Tag Archives: Mile End

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.

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!

Shepherd Drive sign replaced

Small things matter, including correcting accidental damage caused by others.

For some reason an HGV delivering to the local Coop store on Nayland Road,
decided to take a wrong turn into Dickenson Road in August 2021, which
is a very narrow 20mph zone.

Martin Goss got onto the East of England Coop and after being pushed from pillar to post was eventually given details of the Manchester Coop who deliver for East of England Coop.

Martin said “I got the right contact after numerous emails and being pushed from pillar to post but tenacity pays off! The Coop insurers paid Colchester Council for a new sign and repair work where the verge was also badly damaged.

It has taken 5 months to sort this out but I am pleased to say the massive hole left and damaged sign have been repaired and rightly at nil cost to the taxpayer.

Residents are delighted with the new sign and repair.”

Trinity School latest

The new Trinity School for Chesterwell is running late. We know delay and
disruption is a worry and have been working closely with the Gilberd and
Trinity Schools to reduce the impact and to keep parents up to date.

David and Martin have pressed the Department for Education hard to minimise
the delays and to keep parents informed.

We have been assured the new school will have to happen for September 2023. David will update when we have more news.

Braiswick Lane parking

We wrote to all residents in the area about removing one parking space on Nayland Road where visibility is poor coming out of Braiswick Lane.

We delivered the letter in August 2020 but little response was forthcoming from the public at the time as we need around 80% of residents in the area to be in favour.

If you would like to comment please email u2us@mileendlibdems.org with your views.