Rally For Medium Reform (clockwise from top-left): Tom Watson MP, Hugh Grant, Jacqui Hanes, Richard Peppiatt, Mary-Ellen Field, Owen Jones Photos: Gao Xiwei

Anti-Murdoch campaigners are campaigning for a new legal and regulatory media landscape after Hackgate, and outlined their ideas in a Rally for Media Reform at Westminster Central Hall on Friday May 17.

Across town from News International’s Wapping base, the rally was organised by the Coordinating Committee for Media Reform and the Hacked Off campaign. A host of speakers were given five minutes each to put forward proposals to address the problems in the British media.

Sharing the platform among others were Labour and Conservative MPs Tom Watson and Peter Bottomley, ex Daily Star Reporter Richard Peppiatt and phone hacking victims Mary-Ellen Field, former Crimewatch presenter Jacqui Hames and actor Hugh Grant.

Watson and Grant have been two of the most vociferous opponents of News International during both the Leveson Enquiry and the Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearings on phone hacking. In his speech, Grant lambasted both police and press regulation failings. Watson called on the government to drive forward press changes but told the audience: “You are the start of a movement we have to build in the country to make sure once and for all we get proper and comprehensive media reform”

 Video: Olga Chwilowicz

Giving evidence to the Leveson Enquiry into press culture and ethics this morning, Watson said “about a dozen” MPs told him they had been unfairly targeted by the press. Also giving evidence today was former Home Secretary Alan Johnson, who said Scotland Yard were “lethargic” in their response to phone hacking in 2009. The Labour MP said that parliament should set up a regulatory system, like they do with the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

The reforms proposed by the Coordinating Committee for Media Reform focus on the need for diversity in the press, support for journalists and a new economic model based on levies from broadcasters, internet companies and mobile phone operators.

They demand that any company owning over 15 per cent of one media audience must have governance structures that are accountable to the public and they must provide public interest journalism. They also propose a News Publishing Commission to replace the Press Complaints Commission. As well as giving a statutory right of reply and complaints tribunal, the new body would have a conscience clause to deter journalists from unethical dealings.

A lack of diversity within the media was highlighted by the first speaker, Owen Jones, author of ‘Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class’. He said: ” Much of the media, especially national media, is becoming a closed shop for the professional middle class. The Sutton Trust  a few years ago did a study, where they looked at the top 100 journalists in this country, over half were privately educated. Just one in ten went to a comp.”

Owen said that the unpaid internship is a national scandal, asking: ” If you’re an aspiring working class journalist from Glasgow or Manchester, how can you hope to live  in London, one of the most expensive cities on earth for free? “. He said he hoped this campaign could build a media which is free from dominance and representative of all society.

After the rally, East London Lines spoke to members of the audience about what they had heard:

Click here to watch the Rally for Media Reform in full.

The Surrey Heights Casting at Shoosh, Croydon Photo: Max Owens

Aimee Butcher, 22, of Croydon has proposed a reality TV series to showcase the diversity and talent in Croydon. The auditions for the show took place for almost a week, and with some 5,000 applicants, the judging panel saw hundreds of auditionees daily.

Aimee told us about her ideas for wanting to create the show and gave us the exclusive on the casting process:

Aimee Butcher, 22 – Surrey Heights Producer tells all.

The judging panel included Aimee, the brains behind the idea for the show, and two other Croydon residents: Josh Stutter who lives on an estate in Croydon, and Joey Maxwell-Simbo. They talked about looking for people with a unique story who will help present the best that Croydon has to offer.

Joey spoke about looking to present both sides of Croydon – the haves and the have nots; to show that Croydon like any other London borough boasts a spectrum of wealth and diversity. Josh, like Joey, was looking for someone “exciting” who he could feel would make good viewing.

It was reported that the casting team for the Surrey Height show were not only looking for “chavs”. After four full days of casting the judging panel expressed a little bit of disappointment at not having seen a single “Croydon facelift”. But they assured us at East London Lines that the search continues as they want to show all the faces and sides of Croydon and put the “real” back into “Reality TV”.

East London Lines spoke to some of the hopefuls who came to show off their unique qualities to the panel of judges.

Joe Hagan and Jordan Rhodes

"Chocolate Orange"

Jordan Rhodes, 21, from Oxted, Surrey – sounds pretty lively but didn’t seem so sure about why she should be on the show. We believe in you Jordan!

Joe Hagan, 21, was the only person to turn up at the auditions accompanied by a manager. Definitely came across as a serious contender.

Double act CourtneyDee Thompson, 21, and Alix Beadon, 19, gave a huge dose of the bright characters – also known as Chocolate Orange. The duo are Croydon girls born and bred, got their excitement across to be auditioning and taking the opportunity to do something new and fun:

The series itself has not yet been commissioned by a television channel, but the project has attracted both media and public attention across London, and nationwide with coverage in the Evening Standard and The Sun.

The making of the series is being filmed by Mentorn Media – Danni Davis from the production company spoke to East London Lines about why they are following Aimee’s story as she brings the project to life:

In the words of the producer Aimee Butcher – “watch this space”.

Additional reporting and production by Maxwell Owens

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Dogs in the Parks. Advice and guidance from Hackney Council

Dog owners in Hackney are facing more criticism for the behaviour of their pets, and not just around humans, but around trees.

Hackney council is urging owners to be vigilant, after an increase in the amount of  “irreversible damage” to trees caused by dogs over the last couple of years.

There is particular concern around the biting and scratching of tree trunks, and for branches being pulled and broken off for dogs to bite.  ”Wounds” to a tree can leave it vulnerable to infection and prevent sap flowing to the shoots and leaves, eventually killing the tree.

The council describes the cost of removing and replacing damaged trees as “huge”. Last year, it fenced in 29 trees in Hackney Downs, where it claims the problem is particularly bad.

Councillor Jonathan McShane, Hackney Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture, says:

“Some dog owners may believe they are doing their pet good by exercising their jaws, teeth or claws and not realise the long term damage they are doing to the trees. As well as affecting their individual appearance, if trees are cut down, it ruins the patterns of well established trees that have been growing for decades. I urge all dog owners to act responsibly with their dogs and consider how their actions can harm the environment.”

It comes less than a year after the council announced it was bringing in new Dog Control Orders, similar to Anti-Social Behaviour Orders for humans. These include “dog exclusion” orders, where dogs are completely banned, as well as “dogs on leads” orders, which would prevent owners from letting their dogs off leads in certain areas.

Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, Local Authorities have the power to serve orders to tackle dog-related issues. This includes owners who don’t pick up their dog’s mess, for which there is an £80 fixed penalty, with a maximum fine of £1,000 if prosecuted.

The Dog Control Orders (DCOs) came into force in April this year, but have been criticised because of a lack of enforcement; without a warden or police presence in the park, the council relies on members of the public to report bad behaviour.

However, Hackney council insists that officers will spend more time on the streets enforcing the DCOs, and is also offering free training sessions to promote responsible dog ownership, in partnership with the Dogs Trust.

The Darling Dog Company runs group classes and workshops

Louise Glazebrook is a dog behaviourist and trainer, who also owns The Darling Dog Company. She regularly runs training classes on responsible dog ownership with the Dogs Trust in London:

Responsible dog ownership in the capital is becoming a more contentious issue in light of new tougher sentencing guidelines for owners of dangerous dogs. The Sentencing Council, who issued the guidelines just days ago, says more offenders “will face jail sentences”.

It adds:

“More will get community orders and fewer will receive discharge… It will also help courts make the best use of their powers so that irresponsible owners who put the public at risk can be banned from keeping dogs, genuinely dangerous dogs can be put down, and compensation can be paid to victims.”

The new guidelines also mean that the class of “vulnerable victim” will now include elderly people and those with disabilities, as well as children. Typically the maximum jail sentence for allowing an animal to cause injury is 12 months, but the new guidelines recommend 18 months.

This follows a series of high-profile dog attacks in recent years, including the case of John-Paul Massey, aged 4, and Barbara Williams, aged 52, who both died from their injuries.

East London Lines spoke to dog owners in Hackney to find out what they thought of the new, tougher sentences:

The new sentencing guidelines will come into full effect from 20th August.

Hackney Council is running a number of ‘Responsible Dog Ownership Training Sessions‘ across the borough.

For more information on dog control and animal services:

The Hackney Animal Warden Service: 020 8356 6688

Dogs Trust City Dogs Hotline: 07539 863407

For more information relating to Dog Control Orders: 020 8356 4839

Dog exclusion orders considered by council

Man whose dog killed a woman avoids jail

Locals torn over dangerous out-and-about dogs in Lewisham

Dogs Trust teaches city youths about dog training

Woman charged for out of control dangerous dog

Ten years as the directly elected Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock. Photo: Delores William

The Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, has just celebrated ten years as Lewisham’s first directly elected mayor. In an interview with East London Lines, he says “that, of course, there have been difficult days but the good far outweigh the bad.”

Looking back on his time in office, the formation of the Young Mayor of Lewisham, was one of his highlights. The scheme started eight years ago and gives young people a chance to get involved with local politics and make decisions on issues that affect their area.

Bullock is proud of the scheme, and is still in touch with the first young mayor, Manny Hawks 2004-5, and last year’s young mayor, Kieran Lang 2011-12,  is now studying at university.

Lewisham was the first mayoral authority to hold elections for a Youth Mayor and the initiative has won national acclaim.

Bullock passionately believes that the future of democracy at any level means that it has to engage young people, and the young need to be directly involved.

The challenge of modern local government is that most of the money and power in decision-making  is drawn from the Westminster Parliament, government departments and European Union institutions.

It is easily forgotten that it was local councils that pioneered sanitation, health, education, welfare, improved housing, and even votes for women.

Lewisham is one of only three London Boroughs with a directly elected Mayor. There are 16 in total across the country.

Lewisham’s referendum giving the thumbs up for a directly elected Mayor in 2001 was won by a whisker. A margin of 2% and 908 votes and a turn-out of only 18% of the electorate. Local democracy is continually fighting apathy, complacency, and a perception that in the 21st century it does not make any difference.

Mayor Bullock may be a Knight of the Realm, one of the most widely respected figures in British local government, but longevity in office and any power he wields has left no trace of the pompous or sense of standing on ceremony.

For the interview, he was the usual down-to-earth, “Steve the Mayor”, looking relaxed in his busy office, open-neck shirt, and no self-aggrandizing as the former van driver made good from Redcar, in North Yorkshire so often written in profiles about him.

But he didn’t start out in private road transport. He was driving for the local urban district council. The atmosphere in the Mayor’s office could be described as progressive and busy politeness.

Lewisham Borough Coat of Arms. Its motto means "The Welfare of the People is the first great Law."

There’s work to be done, and it’s not that easy to find the borough’s Coat of Arms, bearing all the pageantry of tradition and history, and a Latin motto “Salus Populi Suprema Lex”, that means the welfare of the people is the first great law.

Mayor Bullock was a policy advisor to Ken Livingstone, in the run up to the 2012 London Mayoral Elections. They are political colleagues going back a long way, and developed the ‘Fare’s Fair’ policy of the former Greater London Council that was challenged in the courts and frustrated by conservative central government.

Labour did well on May 3 this year, but Bullock does not need reminding that its London Mayoral candidate lost spectacularly against the national swing.

When East London Lines asked him why he thought Livingstone had failed he quickly got to the point: “Ken is about 10 years older than the mayor”, and he believes that “he could not get his point across because he is a pensioner.”

The Mayor thinks that Livingstone still has a lot to offer, but sends a warning to other politicians. The challenge is to  ”know when the electorate have had enough of you.”

Despite Livingstone announcing his retirement, Bullock does not think we have seen the last of the former London Mayor.

He says he does not think he needs to learn Livingstone’s lesson yet: “It’s up to my colleagues and the electorate on how long I stay in office.”

Summer riots 2011. Photo: East London Lines

The riots in the summer of 2011 were the worst experience. He had been on holiday and arrived back on the first day of the riots. He believes it’s important that everyone remembers that the majority of rioters  were not just young people. In his words “This was about people who frankly should have known better up to, and including pensioners.”

The disappointment is still clearly there, but so are his heroes of the day. He praised the street cleaners, who get up early most working days. But on the morning after the riots they were up extra early for the clean up; so early in fact that when residents came to help they were thanked and told to go home as the clean-up had already been completed.

Bullock finds the financial cutbacks, and the fierce criticism that he faced over the closure of five libraries a constant disappointment.  He says  that “watching some of the good works  undone after spending the last ten years  building them up was particularly hard.”

Bullock stresses that he “can’t fix the economy of  Europe” but he can try and help Lewisham get through this very difficult time.

Lewisham Library

He praised the communities that have helped keep the local libraries open and  turned them into meeting hubs . Despite the economic woes of the country and the borough, he is still very proud of The Deptford Lounge, and the refurbishment of the swimming pool in Forest Hill.

Bullock has not found it easy getting them updated, but feels his persistence and tenacity has seen the pools renovation come to fruition.  The pool in  Forest Hill has kept its Victorian frontage, and inside it has been updated to a state of the art building which includes a café, gym and space for other community events.

The Mayor is getting excited about the upcoming celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee happening across the borough. There have been over sixty applications for street parties and he believes that Lewisham residents have topped all other boroughs in enthusiasm and community solidarity. He feels  proud that as a community in times of trouble they are able to unite together for such celebrations.

Lewisham- a population of about 250,000 and a Mayor determined to improve its housing provision.

As for crime in the area, figures are down. The Mayor is in full support of Operation Trilogy, a Metropolitan Police led initiative aimed at gang distruption. Operation Trilogy provides a proactive response to tackling gun and drug related criminality.

He feels that the past ten years have shown him to be a good mayor, but he also accepts that the next ten years will hold fresh and new challenges for him.

At the end of the interview he emphasized that the biggest challenge remains providing more homes for people living in the borough. There is a critical shortage exacerbated by rent inflation, and the failure of the banking system and private housing market to make home ownership a reality for people on low and middle incomes.

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Five public libraries axed in council cuts meeting

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Alan Dein: 'After You've Gone: East End Shopfronts, 1988' Photo: George Drake Jr

The lost array of East London shopfronts is being celebrated in a new photography exhibition at the borough’s Local History Library & Archives.

After You’ve Gone  opened on Thursday night and captures the East End in the late 1980s, soon before the traditional local shops began to make way for the modern high street.

The photographs were taken by BBC Radio 4′s Alan Dein and are displayed with residents’ memories of the businesses they depict, as well as images of the locations today taken by Ais Clafferty.

Dein told EastLondonLines he only ever intended the photos to be a personal record and is delighted with the exhibition.

He said: “I’ve found through my own passion with the story of the East End, so many people from different generations – whether they’ve known the East End all their lives or they’ve just discovered it last month – they are intrigued by it. They are fascinated by this place and I hope that these kind of images are part of that fascination.”

'After You've Gone: East End Shopfronts, 1988' Photo: George Drake Jr

By 1988, many of the shopfronts pictured had already closed down. One of the most striking images in the exhibition is 111 Mile End Road: at that time it still held the remnants of Walters Man’s Shop but today the Georgian Terrace, which was hidden behind, has been restored.  One would never know that Walters existed.

Shopfronts come and go and so make very good records of change. Dein also wanted to capture the colour of an area so often depicted in black and white:

The exhibition follows a positive response to appearance of the images on the website Spittalfields Life. The present day photographs were taken by Ais Clafferty, who told EastLondonLines she got involved after being shown them by exhibition’s researcher and digitiser Emma Hunt.

Most of Clafferty’s photography involves abandoned buildings.  She said: “It’s the sort of remnants of something that existed before; the kind of clues as to what may have happened there. And you can kind of make up your own narrative from the sort of fragments that are left.”

Clafferty also told EastLondonLines how she found all of Dein’s original locations:

After You’ve Gone: East End Shopfronts, 1988 is at the Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives until July 12. Free Admission.

Recordings by George Drake Jr.

Police Community Support Officers play a key role along with the media and public in helping with missing person alerts. Photo: Met Police

A Metropolitan Police appeal to the public to help them find a missing Sydenham woman has been successful.

Dion Hall, 45, had been missing from her home since 4 p.m. May 13.

The Met Police have announced that she was was found on Thursday evening in the Kensington and Chelsea area: ”We thank the media for their assistance with this matter.”

She has been reported as “safe and well.”

Police concerned for missing Sydenham woman 

Produced by Max Owens and George Drake Jr

Presented by Max Owens

Contributors: Alex Adey, Raziye Akkoc, Alex Bishop, Olga Chwilowicz, Steph Davies, George Drake Jr, Heidi Gao, Max Owens and Delores William.

Link Dump:

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Foster Care Fortnight

Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives

Her Majesty the Queen

The Queen Visits Bromley. Photo: Dolores William

People turned out in their thousands on Tuesday, to see the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who were visiting Bromley as part of the Diamond Jubilee tour. The rain and cold were not able to dampen people’s spirits, or the carnival atmosphere, as the crowds waved their union flags and local school children cheered as they greeted the arrival of the Royals.

A local shop was giving away strawberries and cream which proved very popular. As the Royal couple arrived, the sun came out to everyone’s pleasure.

The visit started at Queen’s Gardens, where there are a number of floral displays and then on to a fashion exhibition show-casing “Britain’s Best.”

After walking through the Glades Shopping Centre they were presented with a gold clock and flowers from Bromley traders.

They then spent ten minutes talking to individuals in the crowd in the market square.

After leaving Bromley the Royal couple left for St Mark’s Academy in Merton on the next leg of their tour.

The Duke of Edinburgh in Bromley. Photo: Delores William

East London Lines spoke to Katie Smith, 41, from Catford, who said  that it had made her day and couldn’t believe that she had seen the Queen in the middle of Bromley.

Our Lewisham reporter, Delores William, was in Bromley and spoke to some of the people who came out to see the Queen.

Queen reopening Cutty Sark ceremony [Audio]

Doors about to close on Warehouse Theatre pic: Stephanie Davies

The once prestigious Warehouse Theatre, located in East Croydon and forced into administration earlier this month, faces imminent closure due to a lack of funding.

Following funding cuts from the Arts Council last year and more recently a U-turn on proposed finances from Croydon Council, the Board were left with no alternative but to seek administrative advice. Sunday’s performance may be its last.  Croydon’s arts community faces yet another blow.

Members of the theatre say they plan to appeal. But Annie Richards from Streatham, who has worked at the theatre since December 2009, is less hopeful about the venue’s future.

Speaking to East London Lines, she gives her response to the news of the imminent closure of the theatre and also spoke of her concerns about her job:

A spokesman from Croydon Council told East London Lines: “We are disappointed to hear that the Warehouse Theatre has gone into administration. We hope that they will be successful in raising alternative sources of funding and we have offered our support in this endeavour. If the Warehouse is unable to survive then we will aim to restore studio theatre to Croydon as part of the re-modelling of the Fairfield Halls.”

Ted Craig, the Artistic Director of the Warehouse Theatre, told East London Lines about the reasons for the impending closure of the theatre. He remains hopeful, and spoke about the campaign to save the theatre set up by its members:

Final show at Warehouse Theatre

Warehouse Theatre Box Office pic: Stephanie Davies

The production currently on stage at the Warehouse Theatre - Call Mr. Robeson has been allowed to run until the end of its schedule on Sunday May 20, 2012. The play follows the life of Paul Robeson, an African-American singer and self-confessed communist. It has been well received by theatre members and employees alike. The message behind the play, one of perseverance and standing up for your rights in the face of adversity, seems to have some significance for the theatre in the words of Tayo Aluko, who wrote and performs the play.

Video courtesy of Tayo Aluko

Aluko said that once it was confirmed that the play “Call Mr. Robeson” would run until its final show at the Warehouse Theatre on May 20 – he pledged to donate the showing’s proceeds to fund the theatre’s survival.

The play has received a very positive response in the theatre with one member of staff saying she was glad the theatre would close with such a brilliant play as its last. Aluko has vowed to bring “Call Mr. Robeson” to the Warehouse again, should the theatre successfully reopen.

Listen to Tayo Aluko’s full interview with East London Lines here:

For tickets to what seems to be its final show, contact the Warehouse Theatre.

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Produced by Max Owens and George Drake Jr

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