European Tree of the year 2016

Vote for the European Tree of the Year onhttp://www.treeoftheyear.org/Uvod.aspx

You can choose from English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Ireland and others. The English tree for 2016 is the Cubbington Pear Tree. Closing date 29th April.

The European Tree of the Year contest originated in 2011. It was inspired by the popular Tree of the Year contest, which has been organised in the Czech Republic by the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation for many years. The European round is a finale consisting of the winners of the national rounds.

The purpose of the European Tree of the Year is to highlight the significance of old trees in the natural and cultural heritage that deserves our care and protection. Unlike other contests, the European Tree of the Year doesn't focus on beauty, size or age but rather on the tree's story and its connection to people. We are looking for trees that have become a part of the wider community.

Every year dozens or rather hundreds of thousands of people participate in the contest. The number of countries participating has increased from 5 to 15. We are always looking for new partners in European countries, so that the protection of trees – bearers of genius loci – becomes a topic of international debate.

Bogus Charity Collections for TackleAfrica

This 

​​

message was sent to us via the 

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Bromley Neighbourhood Watch Association mailing service.   

​Dear Coordinator,

We 

​

draw your attention to some information we have been asked to circulate by TackleAfrica – a charity that uses the power and popularity of football to deliver HIV education to young people on football pitches across the African continent. 

Bogus Charity Collections

It has come to the charity’s attention that some groups of young people have been approaching members of the public 

​​

for cash donations in TackleAfrica’s name on

​ Bromley​

 streets and doorsteps. These people are not

​ ​

representing TackleAfrica and money they raise does not go to the charity.

The charity TackleAfrica trains African coaches to use fun, interactive football drills with the young people in their clubs and communities. The charity does this because many young people in Africa love football, but their location and their age means they’re most at risk of contracting HIV.

Please note that TackleAfrica never advises or condones public, street or doorstep cash-collecting from fundraisers taking part in Football Marathons or other TackleAfrica events/fundraising activity.

Cash-collecting from the public is a licensable activity, and the charity would never advise or condone that young people approach strangers for sponsorship for ethical and safety reasons.

If you are approached in this way, please report the activity through the Action Fraud website: http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ or helpline 0300 123 2040, inform your local police or community support officer, or call the police non-emergency number 101.

If you have concerns or would like more information please contact info@tackleafrica.org.

Kind regards,

Bromley Neighbourhood Watch Association ​

More information about TackleAfrica is available on their website at http://tackleafrica.org/

Street Party Celebrations for Queen's Birthday

From: Rogers, Andrew

Sent: Friday, February 19, 2016 4:54 PM

Subject: Street party celebrations

Dear Resident Association or Group representative

Councillor Colin Smith, the Deputy Leader of the Council, has asked me to draw the news about street parties to your attention.

In anticipation that many Resident Associations will be want to celebrate the Queen’s official birthday in June, on the weekend of the 11^th and 12^th of June, the Council is waiving the fees for the associated road closure that may be required to hold a street party.

Please do feel to discuss this with your members or committee and then apply by 1^st April which will give time for legal process to take place if required.  Further information is contained in the short article below. 

Click on the picture to enlarge

Kind regards

Andrew Rogers

Communications Executive

London Borough of Bromley 

Tel: 0208 461 7670

www.bromley.gov.uk

Editor's Note. The weblink given in the picture takes you to a page which is about street cleaning. Information about organising a street party is available at Generic street parties page. The page does not mention the special arrangements for the Queen's birthday but has a link to a downloadable form. I have asked Mr Rogers for clarification. 

Reporting abandoned cars

If you think that a car that has been parked outside your house may be abandoned or stolen you can check if it has valid Road Tax or MOT certificate at the following website :-
 https://www.gov.uk/report-untaxed-vehicle. The information on the website is shown below.

You can report an untaxed vehicle that you’ve seen on a public road anonymously to DVLA. Your report will be investigated.

Tax discs are no longer needed - the vehicle tax could be up to date even if it doesn’t have a tax disc.

Follow these steps to report a vehicle as untaxed:

1. Check if a vehicle is taxed before you report it - this is a free service. You don’t have to report the vehicle to DVLA if it’s taxed but not showing the tax disc. Only report a vehicle that’s either untaxed or registered asSORN and parked on a public road.
2. You need to include the vehicle registration number, make, model and colour of the vehicle and the street name, town and postcode where the vehicle is parked. You won’t be able to report the vehicle without these details.
3. You can report the vehicle online if it’s untaxed and you have all the details needed to report it. 

You can also use the Report It link on the Bromley website but it will be quicker to follow the three steps above.

A car showing as taxed and having an MOT may have been stolen and abandoned. You can check if it has been reported stolen by using the Taken without Consent (TWOC) website at:-

http://www.twoc.co.uk/

If it is stolen you MUST inform the POLICE of all stolen vehicles FIRST by dialing 121, the TWOC website cannot do this. 

Cloud Computing course at The Mottingham Community and Learning Shop

• Date: 24 Feb 2016 - 16 Mar 2016
• Every week
• Location: The Mottingham Community and Learning Shop, 1-2, Cranley Parade, Beaconsfield Road, Mottingham, SE9 4DZ
• Time: 10:00 - 12:00
• Cost: £5.00

Computing course...

Use free software to create, store, access and share files over the internet instead of storing them on your computer's hard drive. In this short course you will explore some of the options available.

This course is for adults living, working or volunteering in the London Borough of Bromley. please contact the team at The Mottingham Community and Learning Shop for more details or to book a place. 

Event organiser: Mottingham Community and Learning Shop
Email: mcls@bromley.gov.uk
Telephone: 0208 860 1150

Talk on Aphasia and Coffee Morning 25th February

More information about Aphasia and Stroke is available on the Connect UK website http://www.ukconnect.org/

Bonnie Studd is an Outreach Coordinator for Connect 

Beware letting cold callers remove your waste cheaply.

Traders and residents are being warned to make checks before they allow someone else to dispose of their waste. The warning follows a trader being prosecuted after a fly-tip incident was discovered on Skeet Hill last year.

Jack Wisbey of Park Avenue, Orpington, pleaded guilty to unlawfully transferring waste and failing to obtain a waste transfer note. Mr Wisbey was fined and ordered to pay costs totalling almost £800 at Bromley Magistrates Court. Legally, anyone who collects waste as a business activity must be authorised to collect and receive waste. Businesses and householders are being reminded to make the necessary checks or risk prosecution. 

“We all need to be a lot wiser and smarter when we dispose of waste, mindful of our own responsibilities and the distinct possibility of our waste being fly-tipped somewhere nearby.  Fly-tipping is not victimless and apart from the clear-up costs for the often disgusting mess, the results can also not only be extremely dangerous, but in at least one case locally have already lead indirectly to a fatality.The case highlights the importance of both tradesmen and residents undertaking waste carrier checks before passing on waste to other parties. I would advise anyone responding to someone on their doorstep to be extremely cautious of any offers to remove their waste cheaply.” said Councillor Colin Smith, Executive Councillor for Environment. 

The court was told that a fly-tip had been discovered in Skeet Hill Lane, Orpington in March of last year. Along with boxes, tyres, household waste, a door and a toilet, investigators found evidence linked to an address in Orpington where Mr Wisbey had been working.

The court heard that he had recently established a new business and had been unaware of the relevant rules regarding waste disposal and Mr Wisbey admitted to passing on waste to unknown males who had cold called at the property he was working at. He did not check that the cold-callers were licensed nor did he receive the appropriate paperwork upon waste transfer. A waste transfer note (WTN) is a document that details the transfer of waste from one person to another.

The court concluded that Mr Wisbey had acted naively rather than with criminal intent and therefore imposed a lower fine than would normally be expected for an offence of this kind, which could potentially have been up to £5,000. 

Notification of Refusal of Planning permission 87 Oak Tree Gardens

Below is a part of the letter sent to the developers.

The full document can be viewed by following this link Full refusal document and then click "view document" in the last item on the list dated 11 Feb 2016 decision.pdf 

LERA members can also access more information on the Facebook group site at 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/lerabromley/?ref=bookmarks

Safer Internet Day 2016

For more details about Safer Internet Day click on safer-internet-day/2016

Meeting of Planning sub-committee 3 Thursday 4th February

At the meeting Stephen Hodges the LERA Chair spoke to the committee oppose the plan for the redevelopment of 87 and 89 Oak Tree Gardens.

Stephen was pleased to say that the Planning committee rejected the Oak Tree Garden Development. Further information will follow soom.

A copy of the letter of objection submitted on behalf of LERA can be viewed by clicking on the link in the window on the right hand side of this notice.

LERA will monitor the situation with regard to any future plans for the site..

BADA's Race Night 19th Feb 2016

Burnt Ash Drama Association (BADA) is holding a fundraising evening in St Andrew’s Hall, Burnt Ash Lane on Friday 19th February at 7 45pm.  The evening promises to be great fun and is for a very worthy cause - helping to go towards your local drama group's future productions. Plus a fantastic way to meet the Company in 'civvies'!  It's only £5 entry (which includes your first stake), there is a licensed bar and there are prizes to be won!!

Information on the Oak Tree Gardens Development

As you may be aware the Oak Tree Gardens development is to be discussed at 7pm tomorrow at Bromley's Plans Sub-Committee.

I am pleased to say that one of our Ward Councillors Michael Turner is attending the meeting as a visiting councillor and will be asking the Committee to reject the application. I will also be at the meeting and will represent LERA seeking to have the application rejected

If you are planning to attend the meeting, I advise that you arrive promptly for the 7 o’clock start as it is highly likely that the application will be discussed early on in the proceedings.

Regards

Stephen Hodges

LERA Chairman

Council Meeting to decide planning application for 87 Oak Tree Gardens

For your urgent attention

RE-DEVELOPMENT OF 87-93 OAK TREE GARDENS – NEW PLANNING APPLICATION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Bromley Council’s Plans Sub-Committee No 3 will be making a decision on this Planning application at a meeting on THURSDAY 4^th FEBRUARY at 7 00PM at Bromley Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley BR1 3UH. 

This is a public meeting and you may attend if you wish to do so.  The meeting will be held in the Council Chamber.  You can view the agenda on the Bromley website – www.bromley.gov.uk

LERA is opposing the application and our Chair will be speaking on behalf of members.

If you have provided comments on the application to Bromley Council, these will be included in the information submitted to the Committee members to consider.

The planning process does not provide any opportunity to appeal against approved planning applications.