Monday, September 9

Day: April 12, 2018

EU nationals at risk of losing legal status in UK after Brexit
Featured, United Kingdom

EU nationals at risk of losing legal status in UK after Brexit

    Thousands of EU nationals are at risk of losing their legal status in the UK after Brexit, a new report has warned. Domestic abuse victims, children and the elderly are among those at risk of losing their right to remain in Britain despite meeting the required criteria to stay, experts said. This could be because they struggle to provide documentation and complete a registration process, or do not realise they need to apply to continue living in the UK legally. The potential gap was highlighted in a paper released today by the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford. Its director Madeleine Sumption said: The Home Office is clearly keen to create a system that is easy and straightforward to use, and most EU citizens should be able to sail through a simpli...
British war cabinet sits with subs in missile range of Syria
Featured, United Kingdom

British war cabinet sits with subs in missile range of Syria

    Theresa May was poised last night to defy calls for a Commons vote on military action in Syria. The Prime Minister summoned ministers back to London to seek their support for joining an American led attack on the Assad regime within days. Clearing the way for action, she declared the use of chemical weapons could not go unchallenged and said ‘all the indications’ suggested that Bashar Assad’s forces were responsible for Saturday’s atrocity near Damascus. Military chiefs are said to have ordered British submarines armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles to move within range of Syria. Despite fears of a military confrontation with Russia, no preparations are being made to recall MPs from their Easter recess. It is understood No 10 believes it can launch a one-off, punit...
There is proof of chemical weapons attack in Syria as Macron says
Europe, Featured

There is proof of chemical weapons attack in Syria as Macron says

    We have proof that chemical weapons were used last week, at least chlorine, and that they were used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad, Macron said during an interview on France's TF1 television. Macron added that he was in daily contact with US President Donald Trump and that they would decide on their response at a time of our choosing, when we judge it to be the most useful and the most effective. The French leader, who had made the use of chemical weapons in Syria a red line, said one of his aims in Syria was to remove the regime's chemical attack capabilities. But he repeated that he wanted to also avoid an escalation. France will in no way allow an escalation or anything that would harm regional stability, but we cannot allow regimes that believe they can act ...
Wave three of Operation Continuum underway
Featured, London

Wave three of Operation Continuum underway

Dawn raids kick off the third phase of partnership activity between Tower Hamlets Council and Police in Operation Continuum. Raids last week in Bow saw large amounts of money and drugs seized by police officers. These raids were followed up by a weapons sweep in the area. Prior to last week's activity, over the previous 10 days arrests were made in the Bow area for offences including possession of weapons, burglary, possession and supply of Class A drugs and GBH. A knife related operation also resulted in 18 arrests (including five for carrying an offensive weapon), and the seizure of knives, £1,000 cash, two stolen vehicles, approximately 1kg of cannabis and approximately 200 wraps of class A drugs. These results build upon the impressive successes of Operation Continuum since...
Council confirms ongoing partnership with local VCS groups
Featured, London

Council confirms ongoing partnership with local VCS groups

The crucial role played by Tower Hamlets' voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations received a welcome boost as the council agreed a range of measures to further develop and support their work across the borough. Tower Hamlets has around 2,000 VCS organisations that work with thousands of residents providing a wide range of services including those relating to health and wellbeing, advice, leisure, employment and housing. The council's Cabinet meeting on March 20 gave the green light to strengthen further the existing partnership with the council, and to take forward new funding agreements that give greater impact and outcomes, and maximise the benefit to local people. Further work will be carried out with the VCS to establish a new Community Commissioning programme to start in...
Joint appointment integrates health and social care commissioning in Tower Hamlets
Featured, London

Joint appointment integrates health and social care commissioning in Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets Council and Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group (THCCG) have made their first formal joint appointment, taking on Warwick Tomsett as Joint Director of Integrated Commissioning. The move brings both organisations together, creating a truly integrated approach to commissioning health and social care in Tower Hamlets. Warwick, who is currently Head of Targeted Services & Joint Commissioning for Lewisham Council/CCG, will commence in post on 21 May 2018. He will be responsible for bringing together commissioning across health and social care and creating a fully integrated commissioning function for Tower Hamlets Together, the borough's integrated care partnership. Warwick will report jointly to Denise Radley, Council Corporate Director of Health, Adults and Communi...
Become a No Place for Hate Champion free training offered
Featured, London

Become a No Place for Hate Champion free training offered

The next round of applications for Tower Hamlets,' multi-award winning No Place for Hate Champions training has been announced by the council. The free training is open to anyone who lives or works in the borough. It aims to give participants the skills to identify and tackle hate crime, and to deliver community activities where they can make a difference, share their learning and celebrate diversity. The new champions will add to 84 others who have already used the training to bring thousands of people together in community projects. To find out more, email hatecrime@towerhamlets.gov.uk or contact Benedicta Dikeocha on 020 7364 6105.   The closing date is 5pm Friday 20 April 2018. Comments from residents and workers who completed the last round of training:  Cheryl Jethoo, a local ...
All Tower Hamlets election candidates confirmed: make sure you can vote on May 3
Featured, London

All Tower Hamlets election candidates confirmed: make sure you can vote on May 3

The full list of all election candidates for the council and the Mayor of the borough have been now been published. Visit the council's website to see who's standing to become a councillor in the area where you live on May 3, as well as the official candidates standing to be the elected Mayor of Tower Hamlets. If you have not yet registered to vote you need to ensure you have applied to register by Tuesday 17 April, and are approved to vote at these elections. You can apply to register to vote by visiting the Government's website https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote To check if you are registered, contact electoral services by emailing vote@towerhamlets.gov.uk or call 020 7364 0872. Chief Executive of the council and Returning Officer for the elections, Will Tuckley, said:  "Applying ...