Locally listed.

In a move that surprised some locals, Bexley Council have given Erith Town Hall locally listed status. Councillor Louie French signed the listing approval document, which states: - "Erith Town hall meets the criteria for inclusion on the Local List. The structure has historical and architectural significance and contribute to the townscape, for the reasons set out in this report. The inclusion of the properties on the list would make their preservation and enhancement as heritage assets a material consideration when determining relevant planning applications". Bexley maintains a Local List of buildings and structures that have been identified as positive elements within the local environment due to their local historic or architectural significance. Locally listed buildings are of local significance, as opposed to national significance. They are heritage assets that contribute to the understanding of the borough’s past and inform its present character. They add to the quality of the local environment. Buildings on the Local List are not subject to additional statutory controls, but their conservation and enhancement is an objective of national, London-wide, and local planning policy, and therefore is a material consideration when determining planning applications. Erith Town Hall opened on 2 June 1932 and is of historic importance locally in that it provided services for the locality as part of the Erith Borough Council (and formerly Erith Urban District Council). Erith Town Hall remains an attractive and prominent landmark building located within Erith Town Centre and retains the original Council Chamber. The design of the Town Hall building borrows features from the adjacent Carnegie library. ‘Italian Renaissance’ is quoted within the Erith Observer (published 10th June 1932) as the style in which the building has been constructed. The external surfaces feature red brick of attractive proportions and decorative stone features including window casements. The protruding front pediment exhibits the Coat of Arms of the Erith Urban District Council and is inscribed with the motto ‘labour overcomes all things’ (Erith Urban District Council was granted their own coat of arms by the College of Arms On 27 February 1906). There have been some unsympathetic alterations, namely the replacement of approximately 50 percent of the original metal-framed windows with that of UPVC. The metal railings to the perimeter walls (located to the front of the building) are also missing in places. The side access to the Council building (located along Bexley Road) has also been blocked-up and replaced with a UPVC window. The scale and ambition of the Erith Urban District Council was realised in the construction of the Town Hall as we know it today, which was part of a government scheme of public works to enable jobs (particularly for military veterans and the unemployed). The Town Hall was constructed almost entirely with local manpower and ninety per cent of the materials used for the construction were purchased in Erith. The building housed the Council’s administrative functions and thereby was an important point of contact for local people for a number of decades, until the formation of the London Borough of Bexley on 1st April 1965. To the present day, the building continues to operate some of the functions of the London Borough of Bexley, namely council tax and benefits, which were outsourced to Capita in 2011. The building is the only remaining purpose-built Town Hall within the borough. It is currently utilised for some of the statutory functions which are provided by Bexley Council. Personally I find it somewhat surprising that the building has been included in a local listing, as it is my understanding that one of the prime conditions for local listing is that the building in question should be substantially unchanged since it was constructed; this cannot be said of Erith Town Hall, which had an additional storey added (the raised roof level) in the early 1990's. I also am aware that the Council are looking to dispose of the building, now that its main function - as the centre for council tax and housing benefits has been merged with Bromley. Erith Town Hall is nowadays somewhat underused. It also makes me wonder that the cost of converting if for another use - for example as a hotel, might be greater than the cost of demolishing it and replacing it with an entirely new structure. As mentioned earlier, Electricity House, which is directly opposite, is of a similar vintage, and is already being targetted by Bexley Council in an attempt to buy out the leases prior to an expected compulsory purchase order being sought. What does the future hold for Erith Town Hall, now that it is covered by a local listing? Only time will tell. 

After a recent survey, more than half of Britons believe fireworks should be restricted to official and professionally managed displays only, and that the private use of fireworks should be banned. Since 2003, under 18’s have been prohibited from buying or using fireworks. The measures come under the Fireworks Act 2003, which also bars any member of the public from possessing high-powered "category four" fireworks of the kind used in professional displays. Now many activists, animal lovers and others have been campaigning for a further strengthening of the law, and as a result Police have been getting tougher with people using fireworks illegally. The clampdown is intended to tackle the problem of anti-social behaviour involving fireworks, Further hard line enforcement is due to come into force next year, including curfews on the setting off of fireworks, recognised training for display operators and the introduction of a tougher licensing system for suppliers. In a surprise move, giant supermarket brand Sainsbury's announced that they were no longer going to stock firework products as a result of negative feedback from pet owners, and also as a result of information from the Police about the use of fireworks in anti - social behaviour. I have since discovered that Canada, South Africa and Australia have limitations or bans on private firework displays, and the UK needs to seriously consider if it needs to follow suit. I was also made aware by a reader that an organised campaign to get heavy restrictions on the sale and use of fireworks is already under way. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The Association of Bexley Charities '78 - Autumn Fair 26 October 2019. An announcement from the group:- "We are holding our Autumn Fair at the United Reformed Church, Geddes Place, Bexleyheath DA6 7DJ (near the Broadway Shopping Centre) on Saturday 26th October 2019 from 9.45 am  - 1.00 pm. There will be a variety of charity stalls selling Christmas gifts and cards, CDs and DVDs, collectables, jewellery, chutneys, jams, cakes, books, children’s toys and games and model railway accessories. Refreshments will be available and the entrance fee is 50p (accompanied children FREE)".  

News reaches me that the beleaguered owners of the P2 Events Centre and the former children's nursery in the aforementioned Electricity House located at 33A Bexley Road, Erith have put both spaces up for rent. As I recently wrote, the temporary planning permission for the two areas of the building has been withdrawn by Bexley Council. Details of the former children's nursery space can be seen by clicking here. The proposed annual rent of £39,000 per year is in my opinion frankly eye watering. That is nothing in comparison to the P2 Events Centre, details of which can be seen by clicking here. The proposed rent for this shabby space is a staggering amount for what was formerly the Erith Snooker Centre - an incredible £95,000 a year - that is £7,916 a month. They will never get anything like this amount, especially as the future of the entire Electricity House is in some doubt. This is all under a background of Bexley Council negotiating with the individual leaseholders in order to buy out the leases in Electricity House prior to what I and many others believe to be a compulsory purchase order and then site redevelopment.

Erith is rightly known for its many engineering contributions to the world, and to the great inventions that have come from the small riverside town. The fire sprinkler, the sprung mousetrap and the first automatic machine gun were invented by Sir Hiram Maxim at his works in Fraser Road, and the first heavier than air flying machine - the Maxim Flyer. Maxim began his aerial experiments at Baldwyns Park, England, in the late 1880's, leading to the construction in 1893 of his enormous biplane Test-Rig, which weighed about 7,000 pounds. The machine's two steam engines each produced 180 h.p. and turned two pusher propellers each 17-1/2 feet in diameter. Since the device was intended to be a test vehicle it was held to a track, preventing it from rising more than a couple of feet. The Maxim Flyer took briefly to the air on its third test run, on July 31, 1894, with Maxim and a crew of three aboard, it lifted with such force that it broke the reinforced restraining track and careened for some 200 yards, at times reaching an altitude of 2 or 3 feet above the damaged track. It was believed that a lifting force of some 10,000 pounds had likely been generated. Maxim never took to the air again, and the flyer became a fairground ride, which to this day is still in use in Blackpool. You can read more about the Maxim Flyer by clicking here. Other local inventors of note include Edward Butler - who invented the Butler Petrol Cycle, which he tested along Manor Road in Erith in 1884 - two full years before Karl Benz built his first vehicle in Germany. Butler gave up on his invention, hence why Mercedes Benz are now credited with the invention of the car. I wrote at some length about this in the past, which you can read by clicking here. Apart from these big local engineering organisations, there have also been numerous smaller and less well - known enterprises, one of which I am featuring this week. The following information should be of particular interest to the significant number of my readers who are Radio Amateurs, but it should also be interesting to a general audience - or so I hope.  This is the story of a important, specialist electronic component supplier that for many years was based in a small industrial unit in Pier Road, Erith, opposite the spiral entrance to the old multi storey car park that used to be above the hideous brutalist concrete shopping centre. Thanks to local resident, regular reader and occasional contributor Miles, who brought this bit of local history to my attention, and who also sent me the price list scan above - click on it for a larger view. The company was called Quartslab, and it imported, manufactured and sold quartz oscillator crystals for the communications industry. A crystal oscillator is an electronic oscillator circuit that uses the mechanical resonance of a vibrating crystal of piezoelectric material to create an electrical signal with a precise frequency. This frequency is often used to keep track of time, as in quartz wristwatches, to provide a stable clock signal for digital integrated circuits, and to stabilise frequencies for radio transmitters and receivers. The most common type of piezoelectric resonator used is the quartz crystal, so oscillator circuits incorporating them became known as crystal oscillators. You can read more about crystal oscillators by clicking here. Quartslab became the largest supplier of crystal oscillators for use in electronic devices. Their story started in the 1970's. Quatrslab founder Dave Court, G3SDL received a significant quantity of commercial land mobile radio equipment for conversion to the 144 MHz amateur radio band. Finding a supplier of the necessary crystals at a reasonable price proved rather difficult. This was in the pre-Internet age but nevertheless a new quartz crystal factory in Singapore with good prices and a reasonable delivery time was identified and the crystals duly arrived. During a discussion with Dave Collings, G8EOK the idea of importing crystals for commercial mobile radio equipment on popular 144 MHz channels was discussed and Quartslab's predecessor company C and C Electronics was born. This enterprise was started with £200 capital and operated from rental accommodation in South East London. C and C expanded rapidly, and moved into the supply of crystals for professional as well as hobby radio applications and imported quartz crystal from suppliers in Canada, Denmark, India and Japan as well as Singapore. In 1978 the two Dave Cs decided to form a limited company and QSL or Quartslab Marketing Limited was established. In 1979 a change of address was triggered when the two QSL directors embarked on married life. This was the period when Quartslab traded from PO Box 73, Summit House. In the early 1980s Dave Court resigned his position as Director of Quartslab Marketing Ltd, due to increasing responsibilities in his full time occupation. Thus the most successful period of Quartslab’s existence commenced with the company trading from Pier Road in Erith under the sole stewardship of Dave Collings (now G4YIB). Quartslab went from strength to strength and started to manufacture small quantities of crystals itself to meet the demand for very fast delivery times. A good friend of mine, Bob Mersh G8JNZ who unfortunately is now deceased, was very close to the two Daves, and also told me that Quartslab manufactured the transmitter crystals for a large number of London's AM and FM pirate radio stations - something that they understandably kept quiet about. The situation carried on in much the same way for two decades and into the 21st century. At Christmas 2006,  the two Daves met again; the conversation turned to crystals and the next phase of the story was decided. Dave Court (now EI3IO) had started a telecommunications consultancy, Connogue Limited as well as a number of other initiatives, following his career in radio communications and had settled in Ireland after living in Denmark during the 1990s. It was agreed that Quartslab should move to the Emerald Isle and become part of the Connogue group of companies. In 2009 some major changes took place in respect of Dave Court’s business activities, which involved a move to Bahrain. Luckily another Dave (G4AKY) agreed to take over the reins of one of the British Isles’ most successful crystal companies and QuartSLab has returned to South East England, where it started over 35 years ago. The company is still very much active, and is now based in Sevenoaks, Kent. The Quartslab industrial unit in Pier Road was located where the currently empty units at 66 - 68 Pier Road are - right next to the Energie Gym. The old industrial units were demolished during the redevelopment of Erith Riverside Shopping Centre.

Recently I wrote that I did not want to describe Erith as one large building site; I am now of the opinion that to all intents and purposes it is. The entire town is undergoing a degree of regeneration not seen in a couple of generations. Not since the old and beloved Victorian town centre was demolished to make way for the brutalist concrete monstrosity that was the 1970’s era shopping centre (of which my enduring memory as a small child was the ever present smell of stale wee). Whatever issues or subjects Erith residents of a certain age disagree with, the unifying subject is that the heart of the town was ruined when the shopping centre was constructed. Only really in the last few years have things started improving, firstly by the fundamental re- engineering of the old shopping centre to form the current Erith Riverside Shopping Centre, which is a very pleasant place to be, and light years away from the gloomy and threatening old structure. Morrison’s have added a lot to Erith; in fact the Erith store was the first the then Northern based supermarket chain opened in the south, back in 1999. I recall being served by Sir Ken Morrison on the first day of opening (though I had to be told who he was, as I was clueless). Morrison’s employ well over five hundred local people, and put a lot of money back into the local economy. I would estimate that they are second to, or equal with ADM Oils as being the largest employer in the town. A new primary school will be opening next year on the Erith Quarry residential development, and the Riverside Baths development has now been fully occupied. On top of this, the Post Office building in Erith High Street is currently up for sale and possible redevelopment. If you have any information about other developments in the local area, please feel free to drop me a line to hugh.neal@gmail.com in complete confidence.

Now for the weekly local safety and security reports from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Obviously this week's updates are overshadowed by the tragic incident that occurred on Sunday afternoon at Barnehurst Avenue junction with Merewood Road. At the moment enquiries are ongoing but residents can be reassured that this was a one off incident and there is absolutely no reason for residents to be concerned. Apart from this I am pleased to report no burglaries since the last update. However there have been sporadic incidents of vehicle crime. In Normandy Way at 5:45am a male was seen running away from a vehicle which he had tried to break into. There was visible damage left on the car door. In Birling Road on Sunday 13th October at 8:20pm there was a theft of a moped. Local cctv shows two males of medium build wearing black helmets and dark clothing taking the moped off the victim, driveway. The suspects arrived at the scene on their own motor bike. Overnight of Sunday 13th October in a residential parking bay of Badlow Close there was an incident where the victim's vehicle has had its front driver's side window smashed. An untidy search of the vehicle has then occurred. It appears nothing was taken. On Saturday12th October at 11pm in Beechcroft Avenue a vehicle parked on the roadside has had its windscreen and driver's side window smashed. All four tyres have also been slashed. Local cctv shows a blue BMW 3 series pull up. Two males leave the car and approach the victim's vehicle. One male is seen walking around the vehicle slashing the tyres while the other throws a brick through the windscreen. The male that slashed the tyres then throws a brick through the side window. The victim has no idea why this has happened. The next community contact session will be coffee with cops at Barnehurst Golf Course at 11am on 23rd October". Belvedere ward:- "On Friday 11th throughout the early hours of the morning, there was a brick thrown at the front window of number 51 Ripley Road. Damage was caused to the double glazed window as the first pane of glass smashed completely. Also on Friday 11th and into Saturday 12th there was a further burglary at 38 Elmbourne Drive in which the rear patio doors were damaged (glass smashed) in order to gain entry. On Sunday 13th there was a further attempt to gain entry to the stand alone garage at 14 Lower Park Road. Once again, this proved to be an unsuccessful attempt. There was a burglary at 16 Halifield Drive this week, on Monday 14th between midnight and 3:45 pm. It appears that a hall way window had been left slightly open allowing possible entry to the property. On Thursday 10th October, PCSO Worrall and PC Holmes discovered a silver Audi A5 after we were alerted by Councillor Hinkley to its whereabouts in Lower Road. The vehicle was taken to the Police car pound for further examination. PC Holmes then recovered a second stolen vehicle from Picardy Manorway an hour later. On Wednesday 16th , PCSO Worrall was also alerted to a motorcycle that was in St. Thomas Road. Subsequent checks showed that it had been stolen a few days earlier from a nearby street. The owner was then contacted and has been reunited with his vehicle". Bexleyheath ward:- "There was an attempted shed burglary in Heathfield Avenue overnight on the Saturday the 12th of October. No entry was gained to the shed and nothing was taken. Between Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th of October there has been a residential burglary in Parkhill Road. Rear patio doors were smashed to gain entry to the property. Cash and jewellery was stolen. Between Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th of October a white Audi, registration GK13DPZ was stolen from Dale Road. It's unknown how the vehicle was taken as the owner has the keys. Stops and searches continue across the ward, including the war memorial, car parks for possession of cannabis. The team will be working several more late shifts than usual from now into November for Operation Autumn Nights, to tackle ASB that tends to increase at this time of the year. If you are aware of any issues in your local area please do get in contact with the team". Crayford ward:- "I am really pleased to say that there have been absolutely no catalytic convertor thefts this week. In fact, motor crime has been very much reduced this week other than one theft of motor vehicle which occurred between 22.00 on 10th October and 13.00 on 11th October when a white Audi Q5 S Line, number plate GK13 DPZ was stolen off a driveway in Dale Road without keys. There was an attempted burglary at Aldi on Monday 14th October at 4.15 am. Seen on CCTV, two male suspects aged between 15-18 years and on bicycles broke through a door and realising they could not continue in to the store then left. Four worn tyres were stolen from a business in Crayford Way surrounded by a six foot fence on Monday 7th October. There have been two distraction thefts this week in Crayford, please be very aware of this sort of crime. A blue I Phone XR was stolen from a shop in Crayford High St at 10.50am on 9th October, the suspect is seen on CCTV and is described as IC2, possibly Algerian. The other theft occurred at the Post Office on 12th October at 16.30. The suspect and his accomplice kept changing their minds about how they wanted their money resulting in a loss to the Post office. The main suspect is described as IC2, about 5'4”, medium build and was wearing a hat. (colour not given on report) His accomplice was described as having a beard, greasy hair and thin. Our next community contact session will be on Wednesday 23rd October at Crayford Library between 2-3pm". Erith ward:- "For residents that attend our ward panel meeting we have had to have a change of location this month, we are having it on the same day Wednesday 30th Oct, but the location has been moved to Erith Pier Road Police Station, Feel free to email me if you would like more info. We are having a free bike marking event outside Erith Pier Road Police Station on the Saturday 2nd November between 11am and 1pm this will be FREE so pop along with your bikes. Also we are carrying out a crime survey and are looking at getting 1000 of these completed in Erith, these are for you are residents to complete, Any of my NHW members across Erith who would like to deliver and collect these to the area they cover PLEASE get in contact with me. Crimes of note from the week, Theft from MV Wednesday 09/10/2019 11:00:00 14/10/2019 Friday Road, Theft from MV Monday 14/10/2019 09:00:00 Avenue Road, Theft of MV Wednesday 16/10/2019 18:40:00 James Watt Way, Theft Wednesday 16/10/2019 19:17:00 Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, in James Watt Way". Northumberland Heath ward:- "There was an attempted burglary of the garage area opposite Thorne Close around 10pm on Thursday 10/10/2019. Suspects in 2 vehicles (a white van and a grey mini) were disturbed by a passer by. No garages were broken in to. Bolt cutters were left behind by the suspects and have been taken for forensic examination. There has been an increased amount of shop lifting reported in the last week at BP on Bexley Road. CCTV images are being looked at by the team to identify who may be involved. ASB has been reported in recent days outside BNN shop in Brook Street. The team will be patrolling the location to try and prevent this becoming a bigger issue. A dangerous dog warrant was executed by the team in Beechfield Road on Saturday 12/10/2019. A dog was removed from the premises after it had recently attacked another dog. One fine was issued to a male who was found with cannabis on him during a stop and search last week".

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Six vehicle crimes have been reported in the last week. All of them took place overnight. 2 of them were thefts of number plates. The other 4 were Catalytic converter thefts. They all took place between the Monday 14th and Wednesday 16th of October. The number plates were stolen from Bilton Road and Alexandra Road. The Catalytic converters were taken from Boundary Street X2, Frobisher Road and Manor Road (these were both taken overnight between Monday 14 – Tuesday 15th). All of the catalytic converters were taken from Japanese made cars, Honda, Toyota etc. Please be aware that if you are the owner of one of these vehicles to try and park your vehicle in a well lit place or garage if possible. On Wednesday 16/10/2019 PCSO Mark attended the Slade Green Big Local Stakeholders conference where the last few years of The Local Plan were discussed as well as an update on activities in the last 6 months. Our next CCS is on Tuesday 22/10/2019 from 12 Midday at the Welcome Café in St Augustines Church. Please come along and say hello". Thamesmead East ward:- "No Burglaries this week. Haldane Road Wednesday 9/10/19 at 10;22pm a witness stated that they had seen someone pull up to the house and smash windows. On police arrival smashed windows were seen, the house appeared empty as there was no furniture to suggesting anyone lived there. Kale Road Thursday 10/10/19 between 10am - 2 pm passenger window smashed and vehicle broken into nothing taken. Yarnton Way Thursday 10/10/19 between 7:30pm – 9pm victims front number plate removed by suspect/s unknown an attempt to remove the rear plate was unsuccessful. Wolvercote Road between Thursday 10/10/19 11pm – 8am 11/10/19 side window smashed glasses and perfume taken by suspect unknown. Wolvercote Road Friday 11/10/19 at 4:30am Victim went down to his car, noticed that the car window had been smashed. In the distance a male in dark clothing was seen smashing the window of another vehicle. The victim chased the male down Wolvercote Road, towards Yartnton Way but lost sight of the suspect. Kale Road Friday 11/10/19 at 8:30pm victim could hear shouting and looking out of his flat window could see a group of males and females possibly arguing. One of the male suspects was seen by the victim to kick his car. Victim shouted out his window and the suspects ran off but not before kicking both wing mirrors off. Damage to rear nearside light also seen. Templar Drive Friday 11/10/19 between 3pm – 8:30am Sat 12/10/19 Victim has noticed the glove compartment was open and the driver door was unlocked. £25 in Euros and car key to work lorry taken. Templar Drive Friday 11/10/19 between 4pm – 1:45pm Sat 12/10/19 victim noticed that suspect/s had been in his vehicle and removed personal items as well as a brown pouch containing £50 without his permission. Yarnton Way Saturday 12/10/19 between 7pm – 7:30pm Victim reports the theft of his mobility scooter after leaving it unattended when it ran out of charge. Victim returned an hour later and it had been stolen". West Heath ward:- "We returned from rest days this week to find out we had one attempted burglary in Elmstead Crescent on Tuesday October 8th. At 11.15am the occupant was sitting in the lounge of their property when they heard the back door handle being tried. The suspect was disturbed and ran away slamming the outer door behind them. On Tuesday October 8th between 7am and 11.15am police were driving in Long Lane when they heard an alarm going off in Nicola Terrace. A side door to a property was smashed in and an untidy search of the property conducted but at this stage it is not known if anything was taken. In relation to motor vehicle crime, one theft of a BMW in Little Heath Road between Sunday October 13th 10.30pm – Monday October 14th 6.45am. Criminal damage to a vehicle in Preston Drive on Tuesday October 15th between 8.30am – 6.10pm. Last week we held our quarterly ward panel meeting which was well attended. Our promises for the next quarter remain unchanged focusing on Motor Vehicle crime, Burglary and ASB/Drugs. The next drop in police surgery will be held at the Bostall Library in King Harolds Way on Friday October 25th at 1pm".

The end video this week features highlights of local football team Erith Town FC, playing in a match with Welling Town for the Buildbase VA Vase.

The Carnegie Playhouse.

It would appear that someone in Upper Belvedere has taken a marked dislike to the proposed plans for the redevelopment of the former Belvedere Police Station in Nuxley Road. It has come to my attention that an anonymous person has been posting leaflets through the letter boxes of Belvedere houses highlighting what they perceive as the faults in the proposed redevelopment. Their main areas of concern are that the proposed apartment block to replace the former Police station will be five stories high, and it will have insufficient parking for the residents of the block. The anonymous individual obviously feels strongly on the subject, to have gone to the expense and trouble to print and deliver leaflets around the local area; what does concern me is that they have not included any contact details on the leaflet - it is not possible to respond to the individual who has posted it. You can read the leaflet by clicking here. Personally I don't have very much of a problem with the proposed design of the apartment block - it is a very generic design, similar in many ways to the Erith Baths development on the corner of Walnut Tree Road and Erith High Street - of which I am also fairly ambivalent. I think the anonymous protester has some valid points, but to be honest, the existing former Police station building is not exactly pleasing to the eye - it was built for function rather than form, and now that the function has ceased, it has little purpose as it stands. The developer needs to make a return on their investment, and the housing density may be higher than should be desired - I am not an expert on the subject. I suppose my surprise is that the relatively minor issues of design and specification would cause someone to get so upset that they would start a leafletting campaign - to my mind there are far more weighty issues to get concerned about. Replacing one minor local eyesore with another is hardly the most pressing of issues - it is happening all over the country after all. The fact remains that the land the former Police station stands on is now worth far more than the current building, and it would be impractical to refurbish or modify the current structure, so it must be replaced. The objector goes on to ask a rhetorical question as to where locals will go for a GP visit once the Cairngall Medical Centre (diagonally opposite the former Police station site) will go after the scheduled closure of the practice. It is my understanding that the Belvedere Medical Centre in Albert Road has more than sufficient capacity to take all of the former Cairngall patients. As previously mentioned, I had been a patient at the Cairngall Medical Centre since birth, and I recently transferred to the Belvedere Medical Centre very easily indeed - all you need to do is fill out a form and return it to the new surgery - they then write to you confirming your change of GP - all very straightforward indeed.

My article last week on Fireworks and the current state of the law has provoked quite a bit of reader feedback. One regular reader, and occasional contributor who chooses to remain anonymous writes:- "I just thought I would take up your offer of contacting you regarding your piece on fireworks. I have to say I am in 100 percent agreement with your view that they should be confined to professional public displays. I would just add that if firework displays are really wanted at private parties (weddings, birthdays, etc) they should only be allowed to be carried out by a certified professional, trained in all aspects of their use, and in all safety matters. I have been banging (no pun intended) on about this subject for many years. Seemingly, sad to say, to deaf ears. The usual response being that I am just a miserable old git who has forgotten what it's like to be a child. That may be so, but I have never forgotten some of the unnecessary injuries suffered by children (and others) who have been scarred for life, or even blinded by fireworks, or bonfires, over the years. When I was a child, we made our guy about a week or so before November 5th and tried to coerce cash out of stressed looking commuters leaving our local train station in the evening. However, any cash we could manage to force out of them invariably went on sweets, and not fireworks. These were usually provided by Dad, and he would never let us touch them. Only he would set them off, mostly, one at a time in the back garden. Nowadays the explosions, on a par with a First World War barrage, start around mid-October as a precursor to that American travesty, Halloween. The cacophony then drags on through Guy Fawkes Night, which now should be called Guy Fawkes Week. It continues on through Diwali until it reaches its climax when New Years Eve arrives. As a young teenager I, and my equally stupid friends, would cause all manner of mayhem with, mainly, banger type fireworks around the streets of Erith, and Slade Green. The only excuse I can offer is that we did not know any better. We were lucky that none of us suffered any major injuries, although there were a few minor mishaps. Looking back, it seems incredible to me that adults, who supposedly wished no harm to their own, or other people's children, should countenance the selling of such explosives to kids. Yes, we all know that there was, and remains, an age limit for the purchase of such items. However, we also all know, that those laws have always been flouted. Were such deadly items only to be the preserve of qualified professional people, there would still be the enjoyment, and excitement of firework displays. But without the heavy risks of serious injury. Of course, even at organised events, there is always the possibility of something going wrong. However, that is rare, and allows compensation to be sought in cases of negligence. There is no such recourse to law for the 10 year old who blows his hand off, or the 12 year old who gets blinded by the illegal use of fireworks". Another regular reader who contacted me was Nick Hair, the landlord of The Kentish Belle micro pub in Pickford Lane, Bexleyheath. He wrote:- "On Halloween itself a group of 30 youths stood outside the Kentish Belle and let off fireworks. Some, like multiple-shot rocket sort of things, were left in the road which began firing in the direction along the floor of the Co-op and therefore at the feet of commuters walking home. We immediately called the Police who spent the next 4 hours (they all finally stood down at circa 22:30) in 3 vans, 3 police cars and 1 unmarked car looking for groups to disperse them. A separate incident (albeit relevant) involved a gang of oiks on bikes cycling down residential streets kicking peoples’ car wing mirrors off - not at all useful. The reality is that whilst I am yet to say I wish to see fireworks banned outside of displays, the singular point we can all agree on is that it’s about education and respect for the fireworks’ capabilities and dangers. Parents who give children fireworks (or anyone over 18 buying them and then giving / selling them to kids) are the problem". so there you have it - views on fireworks from two prominent local residents.

You may recall that I broke a story back on the 28th of October, that the Bright Steps children's nursery located at 33A Bexley Road, Erith (see the photo directly above - click on it for a larger version) had lost a legal appeal to the withdrawal of their licence to operate by official regulator Ofsted. The nursery had been closed after a member of the public witnessed a staff member smacking a child. Ofsted and Bexley Police immediately launched an investigation into the incident, which involved examining CCTV security video recordings made in the Bright Steps nursery. It was eventually established that the owner and operator of the nursery, Mr. Saula Ogunkoya had deleted the video footage in order to cover up the assault. The Judge, when summing up the case, said:- "We find as a fact that:- (i) the Appellant failed to identify risks of harm, issues of health and safety, and to implement appropriate and safe child-handling practice; (ii) the Appellant repeatedly failed to manage children’s behaviour appropriately; (iii) the Appellant repeatedly failed to meet the requirements in relation to child protection procedures and safeguarding; his approach to the investigation into CO in 2016 and the allegation in 2018 is indicative of an inability and/or an unwillingness to learn from past mistakes and to prioritise the needs of the children in his care; (iv) the Appellant has historically and repeatedly failed to meet the learning and development requirements of the EYFS; (v) the Appellant failed to ensure the suitability of staff, specifically his sister CO in 2016; (vi) the Appellant failed to notify Ofsted of the police investigation into CO in 2016 and delayed suspending her; (vii) the history demonstrates that the Appellant is unable or unwilling to sustain compliance with requirements imposed by the regulations. (e) We find that the Appellant has been untruthful both to the Respondent, the Police, the Tribunal and all others involved in the investigation of the incident on 3/1/2018. His failure to co-operate mirrors his unwillingness to co-operate in November 2017. His lack of integrity and his failure to work openly and in collaboration with the Respondent results in the sad conclusion that he is not suitable to provide nursery provision. We therefore dismiss the appeal and there shall be no order as to costs". A very clear message from the court in relation to Saula Ogunkoya's suitability to operate a children's nursery. I, along with many local people had considered the matter now closed, but evidence has emerged over the last few days which gives further cause for concern. Not only is the former Bright Steps nursery website still up and active, it still incorrectly states that the nursery has Ofsted registration - which you can see by clicking here. More worryingly, a new website has gone live within the last week, which names a new nursery on the same site at 33A Bexley Road, which is about to open. The new nursery is called The Carnegie Playhouse - you can visit the website by clicking here. Contacts with Ofsted confirm that no application for a licence has currently been made by the operators of The Carnegie Playhouse, and the new websites' use of stock photo images rather than actual photos of the real site, along with a very suspicious recommendation"- "Yasmin loves being in the care of Sarah – I have noticed such a difference in her behaviour and the way she interacts with other children since being with her at the weekends. She has gained so much confidence" - bearing in mind the new nursery has not yet opened, how could such a favourable reference have been solicited? Additionally no details relating to the supposed nursery manager "Sarah Carnegie" can be located; I suspect that the person is entirely fictional, taking their surname from the nearby former Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road.

 I have Emailed the contact address for The Carnegie Playhouse, asking the following questions:-

1) Can you please let me know your Ofsted registration number?
2) What certification and insurances do your staff have, and have they got enhanced DBS checks?
3) What connection do you have with the former Bright Steps nursery, which until recently was based in the same premises?
4) Do Mr Saula Ogunkoya or Dr Chris Ogedengbe have any connection whatsoever with The Carnegie Playhouse?

At the time of writing I have not had a reply from The Carnegie Playhouse. I have strong suspicions that The Carnegie Playhouse is an underhand attempt to rebrand and relaunch Bright Steps. If my suspicions turn out to be correct, then this action could well prove to be illegal, as Saula Ogunkoya has been legally disbarred from running children's nurseries. If it is a genuine new group attempting to launch a new business, then they are going about it in a very opaque and deceitful manner. Either way, this story will no doubt develop over the weeks to come; I will update readers when additional information becomes available. If you have any information on the subject, then please contact me as a matter of priority - any information you can supply will be treated in the strictest of confidence. You can Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

A final update from local resident and amateur historian Roy Hillman, who has been undertaking research into local men who served in the First World War, and who have been commemorated on the Slade Green war memorial. Roy writes:- "We’re pleased to say that one of the trickier service records of men on the Slade Green War Memorial has been resolved, that of Leonard Dudley. Leonard was born Leonard Whiffen (sometimes Whiffin) in 1887, the son of Eliza Jane Whiffen. Eliza was brought up at 1 Farm Cottages, Slade Green (her father was a farm labourer) and as a teenager Eliza worked as a servant in the household of George Davis, a boot maker at 3 Crayford High Street. She was 21 when she gave birth to Leonard. By now Eliza’s parents are living at Killicks Cottages in Slade Green, next door are the Dudley family and in 1889 John Raven Dudley marries Eliza and they move into Norfolk Cottages, Hazel Road, Slade Green. A number of half brothers and sisters for Leonard follow - Eliza, John, Alfred, Walter, Annie, Arthur, Charlotte, Lucy, Cyril, Ethel and Edith plus 1 other - and at various times the family moves to other houses in Hazel Road – first 8 Castle Terrace and then Garden Cottage (which was probably No. 51 as the census record has it between No. 49 and No. 53). By 1901 Leonard has taken the Dudley surname and is working locally as a brick maker. He joins the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner quite a while before World War 1, in 1908, and in 1911 he is garrisoned in Hong Kong. Unlike many professional soldiers he managed to survive the early years of the war. We're not sure how they met, but he married his wife Rosalie in 1916 at St James Church on the island of Jersey. Early in 1918 he received gunshot wounds to his back and was discharged from the army in February 1918, after which he returned to England. Sadly he never recovered from his wounds and died on 13th September 1918 and was buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey".

A report was published last week that highlighted the security loopholes and outright failures that can be found in the cash till machines used by most high street banks. The cash machines, more correctly termed Automated Teller Machines, or ATM's can be hacked in many ingenious ways. In order to understand this, a basic understanding of how an ATM works is required. An ATM consists of two main parts: cabinet and safe. The cabinet (main body) contains the ATM computer, which is connected to all the other devices: network equipment, bank card reader, keyboard (PIN pad), and cash dispenser (the dispenser itself is in the safe, but the connector is not). The cabinet is practically unprotected, with only a plastic door secured by a trivial lock. What's more, manufacturers usually use the same lock for all ATMs of the same series. Keys for these locks can be purchased easily online, although attackers can also pick them or drill through the flimsy plastic. The safe is more robust, being made of steel and concrete, and contains only the cash dispenser and cash acceptance module. The computer usually runs on Windows, in a special embedded version designed specifically for ATM use. Only administrators should have access to Windows; other users should not have such access. This is why user-facing applications run in kiosk mode. These applications provide all necessary functionality to the user: this is the interface that we see during normal ATM use. To do its job, the application must communicate with ATM peripherals: get card information from the card reader, obtain user input from the keyboard, and send commands to the cash dispenser. This communication takes place using XFS (eXtensions for Financial Services), a standard for simplifying and centralising banking equipment control. With XFS, a hardware manager makes an API (Application Programming Interface) available to all Windows applications and forwards requests to devices. Commands to each XFS-connected device are sent via the corresponding service provider (device driver).  An ATM never decides to dispense cash all by itself. When processing a transaction, it contacts the bank's processing centre. This connection is either wired or wireless (for example, via a mobile data network). It is important to secure the connection against data interception. In most cases, software or hardware Virtual Private Network (VPN) clients perform this task. So that is the basics of the ATM operation; now what of the exploit that have been found by crooks? Well the security report found that when their team of ethical hackers were let loose on some typical high street ATM units, they found that 15 were found to be still running the long unsupported Windows XP. 22 were vulnerable to a "network spoofing" attack where an attacker connects locally to the machine's LAN port and conduct fraudulent transactions. Such an attack takes around 15 minutes to complete. 18 were vulnerable to 'black box' attacks where an attacker physically connects a device to the machine and tricks it into spitting out cash. Positive notes these attacks can be carried out in about ten minutes with aftermarket computer boards (such as a Raspberry Pi). 20 could be forced to exit out of kiosk mode via a USB or PS/2 connection. From there, an attacker could access the underlying Operating System of the machine and execute additional commands. 24 had no data encryption in place on the hard drive, allowing an attacker who had access to the drive to pull any stored data and configuration info from the machine. In general, the research found that, for the most part, the protections used by ATMs to prevent theft and tampering were more or less superficial, and anyone who really wanted to get into a machine could often do so in under an hour. "More often than not, security mechanisms are a mere nuisance for attackers: our testers found ways to bypass protection in almost every case," the researchers said. Since banks tend to use the same configuration on large numbers of ATMs, a successful attack on a single ATM can be easily replicated at greater scale. One of the top recommendations the report made to banks is to harden up the physical security of the machines themselves. By physically securing the cabinets to lock away access to the inputs and compute hardware of the machines, many of the techniques used in the study could be thwarted. Additionally, the researchers recommend banks keep on top of logging and monitoring security events on their networks. At this year's DEF CON hacking conference one researcher explained how he'd approached banks about flaws in their ATMs, only to be told such things weren't possible. It was only when he told them he was going public with the research that the flaws were fixed by the banks.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Two crimes of note to report this week both are burglaries which occurred to neighbouring properties in Parkside Avenue on Friday 9th November between 6.20pm and 8.15pm. Access was gained to both properties via an alleyway running along the at the back giving access to rear gardens. Entry to the first property was by suspect(s) forcing open a substantial wooden door, an implement similar to a crow bar would have been used. The house was searched but no property is believed to have been taken Access was gained to the second property next door by suspect(s) smashing a glass panel in the rear UPVC door a thorough search was conducted resulting in extensive damage within and a large quantity of cash and jewellery was stolen. We believe that this property was specifically targeted and the first property potentially entered in error. Please take time to check the security at the back of your property make access to rear gardens as difficult as possible, Think about how you would get into your own garden if side gates etc were locked and then make it as difficult as possible, plant spiny/prickly bushes against walls and fences, do not leave bins against walls or near gates as these can be used by suspects to climb over. Consider security lighting and install an alarm. The team are more than happy to pay you a visit and give advice regarding preventative security measures, just contact us and we will make an appointment to see you. The team received a commendation last week presented by our new SE BCU Borough Commander Chief superintendent Dobinson. The award was acknowledging our work in regards to an animal welfare warrant we conducted earlier this year in conjunction with the RSPCA which resulted in the closing down of a puppy farm and the rescue of 34 dog 18 cats and 9 puppies and dealing with the horrific scene of animal cruelty. A big thank you to the RSPCA who have now successfully prosecuted the persons involved one of which is still awaiting sentencing after having been found guilty this month. As always, please follow us on twitter @MPSBarnehurst for all the latest crime prevention advice and to find out what the team have been up to". Belvedere ward:- "Over the course of this week, PC Holmes and A/PS Green have interviewed a female in relation to supplying Class A drugs. A bag of white powder and drug dealing paraphernalia were recovered from a warrant we conducted at an address at the beginning of this month. We are sending the drugs to the lab to be identified before any charges are brought against the female. PC Holmes and PCSO Worrall issued a Harassment Warning to a male that has been abusing staff at Corals, Picardy Street. If his behaviour continues then he may be arrested and charged with harassment. We will continue to monitor the situation. There have been two burglaries on the ward, both on Wednesday 7th November – in Lower Road and also Carrill Way. The team have visited both locations to offer support, reassurance and crime prevention advice to the victims and neighbouring residents. PCSO Worrall discovered a stolen vehicle in Hattersfield Close which had been taken from an address in Bexleyheath. The vehicle has been recovered by Police and is currently being examined. Finally, we have received reports of possible drug dealing around Albert Road. If anyone has any information or sees anything suspicious then please get in contact". Bexleyheath ward - from a Neighbourhood Watch member:- "On Monday morning, when I went to get into my car, I found that someone had stuck matchsticks in all of the tyre valves, and they were all flat. The BBNWA office says that this would be classed as vehicle interference and should be reported to the police". Crayford ward, from a Neighbourhood Watch member:- "I just wanted to raise awareness of 3 in their twenties behaving in a suspect way today at 7:35 between Crayford station and Sainsbury's, in the block of flats area. They stopped in front of me and one approached me with the line 'it might sound embarrassing, but your fly is quite low' the other two were trying to stop me from moving forward. They got interrupted in their intentions by other people coming from behind me, so I quickly moved on. I thought I may raise this just in case anyone gets hurt".

From PCSO Joyce Barlow of the Crayford SNT:- "Firstly, an excellent result! On Saturday 10th November, Crayford SNT ably assisted by Bexleyheath team carried out a Section 23 Drugs warrant at an address in Halcot Avenue where a large amount of drugs and cash were seized. This is an ongoing investigation. Crimes of note this week. Outside McDonalds in Crayford on Saturday 10th November at about 17.15 a male was approached by a large group of youths, they threw a drink over him, he later found that his mobile phone, a gold Samsung S7 with a cracked screen had been stolen. On Monday 12th November there was a burglary at The Marlowes between midnight and 09.00. Entry was made through the UVPC front door, the car keys and an Apple Mac computer were taken from the dining table. The car outside was stolen but later recovered locally, locked and secured. Three Males were seen acting suspiciously in the area between 4-5am. On Monday 12th November there was an attempted break in of a vehicle parked in Alcock Crescent at about 5.30am, two wing mirrors were stolen, the victim does have CCTV of the incident, it has also become apparent that two neighbours also had thefts from their vehicles at about the same time. On Saturday 3rd November between 14.28 and 14.59 a Male stole a 100kg steel beam from a business in Acorn Industrial Estate, again there is CCTV. Officers from Crayford and Barnehurst SNT were presented with commendation certificates on Thursday 8th November for assisting the RSPCA with the closure of a puppy farm and the rescue of fifty plus dogs, puppies and cats in January 2018. We will be at Beano's café in Mayplace Road East on Wednesday 21st November between 1-2pm for a community contact session, please come along and speak to us if you have any concerns you would like to discuss, we will be seated to the rear of the café". Erith ward - no reports received this week. Northumberland Heath ward:- "The team have been conducting violent crime disorder patrols this last week, specifically targeted in hotspot areas across Erith. This has been a proactive and preventative initiative by Bexley Police and not in response to any specific intelligence or incident in the area. We have also been continuing our work patrolling Northumberland Heath's ASB hotspot area's and have in the last week changed several of our shifts to have a visible patrolling presence late into the evenings. Over the last week we have searched several people for drugs and have reported three people for possession of cannabis in Mill Road, Limewood Road and in West Street, Erith. We unfortunately had a burglary committed in Byron Drive. The front door to a residential property was forced open, some property taken including car keys and the occupants car from the driveway. This incident has been allocated to a CID officer who is currently investigating the incident. Other incidents reported to police include criminal damage to a motor vehicle and theft of number plates from another vehicle. None of these incidents appear to be linked. Please continue to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour or activity you see". Slade Green and Northend ward:- "A male was arrested by response officers in the early hours of last Friday (16th November) after being seen trying car door handles in Rainbow Road. After enquiries were made with evidence he was further arrested for attempted burglary after being seen to try several door handles on residents' front doors. On a sad note, especially as it was discovered just before Armistice Day, the memorial plaque at Slade Green BR station has been vandalised. Graffiti has been sprayed over the plaque which tells the story of some local Slade Green heroes during WW2. We have attached the poster appealing for help with any information relating to this despicable act. 2 vehicle crimes to report, on Sunday 11/112018 between 11am and 2pm, a catalytic converter was stolen from a car in Beacon Road. On Monday 12/11/2018 between 7am and 7pm a car had its passenger window smashed and door scratched in Oak Road, nothing was taken from inside. PC's Mark and James have made more than 10 Stop and Searches across the ward in the last week, 2 of which resulted in cannabis being seized and the relevant warnings given. On Remembrance Sunday we attended the memorial service at St Augustine's in Slade Green Road and it was nice to see the church with standing room only and a really good service took place with a lovely display in the church grounds". Thamesmead East ward:- "Tuesday 06/11/18 Alsike Road 9:30 – 10:00am Theft Wallet stolen from work van; Thursday 08/11/18 Yarnton Way 9:15 – 10:00am Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicle suspect unknown has smashed rear windscreen of vehicle using unknown method nothing stolen; Thursday 08/11/18 Seacourt Road 7am – Friday 09/11/18 1:50pm Criminal Damage/Vehicle Interference windscreen smashed damage to ignition where wires pulled out to try and hot wire the car, however the car had an immobiliser. Nothing taken from vehicle; Friday 09/11/18 Dolphin Close 9:30-8am Saturday Attempted Burglary A loud noise heard between times stated victim thought it was the washing machine when leaving the house the following morning two footprints were seen on the front door; Friday 09/11/18 Leatherbottle Green 7:45pm – 21:15pm Criminal Damage to Motor vehicle. Car has been damaged by chunks of tarmac ( nearby road repairs) The tarmac has been thrown car causing dents and scratches to the paintwork on the driver's side door and to the driver's side window; Saturday 10/11/18 Manordeane Road 12pm Vehicle Interference driver's side window was smashed, and an untidy search had been carried out inside the vehicle; Monday 12/11/18 Sydney Road 08:00-20:30 Burglary victim returned home to find the property locked from the inside untidy search of house. Entry gained through the rear". West Heath ward:- "Unfortunately during this week the ward has suffered several burglaries and one attempted burglary. In Berkeley Avenue the front door of a property was forced on Wednesday 7th November between 0830 – 1930 hours no property was taken but an untidy search was conducted. On Sunday 11th November between 2300 – 0645 hours the front bedroom window was smashed in Cumberland Drive, no entry was gained into the property. Between 1630 – 0024 hours on Sunday 11th November the conservatory door of a property was smashed in Denton Road and an untidy search was conducted. In Axminster Road between 0530 hours on the Wednesday 14th November entry was gained into the property where vehicle keys and a motor vehicle were stolen. There have been four thefts from motor vehicles and one theft of a motor vehicle. In Westgate Road on Tuesday 6th November between 1900 – 0900 hours a webcam and parcels were stolen from the vehicle. Between 0130 – 1200 hours on Wednesday 7th November in Axminster Road there was a theft from motor vehicle, a radio and personal items were taken. In Woolwich Road on Friday 9th November between 1000 – 1100 hours property was taken from a motor vehicle. A catalytic converter was stolen from a vehicle on Saturday 10th November between 1600 – 0000 hours in Preston Drive. On Saturday 10th November between 2200 – 2215 in Kings Harold's Way a vehicle was stolen. Please ensure that you conceal any personal property out of sight. The team will be conducting a Community Contact Session on Tuesday 20th November at Knowle Avenue between 1100 – 1200. Please be aware of males knocking and offering building works to properties".

The end video this week comes courtesy of fellow Blogger Darryl Chamberlain of the excellent 853 Blog. He filmed the footage of the brand new Woolwich Ferry, the Ben Woollacott undergoing some early manoeuvrability tests in the River Thames at Woolwich last week. Currently there is no ferry service at Woolwich; the two new vessels are due to begin operation in the New Year, once modifications to the two landing jetties have been finished, and ferry testing has been completed.  Please feel free to leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Fireworks.

After the recent artillery barrage that was the annual Guy Fawkes Night and Diwali fireworks, I started thinking; does the huge rise in anti social behaviour, and increase in  noise nuisance - which especially affects pets and other domestic animals, and the increase in fire risk, really justify the general public having access to fireworks? I have come to the personal conclusion that the risk of privately held and used fireworks greatly exceeds the benefits. One still hears of terrible burns injuries, and also the increased use of fireworks as weapons of both terror and to cause arson. On top of this there is the tons of soot and ash they get released into the atmosphere by the unregulated release of fireworks, which cannot be good for the environment - when you consider how vehicle and open fire emissions have now been tightly regulated for some decades, it strikes me as unusual in the extreme that no environmental laws have been brought in regarding fireworks and the negative effect their smoke has on the atmosphere. I think licenced and regulated firework displays are preferable. What do you think? Do you have a strong opinion either way on the matter? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

An update on the refurbishment and conversion work that has been taking place in the old Andrew Carnegie gifted library in Walnut Tree Road:- "The public will be able to go inside Erith’s iconic Carnegie building and enjoy several exciting events before Christmas, prior to its official opening on 1 February 2019. Local company, The Exchange, who are managing the building, will be hosting a free exhibition by arts project Centrepieces from 19 November. The exhibition will encompass painting, sculpture, mask making and photography. An auction of the art featured will take place on Saturday 1 December. Tickets don’t need to be pre-booked: simply turn up and enjoy a variety of art in this unique space. Exhibition opening times will be publicised ahead of the auction. The Exchange will also host a three-week Pop-up Cinema from Thursday 6 December until Friday 21 December from 6pm until 11pm in the building. This cinematic treat will see poetry, classic literature, short stories, comics and graphic novels get the big screen treatment. Films to be shown include, amongst others, Black Panther, Pulp Fiction and O Brother Where art thou. Tickets can be purchased online and cost £4 per adult. Cllr Louie French, Bexley’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth said: “It’s wonderful to see this beautiful old building being brought back into use for the benefit of the local community. Erith is one of the main locations that will benefit from our ambitious growth strategy for the borough, and we have an ongoing programme of regeneration, aimed at developing the town into a thriving riverside community.” Following its official opening in February, the lower ground floor of the building will be available for use by the public. This will house ‘The Conversation Room’, an area for creativity and community events, as well as ‘The Bookstore Cafe’, a fantastic new space for freshly produced food and drink. The improvements to the Carnegie Building are part of the Greater Erith Programme funded by Bexley Council and the Mayor of London. For more information go www.greatererith.com. London Borough of Bexley and The Exchange have received National Lottery Funding to further develop the regeneration project at the Carnegie building and will use this development funding to progress their plans to apply for a full grant in 2019.  The next phase of the works will focus on making the upper parts of the building available for work and studio space. For more information on the Centrepieces art exhibition and to book tickets for the Pop-up Cinema go to www.theexchangeerith.com".

I was one of the first 500 people in the UK to sign up for a Google Gmail account, and as one of the very early adopters / Beta testers back in 2004, I have never had any kind of adverts pushed to my account. Google have kept the user interface and functionality of the World's favourite browser based Email client largely unchanged for years, due mainly to the resistance to change of many of their core users. This changed back in May of this year, when an entirely new look and feel, and enhanced functionality version of the web application was made available to users in certain regions around the world. These have now been released to all users. One of the main changes in Gmail is that you now have the ability for Google's AI (Artificial Intelligence) to auto complete sentences for you. I have been experimenting with this for a while now, and for me it is actually quite good. I understand that some Gmail users have been less than happy with the new functionality - but the good news for them is that they can switch it off quite easily - ironically you can run a Google search to find out how to do it. 

Cross River Thames travel has been even worse than normal recently; I have had reports from several readers that just getting across the Dartford River Crossing has taken an average of two and a half hours in some cases recently. Accidents, emergency roadway and tunnel repairs along with a host of other issues have been the cause of the delays. This has been made even worse by the closure of the Woolwich ferry until the New Year, due to engineering works on the piers which the new hybrid ferries will dock with. If this was not bad enough, the Blackwall Tunnel has also had a series of closures and times of restricted availability. It is almost as if the whole of London East of Tower Bridge has been conspiring against the motorist and HGV driver. The London Borough of Bexley currently has some of the worst public transport connectivity of any borough in Greater London. Compared with our neighbours, we have no DLR, no Tube and Crossrail has been delayed for at least a year - my sources indicate possibly substantially longer. 

The much vaunted, but actually quite apathetic roll - out of Smart energy meters in the UK has hit yet another problem; Consumers who have a smart meter fitted, and then change energy supplier quite frequently find that their meter then stops working, as the communication protocols used by different energy supplier vary considerably. Smart Meters send real – time power usage data back to the supplier via a 3G mobile phone signal. This means that the meter does not have to be connected to a home data network. This sounds all well and good; the power company can bill you without having to send a meter reader to your house, and you get the option to monitor your power usage in an almost real – time way. There are however, problems. The data sent from the Smart Meter to the supplier is sent unencrypted, and “in the clear”; it is possible to intercept the data stream, and also a malicious attacker can potentially send instructions to the meter remotely. Several Smart Meter companies do tacitly admit this, but they play the whole lack of security aspect down. Secondly if one discounts the security implications, the various energy companies all supply different Smart Meters, many of which are incompatible with each other. If you choose to change your energy supplier, you will need to have your Smart Meter changed again – with the associated additional cost to you that this implies. Admittedly, the first meter you have installed is "free" - actually the cost of the meter is rolled into your overall bill. Tellingly, on the EDF Smart Meter letter I received recently, there are a series of frequently asked questions. EDF initially state in the letter that “your current meter is old and now needs to be replaced – you need to book an appointment for an engineer to carry out this work”. They then go on to stress how old meters can be inaccurate and possibly unsafe. There is a giveaway in the FAQ’s that follow though – and I quote verbatim:- “Occasionally we may be unable to install a Smart Meter, usually due to communications issues with signal strength. If this happens we will not replace your meter, but will contact you again when we believe the Smart Meter national infrastructure will be able to support a Smart Meter in your premises.” There is the smoking gun – they don't actually need to replace the meter for the accuracy and safety concerns expressed earlier – they purely want to do it to make you have a Smart Meter, with all the security, privacy and expense worries that they entail. I have a preferred technique for dealing with such unwanted attention – I ignore everything they send me until they eventually give up and go away. Over three thousand Smart Meter customers have contacted Citizens Advice in the last year with problems regarding the meters, which the energy supply companies have been reluctant, or unable to address. Some said they had experienced problems when having a smart meter installed, with engineers failing to turn up or being unable to fit the device into the space available. Some were also frustrated that despite having a smart meter, they still had to submit readings manually. Customers also complained about energy firms using aggressive sales practices to push them into having a smart meter installed when they didn't want one. So far more than 11 million smart meters have been installed. Citizens Advice warned that with 42 million smart meters still to go, the 2020 deadline was 'unrealistic'. It has now called on the Government to delay the smart meter deadline to 2023. Even Smart Energy GB, an organisation set up by the Government to promote smart meters but funded by suppliers, has produced research that indicates lukewarm interest amongst consumers. An independent survey by Populus that gathered the views of more than 10,000 people found that less than half of those who didn’t yet have a meter said they would want one installed within the next six months. Negative coverage of the meters including on the BBC’s Watchdog consumer affairs programme may also have dampened householders’ enthusiasm. In July, MPs called on the Government to urgently review the smart meter roll-out which they said was 'over time, over budget and mismanaged'. The British Infrastructure Group of MPs and Lords warned that half of smart meters stop working when customers switch supplier, while a tenth were not functioning due to poor mobile phone signal. The average annual saving on a gas and electricity bill by 2020 was estimated in 2014 to be £26, but this has now been reduced to just £11, MPs said. Smart Meters primarily benefit the energy companies, because they no longer need to employ meter readers. The benefits to the consumer are minimal at best, and when allied to the security and compatibility concerns mentioned earlier, they don't add up for me, especially when the much vaunted money saving aspect turns out to be a white elephant. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

For a local medium - sized performing arts and live music venue, it is quite surprising how many people are not aware of The Mick Jagger Centre in Shepherds Lane, Dartford. It is located within the grounds of Dartford Grammar School. It is named after the Rolling Stones singer Sir Mick Jagger, who was a pupil at the school. The centre contains are two main performance spaces, a recording studio, rehearsal rooms, a bar and gallery. The Small Room has a capacity of 150 seated; the Big Room can seat 350 or hold 600 standing. The centre cost £2.25m, and was funded by a National Lottery grant of £1.7m with a further contribution from Jagger himself. Construction on the arena started in 1998 and it was opened in March 2000 by the Duke of Kent and Mick Jagger. At its opening, Jagger was persuaded by a student to sign the wall of one of the new music classrooms with "I was back", which is still displayed today. There is also a giant mural of Jagger on the wall of the entrance hall to the centre. I would strongly recommend visiting The Mick Jagger Centre - they host some great events. I went there last night to see accomplished Genesis tribute band Los Endos, who were superb. Despite the weather being absolutely atrocious, with driving rain, and even some thunder, there was a packed house to watch the band play the set that Genesis played when they headlined the Knebworth Festival in 1978. An excellent evening was had by all, and thanks to The Rev for the photos above - click on either for a larger view. Incidentally, I have been proved right in my recent opinion that the Queen / Freddie Mercury biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" - which got a lukewarm reception by many professional film reviewers, would prove to be a critic proof movie. At the time of writing, the film has world wide box office receipts in excess of $188 million on a production budget of $52 million. It would seem that the public have voted by putting their bums on cinema seats.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association; firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Two crimes of note to report this week, the first being a burglary in Westfield Road which occurred whilst the occupiers were away from the 31st October to the 4th November. Entry was gained into the property by suspect(s) forcing open the rear kitchen window. It is unknown at time of reporting as to what property has been stolen. This is the second recent burglary in this street the last occurring between 22nd October to 29th October again whilst the occupiers were away. Consider using lights with timers or fake TV's whilst away from home. These can be purchased from various outlets at reasonable costs. The team have increased patrols in the area and spoke with a number of residents offering crime prevention advice where appropriate. A new neighbourhood watch co ordinator has been recruited in Westfield and we look forward to working with him. In addition to extra uniformed patrols we will also be conducting some plain clothes patrols, please help us by reporting anything suspicious, no matter how small. The second crime was a theft from motor vehicle which happened overnight from the 4th November from 8pm to 6am in Appledore Avenue, suspect(s) have gained entry into a Citroen van and stolen a number of power and hand tools from the rear. There was no visible damage to the van. Please do not leave valuable in vehicles overnight including visible small change, make sure that your car is locked, do not rely on the remote locking system always check that the doors are secured by checking manually. We have video footage of a male in the early hours of the morning going from car to car trying door handles (currently under investigation). Please join a member of the local team on Friday 9th November at 11am at Barnehurst Golf Course to discuss any local issues that may be of concern. Thank you to all our twitter followers we have broken through the 600 mark with 611 – please spread the word and follow us @MPSBarnehurst to find out what the team are up to and for all the latest crime prevention advice". Belvedere ward:- "The team have been very busy over the Halloween and Bonfire Night period. We have led in 3 warrants relating to drugs that were carried out on Erith, Northumberland Heath and Belvedere wards, being joined and assisted by officers from the respective Safer Neighbourhood teams. At each location, there were drugs found at three whilst assisting at a fourth we discovered paraphernalia suggesting the person involved could be supplying drugs to others. There was a burglary on Wednesday 31st October between 5 and 5.30pm at in Clive Road at which the suspects responsible were interrupted by the residents returning to their home. At this stage it appears that no items were removed from the property. Should anyone have witnessed any activity in relation to this incident, please contact the team on 0208 721 2050. Over the weekend, we were again joined by officers from neighbouring teams to conduct patrols of problem areas in the North of the borough. We responded to incidents not only in Belvedere, but also in Crayford, Northumberland Heath and Erith". Bexleyheath ward:- "We have had a burglary reported along Upton Road Bexleyheath on the 06/11/2018. Entry was gained via the front patio door and jewellery had been stolen. Also on the same day along Upton Road there was another report of a window being smashed at the victim property and the suspect was disturbed from a burglary. There was an attempted burglary along Midhurst Hill Bexleyheath on the Saturday 03/11/2018. Suspect had tried to gain entry to the garage but were disturbed; Saturday 3/11/2018 – There was a report of a theft of purse in the card factory shop along the Broadway Bexleyheath. Also on the Friday 02/11/2018 there was report of someone being pick pocketed; Friday 2/11/2018 – There was a theft reported along Gravel Hill Close. Suspects had accessed the victims back garden via their neighbours garage and had stolen tools; Monday 5/11/2018 – Victim had reported that they were pick pocketed in a shop in the Broadway area; Monday 5/11/2018 – Victim had their phone and cash stolen from their bag whilst shopping; Friday 2/11/2018 – Mobile phone was stolen from victim whilst leaving phone unattended at the Furze Wren Pub. The team conduct regular hi-visibility burglary patrols along Woolwich Road and Lathan Road. Also patrols are conducted in the car park areas and the Broadway to reduce anti-social behaviour, also including Martens Grove Park. We have also been helping another team in Hall Place Crayford conducting joint ASB patrols in that area. Weapon sweeps are being conducted daily to find weapons that may be hidden away and then used in crime. Please find the enclosed attachment which is an invitation to a public meeting on the Monday 29th November 2018 which you may find useful. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone". Crayford ward:- "Between 17.33 on Tuesday 30th October and 5.30 on Wednesday 31st October a shed to the rear of Greggs in Crayford Road was broken in to. The door hinges and door were damaged but nothing was stolen. On Wednesday 31st October at 19.00, two wing mirrors were snapped off two vehicles by youths whilst parked in Chapel Hill. A van was broken in to on Tuesday 30th October between 15.00-16.00 and tools stolen whilst parked in the car park at Crayside Leisure Centre, no further details are known. A robbery of personal property occurred at Station Approach near to Crayford BR Station on Wednesday 31st October at about 23.30-23.40. The victim was kicked in the stomach and £50 cash stolen. Front and rear number plates were stolen from a grey VW Golf whilst parked in Manor Road on Wednesday 31st October between 14.00-15.30. On Monday 5th November at 19.43 a resident was returning home and parking their vehicle outside their home when it became apparent to them that three youths were kicking in their front door, a panel had been kicked through but no entry made. This occurred in Iron Mill Lane and the youths ran off toward Barnes Cray Road. An eagled eyed resident in Barnes Cray Road had earlier reported Males looking at properties and believed to be suspicious, police did attend but they had departed the area already. A quantity of steel stolen on Sunday 4th November during the morning from a business in on the Acorn Industrial Estate. The suspect is described as a white male aged approx. 45 years and driving a large white van. We do not have community contact sessions arranged for next week but on Saturday 17th November will be with our colleagues on Bexleyheath Broadway for the Christmas Lights event". Erith ward:- "This week we have been carrying out daily weapon sweeps. We also attended the Slade Green Cinema club which a lot of residents of Erith attend. This is a nice way for people to speak to us about any issues they may be having. Some of the team have been working late shifts this week patrolling ASB areas across the ward, including West Street. We also have another officer joining us for this month while he is waiting for his new role to start, this is good news for Erith as we have 3 PCs for the month of November. Crime this week: Burg (Bus/Com) Sunday 04/11/2018 McDonalds Restaurants Ltd, James Watt Way – Charity box stolen; Theft of cycle Friday 02/11/2018, Bexley Road – Bike stolen from outside address; Burg Res Sunday 28/10/2018, Holly Hill Road – untidy search of house and TV stolen; Burg (Bus/Com) Monday 05/11/2018, Park Crescent – Money and electoral equipment stolen entry through read door; Shoplift <£200 Monday 05/11/2018 Farm Foods Ltd, Pier Road – Male stopped by Erith SNT the next day and he is now banned from the store and a crime reported; Theft of MV Friday 02/11/2018 Riverdale Road – car stolen from being parked in the street". Northumberland Heath ward:- "A dispersal zone was implemented on October 31st, Halloween in Northumberland Heath. Any groups of youths seen, or believed to be behaving in an anti-social manner were dispersed with immediate effect. Thankfully, the team only stopped a small group in Brook Street and they were dispersed. Compared to previous years, there were no incidents to report. One burglary in Frinsted Road Erith. This took place overnight between Tuesday 30th October and Wednesday 31st. The occupants came downstairs to discover a wallet and two handbags containing cash, credit cards and personal items were stolen. It is believed the door was forced with a tool. One commercial business burglary in Byron Drive Erith overnight on Wednesday 31st October. A garage was broken in to and fishing equipment was stolen. One theft of number plates from a vehicle in Byron Drive on Saturday November 3rd. A white transit van was stolen from Hurst Road Erith overnight on Monday 29th October and also a minibus parked in Avenue Road was stolen overnight on Sunday November 4th. On Thursday November 1st a vehicle in Brook Street had a window smashed but nothing was taken. Two males were seen on CCTV in the early hours of Wednesday 31st October by a resident in Buxton Road in their garden paying close attention to a motorbike. The Males then looked , in to their window, before moving to the front of the house and looking in to cars parked on the drive. A white van was also seen at 4am driving slowly up and down Buxton Road. Wednesday October 31st.. Several other residents reported garden furniture moved in order to access neighbours' gardens, one resident had their garage broken in to but nothing was stolen other than a packet of cigarettes. These incidents took place overnight between Tuesday 30th October and Wednesday 31st October. Another resident in Buxton Road reported suspicious activity in their garden in the early hours of Saturday November 3rd. An elderly couple in Matfield Road very unfortunate victims of a scam. This took place on between October 25th to October 31st. The victim had a ramp put on his driveway in September and appeared to be retaining water. Two males claiming to be from a building company offered their services and asked for £2,000 deposit before starting work on the repair. A small amount of work was completed before the builders asked for another several thousand pounds in order to use specialist equipment. The victim made several bank withdrawals and returned to the bank again before a member of staff alerted police. The work was never completed and the victim has lost a very large amount of money over the week he employed the builders. Following Bonfire night on November 5th we have had one report of criminal damage to a window in Cray Road".

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Good news in that there are no crime reports of note in the last week. Extra patrols have been out on Halloween and Bonfire Night with PC mark and James working until late with other SNT officers on neighbouring wards. Several groups were stopped and moved on Halloween and there were also 2 positive stop and searches with cannabis confiscated. One in Cedar Road was resulted in a Community Resolution and the other is due due back for an interview in the next couple of weeks. No incidents to report from patrols on Bonfire Night. On Tuesday PCSO Mark attended the Slade Green Seniors Movie Club with PCSO Adam from Erith SNT. While there they engaged with all the attendees who were looking forward to a showing of the Hitchcock classic, Rear Window. Once the group were seated Mark and Adam left and stumbled across a known shoplifter in Erith who was taken to Farm Foods and given a banning order not to return to the shop. We had a meeting today with Bexley Youth services who runs the Youth group at Slade Green Community Centre. Some good information was shared between us all with more positive ID received from all parties in regards the group causing ASB in and around Rainbow Road and Forest Road. Positive steps will be taken to clamp down on individuals in the group with several home visits and harassment warning letters issued. Our next CCS is from 10am, also in the Forest Road café on Saturday 17/11/2018". Thamesmead East Ward:- "Burglaries - No Burglaries this week. Crime prevention - With the evenings starting to get darker earlier, make your home look occupied, using Timer Lights and Security Lights. Install a Burglar Alarm. Remember to lock windows and double lock doors. Motor Vehicle Crimes Between the hours of 10:00pm on Sunday 28/10/18 and 10:30am on Wednesday 31/10/18 a vehicle parked in Buckwheat Court, Holstein Way had the driver's side window smashed.A vehicle parked locked and secure outside of Oakenholt house, Hartslock Drive had the drivers side window smashed ,nothing taken. This happened on Thursday 29/10/18 between the hours of 01:30 pm and 02:42pm on Thursday 01/11/18.On Friday 02/11/18 the owner of a Piaggio scooter believed that the number plate was stolen whilst parked in Eastgate House. Local Event: Community Contact Session - Wednesday 14/11/18 between the hours of 1:00 pm and 2:00pm at The Lakeside Centre, Yarnton Way. An opportunity for members of the community who prefer face- to – face contact to speak with a Dedicated Ward Officer. West Heath ward:- "There have been no reported motor vehicle crimes this week but unfortunately we have had two burglaries. There was a burglary in Canberra Road overnight Wednesday 31/10/18 into Thursday 1/11/18 between the hours of 2230-0330. Entry was gained via an insecure front window light which was hidden behind large bushes in the front garden. Electrical goods and documents taken, victim only discovered the break in when they came down stairs in the morning to find their front door open. There was another burglary in Madison Crescent on the Thursday 1/11/18 in the early hours of the evening between 1855-1904 hours. A rear ground floor kitchen window was forced open, possibly with a screwdriver, and a quantity of jewellery taken following an untidy search of the whole house". West Heath ward:- "There have been no reported motor vehicle crimes this week but unfortunately we have had two burglaries. There was a burglary in Canberra Road overnight Wednesday 31/10/18 into Thursday 1/11/18 between the hours of 2230-0330. Entry was gained via an insecure front window light which was hidden behind large bushes in the front garden. Electrical goods and documents taken, victim only discovered the break in when they came down stairs in the morning to find their front door open. There was another burglary in Madison Crescent on the Thursday 1/11/18 in the early hours of the evening between 1855-1904 hours. A rear ground floor kitchen window was forced open, possibly with a screwdriver, and a quantity of jewellery taken following an untidy search of the whole house".

Once again the local train lines have been subject to serious delays and disruption; the most recent cause was due to signalling failure. One increasingly common problem for railways all around the UK is not down to any kind of technology; more down to biology. A non - native, aggressively invasive group of plant species, which are taking over railway cuttings and causing all sorts of problems.  It is called Buddleja (or Buddleia), a green leafy bush with purple flowers. Also known as Butterfly Bush because of the attraction to it from butterflies, it grows in any crack or crevice it can find. It destroys walls and masonry with its' roots as well as underground power and signalling cables. Once established, it can be very difficult to eradicate. You can see Buddleja plants at pretty much every railway station and by every trackside in great profusion. Buddleja plants grow very quickly, overtaking native plant species, and they are very hard to destroy effectively. Buddleja plants produce a large number of seeds (up to 3 million per plant per year on a large bush) that are dispersed by the wind and can spread to a large area in a short space of time. Like many invasive species, Buddleja does not have the biological controls that affect native plants and is, therefore, able to grow unchecked. The size of a Buddleja plant varies depending on the location, however, it is common for the shrubs to grow up 5 metres tall. The leaves of a Buddleja plant are dark green with serrated edges. If you look closely, you will find very fine hairs on the underside of leaves and the stem. The flower heads of mature Buddleja plants grow in long tapered clusters, typically purple or violet in colour. The flowers have a peppery fragrance and it is rich in nectar, making it a very popular choice for with insects. Once Buddleja begins to grow, its root systems can weaken any materials as they can grow through masonry and brickwork. This means Buddleja has the potential to cause costly repair bills or even render a property unsafe/unstable/uninhabitable. If the Buddleja is growing on the riverbanks it can cause major erosion as it spreads and dies off. This invasive plant was one of the causes of the extensive landslide in Fraser Road that blocked the pavement for several weeks earlier in the year. The land was only stabilised after extensive (and expensive) specialist contractors were employed by Bexley Council's highways department to make good the damage caused by a combination of a Buddleja infestation, and drought caused by the heatwave causing the soil to dry out and shrink. Buddleja is considered to be detrimental to the biodiversity of sites due to its vigorous growth, outgrowing native plants and outcompeting them for natural resources. This is especially problematic alongside river banks where dense strands of Buddleja eliminate other plants leaving the banks susceptible to floods and erosion. Below you can see a short video which further explains and illustrates the problem of this unwanted and harmful invasive plant. Please feel free to either leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.