Letters, contributions and comments sent in to the Advertiser this week.

Yobs have impunity here

Mohammed Begum, Bethnal Green, full address supplied, writes:

If the Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs and the local police had heeded the words of ex-police commissioner William Bratten about zero tolerance, even for minor crimes like anti-social behaviour, we would not have all these horrific knife attacks in the borough.

Every day yobs go about because they believe they have impunity from arrest, harassing people, daubing everywhere with their puerile graffiti. All the while the council and police just blatently ignore it.

Let’s have no nonsense about police numbers. There are adequate numbers, it’s about how effectively they are doing the job. Tower Hamlets feel they are more interested in spin with moronic road shows and orchestrated weapons sweeps for the cameras. And what do the council’s own enforcement officers do with their time?

Through the pages of the Advertiser could the Met and Mayor Biggs furnish us with the official crime statistics for the last three years detailing how many people have been arrested and charged with anti-social behaviour, particularly damage to people’s property ie graffiti.

Scouts making a real difference

Bear Grylls, chief Scout, writes:

I’m so proud of the difference Scouts on the Isle of Dogs are making in their local community as well as across the world.

Scouts on the Isle of Dogs have chosen to focus on clean water and sanitation.

This means that through Scouting’s A Million Hands campaign they have spent time learning about the issue, finding out about the people it affects and working with WaterAid to take action to make a real difference.

The Scouts have joined the global call for water and toilets for everyone everywhere by taking part in a Walk for Water.

The sponsored walks are raising money to support Scouts in Madagascar, who are working with WaterAid, their communities, and the government to improve access to clean water and good sanitation in their country, where almost half the population has no choice but to drink dirty water, contributing to diarrhoeal diseases that claim the lives of 4,000 children every single year.

I would just like to say ‘A Million Thanks’ to these incredible Scouts, who are fighting this injustice. They have learnt skills for life as well as making a huge impact; they really are shining lights in their community.