Newsletter - February 2022
Dear Residents
Welcome to the latest newsletter from the St. Katharine and Wapping Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panel. We are a non-political voluntary group working with the Police Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT), the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH) and Residents to make our ward a better and safer place in which to live and work.
The main issues since the last newsletter:
- Update on PSPO (Public Space Protection Order) on Nitrous Oxide
- Bike thefts and Cycle Crime Initiative
- Speeding/dangerous driving. Speed gun exercises
- CCTV Upgrades
- SNT (Safer Neighbourhood Team) crime statistics
1)Public space Protection Order (PSPO) for Nitrous Oxide. This was introduced in May 2021 and remains in place. It makes Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) associated with nitrous oxide possession or use an offence in Tower Hamlets. This allows the Police and via Council enforcement officers, to fine offenders and enforce a fixed penalty of £100. The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 is the law which deals with its misuse. Whilst currently it is not an offence to possess or use it, it is an offence to supply it or have possession with intent to supply it. However a PSPO can be put into effect when ASB (antisocial behaviour) associated with its use has a detrimental effect on the quality of life of local people. A FAQ document on PSPO regarding nitrous oxide is available on the ward panel website: www.skw-wardpanel.org
As a direct result of residents reporting ASB, Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers (THEO’s) carried out a patrol in Tench St shortly after midnight in late November. Four people sitting in a vehicle, causing a lot of noise by shouting and playing loud music, whilst inhaling nitrous oxide were each fined £100. They surrendered 250 nitrous oxide canisters and 100 balloons.
Please continue to report all ASB as the number of reports received by the council and police help direct resources towards hotspots.
2) Bike Thefts and Cycle Enabled Crime. There have been several thefts from a development in the west part of Wapping. The thieves gained entry to a car park by forcing open a shutter door. The ward panel have assisted several developments by giving advice on preventing bike thefts, such as stopping tailgating when entering car parks, not letting anyone in to buildings if you do not know them and locking your bikes up properly.
The police SNT and LBTH Council led a multiagency initiative at the end of January to disrupt, detect and prevent cycle enabled crime and ASB. The PSPO was used to seize nitrous oxide and alcohol from several people, 22 people were given cyclist warnings, 21 people E-scooter warnings, 2 people arrested and 2 vehicles seized. The full report was sent on OWL messaging and can be seen on the OWL website
More bike events to follow, which will include marking cycles, scooters and motorbikes with Smart Water.
3) Speed Gun Exercises. A community speed watch event took place in early February in Vaughan Way. There are several areas in Wapping where speeding is a problem. More events will follow when residents can attend.
4) CCTV Upgrades. New digital CCTV cameras are being installed across LBTH as part of a £3.1 million upgrade. This will be on-going throughout the year and will provide better quality images for all 360 street based cameras.
5) SNT Crime Statistics. The crime stats for our ward from the SNT for December were lower than for the previous month apart from violence against people, up from 13 to 27 reports. There were 29 reported thefts, 9 burglaries, 5 vehicle traffic offences, 3 sexual offences, 6 drug offences, 7 public order offences, 1 weapons offence and 1 case of arson and criminal damage. The full report will be on the SNT website shortly, as listed at the end of the newsletter.
6 ) Other ASB Activity. There has been a noticeable increase in the amount of dog excrement left on pavements and public spaces in recent months. Also bicycles from various public rental schemes are being left on pavements in awkward places blocking access for wheelchair users, pushchairs and buggies. Please report to LBTH.
The SNT are continuing to monitor hotspots and the LBTH ASB team will conduct early morning and late night patrols there and along Pennington St to deal with the morning overspill from the nightclubs.
Dense undergrowth has been cut back in problem areas and the ward panel are pushing to install or upgrade lighting in dimly lit areas such as Choppins Court.to improve safety.
The phone box on Thomas More St has been removed. It was unused and a magnet for ASB.
7) Graffiti and Fly Posting/Fly Tipping. We would once again like to thank The Graffiti and Community Payback Team led by Christine Gennings which do a fantastic job removing it. Over 30 spots were reported recently and all cleared up within a few days. Please continue to report using the link https://towerhamlets-self.achieveservice.com/service/report_a_street_cleaning_problem
8) Residents Development Network (RDN). More than 50 developments and blocks of flats have now been linked to share local intelligence on ASB and issues that affect the community. We hope to hold a face-to-face meeting in 2022 when all Covid restrictions have been lifted and it is safe to do so. Please contact contact@skw-wardpanel.org to arrange a meeting if you are interested in linking your development.
9) Good news
A Platinum Jubilee Party is being organised for June 5th in Wapping. More details from our local councillors to follow. Volunteers very welcome.
An Easter football scheme is being organised in the park and more activities are taking place in the Youth Centre there.
Community fitness classes are being held at the outdoor gym on Shadwell Basin and a play park is open in the grounds of St Paul’s churchyard.
The SNT are planning on holding street briefings to meet local residents and listen to their concerns. These will be on Sat 19th March in Shadwell basin from 2pm and St George’s Hall, Shadwell TBC.
If there are any issues, which concern you that you would like the Ward Panel to discuss, please contact us. We hope to hold a meeting at a later date that will include time set aside when residents can attend. TBC
10) Contacts
St Katherine and Wapping SNT is now at CEMailbox.StKatharines_Wapping@met.police.uk
Phone 0208 721 2854. This email and phone are not monitored 24/7 so for a faster response see below.
The team is led by Sgt. Natalie Smart. The dedicated Ward Officers are PC Abdul Moulvi, a new member PC James Dove and PCSO Sandra Monteiro De Sousa
11) REPORT ALL CRIME/ ASB THAT YOU WITNESS:
Please report any crime or anti-social behaviour you witness in a timely manner to help the police and council to respond and to map the location and time of persistent problems. Go to our website www.skw-wardpanel.org/report to see the best reporting method to use. Remember, if a crime is in progress phone 999. For ASB phone 101 for the police or use one of the web links provided on our website.
St Katharines and Wapping Ward Panel Newsletter Feb 2022.pdf
St. Katharine and Wapping Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panel February 2022