City Matters Edition 014 Christmas 2016

CITYMATTERS.LONDON Christmas 2016 | Page 3
News Matters
Special measures
Washing away
cannons ‘legacy’
THREE water cannons
which have “languished
in storage for two years”
have been put up for sale
by the Mayor of London.
An estimated
roll out at market
£21,000 is being spent
on maintaining the
machines each year,
despite the fact that
they cannot legally be
SPECIAL parking and travel arrangements
used in the UK.
So far, the total bill
for the cannons has
exceeded £320,000.
Serial offender
gets eight weeks
A BIKE thief who
opportunistically struck
while a paramedic
was treating a patient
will spend eight weeks
behind bars.
Patrick McFetridge
nicked the cycle – valued
at £1,200 – as it was left
unsecured outside an
office block in Aldgate on
23 June.
McFetridge, who has
26 previous convictions,
was sentenced at City
of London Magistrates’
Court on Tuesday last
week.
Council tax may
rise by 6% in
next two years
THE Corporation has
been cleared to increase
council tax by as much
as 6% by communities
secretary Sajid Javid.
Along with every
other local authority
in England, the City of
London has been given
permission to make the
increase over the next
two years to help fund
provisions for the elderly
and disabled.
Originally, the plan
had been to implement
hikes over the next three
years, but proposals have
been accelerated.
Charities have
welcomed the move but
say it will not be enough
to cover an estimated
shortfall of £2.6billion
by 2020.
City worker died
on stag party
A RISK manager in the
City died during a prank
on a stag party river
cruise in Portugal, an
inquest has heard.
Best man Nishanthan
Gnanathas, 31, is
reported to have hit his
head on the side of the
boat after being thrown
into the water in July.
He vanished and it is
believed his body may
have shut down in the
cold water.
A verdict of
misadventure was
recorded at Westminster
Coroner’s Court.
Fake cleaner to
serve four years
A MAN who posed as an office cleaner to steal
IT equipment worth £17,000 has been jailed for
four years.
In order to avoid arousing suspicion, Neville
Gray, of Percy Circus WC1, would present
himself as a member of staff, allowing him
access to a number of Square Mile buildings.
The 35-year-old was sentenced at the Old
Bailey for 17 counts of burglary, one count
of burglary with violence, and one count of
burglary with intent to steal. He was handed
a four-year sentence for each offence, all to
are now in place at Smithfield Market for the
Christmas period.
The result is a combination of temporary
road closures, vehicle restrictions, parking
bay suspensions, and changes in directional
flow of traffic.
The measures will be active between 10pm
and 8am until Friday 23 December when
vehicle access to the market will be restricted
to customers and business owners only.
Matthew Hill, superintendent of Smithfield,
said: “Over the past few years the market has
become increasingly popular and busier on
key dates leading up to Christmas.
Gridlock
“This has created significant congestion
and traffic gridlock. We therefore worked with
the City of London Police and the Smithfield
Market Tenants’ Association to put in place
temporary traffic restrictions, making it easier
for deliveries, traders and customers visiting
the market.”
All parking bays in the vicinity of the
market will be suspended in order to maintain
traffic flow.
However, free parking has been made
available at Smithfield car park every day
from 9pm to noon the following day up until
23 December.
Seven-figure sum
to address safety
THE City is to receive a £1million financial package under a new
plan to deliver transport, town centre and public space improvements
across the Capital.
Transport for London (TfL) will invest £148million in Local
Implementation Plans that support Sadiq Khan’s Transport Strategy,
as well as a further £70m for other schemes, including funding for
strategic walking and cycling programmes.
Of the City’s seven-figure sum, £380,000 has been allocated to
improve safety around areas and junctions prone to accidents, such
as Puddle Dock, the junction of New Change with Cannon Street, the
area of West Smithfield, and the junction of Holborn Viaduct with
Snow Hill.
Councillor Julian Bell, chair of London Councils transport and
environment committee, said: “London’s boroughs welcome this longterm
settlement by the Mayor of London, which will assist in making
borough streets greener and safer.
“It provides a much needed base from which to work with the Mayor
and TfL to deliver the improvements to London’s local transport scene
as part of a city for all Londoners.”
be served concurrently. Detective Constable
Hannah Sydney, who led the investigation and
linked Gray to the multiple offences, said: “Gray
is a prolific burglar and was able to trick his way
into office buildings.
“He was not afraid of talking to staff, quite the
opposite, he acted as if he were employed in the
building. Gray seized upon any opportunity to
gain access to office premises.
“A door closing behind someone leaving the
building or employees going into work, these
were all chances for Gray to exploit.
“I thank the members of staff who confronted
Gray and questioned his story. Remember,
challenge unknown people at work – if someone
is attempting to gain access to your place of
business and you are not sure who they are then
ask to see identification.”
temporary arrangements:
in place at Smithfield
Communities
Sadiq Khan is keen
to get the machines off
the budget after they
were commissioned by
former Mayor Boris
Johnson.
“By working with
communities and
returning to real
neighbourhood
policing, we can do far
more for the safety of
our city rather than
relying on obsolete and
illegal water cannon,”
said Mr Khan.
“They do not belong
on the streets of
London, and by selling
them we’re able to
put money back into
helping young people
affected by gang crime
and keeping Londoners
safe.”