Two local charities have been given cheques worth thousands of pounds after a two-year fundraising drive by a former mayor.

Councillor Peter Chand, who held the ceremonial position as Mayor for Barking and Dagenham between 2019 and 2021, attended a presentation at Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club on Thursday, 29 July.

I would like to thank everyone who donated to my two chosen charities. The past 18 months have been difficult for us all and I’m honoured to have had so much support during this tough time.

Some of the borough’s most prized portraits have gone under the microscope to understand how the paintings were made and how they can be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Every inch of all 74 pieces of art in the Fanshawe family collection were meticulously evaluated using the latest conservation techniques such as ultraviolet light to identify any damage or flaking paint.

After a year off due to the global pandemic, festivals are back in Barking and Dagenham this weekend, and music lovers and families can enjoy the fun and excitement all for free.

The Becontree Forever Weekender will take place at Parsloes Park, Dagenham, and kicks off with the Becontree 100 Festival on Saturday 14 August, followed by the Roundhouse Music Festival on Sunday 15 August.

Barking and Dagenham Council is calling on residents to do their bit for the planet by reducing household waste.

We all need to do that little bit more for the environment and play our part for a greener world. Sometimes this can feel daunting, but it can be easier than most of us realise.

One way we can all do our bit is by quickly and easily reducing household waste. It’s important to recycle but also to cut back on how much waste we throw away in the first place.

Barking and Dagenham Council is joining a new London-wide campaign encouraging businesses to help tackle air pollution by turning their vehicle engines off when not moving.



The Idling Action Project, jointly led by Camden Council and City of London Corporation, and supported by the Mayor of London, has been running since 2016. It sees Barking and Dagenham Council and 30 other London councils joining forces in a bid to cut dangerous vehicle emissions.

Children and young people in Barking and Dagenham have got plenty of opportunities to have fun this summer as they take a break from school.

The east London borough has a wide variety of activities and events in libraries, parks, children’s centres, schools, youth and leisure centres to keep the kids occupied, and The Becontree 100 Festival and The Roundhouse Festival on 14 and 15 August promise fun and entertainment for all the family.

Finally, back in theatres, Hollywood’s dominant film franchise posted the biggest opening of the pandemic era as Marvel spinoff “Black Widow” ruled last weekend’s box office. 

The long-awaited film sees Scarlett Johansson play the ‘Black Widow’ in a solo spy adventure long before she becomes an avenger.

A Dagenham resident has been fined over £600 after he failed to provide the details of the driver who was caught dropping a cigarette on the borough’s streets.



On the 7 March 2020, Barking and Dagenham Council enforcement officers witnessed a male driver of a Blue Mercedes dispose of a cigarette on the public highway, which is a littering offence according to Section 87(1) Environmental Protection Act 1990.

A meat processing and preservation business in Barking has been fined nearly £1,400 after one of their vehicles was caught not displaying a ‘No Smoking’ sign which is a requirement by law.



On the 27 November 2019, a vehicle belonging to ACM Meat Factory Ltd of River Road, Barking, was stopped by council enforcement officers during one of many routine multi-agency operations in the borough to check vehicle particulars.

Residents of Barking and Dagenham are being encouraged to join a virtual Q&A session to discuss the future of the Heathway Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).



The Q&A session which will take place on Microsoft Teams, is part of a wider consultation, which has already included an initial survey which revealed that 90.2% of residents would support the continuation of the PSPO in Dagenham Heathway.