Posts filed under 'Speeches'
I had a great time participating in the Local Government Association’s (LGA) annual ‘Improvement Conference’, up in Nottingham, earlier this week.
Myself and fellow local councillors Dave Winskill (pictured left) from the London Borough of Haringey, and Claire Denman (pictured right) from Crawley Borough Council, were asked to talk about the role of the “front line” councillor (e.g, a ward level local councillor as opposed to a councillor in the Cabinet) and our role in “Place Shaping”, which is all about councillors helping the shape the places and communities they serve.
My workshop session was expertly faciliated by Cllr Judi Billing (pictured above, left, in red ) who’s the Improvement and Development Agency’s (IDeA) Head of Programmes, alongside Joe Simpson from the Leadership Centre for Local Government.
Audience members at my session included Cllr Sir Simon Milton (pictured above left) and Cllr Dame Sally Powell (pictured above right), as well as Cllr Christine Bowden, Deputy Elected Mayor of Newham. (And yes, I was extremely nervous at presenting in front of such well regarded and famous local government heavy weights!!! 
Thanks so much to IDeA and the LGA for inviting me to participate. It was a really great experience and I have brought back lots of ideas to share with my councillor colleagues in Waltham Forest.
Below is the full text of my speech to the LGA Improvement Conference’s workshop on ‘Place Shaping’ the role of the front-line councillor.
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‘Place Shaping’ the role of the front-line councillor
Really pleased to be here.
My name’s Miranda Grell. I’m a councillor from a ward called Leyton in the London Borough of Waltham Forest in North East London.
I was elected last May so I’m a new ‘Baby’ councillor – ten months old.
I’m obviously still feeling my way because there’s been a lot to learn but I do not regret for one moment standing to become a councillor. And I really welcome the fact that both national and local government are now moving away from the term ‘back bench councillor’ to the term ‘front line councillor’, which, I feel, is now much more appropriate.
I’m going to talk to you rather than use power point but what I have done is selected a few photos of life as a councillor in Leyton, which should hopefully give you a flavour of the kind of people I represent and the diversity my Leyton ward councillor role.
I thought it would be useful for you if I give you a little background about the kind of area I work in as a councillor.
Waltham Forest
As I just mentioned, I represent a ward called Leyton in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, which is in North East London.
We’re a diverse population of around 1/4 of a million people.
Over a third of our residents are under 25 (above avg), around 35% are 25 – 44 (well above avg), around 31% are over 44 (well below avg) according to the census conducted in 2001.
Waltham Forest is the 10th most ethnically diverse of London Boroughs with 44% of residents from an ethnic minority background according to the 2001 Census – mostly from the Caribbean, Pakistan and more recently Eastern Europe.
We have the 3rd largest Muslim population in London in Waltham Forest and we’re ranked the 25th most deprived borough in the country.
And we are a borough currently experiencing a lot of social, economic and physical change.
As one of the five Olympic boroughs there is much work under way, in Waltham Forest, to regenerate our area physically, economically and socially.
Leyton
So within Waltham Forest borough, I represent, as I already mentioned, a ward called Leyton.
I was born in Leyton ward and I still live in my ward.
Leyton faces a number of acute challenges, which means my role as its local councillor is far from dull.
I already mentioned that Waltham Forest borough, as a whole, is the 25th most deprived borough in the country – well, Leyton ward is the most deprived ward in Waltham Forest.
I think Leyton is a fascinating ward. Two thirds of my residents come from a Black or Minority Ethnic background. Half are under the age of 30 and two-fifths are under 25.
Leyton ward has the highest rate of infant mortality in Waltham Forest and the highest number of children receiving free school meals.
At least a quarter of my ward is social housing – with the Beaumont Estate in the north of my ward designated the fifth most deprived estate in Britain.
And Leyton ward also has the highest unemployment rate of the whole of Waltham Forest borough.
So you can see that being a local councillor in Leyton is extremely busy and extremely challenging!
My Experience – how I feel about being a Leyton councillor
So how do I feel as the local representative of this vibrant but challenging area?
Well I have to say that being elected has definitely been a life changing experience! I’m definitely more tired – there’s been a lot to learn.
In the town hall bureaucracy itself, I sit on a number of committees including the Children’s and Young People’s Scrutiny committee, the Performance and Improvement Scrutiny committee and I chair my local Community Council (basically an area forum). I also serve on a housing association board and a regeneration board and I have remained a school governor of a large mixed comprehensive secondary school.
But I have to say that, at the moment, I feel much more interested in what’s going on outside the town hall because one of the things that has become most apparent in the 10 months I’ve been elected is that many people simply still do not understand what local councillors do.
There is obviously always going to be a natural confusion for local people over which elected institution – national, regional or local takes responsibility for what but I still find levels of ignorance about the role of local councillors too high.
Everyone here will be aware of the on going debate that has always taken place regarding councillors – whether we should receive allowances, whether people simply go into it to self-serve and so on.
Now I’m elected, I ‘m starting to think that many people hold these attitudes because they believe that councillors spend all their time in meetings, pontificating and listening to the sound of their own voices.
But I see my role as front line councillor to try and change this perception – as pontificating in meetings is something I am actively trying to avoid!
Instead, the issues I’ve been dealing with as a local councillor in, for example, just the last few weeks have included working with officers in my borough – and across boroughs – to help a young mother with 4 kids find a domestic violence refuge so she could escape her violent husband.
I have also had to deal with at least two evictions and support those families through the temporary accommodation application process.
And just last month at my surgery, two different residents came to me to talk to me about serious anti-social behaviour
About the young men living in my borough who are still refusing to give up their guns and their knives and are wreaking havoc on my residents’ properties and lives.
Their mothers and neighbours are at the end of their tether and so they come to me for a practical shoulder to cry on.
I feel that one of my most important roles as a “front line” councillor is to try and demystify “the council” and councillors and humanise our role and the institution so more people in urban areas come to us and speak to us about what’s really going on in their streets, on their estates and in their roads.
In my short experience of the role so far, I don’t think you can be a good “front line” councillor and a “community champion” if you don’t know your ward and you don’t know your community.
There are a number of strategies I’ve employed to help me keep in touch – really in touch – with what’s going on in my ward.
The first strategy is trying to remain in what I call “campaign mode”. Just as during the local elections we would go out door knocking, host coffee mornings and deliver leaflets through doors, I still think it’s hugely important for me, as a front line councillor to do these things all year around.
People are simply not visiting councillors’ surgeries in the numbers I’ve heard they used to so I am trying to make an effort to go out to people myself and talk to them on their door steps. I have met far more of my residents that way and found out about their issues and concerns.
This feeds into my second connected strategy of trying to reach out to people who I do not feel that the “bureaucracy” has previously paid attention to.
I make a particular effort to get out on the 4 huge council estates in my ward and talk to people who simply would not come to a community meeting because they do not feel confident enough – somehow I think all the jargon and professionalism of council meetings – although welcome – is intimidating for a lot of ordinary people.
I think that’s something councils – particularly those operating in urban areas where people speak a number of different languages and come from a variety of socio economic backgrounds – need to sort out.
And as I’ve mentioned before two third of residents of live in my ward come from a BME community and so I feel that having me as their councillor has contributed to a lot more people engaging with “the system”.
The turn out in my ward doubled last May as a result of 600 more people mostly from Leyton’s BME communities coming out to vote. I am passionate about actively championing their views and concerns.
Thirdly, I also have my own website at web address www.mirandagrell.com – which I use to keep my residents updated on a regular basis about what I’ve been getting up to as their councillor.
The website has gone down well with my younger residents in particular – remember that the younger residents of Leyton represent the majority of residents in my ward.
The Local Government White Paper
So where does all of this fit into the White Paper? Where do I fit into the White paper?
Well, as I said before I greatly welcome the term ‘Front Line Councillor’ and I strongly welcome the term ‘Community Champion’ to describe what ward level councillors should be doing.
I think that the White Paper has got it right when it talks about ward members carrying out a duel role of ‘advocacy’ and ‘leadership’ in their wards.
I very much see my role as a councillor in an urban area as being a “bridge to bureaucracy”.
I think a front line councillor should be the hub and focal point for communities of all types of denomination, to seek advice, discuss the issues and work with their councillors to help them open doors and find their way through bureaucratic mazes towards their own solutions. And I think the role of local stakeholders is critical in this.
I really don’t think that any front line councillor operating in today’s urban environment will be able to carry out as that ‘advocacy’ and ‘leadership’ talked about in the White paper without building truly good relationships with people in “local leadership” positions.
I know I could not survive without the co-operation, support and good relationships I enjoy with my local ward level Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team, the head of my local Sure Start, the vicars and imams from my ward’s churches and mosque; – as well as the voluntary groups who are doing amazing environmental work on the estates in my ward and the women running supplementary schools and youth clubs in Leyton ward.
Waltham Forest supporting me
Luckily for me, Waltham Forest council is supporting me well in my role – so far!
I have two fantastic members support officers who are worth their weight in gold.
I still cannot understand why some councils do not provide their members with a ‘Joyce’ or a ‘Bernice’. Because members’ support officers are not a luxury but an absolute necessity in staying on top of case work and negotiating the town hall bureaucracy. Joyce and Bernice are my absolute and total rocks.
In terms of supporting the front line councillor, Waltham Forest council is currently reviewing the package of training and support it gives to front line councillors.
We are participating in a number of projects with external partners such as Birbeck University, which has developed a tailor made Postgraduate certificate in Local Governance and Community Leadership for councillors in Waltham Forest borough.
Waltham Forest council has also commissioned the Young Foundation to assist us in working through issues relating to neighbourhood working.
And only last month, members were informed that Prof. Ted Cantle from the Institute of Community Cohesion will be spending some time with us in Waltham Forest Borough – to undertake a research project looking into how both front line and cabinet members in Waltham Forest can better promote community cohesion and strengthen inter-ethnic relations in our very ethnically diverse borough.
But the most important support I believe a front line councillor needs is moral. I would like many of the older and more experienced councillors to begin to recognise and celebrate the diversity of front line councillors and our lives.
For example, I have a full time job as well as being a councillor. I think that councillors without full time jobs should made an effort to under the pressures upon councillors like me and treat us with empathy – because my life at the moment is very, very hard.
Conclusion
I hope I have been able to give you a little flavour of my world as front line councillor in Leyton ward in the London Borough of Waltham Forest.
I feel truly passionate about being a front line councillor.
As I’ve already said, I think the role of councillors and local councils unfortunately still remains misunderstood, which is a great shame.
So if the White Paper and this new push towards celebrating the front line councillor can do anything at all to reverse current indifferent and often negative perceptions of local government, people living in areas like mine are going to be the biggest beneficiaries.
Because it is those people living our urban areas who need strong local councils and good local councillors the most.
So I welcome the great opportunities being presented to today’s local front line councillors to receive more moral and practical support.
I am very much looking forward to developing my skills further – in order to continue ‘leading’, ‘advocating’ and acting as a 21st century ‘Community Champion’ on Leyton ward residents’ behalf.
March 11th, 2007
The Management Committee of pressure group Compass (www.compassonline.org.uk) (of which I’m a member) is often asked to give talks to groups wishing to learn more about Compass’ work.
Last week, I went to Parliament on Compass’ behalf, to give a talk to the influential Labour Finance and Industry Group (http://www.lfig.org), who act as an internal Labour party think tank on issues linked to finance and industry and produce some superb reports on a wide range of matters.
The Labour Finance and Industry Group was keen to have a brief overview on Compass’ view of ‘The Politics of Regeneration’.
I’ve posted a noddy version of my notes below.
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Communities and Collectivism – where Compass is coming from
- Worrying trend towards marketisation of our public services and our public spheres.
- Compass not advocating return to wholesale nationalisation of services but we do believe that there is a need to speak up for the public sphere, whose prominence we feel is declining at the moment.
- We have recently published a Programme for Renewal – within which papers published so far are ‘A new left political economy’ and ‘The Good Society’.
- Compass is very interested in community and communitarianism and new forms of collective identity.
- We recognise that there has been a decline in traditional forms of collectivism – trade union membership, church attendance and so on.
- But we still feel it is important for society to celebrate communities and collectivism.
- We believe that organisations like TELCO, which bring together churches, trade unions, social enterprises and so on perhaps symbolise the way forward.
The Politics of Regeneration
– So what does regeneration mean for Compass?
– What would the Compass view of the Politics of regeneration?
– Well, starting point would obviously be about the community.
– We are deeply worried about the breaking down and fragmentation of communities within British society today, which are leading to mistrust, fear and alienation from the public sphere.
– For example, all the official reports tell us that crime has fallen since 1995 but 70% of the population believe that it’s rising.
– Some would argue this is a direct result of atomised and polarised communities….
Just three quick points about how Compass would see this debate.
The first point is about ‘Buildings Versus People’.
1) We’re in a period of exciting post-industrial change but this also brings challenges.
– Where many towns throughout Britain were once thriving centres of manufacturing and industry with plenty of work, they are now shells in which we have seen worrying rises in alcoholism and often drug dependence.
– This is why Compass believes that we need to move away from a current debate about regeneration that seems to be about buildings rather than people.
– I was up in Newcastle on Monday at the Local Government Association’s Urban Commission Conference and there was a large feeling amongst local councillors, and officers, that people feel at the moment as if regeneration is something is being done to them rather than done with them.
– And as we’ve from the horrid news stories about the recent and shocking shootings in South London, millions of pounds spent on regeneration have not deal with the underlying structural inequalities that exist: low skills bases, unemployment and the effects of broken homes.
– Compass therefore agrees with these councillors that regeneration is something that should be done with communities rather than to them.
– We welcome what the Government has done so far to encourage the formation of neighbourhood forums and panels – especially through the New Deal for Communities and Neighbourhood Renewal Funding (NRF).
– In the ward where I’m a councillor, ward forums and NRF have really helped engender a sense of community and cohesiveness in my extremely ethnically, economically and socially diverse community.
The Public Realm versus the Private Realm
2) The second point we would wish to make is about the public realm versus the private realm.
– Increasingly now we’re seeing a merger of the two – gated communities and Business Improvement Districts, where hot spots of affluence exist next to cold spots of exclusion.
– There is definitely a place for partnership – Local Strategic Partnerships are an excellent idea but their role and focus needs clarifying. Many councillors at the conference I attended on Monday said they still do not understand what Local Strategic Partnerships do.
– Another area where the relationship between the public and the private spheres needs clarifying is housing.
– Where social landlords now exist, local people are still confused about who they go to sort out their problems. – Is it their publicly accountable elected representative or their private social landlord? This confusion is causing no end of tensions.
– This is why, in the area of housing particularly, where our problems are so acute, we would call on Government to level the playing field between Local Authority Council Housing, Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) and Registered Social Landlords (RSLs).
– Compass is not calling for the government to dispense with ALMOs and RSLs altogether but we believe that where local people wish their local authority to manage their housing stock, then these local authorities shouldn’t be financially penalised for their residents wanting to remain in the public sphere.
The Marketisation of our Public Sphere
3) This leads me onto my third point linked to the politics of regeneration, which is the marketisation of our public sphere.
– Compass believes we need to reclaim our public sphere for the public.
– It has always been a great source of sadness to me that too many of Britain’s high streets look the same – a “McDonaldisation” of Britain.
– We can now rejoice that in London, at least, things are beginning to change.
– The Mayor of London, in particular, is taking bold steps on Planning, to try and reshape the way we are designing and regenerating London’s towns.
– Ken has actively championed the public sphere – with Trafalgar Square just one excellent example of a public space doing exactly what it says on the tin – encouraging the public to enjoy the space.
– On housing, London is also taking steps to reclaim its public sphere back from the market, with plans to introduce binding standards for play and recreation space in all new housing developments.
– This is politics bending regeneration to the needs of London’s communities, acknowledging that if we wish children to grow up in communities where it feels natural for them to interact with their neighbours – and if we wish to encourage their development into socially confident and balanced adults, then we need to set aside public space for them.
The profit margins of developers must be balanced with the need to strengthen community cohesion.
Conclusion
– So to conclude this brief overview, I would sum up Compass’ approach to the politics of regeneration as the few sub approaches I just mentioned:
– People rather than buildings;
– Doing regeneration with people rather than to them;
– A call for the private realm to work in true partnership with the public realm – based on national Government creating a level playing field rather than disproportionately shifting the balance away from the public realm.
– And lastly, to accept that markets have limits and should be bent to the needs of communities rather than the other way around.
– Markets alone will not correct the structural inequalities that many communities in desperate need of regeneration face.
February 10th, 2007
Walthamstow School for Girls, which I attended as a student between 1989 and 1994, held its 117th annual presentation and achievement awards on Wednesday.
I felt deeply honoured to have been invited to present the awards and give the key note address as the ceremony’s Guest of Honour.
It felt very emotional to back at the “Green School” in such a formal capacity. Since I left 12 years ago, I have tried to go back every year to visit my old teachers and tell them what I’ve been up to. However, to be sat up on stage as a “dignatory” was really special. I couldn’t believe that 12 years had passed since I was sitting in the audience waiting to collect my own awards. Weird!
The highlight of the evening for me was seeing my favourite teacher of all time, Walthamstow Girls’ Head of Music Anne Loveluck (pictured with me above). Anne has been such a big influence in my life. She is the best music teacher in the world and our borough is lucky to have her.
Walthamstow Girls’ results just keep on improving and I am so proud that my old local comprehensive is outperforming many a British boarding and private school. The residents in my deprived area deserve nothing less and dynamic Head Teacher Rachel MacFarlane (pictured above centre) is determined to ensure that standards continue to rise.
Below is my speech to the Walthamstow School for Girls 117th Presentation Evening.
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Introduction
I am absolutely delighted to be here.
I can’t believe that I left nearly 12 years ago. It only feels like yesterday that I was sitting where you are, waiting to come up here on stage and receive my certificates.
So much time has passed since then and so many things have happened to me but wherever I’ve been since I left ‘Green School’ I know that I wouldn’t have got there if it hadn’t been for Green School.
I absolutely loved coming to this school. I think the fact that so many of my teachers are still your teachers, shows just what a lovely place Walthamstow Girls is to teach or learn in.
But it isn’t only a nice school to be a part of, it’s also a really really successful school. Every time I read the local paper I am proud to see that your results keep on improving and more and more of this school’s students are sending its girls to college and then to university.
Never underestimate the importance of this. We are in East London, this is not a rich area and our borough faces many social and economic challenges – high levels of infant mortality, unemployment that’s higher than the national average, and many more problems that more affluent areas do not suffer from – but despite this Walthamstow Girls manages to instil a pride in its students that is no different from students who go to boarding or private schools.
You really have a right to be proud. What you have achieved is amazing and now a whole exciting world awaits you.
There’s absolutely nothing you cannot do and if you keep on striving for success, success will be yours.
I’ve managed to achieve quite a bit since I left Walthamstow School for Girls and that is in no small part to the role that this school played in shaping my confidence and reminding me to ‘neglect not the gift that is in thee’. I’ll just tell you a little bit about my time at Walthamstow Girls and what I’ve been up to since.
My time at Green School
I began my relationship with WSFG in 1989, aged 11.
At the time, I wasn’t really happy about coming here. All my friends were going to Holy Family so I wanted to go there too. But to this day, I thank my mum that she didn’t listen to me when I cried, stomped and shouted. As is nearly always the case, mum knew best!
So I arrived here in September 1989 and was put in 7G – Mr d’angelo’s class. My class was full of strong feisty classmates, Usma, Kelly, Roxanna, Karen, Wenna and Debbie. I had never met such an opinionated bunch of girls!
As well as all the lessons, I soon threw myself into the brilliant extra curricular activities that this schools had – and still has – to offer.
I played the cello so I saw Ms Lovelock more than my own family! I loved my steel band lessons with Mr Murphy and singing in the choir.
I also liked sport so played Netball and basketball for the school team.
As well as all this, I also had the chance to take part in school plays – it was really great in Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.
All of these activities opened my eyes to so many new things. I still carry all of these experiences with me today. My first real taste of politics originated in this school when Mrs Marino, who was the head teacher here at the time, invited a former Cabinet Minster and Political Legend, Barbara Castle, to speak to my year group in year 11. I saw then that politics wasn’t only for rich men.
Leaving Green School
Anyway, after leaving WG after 5 happy years, it was time to move into the big bad world. Having really enjoyed Spanish, music and humanities whilst I was here, I decided to take up these subjects at A Level.
Two years after Leyton Sixth Form I decided that before going to university as I wanted to learn another language. WG had taught me that a world exists outside London and I was determined to visit it.
So I went to Germany to become an au pair, which is basically like a live in baby sitter for kids.
A lot of people were a bit surprised and asked me why Germany? And it’s true, how many Black girls from East London do you know who speak German?
But that’s exactly why I wanted to go and live there but I think that to be successful, one must follow their own path and do things their own way. I have always believed in working hard to acquire that ‘added extra’, which sets you apart from people in a positive way. So learning German was one of the ways I added to gaining some ‘added extra’.
After Germany, it was off to Manchester to study for an undergraduate degree in European Studies with Modern Languages.
Remember that I had enjoyed Spanish, Music and Humanities at Green School? Well, now I was at Uni learning about them at the highest level.
I loved my time at Manchester. Going to university was fantastic and life changing. I made many friends from many parts of the country and the world, from many different backgrounds and from many different social statuses.
A few people said to me, “Did you go to private school?” and when I asked why they responded, “Because you are so confident”. People thought that only people who went to private school had any confidence. If you came from east London and had gone to your local comprehensive then you obviously had not had a good education.
But everyone in this room knows they are wrong because I went to Walthamstow for Girls – the best training in confidence any young women will ever need.
Due to that confidence and grounding that I first received here, I went on to achieve a first-class honours in my degree, the highest grade I could have obtained. Only two people on my course achieved those grades that year and both of us went to school in our local comprehensive.
Brussels
By the time I finished Uni I was much more interested in politics – I had joined the Labour party in my 2nd year – and also knew a lot about the European Union from my course.
However, I wanted to experience the EU for myself rather than reading about in books so I decided that I wanted to go to Brussels and see if I could get an opportunity to spend some time in the European Parliament.
I wrote to our local Member of the European Parliament, who’s called Claude Moraes, and asked him if I could shadow him in his office. Claude receives hundreds of letters so I didn’t expect a reply but to my delight, he did respond and said yes!
So in the autumn of 2001, I packed my bags and headed for Brussels to see what the European Parliament did. There were people from everywhere debating really important issues and I loved it.
I think that’s when my real hunger for politics began – when I saw the European Parliament debating whether employees should be given more rights and time off for holidays; where they also talked about the environment and how to protect people’s civil liberties.
I spent some time with Claude and then in the EU’s department looking after employment issues and social affairs before deciding I wanted to come back to London to learn some more.
In October 2002, I started a Master’s Degree in Employment Relations at the London School of Economics before starting my first full time job in January 2004, at Acas the mediation service, which provides employment advice to businesses and their employees.
There, aged 25, I had the scary privilege to be advising the Chair and Chief Executive of this massive organisation, with 900 employees and 7 regional offices, on what our organisation would do to help prevent the next national railway strike or on how to address meetings with government ministers.
Back in London, Local Politics
And it was at this time, while working for Acas that I began to become actively involved in politics.
I had always admired my local MP in Leyton, Harry Cohen, and Neil Gerrard, our local MP here in Walthamstow. I wanted to get involved properly and support them in their work.
So I went to my local party meetings and became Vice Chair, and membership secretary and campaign officer before finally becoming a local councillor last May.
I don’t know how much you know about the local council so I’ll tell you a little about it: there are 60 of us councillors from all the areas in Chingford, Walthamstow and Leyton, in charge of street cleaning, the local schools, housing and a lot more important areas.
I am a bit of a rare species on my council. I’m 28, I’m a woman and I’m also Black. I don’t know if you knew that only 3.5% of all UK councillors are Black, that only 24% are women and that out of 21,000 councillors only 62 are in their mid-twenties!!!!
So what on earth am I doing there?
Well, I’ll tell you that one of the biggest buzzes I get from being a local councillor is being able to help people in my local area, in the area I was, in fact, born in.
There are many people with lots of problems in Leyton. We have severe overcrowding – one family I know have to sleep 11 people in 2 bedrooms.
We also have many people who are unemployed and I want to work with the council and my Member of Parliament and the Government to lobby them to help create more jobs.
I also want to be involved in us opening more youth centres and facilities. In Leyton, 50% of my residents are under 30 years old.
So that’s the kind of thing I’m involved in as a local councillor and it can be very challenging sometimes.
Many people want to put you down and patronise you. They think that if you’re a young woman then you won’t know what you’re talking about.
But they’re wrong because ever since I left Walthamstow Girls I have always kept in my head our school’s motto of ‘neglect not the gift that is in thee’. And this motto has helped me immensely.
Since being elected, I have also changed full time jobs. In September, I left Acas after nearly 3 years and went to work at London’s City Hall.
100 people applied for my job but I managed to get it. And again, I think it’s because I had faith in my abilities and didn’t think that a job like that was out of my reach.
So if I have any advice to give you this evening, it would be to also take our school’s motto with you on your journey, on wherever it is that you decide to go, as you now head out into the world.
Never let anyone put you down because of where you’re from or because you’re a woman.
Stand up for yourself and argue your corner when you know that you that have something valuable to say.
Always aim high and have belief in yourself and your abilities.
And also, always to try and live your one life in your own special way.
I’m trying to do all of those things every day.
So far, our school’s motto of ‘neglect not the gift that is in thee’ has really served me well.
I know that having gone to Walthamstow Girls will serve you well too. And I hope that when you look back at your time here in 12 years time that you will feel as proud as I have to have been a student in this school.
I wish you all the best with all your future endeavours and if there are any budding politicians amongst you out there I will be happy to help you along your way!
Well done and a huge congratulations for all your achievements over the last few years.
I feel honoured to be here with you all to share your special night and to meet you all.
Neglect not the gift that is in thee.
Thank you.
January 20th, 2007
Many people have asked me why, when deciding where to stand in the May local elections, I chose to become a candidate in Leyton – a ward that before last Thursday was perceived to be a totally unwinnable seat for the local Labour party.
Below is the speech I made to Leyton ward Labour party members at the local elections candidate selection meeting back in October.
It sets out the reasons why I would have never stood for election anywhere else.
Hello everyone
Thank you for nominating me to the shortlist of candidates for this branch. I feel honoured to have got this far because this is the only ward I want to stand in next year’s elections and the only branch I want to work with to help Labour win a seat there.
All of you here have known me for a long time now. For the past couple of years I have been your vice chair, membership secretary and most recently your election organiser. I think we have worked well together and I know that we would work even better together if you chose me as your candidate for 2006.
Allow me to please briefly share with you why I ask for your vote to become one of Leyton ward’s three Labour party council candidates. There are so many reasons why but as I have only short time to talk with you I will focus on just three.
1) I want to become a Labour councillor because I believe passionately in our party’s values of equality, tolerance, community and solidarity. I want to help our current and future Labour councillors continue to put those values into action in Leyton ward and Waltham Forest borough as a whole.
2) I’ve chosen to put myself forward for Leyton because I feel totally passionate about this ward. I was born in Leyton and my family has lived in the same house in Lyttelton road for as long as I’ve been alive. I went to St Joseph’s primary school in Vicarage Rd and all my other schooling took place in this borough. The experiences which have shaped my politics are there and I can see how much needs to be done here to reverse the Liberal democrat councillors’ reign of neglect.
3) As a branch I think we need to be campaigning for more and better environmental improvements and even tougher measures against anti social behaviour which are blighting the lives of all of us who live here. Indeed, just the other day I saw two car windows smashed on my very own road. I live in a house with good street lightening – imagine what’s going on in those parts of the ward that do not.
We also need to work harder to lobby the council, our representatives at the GLA, Harry Cohen MP and Our Labour government for more funds for education and training for this ward because, even though unemployment has halved in Leyton since 1997, it is still far too high.
I also feel strongly that we need to be campaigning vigorously for better facilities for the ward’s youth who make up half the population of all the residents who live there. We can help get them away from thinking that the only path available to them is a life of crime. With you, myself and our other two candidates would lead a strong campaign to fight for these things that I think you would be proud to be part of.
But apart from my passion for campaigning why should you chose me?
Do I have the experience to be a councillor you might ask?
I know I do.
I am a good advocate, with a track record of standing up for rights of people and helping them solve their problems and concerns. I have already started to do case work for residents in Leyton ward and if selected by you today I will begin to hold surgeries for residents – especially those who live on the Grange and Beaumont estates – many of whom have some really serious problems.
I am also already active in the ward as a school governor at George Mitchell School in Farmer Rd and I have applied to become the ward’s Community Champion for jobs. This would mean that I would be the resident charged with fighting for more and better employment for people living in Leyton – a task that I would relish.
Every Wednesday morning too, I volunteer with the East London Community Recycling Project on the Grange Estate. With my fellow volunteers, I help residents who do not have gardens recycle their kitchen and household waste. The scheme is saving the council thousands of pounds in refuse collections and means that landfill sites are emptier and our environment that little bit safer.
Through all these community activities and others, I feel I am building up a really good relationship with Leyton’s residents and this has made me realise how much I really want to serve them and You as your local councillor.
If you select me I will eat, breathe and sleep this election campaign – in fact I have already started. I am so excited about Leyton ward and our potential as a party to finally win back a seat from the Liberals who I’m sure you’ll all agree with me have done NOTHING to engage Leyton ward’s youth or eradicate serious pockets of deprivation.
Instead of them doing any meaningful work, the Liberals would rather pretend that all the good things that Labour has brought to Leyton – the street wardens, weekly recycling, sure start and funding for Neighbourhood renewal – is because of them.
I think it’s time that Labour fought back against the Liberals in Leyton ward.
If you will vote for me to become one of your candidates today, I promise I will do just that.
May 13th, 2006
As part of this year’s local International Women’s Day celebrations, I gave a speech to women’s organisation Waltham Forest Women in Public Life. I am particularly keen to work with organisations like Women in Public Life as they do a marvellous job helping local women find their voice.
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My speech to Waltham Forest Women in Public Life International Women’s Day 2006.
Good evening everyone,
My name is Miranda Grell and I am a local Leyton resident and Vice Chair of the Leyton and Whipps Cross Community Council, but tonight I am here to represent Jennette Arnold, our Waltham Forest Greater London Assembly Member.
Jennette has asked me to convey to you her sincerest apologies for not being able to be here tonight. As you may know, Jennette is the Chief Cultural Advisor to Mayor Ken Livingstone,Mayor of London, and Ken has asked Jennette to represent him at a European Union cultural event in Madrid.
Jennette wishes to thank you Marvia, Yemi, Rachel, Bev and Sharon – and all of your volunteers at Waltham Forest Women in Public Life for the hard work that you do.
Waltham Forest Women in Public Life is one of Jennette’s favourite voluntary organisations in the borough because you empower so many local women and give us a stronger voice.
If you didn’t exist I think we would have to invent you. So I thank you for allowing me to stand in for Jennette this evening, at this very special event. I hope you will not be disappointed.
Having the Confidence to Step Out
The title of my speech tonight is called ‘Having the Confidence to step out’. What does this mean for us women living in Waltham Forest today and how can it be achieved? What support is there to help us ‘step out’ and what are the barriers impeding our success?
I will aim to tackle these questions in three parts:
1. Firstly, I will talk about the challenges facing women living in Waltham Forest – and London and Britain more widely – that often stop us from reaching our full potential.
2. I will then go on to tell you a little bit about what Jennette, Mayor Ken Livingstone and our MPs in parliament are doing to assist female Londoners of all ages find their voice and step out into the world with confidence.
3. I will then speak a little about my own experience as a local young Black woman who has become increasingly active in local and national public life. Why have I decided to become active at a time when young people’s participation – particularly young Black people’s participation – is at an all time low? What can we do to turn the situation around?
Once I finish I will be delighted to answer any questions you may have.
The Challenges facing Waltham Forest’s Women
Women living in Waltham Forest today face many challenges that prevent us from having the confidence to step out. Leyton, the ward within which you sit tonight, has been classified the poorest in the borough. Leyton ward has the highest rate of unemployment, the highest percentage of children receiving free school meals and the highest percentage of families living in over crowded conditions.
Is it any wonder that many of the women living here feel that their biggest priority – before participating in civic activity – is to try and heal the hurt that their children feel, as well as to put food on their kitchen table?
For these women to have the confidence to step out then poverty – particularly child poverty – really does need to be eliminated once and for all. And that is why I believe that the Government’s target to halve child poverty by 2010 and then abolish it completely by 2020 deserves our full backing.
Married with London’s depressing statistics on child poverty, another recent report published by the Mayor found that women’s position in the London economy is by far the worst in the country. I have always been of the firm personal opinion that work is the most important policy tool we have for bringing dignity, reducing crime and – above all – creating equality.
I also believe that work brings vital opportunities for women to view themselves as powerful, intelligent and worthwhile citizens who have an essential economic contribution to make – and that by itself can only help them gain the confidence they need to step out and influence the bigger picture that all of us here know is so important.
To quote Mayor Livingstone’s words as he launched his report: He said, “London’s future as a world city and the powerhouse of the UK’s economy is critically dependent on the contribution of women. No more so than in the next 10 years. By 2016, women are expected to take seven in ten of all new jobs in London. It is essential that they are equipped to compete for them at all levels, from the backroom to the boardroom”.
I think that all of us here would agree with the Mayor’s words – and with the ‘Women and Work Commission’ – which was a special taskforce set up by Prime Minister Tony Blair to look at the inequality in men and women’s pay – reporting last week that the pay gap between men and women has actually INCREASED since the 1976 Equal Pay Act rather than decreased – let us hope that the Government’s policy makers finally sit up and begin to take radical action.
Crime and the fear of crime, is another area, where if women are to have the confidence to step out – both literally and figuratively – we need “the powers that be” to take a greater stand. Women living in our borough with no car are not going to go out to evening meetings if they think they could be likely to be attacked. They are not going to join or participate in new groups if they are made to feel intimidated or threatened.
But indeed it is not just a fear of crime or intimidation outside the home that is stopping many women stepping out into local public life. The latest figures reveal that over a quarter of British based women are still the regular victims of violence in their very own homes. We all know someone who – because of domestic violence – is having their confidence eroded and shattered on a daily basis – who under different circumstances would be able to play a full and fulfilling role in their community as a school governor, as a magistrate, as a non-executive director of a company or as a budding politician.
Of course, many women who are the victims of domestic violence are employing their immense skills of survival, to put on a brave face and carry on. They should not have to.
Domestic physical and mental abuse against one woman is domestic physical and mental abuse against ALL WOMEN.
As women in public life where we know domestic violence is going on we must have the confidence to speak out and demand that the authorities step in. We cannot be women in public life if we ignore abuses facing our sisters in their private lives. And that is why I congratulate Waltham Forest Women in Public Life on the work you have done to tackle this issue.
So these are just a few of the immense challenges I feel are facing us as women living in London today – poverty, inequality in the economy and the fear of crime and domestic violence. What are our representatives at the Greater London Assembly and in Parliament, doing for women to ensure that we really can feel equipped to fully and confidently step out?
What are the Mayor and our local MPs doing for Women?
Well, Last Saturday Mayor Ken Livingstone hosted his annual ‘Capital Women’ conference at the QEII Conference Centre in central London – which I know many of you here attended.
The conference provided a unique opportunity for London’s women to have a direct dialogue with the Mayor on questions and issues of critical concern. It focussed on uniting London’s women post the events of 7 July 2005 and celebrated the contribution made by women from London’s diverse communities.
With the number of delegates to the conference growing from 200 at its inception in 2001 to over 2000 in 2005, London’s policy makers now have all the evidence they need that women are demanding to be made a central plank of Mayor Ken’s overall agenda.
But it’s not only been about conferences. The Mayor’s dialogue with London’s women has led to the delivery of a number of Services, Strategies, and Initiatives which all aim to give greater consideration to the specific needs of women.
Ken has implemented the London Childcare Strategy – which will create 10,000 subsided child care places.
He has also aimed to give a stronger voice to Black women within his official consultative body for the Black community – the Black Londoners’ Forum.
Mayor Ken has also ordered the creation of a pan-London carers forum – to give a voice to women who look after elderly, disabled or mentally ill relatives – as well as young children.
And he has pioneered the “Safer Travel at Night Initiative” to give women the confidence to physically step out into their locality at night.
This year, the Mayor particularly wants to hear women’s views on Employment, Safety, the Promotion of Diversity, Climate Change and the Environment, the 2012 Olympics, Education, the Government’s new Equality Bill and his own Older People’s strategy.
Waltham Forest’s Greater London Assembly Member Jennette is our borough’s link to Mayor Livingstone. Jennette is completely accessible and can be contacted at any time. I hope you will seek to use your influence with Jennette. And urge her to tell the Mayor your views on all of these important issues.
The work of our local MPs
Our local MPs too are also working to raise the profile of issues affecting Waltham Forest’s women and to make concrete and tangible change.
Harry Cohen MP is working closely with the national group called ‘Women Against Rape’ because unfortunately too many women are still being violated.
Harry is also leading a parliamentary campaign to improve conditions for women in custody because it is still an unfortunate reality that women continue to be locked up under the harshest conditions for merely stealing a loaf of bread to feed their families.
Health too is another area where Harry Cohen and his Walthamstow parliamentary counterpart Neil Gerrard, are working hard for women in our borough. Harry and Neil have won millions of pounds worth of improvements and new facilities for Whipps Cross hospital since Labour came to power in 1997.
Thanks to their lobbying, Whipps Cross now has better breast cancer screening facilities, better gynecological services, more maternity facilities and more female doctors and nurses.
What does all this have to do with having the confidence to step out you may ask? Well, ask any politician – male or female – and they’ll tell you that without their health they are nothing.
Indeed, Jennette considers health policy to be of such importance to improving the lives of London’s women that she last year agreed to become the Chair of the London Health Commission – this, on top of her full time job as a Greater London Assembly Member and alongside her position as a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority.
It is women like Jennette that have given me, a 27 year old young woman from Leyton, the confidence to step out.
And I would now like to briefly touch on my own experience before we continue with the rest of the evening.
My own experience
I was born in this very ward – a child of immigrant parents from the Caribbean – only two minutes down the road from here.
I went to St Joseph’s school in Vicarage Rd and Walthamstow School for Girls in Church Hill and despite being brought up in this very deprived ward, I never felt that I was any less important than people who came from richer areas.
I have always felt privileged to grow up in a borough where 180 languages are spoken, where I learnt Urdu at school and ate samosas in the Francis Rd Guardwara; where I could learn to play classical instruments for free; and where I had good local parks to play in.
As I have got older I have realised that all the good things about our borough really do not happen by themselves. They happen because there are people like you living here who have pushed and fought hard for them.
For example, why are the Government and policy makers now talking about child care? Because, we as women have made them!
And why are steps finally being taken by the powerful to eradicate domestic violence? Because, we as women have made them!
And why is the government beginning to give in to growing demands that the breast cancer drug Herception should be made free on the NHS? Yep, you’ve guessed it: Because, we as women have made them!
However, there are still too few of us in public life to raise these issues and keep the pressure on. Did you know that out of the 60 councillors who represent us in Waltham Forest only 15 are women? And out of those women only one is Asian and NONE are Black.
This is a scandalous waste of the talent in our borough. Our male colleagues in politics must better support us practically and women must begin to put ourselves forward otherwise nothing will change and issues such as child poverty, women in London’s economy and tackling the scourge of domestic violence will continue not to be given the highest priority.
That is why, at 27 years old, I have decided to bite the bullet and throw my hat into the ring. As women I think we are often too quick to downplay our abilities and underestimate our worth. I am already a school governor, sit on the board of Leyton ward’s regeneration forum and I am, as I mentioned earlier, the Vice Chair of the local Community Council, so this is the next natural step.
My confidence comes from a number of sources; A supportive mother who always listened to my ideas and helped me to make them happen; A brilliant local school in Walthamstow Girls that taught me from aged 11 that I should never “neglect the gift that is within me”; And lastly – and most importantly – having the support and practical guidance of women such as Jennette Arnold and my good friend and greatest source of inspiration, the first ever Black woman elected to parliament, Diane Abbott MP.
So if I may I would like to end my speech now with four pieces of advice that I hope will give you the confidence to step out as I have had the confidence to.
The first piece of advice is to let no one ever tell you that you cannot do it.
The second is to make use of the wonderful local organisations at your disposal like Waltham Forest Women in Public Life – Because they exist to help and empower you and me. In fact, I know that Yemi has some information tonight about applying for public appointments.
The third piece of advice is not to be afraid to contact your local, regional and national representatives to offer them your experience and skills. You put them there with your vote so they HAVE to listen to what you have to say. They have a duty to nurture you to grow.
My last piece of advice is to make sure that you use your vote in May’s local elections. As the old saying goes: No Vote, No Voice. So make some time to look at which of the parties and candidates is talking about poverty, women in the economy and domestic violence.
And make sure to cast an eye over whose manifesto is offering you the practical tools you need to set up your own businesses – as well as offering you the good and affordable child care you need, to enable you to participate more actively in civic life.
These are the choices facing both you and me this May. And that is why your vote is so very very important.
On May the 4th all the women of Waltham Forest will need you to have the confidence to step out to the ballot box.
We will all be depending on you.
Thank you.
For more information about Waltham Forest Women in Public Life please contact:
WF Women in Public Life, c/o Beverly Toney, 67 Hazelwood Road, London E17 7AJ.
Tel and Fax: 020 89259086
Email: wfwpl@hotmail.com
March 10th, 2006
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