During what has been a difficult and unprecedented time for everyone, with more to possibly come, Barking and Dagenham Council want to recognise the incredible work that not only our local NHS staff and keyworkers have done, but every other individual who continued to work during the Covid-19 pandemic and kept our community safe. To celebrate those who have consistently gone above and beyond, the council will be creating a ‘Forest of Thanks’ over at Parsloes Park in Dagenham.

 

Nobody should ever be a victim of hate crime and that’s why Barking and Dagenham Council is marking National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Alongside the police and partner organisations, the east London council is standing up against hate crime, intolerance and extremism.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week runs from Saturday 10 October until Saturday 17 October and on Saturday, the police will have an information and advice stall in Barking Market.

What is hate crime though? It is any crime that targets a person because of hostility or prejudice towards that person’s:

The views of people living in Barking and Dagenham are being sought as the council looks to improve the air quality in the east London borough. 

Earlier this week (Monday 5 October), the council launched its draft Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP), which outlines the actions that it will take to make air quality better in Barking and Dagenham between 2020-2025.

A party host has avoided prosecution after paying a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for throwing two parties on two consecutive nights in July.

On the evening Thursday 23 July, council enforcement officers responded to a number of resident complaints about a loud party taking place in Thames View, Barking. On arrival officers were confronted by drunk revellers, loud amplified music and approximately 40 people in a small garden area.

A shisha bar and lounge in Barking and Dagenham has been forced to close for two weeks after it continuously broke the government’s coronavirus rules.

Kaafi Studio Lounge in River Road, Barking was issued with a prohibition notice back on Friday 1 May 2020 following numerous reports that it had been trading when it should have been closed during lockdown.

As large outdoor events are sadly at a standstill and all of Barking and Dagenham Council’s ‘Summer of festivals’ event’s outside have been cancelled, we have been making it possible to bring the festival experience directly to people’s homes. This was done recently with the One Borough One Love Festival!

It is October which means Black History Month has arrived. We’re proud to present a jam-packed schedule of events and workshops to celebrate the history, achievements and culture of Black, African and Caribbean people.



Due to Covid-19 restrictions, most events will be virtual but that won’t stop us celebrating such a monumental month! The Black History Month flag will be raised outside Barking Town Hall this Thursday (1 October) and will be proudly flying high for the duration of the month.

A car repairs been shop has been told it must return to its previous use as a storage unit after it failed to follow council planning permission rules.

The land and premises at 194 - 200 High Road, Chadwell Heath had been operating as a car repairs shop from February 2019 but the council received a number of complaints from local residents about its use.

Residents of Barking and Dagenham who have been notified by the NHS Test and Trace service of a positive test, or have been in touch with a person tested positive for Covid-19 and are required to self-isolate and cannot work, can now apply for a self-isolation support payment of £500.

Barking and Dagenham Council has continued its engagement with businesses operating in the borough and has recently served notices on a number of high street retailers encouraging them to take all reasonable steps to ensure that members of the public are wearing face coverings and social distancing whilst shopping. Retailers are sending mixed messages to customers by allowing entry without a face covering.