Barking and Dagenham got a festive makeover at the weekend, as a packed day of Christmas events saw the council switch on its Christmas lights in front of 3,000 residents. 

Barking Mad about Christmas returned on Saturday 4 December with a whole host of free festive entertainment including carol singing, arts and crafts, dance performances, magic shows, a Christmas singalong and even real reindeer. 

In its continued efforts to change the perceptions of safety and ease antisocial behaviour at Barking Station, Barking and Dagenham Council has extended Barking Market to the station parade in a trial run throughout December.



Earlier in the year, Barking Station was highlighted as a hot spot in a survey where the east London council asked women to highlight areas in the borough that they didn’t feel safe.

A routine trade waste inspection by Barking and Dagenham Council enforcement officers has resulted in a local garage being fined nearly £2,000 for failing to provide the required waste disposal documents.



Officers visited New Dagenham Gearbox Ltd on 22 August 2019 and issued them with a notice to provide their Waste Transfer Notes for the last two years for general waste, used car parts waste, used engine oil waste and cardboard and recycled waste.

On 17 November the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, presented London’s 32 boroughs’ Mayors each with an English Oak tree sapling to mark Her Majesty, The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year and to promote The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. The ceremony took place in Hyde Park, by kind permission of The Royal Parks.

Thank you to the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, for presenting me with this Oak tree sapling on behalf of Barking and Dagenham to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year.

Thanks to eagled eyed Barking and Dagenham Council enforcement officers, a driver from Newham has been fined over £800 for failing to disclose the details of the driver caught littering from his car.



On the 15 October 2020, while on patrol on the Heathway, Dagenham, enforcement officers witnessed the driver of a blue Mercedes dispose of a cigarette end from their window.



As officers were unable to identify the perpetrator there and then, they ran the car registration through the DVLA and discovered the vehicle belonged to Mr Andrzej Siwak.

A judge has ordered a Dagenham Cash & Carry to pay a fine of nearly £1,000 for breaching its Street Trading Licence.



Gabreb Cash & Carry, 274 Heathway was visited by Barking and Dagenham Council’s street enforcement officers on 9 December 2020, who discovered that fruit and veg stalls located directly outside the shop exceeded the two metres allowed by the Street Trading Licence.

Dedicated staff at George Carey Church of England Primary School in Barking haven’t let the challenges of the pandemic stop their pupils from reading. In fact, the children’s love for books may be at an all-time high, thanks to a pop-up book hut project.

The school successfully applied to receive books from The Children’s Book Project, a registered charity that redistributes thousands of donated books to children and their families across the UK.

New playground equipment has been installed at James Cambell Primary School in Dagenham to the delight of its pupils. 

 

A fantastic new climbing frame has been built in the school’s playground as part of plans to transform the children’s experience outside of the classroom, and it’s already proving to be a huge hit!

 

Headteacher, Joe Wilson, explained: “We’re working hard to ensure that all our children get the opportunities they deserve.

 

A car owner from Dagenham has been fined over £700 for not disclosing the details of the driver who was caught littering from his car on the public highway.



On the 2 July 2020, Barking and Dagenham Council enforcement officers witnessed the driver of a blue Ford Fiesta dispose of a cigarette while driving down Movers Lane, Barking.

The annual Colin Pond Trust Scholarship Awards recognised young people who achieved outstanding grades in their GCSE exams.

 

Students and their families attended a glamorous event at The Broadway Theatre in Barking, where the 62 young people were each handed a £300 grant to spend during their A-level studies. This year's event was sponsored by BD Group, which offers facilities, cleaning and catering services in the borough.