Reporting crime

Mile End and more widely Colchester is an extremely safe place but as with any community or City we always do need to be vigilant and report anything which we think is out of the ordinary.

Too many times crimes or suspicious activities remain unreported and instead people put them on Facebook or social media. This might be good to alert local neighbours but it does nothing to actually report the crime.

An example in Colchester being when over 28 sheds were broken into one evening and although it made it to social media, the Police only had one reported incident so didn’t treat it as a serious break in!

Please do report all non-emergency crimes on 101 or in an emergency 999. You can also report crimes online at the Essex Police website.

The more crime is reported, the better it is to reflect true statistics and ensure police effort is concentrated in those areas that need it! If you don’t report a crime, this could be the difference between the data showing an issue or not!

Crumbling roads

The County Council has not spent enough money in recent years and admit that our highways are ‘in managed decline’.

David has resisted this. Raising issues in public, in meetings of the County Council. Lobbying for work. Escalating issues and raising a budget amendment to seek extra money for spending on roads and paths.

The good news – his campaign has helped. With extra government and County Council cash for catch-up work. The County Council has an extra £17.4m, but across all of Essex, however we should see some real improvements by end of this summer.

David will keep pressing for better.

Anti Social Behaviour update

We have seen an increase in ASB in recent months with a number of issues in the Bradford Drive playground, shelters over at Kingswood Heath and Mile End
playing fields.

If you witness any issues or have concerns please do report it to the police immediately on 101 or 999 in an emergency. You can also report non-emergency crime on the Essex Police website.

Claire Beverly our local PCSO has been doing various patrols in the
area so if you wish to join “stroll and patrol” which is carried out
regularly please do let us know.

A big thank you from Ness!

Thank you so much to the 1,624 Mile End residents who voted for Venessa so that she can continue her hard work on behalf of everyone living here. Venessa told us after her incredible win:

“It is an honour to be elected in Mile End this year, and thanks so much to all the residents who have put their faith in me. Thanks to Phil Coleman, David King and Martin Goss, of course, for all their continuing hard work. I am already hearing a lot from residents about various concerns and will work hard to support all residents of Mile End.”

Superfast Broadband in Mile End

Following complaints of slow Broadband across the ward we have asked if the new Super Fast Broadband, which is currently going into some areas, could be extended to cover those areas that would benefit from it. It has been confirmed that a new network will be installed along Mile End Road, Nayland Road, Boxted Road and phase 1 of Chesterwell where speeds are inadequate. We await time scales and have requested Defoe Crescent is also included following complaints.

10 ways to reduce waste in our Colchester Community

10 ways to reduce waste in our Colchester Community

1. Have you heard of plogging? It was first coined to mean picking up litter as you run. You don’t have to run, of course – maybe you could pick up litter on your regular dog walk. It’s still plogging, your community will be grateful and you’ll get some time outside in the process. Join running Colchester – it’s free! Find them on Facebook here. Even if you’re not a runner, there are opportunities to get involved volunteering as well.

2. If you’d like your own litter picking equipment you can get it free by emailing Shrubend@colchester.gov.uk with your name and address and use the subject ‘Litter warriors’ and you’ll get a kit delivered.

3. Go to refill stores to get consumables and possibly save money too! Buying in bulk will save on packaging anyway, but if you take your own containers, you can help save the planet even further. Shops in Colchester: An Ethical Life, Colcheco, Home Kitchen, and probably more….

4. Plan your vegetable garden now. What can you grow instead of buy? We have lots of nurseries available to us to buy seeds from: FillPots, Poplar Nurseries, and other smaller ones too. You only need a small space to plant some runner beans for example.

5. Always have a reusable water bottle / insulated coffee mug. Ask coffee shops to use your own mug – some are already allowing this such as local Co-op stores.

6. Steel, aluminium, PET plastics, paper and glass are the most efficient to recycle in that order – opt for these options rather than any other plastics. Look for PET recyclable symbols.

7. Keep up the good work recycling household waste! Colchester was voted as one of the most recycling conscious towns in England! Amazing!! Contact your local councillors if you have any issues or feedback regarding recycling. Our Team.

8. Compost for your new vegetable patch. Did you know as much as 25% of the items in your rubbish could potentially be removed from the waste stream and composted in your back garden? Your fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, grass clippings and leaves can all be composted. Depending on the conditions, you may have compost in 3 to 12 months to use in your garden. You’ll save on fertilizers and if you grow your own vegetables, you’ll likely see improved yields.

9. Buy second hand and donate used goods. Facebook marketplace is a fabulous resource – not only do you not have to package things up like you do on ebay, but people come to you and collect the items. Facebook Marketplace is intended to be a local marketplace. This will save on trips to the tip for larger items too.

10. Store some shopping bags in your car to minimise buying more. If you find you have too many in your cupboard under the stairs, you can either take them back to any superstore, or you can give them to the Foodbank along with any other in-date consumables. Check with Foodbank for the items they require most.

Northern Approach Road bus lane work commences January 2023

𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 (𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔)

The proposals for Colchester’s new Rapid Transit System (RTS) across the borough will start to come to fruition from the week commencing 16th January when Colchester and Essex Councils begin work on the scheme.

This phase of the RTS will implement a segregated bus lane from/to the A12 from/to the centre (and eventually beyond) and will also see a segregated cycle lane and pedestrian infrastructure, as well as green spacing. The initial works will prepare for this first phase. There will be traffic management in place during this period up until end of February (not closures), although this is limited to 10am-3pm to avoid peak travel time.

The mature trees along the NAR (yellow storage side) will mostly be removed with the promise of some being replaced and some of the mature trees being replanted.

Click below for full details of the plans

https://www.essexhighways.org/highway-schemes-and-developments/highway-schemes/multi-district-schemes/a120-a133-link-and-rapid-transit

https://d0cs.colchester.gov.uk/Publisher/mvc/listDocuments?identifier=DC&ref=222144

Keeping safe during fireworks season

Fireworks are an important time of year which is marked on many family calendars. It is always recommended to go to properly organised displays such as that held at Castle Park by King Cole Kittens or those organised at local schools such as the excellent display at Heathlands in West Bergholt.

It is not recommended or permitted to have random fire work displays in public open spaces, playgrounds or parks. Should an accident happen the person letting off fire works in a public place is liable and therefore not insured. The council certainly won’t be picking up the tab for someone’s carelessness. Nine times out of ten people leave all the fire work litter behind as well!

Please do not let off fire works in any of our parks or open spaces.

Top 10 tips to save energy this Winter

Mile End resident and Lib Dem team member Venessa Moffat has come up with the following energy saving tips, especially in the current looming energy crisis we all face!

1. Heating and water
Turn the water temperature down a bit, or turn the heating down by 1deg – over time this will save you more than you realise. The timings of the heating and water over each day can equally impact the size of the bills you receive. People are also heat-creating machines – we turn food into heat. If you’re cold sitting down, then consider moving around and go up and down the stairs a couple of times. There’s the added benefit of getting a bit of exercise!

2. Windows, curtains and blinds
Just as double glazing works to keep heat in and cold out, your blinds and curtains can also help. Even if you have double or triple glazing in your home and they are draught-proofed you can still lose heat through your windows. If the sun is warm in the day time, you can benefit from the heat by keeping curtains open, and then at night time close them to keep the heat in.

3. Call the supplier and check you’re on the right tariff
If you live on your own, or are on a low income, you may be on the wrong tariff. Call your provider, and ask them if there is a better one. Alternatively, check with uswitch.com and see if there is a cheaper provider.

4. Does your supplier offer smart meters?
These meters can be installed by some providers for free, and will allow you to see how much energy you’re using. You’ll no longer need to take manual readings for your gas and electricity. With a smart meter, all that data is sent to your supplier automatically. All of this helps with budgeting and forward-planning.

5. Obvious one – turn off things when they are not being used, including standby
There are several studies that show a significant saving by turning off all standby devices. This could be your TV, or Alexa / Echo, or your toothbrush charger – turn them all off when they are not being used, and you’ll save even more.

6. Reduce the use of hot things
Anything that creates heat is using more energy than other devices like the hairdryer, the kettle, the tumble-dryer etc. The less you use these devices, the more you will save. Simples.

7. Think more circular – what can be re-used?
As an example, instead of boiling a kettle for gravy, consider using the hot water from the vegetables – it adds more flavour too! If you have a wood burner, look for people in your local community who are trying to offload wood from projects. Facebook marketplace can be good for this. These are just a couple of examples!

8. Consider using the microwave more
Microwaves heat things up much faster than the oven, so there may be some foods which can be microwaved, rather than oven baked. One way of leveraging this may be to batch cook meals such as spaghetti bolognaise (with friends maybe) and then the resulting extras can be stored and ‘pinged’ in the microwave in minutes.

9. Efficient LED bulbs
The old energy-efficient light bulbs were slow to warm up and still broke after a while, whereas now, there are some very good energy-efficient LED bulbs on the market. They do cost a little more than normal bulbs, but they more than make up for it in decent light output and longevity. It goes without saying to turn lights off when the room isn’t in use….

10. Invest in smart tech products
Last on the list are smart tech products, such as Zado or Hive, which can help you manage your heating and hot water more efficiently. These are last on the list because there is a bit of an outlay to purchase them and then have them installed. However, with the energy prices soaring, you could see ROI in months this Winter. Now might be a good time to invest. Don’t forget to employ a local tradesperson to help your local community!

Issues in Mile End

With the school holidays now here, there are low level issues going on in Mile End keeping the team busy.

These include dealing with low level anti-social behaviour where residents face disturbances from children causing issues in our neighbourhood. This can be noise, leaving litter around, swearing or slightly more serious matters.

All issues must be reported to the police at the time of the incident and this can be done via 101, in an emergency 999 or via the Essex Police website.

If you have an issue you’d like to discuss please do get in touch with the team.