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News and Comment February 2022

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7 February - The Nicola, Caroline and Sybil show

Last week’s Communities Scrutiny Committee began a little late because the Chairman said that a member of the Committee had been taken ill, he did not say who it was but later referred to blue flashing lights and the fact that Doctor Robinson who was present as a Committee guest attended to the emergency.

Councillor Nicola Taylor (Labour, Erith) said that the minutes were incorrect because her question as to where the people who had been removed from the Temporary Housing waiting list had gone was still outstanding. She had been promised an answer and the minutes stated the issue been “resolved” but this was not the case. The amendment was accepted.
Communities

Shortly after the meeting got properly underway Councillor Taylor said that the number of households on the Temporary Accommodation Register had gone down again and she enquired once more about where people had gone.

Answer: Six months ago there were 1,603 on the Register and it was now only 1,020. 611 had gone into Social Housing and 171 have gone into private accommodation. 28 families were offered accommodation but refused it.

Councillor Taylor said that was the sort of information she had been asking for since October and was pleased that it is now available.

The meeting moved from Housing to Community Safety and in particular “non-serious violence”.

Police Inspector Dodds introduced herself and Councillor Caroline Newton (Conservative, East Wickham) was first to ask questions and catalytic converter theft topped her list. The thieves are getting to be increasingly violent.

Catalytic converter theft is not seen as a priority by MOPAC (Mayorֹ’s Policing and Crime Committee) but Bexley police “takes it very seriously”. The police spokesman agreed that the thefts are increasingly violent and are being combatted by converter marking events which have been welcomed by residents. Up to 150 cars have been marked at each event. Honda Jazz and Toyota Prius are the most vulnerable vehicles.

There were 262 offences in Bexley in 2019, 316 in 2020 but down to 211 last year. Unfortunately the scrap value of Rhodium is soaring, 20% up in the past month and far more valuable than gold.

Councillor Sybil Camsey (Conservative, Crook Log) said that residents were becoming very concerned about the use of e-scooters in Bexley. How many accidents? How many have been seized? Many riders are under 16, what is being done to educate parents?

The police said that their policy is engagement before warning but no individual seizure figures were available for Bexley. A total of 3,987 had been taken off London’s roads in the past 12 months. There are no legal sanctions available against retailers.

No accident statistics were available either.

Chairman Richard Diment said that the scooters were very frustrating and very dangerous and thought it was about time the “velvet gloves were taken off”. The police said they had specific actions planned for the coming months but for now they were reluctant to confiscate scooters which are then left in the car pound because the release fees are high.

Cabinet Member Sue Gower said that if a case goes to Court the offender could be given six points on their driving licence which for new drivers could mean immediate disqualification.

  

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