Grrrr! Stop messing with our streets!

More graffiti found at the top of Chadwell Heath lane near the junction with Arthur Road.

Parks Survey

Actual image of glorious South Park.

If we want to see an improvement to our local parks then it is imperative we complete the questionnaires provided in the Recent Parks survey in a previous post.

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It is feedback from the questionnaires that is utilised for the shaping of future park redesign and restructure plans.

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Please do take the time to complete a form. To set an example and to provide a template for others I include one I have completed today:

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Click here

Youth Survey

Online Youth Survey

The Safer Neighbourhoods online youth survey launches on the 21st September giving 11-18 year olds an anonymous way of telling their local police team about any areas on their school journey and in their neighbourhood that make them feel unsafe. Safer Neighbourhoods teams drive a range of initiatives that get young people involved in their community.

These include:
Youth ward panels - young people set and resolve local policing priorities that matter to them.
Volunteer Police Cadets - develop new skills and carry out activities that directly support community issues and policing operations.
Safer Schools Officers - engage with pupils and teachers to help reduce the risk of young people getting drawn into crime or anti-social behaviour.

Find your local Redbridge SNT here.

Redbridge Parks Survey

The Redbridge Parks Scrutiny Working Group was recently established by the Council's Leisure Scrutiny Committee to look at Parks and open spaces across the borough. The Working Group is made up of 5 cross-party Councillors and the culmination of the group’s research will be a final report and recommendations for action, which will go to the Council’s Cabinet.

The Working Group aims to look at customer satisfaction with parks in Redbridge with a view to improving facilities and hopes to speak to as many local people as possible about parks. They are very interested in hearing views from residents and community groups in the borough and would be extremely grateful if you would fill out the attached questionnaire and circulate it to members of your group for them to fill out. They can arrange for hard copy forms to be delivered and collected for those without internet access.

If anyone or a community group would be interested in attending a future Working Group meeting to give your thoughts and feedback to the Councillors on how Redbridge can improve its parks, please do contact:

Emma James

Scrutiny Research & Development Co-ordinator

tele: 020 8708 2991 or email.

If you use Goodmayes Park there is a rather more specific questionnaire here.

Free snacks, chats and health checks - should have great IMPACT!

Free social chat and snack sessions are available from the Keith Axon centre every Thursday morning from 10:00 - 11:30 via a group called Impact.

Free health checks are also available from the Keith Axon centre every Saturday afternoon from 15:30 - 17:00 more details are on the flyers just click on the images to enlarge.

Impact are the same group who provide the Street pastoring programme on Chadwell Heath High Street and were funded by the Area 5 Committee to do so.

Cleaned right up!

Residents of the Wimpey One Estate (Sherman Gardens/Bengeo Gardens/Madeline Close/Westfield Gardens) will have noticed the graffiti and bulky waste has been removed from your area today. This was undertaken by Russell ward and his inimitable Street Scene Team who are dedicated to the betterment of our quality of life. I hope residents are pleased with the result?

Done Elm - lets try rubbish now!

These are the images of the Dunelm Nursing home located within the Richmond Estate. You will see from the pictures that the state of their forecourt is hardly enviable and is causing a health and safety hazard (broken bottles, short tree stumps etc), is rather unaesthetic and is letting an already poorly maintained estate seem even worse. I believe measures under the Control of Pests Act can empower our local Streetscene Team to take action against the Nursing Home and am therefore sending this concern to Russell and his Team to investigate.

Please share your thoughts....

The list just grows....

Here are some more images of the problems at the Richmond Estate. I have noticed many of your buildings have white marks along the bottom. At a meeting with Michael Sims, quite sometime earlier in the year, he said he would investigate. To date no response has been received and I do hope it is not something serious.

More graffiti I am afraid and I have by no means photographed all the graffiti

The usual bulky waste is present and to date no CCTV or Grills to this open areas has been installed. I can think of no other solution....? Please share your thoughts....

Ouuuuch!

Whilst walking along Grove Road delivering letters to local people Isla Martin almost had her eye out. Firstly, it was poked by a low hanging bit of tree opposite from the Keith Axon Centre, from where she crossed.

Whilst she was still rubbing her eye she scratched her face and eyes again from some almost invisible branches, which can be seen if you save the picture and magnify the image.

Still in pain form the twigs in her eye she than walked into a Low tree warning that at its lowest point was around 5ft 6inches from the ground? The sign has a TFL symbol on it and it would seem very bizarre for them to place a sign so low and facing only one way? I have email TFL to ask if it was them who placed the sign at the location and will ask that if so could they cut the overhanging trees as the Sign clearly serves no purpose...?

I have copied this post to our more intelligent Redbridge Streetscene Team to see if they can help. Super Russell Ward should be able to fix it!

Chadwell Allotments - could a solution be in sight...?

Click on image to enlarge!

Our bungling Councillor's missed an opportunity to correct a local antisocial problem of immense proportion.

Arson attacks in the ward are on the increase with over 13 reported incidents in my recollection. Chadwell allotments alone had at least 7 in a 3 month period, that also involved a fire at residential property. The community anxiety, that the purported drug addicted youths are causing, to residents close to the allotments is immense. Ye self-absorbed Councilors felt the need to ask for another site visit to the allotments with the Police and Allotment manager.

Our Police, ASBO Team and allotment officers have all visited the site with me at my behest at the time of the incidents. Our Police in a two page report reiterated several times the essential need for secure palisade fencing to prevent access to the site from its most vulnerable location - behind an alleyway and unadopted road that is rarely used and dark.

The ASBO team have indicated support for the scheme and only the Council's own financially challenged allotment section have shown any apprehension to the scheme due to it's cost - I should add and not based on security issues.

At the Area 5 Committee Meting at which the Funding application was discussed. Cllr Staight even made the rather pathetic remark, that green mesh fencing is easily forced open in other areas. When it is clear stipulated within my funding application that the scheme proposed is for secure palisade fencing in alignment with the existing strong fencing that does not complete a circuit of the allotments....?

Why are these people in power...? Who voted them in...? What extra intelligence could our daft councilors input that would supersede the expert advice of our Police and ASBO Team – they tackle crime issues daily?

I have been corrected by the council

I have been told that changes have been made to the Planning application mentioned in yesterdays post. The planning officer leading on the East Thames Housing Association project for Grove Farm has stated:

"Dear Mr Wilson,

Thank you for your email. On the contrary to your assertion, I can confirm that there are many changes in the revised scheme vis-a-vis the original submission, for instance: reduction in the number of dwellings, enlargement of the central amenity space, reduction in density of development, reduction in the height of the eastern block, reduction in the amount of roof terraces and introduction of pitched roofs to some of the blocks; enlargement of balconies, variation in elevational treatment; to mention some of the amendments. Perhaps you may consider going to the Duty Planner at Lynton House who would be happy to explain the changes.

Kind regards"

None of the above however, suggests that any reduction in the number of persons that this project will facilitate living on the estate has been reduced...? Moreover it is hard to decipher from the web application detilails what changes have been made. I will get copies of the plans and then write a more indepth piece on this blog and write to residents in the vicinity. Please share your thoughts....

The list goes on....... poor old Richmond Estate!

As Isla Martin and I walked up to Hevingham Road to deliver letters about the lack of Communication from RMG. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the fencing around the front corner of the road was finally erected back into it's initial state. The initial 1 year delay was due to a purported lack of ability to obtain a crime reference number, which I obtained for RMG with consummate ease and a matter of hours...? Oh well, at least it has been completed. I noted however, the dangerous pipe that could cause a trip hazard has still not been removed and this just needs rolling up.....? I hope this is not another 1 year project...?

As we walked along Sudbury court we noticed a Car Park Barrier had been broken and tossed into the nearby vegetation. We hope this defect will be rectified soon..?

Whilst perusing through the Car Park area I noticed two broken lights. The strange thing is this seems to be like de ja vu and I am sure I have noticed the same broken lights for quite some time...?

If you let graffiti alone it will grow and become a pervading social malaise I hope that RMG resolve this issue soon.

Only more graffiti, to help RMG I will ask the Redbridge Street Scene team see if they can remove the unsightly mess as it is creeping back into your area in a very big way. Our street scene team are excellently led by a Mr Russell Ward with very prompt response to requests!

Slabs...what are they doing in this picture...?

More slabs, I wonder where they came from? Why are they in pieces...?

A broken dead tree...I wonder when this will be cleared away or I we to wait for natural decomposition...which could take over 100 years...?

I will need to investigate these broken slabs...they are everywhere?

This graffiti was found on the roof of one of the light providing structures in your communal central grassy areas. The structures are meant to be emitting light into the underground Car parks, however due to a contractor installing the side slats upside down, they actually reflect light away from the Car Park. I note with disdain that RMG are still to reverse the slats...?

I am pleased to see that on the day I arrived a big clean up of all the bulky waste in your stores was taking place. I believe this was due to the haranguing we have recently been giving to RMG. However, they have still failed to secure the bin areas with either CCTV or grills and an entry system as previously proposed...?

Ahhh, the mystery of the broken slabs make sense now! The slabs are being broken of by local youths who then shatter them into pieces and throw them at vulnerable children with threats. As reported by a resident. This is a dangerous activity that needs to be investigated by our statutory authorities. Furthermore, perhaps RMG should clear your estate of the offending items?

More slabs missing....this problem is rife!

Not a nice picture, I know, however there is an evident and distinct issue regrading dog foul in your area. Michael Simms (RMG) had asked me for the telephone number of Redbridge Street Scene, as he had advised me that he wished to purchase some dog litter bins for your estate. I passed him the number and they received no call, I gave them his number with no joy either. If you want them, perhaps residents should contact RMG directly as they no longer respond to me?

More slabs missing!

Why is the shale missing and leaving the water inlets visible and vulnerable? What has happened to the stones...residents have purported that they have been thrown into the drain just below this boxed area. I had spoken to RMG near the beginning of the year about this problem, to no avail. If Thames Water have to be called to resolve a drain issue in the area. It will be clear who is at fault as this issue does not seem to have been investigated.

More bricks missing from the walled area making the area rather unaesthetic!

That's Ilsa Martin posting through your letters, you will note the corner of the wall has missing bricks. unfortunately, damaged walls are not unusual for your estate

Ouch, even more missing bricks, this really pricks my pride. I am proud of Chadwell and the recent improvements that together we have induced to make it a better place. I have reported the missing bricks so often I thought they would have been reinstalled by now. I will keep pressing on!

This is more pernicious than it would seem a single brick like this is a great weapon in a fight. It has been purported that bricks and broken pieces of slab have previously been used in a negative manner.

If I am correct the pipe in the centre is property of Thames Water and is part of the local water network. I do not know why it is full of stones, why it is uncovered or what effect this has on the local area. I do know, however that the image is rather disconcerting.

Just another shot of the same image.

As extensive as this report might seem it just skims the service. There are strange whit patches on your building walls that need explaining, I have not produced images of all the graffiti or the slabs or bricks or broken walls. Letterboxes are damaged and vulnerable. I will send a copy of this page to the Management Agents the Police, the Street Scene team and the ASBO Team.

I am also aware of antisocial sports being played on your estate and would ask parents to send children to Crucible Park (to rear of Quarles Park road) as it is your nearest park and less than 200 yards away.

Diabolical Behaviour

It would seem that the East Thames Housing Association application for a development at Grove Farm from 1009 High Road, has been resubmitted without ammednment...?

After all the efforts of our local community to make the developers understand the concerns about their project, all they have done is wait some time, hoping we would forget..,?!

Please write your comments about the application, directly onto the Redbridge Council Website planning portal by clicking the link.

Graffiti Sightings - The scourge of our local community!

This image shows graffiti on a box to the fore of 326 Chadwell Heath Lane.

This image shows the graffiti on the bottom of a fencing panel on Grove Road, between, Millhaven Close and Gresham Drive.

Another Wimpey One Estate Graffiti concern - officially the remit of Winchester properties. However, to speed up a removal I will let our excellent street scene team tackle the issue. The lamp post is on the corner of Westfield Gardens and Grove Road.

Safety first!

This mess outside the bin area near 1-6 Birch court is the residual waste from an unproked arson attacked that occurred in the bin area in July. It is disappointing to see it is still there and should be a management agent responsibility to remove. I will send this blog story to Winchesters and Redbridge Council Street Scene team. It is rather negligent to leave such rubbish on the wall next to a bin area as I have seen young children playing with the items that are rather dangerous!

More issues at Wimpey one estate

The images above illustrate the ongoing bulky waste and graffiti issues in the area of the Wimpey one estate (Sherman Gardens/Bengeo Gardens/Westfield Gardens/Madeliein Close and Birch Court). I have sent a copy of this post to both Winchester Properties and to Russell ward our local Council's dynamic leader of the Stretscene team. Many of you will have read the scurrilous comments in Winchester's recent newsletter, which also seem to be inferring that you may soon be subject to another fiscal outlay (to add to the many previous ones) I will query them on what Major works they are referring to and will keep you updated.

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In the meanwhile I am pleased to announce that your roads should be adopted within two months - if the assurances provide by Taylor Wimpey materialise. They have not let me down previously! The delay was initially due to need for a water vesting certificate which both Redbridge Council and Natalie have confirmed has now been received. However, some residents raised queries regarding faulty lamp posts which I conveyed to Taylor Wimpey. This led to an investigation that elucidated a lack of feed to some lamp posts and a missing fuse where the cause of fault. EDF are being contacted and once these works have been completed not only will your lamp post be working, however, you will also have roads and street lighting whose maintenance will be part of a council remit - as your roads will be fully adopted! Good news ay....please share your thoughts.

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A Mr Markos Markou from Winchesters has written rather disparaging remarks about me in his August Newsletter. They are all false and if you would like to see the truth I have evidence that can be emailed to any interested parties. When I first raised your concerns with the Group they were reticent to respond to me. It seems now, that they have been cajoled into a working programme by L&Q housing they have opened the doors again. i am quite pleased about this as I have always felt that all groups should be working together for the betterment and improved quality of life of residents of your estate. I will share any responses from Mr Markou with you.