Police Crackdown on illegal bikes in Havering Park

I was pleased to be able to join and The Havering Park Safer Neighbourhood Team on an operation last Sunday in the ward. (Pictured above with Sgt Andy Barnes, left and PCSO Hitesh Kamboj, on right) The team were out and about in Bedford’s and Havering Country parks in an operation designed to crack down on the illegal use of motorbikes in the parks.

The team were backed up with a colleague from the Mawneys team and one of Havering Councils mobile patrols, and of course me, well for a couple of hours at least anyway. The idea was for a high visibility patrol of the parks and surrounding areas to show both residents and those intent on tearing around the park that the Police will take action.

One of my biggest complaints at the moment is illegal bikes in and around the parks, it is dangerous to residents and the horse community that use them, and believe it or not, to the people actually using the bikes, but they do not seem that bothered.

The team kicked off at 11.00 last Sunday and spent the whole day until darkness fell across North Romford, out and about in the Ward. Although no arrests were made, a number of people were stopped and spoken to. The main objective was to stop the bikes and the high profile presence of the team done just that, maybe the bikers stayed away this week.

But, if you are a motor bike rider reading this, don’t worry, the team will be coming back soon, but maybe next time they will not be so high profile. My advice to you is simple, if you plan to use you bike illegally in one of our parks, DON’T, because you will be caught and I for one will be pressing for the maximum penalty in the Courts.

Wedding of the Year

I should have posted this two weeks ago, but somehow it did not get done. However, I had the pleasure of attending the Residents Association wedding of the year, Leader of the R.A's Cllr Barbara Reith married retired Policeman Terry Mathews at Langtons earlier this month.

A wonderful day was had by all who attended, friends and family of Barbara and Terry along with a sprinkling of Councillors (June Alexandra, Ray Morgon and Steve Whittiker) and the odd Chief Executive of Havering.

Barbara has now changed her name and is to be know as Cllr barbara Mathews, and we all look forward to her being back in the Town Hall this week after a well earned two week honeymoon in the sun. Best wishes to both of you, Andy

Transport cash is a joke

Just before Christmas, the Mayor of London, slipped out the news of his annual transport allocation, known as the LIP, which replaces the old name for the allocation, the BSP, get it so far !

The Borough Spending Plan allocates money for road safety and environmental improvements, across all 33 London Boroughs. This year Havering’s allocation has now slipped to the lowest allocation in London receiving only £2.9 million.

I personally think the allocation from the Mayor of London is pathetic, if you consider we pay the Mayor of London over £25 million each year for the GLA, what do we get back from him, why is it that Waltham Forest that is half the size of Havering should get almost £6 million, I would like to know what the Mayors problem is with Havering, he has only been here once in six years, he treats our residents with contempt.

I am also disappointed with Havering Cabinet Member for Transport, Cllr Mike Armstrong, I can not believe that the Cabinet Member is happy with this allocation”, in a press statement on the 21st Dec he said “we are especially pleased at the range of projects for which funds have been awarded. It means we will be able to continue work on a number of important transport issues” Does he mean the £400k for bus lanes and £200k for cycle lanes, the Cabinet member should be condemning the poor settlement from the Mayor, not saying how wonderful it is.

Don’t forget it is out money in the first place that the Mayor is just re-distributing; he is like a modern day Robin Hood.

Comments can now be made again

Following a bad case of comments being added to the blog site last year, I had to remove that service as the words used were pushing the boudaries of decency.

It is a shame that one or two indiviuals had to spoil the site. I have now had to set up the new comments page for those that log in with an e-mail address and or a log in to blogspot.com.

All comments then have to be moderated and approved before they can be uploaded. I hope it does not stop people leaving comments, as long as they are not rude, they will all be published. Andy

Residents win CCTV for Collier Row

North Romford residents and the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association are celebrating after Havering Council has finally listened to the local residents of North Romford in bringing forward plans for CCTV for our Town Centre.

Following a campaign launched last October, by the CRM Residents Association over 1000 local residents and shop keepers signed a petition calling on Havering Council to install CCTV in Collier Row town centre. Cllr Andrew Mann presented the first part to the Mayor of Havering at a Council meeting last year. Now the Council has been forced into bringing a report forward to next weeks Cabinet meeting (17th Jan 2007) outlining the plans.

Three cameras are proposed at yet to be determined locations in and around the shopping centre at a cost of approx £85k; Cllr Mann said “this is a small price to pay for the provision of cameras in North Romford, our residents have felt vulnerable for to long, this will go some way to make people feel safer”

During the local elections last May, the CRM Residents Association made the provision of CCTV for Collier Row one of its main priorities. With Romford Town Centre fully covered with cameras, Collier Row has gone without, to the detriment of its residents and shopkeepers.

Cllr Mann said “For to long, Collier Row has gone without, we have spent a lot of money on improving our Town Centre and we need to protect that asset, with the Police no longer issuing dispersal orders, those intent on causing trouble know that they can do so, without being caught”

He went on “Things have to change, it is wrong to demonise all youngsters, as only a small minority are intend on causing trouble, but we need better protection for our residents and shop keepers, Collier Row is a vibrant busy place, but a lot of people, in particular the elderly, do not like to go out in the dark”

During October and November last year, members of the CRM Residents Association spent Saturday mornings in Collier Row talking with residents and collecting signatures. Hundreds of people supported the petition, along with shopkeepers displaying posters and placing copies of the petition in their shops.

Now sit back and wait for the Tory spin, about how they were always going to install CCTV in Collier Row, just ask yourself one question, were have they ever said it, it was not in their manifesto for Collier Row at the last election.

I would like to just add a big thank you to all those residents that wrote to me and signed the petition, without your support we would not have been able to achieve this. Andy Mann

Happy New Year

Well, its a bit late but i have finally got round to updating the old blog site and wishing you all a Happy New Year, i was going to do so sooner, but im afraid the dreaded lurgy got me over Christmas and its taken a few weeks to get up to speed.

I have made a few New Year resolutions, the first to get back down to the gym as soon as possible and the second, to promise to update my blog site more often, so watch out this week for the first news postings of what i have been up to in the Town Hall recently.

Happy New Year to you all.

Andy