While all eyes were on Westminster in central London this week, it was the illegal fly-tipping activities of three men at Westminster Gardens that feature in Barking and Dagenham Council’s latest Wall of Shame CCTV Appeal.

The trio are clearly pictured dumping a number of black bags illegally on the street, which is close to the A13, and are just some of several new faces to feature in the long-running series.

The Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, Cllr Darren Rodwell, has sent a passionate letter to both the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid MP and Home Secretary, Priti Patel MP, following a recent visit from the Home Secretary, urging action to be taken to help provide a network of Youth Zones up and down the country.

Three in five students (62 per cent) in Barking and Dagenham have achieved the national GCSE standard of a grade 9 to 4 in English and maths – with one student securing a scholarship to one of the world’s most prestigious colleges.

Sydney Russell School pupil Afzal Hussain, 16, delivered one of the country’s top performances as he achieved nine grade 9s and one grade 8 in his exams.

He will go on to study double maths, history and German at the 15th-century college, whose alumni include Prime Minister Boris Johnson and author George Orwell.

Barking brothers, Taylor and Harrison, have today (21 August) received a Recognition Award from the Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council for their quick thinking during the Samuel Garside House fire at Barking Riverside. 

The fire broke out on Sunday 9 June, causing nearly 80 households to be evacuated, with some homes destroyed or damaged. Fortunately, no-one was hurt or killed in the incident. 

Six people who were recently featured in Barking and Dagenham Council’s Wall of Shame CCTV Appeal series have been caught and fined a total of £1,500 for fly-tipping and littering. 

The culprits were fined following council investigations and confidential tip offs from members of the public.

An illegal extension added to the side of a former public house in Dagenham has been demolished today (15 August), after the owners repeatedly ignored orders to remove it.  

 

The single storey lean-to had been erected without permission onto The Bull, on Rainham Road South, which ceased trading as a pub in 2014 and is now used as an African supermarket and a health and safety retailer.

 

Young people in Barking and Dagenham were jumping for joy this morning as many found out they had been accepted into top universities and companies such as Goldman Sachs.

There was jubilation at Robert Clack School of Science as almost a third of pupils achieved top grades of A* to A, with three pupils securing places at Oxford to study Mathematics, Engineering and Law respectively. Karan Ruparell was in total shock with his three A*s in Maths, Further Maths and Physics and will be off to study a four-year Mathematics degree at Oxford. 

A fortnightly collection service that sends grass cuttings to be composted has collected 2,971 tonnes of waste since launching two years ago – the equivalent weight of more than 234 London buses.

Our green garden waste service, which costs £40 per year, offers subscribers an eco-friendly way of disposing of their flowers and grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, weeds, leaves, and twigs.

There are currently 7,460 residents already signed-up to the scheme that runs from March to December each year.

An estate agent in Barking and Dagenham has been fined for the third time in as many years – this time for failing to publicise its’ letting fees and information about its’ redress scheme online.

AMBI Investments Ltd, trading as Primelodge Estates, was found in breach of section 83 (1) of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and fined £5,000 at a hearing of the first-tier tribunal of the General Regulatory Chamber on Friday, 19 July. 

Have you recently finished or dropped out of Year 11, 12 or 13 and unsure what your next plans are?

 

Well, help is here and we might have the answers that you have been waiting for!

 

‘What Next?’ is back and ready to provide you with the advice you need to start a blossoming career.

 

A number of colleges, career advisers and organisations will be on hand to answer any questions you may have and to provide you with key information including CV writing support.