Clementswood Crime update in brief!

Richmond Road has been a main target to combat Antisocial Behaviour over the past few months and has reportedly calmed down now, although this could be also due to the colder weather.

A dispersal order is now in place for Ilford Lane and for most parts of the Town Centre which means groups of two or more can be asked to leave the area if suspected of any type of Antisocial behaviour, including drinking alcohol.

Operation Clearlight dealing with prostitution in Ilford Lane is still high on the agenda.  Clemenstwood Police advise us that they have "probably reduced prostitution by half and made a real big difference."

Crime in the Town Centre is now down 21% which means 1 in 5 fewer crimes happening. This is due to various initiatives ie static patrols, Operation Swift, Operation Holly etc.

Cyclists are continuing to be targeted and zero tolerance for drinking alcohol and low level petty crime, remains in place.

Homelessness support is being given by local Police. They have advised us that "Probably 100% of our homeless have been given leaflets, advice, contact numbers and advice of how to help themselves as well as contacting our partner agencies on their behalf."  This support is continuous.   

 The reported situation on illegal workers in the High Road is getting worse. However we ahve been advised "The UKBA recently had a major ‘hit’ on the illegal workers in the High Road with good results."

Members of the Panel reported the following items:

Arabian Lounge opening hours exceed the planning permission.  Local Police have confirmed that this is currently being monitored by Redbridge Planning.

An old lady who lives in Ilford has been seen begging on a train. Clementswood Police advise us that British Transport Police have been informed.

Local buses have been full of litter. STT informed.

Certain cars on Connaught Road  look suspicious. Patrols will be increased to this area to determine wheteher any criminal activity is taking place.

Undesirables outside Ilford British Rail Station selling ‘stuff’ at about 2300-0000hrs. Clementswood Police said; "We are Looking at installing ‘pink’ lighting around the area of Dixy Chicken and Ilford Hill. A lot of work is on-going around this area by ourselves, the Town Centre team, plain clothes units and also Safer transport. Arrests have been made and there is a lot of intelligence that should result in more arrests." 

Pink Lighting has the affect of distorting teenagers countenance and has proven to avert them form areas where installed. (Click her for more on pink lighting)

Wilson spoke about the brothel at 74 Gordon Roada local resident followed some young women who were sticking "massage" stickers on lamp posts in the area.  Mayfield Neighbourhood Police were made aware of this by the Clementswood Team and Wilson Chowdhry directly and a special operation is underway.

Fitness First has become a lounging spot for homeless people. Clementswood Neighbourhood Police said; "We have been working closely with the Manager and staff and have advised on a number of ways to combat this problem."     

Useful numbers:              

Police Non Emergency Number 101

Council ASB out of hours 0208 478 4679

It’s all about the money

Wilson Chowdhry organised the largest protest for King George Hospital in Feb 2011.  Over 500 peopel met in Ilfor Town Centre.  The protest was joined by MEP Jean Lambert, Darren Johnson London Assembly member, MP Lee Scott and most of our local councillors.  A notable absence was MP Mike Gapes.

The Green Party has been involved with campaigns to stop the cut backs at King George Hospital. However, the problems are much deeper rooted with the trust being hamstrung by the joint problems of its revenue being capped while the cost of the building of Queen’s Hospital through the ill thought out PFI scheme draining what money they have.

The Green Party believes that Healthcare is not a commodity to be bought or sold. The National Health Service must provide healthcare, free at the point of need, funded through taxation. It must be a public service funded by, run by and accountable to local and national government and devoid of all privatisation, whether privatised administration, healthcare provision, support services or capital ownership. The NHS is concerned with healthcare provision and should not be subject to market forces either internal or external.

A Green Europe

Since our last leaflet was issued we have been asked, “What are the Green’s policies on Europe?”

The answer is simple The Green Party wants a reformed Europe with governing institutions designed to resist capture by corporations and instead work democratically and cooperatively in the public interest. We will promote self-determination of nations and regions acting independently on local issues, whilst protecting the ability to cooperate on global issues that affect us all, like fisheries protection, climate change or human rights.

Boris and the Tube

In 2008 Boris Johnson signed a petition against plans by Ken Livingstone to close 40 tube ticket offices now 51/2 years later TfL plan to close every single Tube ticket office despite the mayor telling the London Assembly: "No ticket offices will be closed, alright? They're not going to be closed. The answer to the number of ticket office closures is: nil.”

The reason behind this is, despite this Government’s claim they wish more use of public transport they are cutting London Underground’s budget by £33m this financial year, and a further £45m next year.

On top of the plans to close every ticket office, there are plans to scrap over 700 station jobs and the re-organisation of station staff including the removal of Station Supervisors at some stations.

This is as clear a broken promise as that of Nick Clegg before the election not to raise tuition fees, and equally as blatant.

Redbridge Budget 2014

The difference between The Conservative / Lib Dem administration and the Labour opposition appears to grow smaller with each passing year.

With the administration’s sudden change of direction over the provision of a new permanent pool in Ilford South with the dropping of their plans to fund a temporary pool on the Seven Kings lorry park the difference grows even smaller.  However, while the Green Party welcomes the provision of a new pool the suggested sites at Barley Lane Recreation Ground, Valentines Park or South Park would reduce the amount of open space in the south of the borough and we would argue that a brown field site if found would be preferable.

The only remaining difference would now seem to be Labour trying to provide free bulky waste collection by abolishing Area Committees and Regional Planning Committees. The argument for free bulky waste collection is that it would lead to a reduction in fly tipping. The Green Party would argue that some of this cost could come from the central cleansing budget and part of the area committee’s discretionary budget.

Labour’s proposal to cut local committees is worrying as they provide an important opportunity for residents to see exactly how their elected representatives function. The Green Party is committed to the localisation of politics and values the current system and would like to see an extension of the committee’s roles and responsibilities and then perhaps more members of the public would attend. We would ask are Labour’s proposals just so that their Councillors do not have to face hostile residents.

Not the Wombles of Wimbledon the Wilson of Clementswood!

Some fly tip found on 142 Henley Road

Some fly tip found by 140 Henley Road

The images above display some of the street large street litter we have had removed from Clementswood.

Please tell us about other areas of our ward that have been affected by this blight.  

During my childhood the Wombles were characters from a much loved Children's programme. They used to pick up litter and would recycle it for use for some extraordinary and everyday use.  Sadly the programme is not shown on TV any more, as I feel it could be used for good purpose in educating our current generation in the effect that rubbish can have on morale and it's link with crime.  

Despite what our local Labour spin doctors have said, there is actually an existing bulky waste service.  The budget was agreed by the Area Six Committee earlier this year, and the General Cleansing Team have confirmed there is still some budget left over.

Labour are offering a free bulky waste service for all residents of the borough, as part of their usual profligate manifesto.  This would be a huge drain on our local resources for items that would be sent to landfill and should be the responsibility of home owners to remove.  Moreover it does nothing to penalise the landlords in this borough whose "Houses in Multiple Occupation" (HMO) are responsible for much of the waste.  A landlord registration scheme is essential for Redbridge and has worked well in Brighton and hove (click here for more details).  No wonder Green Party led Brighton and Hove is so loved by the residents living there (Click here)

The special smaller budgets agreed at Area committees allow a clean-up service to ensure community morale is maintained.  Our general cleansing team then issue fines for any future deposits, which makes the service one with some teeth.

Sometimes I think our Labour counterparts have no common sense...

 A mattress left by corner of Green Lane and Connaught Road.

INTERVIEW: 'Ukip's divisive politics is driving voters to the Greens,' says party leader

GREEN Party leader Natalie Bennett believes voters are flocking to support her pro-European party as people rally against Ukip's "damaging and divisive" rhetoric on immigration.

By: Owen Bennett - Political Reporter

Published: Wed, May 14, 2014

Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party[EXPRESS]

I have seen a significant number of people saying 'I'm voting for the Green Party because I want to vote against Ukip'.

Natalie Bennett

Ms Bennett claims the rise of Nigel Farage's eurosceptic party, which is opposed to the free movement of people across the EU, has motivated pro-immigration supporters to pledge support for the Green Party in next week's European election.

The Green Party leader believes a European election poll published yesterday backs up this claim, with the Greens in fourth place on 10 per cent - three per cent ahead of the Lib Dems.

In an interview with Express.co.uk, Ms Bennett - who was born in Australia but moved to the UK in 1999 - also attacked the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems for trying to "out-Ukip Ukip" by chasing the anti-immigration vote.

She said: "There's been a very strong trend with the rise of the Ukip vote, there's a significant - I can't put numbers on this - but I have seen a significant number of people saying 'I'm voting for the Green Party because I want to vote against Ukip'.

"A lot of people don't really trust the political system, and like a lot of Ukip voters are concerned about corruption and about what difference will my vote make, but are saying now that Ukip's collecting all those votes I've got to get off the fence and vote Green - as that's the only way I show I'm opposed to everything Ukip is saying."

Ms Bennett said she and her party were "very angry about the race to the bottom rhetoric" on immigration led by Ukip.

She also accused the eurosceptic party of stirring up anti-immigration sentiment to such an extent Eastern Europeans living in the UK are becoming victims of "hate crimes".

Ms Bennett said: "The way Ukip have raised the immigration debate is not a good thing.

"I was in Great Yarmouth [in Norfolk] talking to an organisation that talks to Eastern Europeans living in that area - and this is anecdotal - but they are saying they have seen an increase in hate crime.

"Lots of it isn't being reported to the police, partly because victims are saying: 'That's how the British people feel and that's what we expect' because of what they are seeing in the media, because of what they are seeing from Ukip."

"It's extremely damaging and divisive.