London Regional Conservative Conference

With Boris Johnson lead speaker at the event

Attending the conference today was a great chance to meet other candidates and old friends and learn about serving the community. A fantastic day lets hope many more to come.





Dr Charles Tannock MEP for London Region and I

Eid mubarek!

The streets are alive with celebrations today round East London. Have a wonderful time and bring together families, friends, the old, the young in harmony.

Rottweilers do have the right to roam and the community does nothing

Following the attack from a Rottweiler dog I've followed up with one of the four dog wardens from Tower Hamlets to find out why nothing is being done to protect the community. The conclusions were alarming and I feel less safe than ever. According to the warden there is in fact no protection against Rottweiler and they do not have to be muzzled or even kept on leashes. And it does not matter how big they are. The only protection is once the dog has already bitten you and shown itself to be aggressive, only a few can then find the owner may they be prosecuted. By then it is a bit late I think! The only place where you are safe is if you are by the highway, on the side of the road then a dog must be on a leash. However under this rule anywhere which is thought to be leisure for example the park, the riverside walk or communal areas in estates are just not safe! Also there seems like extrajudicial areas are not even covered by the community's power and in the area where I was attacked in King Edward's Memorial Park this is a legal black hole where it is not even patrolled, dogs can do what they want and owners will not be pursued. Apparently it's a legal minefield for the dog wardens and even they admit there is not enough protection, so they remain toothless tigers.
So what do the dog wardens actually do? Their main role is to pursue those dogs which have fouled, but that's foul play considering only four people have been fined!

Funding available for community projects

http://www.onetowerhamlets.net/healthy_borough.aspx

Healthy borough programme

The Tower Hamlets Healthy Borough Programme is piloting environmental approaches to make it easier for children and families to be more physically active and eat more healthily wherever they live, work, travel, play or learn.
The long-term goal is to help everyone to maintain a healthy weight throughout their lives which will reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The Programme is based in the Tower Hamlets Partnership and brings together NHS Tower Hamlets, the local authority, voluntary and community organisations, the private sector and local people.
Tower Hamlets is the only London borough to be awarded ‘healthy town’ status and there are eight other ‘healthy towns’ nationally. It is part of the Government’s national Change 4 Life initiative.
The Healthy Borough Programme is funded until March 2011 to actively promote:
Active Travel
Active Lives
Healthy Food
More information
For more information on the Healthy Borough Programme contact Keith Williams, Head of the Healthy Borough Programme on 020 7364 4532.
We are based in Tower Hamlets Partnership, 6th Floor, Anchorage House,2 Clove Crescent, London E14 1BY telephone: 020 7364 4528.

Community Led Project Grants
Tower Hamlet’s Healthy Borough Programme is making grants available to help our local communities to take forward ideas that will help Tower Hamlets to become a healthier place.
There are three types of grant and these are Community Led Small Grants, Community Led Project Grants and Can Do Community Grants.
About Community Led Projects
What are the aims of the Community Led Projects?
The key aim of the projects is to make it easier for children, families and the wider community to be more physically active, eat well and maintain a healthy weight throughout their lives. All projects address one or more of the Healthy Borough Programme’s cross-cutting strands:
Healthy Food
Active Lives
Active Travel
They are also a means of testing out different methods of reaching out to local communities, helping to find innovative ways to involve as many people as possible.
Who runs the Community Led Projects?
The Projects are led by local people, residents groups, community groups and voluntary sector organisations. They are led from within the community as a means of finding a wide range of locally-based activities that get people energised and active in promoting key messages around active lives and healthy food choices.
How long are the Projects running for?
Most projects are of either one or two years’ duration, up until March 2010 or March 2011. However there may be some variation, particularly with the Can Do Projects.
How can I find out more?
There are three different kinds of grant available:
Project grants
Small grants
Can Do grants
The closing dates for applications for project grants and small grants have already passed. Follow the link for information on how to apply for a Can Do grant.
To find out more about projects that are running and how you can participate, follow the links below:
Project Grants are for larger projects and are supported by grants of between £5,000 and £15,000. These projects aim to make more sustainable change in relation to the Healthy Borough Programme priorities.
Small grants are for projects which, as the name suggests, deliver on a smaller scale. These projects are supported by grants of between £1,000 and £5,000.
Can Do grants of up to £500 are available to individual community members or informal community groups. The Can Do programme is supported by community development workers based in each of the four paired LAP areas across the borough.
Paired LAP areas
The borough is divided into eight Local Area Partnership areas (LAPs), based on local wards. Each one of the LAPs provides a platform for local residents to have their say on improvements in their area, and to influence how change is carried out. The eight LAPs are:
LAP 1
Bethnal Green North, Mile End and Globe Town, Weavers
LAP 2
Spitalfields and Banglatown, Bethnal Green South
LAP 3
St Dunstans and Stepney Green, Whitechapel
LAP 4
St Katherines and Wapping, Shadwell
LAP 5
Bow East, Bow West
LAP 6
Bromley by Bow, Mile End East
LAP 7
Limehouse, East India and Lansbury
LAP 8
Milwall, Blackwall and Cubitt Town
For more information follow the link to Your Local Area Partnership.
Can Do grants are awarded across paired LAP areas, where adjacent LAPs are linked together i.e. LAPs 1 & 2 / LAPs 3 & 4 / LAPs 5 & 6 / LAPs 7 & 8.
How can I apply for a Can Do grant?
The Healthy Borough Programme is working in partnership with four locally based voluntary organisations to run this programme. The organisations supporting each paired LAP area are listed below, along with contact details for applications:
LAPs 1 & 2
The Osmani Trust
cando@osmanitrust.org
0207 247 8080
LAPs 3 & 4
The Stifford Centre
cando@stifford.org.uk
0207 790 3632
LAPs 5 & 6
Bromley By Bow
cando@bbbc.org.uk
0208 983 7987
LAPs 7 & 8
Island House
cando@island-house.org
07507 261 652
Each organisation has a half-time community development worker to support the programme and to support you with your project ideas.
Applications are processed quarterly by an assessment panel. The remaining closing dates for applications within the current financial year are:
· 11th December 2009· 5th February 2010

Annual dinner with chairman of the party Eric Pickles tonight

With Eric Pickles


With Tim Archer, Simon Paul Rouse and Priscilla Fell

With David Fell and wife Priscilla

With Subrina Hossain Council Candidate for Bromley-by-Bow

With PPC for Barking Simon Marcus

The Annual dinner with chairman of the party Eric Pickles as our guest was held in Wapping. It was a great success raising money for the future. It was an exciting and memorable occasion.

It looks like Traditional values are returning to the East End. Last night the Local Conservative Association was out in force for their Annual Dinner. Numerous local celebrities, councillors and supporters showed their true colour. This is a time for change and the commitment and dedication showed by the party is infectious. Watch this space Tower Hamlets!

Well done Janet for organising it!

High life for Tower Hamlets

http://www.bahighlife.com/UK/London-Tower-Hamlets.html

This recent Tower Hamlets and London Eastside feature from the latest edition of British Airways in-flight ‘High Life’ magazine is great publicity for our area. The seven-page article covers various aspects about the area including shopping, dining out, leisure activities and hotel accommodation, and has already resulted in travellers visiting the area.

This is excellent exposure for our diverse and colourful area and will hopefully inspire people to plan a visit!!!!

Rottweiler’s need to be licensed and controlled more effectively- the council must do something about dangerous dogs

Normally I am a dog lover and I used to own one. However this morning I was the victim of a horrible attack by a big dangerous dog. I was on my bike on my way to work as normal cycling through Wapping by the river in King Edwards Memorial Park when I saw a loose Rottweiler. It looked at me and suddenly started running towards me barking and showing its teeth. It ran and knocked me off my bike and I was so scared I nearly jumped in the river. There was no owner around at all or anybody's to help me. It damaged my right foot boot and I have bruises where I came off my bike. Luckily the dog ran away soon after I came off my bike. But I am still really shaken up and upset.

I always thought there were laws against dangerous dogs. Owners should muzzle them and keep them on leashes. I really think the local authorities should do more to license and restrict owners who do not have enough responsibility to keep these animals under control. I phoned up the police and reported the attack which I hope will be investigated as this Rottweiler may perhaps attack someone more vulnerable in the future; a child or someone elderly who may not be able up to get up from a fall. This kind of attack should not happen and if the owner was around I would have given him a piece of my mind.

I want to know what the council are doing about dangerous dogs. There only four animal wardens in the area and they did not issue a single fine for the dog fouling last year. I think it may be time they re-examine this policy and put further budget aside.

Remembering Courage

Please check out the letters page in the East London Advertiser, where my letter is published.

Local conservatives attend Remeberence Sunday in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

Today I remembered my family who fought and did amazing things for our country during the war sadly not with us today. I remember my Grandfather Priestley who was a rescue worker during the Blitz. I remember my Great Grandfather Vincent who fought for our Country in both 1st and 2nd WW. I remember great Uncle Reg who was captured by the Germans, tortured and survived after a special parachutte mission and I remember Uncle ted who worked in the Legal department for the Army.

http://www.towerhamletscemetery.org/

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park (known locally as Bow Cemetery) is a historic Cemetery located in London's East End. The nearest tube station is Mile End (see maps and travel).
The Cemetery opened in 1841 by an Act of Parliament and is one of London's Magnificent Seven Cemeteries. The Cemetery closed to burials in 1966. It became Tower Hamlets first Local Nature Reserve in 2001. Near-by land was added in the mid-nineties, known as "Scrapyard Meadow" and Ackroyd Drive Green Link. Today it is 33 acres of "managed" mature, broadleaved woodland and meadow. It is also a educational resource to 7000+ school children every academic year who use the Park as an outdoor classroom.

The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park was set up in 1990. Who have a Constitution whose main objectives are to encourage greater use of this inner urban green space as a sanctuary for people, a place of biodiversity, while protecting and preserving the historic content.

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is owned by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH). The 'Friends' manage the Cemetery Park via a Service Level Agreement with LBTH Parks. They are responsible for the daily maintenance and litter duties for the Park, much of this work is carried out by volunteers through practical conservation events.

"Great Balls of Fire", the Council's annual acclaimed fireworks display this Saturday

Local Conservatives and Councillors at the Fireworks

"Great Balls of Fire", the Council's annual acclaimed fireworks display this Saturday 7th November.






Great Balls of Fire - Fireworks display
7.30pm - 8.15pm
FREE
Victoria Park, Grove Road, E3

Named the best fireworks display in London by Capital FM, Tower Hamlets pyrotechnic extravaganza is set to illuminate the skies above the East End, on Saturday 7 November.The critically-acclaimed annual display takes place in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets.Organised by Tower Hamlets Council’s Arts and Events Team, the breath-taking fireworks display is set to be one of the best in the country.Councillor Rofique U Ahmed, Lead Member for Culture at Tower Hamlets Council said: “Tower Hamlets is renowned for its stellar fireworks displays, and this year it’s set to explode into the stratosphere.”The fireworks display takes place between 7.30 and 8.15pm. The entrance is via Grove Road, and people are encouraged to travel by public transport. Limited disabled parking is available.For more information about Tower Hamlets fireworks display contact Tower Hamlets Council’s Arts and Events Team on 020 7364 7900 or email festivalsandevents@towerhamlets.gov.ukHow to get thereTo get there by bus take the 277 – Victoria Park, 339, 8 and D6 – get off at Grove Road junction with Roman Road, 338 get off at Grove Road junction with Victoria Park Road, 25 get off at Mile End stationThe entrance is via Grove Road and the nearest tube station is Mile End. There is no parking at the event however there will be limited disabled parking in the Grove Road car park. There is also a wheel chair accessible viewing area.

http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/whats_on/great_balls_of_fire.aspx

Front Page Story in East London Advertiser

http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/e-edition/

Today we hit the front page of the East London Advertiser with the dreadful crime that happened on Monday Morning along the canal path.

Looks like its time to question the Council on the issue of Crime along the Canal.

Putting Housing on the agenda with Tim Archer

Tim is the Conservative Councillor for Blackwall and Cubitt Town ward of Tower Hamlets and Conservative PPC for Poplar and Limehouse

Reservoir dogs style assault in Mile End

No CCTV and No Street Lighting Now this happens





A man lays critically ill in hospital on what looks like an attempted murder at 2.30am on Monday morning.

Fright night it was indeed in Mile End. The community is shocked and terrified that something so gruesome could happen along the pleasant canal path in an area which is meant to be improving and developing. As I have found out cycling on my way to work today, police tape and crime scene investigation staff are scrutinising the scene of what looks like a Tarantino style hit.

The area it happened in is right next to mile end park which at the weekend hosted the annual Park after dark Halloween Scooby-Doo, scary tours for children and their families. However this tour may have been slightly put to an abrupt halt had they known that on Monday the community would be really attempting to solve a bloodcurdling mystery within metres of the event.

As I was speaking to a constable near the crime scene this morning he told me that Mile End has a huge problem with assaults, however this is one of the worst he had seen in recent times. The gruesome details will all come out shortly.

This really demonstrates that more action needs to be taken by the police and the community working in partnership. We need police on the streets especially at the weekends and areas of hotspots for crime need to be tackled. Where this assault occurred there is no CCTV or street lights and it seems to be a hub of crime. As a Conservative counsellor candidate for Mile End East May 2010 election and local residents I intend to put crime on the top of my agenda. I do not want to walk on the streets and have to fear what could be happening just around the corner.