Police Commissioner's Live webchat

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe will be hosting his next regular live interactive webchat on Friday 19 October giving Londoners the opportunity to ask him a question.

Join the webchat here http://www.met.police.uk/askmetboss/ between 10:30hrs and 11:30hrs on Friday morning. You can also join the discussion and pre-submit a question on Twitter using #AskMetBoss

More than 1,400 people have joined the Commissioner during his webchats, questioning him on a variety of topics including racism, drugs, uniform and terrorism.

During the last webchat we received over one hundred questions during the hour long session hosted on the MPS website, and nearly four hundred people took part.

The webchats are part of the Commissioner's commitment to speaking directly with members of the public to find out their views on how the MPS can be the best police service.

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Bromley Council cracks down on dog fouling

The majority of dog owners in the Links Estate area are considerate and clean up after their dogs have fouled the pavements. However a small number of thoughtless owners treat the area as a dog loo.

A six month trial began in early September to bring about an improvement in the Borough's street scene. The Council has been working with Xfor Local Authority Support Ltd to enforce the scheme, with the aim of tackling littering and dog fouling. Uniformed enforcement officers have been issuing £80 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) where appropriate and are continuing to advise and educate the public to raise awareness about environmental matters. Litterers paid the price as 196 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued in the first 2 weeks of Bromley’s campaign.

Councillor Colin Smith, Executive Councillor for the Environment said "Although the Council would far prefer that everybody placed their rubbish in the bin and tidied up after their animals in the first place as the vast majority already do,  I would please urge those who currently don't to start doing so. This initiative is intended to serve as a salutary and measured reminder to those who either thoughtlessly or deliberately use our streets as their personal dustbins, that as well as the untidiness they cause, there is a significant cost to cleaning up discarded litter for the rest of us to bear, either though Council tax payments or reduced public services".

Anyone issued with a FPN for dog fouling has 14 days to pay the £80 fine. If the penalty is not paid within the 14 day period, legal proceedings may begin.

Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, councils have the power to issue FPNs for offences such as abandoning a vehicle, dog fouling, littering and fly-tipping. The trial scheme will give enforcement officers more scope to stop the crime of dog fouling.

Burnt Ash Library Reading Group October

The next meeting at Burnt Ash Library is on Thursday 25th October at 2.15 pm and everyone is welcome.

The book to be discussed is:-

The gathering by Anne Enright

The Gathering' is a family epic, condensed & clarified through Anne Enright's unblinking eye. It is also a sexual history: tracing the line of hurt & redemption through three generations - starting with the grandmother, Ada Merriman.

Every one is welcome.

For more details visit the library or contact the librarians on 020 8460 3405 or by email at burntash.library@bromley.gov.uk

For details of other activities at the Burnt Ash Library see the following link:-

http://www.bromley.gov.uk/directory_record/34386/burnt_ash_library

Classic Film Club St Andrews Hall, Burnt Ash Lane 15th October

Random Harvest (1942)

 Starring  Ronald Colman, Greer Garson and Philip Dorn 

An amnesiac World War I veteran falls in love with a music hall star, only to suffer an accident which restores his original memories but erases his post-War life.

Monday 15th October

 Doors open at 6.45pm film show at 7.00pm

Cost £2 minimum donation per person is suggested to include refreshments at the interval.

For more information ring:-
Brian at James Harper 020 8464 0080
Rev'd Angela King      020 8313 3434
Rev'd Liz Davis           020 6460 4672

All welcome, come and enjoy a local evening out

More Tough Choices – your Council into the future

This is a very advanced notice about Public meetings being held in the borough as the Council budget is set for 2013-14. Further information will be published here when it is made available by the Council.

The Leader of Bromley Council, Councillor Stephen Carr, is inviting those who live and work in Bromley to join him and other leading Councillors at one of the public meetings being held in the borough as the Council budget is set for 2013-14.  There is more than £30 million to be cut from the Council's budget over the next four years in addition to similar savings made in the last two years.  With more tough choices to be made the Council wants to hear as many views as possible about the future shape of the Council. The meetings will take place as follows:   

More Tough Choices - Public Meetings

Evening meetings - 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Wednesday, 7 November	Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, BR1 3UH
Thursday, 8 November	Orpington Methodist Church, BR6 9JH
Monday, 19 November	Citygate Church, Rectory Road, Beckenham, BR3 1AA

More Tough Choices - Public Meetings

Day time meeting - 11:00am - 12:30am
Thursday, 22 November	Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, BR1 3UH

The Leader of the Council, Stephen Carr said:  "In the next four years we have to save more than £30 million in addition to similar savings made over the last two years with further uncertainty about government funding into the future.  Be assured we are challenging everything we do and how we do it, striving for ever greater efficiencies and to give you value for every penny spent - as such we are one of the lowest spending Council's in London.  But we have to recognise these year on year cuts are at a time of increasing demands for services to support the vulnerable in our community, when the cost of waste disposal is rising, when there will be a shortfall of over £2 million from the government as we localise Council tax benefit, when we face losing money under the academy programme - and the list goes on.  

Of course we are exploiting every opportunity to generate income and we argue, and will continue to argue, we need a fairer deal for Bromley in terms of government funding.  But that said, we have to be realistic and open about the increasingly tough choices we all now have to make. Yes, we remain committed to our vision of Building a Better Bromley, yes we will do all we can to protect frontline services.  But faced with this magnitude of savings we have to ask some difficult questions. For instance should we continue to keep all our libraries open? Should we keep maintaining our parks and gardens?  Should we keep the same level of youth provision? How do we provide care for increasing numbers of older people with complex needs?  And we have to ask you as taxpayers whether you would be prepared to pay a small increase in council tax to maintain such services?  There are no easy choices only increasingly tough ones and it is vital we hear your views on the future shape of your Council." 

To ensure people are as well informed as possible, Bromley Council will be posting up-to-date information about the challenges to be addressed on the Council's website a week before the first meeting where you can also find details of the meetings.  Or you can call 020 8464 3333.

While every care has been taken in the compilation of this information, it is for information only and does not imply any endorsement by LERA. 

Thinking of renting your property?

If you're thinking of renting your property or have a current vacancy join the council at its eighth annual Landlords' Forum on Tuesday 9 October.  The forum is being held in the Civic Centre and starts at 6pm.

Councillor Evans, Executive Councillor for Care Services said:  

"Our housing team have held this successful event for a number of years and it is an important part in improving how we work with landlords in Bromley and neighbouring areas to increase the number of private properties available to rent.  We would like to invite any landlord or prospective landlord to come along, meet the team and others with expertise and knowledge of the rental market and find out how they can quickly and successfully find tenants through our private rented schemes."

Landlords and prospective landlords can also learn about the impact the forthcoming changes to the benefits system will have on their tenants as well as have a chance to meet organisations and individuals with an interest in rented property such as management companies and landlord associations.

If you would like to find out more about the forum or would like to attend please contact the council's Housing Initiatives Team on 020 8313 4098. Or email the team at housinginitiatives@bromley.gov.uk.  The team would also like to hear from you if you are unable to attend but would like help with letting your property or if you have any thoughts and suggestions about making our services and schemes more attractive to landlords and tenants alike.

Produced in Kent

The Links estate is only a short drive or train ride from the Kentish countryside. Produced in Kent is a membership organisation dedicated to championing local food, drink, products and services in Kent. Their role is to promote local and seasonal produce and provide support and services for Kent businesses in the food, drink and artisan craft sectors. 

Although this site is mainly aimed at producers it will enable anyone to find out about Kentish products and producers and discover where to buy locally, along with information about how to become a Member or Friend of Produced in Kent.

Their website is at Produced in Kent Home Page

On their web page you can see news about recent events, What's On which provides information about coming events and their publications page contains many downloadable leaflets giving details of food trails, educational fact files on types of food, a list of products in season and you can download their regular newsletters or register to obtain email versions of the newsletters as they are published.

The website will provide ideas for days out in Kent especially on cold, rainy days.

While every care has been taken in the compilation of this information, it is for information only and does not imply any endorsement by LERA for the businesses or their products.