LOCAL ISSUES

COUNCILLORS

The Councillors for Preston Ward are Bob Blackman, Dr Alan Mendoza, and Harshad Patel.

LIST OF TOPICS ON THIS PAGE

Trains to Gatwick, South Kenton Station, Water and sewage services, Computer security, Other scams, Police news, Windermere Ave environment and safety committee, Pavement parking, Support for older carers, Smoke detectors, Beware bin raiders, Wembley area consultative forum, Noise nuisance, and Streetwatchers.

WATER AND SEWAGE SERVICES

These are the responsibility of Thames Water, not Brent Council.

For all enquiries, including emergencies, there is a 24/7 service on 0845 9200 800 .

TRAINS TO GATWICK - UNDER THREAT

There is a move to withdraw the rail service which links Harrow to Gatwick (which sometimes calls at Wembley also); the plan being to reduce the route from Watford to Clapham Junction only.

This service is particularly valuable to local residents as it enables us to reach Gatwick without having to change trains in Central London. Also anyone who has had to change trains at Clapham Junction, while carrying luggage, will know it is not a comfortable experience.

Councillor Valerie Brown (Brent Council) has launched a campaign to save the service.

Since the above was written, the possibility has arisen that the service could be extended beyond Clapham Junction to reach East Croydon where changing trains is much easier. Also the northern terminus might become Milton Keynes instead of Watford.

SOUTH KENTON STATION

Management of this station is now effectively in the hands of the Greater London Authority. There is usually a staff presence at the station - either a security man or the booking clerk.

For the next few weeks, the Watford-Euston service will be replaced by a Watford-Stratford service (except on Sundays, when the Watford-Euston service will run as normal (engineering work permitting)).

Oystercards and Freedom passes, which used to be valid as far as Hatch End only, are now valid all the way to Watford Junction.

COMPUTER SECURITY

If you receive an email, purporting to be from a Bank, asking you to provide certain details such as an account number and your password, it is almost certainly bogus. On no account open the attachment or follow the links.

Many of these frauds originate overseas, so be suspicious where you find bad grammar or bad spelling. In any case, most Banks say they will never ask for these details to be re-supplied by email.

Suspected email banking frauds can be reported at reports@banksafeonline.co.uk .

The Police would also like to know about fraudulent emails - follow the procedure advised on met.police.uk/fraudulent , where you will also find details of the various scams.

HOME SECURITY

We keep hearing reports of bogus workmen. One technique they use is to say they need to check on something in connection with work they are doing nearby, such as in the flat upstairs. Check this for accuracy before letting them in.

If they claim to be from a public utility, ask whether they know your account number. Some utilities also allow you to use a password - ask the caller whether he knows it.

We have also heard of a bogus window cleaner asking for payment for work not done.

One resident has expressed concern about a car, sometimes parked for hours at a time, with the occupant studying houses along the street. We have passed the registration and description of the car to the police.

Also see the paragraph lower down on burglaries.

Yet another SCAM

If someone leaves you a card or some other message asking you to dial a telephone number beginning 09... , you may in fact be being invited to make a call just to listen to a recorded message at a cost to yourself of several pounds a minute.

It is most likely a scam. So don't make the call, instead contact the Police or ICSTIS (www.icstic.org.uk or 7239 6655)..

And another SCAM

Have you ever won a prize in a competition you never even entered? Almost certainly another scam.

POLICE

In case of emergency, phone 999.

Ffor less urgent situations phone the Safer Neighbourhoods Team on 8721 2968 (answer-phone) or email preston.snt@met.police.uk .

WARNINGS

Some young people from the neighbouring Eskdale Estate have been behaving in an unruly manner. The Residents Association of that estate are cooperating with the Police to combat this menace. The Police are issuing log books to anyone who wishes to monitor the situation.

Minor incidents can be reported as above.

OTHER POLICE NEWS

Since April 3rd 2006, all Brent wards have had a safer neighbourhood team consisting of 1 sergeant, 1 constable, and two police community support officers (PC SO). By April 2007 this will be increased to 1 PS 2PC 3 PCSO. Among the officers covering Preston Ward are Sergeant Steve Case, Constable Debbie Hester, and PCSO Daniel Yabsley.

Inspector Ramsden is in charge of the Kenton/Preston area. His email address is Michael.Ramsden@met.police.uk

BURGLARIES

There has been a spate of burglaries locally with a common feature. The thieves used shared drives or side passages to access the backs of houses.

THE WINDERMERE AVENUE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY COMMITTEE

This committee is newly-formed, and includes two representatives from SKPPRA. Among the matters recently discussed was safety in the subway (apparently CCTV costs £40000).

PAVEMENT PARKING

Pavement parking is not permitted anywhere on the estate. Offenders can be reported on 8937 5132 or 8937 5185. The same applies to vehicles woithout tax discs.

SUPPORTING OLDER CARERS

Sometimes carers, particularly older ones, need help themselves.

If you would like to be of assistance, email Nilufer Karakaya at nilufer.karakaya@helptheaged.org.uk.

SMOKE DETECTORS

An elderly relative was once showing me over the house he had just bought on a new estate.

Relative:- See, I also have a smoke alarm.

DCB:- How often do you test it?

Relative:- How do you do that?

When I showed him how to test the device, by pressing the red button, there was no response. On further investigation, it was found that there was no battery, so the detector was completely useless. We just have to guess whether the builders left the whole estate with inoperative detectors.

The manufacturers recommend testing detectors every fortnight.

BEWARE BIN RAIDERS

Unfortunately it has become an increasingly common practice for criminals to rummage through the contents of dustbins and wheelie bins and rubbish bags to see if they can find any discarded documents or correspondence which will give them personal information which could then be put to fraudulent use. Residents are therefore advised to make sure that any discarded paperwork such as correspondence showing name and address and/or telephone numbers; old bank statements; old credit card or store card statements or receipts; receipts showing switch or credit card numbers; old cheque stubs, or any similar documents are shredded or torn into small pieces before being placed in a waste bin. Domestic-sized document shredders can easily be obtained from stationers or office equipment suppliers at quite reasonable prices. Residents are also recommended to make sure that any of the above documents are kept in a locked safe or cabinet when premises are left vacant. and NOT left lying loose around the house.

DON'T MAKE THE VILLAINS' JOB EASY.

More about shredders (and disposal of the shredded paper)

I regard the hand-cranked shredders as useless, so at a minimum you need an electric shredder that cuts paper into strips about 6mm wide.

For my own use I go one further, with a cross-cut shredder that cuts paper into pieces the size of matchsticks. As well as the additional security, there is the advantage of filling the bin more efficiently, so that you don't need to empty it so often.

Finally there is the question of disposal. (i) The gardening experts tell us that the shredded paper can be used in the garden - put it at the bottom of the hole where you are planting something, it helps retain moisture for the roots. (ii) The Mandeville veterinary practice opposite the Library use it as cat litter. (iii) As it is compostable, you can put it in the green wheelie.

For general advice on disposal of non-compostable materials, contact Twyford re-use and recycling centre, Abbey Road, Park Royal, NW10 Telephone 8965 5497.

DCB

WEMBLEY AREA CONSULTATIVE FORUM

Meetings of the Forum take place at the Patidar Centre, 22 London Road, Wembley. The next meeting is scheduled for 29th January.

The Forums exist to provide communication between the Council and local residents on each designated area, and to provide for consultation on Council proposals and activity, or lack of it, in the area. Four meetings are held each year, currently chaired by Councillor Mary Arnold. Officers from the Council Executive, including the Director of Planning, are normally present, and participate in the presentations and discussions. The agenda is set by a Steering Committee, and this Association is represented on that Committee.

Each meeting is open to any residents in the area who wish to attend; if attending, you can gain your own impressions of the way the Council and its senior officers operate. The agenda normally includes items updating on major local events such as the Stadium and associated infrastructure developments, areas of concern to residents including street and road cleaning, road conditions, and planning breaches; and a Soap Box Slot where questions may be put through the chair to the Council, with a guarantee of formal reply.

The Forum's website has a very long address, beginning http://www.brent.gov.uk/consultation.nsf/ .

NOISE NUISANCE

The Council might be able to take action:- phone 8937 5252 during office hours, or 8937 5150 at other times.

email env.health@brent.gov.uk , website www.brent.gov.uk/eh .

STREETWATCHERS

This refers to reporting the state of the streets (broken pavement, obstruction from front garden overgrowth, etc), and is not meant to

overlap CrimeWatch or Neighbourhood Watch. Situations can be reported at streetwatchers@brent.gov.uk or telephone 8937 5050 .