Lambeth’s 2013 fireworks display will take place in Brockwell Park on Tuesday November 5th  and not Clapham Common as originally planned.

Lambeth council say it has confirmed Brockwell Park as the venue for the annual fireworks display after careful consideration of the impact of holding a major event on local transport routes around Clapham during the evening rush hour.

Major roads affected by the event include the South Circular road and red routes around Clapham Common. Over 100,000 people are expected to attend the event.

Brockwell Park will host what Lambeth are calling a “spectacular display” of fireworks created by the team responsible for the London 2012 Olympics fireworks show.

Other activities at the event in Brockwell Park on Tuesday November 5th will include a funfair, stalls, music, food outlets and fully-licensed bars. The event is free of charge for local residents and visitors to attend.

This year, for the first time, people attending the fireworks’ display will be asked to make a voluntary donation which will be used to fund next year’s event by making a donation online or at the event. This follows a voluntary donation initiative at the 2013 Lambeth Country Show

Lambeth’s annual fireworks event begins at 5pm and finishes at 10pm  More information on; http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/Environment/ParksGreenSpaces/EventsInParks/Fireworks.htm

Lambeth advise everyone attending should check; http://www.tfl.gov.uk to plan their journey to and from Brockwell Park.

Southwark Council urges women to be ‘breast aware’ this October

Women in Southwark are being reminded to regularly check their breasts and report any unusual changes to their GP as part of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Female residents in Southwark aged between 50 and 70, who are registered with a GP, should receive an invitation to a free breast screening every three years.

Although breast screening is estimated to save around 1,300 lives per year, take up by eligible women in Southwark is currently at just 63 per cent, lower than the national average of 77 per cent and even lower than the London average of 69.3 per cent.

Women under the age of 50 will not automatically be invited for a breast screening unless they are recognised as having a higher risk of developing breast cancer, such as through a faulty gene or family history of the disease. However, advice is available on how to spot the five signs of breast cancer and how to check your breasts.

Catherine McDonald, cabinet member responsible for health, said: “Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK but the number of deaths is falling dramatically thanks to better awareness, early detection and more advanced treatments.

“I would strongly encourage women to take up their breast screening opportunity and if you haven’t received an invitation and you think you should have please visit your GP.

“All women should be aware of any changes to their breasts and make an appointment with their doctor if they have any concerns. If you are not yet registered with a GP, why not register now.”

For more information on breast cancer awareness visit www.breastcancercare.org.uk

For advice on how to checks your own breasts go to the website at http://www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/breast-health/taking-care-your-breasts-mini-guide-bcc211

WOMAN WHO BEFRIENDED VULNERABLE OAP STOLE £92,000…

A vulnerable woman was coned out of more than £92,00 by a woman who had power of asttorney.

On Monday, October 14th at Croydon crown court and following a wide ranging safeguarding investigation by Bromley council and Scotland Yard’s special investigation branch, a woman who was a friend of one of the Council’s vulnerable clients, was found guilty on 14 counts of stealing.

The defendant did not work for the council but had befriended the client and carried out the theft in her role as power of attorney.  She received a custodial sentence of over four years.

The woman, aged 64 who lives in Eastbourne, had pleaded not guilty to the charges but following the jury’s deliberations was found guilty on all counts of stealing what amounted to over £92,000.

The safeguarding investigation began in 2008 when concerns were raised with the council about the woman’s role as power of attorney. The council’s safeguarding and audit teams worked together and with the police to unearth evidence, determined to bring a successful prosecution.

A Bromley council spokesperson said: “A key priority for Bromley Council is safeguarding vulnerable residents who can fall victim to abuse, including financial abuse.”

Cllr Robert Evans, executive councillor for care services, said: “The council has been advised the defendant has made a payment of £50,000 to the victim of financial abuse during the first week of October 2013, with arrangements being put in place for the remainder of the monies to be repaid.”

If you have any concerns about an elderly or vulnerable adult’s safety please call Bromley council on 0208 461 7777, Minicom 0208 464 7350.  For an out of hours emergency call 020 8464 4848 (Source: Bromley council press release)

…while trading standards help put man in prison for money laundering

Bromley Trading Standards has brought another successful prosecution for money laundering following a scam carried out on an 89-year-old man from St Paul’s Cray.

On Tuesday 15 October 2013, a 23-year-old man from East London, attended Croydon crown court by video link from HMP Pentonville and pleaded guilty to two charges under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. He was sentenced to 15 weeks in custody – his guilty plea reducing the sentence from 20 weeks.

The case was brought following a tip off from a local bank in February 2012. The Nationwide building society in High Street Bromley, contacted trading standards rapid response team when an elderly customer had come into the bank to withdraw £3,000 cash from his savings account in order to pay for drainage work at his property.

This was the second withdrawal as the client had withdrawn £4,000 cash the previous day. Trading standards officers attended the bank and were introduced to the 89 year old man.

The OAP told how he had been cold called the day before by a man who claimed that his uncle lived in a house to the rear of Mr Hayden’s property.

He said that his uncle was having trouble with his drains and that they had identified the problem as being in the section of drain that ran through the OAP;s garden. He then asked for £4000 towards the cost of repairs.

The OAP agreed to pay and withdrew the money from his account. A short time later he was again telephoned by the man who sent a young man to collect the package.

The OAP received another telephone call from the man asking for a further £3,000 cash and he went back to the Nationwide which is when trading standards became involved.

Officers accompanied him home and following a number of calls from the mysterious ‘Mr Davis’ asking if he had the money, the 23 year old man arrived. Trading standards officers confronted him and police were called. He was arrested and later charged with money laundering offences.

He failed to appear at any court hearing and was eventually tracked down after being arrested for another matter.

If you are approached at home by builders or you notice something suspicious in your road, please contact Bromley’s trading standards rapid response team on 07903 852090. (Source: Bromley council press release)

Youth Council gets people talking about mental wellbeing

Bromley Youth Council has launched its manifesto campaign to encourage young people to talk about mental health issues by manning an information stand in Intu Bromley.

Research for the campaign highlighted that young people recognised adolescence can be a confusing, pressurised time with many finding themselves in difficult and stressful family situations as well as coping with the pressures that all teenagers face such as exams, relationships, growing up and moving on in life.

They were keen to examine issues which can affect mental health and wellbeing in young people and to raise the profile of these ‘life events’ and the possible impact they may have.

Many myths and misinformation about mental health exist and young people did not necessarily know where to go for advice or help. In addition, they were concerned that by speaking out, they might be judged and people would make assumptions about them.

Bromley Youth Council have made a video to address these points which will available to secondary schools to use as part of their PSHE sessions. A handy wallet-size leaflet called ‘Open your mind’, also masterminded by the young people themselves and handed out on the day, contains tips on how to achieve mental wellbeing.

More information and help is available at: www.bromley-y.org.uk (Bromley Y website)

New code of practice to tackle stolen goods

A new code of practice has been launched by Lewisham council and Lewisham police to tackle the sale of stolen goods in the borough.

The new scheme will see second-hand retailers – in particular money loan stores and mobile phone kiosks – targeted to sign up to a voluntary code of practice which will increase security measures around the buying and selling of second-hand goods like mobile phones, jewellery, game consoles, iPads and laptops.

Under the code, retailers will have to carry out proper checks when purchasing second-hand goods from members of the public; ensuring that two forms of photographic identification are asked for, checked and recorded accurately.

This will enable the police to identify lost and stolen goods and make it harder for thieves to sell-on stolen goods.

Retailers that sign up to the scheme will be able to verify if goods have been reported lost or stolen by checking them against the details held on the  CheckMend website.

For each check carried out, the retailer will receive a certificate to confirm that the goods were checked with CheckMend.

Officers from the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit, Lewisham police with support from Lewisham council’s trading standards service, will be visiting traders across Lewisham in October to endorse and implement the scheme.

79 per cent of crimes go unsolved in London

New research shows that police are solving less crime since Boris Johnson became Mayor and that London is well below the UK average for solved crime, say Labour members of the London Assembly.

In London 21 per cent were solved in 2012/13 compared to the UK average of 27 pc. This amounts to 606,531 unsolved crimes in London last year.

There has been a rise in certain types of crime in London this year including:

13 per cent rise in murder

5 per cent rise in sexual offences

40 per cent rise in GBH

London Assembly Labour group policing and crime spokeswoman Joanne McCartney (Enfield and Haringey) said: “It is shocking that overall reported crime is down yet the number of unsolved crimes in London is only at 21 per cent.

“Boris talks big about reported crime going down, but so far he has ignored that the number of crimes actually solved on his watch has plummeted.

“Compared to the average in England and Wales, London is trailing on the number of crimes solved where we should be setting the gold standard.

“Since May 2010, in London the number of PCs has been reduced by 8 pc  and PCSOs by 48 pc. Boris talks about getting more bobbies on the beat but the figures clearly show this is not happening.

“This proves Boris can’t have his cake and eat it. “If you cut the police budget by as much as the Government has then there will be repercussions. “Victim satisfaction in London is lower than elsewhere in the UK and this is not acceptable. “The Mayor must act now.”

All figures have been produced from the London Datastore: http://data.london.gov.uk/

(Source: London Assembly Labour group press release)

Recycle those electrical items

Lewisham WEEE Week (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) is back from 21 to 25 October 2013.

Residents are encouraged to recycle all unwanted small electrical appliances such as stereos, toasters, hairdryers, irons and microwaves. The aim is to exceed last year’s collected two tonnes of waste.

Find out more about what and where you can recycle your electronic equipment.

Contact: Recycling Wearside Service Centre, Wearside Road SE13 7EZ Tel: 020 8314 7171 Fax: 020 8314 3479

Email:[email protected]

http://recycleforlewisham.com/

(Source: Lewisham council press release)

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