Mother Monica.

I took the upper of the two photos above a couple of weeks ago; it shows the general bulk cargo vessel the Elka W heading down river, past Erith. Many people forget that Erith has been a maritime port town since the Bronze Age, and it is really only in the last couple of decades that the reliance on shipping has reduced. Now that Erith Pier is a centre for leisure, and less used as a mooring point for ships, the emphasis has mainly moved away from shipping as a commercial venture, and more towards it as a leisure activity - with organisations such as Erith Rowing Club and Erith Yacht Club being preeminent in this respect. Commercial shipping such as the Elka W does still play a part in the local economy - as workers at the ADM edible oil refinery in Church Manor Way will attest. ADM are very heavily dependant on commercial shipping traffic, as most of their raw materials arrive by sea and river, as can be seen in the lower of the two photos above. The company originally started up in 1908, when it was known as Erith Oil Works – the business then was similar to now; they crush and process all kinds of seeds, to extract their natural oils, which are used in foodstuffs, cooking oils and animal feeds. The seeds, then as now are brought upriver in large bulk freighter ships. The distinctive huge concrete silos that are still present on the ADM Oil site were constructed in 1916, where they are some of the earliest surviving examples of reinforced concrete construction in the UK. They were constructed by Danish structural engineering company Christiani and Nielsen, who invented reinforced concrete construction techniques. ADM Oils have in the past been guilty of causing the terrible smells that we have experienced in the local area. The reason for this was that the filters on the oil seed boiler chimneys used to not be changed as often as they were supposed to be. Lately ADM's plant engineers seem to have been a lot more conscientious in this respect, and the sickly and pervasive smell has now been largely absent, thankfully.

There are a number of scams and fraudulent operations being targetted at the Bexley area at present, two in particular are potentially very frightening for the innocent recipients - these have been confirmed as genuine by Bexley Trading Standards and Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association, and are featured separately from the usual weekly ward safety and security updates. The first scam operates as follows - this message is courtesy of Bexley Trading Standards:- "Trading Standards would like to share with you a call they took from a Bexley resident: I received a phone call at approximately 10:20am from a man who reported he was from the Tax Office. He told me he had an arrest warrant for me, he knew my name address and date of birth. He told me I owed £900.00 and 2 letters had been sent to my address but have been returned to the Tax Office. The man told me the arrest warrant will become active unless I pay £900.00 now over the phone, if I don't pay he is going to send a Police Car over with a warrant for my arrest in half an hour. I told the man I am not going to pay you any money, so the man said you can pay now or fight the case in court. I said I will fight the case in court and the man put down the phone. The caller said officers would come from Bexleyheath Police Station". BBNWA say that the HMRC will never telephone you. Never give your bank details over the phone or by email. An arrest warrant would never be issued.  The second scam that is currently being operated locally is in the form of a malicious blackmail Email. The details are as follows:- "'This is a scam, delete the message immediately: Yṍu don't know me and you are most likely thinking why yȫu're getting this email, right? Let me tell you, I installed à malwäre on the adult video clips (pᴏrnography) web-site and guess what, you visited this site to experience fun (you know what I mean). While you were watching videṑs, your web browser started out functioning as ã RDP (Remote cȫntrṓl Desktop) having a key logger which provided me with âccess to yȫur display screen and web camerã. Just after thàt, my software program gathered every ōne ᴏf yṓur contâcts from messenger, social netwŏrks, as well as email. Whát did I do? I created a double-screen video. 1st pârt shows the videȯ you were viewing (you hãve ã fine taste hähà), and next part displays the recording of your cam. What shṍuld yоu do? Well, in my opinion, $300 is a reasŏnable price for our little secret. Yᴏu'll make the pâyment by Bitcoin (if you do not know this, seàrch hоw tȫ buy bitcoin, it's extremely easy). My bitcoin áddress is: 1G1MnBr5iPJSRwZwQwmYGEKkJk5Rq1jcit. Important: You nōw have just one dáy in order to mâke the payment. (I have ã speciàl pixel in this e-mail, and at this mȫment I know that yṑu häve read this e mail). If I dоn't get the BitCoins, I definitely will send out your videṍ tо all of your cȫntacts including members ṍf yȫur family, coworkers, and many others. However, if I receive the páyment, I will destroy the video immidiately. If you wánt proof, reply with Yes! and I definitely will send ŏut your videṍ to your 6 contacts.' " The text above is a verbatim copy of the original, complete with typos, weird fonts and control characters - so don't Email me complaining about the typography. The message is complete rubbish designed to scare the recipient into paying up - there is no malware downloaded onto the target computer - it is all just scaremongering tosh. If you receive an Email of this nature, just flag it as Spam and then delete it.

Bexley Council are launching a public consultation regarding the possible installation of charging points around the borough for electric vehicles. In an announcement released on Friday, they said that:- "Local residents and businesses are being asked to have their say on the introduction of electric vehicle (EV) charging points in the borough and to help shape the Council’s plans for creating a network of publicly accessible charge points across Bexley. Electric cars are not only kind to the environment but can also save you money on fuel costs as well as providing access to a range of other financial benefits such as government grants for new plug-in vehicles, 100% discount on the congestion charge, no vehicle tax (VED) or a reduced rate depending on their CO2 emissions. If you’ve already got an electric vehicle or are may be thinking about purchasing one in the near future or perhaps you just have something else positive to contribute to the debate, please email your comments and your reason for your interest to electric.vehicles@bexley.gov.uk.  Please let us know if you are willing to be contacted for further discussion and if so, we might be calling on you to help us plan for creating the cleaner and greener Bexley of tomorrow". I am fully supportive of the move towards electric vehicles, as long as the electricity that they are powered by comes from renewable, non - polluting sources; if you are using electricity from, for example a coal - fired power station to propel your electric car, all you are doing is shifting the point of pollution. I suspect that the proposed location of any car charging points will be located in Bexleyheath, Sidcup and other points in the South of the borough, rather than in Abbey Wood, Erith or Slade Green in the North. What do you think? Please leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

This week marks the twentieth anniversary of the launch of Windows 98. Back in the day, Windows was not an operating system as we know it today; it was a graphical user interface which sat on top of the actual operating system - DOS - which stood for Disk Operating System. From Windows version 1 through various incarnations up to and including the appallingly unreliable Windows ME, all Windows did was act as an easy to use interface on the top of the then already ancient and outdated DOS, which actually did all of the work. DOS was actually an almost like for like copy of an even older command line interface operating system called CP/M. This was deemed acceptable for home use, but not for office and professional use, Microsoft created a second operating system called Windows NT - which stood for New Technology - which was a completely different beast. It was written from the ground up, and was much superior to the DOS based home versions, but had far higher hardware requirements, which were often out of reach for home users - at that time Windows NT in its various guises also had little support for peripherals outside of a tightly controlled list, and it also did not support much in the way of games, the first few versions also ran older 16 bit applications much more slowly than the home versions of Windows. Microsoft had plans to integrate the two operating system versions into a single product, but it proved exceedingly difficult to do, and for many years the two operating systems were sold side by side. Windows 98 was an update to the hugely successful Windows 95. While Windows NT 4.0 pointed to a future free from DOS, the majority of the Windows user base simply did not have the computer hardware to run much more than a souped-up version of Windows 95. Thus Windows 98 appeared to bridge the gap. Codenamed Memphis, the first beta of Windows 98 arrived in 1996 with the final Release To Manufacturing version appearing two years later. USB support came as standard, along with a range of functions intended as a nod to the then new World Wide Web. Applications such as Outlook Express, FrontPage Express and a personal web server appeared as part of the installation. Windows 98 customers were also treated to the joy that was Internet Explorer 4, along with the Active Desktop, which allowed HTML content (such as streaming news headlines) to be shown on the user's desktop at the cost of prodigious amounts of processor power and memory. Windows 98 is regarded as the pinnacle of the Windows 9x era, with an update shipping the following year in the form of Windows 98 SE (Second Edition) including a number of minor enhancements such as the inclusion of Internet Explorer 5. The final iteration, the much derided and incredibly flaky Windows ME, arrived in 2000. With Windows 98, Microsoft cemented its position as the dominant player in the personal computing industry. However, in the midst of its self-congratulatory antics and self-inflicted legal troubles, it entirely failed to notice something else happen in 1998. A company, initially operating out of a garage in California, was incorporated. Its name was Google.

Erith is about to get a new Vicar. The position has been vacant at Christ Church Erith for a little under a year, since the previous incumbent, The Reverend Julie Conalty was promoted, and moved on to a new role as the Archdeacon of Tonbridge. Her replacement will be The Reverend Monica Eunice Cameron, who you can see in the photograph above - click on it for a larger view. Christ Church Erith will be Monica's first role as Vicar - she was Curate in the Parish of St Mary the Virgin Great Shelford, Cambridge, in The Ely Diocese. Prior to joining the priesthood, Monica had a career as a teacher, and also as a solicitor, which should stand her in good stead in Erith. Monica is a widow, and has three daughters, two of whom are adult, whilst the third will be living with her in the vicarage. Monica, who will be using the name of "Mother Monica" whilst in ministry, will be moving into the Vicarage on 14th August 2018 and she will be appointed as the Vicar of Christ Church on 22nd September at 6pm. Monica hopes to grow vegetables in the vicarage garden. I hope to be running a more detailed article on her in the near future.

Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association; firstly a report from Barnehurst ward:- "Good news again for Barnehurst as we did not have many crimes. The team have carried out various weapon sweeps on the ward in relation to the Mets initiative to reduce violent crime, as several locations have been searched across the ward. If you have any information around knife crime or wish to discuss anything else with the team than please get in contact with us. However if there is an imminent threat or a serious incident than please do not hesitate to call 999. The team have noticed that a black off road motorcycle has been seen riding around Hurstwood Avenue and is being ridden by younger youths. If you happen to have any more information about this than please contact the team. Unfortunately the team will have to cancel our community contact session on Wednesday 4th July at Barnehurst Golf Club. Please join us for our community contact day on Tuesday 10th July at 11am at Barnehurst Golf Course. We will discuss any ward issues that you have and we will also provide residents with crime prevention advice. We will attempt to arrange another contact session before the next one, so please look on the website".  Belvedere ward:- "A resident in Fendyke Rd had her car door opened and cash stolen at approximately 4.30 am on Monday 25th June . The car was not locked. They have got it all on camera. The guy who carried out the theft was white with grey jogging bottoms with a light blue hoodie top. He had a rucksack on his back". Bexleyheath ward:- "We are going to hold our next contact session on Friday 6th July between 1pm and 2pm at the Conservative Club, feel free to pop along if you can. There was a report of criminal damage to two cash machines outside Halifax Bank on the Broadway. This was reported between 23/06/2018 & 25/06/2018. Also there was a report of Theft from person that was reported along The Broadway on the 22/06/2018. We have had no reports of any burglaries or attempted burglaries on the ward which is good news. The team are continuing the World cup patrols and working with local alcohol establishments on our ward to help reduce any ASB. We are also continuing high visibility patrols around Martens Grove and surrounding areas including the garages between Grove Road and Braeside Crescent as this is becoming an area for youths to congregate and misbehave. The team is also conducting regular weapons sweeps on the ward mainly around in car park areas, this is help keep weapons of the streets. A licenced premises on our ward had their licence suspended and another licenced premises had new conditions refused which wanted their licence to be extended until 2am. The team are also dealing with a GBH and Criminal damage as suspects have been identified and is currently being investigated. This had taken place at Goals in the car park area". Crayford ward:- "On Thursday 21 June at 21.30 criminal damage was committed at Grazeley Close. Suspect kicked at door smashing window and damaging a panel. At around the same time a robbery had taken place nearby on open ground close to Hall Place, the suspects were chased and later detained and arrested. It is believed that these incidents are linked. On Thursday 16th at 03.00 a black Ford KA was broken in to at Bourne Mead. The steering column was broken and the log book and car radio was taken. Between 16th and 19th June the river keeper’s area (Crayford Way) by the River Cray was broken in to and a wheelie bin containing aluminium cans were stolen. On Friday 22nd June between 03.30 and 09.00 a white Ford Transit was stolen from outside 10 Mayplace Avenue, number plate NJ62 OPF, the victim still has the keys. On Sunday 17th June between 22.00-22.30 a motorcycle was interfered with at Burgate Close. On Monday 25th June at 21.00 there was a ram raid at HSS, Acorn Industrial Estate. Anti-ram posts were removed and the van reversed hard in to the shutters causing them to buckle and entry to be gained, power tools worth approx £10,000 were stolen. On Monday 25/06/2018 a Male was arrested for offensive weapons after being reported for behaving erratically. A public order offence was committed at Iron Mill Lane on Monday 25th June at 9.15, abuse was shouted in the street. Four tickets were given to people who had been using their mobile phones whilst driving. Our team assisted with the civic parade on Sunday to ensure that all the people taking place were able to parade safely. We have also completed weapons sweeps and foot and mobile patrols around the ward to ensure that Crayford is a safe place to be and to provide reassurance to our residents". Erith ward:- "We will be at the Erith Fun day this year on the 7th July offering free bike marking; be sure to pop along if you need any further advice. I will send an update of the local crimes in Erith later in the week as currently there are a few issues with the system". Northumberland Heath ward:- "We are pleased to announce another week without any reported burglaries on the ward. Reported crime as a whole has been minimal this week with only two of theft of motor vehicle and one of criminal damage. The team were busy over the weekend being called to assist with Borough wide patrols for the World Cup and also conducting plain clothed patrols of the area. During these patrols we conducted one stop and search which started with a male using nitrous oxide canisters and ended up with him being arrested for Possession With Intent To Supply Cannabis and Psychoactive Substances and after a search of his home address being further arrested for Possession of Class A Drugs. We have been in touch with several residents about this potential rise in ASB on the ward and will be out conducting proactive patrols in these areas over the weekend to identify the youths involved, search them wherever the grounds allow and to intervene in the group to disperse them. Our next Contact Session is on Friday 6th July at noon at North Heath Library, Mill Road. Feel free to drop in". Slade Green and North End ward:- "Over the last few years the team has been working closely with L and Q housing association to evict a family well known for causing ASB and involved in vehicle crime. After initially obtaining a suspended possession order, the family continued to breach the order. Yesterday the family of 4 male adults were evicted sending out a very strong message that the police and authorities work together in partnership to evict problem tenants who continue to offend and cause issues in the local community. PC Mark Brookes-Smith has committed a lot of work with L and Q during this time and it is a great result that his hard work has paid off. The only crime of note this week is the theft of a mobility scooter from the car park in Bushey Court. CCTV is being viewed to try and identify the offender(s). The team has completed weapons sweeps in Forest Road, Orchard House and Craydene Open space in the last week as part of Operation Spectre which is set around knife crime. All the sweeps had a negative return. 6 positive stop and searches were carried out by PC Mark and James with several cannabis seizures as a result. PC James arrested a male last week who was wanted for domestic malicious communications. We await to see the outcome of the investigation. PCSO Mark attended the annual Rainbow Road street party on Saturday evening and had a nice time engaging with residents and eating the home made fare on offer. Several residents expressed an interest in taking over the recently vacated Neighbourhood Watch scheme on the estate, watch this space for updates on this". Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglaries - An attempted burglary occurred in Redbourne Drive between 03:00pm on Thursday 21/06/18 and 05:15pm on Friday 22/06/18. Good News - Following an arrest for Cannabis by officers on mobile patrol in Fairway Drive, investigations by PC Nana Quarshie-Awuah are ongoing. Cannabis warning was issued to a male in Yarnton Way by PC Pruden who was accompanied by PCSO Buckley who noticed a small bag of cannabis nearby, which will be destroyed. Future Contact Date - On Thursday 5th July, a Community Contact Session will be held at The Lakeside Health Centre, Yarnton Way between 1 – 2 pm. An opportunity for members of the community to speak with a Dedicated Ward Officer".

As I predicted a while ago, the good weather has seen an increase in the number of illegal moped gangs seen in the local area - the photo above is a screen capture of a video shot in North End Road at the Crayford end recently - it speaks for itself. On Thursday afternoon as I headed towards Morrison's from Erith Station, a scrote wearing a bandanna but no crash helmet hurtled on a motor bike with no number plate through Erith town centre, along Pier Road and down into the High Street - an area that is paved and for the exclusive use of pedestrians. This is fairly typical of the anti social behaviour these scumbags exhibit. There was a report in the London Evening Standard this week which said that a recently leaked Home Office report revealed that an ‘excess supply’ of cocaine following a bumper coca harvest in Colombia has played a role, as moped gangs vie for control of a lucrative drugs market. Furthermore, the document stated that changes in policy to keep young people out of the prison system by handing them community sentences instead of jail time may have allowed violent crime to thrive. Added to this toxic cocktail of factors is anecdotal evidence from police which indicates that the decrease in stop and search since 2009 has meant young people are now more inclined to carry knives because of growing confidence that they will not be stopped. As a response to the rising knife crime rate, targeted, intelligence-led stop and search has ‘significantly increased’ since January, according to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, although total searches remain lower. Professor Simon Harding, a criminologist at The University of West London stated that "‘It’s well-documented that there’s a correlation between increased temperature and elevated crime levels.One theory is that adrenaline and testosterone levels rise in warmer weather, and people are spending more time outside, particularly teenagers on summer holidays. Ways for gang members to gain status and respect are becoming more extreme, which is why we’re seeing hyper-violent acts such as acid attacks and zombie knives. Tension in London is so high at the moment that if we get a spell of good weather it could well kick off into public disorder". Harding points out that it is important to notice the connection between multinational criminal networks involved in large-scale importation of drugs and human trafficking, street gangs dealing drugs and running ‘county lines’ (using younger gang members to shift narcotics business outside of London) and small-scale moped crime such as is prevalent in Bexley. ‘In recent years we’ve seen drugs distributed by moped in what’s become a 24-hour “dial-a-dealer” operation,’ he explained in the article. ‘It tends to be young men, aged between 15 and 22 — the pillion rider can be even younger — and as they drive around dropping off drugs they’re noticing all these “phone zombies” not paying attention to their surroundings. They snatch their gadgets and sell them to Africa or Pakistan in bulk. Each boy is carrying knives, drugs and money, so they become a target for rival gangs.’ Home Secretary Sajid Javid has vowed to ban zombie knives with his new Offensive Weapons Bill, and since October the Metropolitan Police have been employing creative tactics against moped-riding criminals, including buying slimline Scrambler bikes that can drive down narrow streets and ProSpike — a remote-controlled bed of spikes which pop up in the road to puncture the tyres of the illegal moped and motorbike riders. Under the current law, officers can be prosecuted for dangerous driving if there is an accident, leading to moped muggers removing their helmets in the belief that police won’t pursue them. But new pursuit rules, which would make suspects responsible for their own driving, are under review. Some London boroughs such as Havering on the other side of the River Thames have already changed their rules of engagement to become much more aggressive and tenacious when combatting these young criminals. In the embedded video clip below, you can see how Greater Manchester Police are now dealing with moped riding thieves / muggers / drug dealers. The Police have definitely changed tactics for the better, as you will see in the video - the known criminal scumbags did not know what hit them! What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The Bird and Barrel opens.

The much anticipated launch of The Bird and Barrel micro pub happened on Friday evening. The new micro pub is the first licenced premises owned by The Bexley Brewery. It is located in the parade of shops in Barnehurst Road, Barnehurst, close to the 229 and 99 bus routes, and about two minutes walk from Barnehurst railway station. The Bird and Barrel occupies the former shop unit previously used by Aquacadabra - the tropical fish specialist shop, which closed some years ago. Work has been under way for some time to convert the former shop into a pub, and I understand further work is going to take place. An invitation only "soft launch" took place on Thursday night, which I attended, along with around twenty other guests, and a great time was had by all. I don't think anyone was expecting the number of people who turned up on the Friday - as you can see from the top photograph, dozens of guests spilled outside, as things got quite cramped in the main bar area. It was interesting to see the number of commuters passing on their way home from the station - many peered through the glass windows, wondering what was going on, and I spoke to one who came in to ask, and ended up buying a drink and staying for a chat; I suspect this will be a common occurrence over the next few weeks as locals realise that a friendly micro pub has opened close to their homes. The Bird and Barrel is the brewery tap for The Bexley Brewery, but it does not just serve Bexley beers - there are a wide selection of guest ales available, as well as cider, numerous wines, single malt scotch and boutique gins, as well as some posh soft drinks. The place is ideally situated, not just for public transport, but also for a number of nearby restaurants and takeaways. Like other micro pubs, The Bird and Barrel serves snacks such as crisps and other nibbles, but does not serve meals, but hungry drinkers have a number of choices with nearby restaurants, so this is not really an issue. As one would expect, the real ales served in The Bird and Barrel are extremely well kept and perfectly served. Cliff and Jane Murphy, along with their son Cameron (Cliff and Cameron are shown behind the bar in the middle photograph above - click on any photo for a larger version) have put in a huge amount of work to get their micro pub up and running, alongside keeping the successful brewery business operating, and supplying their many resellers around the region. Click here to see a map of all the places that sell Bexley Brewery beer. I have in the past heard some concerns that the close proximity of the large Red Barn pub might cause competition issues for The Bird and Barrel - from experience, I think if anything it will be the other way around. To be honest the two places cater for vary different sectors of the market. The Red Barn is basically a sports pub selling large quantities of chilled, gassy and flavourless lager to people who just want to shout at a TV screen when the football is on. In contrast The Bird and Barrel serves locally hand crafted real ales to a discerning clientele who prefer conversation to other distractions. I can see a few curious Red Barn regulars coming for a pint at The Bird and Barrel, liking what they find and defecting, but I really do not see any customers from The Bird and Barrel ending up in The Red Barn.  Have you visited The Bird and Barrel yet, if so, what did you think? Please feel free to leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

I took the photo above last Sunday afternoon, not long after I published the last Maggot Sandwich update. It shows the recycling centre behind Morrison's supermarket in Erith, and a huge pile of recently fly - tipped material, which appeared to be a mixture of domestic and building waste that had been illegally tipped there some time on Sunday morning. I sent the photo, along with a second, taken from a different angle, to the head of Bexley Council anti fly - tipping team, and the waste was duly removed for proper disposal on Monday. I then went back round to the recycling site on Monday afternoon, only to find a fresh new pile of illegally tipped waste in exactly the same position! I understand from a document sent to my by one of my most reliable sources, that Bexley Council have finally debated the purchase of some CCTV cameras specifically designed to be used to combat the criminals who fly tip in the borough. The proposal for the purchase of the security surveillance cameras was accepted, amongst a number of other proposals designed to improve how waste and recycling was undertaken in the borough. The proposals can be broken down as follows:- "RECOMMENDATION 1a – The Council should improve its marketing and promotion of the bulky waste collection service and reuse and recycling centres. Agree with recommendation. Timescale 6 months. RECOMMENDATION 1b - Enhance marketing around the location of reuse and recycling centres in areas of the borough where there are high fly-tipping incidences e.g. Thamesmead. Agree with recommendation. Timescale 6 months. RECOMMENDATION 1c - JC Decaux boards should be used advertising reuse and recycling centres and opening times.Agree with recommendation but slots for access to these advertising panels is limited and would need to be prioritised with other services. Agree with recommendation but slots for access to these advertising panels is limited and would need to be prioritised with other services. Timescale 12 months. RECOMMENDATION 2 – Easier and more prominent web link for accessing ‘Report fly tipping’ on the London Borough of Bexley website. Agree with recommendation however liaison with the Web Team would be required to agree any timescale. Timescale provisionally 12 months. RECOMMENDATION 3 – Increase communications on fly tipping penalties and residents’ responsibilities. Agree with recommendation. Timescale 12 months. RECOMMENDATION 4- The Council should consider additional fly tipping prevention measures at fly-tipping hotspots, in particular Ray Lamb Way which is the worst fly tipped area in the borough; for example, use of Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. Agree with recommendation subject to available funding and compliance with traffic regulations. Timescale 12 months. RECOMMENDATION 5 – Greater liaison with partner agencies especially the Environment Agency. Agree with recommendation. Timescale 6 months and ongoing. RECOMMENDATION 6- Planning informatives should be appended to all applications granted to remind residents to check for contractor’s ‘Waste Carrier licence’. Agree with recommendation subject to consultation with Development Control. Timescale 6 months". Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with the proposals outlined above, I feel that they have missed an even greater opportunity to reduce the level of criminal fly tipping in the borough. According to Government statistics, local authorities reported 852,000 cases of fly-tipping last year, and almost 98 per cent of fly-tipping prosecutions resulted in a conviction. From my own experiences investigating fly – tipping, the proponents are well aware of what they are doing is illegal – but they just don't care, as they think the chances of them being caught are minimal at best. It is a cynical and exploitative attitude from criminals who should (and indeed sometimes do) get jailed for their activities. On Thursday morning I had a conversation with a very pleasant and friendly chap who was clearing fly - tipped waste from the Morrison's recycling site. His experience was that he felt that around thirty percent of the material left at the various recycling centres around the borough was due to the hoppers not being emptied nearly often enough - he used the example of the cardboard and paper hoppers in Morrison's car park, which were rammed full to the brim for over a week without being emptied. Law abiding people bring their waste to be recycled, only to find the recycling hoppers full. The people are hardly likely to want to take their waste back home with them. This got me thinking – Why do certain individuals fly tip in the first place? I think that there are several factors involved. Firstly I think there is a degree of ignorance – some of the fly tippers do not have English as a first language, and may assume that since there are recycling bins and hoppers, such as those found in Erith Morrison's car park, that anything can be deposited there. Of course this precludes those who tip anywhere at any time – there can be no excuse for that. Other tippers may be lazy and not bothered to go to the official council tip in Thames Road, Crayford. I think the biggest reason is down to cost. Commercial operators (basically any person not in a private car) get charged heavily for legal tipping. A single Transit – type van full of waste can be charged over £120 for a single tipping visit. I have spoken to the Council about this. I understand that when illegally tipped waste is cleared up, it is done by a council subcontractor, who charges the council over £300 for the work. Basic arithmetic would dictate that it would be cheaper for the council to allow waste dumping to be carried out by traders for free, rather than to have to clear up the illegally tipped waste at a later stage. I would propose a six month trial period where commercial waste tippers were not charged for using the Crayford dump; in all other ways they would still have to comply with the existing waste disposal rules, and the content of their loads, the company name and vehicle registration number would still be recorded, but no money would change hands. If at the end of the trial, the amount of fly tipped waste had substantially reduced around the borough, then the scheme would be judged a success. I think a pragmatic approach may be worth trialling, as the current system does seem to be failing, and the amount of council tax payers money spent on clearing up after the illegal tippers could be far better spent elsewhere. Don’t think I am opting for a soft approach to criminal activity – I am still strongly of the opinion that catching and prosecuting fly tippers should be a high priority, but a mixture of both carrot and stick, rather than stick alone may deliver better results for both the environment and the council taxpayer. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

You may have seen the adverts above on the News Shopper website recently; the upper picture, which shows a very badly Photoshopped image of Dragon's Den investor Deborah Meaden apparently with a bruised eye. This was the "click bait" used to encourage web surfers on the News Shopper website to click on the link; when they did so they ended up on a website depicted in the lower of the two images above. It purports to be a Bitcoin trading system which states:- "Appearing on BBC Two's hit show, Dragons' Den, two best friends from university pitched their idea for an automated bitcoin trading platform, called Bitcoin Code. The idea was simple: allow the average person the opportunity to cash in on the bitcoin boom. Even if they have absolutely no investing or technology experience. You simply follow the Auto Suggestions in the system and place your trades. A user would simply make an initial deposit into the platform, usually of £250 or more. The user should open a position on Bitcoin and let the trend do the work for him. The entrepreneurs intend to make money from their platform by charging a small commission on only the profits a user generates. They asked the Dragons for £200,000 for 25% of the company, valuing the company at £800,000. To demonstrate the power of their company's platform the entrepreneurs had Deborah Meaden deposit £250 live on the show. "I've heard about Bitcoin and the massive amount of money you can make from it, but I've never bought any. I no idea where to start. This was really easy, I can just use my credit card to deposit money and it buys them for me." Deborah said. After her initial deposit of £250 was made using Bitcoin Code, account management helped her opened up a position on Bitcoin so she could buy low and sell high. All the Dragons were immediately impressed by how easy it was to make money. The platform handles all the trading work automatically and because the price of Bitcoin is quite volatile, there are numerous opportunities to profit. "Bitcoin is so hot right now and if even somebody like Deborah, no offence Deborah, can make money from it, I'm all in. I need to have a piece of this. I'm going to make a huge offer, £2 million for 25% of the company." Peter Jones said. Before the entrepreneurs even had a chance to respond to Jones's offer, Deborah Meaden interrupted and said with a smile on her face: "I've gone up to £398.42 after just 8 minutes".  Needless to say the TV show has never featured The Bitcoin Code, and none of the investors have ever had any involvement with the alleged trading system, which is of course actually a criminal scam. Adverts for The Bitcoin Code have appeared briefly on a number of major websites, including the Guardian and The Daily Mail, but have mostly been taken down after it became clear that they were fraudulent. I have done some fairly in depth investigation into the con, and it would appear that the confidence tricksters behind it have targetted their attentions at vulnerable people in various countries - there is an Irish themed version of the Dragon's Den story, as well as an Australian one, each featuring the stars of the popular TV franchise for that particular market. In fact, one of the Irish Dragon's Den investors has launched a campaign to try and stop the criminals from using his image in their fraudulent adverts. In an interview with the Irish Mirror, businessman Gavin Duffy said:- "It’s very convincing. When I read it I laughed because I know it’s not true. You can laugh about it but imagine if you were in the UK reading this. It reads well and it sounds legit, that the investment happened and this thing is doing very well. What’s very concerning is when you try to get it taken down or point out to news organisations that on their news pages they have an ad about a Bitcoin scam, you would have thought they would react, take it more seriously and do something about it. But that doesn’t seem to be the case at all. It’s down off the BBC site now but maybe it was only booked for a day - it’s on the Guardian’s site today and maybe another one tomorrow. Maybe that’s how the people behind this scam are organising it?". A word of caution, this financial scam has nothing to do with any form of cryptocurrency, least of all Bitcoin. This is a vile plot which is was contrived by unethical online promoters with the sole intent of defrauding and stealing money from unsuspecting opportunity-seekers. These rip off artists are particularly successful because they are exploiting the recent surge of Bitcoin popularity, and in this context employing a kind of piggyback strategy designed to get you to drop your guard and buy into this Bitcoin cryptocurrency scam. You have been warned.

Now for this weeks local safety and security updates, courtesy of Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly Barnehurst ward:- "Another very good week crime wise across the ward this week with only one crime of note to report which is sadly another burglary. The offence occurred on Friday 6th April between 6.20pm and 10.20pm where suspect(s) have gained entry to a semi-detached property in Woodside Road by smashing a glass panel in the rear kitchen door. Property taken included jewellery, cameras and a number of sunglasses. Regarding reports of mopeds riding in an anti-social manner in and around the area of Hall Place and Marden Crescent. We have identified one of the riders involved and he will be receiving a home visit this week. We use several tactics in an attempt to combat anti-social behaviour which in this case have included plain clothes patrols and the deployment of our off road motor cycles, However our biggest asset is you. You can make a difference in your area by letting us know who is causing issues in your street. If you have any information please contact your local policing team or alternatively call crime stoppers on 0800 555 111. Please join us on Wednesday 18th April at 1pm, Barnehurst Golf Course for an informal chat with a member of the Barnehurst team about any local issues and crime prevention advice. Please also give us a follow on twitter @MPSBarnehurst and Facebook Barnehurst police". Belvedere ward:- "There have been reports of potential drug dealing around the Upper Abbey Road area, in the small car park with the path that leads up to the play area. Apparently a silver car with black males have bene parking in the car park and dealing. We have no set days or times for this so if anyone does notice any suspicious activity then please let us know. We have also been made aware of anti-social behaviour and drug usage next to the football area on Monarch Road. By all accounts a group of about five teenagers are gathering near to the entrance to the football area and causing a nuisance by being loud and abusive. They are also reportedly smoking cannabis. Again if anyone has any information about this group (names etc) or can give us further information on when they gather, please get in contact - see details above. Or you can contact Neighbourhood Watch [by replying to this email] or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111". Brampton ward:- "Another great week for Brampton with only 3 crimes reported in the last 5 days, and no burglaries. There was a shoplifting from Sainsbury’s Brampton Road. A road rage incident occurred on the 5th April on Bristow Road which resulted in a GBH but involved no Brampton residents. On the 9th April there was a theft of motor vehicle where a van was taken off a drive in Brampton Road, however the van had been left unlocked and running while the owner (a window cleaner was working) Brampton continues to be one of the safest wards on the Borough. Remember all ward boundaries change on May 3rd". Christ Church ward:- "We have had one report of a residential burglary, this was on the 06/04/2018 at Glengall Road Bexleyheath. Entry was gained via the front of the property and personal items taken. There has been one report of theft of motor vehicle on the ward which took place on the 10/04/2018 at ASDA carpark. Number plates were been taken off the vehicle. On the 03/04/2018 – There was a report of theft of mobile phone on a bus along the Broadway Bexleyheath. Victim had either been pick pocketed or the phone was dropped and then stolen. On the 09/04/2018 – Money was taken from victim that was put on a table outside a coffee shop whilst sitting outside and victim not looking. The team did hold a traffic operation recently on the ward, this was mainly to target burglary offenders travelling on the ward. As a result of this two vehicles had been seized. The team are also conducting high visibility patrols in our burglary hotspot areas, which is mainly the streets between Townley Road & Upton Road. Car parks are also incorporated for issues with anti-social behaviour. If you do speak to anyone who lives on the ward who does not have NHW set up on their street, please put them through to us if they are interested in maybe joining [or reply to this email quoting 'Christchurch SNT Team']. If you would like to contact us, please feel free to make contact via email, twitter or over the phone - details above. For crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which does have information that you may find useful". Colyers ward:- "Having had no reported motor vehicle crimes for three weeks in a row this past week has seen two vehicles stolen in Northumberland Way. A motorbike was stolen from a driveway overnight Thursday 5th - Friday 6th April despite being undrivable and waiting to go to the skip. The other was a stolen overnight Sunday 8th into Monday 9th April, taken without the keys but no further information available at this time. An elderly resident in Fairford Avenue has been scammed out of cash by people pretending to be from a bank investigating their employees even handing over their cards and pin numbers. Please do not allow yourself to become a victim. A bank will never call you up and ask your personal details or to withdraw cash to be picked up by a courier for whatever reason. Unfortunately there was an attempted burglary in Frinsted Road the evening of Wednesday 4th April. The house was locked and secure residents returned home to find their rear patio door damaged and slightly ajar. Nothing was taken and it is believed that the intruders were disturbed by the next door neighbour's dogs. An old air rifle has been seized from an address in our ASB hotspot Hampton House and the team assisted Northend DWO's with a drugs warrant in Canterbury House where drugs were seized and a fine issued". Crayford ward:- "Front and rear number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked in Medway Road between 18.30 on 3rd April and 07.15 on 4th April. On 10th April between 01.00 and 01.37 suspects tried to steal a Land Rover and two other vehicles in Ridge Way. They were disturbed and made off toward Ridge Avenue and getting in to a vehicle and driving away, no description of this vehicle unfortunately. In the early hours of 7th April a 21 year old male had his Android phone and bag stolen whilst in an alleyway near Thames Road, he did not report being injured. Between 20.00 on the 6th April and 18.15 a resident in Crayford Way reported that someone had tried to prise a door off their Honda Civic whilst parked on the drive way. There have been shoplifting offences reported by Currys on 6th April, Smyths Toys on 7th April and Hobbycraft on the 9th April. Between 19.00 on 6th April and 12.00 on 7th April a vehicle was broken in to whilst parked outside a property near 222 Iron Mill Lane, items were strewn around the vehicle and a pair of spectacles were stolen. On 10th April at 11.49 CCTV shows that used lorry/large vehicle batteries were stolen from outside a business on the Acorn Industrial Estate, a white Ford Van was used for this and it was reported that the vehicle has been seen on the estate previously committing a similar crime. It has been a busy week for our team. Last Friday our team made a routine vehicle stop. It then became apparent that the vehicle had no insurance, no MOT, a bald tyre and that the driver was using a provisional licence. The driver was processed and the vehicle was seized. Initially, as the vehicle was stopped, this driver was going to be advised about their speed as this is a ward priority in the Iron Mill Lane area. On Monday 9th April Crayford officers executed a warrant leading to the arrest of a male in connection with knife point robberies. On Thursday 5th April a vehicle was observed driving without due care and attention, weaving in and out of vehicles at high speed in Thames Road. This was captured on our body worn camera, other factors prevented us giving chase but later our checks showed this vehicle also had no MOT. The driver’s prize was a process ticket at his front door (3 points and a fine) as well as a section 59 notice. Several youths with vehicles have been causing anti-social behaviour near Crayford railway station and we have been speaking to local residents to gather information to assist in identifying these youths. Our partners at London Borough of Bexley have agreed to allow a camera to help us further with identification and dealing with this anti-social behaviour, local residents will be advised when this is placed. Meanwhile, there have been foot patrols as well as mobile patrols in the local area. We have received some reports of anti-social behaviour and possible drug dealing near Green Walk and Hill Rise, if you have seen any of this behaviour we would be happy to speak to you in total confidence, please call us on 0208 721 2584 or email Crayford.SNT@met.police.uk or alternatively via www.met.police.uk or by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 for which your call would remain anonymous'. Erith ward:- "We have actively been patrolling the full ward of Erith. Conducted a weapons sweep in the areas of West Street and Compton Place 11 youths where stopped and all there details were taken as they were causing ASB in Parkspring court. PCs Gill and Tom carried out arrest enquires across Erith this week PCSO Adam had a meeting with Mandy from Sherwood House regarding upcoming events, working with residents in residential housing about staying safe, PCSOs Adam and Mark ( from North end ward ) are hoping to visit all the schemes in the north of Bexley over the coming months to chat to all residents. Dates for you diaries - 25/04/18, 7pm Erith pier road police offices – Erith Ward Panel meeting. We hit 1000 followers on twitter thanks top the efforts of PS Young feel free to follow us for the latest policing news in Erith twitter @MPSErith" Lesnes Abbey ward:- "Burglaries - Burglary occurred in New Road between the hours of 5:00pm on Tuesday 03/04/18 and 1:00 pm on Friday 06/04/18.the garage was broken into a pedal cycle and motor cycle taken .The motor cycle was later found and the owner made aware. On Tuesday 10/04/18 at 10:41 am a burglary occurred in King Harolds Way. The front wooden door was forced open and an untidy search occurred. Local residents made police aware. The home owners were out of the property ta the time. Motor Vehicle Crimes - Overnight from Tuesday 03/04/18 to Wednesday 04/04/18 a vehicle locked and secure parked in Lensbury Way damaged. Other News - After the local council elections on 3rd May, The ward boundaries will then be split up, Lesnes Abbey will go and you will be with different wards. Once these have been decided we will let you know. Date for your diary. Have a say On Thursday 19/04/18 between the hours 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm at the Lesnes Lodge". North End ward:- "There was a burglary overnight Saturday/Sunday in The Nursery. Entry was made through the back door and an expensive Brompton fold up bike was stolen. Nothing else was taken so it may be that this was deliberately targeted for the bike only. There was also a burglary during a five day period at the start of April in an empty property at the far end of Frobisher Road. The boiler was taken leading to water damage within the property. The flat is owned by L and Q housing and they have secured the door. Over recent weeks there has been several attempted break ins in the tower blocks in Boundary Street. They are being targeted as the blocks are gradually being emptied of all residents before redevelopment at the location next year. At our upcoming Ward Panel meeting next week (April 18th) we will be suggesting the area as a ward promise so we can assist Orbit in stopping any criminal damage before the blocks are pulled down. An update on the panel meeting will be sent in the next week or two. 3 males were stopped and searched at the back of Canterbury House on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in a cannabis seizure and warning given. A drugs warrant was executed this morning (Wednesday) in Canterbury House. A quantity of drugs were seized and the suspect was issued with a fine". Northumberland Heath ward:- "Good news this week. We have identified three youths from images sent to police. As a result of this, they all received a visit from us. Two youths identified riding the motorcycles in the Northumberland Heath Recreation Ground were issued with a Section 59 warning notice. One not seen riding a bike was given words of advice. We also issued a Section 59 warning to a motorist driving erratically. We are delighted that there have been no burglaries or motor vehicle crime reported to us over the last week. The team are conducting weapon sweeps in out crime hotspot areas following the recent tragic knife incidents across the capital. Our message to the public to help us to tackle this issue is to report anything they see or hear that could help us take more weapons off the street". Thamesmead East ward:- "Pleased to report that no burglaries have been reported so far this month. During the early hours of Saturday 7th April, a vehicle was damaged in Middle Way, by someone slashing the tyres. Please make sure you lock your vehicle doors at all times, (even for a short amount of time) as a mobile phone was taken from a car that was parked in Chadwick Way. While out on routine patrol, PC Pruden came across a vehicle with a punctured tyre that was parked up in New Road. Checks revealed that the vehicle had been stolen from an address in Sidcup, March 2018. PC Nana assisted Bexley Council regarding securing a property that had a squatter living at an address in Pointers Close. As part of a drive to curb violent crimes among young people, PC Nana has been visiting and engaging with young people that she has identified to be at risk of getting involve in violent or drug related crimes. Working in Partnership with the Peabody youth engagement team, two males have currently been referred to their apprenticeship / employment programmes".

The end video this week shows something that many local people may not be aware of. The British Gypsum Technical Training Academy is located in Church Manor Way, Erith. It teaches dry lining and plastering skills to members of the construction industry. It is the longest serving training facility in the UK, delivering Thistle plasters and drywall systems training since it opened in 1966. Watch the short video below, and leave a comment should you so wish.

The Pilgrim ferry.

Back in the 1980's, the Ford ferry from Lower Belvedere to the Ford car plant in Dagenham was in regular use; I can recall that several school friends had relatives who worked at the massive automotive factory, and who used to do the twice daily commute across the River Thames to go to and from their place of work. The ferry became a minor local landmark that had started back in 1933 when the Ford works was a relatively new creation. It used to make up to fifty trips across the river every day; each trip would take a little less than ten minutes, and many commuters found it to be invaluable. Ford paid the ferry costs, and the free trip was considered a perk of the job for Ford workers who lived on the South side of the river. When Ford ceased to make complete cars at Dagenham back in 2002, they converted the factory to make engines and gearboxes which were then transported to other Ford factories around Europe to be installed into vehicles made elsewhere. Ford senior management then decided that in order to cut costs, they would terminate the contract with the ferry operator. There was a great deal of opposition to this move, and it took a further two years, and a court case before the ferry service stopped running in February 2004. A free bus service was subsequently laid on by Ford, which had its pickup point in Nuxley Road, Upper Belvedere. This bus service then used the Dartford Crossing to get to Dagenham, and was regarded by its users as slow and unreliable when compared with the ferry service. Now the Ford factory employs far fewer people than it did in its heyday, and it does not dominate the local area in the way that it once did. Things may well be changing in the next couple of years though. There are plans, now well advanced to create the largest new film and television studio in the United Kingdom for many years in Dagenham, and construction work is due to get underway in 2019. In an article broadcast on Time 107.5 FM, it was announced that "The largest new film and media studios to be built in the UK for decades will be constructed and operated in Dagenham by Pacifica Ventures in partnership with Media Content Capital. Barking and Dagenham Council Leader Darren Rodwell said: “I take great pleasure in announcing Pacifica Ventures in partnership with MCC as our preferred partner. In the face of fierce competition, Pacifica Ventures – MCC emerged as the clear winner based on their track record and commitment to making the film and television studios a cultural and community asset for the borough, for London and for Britain’s film industry. The complex will be an exciting new visitor destination too – an east end epic – that will create thousands of quality jobs and educational opportunities in a huge range of disciplines. I am confident that it will make Barking and Dagenham more famous for films than Fords.” Dana Arnold, CEO of Pacifica Ventures, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Be First in the creation of a world-class film and television production complex that will become the pride of Dagenham and Greater London.” Sasha Shapiro, Managing Director of Media Content Capital, added: “We are excited to be making our London production home at the brand-new Dagenham Studios.” I understand that around four thousand jobs will be created in the new studio, and this will once again mean that people living in Bexley will need to travel across the Thames if they secure a job at the new studio. In an ideal world, construction of the much discussed proposed Lower Belvedere to Rainham river crossing would be under way, but there is serious doubt over whether this project will actually ever see the light of day. Also, the land which used to be the site of the old Ford ferry jetty and car park have now been built on, so it would not be possible to reinstate the old ferry service. One thing occurs to me; as you can see in the photo above, which shows a commemorative plaque in Erith Riverside Gardens that many local people are completely unaware of (hint - it is located on the wall adjacent to the wooden jetty which reaches out into the River Thames). It occurs to me that since the old Ford ferry cannot be resurrected, and the Belvedere to Rainham river crossing is unlikely to happen, an alternative way is needed to cross the Thames for the workers at the forthcoming Dagenham studio. It seems logical that the historic Erith to Rainham Pilgrim's Ferry could be restarted - either from the existing wooden jetty, or from a floating jetty attached to Erith Pier. It would be a shame that local people would be excluded from working at the forthcoming Dagenham studio due to a lack of cross river connections - as we all know, the Dartford Crossing grinds to a halt a couple of times a week at a minimum - besides which, we need to be encouraging alternatives to car use. what do you think? Would restarting the Pilgrim's Ferry with a modern vessel be something that would attract you to apply for a job at the new Dagenham studio? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Some good news; The Volunteer pub in Bexleyheath, that has been closed since December, is shortly to re - open under a new collaborative ownership. Fourteen local people have invested a total of £100,000 to buy out the pub lease and to refurbish the somewhat run down interior of the pub, which is located on the corner of Church Road and Queen Street. It has been under - invested for many years, something that is sadly becoming typical of what little is left of our local "back street boozers". I have to admit that when I visited the pub a few years ago, under the old ownership, my welcome was strongly reminiscent of the famous scene from the classic film "An American Werewolf in London" when the two American tourists enter the country pub filled with hostile locals. I am sure that now The Volunteer is under new ownership, that will not be an issue in the future. I wish the group well, and I hope to visit and review it some time after it reopens on the 7th April. 

In a story that I feel is going to run and run ad infinitum, the plan to extend Crossrail / The Elizabeth Line from its terminus at Abbey Wood and along through Belvedere, Erith, Slade Green and Dartford then down to Ebbsfleet, an area where 15,000 homes are planned, seems to have got some official backing. Transport analysts have identified that once fully operational in December the Elizabeth Line will carry 200 million passengers a year, and boost the economy by £42 billion, according to TfL. The line will hit 41 stations across a 60 mile stretch running through the city, taking passengers from Abbey Wood to Paddington in just 28 minutes. Teresa Pearce MP said in an interview with the News Shopper that:- “C2E will deliver transformative growth to part of South East London, Bexley and Kent. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tackle the poor connections to London and Kent that have held the area back for so long – evidenced by the fact that Bexley is one of the few boroughs without metro style tube or train services”. Extending Crossrail is an important (if not a foundation) factor in supporting Bexley Council’s growth strategy, which focuses on regenerating the North of the borough to build thousands of new homes, centred around having the Elizabeth Line and additional river crossings built. In another interview with the News Shopper, Dartford MP Gareth Johnson said: “What we are asking for is the Department for Transport to finish the job they started. The Crossrail project has been successful, but it stops approximately 10 miles short of High Speed 1, which is clearly an unsatisfactory situation. If Crossrail were to be extended out to Ebbsfleet and to High Speed 1, it would open up a whole range of opportunities for anyone using that service and give a huge boost to the local economy.”

A report was published last week that confirms something that many locals have known for quite some time. When comparing average house prices, distance and time taken to commute into central London, combined with local satisfaction levels have show that Erith has come fourth in the UK as a town which residents are happy to live in. The top three are 1) Purfleet, 2) Waltham Cross, and 3) Cheshunt.  Then comes Erith, which scored highly in the report, for the following key reasons - With a journey time into London of 38 minutes, average house price of £276,515, season ticket price of £2,016 and satisfaction ratings of 7.77, the town is considered one of the best for commuting to the capital. The opening of the Erith Quarry housing development will only accentuate this situation. Incidentally I have heard a rumour from an impeccably reliable source that the well known Erith Construction company, who have their main offices in the old Job Centre building in Queen Street are currently looking for new and expanded office space. I understand that they are contemplating demolishing the old offices and constructing some high - end apartments on the site. Some years ago the old and long closed Pop In Parlour was sold to an anonymous buyer. I have been reliably informed that the buyer was the Erith Construction Group, and that in order to get planning permission to construct the new luxury apartments on the old Job Centre site, they would need to also build some flats for affordable rent; my understanding is that the old Pop - In Parlour will be the location of the affordable flats. If you have any additional information regarding this, then please feel free to either leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Bexley council, like many others, has been fighting illegal fly tipping for years; unfortunately it never seems to really get a proper grip on the serious issue. It may well be worth the powers that be in Bexley council taking a leaf out of Havering Council's books, as they seem to have been able to take decisive and effective action against fly tippers on their side of the river. Havering Council has stamped out large-scale fly-tipping in the borough’s most notorious hotspots for organised rubbish dumpers. Fly-tipping in the area has seen a major decline since a joint operation, involving officers from Havering and Newham Councils, Environment Agency, police and HMRC Officers, which targeted a site on Aveley Road on 20 December. Since the raid on the premises, there have been no further incidents of large-scale fly-tipping in the area and the actions taken by the Council appear to have disrupted a well-organised and illegal waste operation. The reduction in organised environment crime has saved Havering Council around £50,000 in fly-tip clean-up costs since December. The area had become the target of large-scale fly-tipping of industrial waste. The fly-tipping was occurring practically every night and was well-organised environment crime. Following local intelligence, a vehicle yard in Aveley Road was suspected of being the base for the vehicles involved in the fly-tipping activity. A planned raid on the premises saw five vehicles including cars and a skip lorry being seized on suspicion of illegal waste activity. Three of the vehicles were later destroyed. Havering Council has crushed a number of vehicles linked to a traveller incursion and fly-tipping. Environment officers seized the vehicles after fly-tippers dumped a pile of household and building waste in the park in November last year. Investigations to track down the fly-tippers  are on-going. In an article on the Havering Council website, Councillor Osman Dervish (pictured above - click on the photo for a larger view), Cabinet Member for Environment, said:- “Fly-tipping is a serious crime which has a detrimental effect on residents, businesses and the local environment. Each year we’re left with an unnecessary clean-up bill of around one million pounds. This is money which could be better spent on critical frontline services and improving the lives of our most vulnerable residents. The Council would like to thank all the residents and businesses who are helping us to tackle this common threat, by coming forward with vital information. We ask everyone to continue to report any suspected fly-tipping to help us drive out organised waste gangs from Havering .” I feel that this aggressive, proactive approach to criminals who fly tip should be copied by Bexley Council, as it seems to be very effective indeed. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "On several occasions a man has been seen lurking in the bushes close to the children's playground in Martens Grove park. Upon investigation (after he has left the scene) a bottle of Vodka has twice been found hidden in the bushes. The Neighbourhood Watch office have informed the Barnehurst Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team. Excellent news again for Barnehurst ward with no crimes of note reported for the fourth week running, long may it continue We are aware of reports of mopeds and quad bikes being ridden in an anti-social/dangerous manner around Marden Crescent, Mount Pleasant Walk, Hall Place Crescent and surrounding roads. The local policing team are actively investigating these reports to identify offenders. Please contact the Barnehurst Team if you have any information regarding this matter. Please join us for our community contact day on Thursday 5th April at 1pm at Barnehurst Golf Course. We will discuss any ward issues that you have and we will also provide residents with crime prevention advice". Brampton ward:- "We start this week with the good news of having no Burglaries on the ward . We have had a Theft from Motor Vehicle in Ambleside Road where an unknown suspect has stolen rear lights and the spare wheel from a vehicle. A vehicle passing through the ward was stopped by officers on Pickford Lane and the occupants were arrested for possession with intent to supply class B drugs, investigation ongoing. An unknown male stole a basket full of shopping from the Co–Op Brampton Road. A male was interviewed under caution by the team regarding allegations of Harassment, he was served a Community Protection Notice and given conditions not to contact victims. Are you aware of the boundary changes from when Brampton disappears after the local elections? The boundaries will then be split up and you will be with different wards. Once these have been decided we will let you know".  Christchurch ward:- "We have had one report of a burglary over the last week. On the 19/03/2018 a vehicle was stolen from outside an address along Lewin Road Bexleyheath and the keys were taken from inside the property. Over the last week we have had three reports of Robbery on the ward. Brief details: 22/03/2018 – Two victims were approached by a large group of females and one male. Force was used to take phone from one of the victims and had attempted to take other victims bag. This was along the Broadway Bexleyheath; 23/03/2018 - Outside McDonalds in the Broadway, the suspects had approached the victim and had threatened them with violence and items had been taken; 25/03/2018 – Outside the bowling alley Bexleyheath. The suspect had approached victim with a pair of pliers and had asked what was in their bag. The suspect had punched the victim as would not show what was in their bag; On the 22/03/2018 – There was a report of a purse being taken while it was left unattended at the library. Also in the 21/03/2018 a mobile phone was taken from the victims pocket whilst on the Broadway; On the 24/03/2018 – There was a report of a theft from motor vehicle. Number plates were taken from the vehicle whilst parked along Market Place Bexleyheath; On the 23/03/2018 There was an incident outside Pure where injuries were sustained and the matter is being investigated. Thank you to residents who have contacted us with information/CCTV relating to recent burglaries/crimes. Asda car park complaints have been received regarding vehicle ASB. If you notice any issues please contact 101 or 999 accordingly". Colyers ward:- "On Tuesday evening, staff at the Red Barn pub in Barnehurst Road called the police after a group of youths, some wearing white masks, chased some boys down the road who then went into the pub for help. The police arrived promptly and conducted an area search for the group and spoke to members of the public and workers in the adjacent shops. Contrary to reports on social media, there were no knives involved and there was no trouble inside the pub itself. With Easter just days away, the Easter Bunny isn’t just bringing a plethora of chocolate eggs to Colyers Ward, but also good news on the crime front. For both burglaries and motor vehicle crime, we have received zero reports in the last week which is fantastic news. Vigilance is the key here and we thank you all in your efforts in making things difficult for thieves, while we continue in our efforts of prevention. The main issue on the ward currently, continues to be the ASB/Drug problems at Hampton House. Work continues at the location, with intelligence reports collated and partnerships with both the ASB Panel and L and Q Housing to try and reach a solution. In the last week a stolen bike has been recovered there, as well as several stop and searches and one cannabis seizure. The good work continues. Have a great Easter from all at Colyers Ward SNT!" Crayford ward:- "On 22/03/2018 between 06.00-11.00 the front and rear number plates were stolen from a white Vauxhall Panel van outside 109 Maiden lane. On 21/03/2018 between 19.30-20.00 youths caused criminal damage to a fence in Dale Road On 20/03/2018 between 19.35-19.50 a grey Peugeot 308 was keyed in the car park at Sainsbury's whilst the owner was in the store. On 22/03/2018 at 16.00 Crayford officers saw a male acting suspiciously and attempting to evade police at Optima Park near Thames Road. There was a strong smell of cannabis from the vehicle and the occupant was searched and issued a community resolution. On 25/03/2018 at 02.30 a Male was seen on CCTV breaking in to two vehicles parked on a drive in Bascombe Road, the Male stole a set of car and house keys from one vehicle. Number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked at Crayford BR Station on 26/03/2018 between 14.10-19.30. On 25/03/2018 at 14.10 there was an accident on London Road between a car and cyclist, it is believed the cyclist was pulling a wheelie and there was an altercation that was amicably resolved. It was reported that girls were seen fighting on 26/03/2018 at 15.30 after school. We have seen a reduction in reported crime this week so have used our resources effectively to have additional patrols in the Crayford area. We would like to wish our residents a happy Easter break and a gentle reminder that if you are going away to be sure to lock your home securely and make it look like you are at home to deter any unwanted callers. We will be at the Ellenor Charity shop in Crayford Road on Wednesday 4th April between 11.00-12.00, please come along and say hello, it would be lovely to see you". Erith ward:- "Due to recent events in Erith town centre over the last few weeks, which involved groups of youths fighting we are putting in place a dispersal zone on Thursday 29/03/18 from 1400 to 1800, which will be policed at them times and groups of kids will be asked to leave. Some crimes from the last week: Residential burglary on 25/03/2018 19:30:00 in Galleon Close. An unknown suspect entered the property and stole a PS4 from the kitchen. There was another residential burglary on 27/03/18 from a property in Erith Road, a tool was used to gain entry to the front door and jewellery was stolen. An attempted residential burglary took place on 26/03/2018, in James Watt Way. A suspect(s) unknown attempted to gain entry to property by removing door handle. On 23/03/18 there was a theft of a mobile phone in Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, James Watt Way. There were two incidents of shoplifting #1. took place on 27/03/2018 in Iceland Foods Plc, Town Square .#2. took place the same day in Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, James Watt Way - The suspects involved with the Iceland shoplifting have been caught and found in possession of goods".  Lesnes Abbey ward:- "Burglaries - No burglaries this week. . However remain vigilant at all times. Remember lock windows and doors. UPVC front doors Lift it, lock it. Motor Vehicle Crimes - Between the hours of 10:00 pm on Monday 26/03/2018 and 08 :00 am and Tuesday 27/03/2018 a vehicle parked in Harvel Crescent which was left locked and secure had the rear windscreen wiper pulled off causing £500 of damage. A vehicle parked in Lensbury Way was stolen between the hours of 10:00pm on Friday 23/03/18 and 10:00am on Saturday 24/03/18". North End ward:- "3 vehicle crimes to report unfortunately. Criminal damage to vehicle in Craydene Road. Around 6.30pm on Thursday 22nd March, a group of males were seen to run past and damage a few cars although at this time only 1 has reported any damage. Overnight on Weds 21st March paint was thrown on a car in Rainbow Road near Sapphire Court. A vehicle was stolen from Frobisher Road in the evening of Thursday 22nd March. All 3 crimes are ongoing investigations. There was an attempted break in up at the Howbury Grange house out in the fields near Moat Lane last Tuesday evening (21st March). Luckily entry wasn’t gained and there is a good cctv image of the persistent suspect. No positive ID at this time. PC Mark Brookes-Smith stopped and searched a group of 6 males and 1 female down near to Erith Pier on Saturday afternoon after noticing a strong cannabis smell. It turned out to be a negative search but some of the group were very vocal in their disapproval in being searched. PCSO Mark Pigott attended the Slade Green Big Local Easter Market on Saturday with Louise from Neighbourhood Watch. A large number of people attended with some good contacts made along with some good information gained and lots of leaflets given out from the Crime Prevention table that Louise brilliantly set up. PCSO Mark also attended a Dementia awareness pop up event run by Orbit at one of their sheltered schemes in Belvedere. All other Orbit Schemes are invited and Mark had a good time with residents making Easter cards and decorating eggs as well as afternoon entertainment provided by a singer. A good time was had by all". Northumberland Heath ward:- "Good news this week no burglaries reported to us! Two criminal damage to motor vehicles, one in Streamway on Wednesday March 22nd between 9am – 11.20am, and one in Brantwood Avenue overnight on Monday March 26th.One theft of a motorbike in Hythe Avenue on the evening of Friday March 23rd. Coral bookmakers in Bexley Road had a window smashed by a disgruntled customer on Saturday March 24th. Police are investigating an incident which took place in Brook Street on Monday evening this week, where a fight broke out between occupants in two vehicles passing through Northumberland Heath. No further details are known at this time. We have had numerous reports of youths riding motorcycles in the recreation ground in Northumberland Heath over the last few evenings. The team have viewed comments made on social media in relation to this and have seen the images and videos uploaded. From these images we have already identified two youths, who we will be taking action against in response to this. We have already previously dealt with these two youths for ASB in North Heath. We did respond to this, and patrolled the park within twenty minutes of the call being made to us but the bikes and riders had already moved on .We are patrolling the recreation ground as often as we can and we will be conducting both uniformed and plain clothed patrols in order to identify those responsible for this anti-social behaviour. We will be requesting extra police off road motor cycle patrols of the park and will be working with the council to tackle this issue". Thamesmead East ward:- "Residential burglary between 9.05am – 4pm Fieldfare Road - Victim states she returned home to find the back gate open and someone had been in her flat, however nothing has been taken. The victim also informed police that she kept a spare set of keys in her back garden in case she gets locked out. The spare keys are no longer there; Theft of pedal cycle between 9pm – 8am Grange Crescent - Victim stated that he arrived home at 9pm and put his bike in the garden (the garden gate had a latch on it, no other locks). The garden gate was open and the bike was gone at 8am.; 24/03/18 - Theft - between 1030am – 10:49am Redpoll Way - victim was unloading, no suspects seen, two bags went missing, no CCTV. The bags contained Clothes and paperwork; 26/03/18 - Theft from motor vehicle between 8pm – 7am Mangold Way - Victim left her vehicle parked locked and secure in a communal car park area outside her home address. When she returned to the vehicle at 7am she noticed that her front and rear number plates were missing; Criminal damage to motor vehicle - between 4:30pm - 8:30am Hartslock Drive - Victim parked her vehicle in the parking bays O/S Oakenholt House, SE2 Victim returned to the vehicle to find that the front passenger tyre has been punctured. During parts of last week, the team have being patrolling parts of the ward ,conducting weapon and drug sweeps, as part of our ongoing commitment to reduce violent crime and drug dealing. Good piece of work, Officers discovered cannabis plants at an address in Thamesmead, after assisting the London Fire Brigade due to reports of a water leak at the property. No person was present. Enquiries continue to trace owner." Now for a special message from Dana Wiffen, the Chairman of Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association:- "Bexley-NW AGM -The Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Annual General Meeting takes place at Geddes Place United Reformed Church, Geddes Place, Bexleyheath on Friday 8th June 2018 at 7.30pm. All Coordinators are warmly invited to attend. We are planning to apply the same theme as last year with the first half focused on NW business and the second enabling Coordinators to network with each other as well as police and other guests. Refreshments will be available. An agenda will be sent out nearer the time. Please RSVP by replying to this email or calling the NW office on 020 8284 5537. Please remember to keep all your information about criminal/suspicious activity around your covered area coming into us, all DWOs are contributing more detailed information and we would like to mix this with plenty of information including positive feedback from you all. REMINDER - ST. GEORGE'S DAY QUIZ NIGHT Just to remind you if you have not applied yet that we are having our fund raising quiz night on Monday 23rd April 2018 - 7pm at The Conservative Club in Bexleyheath Broadway. There is a number limit and last year we were oversubscribed so don't delay! Please contact the office for tickets, they are £8.00 per person teams of 8 would be preferable but not essential, food and drink is available from the club bar.  We would like to congratulate all those ward teams that have worked hard to give informative and positive information for our members, the increased content and information that is being offered for our weekly reports, has not gone unnoticed. I am sure that all our NW-Coordinators that receive this information on Thursdays appreciate the hard work put in by the relevant DWO's in ensuring their ward reports are informative. While we need to see burglary, attempted burglary, car crime, ASB etc.. it's good to see arrest information and surgery dates as well".

The end video this week is a follow - up to the recent one showing the Erith Lighthouse pop - up restaurant, which was located initially in the Erith Riverside Gardens, and later moved to Erith Pier last year. This is a time - lapse video showing the construction of the eye - catching temporary structure. I understand that we may well be seeing more of it in the future.