Incinerator blues.

I took the photos above last week. Click on either for a larger view; they show the former Belvedere Police Station now surrounded by wooden fencing; demolition work has already begun. Inevitably a block of residential apartments is to be built on the site. In essence, Belvedere Police Station was shut and sold off to save the Metropolitan Police £91,000 a year - only a little more than is paid to employ a single Chief Superintendent. I am not sure how this is meant to represent good value for money, but the decision has been made, and the current situation is a "done deal". What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

As regular readers will be aware, I have in the past benchmarked the activities (or indeed lack thereof) of Bexley Council against our close neighbours on the opposite side of the River Thames in the London Borough of Havering. The two boroughs are remarkably similar in many ways; both have a broadly similar population demographic, geography and council tax budget, yet it seems to me that Havering seem to get much more out of their finances than Bexley do, and this is not just me thinking that "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence". As an example, the News Shopper have ran a story last year about the anniversary of the cancellation of the very popular Danson Festival. It is now six years since the council cancelled the annual festival, erroneously stating that this was a temporary cancellation due to problems with the geology of the park, and drainage issues. In an interview with the News Shopper, a spoke person for Bexley Council said:- "Unfortunately Danson mid-park is not currently suitable for large-scale events such as the Danson Festival. The council saves approximately £150,000 from not putting on the festival. Whilst the festival has not been held for a number of years, we have recently increased the number of community and cultural events we have hosted and supported – and we continue to look at new opportunities to bring the community together to share experiences and celebrate". In reality a festival has been held in Danson Park since - but it has been run by a commercial events company called Oakleigh Fairs, who charge for admission. The fair is running this weekend, and entrance fees are £7 per adult, and £4.50 per child. Attractions include arts, crafts, food, drink, gifts, and trade stands. On Sunday, a Companion Dog Show, and a children's entertainer. This all rather contradicts the statement that the park could not be used due to drainage issues. The real reason is that Bexley Council do not want to spend £150,000 on the very popular event. It is my understanding that the free, council run festival in the past actually operated at a modest profit. This all does look rather poor in comparison with Havering, who run a huge event in Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch during the month of August. The very popular event, which is having its 41st anniversary this year, which will be held on August Bank Holiday Weekend, Sunday 25th and Monday 26th August 2019. Acts appearing include:- Aswad, Toploader, Alison Limerick, Eban Brown, Mr Soul, Livin' Joy, Oye Santana, Exposé, Tina Turner Tribute, Robbie Williams Tribute. There will also be a large Fairground, Fairkytes Live Stage, a Community Performance Stage, Licensed Bars, Street Food and Children’s Attractions. All this at a cost of £3 per adult, and children under 10 go free. Value - wise, the Havering Show looks like it beats the Danson commercial festival hands down - better acts, more stages, a wider variety of attractions and all for less than half the price of the Danson Show. This is not the only way in which public arts are better catered for in Havering; It also plays host to an arts festival, the award winning Romford Film Festival and a Havering in Bloom competition, to name but a few. Bearing in mind that Havering Borough Council has very similar demands and constraints to its budget as Bexley does, it does beg the question, how is it that Havering can offer popular arts and cultural events to its residents, but Bexley Council are unable, or more likely unwilling to? Effectively the arts offering in Bexley is outsourced to third parties, such as the excellent Exchange - a not for profit group who run the former Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith. Other than that, Bexley's offering to its residents is very poor in comparison to neighbouring boroughs such as Greenwich, who run the excellent - if pricey - Blackheath Festival over the weekend of the 13th and 14th of July, and which will feature acts such as Ali Campbell and Astro, Aswad, Brand New Heavies, Grace Jones, Incognito, Jacob Collier, James Morrison, Jamiroquai, Morcheeba, Rag n Bone Man, SG Lewis, Soul II Soul, Swing Out Sister, and The Roots. What do you think? Please feel free to leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Former host of The Big Break and The Generation Game, stand up comedian and former Shooter's Hill resident Jim Davidson is a very familiar TV presenter for anyone in the UK. He has appeared on numerous programmes and advertising spots. His self-confessed bankruptcy woes before successfully bouncing back are why Jim Davidson has been swept up in the latest wave of BitCoin robot software scams. The advert above, which has been created to fraudulently look like it is on the entertainments section of the Daily Mirror website, has been linked to the News Shopper website, as one of their "click bait" articles. At least £41,000 on average was lost each day in the past year to Bitcoin scams, according to new figures. Consumer interest group Which? is renewing its warnings about the dangers of dodgy so-called cryptocurrency investment firms that use fake celebrity endorsements to lure victims. Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency which exists only online and doesn’t have a central bank or country of origin, so can be traded anonymously. Action Fraud figures given exclusively to Which? show in the year to 19 March 2019, more than 1,200 victims collectively lost £15,248,130 to scams involving Bitcoin. Some people found themselves the victims of a double scam after being tricked by bogus companies promising to get their money back, for a fee – only to realise they had been conned once again. To be clear, Jim Davidson never endorsed any of these products. The people behind them simply believe that the public will think he did. Unfortunately, Bitcoin robots are only of use to their owners, who make money from gullible people who trust obviously false advertising claims like this one. Be warned. If it sounds too good to be true, it normally is.

I was watching a documentary on Amazon Prime the other night; it featured an international convention of Beatles tribute bands – there were South Korean and Ghanaian Beatles covers groups, amongst a huge number of others. I did not realise that there is a shop in Liverpool that specialises in selling costumes, wigs and boots to Beatle tribute bands, it is that much of a lucrative market. The programme was light hearted and warm and followed a few of the bands as they visited the locations featured in so many Beatles songs. This got me thinking; The Beatles have spawned a huge tourist industry in Liverpool, with Beatles themed tours, events and shows all over the city, all eager to being in the cash from the tourists eager to explore the place that the band called home. Their major contemporaries have fared less well. When you mention The Beatles, you immediately form an association with Liverpool. When you mention The Rolling Stones, you don’t immediately think of Dartford, do you? Yet the band had their roots in Dartford, even though their music had more in common with the Mississippi Delta than the Thames Estuary.  Apart from the excellent Mick Jagger performing arts centre, there is almost nothing to commemorate the band in Dartford – which is ironic, as unlike the Beatles, The Rolling Stones are still a (just about) going concern. I wonder if a lot of this is because the band abandoned the town to move to a house in West London as soon as they started to find success? There was a campaign to get a blue plaque installed on platform four of Dartford railway station a few years ago – where Mick and Keith first met after both visiting the West End to buy rare American blues records, where they discovered they shared the same musical passion, and the seeds of the band that would become The Rolling Stones were sown. Unfortunately nothing came of the campaign, which I think epitomises the rather ambivalent attitude some locals have to the group. The local area has been instrumental (if you will excuse the pun) in being home to Kate Bush (Welling), John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin (Sidcup) and David Bowie (Bromley). The musical influence this part of South East London / North Kent has had worldwide has had is huge; we just seem to be exceptionally poor at celebrating its’ success.  Going back to The Rolling Stones, one thing which has been unclear for years is the actual origin of their name. Some think it comes from the Muddy Waters song of the same name, which may indeed be the case. The thing is, what exactly is a rolling stone? Well, according to a source I read, it is nothing to do with a stone rolling down a hill. The “rolling stone that gathers no moss” actually refers to a 16th Century carved stone garden lawn roller; so The Rolling Stones, with all of their “bad boy” image are actually named after something you would find in a garden shed...

Other famous local residents have in the past included Sir Roger Moore - Wansunt Road in Old Bexley Village, Bernie Ecclestone (Bexleyheath), Lennox Lewis (Danson), Nevil Shute (Hatherley Road, Sidcup), Delia Smith (Bexleyheath), Michael Crawford (Bexleyheath), Roald Dahl, (Hurst Road, Bexley), Sheila Hancock (Erith), Boy George (Shooter's Hill), and Sir Edward Heath (Old Bexley), and Steve Davis (Danson) All of these well – known and illustrious people have contributed to both the local and the national well-being in one way or another. One other local person was the late and much lamented comedienne, Linda Smith, who lived in Erith for many years.

Here is the outcome of the recent second meeting of the Erith Think Tank, a new group who seek the betterment of the local area. You can see their website here. The meeting notes read as follow:- "Thank you to those who were able to attend our second meeting, where we discussed together 'Why are we here?' and 'How can we achieve our aims?' so as to find common ground on the purpose of this Group. Each attendee was asked to answer these two questions, and to discuss their answers in small groups. Then each group was asked to write down the key responses on larger paper, which was pinned to the wall, and presented to the other groups. There was LOTS of positivity in the room for Erith and its future, and it's been a pleasure to read the responses. We have documented all the responses, and attached them, should you wish to read through. Based on this information, I have drafted the following manifesto. I hope you'll agree, it covers the big-picture issues discussed, and will provide a 'mission' for the group going forward. I invite you to email me back with thoughts, comments, suggestions for edits etc. 

1. The Erith Think Tank is a place where members of the community can meet, get to know one                another, and discuss issues pertaining to Erith. 
2. We will meet regularly, and endeavour to understand each other. 
3. We are passionate about, and wish to celebrate Erith, our community and our members. 
4. We want to support positive change, and help Erith to realise its potential. 
5. We will use the groups expertise and work together to achieve our aims.
6. We will create a 'register of assets' that celebrates Erith, its community and it's businesses. 
7. We aim to give Erith a co-ordinated and strong voice that engages with and represents all aspects       of the community.
8. We aim to inform, in plain language, about plans for Erith's present and future.
9. We will engage with and nurture a dialogue with decision-makers and the Council.
10. We will gain an understanding of how the Council works, how decisions are made, and by who,          and translate/explain this to the group and wider community, with a view to influence these                  decisions. 
11. We aim to understand, participate in and influence any regeneration.
12. We will propose ideas that improve Erith. 
13. We will identify problems, and propose solutions.
14. We will create group Ambassadors, responsible for different topics (ie youth engagement,                     environment, planning). 
15. We will create a support structure for 'projects'.
16. We acknowledge that trust and respect need to be built between us, the community and the                   Council, to create better dialogue. 
17. We will develop a plan to attract and involve the community (including youth) through effective           networking on a variety of platforms. 
18. We will prove that the group is an asset to the community and the Council. 
19. We aim to challenge and provide alternatives to the current consultation process.
20. We will scrutinise decisions, and agitate when our demands are not met. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

Johnny / Team Think Tank - you can contact the think tank at:- eriththinktank@gmail.com.

The technical press have been following up a story that I featured a while back relating to the Metropolitan Police running a series of tests of facial recognition technology. The Metropolitan Police have been trialing facial-recognition systems for a while now. The technology was rolled out to monitor partygoers attending the Notting Hill Carnival in 2016 and 2017, as well as at the Port of Hull docks and Stratford Transport Hub. Last year, it was estimated the technology had a whopping 98 per cent false positive rate. In January this year, it emerged that the Met had blown more than £200,000 on facial-recognition trials with little or no arrests to show for it. Privacy organisations such as Big Brother Watch, a British nonprofit, have urged the Police to stop using the technology. The Information Commissioner, UK’s data protection watchdog, has launched an investigation into how the police are using face-scanning and biometric systems. Facial-recognition technology is a contentious issue. Experts have been critical of its inaccuracies and biases. Now, an independent report has been published which raises serious doubts about the use of the technology. Researchers from the Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project, based at the University of Essex Human Rights Centre, identified significant flaws with the way live facial recognition (LFR) technology has been trialled in London by the Metropolitan Police Service. Facial recognition technology trialled by the Metropolitan Police is highly inaccurate and its deployment is likely to be found "unlawful" if challenged in court, according to the reports authors; Professor Fussey and Dr Murray were granted unprecedented access to the final six trials, running from June 2018 to February 2019. From those, the authors found that just eight correct matches were made out of 42 suggested in total. LFR technology allows for the real-time biometric processing of video imagery to identify particular individuals. The software processes the images in order to identify any faces, creates a digital signature of identified faces, and then analyses those digital signatures against a database referred to as the "watch list". An alert is then issued by the police control room and may be available on officers' portable devices. However, accuracy of the watch list data also remains a challenge. Legacy data-handling systems meant data relevant to watch lists was spread across different databases and each watch list entry needed to be assembled by manually extracting and merging records from each of these locations, the University researchers found. The report noted it is possible for LFR software to be integrated into police body-worn cameras. That could be used to create a database of individuals' movements within a city, which in turn could be automated to identify any unusual patterns. Professor Fussey and Dr Murray are calling for all live trials of LFR to be ceased until these concerns are addressed. They noted it is essential that human rights compliance is ensured before deployment, and there be an appropriate level of public scrutiny and debate on a national level. Murray said in a recent press interview that-: "This report raises significant concerns regarding the human rights law compliance of the trials. The legal basis for the trials was unclear and is unlikely to satisfy the 'in accordance with the law' test established by human rights law. Ultimately, the impression is that human rights compliance was not built into the Metropolitan Police's systems from the outset, and was not an integral part of the process". In January this year, it emerged that the Met had spent more than £200,000 on facial-recognition trials with little or no arrests to show for it.

A new campaigning group has just been set up locally; the group's spokes person writes:- "The proposed second Cory incinerator in Lower Belvedere project has prompted the formation of a new group Greenwich-Bexley Environment Alliance. With encouragement from among others: The Crossness Nature Reserve, BNEF, Belvedere Ward Councillor Dave Putson, and Mark Alexander-Smale Head of St Augustine’s School we have formulated a petition and web site. The web site (NOT ANOTHER INCINERATOR IN BEXLEY) can be found at www.naiib.org and the petition initiated by Jenni White. I am sure your readers will be interested to know that The Cory Incinerator project is already opposed by among others: The Mayor of London, GLA members, the MPs for Thamesmead, Bexleyheath and Rainham. However as influential as their opposition may be, it may not be enough, as you may know HM Government will make the final decision. Today, schools in Bexley, Greenwich and Havering have been appraised by us of the petition etc. but in order to achieve success we need a wider audience. Time unfortunately is pressing, and the Planning Inspector is expected to make his decision on the project later this month". Jenni White, of Slade Green set up the petition partly due to living off the A206 main road, where pollution levels and traffic jams are already a daily problem; she reports that "One day I counted 8 lorries passing before I could turn onto the main road this was at 11.30 a.m!" Jon Cruddas MP for Dagenham and Rainham has launched a petition against the plans which will undoubtedly have a severe impact on air quality in his constituency, particularly Rainham and the Beam Park development area. On his website, Jon writes:- "Incineration is the least environmentally friendly form of waste disposal after landfill, and the energy produced by this scheme if approved is not enough to justify the negative impact it would have on the London Riverside Opportunity areas. Over the last five years recycling rates have stalled across the UK whilst government approved waste incineration has doubled. The Tories seem to have a complete disregard for our environment and the quality of air we breathe. Thermal Energy from Waste (EfW) plants do deliver large energy generation benefits however, they do this by destroying waste materials in a harmful way which releases air pollutants and greenhouse gases on an industrial scale. The use of EfW plants will also have an impact on recycling rates in London with much recyclable waste being redirected and incinerated. I am in complete opposition to the proposal and next year when these plans open up I hope that both local authorities in my constituency will join me in opposing the development. I will also be writing to the Thames Estuary Commission raising my concerns. The application fails to meet the Mayor of London’s key environmental and air quality policies included in the London Plan and draft London Plan, and as such the Riverside Energy Park is not supported by the Mayor of London. It is expected that in early 2019 local authorities will be able to respond to the proposals in the pre-examination period". What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly a report from Barnehurst ward:- "Once again there has been no reported burglaries during the past week however in Colyers Lane on Friday 28/06/2019 between 04.30pm and 06.35pm a small brick wall to a flower bed had been damaged in a rear garden and footprints were see near the rear window of the property, there was no sign of any attempt to enter the property. In Grassmere Road on Saturday 29/06/2019 at 05.50pm officers stopped two males after they were seen in Colyers Lane driving with hazard lights on. One male was found in possession with a substantial amount of cash. Drugs were found following a search of the vehicle which led to both males being arrested. The investigation is ongoing. The team continue to be proactive around the ward concentrating on areas that have recently been targeted for vehicle crime. Our next community contact session will be held on Thursday 18th July 2019 at 11.00am in Barnehurst Golf Club". Belvedere ward:- "There has been an increase in thefts from motor vehicles in the Belvedere Park Estate recently. It appears that cars have been targeted with a device that unlocks the car without using the key. Please be on the lookout for anyone acting suspiciously or out of place. If you see a crime being committed call 999 immediately, or if you suspect anyone please contact Police via 101 or our website. The team recovered a stolen motorbike on Monday in the alleyway next to St Augustines School. It was battered but in one piece. Stolen in May from Crayford. We will be conducting forensic examinations to see if a suspect can be linked. We also arrested a wanted burglar on Monday. They had recently moved to the area from central London, however an address was found and they have been brought in for questioning. PCSO Jay gave a personal safety and home security talk to the Evergreen Care Group. They are a charity that care for the elderly and will pass on the advice given to their clients, as well as taking on board what was advised. Jay also gave a crime prevention talk to the Asian Ladies Group, who meet weekly at the Community Centre. The group found the talk helpful, so much so that Jay has been invited back! If any other groups would like an input (formal or otherwise) from the team please get in touch. Garage burglaries have also increased recently. Latest is Mossdown Close sometime over the past week whereby several thousands of pounds worth of items were taken. A white van was involved in this theft and CCTV enquiries are continuing. Same advice as above, if anything suspicious seen call Police". Bexleyheath ward:- "Sunday 30/06/19 - There was a report of a theft of push bike along the Broadway, bike was locked up but still taken; Friday 28/06/19 – Report of a Theft of motor vehicle along Ennerdale Road Bexleyheath; Thursday 27/06/19 overnight into Friday 28/06/19 – Report of a theft from motor vehicle along Meadow Close Bexleyheath; Friday 28/06/2019 – Report of a theft of motor vehicle along Oakhouse Road Bexleyheath; On Wednesday 26/06/19 – A purse was reported stolen along the Broadway Bexleyheath at about 1230 midday. The team regularly conduct patrols along drug hot spot areas and ASB areas on the ward and conduct regular stops & searches where necessary. On Thursday 11th July – The team shall be holding a contact session between 10am and 11am at the Central Library Bexleyheath". Crayford ward:- "There has been three reports of theft from motor vehicles on the ward, brief details below: Wednesday 26/06/2019 – Bourne Road; Friday 28/06/2019 – Green Place Dartford – Number plates stolen; Tuesday 02/07/2019 – Outside Nando's Crayford Rd Tower Retail Park; Also there has been two reports of theft of motor vehicles reported: Monday 01/07/2019 – Alcock Crescent Crayford; Tuesday 02/07/2019 – Thames Road Crayford. There is a contact session that has been arrange for anyone that wishes to speak to the team at Crayford Library on Wednesday 17th July 2019 between 10am and 11am".

Erith ward:- "Theft from motor vehicles is increasing. Please see my crime prevention advice in the top half of this email to help reduce this. Theft of Motor Vehicle Monday 24/06/2019 14:40:00 Compton Place; Burg - Bus / Com Friday 28/06/2019 Bexley College - Walnut Tree Road – Window broken to the café food items stolen; Burg Res Saturday 29/06/2019 17:00:00 Bexley Road – entered via window; Theft from Motor Vehicle Sunday 30/06/2019 Lower Road; Theft of Motor Vehicle Monday 01/07/2019, Lower Road; Burglary Residential Monday 01/07/2019 Cricketers Close – Entered via rear door; Theft from MV Monday 01/07/2019 15:30:00 Parkspring Court, Erith High Street; Theft from MV Monday 01/07/2019 17:00:00, Hawthorn Place; Theft of MV Sunday 30/06/2019 07:00:00 Carlton Road; Theft from Motor Vehicle Tuesday 02/07/2019 Callender Road Theft of MV Sunday 30/06/2019 05:00:00 Fire Station, Erith Road; Theft from Motor Vehicle Sunday 30/06/2019 16:30:00 Queen Street Baptist Church, Queens Road. The next Community Contact Session in Erith is on Friday 12/07/19 at Costa Coffee Erith at 1pm". Northumberland Heath ward:- "This week the team say goodbye to PC Tom Smith who will now be joining the Barnehurst Team. We look forward to meeting our new PC - PC Lucy Butler when she joins the team in a couple of weeks. The team continue to target ASB on Bexley Road and surrounding Alleyways, working together with the schools and local authority. Very pleased to say, there have been no burglaries, and no Motor vehicle crime on the ward this week. Our next community contact session is on Friday 12th July at 4pm in the Mill Road Library. Please do come along and meet a member of the team and discuss any issues or concerns you have, or just pop in and say hello". Slade Green and Northend ward:- "One burglary to report between Thursday June 20th and Thursday 27th - jewellery was stolen from a house in Manor Road while the owners were on holiday. Entry was forced through the back door with no neighbours reporting seeing anything during the time frame. PC's Mark and James assisted our sergeant who had caught a male in Erith causing criminal damage to a vehicle and James arrested the male. After a short chase on Saturday, Mark and James caught a male in Appold Street who was found in possession of drugs. As he was a minor, he is due back for interview next week. PCSO Mark  attended Peareswood school (Friday 5th July) and Monday 8th. Friday is for a year 6 personal safety talk before they move on to secondary school and Monday is to assist them at Erith Sports Centre as the whole school takes part in their Race For Life event. Our next Community Contact Session is from 1130 on Tuesday July 9th at St Augustine Church to make up part of their Welcome café which starts at 11am".  Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglary: Sydney Road Tuesday 2/7/19 between 2pm – 11pm Victim's room in a house of multiple occupancy was broken into causing damage to the door. An untidy search was conducted by suspect/s unknown, nothing reported removed at this time; Lensbury Way Wednesday 3/7/19 at 9am victim had been alerted by a resident that a suspicious male was seen in his garage and had got into a vehicle and driven off. When victim went to the garage both padlocks had been removed and a petrol lawn mower had been removed. Theft from Motor Vehicle: Grange Crescent Wednesday 26/6/19 between 11:30pm - 9:10am Thursday 27/06/19 victims vehicle was broken into by suspect/s unknown various items stolen from within; Hartslock Drive Friday 28/6/19 at 11:50am victim walked away from the vehicle for 5 minutes leaving a handbag and mobile phone in full view. When victim returned to vehicle a male suspect was seen smashing the vehicle window both items had been removed without victims consent; Sydney Road Friday 28/6/19 between 4pm – 11am Saturday 27/6/19 victim's vehicle was parked on victims drive an untidy search was carried out by suspect/s unknown nothing reported stolen; Kale Road Tuesday 20/6/19 – 2/7/19 Victims vehicle has been broken into while victim was on holiday; Landridge Road Tuesday 2/7/19 at 1245pm Victims vehicle windscreen smashed and mobile phone removed from vehicle without victims consent by suspect/s unknown. Theft of Motor vehicle: Southmere Drive between 16/3/19 – 29/6/19 victim's motor bike was removed without consent. Criminal Damage: St Andrews Close Saturday 29/6/19 at 11:12PM a brick was thrown through the living room window of the victim's property. No suspects seen or heard running away; Mangold Way Monday 1/7/19 between 9pm – 10pm Victim stated his neighbour had caused damage to his fence resulting in several glass jars to smash. Good News. An area which was reported to us for drug taking was patrolled routinely. 3 males were stopped by PC's Nana and Pruden they were searched, cannabis was found. One male was given a warning in the form of Community Resolution. There will be a street a week on Tuesday 9/7/19 at 7pm in Sydney Road.  A social network called Nextdoor has been launched which aims to encourage social interaction between neighbours and make people aware of crime in their area. The social network has already been trialled in 500 neighbourhoods across the UK. Thamesmead East will be putting crime updates on Nextdoor weekly". West Heath ward:- "One reported shed burglary in Longleigh Lane on Sunday June 30th between 1.30am and 07.30am. It was believed to have been committed by a family member. A number of tools were stolen. We have had a number of motor vehicle crimes reported to us again this week; On Saturday June 22nd between midnight and 7am, a handbag containing credit cards and personal items was stolen from a vehicle parked on a driveway in Lansdowne Avenue; Vehicle number plates were ripped off a vehicle parked in New Road On Thursday June 27th between 7.45am and 6.15pm. The victim left the vehicle to travel by train to London, when she returned to her vehicle she noticed that they had been placed underneath her car; A handbag containing a mobile phone, passport, driving licence and other items were stolen from a vehicle in Oakhampton Crescent on Friday June 28th at 11.50am. The victim left her car briefly for a few minutes before returning to the vehicle to discover a window had been smashed and her bag stolen. The suspect was believed to be a white male wearing a black top and riding a bicycle; A number of equestrian equipment was stolen from a vehicle parked in Pembury Road between Monday July 1st at 2am and 3pm the following day. The victim had left the car locked and secure but discovered the boot and the vehicle open. There was so sign of forced entry. PC Gill Couzens arrested a male on Saturday June 29th for the possession of a large quantity of drugs which is a great result for the team!"

The end video this week features the Erith Playhouse - the largest theatre in the London Borough of Bexley, and home to many amateur productions.

Licensing.

I took the two photos above yesterday afternoon; they show the nearly completed conversion of the ground floor - the former bar area of the White Hart pub in Erith High Street into a brand new African restaurant and bar, which is scheduled to open on the 16th of September. The upper floors were converted into a number of luxury apartments, and have been occupied for around six months already.  There are some concerns about the ground floor restaurant / bar - until very recently a drinks and music licence application was on display in the window by the entrance to the bar area. It detailed the proposed opening hours of the establishment, and this led to widespread concern amongst local residents. The original licence application stated that the restaurant / bar would be open from 10am until 5am the next morning, and serving alcohol until 4.30am. My personal opinion is that this is just a "fishing trip" by the bar owners - they don't actually expect to get this application granted, but they are seeing what they can get away with. Bearing in mind the White Hart is located in a conservation area; it has retirement apartments behind it, and sheltered housing very close by, I would not expect the licencing authorities to treat this current application sympathetically. Nevertheless, since the White Hart has now publicly announced that it plans to open to the public on the 16th of September, it may be that feedback from local people needs to be amplified. I suspect that an application to serve alcoholic drinks from midday to midnight on a Friday and Saturday, and midday to 11pm on other days is far more likely to be granted. Nowadays the licencing application process formerly operated by Bexley Council is outsourced to Sevenoaks Borough Council. Any objections to the proposed White Hart opening hours needs to be raised by sending an Email to Licensing@sevenoaks.gov.uk. You need to include your name and address in any correspondence, but this will not be passed on to the licence applicant. 

You may recall that back on the 12th of August I reported that there was a UK wide shortage of  Rose's Lime Juice Cordial, after the company confirmed there had been a fire at its factory. Coca Cola, which owns the brand, confirmed to the press that production had been temporarily suspended in a public apology to customers. It was hoped that supplies of the famous drink would return to normal within a few weeks. The oldest manufactured soft drink in the world is now slowly finding its way back onto supermarket shelves, after an absence of around a month - though I have to admit that it has seemed far longer to me. I managed to purchase the only two bottles in the soft drinks section of Morrison's in Erith on Bank Holiday Monday - I was not being greedy - one bottle is for me, the other is for my Mum, who is also a fan of the cordial.  One thing I did notice was that the two bottles in the photograph above (click on it for a larger version) were not filled to precisely the same level. This is unusual, as Rose's quality control is normally very high. I presume that in setting up a new production facility after the catastrophic fire has probably meant that some short - term corners have had to be cut in order to get the lime juice cordial production line rolling as quickly as possible. In the meantime I tried another brand of lime juice cordial, and I found it to be utterly disgusting - it was extremely synthetically sweet, had very little actual lime flavour, and had a cloying mouth feel. Roses only make lime juice cordial under their own brand - they don't make it for others to sell under their own labels. It is a somewhat unusual (for nowadays, at least) example of "accept no substitutes".

In addition to the usual weekly local safety and security updates, which will be featured later in this blog update, here is a message from Mark Piggott of the Slade Green and North End Safer Neighbourhood  Team:- "Community Contact Sessions dates and times in the Ward for September 2018 are listed below. SATURDAY 08/SEPTEMBER/2018  1000hrs FOREST ROAD CAFÉ.  FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2018  1900hrs PIER ROAD SNT BASE. THURSDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2018  1100hrs SLADE GREEN LIBRARY. We will also be at the Slade Green Big Local Community Day on Saturday 15th September from 1pm in St Augustines Church Hall, we will have a stall with Neighbourhood Watch which will have Crime Prevention advice and leaflets as well as being there to talk over any local issues, come along and see us if you are free. School gate patrols will continue from next week once all schools are back. If there are any issues that affect you or you have any information you feel we may need to know, please come and see us. All information is dealt with in the strictest confidence. You can also use these sessions to report crime. If you have no issues or information, come and see us anyway! Please remember our phone is only on when we are at work and is only for information purposes, so please leave a name and number if you call us and we don't answer on 0208 7212023. Alternatively we can also be reached via email on NorthendSNT@met.police.uk. You can now follow the team on Twitter @MPSNorthEndRY. If you would like to become involved with Neighbourhood Watch and set up a scheme for your road (if you do not have one), please let us know. If you are unsure if you do have a scheme in your road, again, email us and we can let you know".

On Tuesday afternoon, I found myself in Bellegrove Road in Welling, after a visit to the exceptionally excellent Wide Shoes Shop - the only place where I can reliably purchase shoes that actually fit me properly. After buying a new pair of shoes, I walked along the road until I reached the long established independent record dealer Cruisin’ Records in Welling. The place is a goldmine of recorded music - they stock everything from the latest chart CD's classic vinyl, collectable picture disks and even vintage shellac 78's, along with DVD's and Blu Ray films. It is truly a remarkable place - I could have spent ages in the store. I recall visiting the shop back in the 1980’s – it held a bewildering variety of stock, from pretty much every musical genre; at the time it leaned towards jazz funk and soul, and I can recall hearing adverts for the shop on several dance themed pirate radio stations at the time. Erith used to have an independent record shop, which was part of a small chain – T.W Records was located on the site of the mini cab office on the junction of Pier Road and Cross Street. It was a strange place, managed by a person of (to me anyway) indeterminate gender. I never really worked out whether they were he or she, or perhaps somewhere in between. They were not exactly unfriendly, more distant and uninterested – well, that was my impression anyway. The shop was on split levels, with most chart singles and albums on the lower tier, and the more obscure genres, along with a couple of slot machines, and the cash desk were on the upper tier. What anyone who ever visited the place always recalls is the ceiling, which was remarkable – giant purple plaster stalactites hung down, almost reaching head height when you were on the upper tier – they had been there for as long as I could recall. T.W records also had a shop in Bexleyheath, near the clock tower, where the Furze Wren is now located, as well as a third in Plumstead High Street, though I never visited that branch. The Bexleyheath shop also housed a small cafe, that constantly seemed busy, though I reckon some of their customers nursed a cup of tea and a bacon sarnie for hours. It was a much more conventional looking shop, but both the Erith and Bexleyheath stores had one thing in common – it was widely known that they were both chart return shops. They had special tills that monitored record sales that fed into the weekly record chart. It was meant to be secret, but pretty much everyone – including the record company sales reps knew which shops were chart return, and always made sure that rarities, picture disks and other items desirable to collectors would make their way to those outlets. I recall that the Erith branch would often have large promotional displays in the window, which were left lit up at night, the glow from these would reflect off the purple stalactites to give an eerie atmosphere – very surreal stuff. A pity that the shops are long gone – but at least Cruisin’ Records in Welling are carrying on the tradition.

It is well documented that aside from the Maggot Sandwich, I have virtually no online presence; I certainly don't have any truck with social media such as Facebook or Snapchat. I know that many people pretty much run their lives by Facebook, but the idea of exposing so much personal information to others is an anathema to me - what I publish on the Blog is tightly controlled, which is something that I value. It would appear that distrust of social media is spreading to those who might have been thought to have been some of its most enthusiastic users. It is widely believed that young people are hopelessly devoted to social media. Teenagers, according to this stereotype, tweet, gram, Snap and scroll. Having said that, for every young person hunched over a screen, there are others for whom social media no longer holds such an allure. These teens are turning their backs on the technology – and there are more of them than you might think. While many people been engrossed in the Instagram lives of co-workers and peers, a backlash among young people has been quietly boiling. One 2017 survey of British schoolchildren found that 63 percent would be happy if social media had never been invented. Another survey of 9,000 internet users from the research firm Ampere Analysis found that people aged 18-24 had significantly changed their attitudes towards social media in the past two years. Whereas 66 percent of this demographic agreed with the statement “social media is important to me” in 2016, only 57 percent make this claim in 2018. As young people increasingly reject social media, older generations increasingly embrace it: among the 45-plus age bracket, the proportion who value social media has increased from 23 percent to 28 percent in the past year, according to Ampere’s data. This is part of a wider trend. According to a study by US marketing firm Hill Holliday of Generation Z – people born after 1995 – half of those surveyed stated they had quit or were considering quitting at least one social media platform.  Studies have shown that social media use can negatively affect mental wellbeing, and adolescents are particularly susceptible: one nationally representative survey of US 13 to 18-year-olds linked heavier social media use to depression and suicide, particularly in girls. 41 percent of the Generation Z teens surveyed by Hill Holliday reported that social media made them feel anxious, sad or depressed. Developers of platforms such as Facebook have admitted that they were designed to be addictive. In fact the senior executives at sites such as Facebook and Instagram rarely if ever use their own products. Over at Twitter, the story is the same. Of the company’s nine most senior executives, only four tweet more than once a day on average. Ned Seagal, its chief financial officer, has been on the site for more than six years and has sent fewer than two tweets a month. It is a pattern that holds true across the sector. For all the industry’s focus on “eating your own dog food”, the most diehard users of social media are rarely those sitting in a position of power. Sean Parker, the founding president of Facebook, broke the official silence in October last year, telling a conference in Philadelphia that he was “something of a conscientious objector” to social media. “The thought process that went into building these applications, Facebook being the first of them … was all about: ‘How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?’ That means that we need to sort of give you a little dopamine hit every once in a while, because someone liked or commented on a photo or a post or whatever. And that’s going to get you to contribute more content and that’s going to get you … more likes and comments,” he said. The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have created are destroying how society works. Former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya said in an interview in the Guardian that:- “It’s a social-validation feedback loop … exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you’re exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology. The inventors, creators – me, Mark [Zuckerberg], Kevin Systrom on Instagram, all of these people – understood this consciously. And we did it anyway.” A month later, Parker was joined by another Facebook objector, former vice-president for user growth Chamath Palihapitiya. “The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have created are destroying how society works. No civil discourse, no cooperation; misinformation, mistruth,” Palihapitiya said at a conference in Stanford, California. In a further recently published article, Adam Alter, a psychologist and the author of Irresistible, an examination of technology addiction, wrote that "it is almost beside the point whether social media makes you happy or sad in the short term. The deeper issue is that your usage is compulsive – or even addictive. The addiction concept applies much more broadly and to many more behaviours than we perhaps thought and also therefore applies to many more people in the population. Roughly half the adult population has at least one behavioural addiction. Not many of us have substance addictions, but the way the world works today there are many, many behaviours that are hard for us to resist and a lot of us develop self-undermining attachments to those behaviours that border on or become addictions". These addictions haven’t happened accidentally, Alter argues. Instead, they are a direct result of the intention of companies such as Facebook and Twitter to build “sticky” products, ones that we want to come back to over and over again. “The companies that are producing these products, the very large technology companies in particular, are producing them with the intent to hook. They are doing their very best to ensure not that our wellbeing is preserved, but that we spend as much time on their products and on their programs and apps as possible. That is their key goal: it’s not to make a product that people enjoy and therefore becomes profitable, but rather to make a product that people can’t stop using and therefore becomes profitable". A campaign to get people to "go cold turkey" in respect of using social media has been launched - click here to read more about it. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

As previously mentioned, now that we no longer have a Danson Show, the only nearby alternative is the annual show held in Havering, just across the River Thames, which took place last weekend. The Havering Show attracted an estimated 30,000 revellers, who braved the weather to hear S Club Party, Heatwave, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Baby D and a whole host of other acts over the two days in Harrow Lodge Park. Councillor Damian White, Leader of Havering Council, said: “Once again it was great to see thousands of people enjoying themselves at what was the 40th anniversary Havering Show over the Bank Holiday weekend. Despite the bad weather on Sunday, many still braved the rain and were determined to have a good time and we hope they did". What I fail to understand is that the London Borough of Havering has a roughly similar population, demographic and even a similar geography - albeit they have a superior public transportation system as the borough is well served by Tube stations - but overall the place is very similar to Bexley. How come Havering Council can organise and finance a very successful annual public festival - and Bexley cannot (or more likely will not)? I think it shows a fundamental difference in the ways the two councils operate. Indeed, it may be that the London Borough of Bexley is in fact missing a very important revenue stream; In a report in the Guardian this week, a study by the urban geographer Dr Andrew Smith, who examined the changing use of three of London’s green spaces: Finsbury Park, Gunnersbury Park and Brockwell Park, to the North, West and South-East of central London.  He argued that councils are depending more and more on the revenues they raise by renting parks out privately for large events such as concerts and festivals. One illuminating discovery was that Battersea Park had played host to approximately 99 festivals in 1991, but more than 600 in 2016. The Friends of Finsbury Park claim that in the first eight months of 2018 the park has been “occupied” by festivals for 113 days (Haringey council contests the figure, putting it at 66 days, and says that events such as the Wireless festival do not take over the entire park but merely a portion of it). Smith’s research focused on London, but the picture is similar throughout the UK, from Heaton Park in Manchester to Sefton Park in Liverpool (where, in fact, the council and residents came to an agreement over noise levels), from Hylands Park in Chelmsford, where the V festival has given way to the RiZe festival, to Eastville Park in Bristol, soon to host the Tokyo World Festival. There seems to be a clear delineation between those who wish to preserve the integrity of open spaces as one of the few areas of urban life that can be accessed for free by a wide range of people, and those who point to the importance of using those spaces to generate a more diverse range of activities and, by extension, users. That councils have also been forced to seek ever more lucrative ways of creating revenue is largely beyond dispute. It seems to me that using Bexley's larger parks and open spaces for occasional public events would benefit both the council and local residents. Certainly the commercialisation of parks to the extent of Battersea or Finsbury should be avoided, but to be honest as an outer London borough, Bexley would never attract the number or size of events of those locations. If you have any deeper insight into this, please let me know at the usual address - any feedback can be completely confidential, should you so wish.

Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association; firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Unfortunately Barnehurst Ward has suffered one burglary in Merewood Road. This burglary would have took place anytime between Monday 20th August and Friday 24th August 2018. The victim has returned home to find a smashed window caused by a stone which was found on a work surface within the property. An untidy search took place in every room. Unfortunately there was no CCTV and following door to door enquiries nothing was seen or heard. On Monday 27th August between the hours of 10.00pm and 07.00am in Hillingdon Road there was a theft from a motor vehicle. Personal items were taken from the vehicle. One of our Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators contacted us to report possible cold callers that have been canvassing in Erith so may encroach onto Barnehurst Ward. It was reported that the males knocking on doors claim to be from a company called Energy United and want to discuss energy bills with residents. Please do not answer the door to anyone who you are unsure off and always check all details of energy suppliers before agreeing to their terms and conditions. Unfortunately all sorts of reasons are given to residents for the knock on the door but in reality it's a method for the burglar to establish whether someone is home or not or whether the resident is vulnerable in order to gain access. The team have carried out street a week to Parkside Cross, Hornbeam Lane and Hemsted Close, all with good feedback from the residents with regards feeling safe in their area. We also managed to recruit a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator from Hornbeam Lane. Due to unforeseen circumstances the team arrived slightly late for the weekly contact session however we did meet a resident who had arrived as we did but apologies to those who may have turned up and left before we arrived. Please join us for our next community contact session at Barnehurst Golf Club on Wednesday 05th September at 1pm". Belvedere ward:- "Unfortunately we are starting to get reports of theft of mail and related fraud offences taking place on the Belvedere Park Estate again. This time the focus seems to be on Jutland House. If anyone does experience theft of mail please report to us by either calling 101 or via our website www.met.police.uk and click on the ‘report it' link. If anyone is a victim of fraud please contact Action Fraud via their website at www.actionfraud.police.uk or calling 0300 123 2040. If someone is seen to take post from another's post-box please call 999 immediately. Or if anyone does have any information about who may be responsible please get in touch with the team by calling 0208 721 2050 or e-mail belvedere.snt@met.police.uk. Any contact and information given will be treated in confidence. Drop in surgery on 06/09/2018 at the Community Centre Café from 12:00 until 13:00". From Neighbourhood Watch Office - Andrew Davis:- "A resident from Chapman Road contacted us advising that there have been scrambler bikes being ridden (by school-aged / youths, no helmets) most afternoons this week in Streamway which were causing residents concern with it being a popular place for families and dog walkers. We have forwarded the details on to the Erith SNT team and advised the resident to consider calling 101. We have also had similar reported but on the road - Erith Road, Upper Belvedere and Nuxley Road". From Member of the Public - in Belvedere:- "Just a brief note to say a big thank you to the Belvedere team for sorting out the problem of the team of 'beggars' who were targeting Nuxley Road. Their behaviour was increasingly getting worse, with up to five or six men appearing together the following Saturday afternoon including the bald man and the white-haired/bearded man that I had mentioned, and others of various ages. They were drinking and being quite aggressive with passers-by. However, since then there has been blissful respite from their presence, so presumably the team stepped in and have dealt with the problem. Myself and my neighbours are very grateful for your actions in addressing this nuisance which was was rapidly escalating to becoming a significant issue in the area". Bexleyheath ward:- "Unfortunately, we have had had two reported burglaries on the ward recently as well as one attempted burglary. One was reported on the 26/08/2018 along Bedonwell Road, jewellery taken but method of entry is unknown. The other took place between 26/08/2018 and 27/08/2018 along Woolwich Road, Bexleyheath. Entry was gained through ground floor kitchen window and Jewellery was taken. The attempted burglary had taken place on the 26/08/2018 along Sterling Road Bexleyheath. Suspects had accessed the rear of the property via the side and the rear patio door was smashed. On the 25/08/2018 we had a report of money and a mobile phone stolen from the victim outside the Furz Wren Public House. Also between 13/08/2018 and 23/07/2018 – Furniture and televisions were stolen from inside a shop along the Broadway Bexleyheath. A theft of pedal cycle was reported on the 22/08/2018 which was taken from outside The Rose PH along the Broadway. Between the 27/08/2018 and 28/08/2018 – There was a report of a criminal damage to motor vehicle along Broomfield Road Bexleyheath, driver side window was smashed. At ASDA's in Bexleyheath a purse was stolen from the checkout area in the store. Between 3pm & 4pm, we shall be holding our next contact session on the 07/09/2018 at Café Nero along the Broadway Bexleyheath. Please spread the word and you are welcome to pop along and have a chat. The team are targeting patrols around Martens Grove and Grove Road especially around the garages to reduce any further reports of anti-social behaviour. 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. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 and 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "On Wednesday 26th August between 6am and 17.20 a grey Saracen mountain bike was stolen from the bicycle rack at Crayford BR Station. It had been secured by a heavy duty lock. This matter has been referred to the British Transport Police for further investigation. It has been reported that on Friday 24th August between 01.05 and 01.08 am a residential burglary took place in Woodside Road. Entry was via an insecure front door and cash, a laptop and Silver Audi A4 was stolen. On Thursday 23rd August at about 09.50 a black Vauxhall Astra made off from police and was later discovered abandoned near Bourne Road with weapons inside. The vehicle was seized and the investigation is ongoing. On Saturday 25th August at 23.15 a vehicle was stopped in Watling Street and the suspect admitted to having cannabis about their person, this was dealt with by use of community resolution. On Saturday 25th August at 16.15 there was a racially aggravated road rage incident. Whilst driving along Bourne Road the victim was racially abused, the suspect was banging on their car window with their fist and the car was kicked, further along the road the victim sustained a graze to their arm by the suspect after getting out of their vehicle. The number plate of the suspect's vehicle was given to police along with that person's photo. On Sunday 19th August between 13.00-20.30 front and rear number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked outside 160 Maiden Lane. On Monday 27th August at 11.25am a bag containing a mobile phone, wallet and keys was stolen from a car parked in Crayford High Street whilst the driver was present. The suspect opened the passenger door and snatched the bag that was on the passenger seat. The suspect was described as white, aged abut 30-35 years, black hair, slim build wearing a red top and black bottoms. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to keep personal effects out of sight whilst in your vehicle to prevent opportunist theft. Between 21.00 on Monday 20 August and 13.30 on Tuesday 21 August front and rear number plates were stolen from a parked vehicle in Maiden Lane close to Alcock Crescent. We've been out and about patrolling Crayford ward including open spaces and have enjoyed meeting so many people. We are aware of drug taking at Biggs Hill Wood and whilst patrolling there last week two youths were stopped for drugs offences. There was a foot chase as the Male ran off across to Shenstone Park, the Female is currently being dealt with by the Youth Offending Team (YOT) and provided she complies with what is expected of her will receive a community resolution. Two people were stopped today for using their mobile phones whilst driving, using a mobile phone as a Sat Nav in your hand is not a defence! On Thursday whilst on foot patrol I was stopped in Watling Street as a dog had been seen running in the road. Two vehicles had stopped and the occupants had got out to prevent the dog coming to harm and to check it was not injured. The dog was unharmed but scared and although wearing a collar, did not have a nametag. The gentleman in one vehicle attached a make shift lead to the dog's collar and the lady from the other vehicle very kindly offered to take the dog to a local vet to see if it was micro-chipped. Sadly, no microchip and the lady drove the dog to the dog warden at Sidcup to be cared for. A very big thank you to these lovely people for their care and assistance for the dog. A CAD was created so that if the owner called 101 they would know where to locate their pet. These things happen, pets escape sometimes. All dog owners are responsible for ensuring their dogs are microchipped and recorded, regardless of whether they got their dog before the legislation on microchipping came in to effect (2016) and to ensure that these details are kept up to date. This must be done by an authorised implanter. A person can be fined if they don't meet this requirement, although generally they will be given time to comply. Lost or stray dogs can be reunited with their owners quickly, less upset for dog and owner. Also, dogs are required by law to wear a collar and identity tag in a public place. If you have a dog, maybe one that is a little older, perhaps take a moment to check that your loyal friend is suitably micro-chipped please". Erith ward:- "Weekly crimes of note - Other theft 21/08/2018, Bexley Road - theft of three flower baskets from his garden Criminal Damage U £500 23/08/2018, Pembroke Road - Suspect has smashed a window at the location by way of throwing a brick at it; Theft of cycle 25/08/2018 Erith Pier, Erith High Street - Suspect has taken victim's unattended bicycle but was unable to ride it and gave it back to victim; Other theft 25/08/2018 Super Save West Street - Shoplifters -  the total value of the stolen items is £3.00 (2 X cans of beer); Theft from MV (Motor Vehicle) 11/08/2018 Riverdale Road - Vehicle broken into at location and cash taken from within. Mess caused; Other theft 26/08/2018 Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, James Watt Way - The suspect drove off without paying for petrol; Theft of cycle 27/08/2018 McDonalds Restaurants Ltd, James Watt Way - Pedal bike was stolen from outside McDonalds; Theft of MV 28/08/2018 Cricketers Close - broke the lock on the victims bike and tried to remove it by breaking the steering lock and pushing it up the road before dropping it and running off once challenged by an unknown person. The next Community Contact Session is on Tuesday 4th September, 11am -12noon at Costa, Erith. Crime prevention advice this week - What you can do about harassment - https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/harassment/what-do-about-harassment/ . Having your car broken into and losing your things to thieves can be very distressing. Here are a few simple steps you can take to keep your vehicle, and what's in it, safe - https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/theft-from-a-vehicle/vehicle-safe-and-sound/" Northumberland Heath ward:- "Sadly, we have had several burglaries reported to us over the past few days. One took place in Parsonage Manorway on Friday August 24th between 7.30am – 6.30pm whilst the occupiers were out at work .It is believed entry was gained via a downstairs kitchen window. Passports, jewellery and bank cards were stolen. We have also had two burglaries in Mill Road. The first took place on the evening of Saturday 25th of August, or possibly overnight as it was not discovered until mid-morning on Sunday 26th. It is believed that entry was gained via a bathroom window , an untidy search was conducted and several high value pieces of jewellery were stolen. The occupants were not present at the time of the burglary. The second burglary in Mill Road took place between Sunday 26th 5.30pm and Bank holiday Monday 27th August at midday. The occupants have only recently acquired the property and were in the process of moving personal possessions in when the burglary took place. A downstairs rear window pane was smashed and an untidy search of the premises was conducted. Several items of jewellery and a toaster were stolen. On a slighter happier note, no vehicle crimes have been reported to us over the last week. PC Tom Smith stopped and searched two youths on Tuesday afternoon in the alleyway between Frinsted Road and Avenue Road, and having smelt cannabis the male and female youths will be investigated further".

Slade Green and North End ward:- "No burglaries in the last 2 weeks which is good news. In fact, there are no crimes of note to report for the last week. A resident contacted the team on Tuesday to inform us of a knife they had found near a garage area on the ward. We recovered the knife (see photo) and it is to be destroyed on borough. There is no evidence suggesting that the knife has been used in any crime but it is still good intelligence received by a local resident which is why we always urge the public to contact us with any concerns or questions that they think we need to be aware of. A male was stopped and searched by PC Mark last Thursday afternoon and cannabis was found in his possession and seized. The relevant warnings were issued and the investigation continues.Proactive patrols have been made in all the ward promise areas, parks and open spaces as well as the shops in the ward. We have been in the new Premier shop in Manor Road (what used to be the Royal Alfred Pub) and it is very nice indeed. Worth a look if you are passing. A group of 4 males were stopped outside McColls in Forest Road but it turned out they were just waiting for someone. No off road bikes seen over the marshes last Sunday which is good news but the rain may have played a part. Our next Community Contact Session is on Saturday 8th September, 10am at the Forest Road Café". Thamesmead East ward:- "Good news stories - On Sunday 26/08/18 PC's Pruden, Quarshie-Awuah and PCSO Hobbs attended a community event at the Emmanual Baptist church, taking part in a table tennis tournament. Despite the bad weather a BBQ was still held. Photos on twitter @MPSThamesmeadE. No burglaries to report this week. Keep vigilant at all times. Motor vehicle crimes - be fixed, now believed to have been stolen between the dates of 20/07/18 and 28/08/18 from Thamesbank Place. On Tuesday 28/08/18 at about 01:00 am a vehicle parked in Aspen Green had the window smashed. The next Community Contact Session is on Thursday 05/09/18 between the hours of 2:00 pm and 3:00pm at The Link, Bazalgette Way. All are welcome. Don't make yourself a target for thieves on bikes - Criminals are using mopeds and cycles to snatch phones and valuables. They often ride up behind the victim and even mount the pavement to grab them. Don't text while walking as you'll be distracted .Go hands free or stand away from the roadside, near a wall ,so no one can come up behind you. Make sure the security features on your phone are activated. Don't openly display high value watches and jewellery.  Keep handbags fastened and close to you". West Heath ward:- "West Heath has been unusually busy over the last week with 2 residential burglaries in Amberely Road between midday Thursday 24th and 11pm Sunday 26th Bank Holiday weekend. One was forced entry to the rear kitchen door and an untidy search was conducted, at this point it is still not known what may have been taken. The other burglary was a forced entry to a brick out building in the back garden and power tools taken. There was also an attempted burglary in Exmouth Road resulting in criminal damage to another property on Sunday 26th around 9.30pm. The suspects fled the scene when disturbed by a neighbour. The team have targeted our patrols of known drug hotspots across the ward both on foot and car".

The ending video this week shows street views in and around Erith that was filmed relatively recently; whilst this probably won't have a lot of interest to local people right now, I feel that it will be an invaluable historical document in the future. If you think of the old cine film footage from years past that just shows people going along with their everyday duties, and how much it is possible to learn from them, I think in the decades to come, video footage such as that in the piece below will give viewers a very good idea of what things were like now. What do you think? Please leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The shop opens.

The new mystery shop opened this Wednesday. As some readers had correctly guessed, it is located in the ground floor of the former Royal Alfred pub in Manor Road, on the corner of Appold Street. The new shop is the successor to the old Londis store which is located on the opposite corner of Appold Street. The Bains family purchased the former pub some years ago, and have converted the upper floors into some stunning high end apartments for private rent, and the ground floor into a new supermarket. Their old building was very cramped and to be honest, it was pretty much worn out in the last couple of years. They have invested heavily in the new building, which will offer all of the benefits that the old one did, plus a whole lot of additional new services. The photos above (click on any for a larger view) were taken by me on Tuesday evening, the day before the shop opened. Last minute work was still being carried out to ensure that the shop was ready to open on Wednesday morning. You can see a temporary sign being fitted in the exterior photo above - this banner is only going to be in place for around a month, until the permanent shop sign is ready to be installed. The old shop opposite is now closed and shuttered, with a large red and white vinyl sign redirecting people across the road to the new store. On the opening day the store staff were giving away home cooked complimentary samosas to customers - and they were delicious. I think they would do well to add the samosas to the other freshly cooked food that they sell on a daily basis.

Local residents who use the Dartford Crossing are in for a shock if they don't already know about it - the charges for a standard car to cross The River Thames are being increased by twenty percent. Under the current system, Dartford drivers who often use the crossing pay a discounted rate of £1.67 to get across if they drive a 'standard' sized car. On Monday of last week, these account holders were told the price will increase to £2 per journey. This 33p increase works out to about 20 per cent more than they pay now. Account holders in Dartford have reacted angrily to the changes, which are due to be brought into effect from October the first. Some users have reacted on FaceBook, saying that they will close their payment accounts and use the crossing illegally (sounds to me like people blowing off steam, rather than an actual campaign of civil disobedience). A resident of Rochester has also set up an online petition campaigning for the Dart Charge to be completely abolished. Jayne Phillips started the online petition on 38 Degrees after she heard the news. Less than two days later, the petition has almost 300 signatures. The aim of the petition is to protest against the "exorbitant charges" and price increases put onto drivers. In an interview in the News Shopper, Mrs Phillips said she was "really angry" when she heard about the plans to increase prices for regular users. "Every time I try and use the crossing there are terrible queues," Mrs Phillips hopes the petition will gain enough support so she can take it to the government to ask them to reconsider the Dart Charge. I somehow think this is a forlorn hope - there is far too much money being made for the government to ever back down, especially since the ANPR system which can recognise number plates replaced toll booths at the busy crossing in 2014, and has so far generated 3.5 million penalty charge notices for drivers who have failed to pay. A series of complaints to The Observer newspaper has shown how the system is far from foolproof, however, with cameras misreading number plates and people being pursued for fines they are unaware of. This can in turn lead to a complaints system which can appear inflexible. Thousands of those incorrectly charged simply pay up to avoid the risk of an escalating fine, according to Auto Express. Last August the motoring magazine found that while the vast majority of appeals were upheld (80 percent), only one in 25 motorists actually appealed a fine. Many more motorists who do use the crossing, one of the UK’s busiest, fail to pay the charge because of confusing signs. The only warning of the levy is a large C which is identical to the symbol for the congestion charge, the £11.50 fee for vehicles entering central London. A recent poll by the AA found that 60 percent of drivers mistook it for the latter, an entirely different fee which is not payable on the Dartford Crossing. Non-Londoners are likely to have no clue of the symbol’s meaning. When the toll booths were bulldozed to reduce congestion, it seems the levy went from being a toll to a “congestion charge” and was increased by 20 percent. This distinction was never explained, nor is the fee called a congestion charge on the website, but the new terminology gets round the fact that the levy, introduced to cover the costs of building the Dartford Bridge, is still in place 15 years after it was paid for in full - something that locals are still extremely angry about. In an interview in the News Shopper, Jonathon Hawkes, leader of Labour on Dartford Council, said the decision was “completely unjustified. It’s another example of Dartford getting a really bad deal from the crossing and shows how it is being used as a cash cow.” He added the government has written off millions of pounds in fines that could not be collected from drivers on the crossing, but was “increasing prices for people who pay fairly.” Frequent users of the crossing can create either a pre-paid or a pay-as-you-go account to pay the charge automatically, but even this does not safeguard them from fines. Tina Mackenzie of Basildon, Essex, faced a bill of £1,397 for 13 crossings because her pre-paid account dropped below the £10 minimum in November 2016. It should have been topped up automatically, but unbeknownst to her, her bank declined Dart Charge’s request for £10 due to insufficient funds, as reported in the Guardian newspaper. Nowhere on the Dartford Crossing road signs is the price of a crossing mentioned, and no payment details are given. Drivers are merely invited to “find us online” before midnight the following day, a problem for those without internet access and baffling for the thousands of overseas visitors who use the route to and from Stansted and Gatwick airports. For many of those who are erroneously fined and refuse to pay up, however, the system can prove inflexible. The Dartford Crossing is more or less a captive market since the nearest alternative river crossing is a congested 15 miles away, which means that a crucial route that was supposed to become toll free in 2003 is earning the government millions. The toll system is broken, but it is in the government's interest for it to remain that way - it is a cash cow that unfairly penalises users both local and from far away. On top of this, the increase in charges will also lead to an even further rise in number plate theft - a major local problem. Local criminals are stealing legitimate plates from parked motor vehicles in order to circumvent the automatic number plate recognition system used to charge drivers for using the Dartford Crossing. Vehicle number plate theft is now endemic in the local area. Three or four years ago it was a relatively minor issue, but now it is one of the major problems for the Police and local residents. Just how many vehicles are driving around on illegal registration plates I do not know, but I suspect that the number is far higher than many realise. Many of the number plate thefts are carried out by members of the illegal biker gang Bike Life TV UK.

Further to my in - depth article last week about aviation pioneer, philanthropist and former Belvedere resident Patrick Young Alexander and his involvement with the very first years of heavier than air flight, I have had a couple of readers contact me regarding the comments I made about Sir Hiram Maxim, the talented inventor, engineer and successful businessman who built the world's first heavier than air flying machine, several years before the Wright Brothers. The Maxim flying machine was not a practical proposition in the way that the Wright Flyer was - in fact the Maxim Flyer was just an experiment that got somewhat out of hand during testing, when it took off, rather than just taxiing along the ground on specially constructed rails as it was supposed to do. There have been several accounts of the accidental flight, and until now the ones that I have come across have been either eye witness stories, or tabloid newspaper accounts, which have mostly been on the sensationalist side of things. I have always treated these with a degree of scepticism - much in the way that one does not take stories published nowadays in tabloid papers like the Sun or the Daily Star too seriously. This has now changed with a detailed and far more observational telling of the events on that historic day. Earlier last week I was sent a fascinating contemporary account of the Maxim Flyer - in an article from respected technical journal Scientific American dated September the 15th, 1894. Here is the historic article in full:- "On Tuesday, July 31, for the first time in the history of the world, a flying machine actually left the ground, fully equipped with engines, boiler, fuel, water, and a crew of three persons. Its inventor, Mr. Hiram Maxim, had the proud consciousness of feeling that he had accomplished a feat which scores of able mechanics had stated to be impossible. Unfortunately, he had scarcely time to realize his triumph before fate, which so persistently dogs the footsteps of inventors, interposed to dash his hopes. The very precautions which had been adopted to prevent accidents proved fatal to the machine, and in a moment it lay stretched on the ground, like a wounded bird with torn plumage and broken wings. Its very success was the cause of its failure, for not only did it rise, but it tore itself out of the guides placed to limit its flight, and for one short moment it was free. But the wreck of the timber rails became entangled with the sails, and brought it down at once. The machine fell on to the soft sward, embedding its wheels deeply in the grass, and testifying, beyond contradiction, that it had fallen and not run to its position. If it had not been in actual flight, the small flanged wheels would have cut deep tracks in the yielding earth. The Maxim flying machine is a large braced structure formed of steel tubes and wires, and is exceedingly stiff for its weight, which is about 8,000 lb., including men and stores, At its lower part it carries a deck, on which the crew stand, where, also, the boiler, steering wheel, and reservoirs of water and gasoline are mounted. At a height of some 10 feet above the deck come the engines, each of which drives a screw propeller of 17 feet 10 inches diameter and 16 feet pitch, working in air. Above the propellers is the great aeroplane. Smaller aeroplanes project out, like wings, at the sides, the extreme width being 125 feet and the length 104 feet. There are five pairs of wings, as shown in the illustration, but the intermediate three pairs are not always used, and at the time of the accident these were not in place. At that time the area of the aeroplanes, was 4,000 square feet. With all the planes in position, the total area is 5,400 square feet. Forward and aft of the great plane are two steering planes, carried on trunnions at the sides, and connected by wire strands with a drum on the deck. By turning this drum the steering planes can be simultaneously tilted to direct the machine upward or downward, or to keep it on an even keel. The chief interest centers on the boiler, as, unless this be made exceedingly light, it is hopeless to expect that the machine will soar. There is a very close resemblance between the Thornycroft boiler and Maxim's boiler. In each case there are two wing drums, connected by a large number of curved tubes with a steam and water drum, and there are also downcomers to facilitate the circulation. The casing is also made of straight tubes. In the boiler of the flying machine a feed heater is placed over the steam drum, but it is not shown in the engraving. The feed heater is constructed of steel tubes three-sixteenths inch bore and one-twelfth inch thick; the water is pumped through It at a pressure 30 lb. higher than the pressure in the boiler, and is delivered through an injector-like nozzle into the top of the downcomer pipe. The incoming water delivers its surplus energy to the surrounding liquid, creating a rapid and powerful current in the pipe, and consequently maintaining an active circulation in the small tubes in which the steam is generated. The feed pumps are placed on the deck beneath the engines, and are of variable stroke, so as to be adapted to the needs of the boiler. As they work at high speed, the valves are of large diameter—larger than that of the plungers. Pounding is prevented by a rubber bag on the suction and spring pistons on the discharge. The total quantity of water in the boiler only amounts to 200 lb., so that it is necessary that the amount of feed should be accurately adjusted. There is a very ingenious water level indicator. A small pipe is led in a loop from front to back and from back to front of the furnace. It is then taken to the steam and water drum, and led backward and forward through that in the same way, below the water line. The whole is filled with water, and forms a closed circuit having two loops—one in the furnace and one in the water. Now, so long as the upper loop is in the water the pressure does not rise greatly beyond that in the boiler, because the heat taken up in the furnace is conveyed, by the circulation, to the water in the drum. But if the water level falls in the drum, then there is no outlet for the heat; the pressure, consequently, rises most rapidly, and shows itself on a gauge attached to the pipe. By this most ingenious device an open-faced pressure gauge is substituted for the usual gauge glasses. The weight of the boiler, with casing, feed water heater, dome, and uptake, is 904 lb.; with burner and water it is 1, 200 lb. The heating surface is about 800 square feet, and the flame surface 30 square feet. The fuel burned in the boiler is gasoline, of a specific gravity of 72 degrees Baume. It is carried in a copper vessel on deck, and is pumped through a vaporizer into the furnace. The pipe from the pump is led into a vessel having a large gasoline burner beneath it. In this vessel the spirit attains a pressure of 50 lb. on the square inch, and a corresponding temperature, in which condition it is, of course, highly inflammable. The gas which it gives off is conducted by a pipe, passing through the furnace, to a jet, like that of a Bunsen burner, at the front of the furnace, and in rushing through it, induces a powerful draught of air, with which it mixes. The combined charge passes through hollow fire bars, pierced on the upper surfaces with fine holes, and burns in 7,650 separate flames. The arrangement is so powerful that the pressure in the boiler can be raised from 100 lb. to 200 lb. in a minute. The air supply can be regulated at will, while the expenditure of gasoline automatically adapts itself to the needs of the boiler. The pressure of the gasoline vapor acts on a ]ever, which is balanced by a spring. If the feed is greater than the consumption, the pressure on the ]ever puts a pawl in gear with a ratchet wheel, and, through intermediate mechanism, works a block along a slotted arm to reduce the throw of the gasoline feed pumps. If the feed is too small, the opposite effect is produced, and the throw of the pump increased. There are two screws, each driven by a separate compound engine, having cylinders 5.05 inches and 8 inches in diameter by 12 inches stroke. The steam is distributed by means of piston valves having 3 inches stroke, and operated by eccentrics. The exhaust steam is delivered into the air, but Mr. Maxim informs us that he used successfully an air condenser. This seems to be a necessity, because the supply of water would prove a serious load. Even to drive 100 horse power would require some 2,500 lb. of water per hour, which would be a considerable addition to a lengthy trip, especially if undertaken for warlike purposes in a hostile country. To supplement, or replace, the safety valve, by-passes are provided so as to allow live steam to pass directly to the low pressure cylinders. Instead of blowing off into the air, the steam is blown past the high pressure cylinders, and the fall in pressure is made to do work on the exhaust from the high pressure cylinders, drawing the steam from the high pressure cylinders and driving it into the low pressure cylinders. The boiler will make more steam than the engines can take in the usual way. The boiler pressure, when running, is 320 lb. per square inch, giving in the high pressure cylinder a differential pressure of 195 lb. and in the low pressure cylinder 125 lb. The cut-offs are respectively 0.75 and 0.625 of the strokes. In the high pressure cylinder there is a very large clearance, designed to prevent injury from water in case the machine should pitch. The actual horse power delivered to the screws is 363 when the engines are running at 375 revolutions per minute. Of this, we are informed by Mr. Maxim, 150 horse power are expended in slip, 133 horse power in actual lift on the aeroplanes, and 80 horse power in driving the machine, with its frames and wires, through the air. The thrust of the screws, when the machine is moored, is 2,100 lb., and when it is running it is 2,000 lb. We give these figures as they were supplied to us, omitting decimals. The total lift is something over 10,000 lb. at a speed of forty miles an hour and with the aeroplanes making an angle of about 7.25 degrees with the horizontal". A fascinating insight, and a far more detailed and exhaustive account than I have read before. What do you think? Please fee free to leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

You may recall that I have written a couple of articles on what I consider to be failings at the Morrison's supermarket in Erith recently. A regular reader who chooses to remain anonymous sent me the following piece for publication. He certainly raises some interesting and valid points. The contributor writes:- "I have read your blogs about Morrisons and while I can recognise some of the things that you describe, I have a slightly different view point. I shop regularly at Morrisons, daily in fact, to purchase fresh food. I find them invariably friendly and helpful, and while I don't regularly engage with managers, I know some of the staff quite well.  And we chat about things as I check out.  They recognise me, and I know, one or two personally, I have known one member of staff for over 29 years, as she once operated a shop local to me, before she retired and took a Morrisons checkout Job for pin money to supplement her pension. There are niggles, such as the trolley bays which are mostly broken and inoperable, so if you want to use the cafe, you are obliged to take the trolley in with you, or to load up the car and come back into the store. I have seen supervisors opening a till often, when people are queuing, and even going on the till and serving customers. Another niggle is the lack of plastic bags or other bags to allow you to select loose fruit or veg or fruit, and the only option is to take them loose to the till for a check out assistant to provide a bag. Also, the use of plastic packaging with black coloured plastic, means that they can't be recycled, meaning going to land fill. I have complained about the level of staffing early in the day. With tills unmanned, the Cafe doesn't open till 8 am, and generally receive an explanation that staff absence on holiday or sick is an issue.  And if they start early, they might be short staffed later as they have quite a few part-time staff as well as full time.  They try to accommodate working mothers for instance, with children as school. The Salad Bar, early in the day is full, although, sometimes the range it items are not as varied or are not available, but generally, we experience no problem with it. As for the culture of the Corporate Morrisons, I find that most big retail chains have cultures that I don't like or get on with, so I don't use their services. I particularly detest Tesco and I am not a fan of Sainsbury's either. I found Lidl, particularly difficult, having had experiences of their parking policy, and frankly, poor customer service.  I can't speak for Aldi, but my spouse isn't a fan or theirs. So, while Morrisons isn't perfect, it's no worse than any other chain, and certainly better than some".

The Apple iMac celebrated its' 20th birthday in the last week; The computer would be simple to use, and connect easily to the then newly popular Internet. It would also look unlike anything Apple or any of its competitors had ever made before. That computer, the original iMac, became Apple's most successful product in years. The mixture of beautiful design and functionality not only stabilised the company, but set Apple on the path to its greatest successes in the early part of the new century. The first iMac was introduced in May of 1998 and arrived on the market on August 15th of that year. The goals of the iMac project included making a machine that could easily connect with the Internet, that would achieve something close to "plug and play" functionality. A product that would get people talking about Apple again, at a time when the company had been doing very badly, and was in danger of going bust or being taken over.  Apple came up with a form factor drastically different from the PCs that were popular at the time. At the same time, it was reminiscent of Apple's all-in-one Mac line that it introduced in 1984. The original iMac was the first major Apple product designed by newly appointed Senior Vice President of Industrial Design (now Sir) Jony Ive, who has been the top designer for all of the company's products ever since. The machine's unique look was a major part of the selling of the iMac. The fact that the computer used what at the time were some revolutionary technologies was a moot point - the technology was hidden behind a non - threatening, friendly exterior and intuitive user interface. The sales of the new iMacs were spectacular. Reportedly it sold 278,000 sold in its first six weeks, rising to around 800,000 by the end of 1998. According to Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson: "Most notably, 32 percent of the sales went to people who were buying a computer for the first time, and another 12 percent to people who had been using Windows machines".

The weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association begin this week with a report from Barnehurst ward:- "Unfortunately, Barnehurst Ward has suffered an attempted burglary in Merewood Road on 09/08/2018. The victim noticed tool marks on the front door - it's believed a screw driver had been used but no entry was gained. The victim had a very good locking system on the front door which may have prevented entry. It was possible that the suspects may have been after keys to the vehicle parked in the driveway. Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators were also visited to update them of this incident. On Wednesday 08/08/2018 in Heath Way, a caravan was taken from the driveway between the hours of 11.30am and 01.30pm. In order to remove this caravan, suspects had to remove the wheel clamp, undo the tow bar security and then turn the caravan to position correctly in order to attach it to a vehicle, however nothing was seen or heard. Also in Heath Way on 09/08/2018 a white Mercedes Sprinter Van registration number KV18 ZXB was taken overnight. Barnehurst Officers have been busy with ‘Street A Week' which is a local initiative to visit at least one street a week and meet as many residents as possible across the ward. If you would like your street covered as a matter of priority please let the team know and we will be happy to attend. Whilst on patrol, Officers came across a stolen vehicle in Cheviot Close. This vehicle was a Ford KA and had been stripped of all parts including the wheels. Our next community contact session will be at the Barnehurst Golf Club on Thursday 23rd August 2018 at 01.00pm. Please join us to discuss any issues you may have". No Belvedere ward submission this week. Bexleyheath ward:-"There was an attempted burglary in Braemar Avenue on the morning of Wednesday 15th August. The suspect attempted to break into a ground floor flat window. Our next Cuppa with a Copper contact session will be at Cafe Nero Broadway, 12:00PM - 1:00PM on Wednesday 29 August". Crayford ward:- "We've been out and about on patrols this last week. On Tuesday 7th August between 20.00-20.20 a racially aggravated offence took place at Hall Place. Youths were reported as tormenting the victim putting him in fear. On Wednesday 8th August there were two reports of theft from motor vehicle, very close together so believed to be the same thief. A watch was stolen from a Mercedes parked in Galloway Drive, the vehicle was locked and it is unclear how access was gained, no smashed windows, no forced entry. A laptop and work bag were stolen from a Chrysler which was locked and secured on a driveway in Woolbrook Road. On Tuesday 7th August at about 18.00 a mobile phone was taken from a sports bag during sports activities at Perry Street. On Thursday 9th August a resident in Halcot Avenue reported that their upstairs bathroom window had been smashed, no noise heard. We will be at Sainsbury's on Thursday 23rd August between 15.00-16.00 for coffee with cops. Please come along if you would like to speak with us. On Sunday 26th August we will be at Hall Place by the Café area between 10.00-11.00 and happy to listen to your concerns and give crime prevention advice". Erith ward:- "Crimes of note for the last week - Theft of cycle and Other theft, 10/08/2018 Pier Road; Shoplift <£200 11/08/2018 Iceland Foods Plc, Town Square; Burglary (Residential) 13/08/2018 Stanmore Road - house of multiple occupants - four bags removed from insecure rooms - bags of his clothing; Making off 04/08/2018 Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc,James Watt Way; Theft of MV (Motor Vehicle) 14/08/2018, Erith Road; Shoplift <£200 15/08/2018 Wickes Building Supplies Ltd, Fraser Road; Theft from MV 14/08/2018 Riverdale Road Dates for your diary's - Wednesday 29/08/18, 1300-1400 Costa coffee Erith – pop in surgery, Tuesday 04/09/18 – 1100/1200 Costa coffee Erith - pop in surgery and Wednesday 12/09/18 – 1200/1300 Orbit office Erith park - pop in surgery".  Northumberland Heath ward:- "No burglaries reported to us this week which is great news. Unfortunately, we have had several reports of criminal damage to motor vehicles over the past week. In Ightham Road a vehicle had wing mirrors kicked. Criminal damage to a motor vehicle in Mill Road where a group of youths were seen smashing the front and rear windows. The team are continuing to focus on anti-social behaviour and are attending a number of meetings with the council to discuss this matter. A number of individuals have been referred to the anti-social behaviour unit and will be receiving home visits to their parents. On Tuesday, the local Councillor came to Northumberland Heath to patrol with PC Young. She was taken around the hotspot areas where anti-social behaviour is prevalent and was given an insight to the local issues. The next Coffee with Cops event will be held at midday on Saturday August 25th at the Sunshine Café in Parsonage Manorway. All are welcome to attend".

Slade Green and North End ward:- "Over the last week we have been working hard on our ward promises, focusing our efforts on patrolling the parks and open spaces. We've also completed numerous weapons sweeps across the ward, happy to report that nothing untoward has been found. We are also planning a number of traffic operations in the near future, focusing on speed and phone offences, Is your road particularly bad? Let us know and we can include your road in upcoming operations. We've recently received an increase in reports of Motor Bike ASB across the ward, mainly in the parks and open spaces, and also in the Slade Green Road area. Can you help us identify who's responsible, do you often see a bike riding in an anti social manner on your road? Talk to us about this - we can help and deal with offenders robustly. On Wednesday 15th August on his way into work, PC Brookes - Smith caught sight of a moped parked up in Northend Road Junction with Peareswood Road. The bike looked out of place so he took a closer look. Enquiries at the scene quickly established that the bike had been reported stolen overnight on Mon 13 – Tues 14th August from the Welling area. A full forensic lift was arranged and PC Brookes - Smith remained with the bike until recovery arrived. The victim was very happy to get his bike back. Over the last month officers from the team have found and recovered four stolen motor bikes. We are constantly building our intelligence picture and taking these bikes out of the hands of the criminals and back into their owners' hands. Has a vehicle appeared on your road which looks out of place? Has the ignition been damaged? Is it insecure? Or is something just not right? If so contact us we can have a look. Our next community contact session is on Thursday 30th August 2018 at the Café in Forest road from 11am. Please come along and have a chat with your local team. During this sessions you can pass on information, report crime or simply join us for coffee".Thamesmead East ward:- "Wednesday 08/08/18 between 6:40am - 5:40pm Cherbury Close – Theft from Motor Vehicle: Theft of rear number plate; Wednesday 08/08/18 06:00am - Monday 13/08/18 Fieldfare Road – Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicle: Victims mobility scooter vandalised, back tyres slashed; Thursday 09/08/18 between 10:00pm – Friday 10/08/18 1:00pm Templar Drive – Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicle: Victims windscreen smashed. Good News - Wednesday 08/08/18 the team assisted the National Crime Agency to reduce crime and disorder on the ward, 3 arrests were made. Friday 10/08/18 PC Nana recovered a stolen motorbike near Osney House in Hartslock Drive working with Peabody Housing the bike was reunited with the owner. Friday 10/08/18 PC Pruden arrested a male for failing to attend court. The team will be at Lakeside Health Centre Yarnton Way on Tuesday 21/08/18 for a Have a Say session between 1-2pm any problems in your area come and let us know or just come in and say hello". West Heath ward:- "There was one reported burglary on West Heath Ward between 08/08/2018 and 15/08/2018. There was also one reported theft of motor vehicle during the same period. The Victim returned from holiday on 10/08/2018 to find out that their property had been broken into on West Heath Road. The suspects have jammed the kitchen window and gained entry. A stick was also used to jam the front door A victim at Axminster Crescent Bexleyheath had his Ford Ranger Wildtrak index 9437KGY (Spanish registration number) stolen outside their address. Our Street-a-Week program, where we visit and engage with local residents in our ward, is 3pm - 4pm today for Glenview and 12noon - 1pm on Wed 22 August 2018 for Mayfair Avenue".

I have in many occasions in the past mourned the loss of the Danson Festival, an event that used to take place each summer in Danson Park, but which was cancelled by Bexley Council in 2014 as a cost saving measure - despite from everything I have been able to discover, the event actually made a modest profit. As I have written in the past, one of our neighbouring boroughs - specifically the London Borough of Havering. The borough - just on the opposite side of The River Thames has a very similar size and geography to the London Borough of Bexley; it also has a similar population demographic and overall council budget that is broadly comparable. The difference with Havering is that they fund many community based events, including a very large free festival, which has its' fortieth anniversary next weekend, on the 26th and 27th of August. The end video below shows some photographs and video footage of the Havering Show of last year, to give you an idea of exactly what the event is like. I would suggest that since Bexley residents no longer have their own show, it might be a good idea for people to take a trip across the river to visit the Havering Show, since our own local council are not going to do anything similar. Let me know what you think by either leaving a comment below, or alternatively by Emailing hugh.neal@gmail.com.