Redbridge Eye

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noreply@blogger.com (Redbridge Eye) — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 16:37:00 +0000

This blog is now closed.

A TIMELY REMINDER - BUS FARES IN CASH

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Wed, 14 May 2014 19:51:00 +0000

A timely reminder - as from July 6th. 2014 London Buses will not be accepting cash for fares.
So, if you don't have a Freedom Pass you will need to top up an Oyster Card or buy a travelcard (both available from Newsagents and Supermarkets) or ask your bank for a contactless debit card.
News here
TfL Press Release

Spot Anything?

noreply@blogger.com (weggis) — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 18:35:00 +0000

Hat/tip Knowsie

noreply@blogger.com (Morris Hickey) — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 21:57:00 +0000

REMEMBER THE PARKS POLICE ?

It is now almost 3 years since Redbridge Council so disgracefully discontinued the use of a dedicated police service in the borough's parks and countryside. And within 6 months the Boris "BOGOF" arrangement that was used to replace them (allegedly!) will come to an end. It remains to be seen what will happen then.

My spies tell me that Redbridge Council will be the respondent on 5 and 6 February to an action in the High Court being taken on behalf of the staff of the former Parks Police with regard to the disgraceful and unfeeling way in which their services were terminated by an ungrateful council.

PREVENTING BURGLARIES 2013

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 20:04:00 +0000

CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGE FOR A PRINTABLE POSTER

New Redbridge Safer Neighbourhood Team take to the Streets

noreply@blogger.com (weggis) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:53:00 +0000

Yet another successful initiative by the London Mayor.

ATM Scams

noreply@blogger.com (weggis) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:15:00 +0000

Anyone seen this before. It's new on me but maybe old hat? Nevertheless worth a post to remind people to be vigilant and observant.

LONDON-WIDE HOUSING SCAM

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:21:00 +0000

There was an item on the ITV London News about Council properties being illegally sublet:

Click here

Further down the page there are stats from Boroughs that were able to respond (presumably others do not collate this data).

Redbridge has 4671 properties, 13,338 people on waiting list. 88 evictions.

These figures do not appear to include Registered Social Landlords and Housing Trusts so the overall problem could possibly be worse.

Question: How was this allowed to happen in the first place?

New Redbridge NHW org

noreply@blogger.com (weggis) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 23:05:00 +0000

On 21st March 2013 the inaugural meeting of the Redbridge Neighbourhood Watch Group was held in the Old Parkonians clubhouse on the Oakfield site at Fullwell Cross. Two co-chairs were elected as pictured below:

and the constitution agreed:

The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyrannies of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and good will shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness for he is truly his brothers keeper and the finder of lost children.
And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers.
And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

SECOND REDBRIDGE CABINET MEMBER RESIGNS

noreply@blogger.com (Morris Hickey) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:29:00 +0000

With the resignation from the Cabinet during the last week of Councillor Robin Turbefield (ostensibly for "personal reasons") this is now the second resignation for such reasons in 4 months.

To lose one cabinet member may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose a second looks like carelessness!

TAX REFUND ON-LINE SCAM

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 22:55:00 +0000

If you receive an e-mail like this:

IGNORE IT!!

This is a scam to get you to supply your bank details, PIN, etc.

HMRC will only invite taxpayers to set up a Gateway account by letter giving full instructions

ANOTHER E-MAIL SCAM

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 22:31:00 +0000

A previous e-mail scam is occurring again.

There is 'robot' software available that can hack into your 'address book' or 'contact list'. Each e-mail address in your list is then automatically sent an e-mail that usually states that you are in financial difficulties abroad, having lost or had stolen your wallet, passport, credit cards, etc., and, guess what, you should reply to the e-mail offering to send cash by courier or post something like a Western Union money order.

If you receive an e-mail like this, try to contact the person named at home or contact a relative or another friend of the person whose name you recognise to verify if this person really is in the foreign country mentioned. You will find that they are not!!

If anyone really does lose cash and valuables abroad they should contact the British Consulate for assistance. Credit cards can be replaced in most countries in the world. Take the banking contact numbers with you on holiday.

More on Parking

noreply@blogger.com (weggis) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:34:00 +0000

Full article on webcache.

The new version now also on webcache

"Cllr Prince said the problem with allowing people to park for free in one area of the borough is that it would set a precedent and other areas would want to follow suit"

Manford Way? Wanstead High Street?

And yet another version with the above quote missing ...

Third time lucky? Click!

"Community Remedy" Consultation

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:55:00 +0000

Community Remedy Consultation by The Home Office This consultation seeks views on proposals to introduce legislation to allow police and crime commissioners (or the relevant local policing body) to give victims of low-level crime (such as low-level criminal damage and low-value thefts) and antisocial behaviour a say in the punishment of the offender. The Community Remedy Consultation will gather knowledge, expertise and opinions of policing and criminal justice stakeholders, and the public more widely, to ensure that the final policy takes account of the potential impact of the changes on all affected parties. We want to make sure that victims and the public agree that the punishments used are meaningful. We propose to do this through the introduction of the Community Remedy approach. This would be used when low level crimes and antisocial behaviours were dealt with out of court - either as part of an informal community resolution or a more formal conditional caution. The consultation closes on 7 March 2013. You can find more information here Click!

I am not sure how this is meant to relate to Victim-Offender Mediation - a form of Restorative Justice here Click!

noreply@blogger.com (Morris Hickey) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:04:00 +0000

A VERY HAPPY 2013

TO ALL OUR READERS.

And don't forget council elections due next year.

"Action Fraud" Scam

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 20:14:00 +0000

Police have received reports from people who have been contacted by fraudsters claiming to be from Action Fraud

Action Fraud is the UK’s national fraud reporting centre where consumers can report if they have been scammed or defrauded.

Conmen frequently impersonate officials in an attempt to convince people that their offer is genuine. We are aware of a recent scam where fraudsters impersonate an Action Fraud representative to trick people into sending money.

The caller states that they are from Action Fraud and that the person they are calling is entitled to compensation from a recent incident. The scammer then asks for money to be sent via a Ukash voucher in order to process the compensation claim. The amount asked for is usually in the range of £200 to £400.

Action Fraud is warning people not to pay these bogus telephone callers; there is no way to retrieve Ukash payments as they are in effect cash transactions. This is a scam. You will lose your money.

Action Fraud is in no way affiliated with these scammers and would never under any circumstances be involved in processing claims for compensation. The genuine Action Fraud is the UK’s national fraud reporting centre where consumers can report if they have been scammed or defrauded.

You can report fraud online using Action Fraud’s reporting service.

There is also a resurgence of the scam in which thieves impersonating Police Officers phone to arrange for Credit Cards and PINs to be collected as part of a Fraud Investigation.

NEVER give a stranger your Credit Card details in this way. Genuine Police would never ask you to do this.

noreply@blogger.com (Morris Hickey) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 21:59:00 +0000

THE REDBRIDGE QUIZ

The council is running a quiz. You can enter by answering correctly a simple question.

First prize is a Burger King with the Leader. Second prize is a Burger King with both the Leader and Deputy Leader.

Here is the question:

Who will be in the cabinet next week, and which portfolio will each cabinet member have?

noreply@blogger.com (Morris Hickey) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 16:10:00 +0000

SCUM

I recently used this word on the Redbridge i Forum to describe - er - SCUM. The over-sensitive website automarically removed the word. So I spelled it out in the next post - and the post was removed by a self-styled "moderator".

IT IS PRECISELY THIS STASI-LIKE BEHAVIOUR BY DEADBRIDGE THAT CAUSES SOME OF US TO POST ON THIS BLOG.

National Consumer Week - SAY NO TO COLD CALLERS

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:02:00 +0000

National Consumer Week 2012 is taking place this week and the theme this year is 'cold calling -don't buy it'. As seen on national television, Trading Standards are urging homeowners to download a no cold calling 'super sign' to help them stay safe from cold calling doorstep traders. . .

. . The Campaign has the support of Gloria Hunniford and Martin Lewis. The aim is to empower the most vulnerable consumers to say no to cold calling doorstep traders and stay safe in their homes. . .

You can download a printable PDF file Click here or click on the image below to open it so that you can print it and display it in a window in your porch or near your front door.

. . The full press blurb: Click here

Crime Challenge from MOPAC - London Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 19:41:00 +0000

This Presentation has come from Boris's office and gives useful comparisons across all London Boroughs. Redbridge has similar demographics to Enfield and to Hillingdon, so these are the Boroughs with which Redbridge is often compared.

The Presentation is a PDF file so you will need Acrobat Reader to open it. It has been uploaded to Google Docs and can be downloaded from here Click!

Redbridge Police Give out Balloons and Advice at Neighbourhood Watch Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 12:59:00 +0000

To draw residents’ attention to home security, Operation Castle is Redbridge Police’s current anti-burglary campaign. It is a two pronged attack to proactively target offenders and to get residents on board by showing them how they can help protect their property and make it unattractive to burglars.
An open window is like a magnet to an opportunist burglar and may invalidate your insurance cover. Window locks make it far more difficult for a burglar to open the window. Burglars will look for the easiest way to gain access to a property and an open window is just that.
In the last week the Volunteer Police Cadets have assisted the Burglary Squad by patrolling on the borough looking for open windows and doors. The Cadets then approached each home and placed a balloon with a crime prevention advice label attached to it through the opening. By doing so, the Cadets were raising the householder’s awareness that if the Police could insert a balloon, then the same opening could provide an opportunity for burglars.
Redbridge Police’s home security advice for residents is as follows:
•Make sure you close all windows and install window locks especially when you go out.
•Close your front and rear doors and make sure they are locked and secure
•uPVC doors need double locking so make sure you lift the handle engage the locking mechanism and turn the key in the lock to double lock it!!
•Avoid leaving valuables on display or near windows - including car keys
•Use timer switches to activate lights when it begins to get dark. This will give the impression someone is home.
•If you have a garage, put your car in it.
•Install a visible burglar alarm - make thieves think twice
•Make sure your rear garden is secure - no ladders or steps left insecure in your garden
•Use a UV pen to mark your property
•If you have an iPad, iPod or iPhone download a free app called Find my iPhone which uses technology to assist police in tracing stolen property.
•Register your valuables at www.immobilise.com
For further crime prevention advice please contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team or visit www.met.police.uk
If you have any information about stolen property please call 101 or Redbridge Burglary Squad on 020 8345 2610 (answer phone) or JIMailbox-.BurglarySquad@met.police.uk

CENTRAL LINE CLOSURES

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 16:22:00 +0000

Engineering works are planned on the Central line at the end of October and the beginning of November this year. These works will take place over a 12-day period, including weekdays, and may therefore affect journeys to work and school. The works will affect, in particular, the stations between Grange Hill and Newbury Park.
TfL need to carry out ballast and track replacement work, improve drainage and do work on points and crossings on the Central line ‘loop’. TfL have looked at a number of options for how best to carry out this work, including both using a series of weekend closures or alternatively implementing a single, longer block closure.
It has been concluded that it will cause less disruption to residents, businesses and other users if TfL do all of the necessary work in one block, particularly so if the closure is timed to coincide with the school half term holidays as far as possible.
Consequently:
• There will be no Underground service between Grange Hill and Newbury Park stations, for 12 days from Wednesday 24 October until Sunday 4 November
• This closure will be extended to cover the whole of the Central line loop (i.e. between Leytonstone and Woodford via Hainault) on the weekends of 27/28 October and 3/4 November
A single long closure will allow the work to be carried out more efficiently and significantly reduces the total number of days of closure needed to complete the project.

We sure hope so!

If you click on the image below it will be easier to read and you can print it.

The Little Book of Big Scams

noreply@blogger.com (NeighbourhoodWatcher) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 14:55:00 +0000

Three weeks ago the "Little Book of Big Scams" was launched by Esther Rantzen and the Met Police Commissioner in conjunction with anti-fraud agencies. It lists several scams and gives you tips on how you can prevent becoming victims to such crimes. It includes advice on identity fraud, scam mail, door to door scams, banking and payment scams, mobile phone and internet scams; it even gives advice on dating and romance scams! Please have a look at it, you can find the internet article launching it here and at the top of the page there is a link to the pdf version of the document itself. A word of caution about printing it as it is 48 pages of full colour, A4 size and takes about 10 minutes to print one copy.

Academies, a view from the inside ...

noreply@blogger.com (knowsie) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:54:00 +0000

At the recent hustings for the GLA elections hosted by Barkingside 21 we heard several comments from the panel in favour of the Academy system - and none against. Here is a view from the other side of the fence - from one of the 'customers'.

Jamie is a 14 year old pupil at a Technical High School that has been converted to an Academy. His views on the change appeared in another blog recently and I'm indebted to Jamie for permission to publish them here.

====================

... Since becoming an Academy (not state owned) about 20 teachers have left for pay reasons and just general treatment. Now we are dwindling with some teachers not knowing where the sun is, and some cover teachers that can't find our work.. Despite being literally in front of them!!

My Generation are the future (sadly)! If the goverment do not start funding employment and education rather than cutting the whole lot, there will be no future and the majority of the population will be a waste of space!

A lot of people want to work like (another member of the forum who is 4 times Jamie's age and is having stress problems at work after a period of long term illness) and try there hardest to! But companies put obstacles in the way and it just becomes not feasible not to mention the stress and health issues, it's just ridicolous when all you are doing is trying to make a living! After working for half your life, you then get to retire to sod all pension having payed out most of your salary to taxes.

====================
And here is another, more recent comment:
====================

So time is still going.. 3 Months until the tech block etc goes and not just that, but a teacher.. Who has 'Only' been there 13 years, has pretty much been told 'Your not needed anymore, bub!' But he said to me "Well, If people don't think kids these days need these skills physcially such as woodwork etc, then I will be rich as a 'Handyman"..

The remnants of it's past as a technical high are fading..

Thank GOD, Next year is my last!

That school's history will stop there after 58 years..

====================

Perhaps it is time for the politicians to consult the real education experts? - those at the sharp end

No wonder we're in the s**t!

noreply@blogger.com (knowsie) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:00:00 +0000

WHO IS THE ODD MAN OUT - and more importantly - WHY??

Lord Stevenson: FORMER chairman, HBOS

Sir Fred Goodwin: FORMER chief executive, RBS

Andy Hornby: FORMER chief executive, HBOS

Sir Tom McKillop: FORMER chairman, RBS

John McFall MP: FORMER chairman of Treasury Select Committee

Alastair Darling: FORMER Chancellor of the Exchequer

Gordon Brown: FORMER Prime Minister and former Chancellor of the Exchequer

Sir Terry Wogan: FORMER presenter of Radio 2's Breakfast Show

IF you're thinking Sir Terry Wogan,

THEN you're right.

However, the reason may surprise you...

Terry Wogan is the only one out of this motley crew who actually holds ANY formal banking qualification.

Worrying, isn’t it!