London

Residents in Tower Hamlets are being urged to familiarise themselves with changes to the law covering letting agents fees. It is now illegal for agents to charge most fees on new and renewed tenancies. Charges for reference and credit checks have been abolished and caps on how much landlords and agents can ask for as a security deposit and rent in advance have been introduced. John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: "The number of privately rented homes in the borough has grown massively in recent years and we've seen too many examples of tenants being charged rip-off fees by unscrupulous agents. "I welcome this change in the law which I called for and would urge all those in private rented accommodation to visit our website where they can learn more about their rights and ho...

Funding in 17 areas for infrastructure that will encourage more walking and cycling John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets joined school children, residents and businesses on Friday 7 June, to launch an ambitious four-year programme to create Liveable Streets in Tower Hamlets. Liveable Streets is a £15 million programme, which aims to improve the look and feel of public spaces in neighbourhoods across the borough, making it easier, safer and more convenient to get around by foot, bike and public transport. Parts of Columbia Road in Bethnal Green were transformed into a beautiful outdoor space with trees and greenery, where Liveable Streets was launched in a street party atmosphere with bunting, deckchairs, speakers, cycling taster sessions and giant games for children. John Biggs, Ma...

    The London Bridge terrorists could have been targeting Oxford Street when they decided to divert on their way there, an inquest has heard. Eight people were killed and 48 were injured when Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, launched their van and knife attack on June 3 2017. The three men had mowed down pedestrians on London Bridge before rampaging through Borough Market, the Old Bailey heard. But the court was told a mobile phone was later found in their van with directions to London's busy shopping district. Acting Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley said it was possible the attackers could have switched their attention to London Bridge "en route" from east London where they lived. The hearing also heard how the terrorists used 12i...

    At least one of the London Bridge attackers was handcuffed as they were lying wounded on the ground before more shots were fired, an inquest has heard. The three terrorists murdered eight people by driving into pedestrians and going on a stabbing rampage before they were themselves killed by armed response officers who feared they were wearing explosive vests. Tim Andrews, a constable who responded in plain clothes on the evening of 3 June 2017, said he was on Stoney Street, in Borough Market, when the attackers were gunned down by armed police officers. He told the Old Bailey inquest into the attacks: One of the officers was shouting: Cuffs, cuffs. The attacker was on the floor, sort of outside the Wheatsheaf pub and the officer had just sort of withdrawn slightly...

    They touched down at Luton Airport on Wednesday night and were later taken into custody, with detectives continuing to question them at a police station in Bedfordshire. Scotland Yard said the suspects, all Sri Lankan nationals, had been detained under the terrorism act. Police at the airport were made aware of the men the next day, Thursday 11 April and subsequently stopped them under schedule seven of the Terrorism Act 2000, confirmed a police spokesman. None of the men have been identified as they have not been charged. Inquiries are ongoing.

    Police are investigating a hammer attack on a motorists outside an east London mosque. During the incident three men reportedly exited a ford Fiesta and turned on a man, 27, with weapon, believed to be a hammer or a similar object. The trio then returned to their car and fled the scene in Cannon Street Road, Whitechapel shortly after 1pm on Friday. Footage on social media showed the group shouting in the street with one man clinging to the car's bonnet as it drove away from the scene with its back window smashed. Some people claimed the attackers had branded worshippers at the mosque terrorists. However police said a motive had not yet been established and that initial witness reports suggested that it was not a hate crime but they were retaining an open mind. T...

    It’s likely to be the warmest February since records began, but get ready to kiss goodbye to the sunshine as we wind down for a wet and windy weekend. The recent warm spell has in part been due to winds coming from the African continent for the past fortnight. As well as bringing warmer temperatures with it, dust from the desert is also present in the air, meaning some places could see blood rain. Scattered, thundery showers are due to fall on Thursday across western parts of the country, including south-west England, the north-west and Wales. Less macabre than it sounds, so-called blood rain is a phenomenon caused when red dust and sand from the Sahara desert mixes and falls with rain, creating a rusty red colour. In hotter times of the year when evaporation occ...

    Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, said the current fines were not enough and that a new criminal offence would be introduced to punish wilful or reckless behaviour relating to a pension scheme, threatening unlimited fines and prison terms of up to seven years for the worst offenders. Rudd will tell parliament on Monday that the new measures show that the Conservative government is on the side of workers saving for retirement and that we will protect their incomes from reckless behaviour. More than 10 million people are now enrolled in workplace pension schemes. Rudd, a former JP Morgan banker and business executive, said: For too long the reckless few playing fast and loose with people’s futures have got away scot-free. Acts of astonishing arrogance and ...

    Jewish community leaders and politicians have condemned a third successive year with a record number of antisemitic incidents. Last year, 1,652 incidents, a 16% increase on 2017, were logged by the Community Security Trust, which has monitored antisemitism for 35 years and provides security to the UK Jewish community. The CST said the spread of incidents throughout the year, with more than 100 a month, indicated a general atmosphere of intolerance and prejudice. However, there were also spikes related to events in Gaza and the argument over antisemitism in the Labour party. The biggest number of incidents were in April and May (151 and 182 respectively), when scores of Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured in protests at the border fence between Gaza and I...

Multi-million funding package for community safety, housing, education, children's services and the environment. Overall a council tax increase in line with inflation and income generation to protect frontline services as supported by a majority of residents following feedback from over 2,000 residents and businesses. Council tax rates expected to remain seventh lowest in London. Tower Hamlets Mayor John Biggs and his Cabinet have approved the borough's draft three year budget, which is designed to invest in a cleaner, safer and fairer Tower Hamlets and continue to protect residents from the negative impacts of ongoing austerity and government cuts. The budget proposals, subject to further scrutiny from councillors ahead of being formally adopted at next month's special b...