EIGHT MORE PROSECUTIONS UNDER ‘DON’T MESS WITH CROYDON’ CLAMPDOWN

A decorator who fly-tipped 20 bags of building waste in a Croydon lane has been sentenced to community service and ordered to pay £3,300 as one of eight successful council prosecutions on Tuesday.
 
Magistrates ordered the eight offenders to pay a total of £6,700 in fines and court costs for the offences, ranging from illegally dumping business waste to urinating in the street. The council has now successfully prosecuted 80 people in court under its Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign.

Tuesday’s biggest sentence of 120 hours’ unpaid community service and £3,300 in overall costs was handed to a man whose business was caught after dumping building waste on a grass verge beside Old Lodge Lane in Purley on 20-21 March.

His four charges were failing to prove he was a registered waste carrier, not providing waste transfer notes, failure to attend an interview under caution and knowingly causing or permitting waste to be illegally deposited.

Two of Tuesday’s prosecutions were against an estate agents and a food importing business for separate commercial waste fly-tipping, while other offenders had dumped materials ranging from black sacks of rubbish to wooden planks and a chair.

Tuesday’s other prosecutions were:

•Businessman ordered to pay a total of £1,040 as both an individual and director of a company for dumping oil drums, black bin liners and cardboard in Beulah Road on 22 October.

•Estate agents ordered to pay a total of £685 for fly-tipping black sacks of business waste on the pavement in Melfort Road on 29 October.

•Male ordered to pay a total of £355 for urinating on the pavement in Beulah Road on 23 October.

•Female ordered to pay a total of £355 for dumping cardboard boxes in Egerton Road on 5 October.

•Female ordered to pay a total of £355 for fly-tipping wooden planks and black sacks next to a bus stop in Beulah Road on 22 October.

•Defendant ordered to pay a total of £355 for littering a broken chair and a cardboard box in London Road on 23 November.

•Woman ordered to pay a total of £255 for dropping a cigarette in Bedford Park on 28 October.

The Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign combines getting local people to become community champions with enforcement against the worst offences.

As well as prosecuting people in court and handing out over 800 fixed penalty fines, since launching the initiative in summer 2014 the council has also signed up over 280 community champions who lead litter picks, carried out more than 1,320 business licence inspections and encouraged over 240 businesses to sign a pledge to keep their street tidier.

Any resident or business found to have fly-tipped or used an unlicensed waste carrier faces unlimited fines and a possible court conviction.

For more information on how to get involved in the Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign please visit: https://www.croydon.gov.uk/environment/dontmess/dont-mess

You can also report dumped waste via the council’s dedicated fly-tipping hotline on 0208 604 7000, the council’s My Croydon smartphone app or by emailing [email protected].

“BUSINESS RATES DISCOUNT IF FIRMS REGISTER AS LONDON LIVING WAGE EMPLOYER” SAY LEWISHAM COUNCIL….LARGER DEVELOPERS FACE CHARGES OF UP TO £4,500 TO MEET SOUTHWARK COUNCIL
 
Lewisham council are offering all local business rate payers a discount worth up to £5,000 on their business rates if they become accredited London Living Wage employers in the upcoming financial year.

The London Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK and currently stands at £9.40 per hour.

Employers choose to pay the living wage on a voluntary basis and the independently set rate ensures that employees can earn an ethical wage that covers the costs of living in London.

“In 2012, we became one of the first councils to pay the London Living Wage and since then we’ve worked to encourage other Lewisham-based employers to become accredited London Living Wage employers too” said a council spokeswoman.

At an event at the civic suite in Catford Sir Steve Bullock presented Stella Brown, the director of Deptford Reach, with a Mayor of Lewisham business award for the centre’s commitment to paying the London Living Wage to its staff.

Matthew Johnson and Sean Canty, from CAM Specialist Support in Forest Hill, also spoke at the event and told guests about CAM’s experience of paying the London Living Wage to employees.

The working-at-height cleaning specialist is one of only two private sector organisations in the borough accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.

Matthew Johnson, director, said: ‘The London Living Wage has enhanced the way we view ourselves as a company, and the way we are viewed by existing and potential customers and has helped grow the business.

“We definitely see a better quality of applicants for vacant posts within the company, staff retention has improved and the staff we have are more engaged within our business.” (Source: Lewisham council press release.)

LARGER DEVELOPERS FACE CHARGES OF UP TO £4,500 TO MEET SOUTHWARK COUNCIL – householders face £150 bill.

Southwark council have announced it will be increasing its charges for pre-application planning advice to reclaim the costs from larger developers.

The money will be ploughed back into council services to make sure all residents feel the benefits of development, said a council statement.

“Councils across London, including Southwark, have charged developers for pre-application discussions for several years.

“These meetings ensure that when applications are formally submitted that the meet local planning policies and that any concerns with the proposed scheme have been raised in advance.

“Southwark’s charges have not been reviewed since they were introduced in 2008, but the number of large scale developments happening, or due to take place, has significantly increased.

“The council’s planning team also receives thousands of queries each year from our residents – from a simple ‘do I need an application for this work?’ to more technical questions like ‘how high can I raise my roof for this extension?’ that require a more formal, bespoke response.

“Now, as well as significantly increasing the charge to developers, Southwark council will introduce a flat rate of £150 for the more bespoke level of pre-application advice to householders.

Southwark’s cabinet member for regeneration and new homes Cllr Mark Williams said: “Southwark is tackling the housing crisis head-on by building more homes of all kinds, and we know that there will be more large development projects in the future.

“It is only fair that developers pay the appropriate amount for the skills, time and experience of our planning department.

“By raising more money in this way it means we can protect other frontline services the council delivers.

“We have ensured that simple, day-to-day enquiries from our residents are not charged. However developers with larger, more technical and expensive applications that take up more officer time will have to contribute more for the professional service provided by our officers.”

The charges will allow the planners to process applications more quickly too as the ground work will have been completed through the consultation process, so applications can receive a decision swiftly without going back and forth. (Source: Southwark council press release)

Update: A Southwark council spokesperson has explained the meaning of ‘bespoke levels’ to News From Crystal Palace thus:

The press release refers to the bespoke levels in the previous sentence – it is questions around specific applications that require more investigation and analysis from planners, the example given is someone asking specifically about the height a roof extension can go to.

“The council’s planning team also receives thousands of queries each year from our residents – from a simple ‘do I need an application for this work?’ to more technical questions like ‘how high can I raise my roof for this extension?’ that require a more formal, bespoke response.”

This is as opposed to our more common household enquiries that we can simply say yes or no and refer people to the appropriate page on the website for example.

USE OF ZERO HOURS CONTRACTS ON THE RISE IN LONDON – new statistics show 95,000 workers with no guaranteed hours

New statistics released this week have shown an increase in the number of Londoners on controversial zero-hour contracts.

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows the number of Londoners on zero-hour contracts has risen by 18,000 since the same October to December period in 2014, meaning there are now 95,000 workers in the capital without guaranteed hours.

The data also shows that  2.2 per cent of London’s workforce are now employed on zero hour contracts, up 0.4 per cent from 1.8 per cent on the same period the year previous.

A London Assembly Labour party press release says: “Whilst the data doesn’t show the number of zero hour contracts which include exclusivity clauses preventing workers from also taking jobs elsewhere, ONS analysis showed that over a quarter, 27 pc, or those on zero hour contracts who were surveyed said they wanted more hours in their current job or an additional job elsewhere.

Labour’s London Assembly economy spokeswoman Dr Fiona Twycross said:“The rise in the number of zero hour contracts is deeply worrying. “Whilst they work for some people, many workers are actively seeking more hours or extra job to make ends meet.

“The uncertainty of zero-hour contracts isn’t just bad for employees, it undermines the London economy by reducing training and upskilling and entrenches low pay.

“Workers need protections put in place to guarantee at least a basic income from their job; not wildly fluctuating hours which leave them in limbo from week to week.” (Source: GLA Labour party press release).

SOUTHWARK BRING IN GREATER PROTECTION FOR FOUR OF ITS HIGH STREETS

Planning chiefs at Southwark Council have put the final seal of approval on a move to protect the vitality and vibrancy of four major shopping areas in the borough by using an Article 4 Direction.
 
Shops along Lordship Lane, Peckham Rye Lane, Walworth Road and Camberwell town centre have been highlighted as areas where the automatic permitted development rights (which were brought in by government) have been removed by an Article 4 direction. This means any proposed changes of use still have to go through the council’s planning procedures, and – if there are local objections – considered before a planning committee in public.

This means, for example, retail space such as a former bakery or butchers (classed as A1 use in planning terms) in the Article 4 areas, can’t automatically be turned into an A2 use like an estate agents or bank.

Cllr Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration and new homes, said: “Our local high streets are vital parts of our communities and we want to help them thrive and keep the hustle and bustle that attracts shoppers to the area.”

When our high streets are dominated by other uses than shops then they can lose that vitality and sense of activity. By applying the Article 4 Direction on these specific areas we can gain back some of the control over the future of shops on these streets that the government has tried to remove. This will complement our work to make our high streets healthier to help tackle the growing obesity crisis in Southwark, and also crack down on payday lenders and bookies who suck money out of our borough and put nothing back into the local community.”

Whilst the Article 4 Direction doesn’t absolutely mean a premises won’t change use, it means planners will get to consider any applications and strengthens the Council to use its policies so an application can be refused. An application can be approved if the applicant can prove the premises have been rigorously marketed for at least 12 months.

Protection of active retail space has also been highlighted in the new Southwark Plan, which is currently out for consultation. (Source: Southwark council press release)

MEET TWO LAMBETH COUNCIL PLANNING OFFICERS FOR ONE HOUR? THAT’S £169.45 PLEASE
 
A Crystal Palace businesswoman who met two Lambeth council officers to discuss why two planning applications were refused has paid a bill of almost £170 for doing so.

Shinali McCusker, co-owner of Sefgrove chemists on Westow Hill, says she was “surprised” at the £169.45 fee – plus 1.5 per cent credit card payment – which comes on top of £195 for the two planning applications which have been made for the shop.

At the meeting she was told by one of the planning officers that conservation laws changed last year.

“The reason permission was refused was because the back of the property was not in keeping with the building.”

Mrs McCusker, who intends to appeal against the planning refusals, now believes officers misread the application.

The first application was for demolition of existing rear extension at basement level; erection of replacement rear extension in the location of demolished extension at basement level constructed to the ground floor level; erection of additional rear new extension to raise the existing basement construction to ground floor level.

Permission for a similar application was granted in 2011 but work never began and that permission has now lapsed – so a fresh application was submitted.

Lambeth refused planning permission for the latest application on the grounds that:1 The proposed rear extensions by virtue of their design, siting and size would fail to harmonise with the plan form of the original building and erodes the visual superiority of the existing rear elevation and would cause substantial harm to the setting of the Westow Hill (North Side) Conservation Area contrary to policies Q11 and Q22 of the Local Plan (2015).

The second application was to remove the existing render to the front elevation at 1st and 2nd floors levels and to re-render the elevations to match the existing including re-placing all the existing architectural features..

Lambeth refused planning permission on the grounds that 1 The existing render which has been applied to the elevations of the building is not a true representation of the original building, which was constructed using traditional construction methods and materials, including brick stock and timber framed windows in keeping with neighbouring properties. The proposal to remove and replace the render to the front elevation at 1st and 2nd floors levels to match the existing including re-placing all the existing architectural features as the existing would, therefore fail to re-instate, preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the property and the wider Westow Hill (north) Conservation Area and as such is contrary to the objectives of Policy Q22 of the Lambeth Local Plan (2015)

But when Mrs McClusker asked about rendering being removed from the outside of another building on the same side of Westow Hill without any planning permission apparently being given she was told they did not know anything about that – and that they couldn’t comment.

And she has since had it confirmed that underneath the rendering is just brick. “It shows we were right all along and this building was rendered.” she added.

CRYSTAL PALACE BUSINESS BAGEL TOMORROW MORNING!
 
Every 1st Wednesday of the month at 7.30am

New contacts are essential for businesses to evolve.
The bagel helps people do just that.

MEET OTHER PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS OWNERS
WORK COLLABORATIVELY
MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS (Coming soon)
SHOWCASE YOUR SERVICES TO OTHER LOCAL COMPANIES
INFORMAL BUT PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING
GREAT HOME MADE HOT BREAKFASTS (details)
FREE ENTRY INTO OUR EXCLUSIVE ONLINE DIRECTORY
(Boosting your online presence and SEO)

Ticket prices include a hot breakfast of your choice

See website for further details

Buy Tickets Now

Where: Brown & Green Cafe Crystal Palace
 
99 Church Road, London SE19 2PR

When: Every 1st Wednesday of the month at 7.30am

Any questions? Drop us a line but we hope to see you there.

www.businessbagel.co.uk

TRADESMAN PROSECUTED FOLLOWING FLY-TIPPING PROBE……FAKE GOODS SELLER ORDERED TO PAY BACK £150,000 .

Traders – as well as residents – are being warned to make checks before they allow someone else to dispose of their waste.

The warning follows a trader being prosecuted after a fly-tip incident was discovered on Skeet Hill, Orpington last year.

An Orpington man pleaded guilty to unlawfully transferring waste and failing to obtain a waste transfer note.

He was fined and ordered to pay costs totalling almost £800 at Bromley magistrates court.

The court was told that a fly-tip had been discovered in Skeet Hill Lane, Orpington in March of last year. Along with boxes, tyres, household waste, a door and a toilet, investigators found evidence linked to an address in Orpington where the man had been working.

The court heard that he had recently established a new business and had been unaware of the relevant rules regarding waste disposal and he admitted to passing on waste to unknown males who had cold called at the property he was working at.

He did not check that the cold-callers were licensed nor did he receive the appropriate paperwork upon waste transfer. The court concluded the man had acted naively rather than with criminal intent and therefore imposed a lower fine than would normally be expected for an offence of this kind, which could potentially have been up to £5,000.

The court concluded the man had acted naively rather than with criminal intent and therefore imposed a lower fine than would normally be expected for an offence of this kind, which could potentially have been up to £5,000.

The offender was ordered to pay £648 in costs to Bromley council in addition to £130 to courts and a £20 victim surcharge.

“Legally, anyone who collects waste as a business activity must be authorised to collect and receive waste” explained a Bromley council spokesman.

“Businesses and householders are being reminded to make the necessary checks or risk prosecution.”

Bromley’s executive councillor for environment Cllr Colin Smith said: “We all need to be a lot wiser and smarter when we dispose of waste, mindful of our own responsibilities and the distinct possibility that if we are not careful, our actions could simply result in waste being fly-tipped somewhere nearby.

“Fly-tipping is not victimless and apart from the clear-up costs for the often disgusting mess, the results can also not only be extremely dangerous.

“The case highlights the importance of both tradesmen and residents undertaking waste carrier checks before passing on waste to other parties. “I would advise anyone responding to someone on their doorstep to be extremely cautious of any offers to remove their waste for a small fee.”
(Source: Bromley council press release)

FAKE GOODS SELLER ORDERED TO PAY BACK £150,000 .

A convicted rogue trader has been ordered to pay £150,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and over £10,357 in legal costs.

The confiscation hearing, brought forward by Southwark Council’s trading standards team, ordered the trader to pay back the amount within 28 days or a default sentence of 12 months imprisonment would be imposed.

He had originally convicted of Trade Marks offences in February 2015 at Snaresbrook Crown Court after being found with a car load of fake designer goods such as Dolce & Gabbana, Nike, Lacoste, Christian Dior, Versace, Ralph Lauren, Y-3, Superdry, G-Star and True Religion.

At the time he was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and issued with an 80 hours community order.

Southwark’s cabinet member for communities and safety  Cllr Michael Situ said: “We want Southwark to have a strong local economy – where legitimate business can thrive free from unfair competition – and where consumers are not deceived into buying sub-standard fake goods.

“This result should serve as a warning that the council will take firm action against those that deal in illicit, fake and unsafe goods to ensure they do not benefit from their crime.”

The confiscation order is split between HM Treasury, Southwark Council and the Confiscation Unit. The council are required to reinvest the amount received on enforcement. (Source: Southwark council press release)

FREE TRADING STANDARDS COURSES BEING RUN IN CROYDON…..FLY-TIPPING CLAMPDOWN FINDS 80 BUSINESSES BREAKING LAW
 
The laws surrounding the sale of age-restricted goods are outlined in a course being offered, free of charge, to local businesses by Croydon’s trading standards department.
 
The “Fair Trading Award do you Pass?” accredited training course informs traders on what the law expects of them and their staff, explains what checks can be used to ensure a customer is old enough to make certain purchases, and offers advice on the best ways to refuse a sale.

Age-restricted products include tobacco, alcohol and knives, and their sale to under-18s can lead to prosecution and heavy financial penalties. A recent prosecution resulted in fines and costs totalling almost £7,000 for a local trader who sold a £1 craft knife to a young person.

The course encourages discussion between delegates on the issues they face when selling such products. Successful candidates are presented with the Fair Trading Award certificate.

Attendees are provided with an information pack containing everything they need to ensure their business is protected. For more information, visit www.tradingstandards.uk/events/doyouPASS.cfm

Croydon’s trading standards department will be hosting eight courses across four days, each with 15 spaces. The next sessions are on the following dates.

• Friday 1 April – 10am to 12.45pm; 1.15 to 4pm.

• Thursday 21 July – 10am to 12.45pm; 1.15 to 4pm.

• Thursday 27 October – 10am to 12.45pm; 1.15 to 4pm.

• Wednesday 25 January 2017 – 10am to 12.45pm; 1.15 to 4pm.

As indicated, each session runs for approximately 2 hours 45 minutes, and includes a 30-minute multiple-choice exam. These courses are offered free of charge and are available only to small or medium-sized Croydon-based businesses.

Unique to Croydon, the sessions will also feature a short presentation from Public Health Croydon entitled “Protecting children and young people – everyone’s business”.

Councillor Mark Watson, cabinet member for safety and justice, said: “The council’s trading standards department has done a great job in engaging with the borough’s traders and making them aware of their responsibilities.

“To date, more than 300 have attended the ‘do you Pass?’ courses, making Croydon one of the top three local authorities in the UK for delivering this training.

“For traders, it’s a win-win situation; they learn the law, how to deal with situations, they get a certificate – and it’s free. I’d urge any who have yet to take the course, to sign up as soon as possible.”

Booking enquiries can be made by calling 020 8407 1311. Please be aware spaces are limited.

All sessions will be held in Bernard Weatherill House, Croydon council’s headquarters building, adjacent to the Town Hall. Enter via the Corporate Reception entrance in Fell Road. (Source: Croydon council press release)

FLY-TIPPING CLAMPDOWN FINDS 80 BUSINESSES BREAKING LAW
 
More than 80 businesses have been caught breaking the law on waste disposal, say Croydon council.
 
In the past three months council enforcement officers carrying out inspection visits as part of Croydon’s campaign against fly-tipping found 82 businesses operating without a valid waste transfer note or carrier’s licence and told them to get one within 14 days – or face a large fine.

Enforcement officers have carried out more than 1,000 such visits since summer 2014 as part of the council’s Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign, which targets fly-tippers and encourages community clear-ups.

“By law, all businesses must dispose of their waste through holding either a valid Environment Agency licence or a waste transfer note” said a council spokesman. “Any resident or business caught fly-tipping or using an unlicensed waste carrier faces unlimited fines and a possible court conviction” he added.

Since the Don’t Mess With Croydon campaign began, the council have issued more than 800 fixed-penalty notices and prosecuted in excess of 70 people. Over the Christmas period, the council seized four Ford Transit vans used to illegally carry rubbish, and, last May, it successfully prosecuted a man who was given a six-year jail term for fly-tipping 42 tonnes of waste in Waddon.

The council has also encouraged around 270 local residents to become community champions, and council employees and contractors have provided staff and equipment to help out in local clear-ups.

Croydon’s deputy leader and cabinet member for clean and green Croydon Cllr Stuart Collins said: “Every new waste contract means less fly-tipping in our borough, which is why this part of our Don’t Mess campaign is important.

“This law is there to stop fly-tipping blighting our environment, so it doesn’t matter if you’re a handyman, a hairdresser or a hotelier – get a proper waste contract if you don’t already have one, or face the consequences.” (Source: Croydon council press release)

EATING OUT? BE SURE TO ASK: “WHERE’S THE STICKER?”  SAY CROYDON COUNCIL

 
A green and black sticker bearing a large number ‘5’ is a good indicator that the restaurant or food business in which it is displayed knows about, and takes seriously, the important matter of food hygiene.

Anybody who enjoys eating out – or getting a take-away in – should know that the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) makes a real difference in helping make a good choice.

When choosing somewhere to eat for family and friends, it’s good to know that the business knows what’s what when it comes to food hygiene.

Keen to get the message across – and to convince food establishments of the value of prominently displaying their food hygiene rating – Croydon Council’s food safety team is backing the Food Standards Agency’s Where’s the sticker? campaign, starting on 8 February.

It’s much harder to change your mind once you’ve gone inside and sat down. And nobody likes unpleasant surprises when eating out, nor the social embarrassment of learning that the food business has poor food hygiene standards with a rating of only 0 (urgent improvement necessary), 1 (major improvement necessary), or 2 (improvement necessary).

Checking the rating first is one of the little things diners should do for peace of mind and to help keep their loved ones safe.

The rating gives an insight into the parts of the business that often can’t be readily seen, such as the kitchen and storage areas, and means an informed choice about where to eat can be made, leaving you to concentrate on the other things that make for an enjoyable meal.

Check for the food hygiene rating first – simply look for the green and black rating sticker on the window or door and, if you don’t see one, ask: “where’s the sticker?”.

What is the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme?
 
The FHRS provides information about the food hygiene standards found by local authority food safety officers when they inspect food outlets to check that food hygiene laws – designed to protect people’s health – are being met.

If the green and black sticker isn’t displayed – and displaying it is not a legal requirement – simply ask, or check it online at http://ratings.food.gov.uk/

Poor hygiene standards do not have to be tolerated or accepted. If the rating sticker is not on display, what does that say about the business? Make sure the place you choose is taking food hygiene seriously. There is ratings information online for more than 440,000 food businesses, and with more than 93% having a rating of 3, 4 or 5 there’s plenty of choice.

It’s good for business, too.

Any food business, no matter how small, can achieve a top FHRS rating of 5 (very good). A good rating is something to be proud of, so stickers should be displayed, telling potential customers that the business takes food hygiene seriously. It also means that the potential customer does not assume that there is something to hide.

Many businesses that are already displaying their rating say it has made a difference by improved reputation, increased customer confidence and an upturn in customer numbers.

The FHRS campaign encourages people, when eating out or buying food, to look for the green and black rating sticker and have peace of mind that they are making a responsible choice in keeping their family and friends safe.

Ratings can be used in other ways to help improve business, such as including it on promotional materials like menus or advertising leaflets. More information is available at http://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/hygieneratings/toolkit

Croydon’s cabinet member for communities, safety and justice Cllr Mark Watson said: “This is a really worthwhile campaign that, as well as helping diners make an informed choice about selecting somewhere to eat, can be beneficial to food businesses, boosting their customer base and enhancing their reputation.

“When restaurants, take-aways and other food businesses realise that improved food hygiene leads to a higher food safety rating, and then to more customers choosing to eat at their establishments, we’ll see a widespread improvement in food safety practice and fewer prosecutions of businesses that patently have little regard for the health and safety of their clientele.” (Source: Croydon council press release)

FILTHY KITCHEN EARNS RESTAURATEUR £6,000 IN FINES

A coming-of-age ceremony in Thornton Heath became memorable for all the wrong reasons when more than 200 guests fell ill.

The director and owner of the restaurant which catered the event appeared before Croydon magistrates (Tuesday 12) to plead guilty to a string of charges in his own name and that of the company.

Individual fines of £300 were levied against each of 20 hygiene offences – 10 for the company, 10 for the director – alongside costs of £1,880 and a victim surcharge of £120, totaling £8,000.

Environmental health officers were alerted by the event’s organiser in December 2014 when a large number of guests were taken ill.

Enquiries revealed that the food was produced by and delivered from the restaurant, which had been inspected just one month earlier and found to be at the highest risk rating, having a number of hygiene problems requiring immediate attention.

Officers visited the restaurant a few days after the party and noted that the kitchen walls, floor and ceiling were very dirty and damaged in several areas, failing to meet the standards required of a food business.

Kitchen staff were ignorant of basic food safety practices and were seen handling food without washing their hands before doing so.

The hand wash basin could not be used as it was cluttered with dirty cloths and utensils. The freezer was overstocked, with products apparently thrown in without any order applied.

The floor and walls of the walk-in chiller were dirty with food spillages and the shelving was covered in food debris. Raw meat and chicken were stored next to and directly above cooked and ready-to-eat foods, such as salads.

The washing up sink was blocked, with a marked smell of sewage.

Officers gave the director detailed advice and requested that several issues be addressed immediately. These included hand-washing procedures, improvements to the cleaning regime, repairs, and the restaurant’s food-safety management system. the director agreed to rectify these matters.

Returning the following day and finding very little improvement, officers served two hygiene improvement notices as the business was not compliant with hygiene regulations.

Six out of ten of food samples and surface swabs were found to be unsatisfactory, showing that procedures were inadequate and that food was being prepared and sold in an unsafe manner. Officers again advised the director, and required immediate improvements to be made.

A return inspection in January 2015, found some effort had been made to repair and clean, but the business continued to fall short of compliance. The food safety management system was inadequate, the cleaning remained unsatisfactory and repairs had not been completed. (Source: Croydon council press release)

THE TOWN THAT TOOK ON THE TAXMAN / £8,000 FINES FOR FLYPOSTING

A BBC 2 programme being shown tonight (Wednesday) could help local businesses pay less corporation tax.

Highlighting ‘The Town that took on the Taxman’  (9pm) the BBC 2 website says:

For some of the UK’s biggest companies, paying corporation tax seems to be optional. Using devilishly complicated – but completely legal – accounting techniques, they can run rings around HMRC.

Now, the small businesses of one Welsh town are fighting back. The local traders of Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons are embarking on a mission to copy the techniques used by their multinational rivals, and to set up a DIY tax avoidance scheme of their very own.

Presented by Heydon Prowse, co-presenter of BBC Three’s The Revolution Will Be Televised, this film follows the owner of the local coffee shop, clothing stores, smokery, optician and bookshop of on their offshore mission.

It is a journey that will take them to secretive tax havens, smart tax lawyers and even force a showdown with the taxman himself. Can they crack the secrets of the big tax avoiders and level the playing field for the small guy?

£8,000 FINES FOR FLYPOSTING

Magistrates have fined a jet washing company and its director £8,000 plus court costs after a Croydon council investigation found they had been illegally flyposting on lampposts across the borough.

On Tuesday at Croydon Magistrates’ Court, the company and its sole director were found guilty of illegally displaying advertising signs.

Council officers took court action after finding a spate of illegal signs between 8 June and 31 July last year in Thornton Heath, Shirley, Addington, Waddon, Selsdon and central Croydon and receiving no reply to warning letters, said a council statement.

The company and the sole director were ordered to pay a total of £10,270 – £4,000 each for the offences plus £2,270 in court costs and surcharges.

Croydon’s cabinet member for clean and green Croydon Cllr Stuart Collins said: “Fly posters are ugly, can distract drivers and are illegal – this result sends out a clear message that anyone who does it runs the risk of prosecution and fines.” (Source: Croydon council press release)

BECKENHAM GETS PURPLE FLAG FOR NIGHT-TIME ECONOMY

Beckenham has been awarded the prestigious Purple Flag award by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) for its night time economy.

The accreditation indicates a gold standard for town centres at night. In the same way blue flags recognise outstanding beach quality, the purple flag accreditation scheme recognises excellence in managing a thriving, vibrant evening economy atmosphere and that a town centre has addressed potential evening safety concerns.

Cllr Peter Morgan, Bromley’s portfolio holder for renewal and recreation, stated “The decision to award Beckenham this prestigious prize is very positive news and will dovetail well with the public realm improvements we are planning to make. Beckenham’s purple flag status indicates that the town possesses a thriving, vibrant and just as importantly, a safe nightlife too.

“This is not just about bars and pubs but also includes the many and varied activities which can be found in the evening in Beckenham, including the impressive range of eateries, the cinema and even the choral activities which take place in the church.” Source: Bromley council press release)

COUNCIL ‘TAX SEARCH’ COMPANY FOUND BREAKING THE RULES
 
The chance of a council tax rebate prompted an elderly woman to reveal her bank account details – and saw her receive a bill for £65 to cover the cost of “extensive research” carried out on her behalf.
 
The 72-year-old South Norwood resident was saved from making the payment when her concerned daughter cancelled the standing order that had been set up, and contacted the council’s trading standard’s (TS) team to question the validity of the council tax-overpayment scheme.

The call was made despite the woman’s details being listed with the Telephone Preference Service which is designed to prevent phone account holders receiving cold calls.

“TS officers are warning residents that they could receive similar calls from companies that, while offering a legitimate service, fail to follow industry guidelines put in place to protect consumers” said a council spokesman.

“The woman believed that the caller was a representative of Croydon council when she was told that, due to many properties having been incorrectly banded, she might be owed money for overpayment of council tax.

“Her initial attempt to tell the caller her bank account details – needed, she was told, so that any refund could be paid directly into her account – failed when she was unable to find her account number.

“The fact she had to be told that it could be found in her cheque book should have alerted the caller to her obvious vulnerability.

“She was not advised that the call was from a private company, rather than the council, nor that there was a £65 charge for the service.

“She subsequently received a letter, dated the day after the phone call, revealing the company name and advising that “extensive research” carried out on her behalf showed that her home was in the correct council tax band and that no refund was due.

BOLD “The service fee and cancellation rights were referred to only in small-print documents attached to the letter, and the service appeared to have been provided during the 14-day cooling-off period, during which the customer is able to cancel the contract.

BOLD “Additionally, the company address as stated in the letter and for cancellation purposes was incorrect as the company had listed a new registered office.”

Croydon’s cabinet member for communities, safety and justice Cllr Mark Watson said: “This is a sorry case of a company offering a legitimate service failing what are basic telephone sales rules that it, and all its staff, should be aware of.

“Those regulations are designed to protect consumers – especially vulnerable consumers – who have the right, in law, to correct information about the company they’re dealing with, and to the opportunity to change their mind as to whether they want to go through with a service that they subsequently realise they don’t actually need.

“This customer was let down on so many counts, and one wonders how many others have received a similarly poor service from this, and other, companies that are simply not playing by the rules.”

Cancelling a service you’ve arranged:

Advice on consumers’ 14-day cooling-off period can be found by going to Croydon.gov press releases – COUNCIL TAX SEARCH COMPANY FOUND BREAKING THE RULES dated January 4th 2016 and clicking on the link in the last line of the press release. (Source: Croydon council press release)