-development ongoing for 21 years thus far, in legal terms be classified as 'new'? Maida Vale Flooding Review Study Area includes South Kilburn Growth Area Tall Building Zone a  low bowl with hills around in the  stage 3 report.

 

"Analysis of the current network identifies that some drainage systems can be predicted to flood in less than a 1-in-5 year return period rainfall, with properties being affected by frequent flooding. This is true of all major cities in the UK and is not specific to London."

 

"Maida Vale is situated in a low spot, and has the Ranelagh trunk sewer (River Westbourne), Mid Level No. 2 sewer and the North Western Storm Relief sewer running through it. When the Ranelagh sewer is surcharged, flows can back up into connected basements."

 

"Cambridge Gardens (Brent) consists of a new Flooding Local Improvement Project (installation of package pumping stations for individual properties with non-return valves) to isolate individual properties from the sewer network."

 

5 homes in South Kilburn fitted so far by Thames Water.

 

"The Maida Vale Study Area was defined using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging topographic) data to identify the topographic area where surface flows could contribute to the tank, which is located in a low spot. The extent of the (low spot) study area can be seen in Figure 5.5."

.

Page 55 of the London Flooding Review pictures Chippenham Gardens, Brent, that in July 2021 become a sewage lake.

 

"We confirm that the scale of the events experienced in July (2021) far exceeds any current design standards for sewer systems and it may not be economical or practicable to implement schemes to eliminate risk for a similar event. We will also look at more holistic recommendations, such as ways of Thames Water responding to similar incidents in the future, increased monitoring and warning systems, engagement with customers, and how TW, and possibly the wider industry, could consider setting out their modelling approach and design criteria for flood alleviation schemes in the future. Due to the scale of the events in July 2021, multiple organisations had a duty of care and responsibility to their customers, so the responsibility does not lie wholly with Thames Water. We will look at how data and communications are shared across organisations, what community groups and individuals can do to improve their own resilience and how planning policy can be changed to reduce flood risk and the impact of flooding."

 

Brent the  Lead Local Flood Authority should protect and invest in what remains of South Kilburns public owned modern natural parks and bowls flood defence system built in the 1960's and 70's.

 

David Walton

FLASK (Flood Local Action South Kilburn)