Safe buses, but what happens to the troublemakers caught?

Bus journeys are likely to be more bearable from now on, with the news that teams of hundreds of uniformed police will patrol London’s stations and routes to tackle crime and other anti-social behaviour.

The Met says 440 uniformed officers will be used to establish the new teams. Each team will be made up of one sergeant, one police constable and seven police community support officers. They will be supported by 1,600 special constables.

According to the BBC, there were 5,701 reports of crime on buses in 2007, compared to 3,666 the previous year.

I would like to think we’ll see some of the new teams at Barking, Stratford and, please please, Ilford.

At this stage it is unclear what will happen to the culprits that get up to no good on buses and trains. Will the police teams slap them with the normal on-the-spot fine or arrest and jail them, if necessary?

Already the Telegraph has put dampers on the latter prospect – it reports that for every 50 youngsters arrested for carrying a sharp knife, only one was jailed.

Now, if youngsters are let off for carrying knives, how much more for being rowdy or violent on a bus?

It has been said that if they are teenagers, they will lose their right to free travel. But how can that be effective when you get routes like the bendy bus 25, where commuters can get on and off without paying?

However, notwithstanding the hazy bits of this new development, it’s still a welcome move to know that we’ll have police on the trains and buses in these parts of town.

Happy riding!

Odd couple going interesting places

A friend of mine was at the Global Day or Prayer event yesterday. She tells me there was a special appearance of – surprise, surprise – Boris Johnson, London’s new mayor.

He told the estimated 25 000 Christians that he has appointed Ray Lewis of the Eastside Young Learning Academy as his deputy youth mayor.

Who is Ray Lewis? He is the man who believes he can change black boys in East London who are about to be expelled from school.

He founded the award-winning Newham-based organisation to help instill discipline in the boys and he encourages them to get academic qualifications.

At the onset, Ray and Boris do not appear to have anything in common: Ray was raised by a struggling single mother while Etonian Boris had a more comfortable and financially secure upbringing.

Whereas Ray was ordained a church minister, Boris has had a less pious history.

But several black boys have been killing each other in various parts of the city, East London included. The problem is so serious that it is demanding people of completely different backgrounds join hands and do something about it quickly.

In their joint effort, this odd couple will take each other to different places and different people – a mass prayer meeting today and who knows where tomorrow?

Booting out cyberbullying in our schools

If for anyone else, life may become more bearable for children in school playgrounds and classrooms with the launch this week of an anti-bullying pack.

The kit is designed by Tower Hamlets Council to equip schools in East London to tackle bullying.

It provides tips on how to spot bullying and what help can be given to those that are affected by it.

The concept is not new – most schools already have anti-bullying policies in place and teachers and prefects alike can usually spot it.

So why spend money on duplicating a policy and dishing it out as novel?

It could be because there are new forms of bullying that parents (or even chidlren themselves) are not aware are actually classified as bullying and can cause serious distress to victims.

Helen Jenner, the Service Head for Early Years Children and Learning at Tower Hamlets Council (whoa … what a long title!) says that: ‘New forms of bullying like cyber-bullying have emerged in recent years, and it’s important that schools know how to identify these problems and deal with them if they occur.’

Now what is this cyber bullying?

Like me, you may suspect is involves the internet. Correct.

The department for Children, Schools and Families defines it as:

“an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of contact, repeatedly over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself.”

This booklet will certainly teach mischievous children in our schools that making fun of someone on YouTube or bombarding them with nasty texts for the fun of it is not acceptable.

Can East London produce a solid London Mayor?

As the day for Londoners to elect a mayor draws closer,
Alan Craig (pictured) of the Christian People's Alliance appears to have stuck out as the better known mayoral candidate to come out of East London this time round.

Craig has lived in East London for many years and is based in Canning Town. He is also a Councillor in Newham.

He is touting family values: he believes that many of the problems London is facing today, i.e. crime and teenage alcholism, are because of the breakdown of the family unit.

He is also known for strongly opposing plans to build a mega-mosque in West Ham. His manefesto states that ‘it is forwarded by the secretive and separatist Tablighi Jamaat Islamic sect … and it will also foster fundamentalism’.

Can Craig upstage Ken?

YOU can decide that on May 1 when you make your way to the polls.

Flats or Flair: what’s the priority for Hackney?

Priorities, priorities, priorities. This could soon be the buzz word for artists and homeless people in Hackney.

The Hackney Gazette reports that a group of artists are against plans for high rise developments because they fear the place will become a ghetto.

The paper claims that artists including Tracey Emin and Dinos Chapman have expressed their concerns in an open letter to the London mayor, Ken Livingstone.

With all due respect, Shoreditch (and Bethnal Green Road) already seems to have traits of a ghetto, nevertheless …

Have these artists considered that for an area currently experiencing serious levels of overcrowding, these very ‘detestable’ tall towers may house several families and homeless people?

According to Team Hackney, overcrowding in Hackney in the social rented sector is serious and worsening.

But on the other hand, maybe the artists are right. The towers could look ugly in trendy Shoreditch - and who knows what their presence would bring?

This is where the ‘priority’ word comes in: is housing or recreation a priority for Hackney at this point in time?

Whose cry will matter most to Ken Livingston or his colleagues at Hackney Council: artists or those in need of accommodation?

Interestingly others in the area, like supporters of the Hackney Independent, believe such high rise buildings will not benefit ordinary working class families or the homeless.

They say such flats going up in the area are aimed at rich middle class professionals.

This ropes in the possibility that the need for new flats are actually a priority for another group: rich property/building companies with an aim to build flats for yuppies.

They are unlikely to help the many families in need of basic accommodation or the homeless. They may not even impress the angry artists.

At a time when Ken Livingston is trying to win the hearts (I think I mean votes here) of every Londoner – artists, homeless, rich property developers – we may not know whose voice will be heard for a long while.

Meanwhile, above is a video of other folk who decided they had another priority for high rise flats in Hackney: operating pirate radio stations.

Teenagers hobbies to be funded by Council

Life is not as miserable for teenagers as our newspapers – or some teenagers themselves – would have us believe.

Havering Council, together with Havering College, is offering youngsters money to invest in their favourite hobby or sport.

Called the Havering Talented 30 scheme, the fund aims to assist teenagers develop their skills fully. Those who are selected will be given £200 for this purpose.

Havering cabinet member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Andrew Curtin, said: “Excellence in the arts and sport is an absolutely basic part of a well-educated and civilised society.”

For more info on the scheme contact Havering Council (info@havering.gov.uk).

Olympic torch celebrations in Newham

While thousands of pro-Tibetan protestors gave the police grief over the Olympic torch in Central London, residents in Newham played it safe.

The local council organised games, music and other entertainment to mark the torch's passing through London.

Somehow I couldn't bring myself to join in the fun and games.