Latest news with #MertonCouncil
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Woke council tells staff to call parents 'caregivers' instead of 'mum and dad' in its new inclusivity guide to 'recognise diverse family formation'
One of Britain's wokest councils has told staff to call parents 'caregivers' instead of 'mum and dad' in a bizarre new inclusivity guide. Merton Council, south London sent a 27-page inclusive language document round to employees encouraging them to change the words they use in the workplace. The guide, obtained by The Sun, also tells workers to stop using the words 'young', 'old' or 'mature' to describe people, in a clampdown on ageism. It's not just 'mum and dad' on the way out, with 'mother and father' also a no-no, according to the document. The Labour-run council says it aims to reduce the chances of staff making assumptions about a child's biological parents. The change in terminology is also supposed to 'recognise diverse family formation'. In further semantic reforms, employees will be told to use 'person-centred language' instead of gendered terms, including 'man the desk'. The debt-laden council's equality and diversity team also said: 'Avoid making assumptions about preferred names or nicknames without asking the individual first.' Free Speech Union boss Lord Toby Young said: 'I'm amazed that Merton Council has time for this nonsense. 'I can only assume fly-tipping and potholes aren't a problem in Merton.' Daily Mail has approached Merton Council for comment. It's the latest example of the south London local authority spending its scant resources on a woke project. In April, it decided to replace precious street parking with dedicated e-bike bays. With residents struggling to park on streets in the area even before the phased installation of 350 planned rental bike spots, the mere sight of broken white lines accompanied by the words 'cycle hire only' infuriated some locals. The initiative by is part of a wider scheme by Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, to tackle the problem of poorly parked or abandoned e-bikes being left on pavements, where they can be a safety hazard for disabled people or parents pushing buggies. Merton has yet to forge an agreement with rental companies operating in the borough, meaning e-bike users are under no obligation to use the newly created spaces. As a result, e-cycles often remain strewn about the streets, while the bays designed to accommodate them stand empty. Nahian Khan, a resident of densely populated Abbott Avenue, the site of one of approximately 220 e-bike bays introduced so far across Merton, says the initiative has placed added pressure on parking in areas where competition for spaces was already fierce. 'Even before the e-bike bay was introduced, it was often difficult to find a spot near home, especially in the evenings or on weekends,' said Khan, who has started a petition demanding Merton reconsider the introduction of bays. 'Many of us have spent far too long circling nearby streets or parking a good distance away. 'The removal of even one space, especially without warning, has a ripple effect. It's not just a single car space gone: it's added stress, competition, and tension for already limited parking. For people with mobility issues, young children, or those working shifts, it makes life harder. 'Many of us depend on our cars - they're not just a luxury, they're essential to how we live.' A perceived lack of discussion around the process has only deepened local frustration. While Merton council says every bay is subject to a statutory consultation 'advertised at the locations, as well as online, and in local newspapers', many residents complain the spaces have simply been foisted upon them. 'There's genuine frustration,' added Khan. 'The neighbours here are civil and community-minded, but many have been vocal in their alignment: we weren't in favour of this move. 'The biggest issue is the total lack of consultation. We only found out about the e-bike bay after it had been installed. No letters, no leaflets, no notices. It feels like something was done to us, not with us - and that's what stings most.' Merton council, however, insists that consultations have taken place, with the location of bays informed by data and guidance from Transport for London, local knowledge, observed evidence of use, and information from neighbouring boroughs and councils. 'Every bay that is on the road is subject to a statutory consultation,' said a spokesperson for the council. 'These are advertised at the locations, as well as online, and in local newspapers. 'While these consultations are not votes, we will review plans where respondents identify serious shortcomings to any particular bay - indeed, a number of proposed bays have been withdrawn or adjusted as a result of feedback.' The project is not cheap. The council estimates the total cost will come in at £140,000, a figure that covers consultation, staff and implementation (including posts, signs and road markings). Previous documents published by the council put the cost of two bays at £2,630 - a figure that would put the total price of 350 at £463,750. Funding will come from the 2025/26 Transport for London micromobility programme, which aims to reduce the use of privately owned cars by enabling more people to cycle and use electric bikes and scooters. Previously, Merton emerged as the second most sympathetic council in allowing its employees to 'work from the beach'. Bosses at Barnet Council granted 286 requests to work from overseas between 2020 and 2023, data from the TaxPayers' Alliance revealed. This was followed by Merton at 251 and Islington Council in North London at 237. Central Bedfordshire Council was next, giving 161 staff the green light to work from overseas, while Leeds City Council granted 74 requests. The TaxPayers' Alliance sent Freedom of Information requests to all 383 councils in the UK, with 320 responding. On top of the 1,221 approved requests in the previous three years, a further 137 requests were given the green light, but the councils did not supply yearly breakdowns.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
One of Britain's wokest councils has banned staff referring to parents as mum and dad
Merton Council in South London has warned its employees not to make assumptions about a child's biological parents 'MUM & DAD' BAN One of Britain's wokest councils has banned staff referring to parents as mum and dad Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ONE of Britain's wokest councils has banned staff referring to parents as mum and dad. Officials say 'caregivers' is more appropriate. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up They also advise workers to avoid using the adjectives 'young' and 'old'. Merton Council in South London has warned its employees not to make assumptions about a child's biological parents. Bosses claim not saying the words 'mother' and 'father' helps to 'recognise diverse family formation'. The council's 27-page inclusive language guide — obtained by The Sun using Freedom of Information laws — also tells employees not to use 'young', 'old' or 'mature' for fear of being ageist. It also advises workers to use 'person-centred language' — and avoid gendered phrases such as 'man the desk'. The guidance, drawn up by the debt-stricken council's equality and diversity team, also warns: 'Avoid making assumptions about preferred names or nicknames without asking the individual first.' Free Speech Union boss Lord Toby Young said: 'I'm amazed that Merton Council has time for this nonsense. "I can only assume fly-tipping and potholes aren't a problem in Merton.' A council spokeswoman insisted: 'We aim to communicate with understanding and without making assumptions.'
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Wimbledon's curfew rule: Explained
Few sporting events have a bedtime - the Wimbledon tournament is one of them. The hallowed tennis tournament has a strict curfew for play, shutting down by 11 p.m. each night. It is the only one of the four Grand Slams to have such a rule in place. Before the curfew was in place, play would stop at sundown, when players could no longer view the ball, or umpires were no longer able to make accurate line decisions. In 2009, the All England Club installed a retractable roof on Centre Court. This meant that matches were no longer at the mercy of the sun. However, the 11 p.m. curfew rule was introduced as the local council in Merton did not want the game to extend late into the night. 'The 11 p.m. curfew is a planning condition applied to balance the consideration of the local residents with the scale of an international tennis event that takes place in a residential area,' Merton Council said, as quoted by he New York Times. Another key factor was constraints associated with transportation in and around the sports venue. Public transport options for fans diminish later in the evening, BBC Sports noted in its FAQ about the tournament. It is a 15-minute walk from the site to the nearest London Underground station, and on weekdays, the Tube shuts down service by midnight local time. The three other Grand Slams suffer from no such curfew. The French Open regularly commences play post-8 pm, so that people can watch the matches post-work. The Australian Open takes place at Melbourne Park, away from the city and residential areas. The U.S Open at Billie Jean King Tennis Center frequently sees late matches. Both the U.S and Australian Open have matches scheduled later in the evening as well. Notable instances The Wimbledon curfew was recently in the spotlight after it resulted in the postponement of the final moments of play between World No. 4 Taylor Fritz and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their first round match on June 30, 2025. The two players had finished playing the fourth set of what had now become a five-set match, with each player having won two sets. After Fritz won the fourth set 7-6(6), the clock stood at 10:18 p.m. While Fritz wanted to continue the match, Perricard did not want to stop the match well into the fifth set, which may have occurred due to the 11 p.m. curfew. The decision came down to the supervisor, who suspended play. Fritz was visibly upset. The match resumed the next day, and Fritz won the final set 6-4 to post a victory after being two points away from elimination the previous night. (The final result stood at 6-7(6), 6-7(8), 6-4, 7-6(6), 6-4). In 2019, Novak Djokovic's semifinal against Rafael Nadal began around 8 p.m. local time. Play was halted after the completion of the third set tiebreak at 11:02 p.m., and the match was finished a day later. The tournament made an exception once in recent history, during a match between Andy Murray and Marcos Baghdatis in 2012. Murray had won three sets and was up 5-1 in the fourth set when the clock struck 11 p.m. With Murray about to serve for the match, play was continued till 11:02 p.m, allowing him to clinch the set and the match. Other time limits at Wimbledon Matches are also stopped in evenings due to poor visibility after sundown. But unlike the curfew, there isn't a designated stop time for bad light. On July 3, the Wimbledon match between Ben Shelton and Rinky Hijikata was postponed since the darkness was about to prevent the electronic line calling (ELC) system from operating properly. After 147 years of having (human) line-calling judges, the ELC was introduced at Wimbledon this year. Floodlights usually enable play well into the night for other sporting events, like cricket or football matches. This is not, however, a solution for Wimbledon's outside courts; the grass courts become slippery once night falls and the temperature drops, leading to the formation of dew. Broadcasting scheduling also has little impact on Wimbledon— either on the curfew or on the starting times. The Centre Court matches start at 1:30 pm local time, later than the other tourneys, allowing for spectators to get lunch. The No. 1 Court sees matches start at 1 p.m, while outdoor court matches start the earliest, at 11 a.m. Despite its seeming inconvenience, some view the curfew positively. Former British No. 1 tennis player Laura Robson has supported the curfew, telling Metro that she thinks 'the sort of backlash of playing at 1am is a nightmare for all of the players involved, all of the staff involved, all of the ball kids involved. So yeah, I'd like to see less of that rather than getting rid of the curfew.' Ending early also has health benefits for the players, who risk injury the next day if they play late into the night.
Daily Mirror
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Laura Robson names the Wimbledon rule that should never change despite backlash
Wimbledon organisers have attracted some criticism from players and spectators this year over the tournament's strict curfew, but Laura Robson believes it's spot on Former British No.1 Laura Robson has come out in support of Wimbledon's 11pm curfew after it drew criticism from players and tennis fans. Wimbledon is unlike the other Grand Slams, which often continue late into the night, because it has a strict rule that it will not budge on. American star Taylor Fritz needed five sets to see off the big-serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a first-round match that left him fuming at Wimbledon's curfew. Fritz was taken off the court before the curfew, despite believing he had enough time to complete his match – and he nearly fell foul of the rule in the next round too. Late finishes are ingrained in the culture of the US Open, Australian Open and French Open, but Wimbledon works differently. Play only starts at 11am on the outside courts and at 1.30pm on Centre Court and the 11pm curfew isn't about to be changed, despite moans every year from players who want to finish their matches and fans who are enjoying the action. It came into effect in 2009 when the All England Club put a roof on Centre Court, with Merton Council keen to reduce the potential impact on local residents. That is quite right, according to Robson, who is now working as a pundit and commentator at Wimbledon. 'No. Wimbledon follows [Merton Council's] rules and it is what it is,' Robson told Metro when asked whether the 11pm curfew should be changed. 'Honestly, I think tennis has become way too much of a late night sport. Why are we playing at 2am? Why are we playing at 3am? 'It's not normal and no other sport does it. Sure, you want to have the opportunity to finish the match. If it's 10.30pm and you're going to be 15 minutes over, of course that makes sense. 'In general I think the sort of backlash of playing at 1am is a nightmare for all of the players involved, all of the staff involved, all of the ball kids involved. So yeah, I'd like to see less of that rather than getting rid of the curfew.' Fritz was dragged off the court well before 11pm against Perricard and was bemused by the umpire's decision. 'It was more just like I felt like we had the time to play. I was mentally in the head space of, like, we are finishing this match tonight,' he said. His US compatriot Ben Shelton was also irritated last week when bad light forced him off right at the end of his match against Rinky Hijikata. That was due to the darkness impacting the electronic line calling system, rather than the curfew. "He had match point, didn't he?" tournament director Jamie Baker admitted the next day. "I would be pretty unhappy as well.' Shelton himself understands the curfew. "I mean, it's tradition, I understand," he said. 'It's also in a neighbourhood. If it was in my neighbourhood and they're playing till 2 a.m. every single night and going completely ballistic, I'd be like, 'I probably don't really want to live here.' I completely understand the curfew, for sure." The curfew is basically set in stone, although there is a little wiggle room for common sense. Back in 2012, when Andy Murray was 5-1 up against Marcos Baghdatis in the fourth set at 11pm, he was allowed to serve out the final game to wrap things up at 11:02. 'The 11pm curfew is a planning condition applied to balance the consideration of the local residents with the scale of an international tennis event that takes place in a residential area,' Merton Council have explained. 'The challenge of transport connectivity and getting visitors home safely is also a key consideration.'
Metro
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Laura Robson names the one Wimbledon rule that should never change
Former British No.1 tennis star Laura Robson has named the one strict Wimbledon rule which should never change and remain as a tradition. This year's Championships are the first without line judges in 148 years – a decision which split opinion – and has even led to some fans protesting. Up to 18 cameras, developed by Hawk-Eye, have been placed around each court to track the progress of the ball and determine whether it is in or out, with Wimbledon now using the same technology as other Grand Slams. But there is one rule that Robson never wants to see removed – the 11pm curfew – with play unable to continue past that time at the All England Club. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam that has a night-time curfew and it is in place to protect local residents from late-night disturbances in SW19. The curfew came into effect in 2009 when Centre Court's roof opened, introduced by Merton Council, to obtain planning permission for the roof. The curfew can't currently be removed – due to the agreement with Merton Council – but there has long been a debate about whether it should remain in place or be extended until later, given that other Grand Slams like the Australian Open let play continue into the early hours of the morning. Robson, when quizzed if the strict 11pm curfew should be lifted, told Metro: 'No. Wimbledon follows [Merton Council's] rules and it is what it is. 'Honestly, I think tennis has become way too much of a late night sport. Why are we playing at 2am? Why are we playing at 3am? 'It's not normal and no other sport does it. Sure, you want to have the opportunity to finish the match. If it's 10.30pm and you're going to be 15 minutes over, of course that makes sense. 'In general I think the sort of backlash of playing at 1am is a nightmare for all of the players involved, all of the staff involved, all of the ball kids involved. 'So yeah, I'd like to see less of that rather than getting rid of the curfew.' If a Wimbledon match reaches 11pm, it must be paused and resumed on the following day of action. There has only been one occasion in which the curfew rules have been pushed very slightly – with British legend Andy Murray able to finish off a match in 2012 at 11.02pm. Merton Council's leader Stephen Alambritis said that 'flexibility and common sense prevailed' given that Murray was a game from victory over Marcos Baghdatis when the clock hit 11pm in south west London. Meanwhile, speaking at Wimbledon this year, Jessica Pegula, the world No.3 in women's tennis, said that men should be playing best of three sets instead of five. It has long been the case at the Grand Slams that men play best of five sets with women playing best of three sets. Robson, the Tournament Director for the women's WTA 500 event at Queen's Club, when asked if men should be playing best of three sets at Wimbledon, said: 'My view on it is that all matches should be best of three until the quarter-finals, and then make everything best of five. 'Logistically, best of five in the early rounds is a nightmare to schedule and I see it from a tournament director point of view now. The first few days, some matches can be four and a half hours, some close to five hours. 'So yeah it would certainly make the schedule a lot easier if it was best of three until the quarters. 'I've always thought that [best of three women's finals] are unfair [in comparison to the men] because if you're a first-time finalist, you're feeling nervous, you're half an hour into the match – you might already be a set and a break down and it's almost over. 'It's like you've not been able to sink your teeth into it. If you're playing best of five, you've got at least an hour and a half to get into the match and make sure you're playing your best tennis. So yeah I'd love the women to play a best of five final. Not everyone shares my view – that's for sure!' Alongside Jamie Murray, Robson has just smashed the Guinness World Record for the longest tennis rally of 101 strokes between two moving cars and fastest tennis serve of 46.67 km/h on the roof of a moving car. 'It was a really cool day,' Robson added. 'We had no expectations of what it was going to be like because it was unlike anything else we'd ever done. More Trending 'Jamie was bricking it for the first run that we did! In the end we smashed it. The stunt crew were amazing. 'Probably one of the most fun parts for me was that we'd go down the runway one way for filming and then on the way back to the top of the runway, I'd sit on the top of the car and they'd gun it – 40mph – I felt like I was in the Titanic or something. 'I felt a bit windswept by the end of the day!' Robson was speaking to Metro via Lexus as part of their record breaking Served at Speed campaign. MORE: Andrew Castle snaps back at John McEnroe over controversial Wimbledon decision MORE: Pat Cash calls for 'emergency solution' after 'absolutely ridiculous' decision at Wimbledon MORE: 'This is unusual' – Cameron Norrie's Wimbledon opponent accuses him of breaking 'rule'
