Barking and Dagenham Council has been awarded £5m by the Government’s Heat Network Investment Project (HNIP) to co-fund the creation of a landmark low carbon UK district heating scheme in Barking Town Centre.

The project has been classified as strategically significant by the GLA and builds on the borough’s ambitions to become the green capital of London. It involves a modification of the existing energy centre on the Gascoigne East Estate, Weavers Quarter, and the construction of a new large-scale energy centre.

Barking and Dagenham has joined the likes of Toronto, New York City and Paris to be recognised as a ‘tree city of the world’.

The international programme celebrates cities across all continents that meet core standards for the care and planning of urban trees and forests.

Although not a city, Barking and Dagenham received the backing of the scheme’s organisers, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), along with the Arbor Day Foundation, to earn the prestigious accolade.

A Multi-national company has been fined a total of £800,000 and ordered to pay costs of £25,000 for failure to operate its site in accordance with the health and safety policies following an accident on its site.

The company, Kuehne + Nagel Drinks Logistics Limited of Choats Road, Dagenham pleaded guilty at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on 21 June 2019 and was sentenced on 4 February 2020.

A Barking taxi driver has been ordered to pay more than £700 after he failed to reveal who was behind the wheel when a cigarette was tossed out of the car window. 

Emanuele Campagna, of Movers Lane, was found to be the registered keeper of a silver Vauxhall Zafira, which Barking and Dagenham Council enforcement officers saw littering. 

Campagna was issued a Notice under Section 17 of the Greater London Council General Powers Act 1972, requiring him to provide details of who was driving at the time of the offence.

The driver of a Range Rover has been caught out by council enforcement officers for illegally using a Blue Badge meant for residents with disabilities - worse still the badge belonged to a young child who has since unfortunately passed away. 

On Thursday 30 January, enforcement officers from the council were investigating a vehicle parked in the Town Centre with a Blue Badge in a permit bay on Clockhouse Avenue, Barking. 

Twelve experts from across the country will join officers and councillors at City Hall tonight at the launch of a ground-breaking initiative - The Barking and Dagenham Domestic Abuse Commission - set up to tackle the issue of domestic abuse at its root.

Residents of Barking and Dagenham who are interested in finding a job, apprenticeship or training opportunities in the construction industry can find out more at a Construction Job Fair which takes place at the Barking Learning Centre on Thursday 6 February.

The event has been put together by the Council’s Job Shop, the Adult College and Job Centre Plus will be attended by organisations including construction companies, training providers, recruitment companies and local colleges.

A dodgy clothes dealer has been fined by Barking and Dagenham Council for selling counterfeit designer clothes in Dagenham Market.

Mr Timothy Hallam of Crocus Fields, Saffron Walden, pleaded guilty at Barking Magistrates, on Friday 31 January 2020, for trying to flog fake goods at the east London market. 

Mr Hallam was caught selling the counterfeit goods by council enforcement officers on 17 June 2018 and pleaded guilty despite saying he believed his stock was genuine. 

The rainbow flag was flown over Barking Town Hall yesterday, Monday 3 February to mark the start of LGBT+ History Month.

LGBT+ Month was first celebrated 15 years ago in 2005 to raise awareness of, and combat prejudice against members of the LGBT community while celebrating their achievements and diversity.

Barking and Dagenham Council has become the latest London borough to declare a climate emergency – outlining ambitious plans to become carbon neutral by 2030.

At a council Assembly meeting this week (Wednesday 29), councillors agreed a motion that commits the council “to do everything within their power” to take the steps to become a greener borough, including proposals to eventually eliminate gas boilers from its housing stock and using planning powers to make sure developers meet a strict greener criteria.