Greenwich

Reuters

There will be 33,000 police officers in London by April next year, the head of the Met has said today.

Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the force would reach 31,500 by spring, and 32,300 by early autumn this year.

Officer numbers in the capital began falling in 2016, and dipped below 30,000 two years ago – the first time since 2003.

Recruitment has since risen with cash from City Hall, with 31,000 officers now in place.

But the Mayor of London and the Met believe the capital needs an extra 6,000 police to tackle high violent crime.

There were more homicides in London last year than any year since 2008, and over 15,000 knife crimes.

Dame Cressida told the London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee today that the Government’s police settlement would help the Met to reach next year’s 33,000 target.

The Commissioner said it was a “huge achievement” that between 350 and 450 officers were going through training at Hendon police college each month.

People aged between 16 and 25 can now apply to be part of Transport for London's Youth Panel, which helps shape the Mayor's transport strategy and road safety campaigns.

Applications for the volunteer posts are open until 29 February.

Soho Police has thanked people for their patience after areas of central London had to be evacuated for the second time in 24 hours, after remains of a WW2 bomb were found.

Money raised by the sale of cemetery land should be spent on tree planting in Brent.

This is the view of Brent Council’s resources and public realm scrutiny committee, which recommended that the extra cash be used to improve the borough’s environment.

A report by the committee’s chairman, Cllr Matt Kelcher, noted the council recently made £700,000 from the sale of additional cemetery space.

It suggested that it be put to good use and, given that it was raised by the council’s environment department, should be “ring fenced for a project with an environmental theme”.

The report stated: “The council currently does not have the revenue budget to replace all diseased or dying trees it removes (outside of those removed as part of the footway improvement plan), or to plant all of the mature trees it would like to.

“The presence of mature trees on our streets can help to reduce levels of carbon in the atmosphere and significantly reduce stormwater run-off.”

It explained that there is a clear need to tackle Brent’s air quality, particularly in light of the council’s decision to declare a climate emergency last year.

Waltham Forest residents with learning disabilities are dying decades earlier than average, often from preventable and treatable conditions.

Data from the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Programme shows residents with learning disabilities in the borough have an average life expectancy of 57 for men and 55 for women.

This means, on average, men with learning disabilities are dying 22 years earlier and women are dying 29 years earlier than their non-disabled counterparts.

A report presented to the adult social care scrutiny committee read: “These deaths are not always due to complex co-morbidities but frequently to do with preventable and treatable conditions.”

Almost a third of deaths in people with a learning disability were due to respiratory conditions, while almost a fifth were caused by circulatory system diseases.

The NHS Long Term Plan aims to reduce these preventable deaths by improving the uptake of annual health checks.

Waltham Forest Council chose not to comment on life expectancy among people with learning disabilities, stating the meeting was intended to examine their life chances.

A chilly start with some fog patches. Clearing to be dry with bright or sunny spells that last into the afternoon. Some fog patches may be reluctant to clear in places, lifting into areas of cloud.

Maximum temperature: 6 to 9°C (43 to 48°F).

It will be a blustery day with fresh to strong north-westerly winds.

Perhaps the odd shower at first but it will otherwise be dry with sunny spells. Winds will ease later in the afternoon.

Maximum Temperature: 7C to 10C (45F to 50F).