Residents who are concerned, anxious or fearful about local tensions in Barking and Dagenham can now report their concerns directly to the local Community Safety Partnership with the help of a new online form.

 

The new online form hopes to address issues early to tackle and reduce the risk of crime and disorder that can occur when there are problems that need resolving.

 

In its aim to ensure that Barking and Dagenham continues to be safe place to live and work for residents, the east London council continues to fund a Crime and Enforcement Police Taskforce for the borough.



The Taskforce, which currently consists of nine police officers, has been funded by the council since 2012 and deals with crime and antisocial behaviour relating to tenants and leaseholders.



As well as this, the team works closely with the council’s enforcement team going on weekly joint operations and regular weapon sweeps.

Residents of Barking and Dagenham who are worried about their finances and need help to tackle debt are now able to get advice and support from a new local website.



Barking and Dagenham Money has been developed as part of the council’s wider work with its partners to tackle the challenges faced by residents around money and debt. As well as helping residents take control of their finances, it will connect people to support that can reduce the stress that debt and financial worry place on their lives.

Local eco-heroes spent this afternoon (Wednesday, 2 March) planting trees as part of an ambitious £20,000 re-greening and rejuvenation project along the River Roding in Barking, funded by council partner Clear Channel.

 

Volunteers from the River Roding Trust were joined by the Deputy Leader of the council, Councillor Saima Ashraf, and representatives from Out of Home media and infrastructure company, Clear Channel, to help give the saplings new homes.

 

Barking and Dagenham Council know that one of the key priorities for its residents is living in a borough that they feel safe in and has low levels of crime, and in the last year the council has implemented several initiatives to ensure this is the case.



In early 2021, the council asked residents to let them know of areas that they feel are not safe in the borough as well what they feel needs to be done to make sure Barking and Dagenham continues to be a safe place to live and work.

Councillors announced the launch of the first tranche of Community Hubs, to be rolled out across the borough to support residents and provide the help they need nearer to where they live, as Barking and Dagenham Council approved its budget proposals for 2022/23 at a full council meeting on Wednesday, 2 March.  

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement at Barking and Dagenham Council, Cllr Saima Ashraf used the first in person gathering of council members to make an impassioned plea for peace in Ukraine and all over the world.  

You can kill, and you can destroy buildings, but the people of Ukraine will live on – as they always have.

Speaking at Barking and Dagenham Council’s first in-person assembly meeting last night, (Wednesday 2 March), Cllr Saima Ashraf delivered this impassioned speech, saying:

Over three quarters of young people in Barking and Dagenham will attend their first preference secondary school from September this year.

 

Figures show that out of 3,364 applications, 2,748 (81.69 per cent) of 10 and 11-year-olds have been offered their first preference, far exceeding the capital’s average of 69.95 per cent, and outperforming every other London borough.

“It’s always pleasing to bring happiness to young people and their parents, as they prepare for the next exciting step in their education."  

Over the course of two days (19 and 26 February), volunteers planted trees at Barking and Dagenham’s ‘Forest of Thanks’, to recognise the incredible work local NHS staff and keyworkers have done and continue to do during the pandemic.

 

The council partnered with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) who work across the UK to create healthier and happier communities, SUGi Projects, an international organisation specialising in urban rewilding and the Natwest Group who kindly donated all the trees for planting. 

 

Residents of Barking and Dagenham are being invited to enjoy a jam-packed programme of events including exhibitions, workshops and performances, as part of this year’s Women’s Empowerment Month.