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Barking and Dagenham’s latest neighbourhood watch group hopes to utilise the powers of technology in a bid to create a network of crime fighters.

Marks Gate Neighbourhood Watch, which was originally formed in the 1980s, is undergoing a 21st century reboot thanks to new online crime alert system called Online Watch Link (OWL). 

The free service allows people to sign-up using their email or phone number and receive instant crime alerts, join in virtual police surgeries or see up-to-date fraud warnings. 

A distribution firm in Dagenham has been told to pay more than £1,300 after failing to produce documents showing how they dispose of their rubbish.

Enforcement officers from Barking and Dagenham Council carried out a routine inspection of HN Wells Ltd, which deals with importing and distributing food, in July 2018. 

However, the Wantz Road business failed to produce Waste Transfer Notes on request for how they got rid of their general rubbish and recycling waste – an offence under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The first round of neighbourhood community infrastructure levy (NCIL) funding has been allocated, with a fantastic response from both the panel made up of volunteer residents and the number of applications received from local organisations.

The NCIL is a proportion of the fee the council charges developers when they are building new developments, to make sure any developments benefit communities across the borough.

Residents were joined by councillors, staff, faith leaders and students from Gascoigne Primary School to observe a minute of silence to remember the victims of the Srebrenica massacre and to fly the Remembering Srebrenica flag. 



The event, the fifth consecutive year it has been observed by Barking and Dagenham, took place today in the Town Square to mark the 24th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre which took place on 11 July 1995, when Bosnian Serb forces marched into Srebrenica and killed 8,372 Muslim Serb men and boys.

A new policing team focused on tackling street crime in Barking and Dagenham has been unveiled. 

The Crime and Enforcement Taskforce will be based in the Barking Learning Centre and will be predominantly responsible for tackling crimes identified as a priority by the council, such as patrolling the borough’s housing estates, where they can utilise stop and search powers.

As well as this, the team will be tasked with:

Coming to Parsloes Park next weekend, we head back in time to the 80s with the One Borough Festival on Saturday 20 July before rocking your socks off, with the Roundhouse Music Festival on Sunday 21 July.

What is shaping up to be our biggest weekend of the year, we bring the borough not one, but two, FREE, fantastic festivals that will have something for everyone.

Manor Infants School has received a special invitation from Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, to become part of his Schools for Success programme. 

The Mayor has recognised that the school has done some fantastic work with students who joined the school behind their peers and have since made huge progress.

Barking and Dagenham Council will mark the 24th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide with a special flag-raising event outside Barking Town Hall on Thursday 11 July.

As well as a minute’s silence, there will be speeches, prayers and artwork on display that has been created by local school children.

A black, four-foot-tall fibreglass dog has been standing guard in the halls of a Barking and Dagenham school as part of a campaign to encourage pupils to discuss their mental health.

Elvis the dog returned to Eastbury Community School after going on a UK-wide tour, which saw the statue visit various public spaces, as well as schools and universities.

The campaign is the idea of mental health charity SANE, which places sculptures of black dogs around the country to raise awareness of mental health issues.

A Barking and Dagenham school has scooped a prestigious national award for their work to improve the health and wellbeing of pupils and staff.

All Saints Catholic School achieved the silver Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools from Leeds Beckett University.

The award demonstrates that a school is excelling in providing policies and initiatives that work towards improving the emotional health and wellbeing for staff and pupils.