After the recent artillery barrage that was the annual Guy Fawkes Night and Diwali fireworks, I started thinking; does the huge rise in anti social behaviour, and increase in noise nuisance - which especially affects pets and other domestic animals, and the increase in fire risk, really justify the general public having access to fireworks? I have come to the personal conclusion that the risk of privately held and used fireworks greatly exceeds the benefits. One still hears of terrible burns injuries, and also the increased use of fireworks as weapons of both terror and to cause arson. On top of this there is the tons of soot and ash they get released into the atmosphere by the unregulated release of fireworks, which cannot be good for the environment - when you consider how vehicle and open fire emissions have now been tightly regulated for some decades, it strikes me as unusual in the extreme that no environmental laws have been brought in regarding fireworks and the negative effect their smoke has on the atmosphere. I think licenced and regulated firework displays are preferable. What do you think? Do you have a strong opinion either way on the matter? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
An update on the refurbishment and conversion work that has been taking place in the old Andrew Carnegie gifted library in Walnut Tree Road:- "The public will be able to go inside Erith’s iconic Carnegie building and enjoy several exciting events before Christmas, prior to its official opening on 1 February 2019. Local company, The Exchange, who are managing the building, will be hosting a free exhibition by arts project Centrepieces from 19 November. The exhibition will encompass painting, sculpture, mask making and photography. An auction of the art featured will take place on Saturday 1 December. Tickets don’t need to be pre-booked: simply turn up and enjoy a variety of art in this unique space. Exhibition opening times will be publicised ahead of the auction. The Exchange will also host a three-week Pop-up Cinema from Thursday 6 December until Friday 21 December from 6pm until 11pm in the building. This cinematic treat will see poetry, classic literature, short stories, comics and graphic novels get the big screen treatment. Films to be shown include, amongst others, Black Panther, Pulp Fiction and O Brother Where art thou. Tickets can be purchased online and cost £4 per adult. Cllr Louie French, Bexley’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth said: “It’s wonderful to see this beautiful old building being brought back into use for the benefit of the local community. Erith is one of the main locations that will benefit from our ambitious growth strategy for the borough, and we have an ongoing programme of regeneration, aimed at developing the town into a thriving riverside community.” Following its official opening in February, the lower ground floor of the building will be available for use by the public. This will house ‘The Conversation Room’, an area for creativity and community events, as well as ‘The Bookstore Cafe’, a fantastic new space for freshly produced food and drink. The improvements to the Carnegie Building are part of the Greater Erith Programme funded by Bexley Council and the Mayor of London. For more information go www.greatererith.com. London Borough of Bexley and The Exchange have received National Lottery Funding to further develop the regeneration project at the Carnegie building and will use this development funding to progress their plans to apply for a full grant in 2019. The next phase of the works will focus on making the upper parts of the building available for work and studio space. For more information on the Centrepieces art exhibition and to book tickets for the Pop-up Cinema go to www.theexchangeerith.com".
I was one of the first 500 people in the UK to sign up for a Google Gmail account, and as one of the very early adopters / Beta testers back in 2004, I have never had any kind of adverts pushed to my account. Google have kept the user interface and functionality of the World's favourite browser based Email client largely unchanged for years, due mainly to the resistance to change of many of their core users. This changed back in May of this year, when an entirely new look and feel, and enhanced functionality version of the web application was made available to users in certain regions around the world. These have now been released to all users. One of the main changes in Gmail is that you now have the ability for Google's AI (Artificial Intelligence) to auto complete sentences for you. I have been experimenting with this for a while now, and for me it is actually quite good. I understand that some Gmail users have been less than happy with the new functionality - but the good news for them is that they can switch it off quite easily - ironically you can run a Google search to find out how to do it.
Cross River Thames travel has been even worse than normal recently; I have had reports from several readers that just getting across the Dartford River Crossing has taken an average of two and a half hours in some cases recently. Accidents, emergency roadway and tunnel repairs along with a host of other issues have been the cause of the delays. This has been made even worse by the closure of the Woolwich ferry until the New Year, due to engineering works on the piers which the new hybrid ferries will dock with. If this was not bad enough, the Blackwall Tunnel has also had a series of closures and times of restricted availability. It is almost as if the whole of London East of Tower Bridge has been conspiring against the motorist and HGV driver. The London Borough of Bexley currently has some of the worst public transport connectivity of any borough in Greater London. Compared with our neighbours, we have no DLR, no Tube and Crossrail has been delayed for at least a year - my sources indicate possibly substantially longer.
The much vaunted, but actually quite apathetic roll - out of Smart energy meters in the UK has hit yet another problem; Consumers who have a smart meter fitted, and then change energy supplier quite frequently find that their meter then stops working, as the communication protocols used by different energy supplier vary considerably. Smart Meters send real – time power usage data back to the supplier via a 3G mobile phone signal. This means that the meter does not have to be connected to a home data network. This sounds all well and good; the power company can bill you without having to send a meter reader to your house, and you get the option to monitor your power usage in an almost real – time way. There are however, problems. The data sent from the Smart Meter to the supplier is sent unencrypted, and “in the clear”; it is possible to intercept the data stream, and also a malicious attacker can potentially send instructions to the meter remotely. Several Smart Meter companies do tacitly admit this, but they play the whole lack of security aspect down. Secondly if one discounts the security implications, the various energy companies all supply different Smart Meters, many of which are incompatible with each other. If you choose to change your energy supplier, you will need to have your Smart Meter changed again – with the associated additional cost to you that this implies. Admittedly, the first meter you have installed is "free" - actually the cost of the meter is rolled into your overall bill. Tellingly, on the EDF Smart Meter letter I received recently, there are a series of frequently asked questions. EDF initially state in the letter that “your current meter is old and now needs to be replaced – you need to book an appointment for an engineer to carry out this work”. They then go on to stress how old meters can be inaccurate and possibly unsafe. There is a giveaway in the FAQ’s that follow though – and I quote verbatim:- “Occasionally we may be unable to install a Smart Meter, usually due to communications issues with signal strength. If this happens we will not replace your meter, but will contact you again when we believe the Smart Meter national infrastructure will be able to support a Smart Meter in your premises.” There is the smoking gun – they don't actually need to replace the meter for the accuracy and safety concerns expressed earlier – they purely want to do it to make you have a Smart Meter, with all the security, privacy and expense worries that they entail. I have a preferred technique for dealing with such unwanted attention – I ignore everything they send me until they eventually give up and go away. Over three thousand Smart Meter customers have contacted Citizens Advice in the last year with problems regarding the meters, which the energy supply companies have been reluctant, or unable to address. Some said they had experienced problems when having a smart meter installed, with engineers failing to turn up or being unable to fit the device into the space available. Some were also frustrated that despite having a smart meter, they still had to submit readings manually. Customers also complained about energy firms using aggressive sales practices to push them into having a smart meter installed when they didn't want one. So far more than 11 million smart meters have been installed. Citizens Advice warned that with 42 million smart meters still to go, the 2020 deadline was 'unrealistic'. It has now called on the Government to delay the smart meter deadline to 2023. Even Smart Energy GB, an organisation set up by the Government to promote smart meters but funded by suppliers, has produced research that indicates lukewarm interest amongst consumers. An independent survey by Populus that gathered the views of more than 10,000 people found that less than half of those who didn’t yet have a meter said they would want one installed within the next six months. Negative coverage of the meters including on the BBC’s Watchdog consumer affairs programme may also have dampened householders’ enthusiasm. In July, MPs called on the Government to urgently review the smart meter roll-out which they said was 'over time, over budget and mismanaged'. The British Infrastructure Group of MPs and Lords warned that half of smart meters stop working when customers switch supplier, while a tenth were not functioning due to poor mobile phone signal. The average annual saving on a gas and electricity bill by 2020 was estimated in 2014 to be £26, but this has now been reduced to just £11, MPs said. Smart Meters primarily benefit the energy companies, because they no longer need to employ meter readers. The benefits to the consumer are minimal at best, and when allied to the security and compatibility concerns mentioned earlier, they don't add up for me, especially when the much vaunted money saving aspect turns out to be a white elephant. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
For a local medium - sized performing arts and live music venue, it is quite surprising how many people are not aware of The Mick Jagger Centre in Shepherds Lane, Dartford. It is located within the grounds of Dartford Grammar School. It is named after the Rolling Stones singer Sir Mick Jagger, who was a pupil at the school. The centre contains are two main performance spaces, a recording studio, rehearsal rooms, a bar and gallery. The Small Room has a capacity of 150 seated; the Big Room can seat 350 or hold 600 standing. The centre cost £2.25m, and was funded by a National Lottery grant of £1.7m with a further contribution from Jagger himself. Construction on the arena started in 1998 and it was opened in March 2000 by the Duke of Kent and Mick Jagger. At its opening, Jagger was persuaded by a student to sign the wall of one of the new music classrooms with "I was back", which is still displayed today. There is also a giant mural of Jagger on the wall of the entrance hall to the centre. I would strongly recommend visiting The Mick Jagger Centre - they host some great events. I went there last night to see accomplished Genesis tribute band Los Endos, who were superb. Despite the weather being absolutely atrocious, with driving rain, and even some thunder, there was a packed house to watch the band play the set that Genesis played when they headlined the Knebworth Festival in 1978. An excellent evening was had by all, and thanks to The Rev for the photos above - click on either for a larger view. Incidentally, I have been proved right in my recent opinion that the Queen / Freddie Mercury biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" - which got a lukewarm reception by many professional film reviewers, would prove to be a critic proof movie. At the time of writing, the film has world wide box office receipts in excess of $188 million on a production budget of $52 million. It would seem that the public have voted by putting their bums on cinema seats.
Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association; firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Two crimes of note to report this week, the first being a burglary in Westfield Road which occurred whilst the occupiers were away from the 31st October to the 4th November. Entry was gained into the property by suspect(s) forcing open the rear kitchen window. It is unknown at time of reporting as to what property has been stolen. This is the second recent burglary in this street the last occurring between 22nd October to 29th October again whilst the occupiers were away. Consider using lights with timers or fake TV's whilst away from home. These can be purchased from various outlets at reasonable costs. The team have increased patrols in the area and spoke with a number of residents offering crime prevention advice where appropriate. A new neighbourhood watch co ordinator has been recruited in Westfield and we look forward to working with him. In addition to extra uniformed patrols we will also be conducting some plain clothes patrols, please help us by reporting anything suspicious, no matter how small. The second crime was a theft from motor vehicle which happened overnight from the 4th November from 8pm to 6am in Appledore Avenue, suspect(s) have gained entry into a Citroen van and stolen a number of power and hand tools from the rear. There was no visible damage to the van. Please do not leave valuable in vehicles overnight including visible small change, make sure that your car is locked, do not rely on the remote locking system always check that the doors are secured by checking manually. We have video footage of a male in the early hours of the morning going from car to car trying door handles (currently under investigation). Please join a member of the local team on Friday 9th November at 11am at Barnehurst Golf Course to discuss any local issues that may be of concern. Thank you to all our twitter followers we have broken through the 600 mark with 611 – please spread the word and follow us @MPSBarnehurst to find out what the team are up to and for all the latest crime prevention advice". Belvedere ward:- "The team have been very busy over the Halloween and Bonfire Night period. We have led in 3 warrants relating to drugs that were carried out on Erith, Northumberland Heath and Belvedere wards, being joined and assisted by officers from the respective Safer Neighbourhood teams. At each location, there were drugs found at three whilst assisting at a fourth we discovered paraphernalia suggesting the person involved could be supplying drugs to others. There was a burglary on Wednesday 31st October between 5 and 5.30pm at in Clive Road at which the suspects responsible were interrupted by the residents returning to their home. At this stage it appears that no items were removed from the property. Should anyone have witnessed any activity in relation to this incident, please contact the team on 0208 721 2050. Over the weekend, we were again joined by officers from neighbouring teams to conduct patrols of problem areas in the North of the borough. We responded to incidents not only in Belvedere, but also in Crayford, Northumberland Heath and Erith". Bexleyheath ward:- "We have had a burglary reported along Upton Road Bexleyheath on the 06/11/2018. Entry was gained via the front patio door and jewellery had been stolen. Also on the same day along Upton Road there was another report of a window being smashed at the victim property and the suspect was disturbed from a burglary. There was an attempted burglary along Midhurst Hill Bexleyheath on the Saturday 03/11/2018. Suspect had tried to gain entry to the garage but were disturbed; Saturday 3/11/2018 – There was a report of a theft of purse in the card factory shop along the Broadway Bexleyheath. Also on the Friday 02/11/2018 there was report of someone being pick pocketed; Friday 2/11/2018 – There was a theft reported along Gravel Hill Close. Suspects had accessed the victims back garden via their neighbours garage and had stolen tools; Monday 5/11/2018 – Victim had reported that they were pick pocketed in a shop in the Broadway area; Monday 5/11/2018 – Victim had their phone and cash stolen from their bag whilst shopping; Friday 2/11/2018 – Mobile phone was stolen from victim whilst leaving phone unattended at the Furze Wren Pub. The team conduct regular hi-visibility burglary patrols along Woolwich Road and Lathan Road. Also patrols are conducted in the car park areas and the Broadway to reduce anti-social behaviour, also including Martens Grove Park. We have also been helping another team in Hall Place Crayford conducting joint ASB patrols in that area. Weapon sweeps are being conducted daily to find weapons that may be hidden away and then used in crime. Please find the enclosed attachment which is an invitation to a public meeting on the Monday 29th November 2018 which you may find useful. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone". Crayford ward:- "Between 17.33 on Tuesday 30th October and 5.30 on Wednesday 31st October a shed to the rear of Greggs in Crayford Road was broken in to. The door hinges and door were damaged but nothing was stolen. On Wednesday 31st October at 19.00, two wing mirrors were snapped off two vehicles by youths whilst parked in Chapel Hill. A van was broken in to on Tuesday 30th October between 15.00-16.00 and tools stolen whilst parked in the car park at Crayside Leisure Centre, no further details are known. A robbery of personal property occurred at Station Approach near to Crayford BR Station on Wednesday 31st October at about 23.30-23.40. The victim was kicked in the stomach and £50 cash stolen. Front and rear number plates were stolen from a grey VW Golf whilst parked in Manor Road on Wednesday 31st October between 14.00-15.30. On Monday 5th November at 19.43 a resident was returning home and parking their vehicle outside their home when it became apparent to them that three youths were kicking in their front door, a panel had been kicked through but no entry made. This occurred in Iron Mill Lane and the youths ran off toward Barnes Cray Road. An eagled eyed resident in Barnes Cray Road had earlier reported Males looking at properties and believed to be suspicious, police did attend but they had departed the area already. A quantity of steel stolen on Sunday 4th November during the morning from a business in on the Acorn Industrial Estate. The suspect is described as a white male aged approx. 45 years and driving a large white van. We do not have community contact sessions arranged for next week but on Saturday 17th November will be with our colleagues on Bexleyheath Broadway for the Christmas Lights event". Erith ward:- "This week we have been carrying out daily weapon sweeps. We also attended the Slade Green Cinema club which a lot of residents of Erith attend. This is a nice way for people to speak to us about any issues they may be having. Some of the team have been working late shifts this week patrolling ASB areas across the ward, including West Street. We also have another officer joining us for this month while he is waiting for his new role to start, this is good news for Erith as we have 3 PCs for the month of November. Crime this week: Burg (Bus/Com) Sunday 04/11/2018 McDonalds Restaurants Ltd, James Watt Way – Charity box stolen; Theft of cycle Friday 02/11/2018, Bexley Road – Bike stolen from outside address; Burg Res Sunday 28/10/2018, Holly Hill Road – untidy search of house and TV stolen; Burg (Bus/Com) Monday 05/11/2018, Park Crescent – Money and electoral equipment stolen entry through read door; Shoplift <£200 Monday 05/11/2018 Farm Foods Ltd, Pier Road – Male stopped by Erith SNT the next day and he is now banned from the store and a crime reported; Theft of MV Friday 02/11/2018 Riverdale Road – car stolen from being parked in the street". Northumberland Heath ward:- "A dispersal zone was implemented on October 31st, Halloween in Northumberland Heath. Any groups of youths seen, or believed to be behaving in an anti-social manner were dispersed with immediate effect. Thankfully, the team only stopped a small group in Brook Street and they were dispersed. Compared to previous years, there were no incidents to report. One burglary in Frinsted Road Erith. This took place overnight between Tuesday 30th October and Wednesday 31st. The occupants came downstairs to discover a wallet and two handbags containing cash, credit cards and personal items were stolen. It is believed the door was forced with a tool. One commercial business burglary in Byron Drive Erith overnight on Wednesday 31st October. A garage was broken in to and fishing equipment was stolen. One theft of number plates from a vehicle in Byron Drive on Saturday November 3rd. A white transit van was stolen from Hurst Road Erith overnight on Monday 29th October and also a minibus parked in Avenue Road was stolen overnight on Sunday November 4th. On Thursday November 1st a vehicle in Brook Street had a window smashed but nothing was taken. Two males were seen on CCTV in the early hours of Wednesday 31st October by a resident in Buxton Road in their garden paying close attention to a motorbike. The Males then looked , in to their window, before moving to the front of the house and looking in to cars parked on the drive. A white van was also seen at 4am driving slowly up and down Buxton Road. Wednesday October 31st.. Several other residents reported garden furniture moved in order to access neighbours' gardens, one resident had their garage broken in to but nothing was stolen other than a packet of cigarettes. These incidents took place overnight between Tuesday 30th October and Wednesday 31st October. Another resident in Buxton Road reported suspicious activity in their garden in the early hours of Saturday November 3rd. An elderly couple in Matfield Road very unfortunate victims of a scam. This took place on between October 25th to October 31st. The victim had a ramp put on his driveway in September and appeared to be retaining water. Two males claiming to be from a building company offered their services and asked for £2,000 deposit before starting work on the repair. A small amount of work was completed before the builders asked for another several thousand pounds in order to use specialist equipment. The victim made several bank withdrawals and returned to the bank again before a member of staff alerted police. The work was never completed and the victim has lost a very large amount of money over the week he employed the builders. Following Bonfire night on November 5th we have had one report of criminal damage to a window in Cray Road".
Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Good news in that there are no crime reports of note in the last week. Extra patrols have been out on Halloween and Bonfire Night with PC mark and James working until late with other SNT officers on neighbouring wards. Several groups were stopped and moved on Halloween and there were also 2 positive stop and searches with cannabis confiscated. One in Cedar Road was resulted in a Community Resolution and the other is due due back for an interview in the next couple of weeks. No incidents to report from patrols on Bonfire Night. On Tuesday PCSO Mark attended the Slade Green Seniors Movie Club with PCSO Adam from Erith SNT. While there they engaged with all the attendees who were looking forward to a showing of the Hitchcock classic, Rear Window. Once the group were seated Mark and Adam left and stumbled across a known shoplifter in Erith who was taken to Farm Foods and given a banning order not to return to the shop. We had a meeting today with Bexley Youth services who runs the Youth group at Slade Green Community Centre. Some good information was shared between us all with more positive ID received from all parties in regards the group causing ASB in and around Rainbow Road and Forest Road. Positive steps will be taken to clamp down on individuals in the group with several home visits and harassment warning letters issued. Our next CCS is from 10am, also in the Forest Road café on Saturday 17/11/2018". Thamesmead East Ward:- "Burglaries - No Burglaries this week. Crime prevention - With the evenings starting to get darker earlier, make your home look occupied, using Timer Lights and Security Lights. Install a Burglar Alarm. Remember to lock windows and double lock doors. Motor Vehicle Crimes Between the hours of 10:00pm on Sunday 28/10/18 and 10:30am on Wednesday 31/10/18 a vehicle parked in Buckwheat Court, Holstein Way had the driver's side window smashed.A vehicle parked locked and secure outside of Oakenholt house, Hartslock Drive had the drivers side window smashed ,nothing taken. This happened on Thursday 29/10/18 between the hours of 01:30 pm and 02:42pm on Thursday 01/11/18.On Friday 02/11/18 the owner of a Piaggio scooter believed that the number plate was stolen whilst parked in Eastgate House. Local Event: Community Contact Session - Wednesday 14/11/18 between the hours of 1:00 pm and 2:00pm at The Lakeside Centre, Yarnton Way. An opportunity for members of the community who prefer face- to – face contact to speak with a Dedicated Ward Officer. West Heath ward:- "There have been no reported motor vehicle crimes this week but unfortunately we have had two burglaries. There was a burglary in Canberra Road overnight Wednesday 31/10/18 into Thursday 1/11/18 between the hours of 2230-0330. Entry was gained via an insecure front window light which was hidden behind large bushes in the front garden. Electrical goods and documents taken, victim only discovered the break in when they came down stairs in the morning to find their front door open. There was another burglary in Madison Crescent on the Thursday 1/11/18 in the early hours of the evening between 1855-1904 hours. A rear ground floor kitchen window was forced open, possibly with a screwdriver, and a quantity of jewellery taken following an untidy search of the whole house". West Heath ward:- "There have been no reported motor vehicle crimes this week but unfortunately we have had two burglaries. There was a burglary in Canberra Road overnight Wednesday 31/10/18 into Thursday 1/11/18 between the hours of 2230-0330. Entry was gained via an insecure front window light which was hidden behind large bushes in the front garden. Electrical goods and documents taken, victim only discovered the break in when they came down stairs in the morning to find their front door open. There was another burglary in Madison Crescent on the Thursday 1/11/18 in the early hours of the evening between 1855-1904 hours. A rear ground floor kitchen window was forced open, possibly with a screwdriver, and a quantity of jewellery taken following an untidy search of the whole house".
For a local medium - sized performing arts and live music venue, it is quite surprising how many people are not aware of The Mick Jagger Centre in Shepherds Lane, Dartford. It is located within the grounds of Dartford Grammar School. It is named after the Rolling Stones singer Sir Mick Jagger, who was a pupil at the school. The centre contains are two main performance spaces, a recording studio, rehearsal rooms, a bar and gallery. The Small Room has a capacity of 150 seated; the Big Room can seat 350 or hold 600 standing. The centre cost £2.25m, and was funded by a National Lottery grant of £1.7m with a further contribution from Jagger himself. Construction on the arena started in 1998 and it was opened in March 2000 by the Duke of Kent and Mick Jagger. At its opening, Jagger was persuaded by a student to sign the wall of one of the new music classrooms with "I was back", which is still displayed today. There is also a giant mural of Jagger on the wall of the entrance hall to the centre. I would strongly recommend visiting The Mick Jagger Centre - they host some great events. I went there last night to see accomplished Genesis tribute band Los Endos, who were superb. Despite the weather being absolutely atrocious, with driving rain, and even some thunder, there was a packed house to watch the band play the set that Genesis played when they headlined the Knebworth Festival in 1978. An excellent evening was had by all, and thanks to The Rev for the photos above - click on either for a larger view. Incidentally, I have been proved right in my recent opinion that the Queen / Freddie Mercury biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" - which got a lukewarm reception by many professional film reviewers, would prove to be a critic proof movie. At the time of writing, the film has world wide box office receipts in excess of $188 million on a production budget of $52 million. It would seem that the public have voted by putting their bums on cinema seats.
Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association; firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Two crimes of note to report this week, the first being a burglary in Westfield Road which occurred whilst the occupiers were away from the 31st October to the 4th November. Entry was gained into the property by suspect(s) forcing open the rear kitchen window. It is unknown at time of reporting as to what property has been stolen. This is the second recent burglary in this street the last occurring between 22nd October to 29th October again whilst the occupiers were away. Consider using lights with timers or fake TV's whilst away from home. These can be purchased from various outlets at reasonable costs. The team have increased patrols in the area and spoke with a number of residents offering crime prevention advice where appropriate. A new neighbourhood watch co ordinator has been recruited in Westfield and we look forward to working with him. In addition to extra uniformed patrols we will also be conducting some plain clothes patrols, please help us by reporting anything suspicious, no matter how small. The second crime was a theft from motor vehicle which happened overnight from the 4th November from 8pm to 6am in Appledore Avenue, suspect(s) have gained entry into a Citroen van and stolen a number of power and hand tools from the rear. There was no visible damage to the van. Please do not leave valuable in vehicles overnight including visible small change, make sure that your car is locked, do not rely on the remote locking system always check that the doors are secured by checking manually. We have video footage of a male in the early hours of the morning going from car to car trying door handles (currently under investigation). Please join a member of the local team on Friday 9th November at 11am at Barnehurst Golf Course to discuss any local issues that may be of concern. Thank you to all our twitter followers we have broken through the 600 mark with 611 – please spread the word and follow us @MPSBarnehurst to find out what the team are up to and for all the latest crime prevention advice". Belvedere ward:- "The team have been very busy over the Halloween and Bonfire Night period. We have led in 3 warrants relating to drugs that were carried out on Erith, Northumberland Heath and Belvedere wards, being joined and assisted by officers from the respective Safer Neighbourhood teams. At each location, there were drugs found at three whilst assisting at a fourth we discovered paraphernalia suggesting the person involved could be supplying drugs to others. There was a burglary on Wednesday 31st October between 5 and 5.30pm at in Clive Road at which the suspects responsible were interrupted by the residents returning to their home. At this stage it appears that no items were removed from the property. Should anyone have witnessed any activity in relation to this incident, please contact the team on 0208 721 2050. Over the weekend, we were again joined by officers from neighbouring teams to conduct patrols of problem areas in the North of the borough. We responded to incidents not only in Belvedere, but also in Crayford, Northumberland Heath and Erith". Bexleyheath ward:- "We have had a burglary reported along Upton Road Bexleyheath on the 06/11/2018. Entry was gained via the front patio door and jewellery had been stolen. Also on the same day along Upton Road there was another report of a window being smashed at the victim property and the suspect was disturbed from a burglary. There was an attempted burglary along Midhurst Hill Bexleyheath on the Saturday 03/11/2018. Suspect had tried to gain entry to the garage but were disturbed; Saturday 3/11/2018 – There was a report of a theft of purse in the card factory shop along the Broadway Bexleyheath. Also on the Friday 02/11/2018 there was report of someone being pick pocketed; Friday 2/11/2018 – There was a theft reported along Gravel Hill Close. Suspects had accessed the victims back garden via their neighbours garage and had stolen tools; Monday 5/11/2018 – Victim had reported that they were pick pocketed in a shop in the Broadway area; Monday 5/11/2018 – Victim had their phone and cash stolen from their bag whilst shopping; Friday 2/11/2018 – Mobile phone was stolen from victim whilst leaving phone unattended at the Furze Wren Pub. The team conduct regular hi-visibility burglary patrols along Woolwich Road and Lathan Road. Also patrols are conducted in the car park areas and the Broadway to reduce anti-social behaviour, also including Martens Grove Park. We have also been helping another team in Hall Place Crayford conducting joint ASB patrols in that area. Weapon sweeps are being conducted daily to find weapons that may be hidden away and then used in crime. Please find the enclosed attachment which is an invitation to a public meeting on the Monday 29th November 2018 which you may find useful. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone". Crayford ward:- "Between 17.33 on Tuesday 30th October and 5.30 on Wednesday 31st October a shed to the rear of Greggs in Crayford Road was broken in to. The door hinges and door were damaged but nothing was stolen. On Wednesday 31st October at 19.00, two wing mirrors were snapped off two vehicles by youths whilst parked in Chapel Hill. A van was broken in to on Tuesday 30th October between 15.00-16.00 and tools stolen whilst parked in the car park at Crayside Leisure Centre, no further details are known. A robbery of personal property occurred at Station Approach near to Crayford BR Station on Wednesday 31st October at about 23.30-23.40. The victim was kicked in the stomach and £50 cash stolen. Front and rear number plates were stolen from a grey VW Golf whilst parked in Manor Road on Wednesday 31st October between 14.00-15.30. On Monday 5th November at 19.43 a resident was returning home and parking their vehicle outside their home when it became apparent to them that three youths were kicking in their front door, a panel had been kicked through but no entry made. This occurred in Iron Mill Lane and the youths ran off toward Barnes Cray Road. An eagled eyed resident in Barnes Cray Road had earlier reported Males looking at properties and believed to be suspicious, police did attend but they had departed the area already. A quantity of steel stolen on Sunday 4th November during the morning from a business in on the Acorn Industrial Estate. The suspect is described as a white male aged approx. 45 years and driving a large white van. We do not have community contact sessions arranged for next week but on Saturday 17th November will be with our colleagues on Bexleyheath Broadway for the Christmas Lights event". Erith ward:- "This week we have been carrying out daily weapon sweeps. We also attended the Slade Green Cinema club which a lot of residents of Erith attend. This is a nice way for people to speak to us about any issues they may be having. Some of the team have been working late shifts this week patrolling ASB areas across the ward, including West Street. We also have another officer joining us for this month while he is waiting for his new role to start, this is good news for Erith as we have 3 PCs for the month of November. Crime this week: Burg (Bus/Com) Sunday 04/11/2018 McDonalds Restaurants Ltd, James Watt Way – Charity box stolen; Theft of cycle Friday 02/11/2018, Bexley Road – Bike stolen from outside address; Burg Res Sunday 28/10/2018, Holly Hill Road – untidy search of house and TV stolen; Burg (Bus/Com) Monday 05/11/2018, Park Crescent – Money and electoral equipment stolen entry through read door; Shoplift <£200 Monday 05/11/2018 Farm Foods Ltd, Pier Road – Male stopped by Erith SNT the next day and he is now banned from the store and a crime reported; Theft of MV Friday 02/11/2018 Riverdale Road – car stolen from being parked in the street". Northumberland Heath ward:- "A dispersal zone was implemented on October 31st, Halloween in Northumberland Heath. Any groups of youths seen, or believed to be behaving in an anti-social manner were dispersed with immediate effect. Thankfully, the team only stopped a small group in Brook Street and they were dispersed. Compared to previous years, there were no incidents to report. One burglary in Frinsted Road Erith. This took place overnight between Tuesday 30th October and Wednesday 31st. The occupants came downstairs to discover a wallet and two handbags containing cash, credit cards and personal items were stolen. It is believed the door was forced with a tool. One commercial business burglary in Byron Drive Erith overnight on Wednesday 31st October. A garage was broken in to and fishing equipment was stolen. One theft of number plates from a vehicle in Byron Drive on Saturday November 3rd. A white transit van was stolen from Hurst Road Erith overnight on Monday 29th October and also a minibus parked in Avenue Road was stolen overnight on Sunday November 4th. On Thursday November 1st a vehicle in Brook Street had a window smashed but nothing was taken. Two males were seen on CCTV in the early hours of Wednesday 31st October by a resident in Buxton Road in their garden paying close attention to a motorbike. The Males then looked , in to their window, before moving to the front of the house and looking in to cars parked on the drive. A white van was also seen at 4am driving slowly up and down Buxton Road. Wednesday October 31st.. Several other residents reported garden furniture moved in order to access neighbours' gardens, one resident had their garage broken in to but nothing was stolen other than a packet of cigarettes. These incidents took place overnight between Tuesday 30th October and Wednesday 31st October. Another resident in Buxton Road reported suspicious activity in their garden in the early hours of Saturday November 3rd. An elderly couple in Matfield Road very unfortunate victims of a scam. This took place on between October 25th to October 31st. The victim had a ramp put on his driveway in September and appeared to be retaining water. Two males claiming to be from a building company offered their services and asked for £2,000 deposit before starting work on the repair. A small amount of work was completed before the builders asked for another several thousand pounds in order to use specialist equipment. The victim made several bank withdrawals and returned to the bank again before a member of staff alerted police. The work was never completed and the victim has lost a very large amount of money over the week he employed the builders. Following Bonfire night on November 5th we have had one report of criminal damage to a window in Cray Road".
Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Good news in that there are no crime reports of note in the last week. Extra patrols have been out on Halloween and Bonfire Night with PC mark and James working until late with other SNT officers on neighbouring wards. Several groups were stopped and moved on Halloween and there were also 2 positive stop and searches with cannabis confiscated. One in Cedar Road was resulted in a Community Resolution and the other is due due back for an interview in the next couple of weeks. No incidents to report from patrols on Bonfire Night. On Tuesday PCSO Mark attended the Slade Green Seniors Movie Club with PCSO Adam from Erith SNT. While there they engaged with all the attendees who were looking forward to a showing of the Hitchcock classic, Rear Window. Once the group were seated Mark and Adam left and stumbled across a known shoplifter in Erith who was taken to Farm Foods and given a banning order not to return to the shop. We had a meeting today with Bexley Youth services who runs the Youth group at Slade Green Community Centre. Some good information was shared between us all with more positive ID received from all parties in regards the group causing ASB in and around Rainbow Road and Forest Road. Positive steps will be taken to clamp down on individuals in the group with several home visits and harassment warning letters issued. Our next CCS is from 10am, also in the Forest Road café on Saturday 17/11/2018". Thamesmead East Ward:- "Burglaries - No Burglaries this week. Crime prevention - With the evenings starting to get darker earlier, make your home look occupied, using Timer Lights and Security Lights. Install a Burglar Alarm. Remember to lock windows and double lock doors. Motor Vehicle Crimes Between the hours of 10:00pm on Sunday 28/10/18 and 10:30am on Wednesday 31/10/18 a vehicle parked in Buckwheat Court, Holstein Way had the driver's side window smashed.A vehicle parked locked and secure outside of Oakenholt house, Hartslock Drive had the drivers side window smashed ,nothing taken. This happened on Thursday 29/10/18 between the hours of 01:30 pm and 02:42pm on Thursday 01/11/18.On Friday 02/11/18 the owner of a Piaggio scooter believed that the number plate was stolen whilst parked in Eastgate House. Local Event: Community Contact Session - Wednesday 14/11/18 between the hours of 1:00 pm and 2:00pm at The Lakeside Centre, Yarnton Way. An opportunity for members of the community who prefer face- to – face contact to speak with a Dedicated Ward Officer. West Heath ward:- "There have been no reported motor vehicle crimes this week but unfortunately we have had two burglaries. There was a burglary in Canberra Road overnight Wednesday 31/10/18 into Thursday 1/11/18 between the hours of 2230-0330. Entry was gained via an insecure front window light which was hidden behind large bushes in the front garden. Electrical goods and documents taken, victim only discovered the break in when they came down stairs in the morning to find their front door open. There was another burglary in Madison Crescent on the Thursday 1/11/18 in the early hours of the evening between 1855-1904 hours. A rear ground floor kitchen window was forced open, possibly with a screwdriver, and a quantity of jewellery taken following an untidy search of the whole house". West Heath ward:- "There have been no reported motor vehicle crimes this week but unfortunately we have had two burglaries. There was a burglary in Canberra Road overnight Wednesday 31/10/18 into Thursday 1/11/18 between the hours of 2230-0330. Entry was gained via an insecure front window light which was hidden behind large bushes in the front garden. Electrical goods and documents taken, victim only discovered the break in when they came down stairs in the morning to find their front door open. There was another burglary in Madison Crescent on the Thursday 1/11/18 in the early hours of the evening between 1855-1904 hours. A rear ground floor kitchen window was forced open, possibly with a screwdriver, and a quantity of jewellery taken following an untidy search of the whole house".
Once again the local train lines have been subject to serious delays and disruption; the most recent cause was due to signalling failure. One increasingly common problem for railways all around the UK is not down to any kind of technology; more down to biology. A non - native, aggressively invasive group of plant species, which are taking over railway cuttings and causing all sorts of problems. It is called Buddleja (or Buddleia), a green leafy bush with purple flowers. Also known as Butterfly Bush because of the attraction to it from butterflies, it grows in any crack or crevice it can find. It destroys walls and masonry with its' roots as well as underground power and signalling cables. Once established, it can be very difficult to eradicate. You can see Buddleja plants at pretty much every railway station and by every trackside in great profusion. Buddleja plants grow very quickly, overtaking native plant species, and they are very hard to destroy effectively. Buddleja plants produce a large number of seeds (up to 3 million per plant per year on a large bush) that are dispersed by the wind and can spread to a large area in a short space of time. Like many invasive species, Buddleja does not have the biological controls that affect native plants and is, therefore, able to grow unchecked. The size of a Buddleja plant varies depending on the location, however, it is common for the shrubs to grow up 5 metres tall. The leaves of a Buddleja plant are dark green with serrated edges. If you look closely, you will find very fine hairs on the underside of leaves and the stem. The flower heads of mature Buddleja plants grow in long tapered clusters, typically purple or violet in colour. The flowers have a peppery fragrance and it is rich in nectar, making it a very popular choice for with insects. Once Buddleja begins to grow, its root systems can weaken any materials as they can grow through masonry and brickwork. This means Buddleja has the potential to cause costly repair bills or even render a property unsafe/unstable/uninhabitable. If the Buddleja is growing on the riverbanks it can cause major erosion as it spreads and dies off. This invasive plant was one of the causes of the extensive landslide in Fraser Road that blocked the pavement for several weeks earlier in the year. The land was only stabilised after extensive (and expensive) specialist contractors were employed by Bexley Council's highways department to make good the damage caused by a combination of a Buddleja infestation, and drought caused by the heatwave causing the soil to dry out and shrink. Buddleja is considered to be detrimental to the biodiversity of sites due to its vigorous growth, outgrowing native plants and outcompeting them for natural resources. This is especially problematic alongside river banks where dense strands of Buddleja eliminate other plants leaving the banks susceptible to floods and erosion. Below you can see a short video which further explains and illustrates the problem of this unwanted and harmful invasive plant. Please feel free to either leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
