Moving back to England was a mistake
Dec 13th 2003, 10:42 am
#91
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2003
Location: brissie
Posts: 101
Yes, I am indeed fortunate to be here.
Ahhhh, what's this in the news about gun crime rising by 35% in the UK.
RECORDED CRIME RISES
Overall crime: 9.3%
Gun crime: 35%
Robbery: 14.5%
Domestic burglary: 7.9%
Drug offences: 12.3%
Sexual offences: 18.2%
Ahhhh, what's this in the news about gun crime rising by 35% in the UK.
RECORDED CRIME RISES
Overall crime: 9.3%
Gun crime: 35%
Robbery: 14.5%
Domestic burglary: 7.9%
Drug offences: 12.3%
Sexual offences: 18.2%
Dec 13th 2003, 10:52 am
#92
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: London
Posts: 14
Not to mention the impending housing crisis...........
England faces a housing crisis within the next 20 years, with a potential shortage of more than one million homes leading to overcrowding and rising levels of homelessness, a leading social research charity claimed today.
Unless concerted action is taken to build more homes, the growing property shortage will hit London and the south-east, while the north and the Midlands will suffer growing problems of low demand, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Although most of the new homes could be built on recycled brownfield sites, hundreds of thousands might have to be erected on greenfield land.
The foundation says that demand for new homes is already outstripping supply, with 210,000 new properties needed every year, and only 154,000 built in each of the last five years.
Rising house prices could cripple public services by forcing nurses, teachers and other key workers out of the densely-populated areas where they are most needed, the foundation adds.
Poorer families who cannot afford to buy their own homes, and who may not have access to over-subscribed local authority and housing association accommodation, would also be hit hard.
Lord Best, director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: "We estimate that the difference between housing demand and supply will have widened into a yawning gap of 1.1 million homes in England alone by 2022 - most of it in London and the south-east.
"This genuinely shocking statistic shows why the time has come for policy makers to recognise that a plentiful supply of new and affordable homes is of the greatest importance to the nation's future health and prosperity."
In two reports released today, the foundation said the bulk of new homes could be built on recycled brownfield sites, but this could only happen if there was positive planning, and decontamination of polluted sites.
It added that not all of the houses could be built on recycled land, and even if the government's target of building 60% of new homes on brownfield sites was met, at least 84,000 a year would need to be built on greenfield sites.
Lord Best said: "In our view, housing shortages are set to become one of the most significant social issues of the next 20 years. Unless we act now, shortages will lead to overcrowding and homelessness.
"But they will also have knock-on effects for the whole of society, driving up house prices in areas in high demand, inhibiting economic growth and making it harder for good quality public services to be delivered."
The findings came in for tough criticism from countryside campaigners in London, with the capital's branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England alleging that developers were over represented on the report teams, while environmental groups were not given a voice.
The CPRE's Nigel Kersey said: "National government needs to get to grips with continuing polarisation of people and the economy into the south-east of England. Economic policy needs to protect the countryside and promote urban regeneration outside the south-east of England."
England faces a housing crisis within the next 20 years, with a potential shortage of more than one million homes leading to overcrowding and rising levels of homelessness, a leading social research charity claimed today.
Unless concerted action is taken to build more homes, the growing property shortage will hit London and the south-east, while the north and the Midlands will suffer growing problems of low demand, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Although most of the new homes could be built on recycled brownfield sites, hundreds of thousands might have to be erected on greenfield land.
The foundation says that demand for new homes is already outstripping supply, with 210,000 new properties needed every year, and only 154,000 built in each of the last five years.
Rising house prices could cripple public services by forcing nurses, teachers and other key workers out of the densely-populated areas where they are most needed, the foundation adds.
Poorer families who cannot afford to buy their own homes, and who may not have access to over-subscribed local authority and housing association accommodation, would also be hit hard.
Lord Best, director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: "We estimate that the difference between housing demand and supply will have widened into a yawning gap of 1.1 million homes in England alone by 2022 - most of it in London and the south-east.
"This genuinely shocking statistic shows why the time has come for policy makers to recognise that a plentiful supply of new and affordable homes is of the greatest importance to the nation's future health and prosperity."
In two reports released today, the foundation said the bulk of new homes could be built on recycled brownfield sites, but this could only happen if there was positive planning, and decontamination of polluted sites.
It added that not all of the houses could be built on recycled land, and even if the government's target of building 60% of new homes on brownfield sites was met, at least 84,000 a year would need to be built on greenfield sites.
Lord Best said: "In our view, housing shortages are set to become one of the most significant social issues of the next 20 years. Unless we act now, shortages will lead to overcrowding and homelessness.
"But they will also have knock-on effects for the whole of society, driving up house prices in areas in high demand, inhibiting economic growth and making it harder for good quality public services to be delivered."
The findings came in for tough criticism from countryside campaigners in London, with the capital's branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England alleging that developers were over represented on the report teams, while environmental groups were not given a voice.
The CPRE's Nigel Kersey said: "National government needs to get to grips with continuing polarisation of people and the economy into the south-east of England. Economic policy needs to protect the countryside and promote urban regeneration outside the south-east of England."
Dec 13th 2003, 1:45 pm
#93
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,010
Originally posted by ArchieArchie
Not to mention the impending housing crisis...........
The CPRE's Nigel Kersey said: "National government needs to get to grips with continuing polarisation of people and the economy into the south-east of England. Economic policy needs to protect the countryside and promote urban regeneration outside the south-east of England."
Not to mention the impending housing crisis...........
The CPRE's Nigel Kersey said: "National government needs to get to grips with continuing polarisation of people and the economy into the south-east of England. Economic policy needs to protect the countryside and promote urban regeneration outside the south-east of England."
Particularly as many aspects of many businesses can be conducted electronically, the need to be physically located in a specific area (i.e., London) no longer seems to apply.
Am I missing something?
Dec 13th 2003, 9:11 pm
#94
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 144
yes, scotland and wales are not as business friendly as england.
there have been regional assistance grants in uk for years to encourage this very thing but with limited success.
lets be honest - any government that allows the greenbelt to be built on will have uproar on their hands. the green and open spaces run to the heart of english life and as confirmed by recent surveys are valued so highly if anyone dare touch them the fight will be huge.
this whole conversation happened at the end of 80's when house prices peaked and apparently nobody was ever going to be able to afford a house again. a few years later keys were being handed back to the bank. lets wait are see what the next 5 years bring before we panic too much.
there have been regional assistance grants in uk for years to encourage this very thing but with limited success.
lets be honest - any government that allows the greenbelt to be built on will have uproar on their hands. the green and open spaces run to the heart of english life and as confirmed by recent surveys are valued so highly if anyone dare touch them the fight will be huge.
this whole conversation happened at the end of 80's when house prices peaked and apparently nobody was ever going to be able to afford a house again. a few years later keys were being handed back to the bank. lets wait are see what the next 5 years bring before we panic too much.
Originally posted by dunroving
One solution seems obvious: Look at the low population density in Wales and Scotland. Why not build there and move businesses and government away from the Southeast? I realize it's not as simple as saying it, but surely government incentives could be put in place for businesses to decentralize from the London area?
Particularly as many aspects of many businesses can be conducted electronically, the need to be physically located in a specific area (i.e., London) no longer seems to apply.
Am I missing something?
One solution seems obvious: Look at the low population density in Wales and Scotland. Why not build there and move businesses and government away from the Southeast? I realize it's not as simple as saying it, but surely government incentives could be put in place for businesses to decentralize from the London area?
Particularly as many aspects of many businesses can be conducted electronically, the need to be physically located in a specific area (i.e., London) no longer seems to apply.
Am I missing something?
Dec 15th 2003, 4:11 am
#95
Release the hounds!
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 302
Originally posted by bryank
Yes, I am indeed fortunate to be here.
Ahhhh, what's this in the news about gun crime rising by 35% in the UK.
RECORDED CRIME RISES
Overall crime: 9.3%
Gun crime: 35%
Robbery: 14.5%
Domestic burglary: 7.9%
Drug offences: 12.3%
Sexual offences: 18.2%
Yes, I am indeed fortunate to be here.
Ahhhh, what's this in the news about gun crime rising by 35% in the UK.
RECORDED CRIME RISES
Overall crime: 9.3%
Gun crime: 35%
Robbery: 14.5%
Domestic burglary: 7.9%
Drug offences: 12.3%
Sexual offences: 18.2%
Actually your stats are wrong. Overall crime last year was slightly down (although with the caveat that in some area's there were increases). There's something you won't read in the Daily Mail. Incidentally, as a resident in Oz, you now have a higher chance of being victim of a crime than in any other westernised country. Now there's a fact!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2123249.stm
As it says on the web site, this measure of crime is regarded as a more reliable measure, as it records experiences of crime that go unreported.
Dec 15th 2003, 5:16 am
#96
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,149
As residents of Oz we are more likely to commit crimes against fashion.
Dec 15th 2003, 10:23 am
#97
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: London
Posts: 14
Actually AndrewR, you're wrong. There was a scandal earlier on in the year about how they were manipulating the stats to make it appear as though crime was falling when in actual fact it is rising in the majority of categories.
Are you in England? Because you would have to be blind & deaf to have not heard of this in the media.
Are you in England? Because you would have to be blind & deaf to have not heard of this in the media.
Dec 15th 2003, 10:39 am
#98
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: London
Posts: 14
or the traffic grid-locks........
Britain's roads are the most congested in Europe. Statistics show that unless something is done things are going to get much worse.
Key statistics:
* There are nearly half a million traffic jams in Britain every year. That is nearly 10,000 a week.
* There are between 200 and 300 incidents of major congestion every day.
* Congestion levels are forecast to grow by between 11 and 20 per cent over the next ten years.
* The cost of traffic jams to British business is £20 billion every year.
* Traffic levels in Britain are increasing by about three per cent every year.
* Over the past 20 years road traffic has grown by 70 per cent.
* Left unchecked, road traffic could grow by more than a third in the next 20 years.
* There are 26 million cars on the road and this is expected to increase to at least 31 million by 2020.
Britain's roads are the most congested in Europe. Statistics show that unless something is done things are going to get much worse.
Key statistics:
* There are nearly half a million traffic jams in Britain every year. That is nearly 10,000 a week.
* There are between 200 and 300 incidents of major congestion every day.
* Congestion levels are forecast to grow by between 11 and 20 per cent over the next ten years.
* The cost of traffic jams to British business is £20 billion every year.
* Traffic levels in Britain are increasing by about three per cent every year.
* Over the past 20 years road traffic has grown by 70 per cent.
* Left unchecked, road traffic could grow by more than a third in the next 20 years.
* There are 26 million cars on the road and this is expected to increase to at least 31 million by 2020.
Dec 15th 2003, 3:29 pm
#99
Release the hounds!
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 302
Originally posted by ArchieArchie
Actually AndrewR, you're wrong. There was a scandal earlier on in the year about how they were manipulating the stats to make it appear as though crime was falling when in actual fact it is rising in the majority of categories.
Actually AndrewR, you're wrong. There was a scandal earlier on in the year about how they were manipulating the stats to make it appear as though crime was falling when in actual fact it is rising in the majority of categories.
As for the thing on Oz...I don't live in Oz, have never lived there, but the chances of being victim of a crime in Oz are the highest in the westernised world....if you do live there, you have a one in three chance of being a victim of crime over the last year.
Dec 15th 2003, 3:46 pm
#100
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Nevada b4 California b4 Colorado b4 Valley of plastic and sand, b4 London
Posts: 2,025
Originally posted by AndrewR
Actually not old son. The gov. obviously try and manipulate the figures for their own end, but overall crime has actually decreased slightly over the last couple of years. Strange but true! (again with the caveat that some area's of crime have increased).
As for the thing on Oz...I don't live in Oz, have never lived there, but the chances of being victim of a crime in Oz are the highest in the westernised world....if you do live there, you have a one in three chance of being a victim of crime over the last year.
Actually not old son. The gov. obviously try and manipulate the figures for their own end, but overall crime has actually decreased slightly over the last couple of years. Strange but true! (again with the caveat that some area's of crime have increased).
As for the thing on Oz...I don't live in Oz, have never lived there, but the chances of being victim of a crime in Oz are the highest in the westernised world....if you do live there, you have a one in three chance of being a victim of crime over the last year.
Dec 16th 2003, 6:06 am
#101
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: london
Posts: 36
Gun crime trebles as weapons and drugs flood British cities
Gun crime has almost trebled in London during the past year and is soaring in other British cities, according to Home Office figures obtained by The Telegraph.
Police chiefs fear that Britain is witnessing the kind of cocaine-fuelled violence that burst upon American cities in the 1980s. Cocaine, particularly from Jamaica, now floods into Britain, while the availability of weapons - many of them from eastern Europe - is also increasing.
Detectives in London say that the illegal importation of guns started after the end of the Bosnia conflict and that they are changing hands for as little as £200. During the 10 months to January 31, there were 939 crimes involving firearms in the Metropolitan Police area compared with 322 in the 10 months to the end of January, 2001 - an almost three-fold increase.
In Merseyside there were 57 shootings during the 12 months to last December compared with 15 in the same period the year before. Greater Manchester also recorded a 23 per cent increase in gun crime and there have been rises in Nottinghamshire, Avon and Somerset, West Yorkshire and the Northumbria Police area which covers Newcastle.
Gun crimes during the first 10 months of the annual period have trebled in most of the urban areas which have so far submitted statistics to the Home Office. Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said gun gangs were spreading across the country whereas, until recently, they were confined to a handful of London boroughs.
Sir John said: "We have to stem the large number of guns coming in. We know you can buy a gun in London for £200 to £300, and that's frightening. The price of hiring or buying a gun has come down because there are more guns circulating."
The new gun crime figures also show that handgun crime has soared past levels last seen before the Dunblane massacre of 1996 and the ban on the weapons that followed. The ban on ownership of handguns was introduced in 1997, the year after Thomas Hamilton, an amateur shooting enthusiast, shot dead 16 schoolchildren, their teacher and himself in Dunblane, Perthshire.
Gun crime has almost trebled in London during the past year and is soaring in other British cities, according to Home Office figures obtained by The Telegraph.
Police chiefs fear that Britain is witnessing the kind of cocaine-fuelled violence that burst upon American cities in the 1980s. Cocaine, particularly from Jamaica, now floods into Britain, while the availability of weapons - many of them from eastern Europe - is also increasing.
Detectives in London say that the illegal importation of guns started after the end of the Bosnia conflict and that they are changing hands for as little as £200. During the 10 months to January 31, there were 939 crimes involving firearms in the Metropolitan Police area compared with 322 in the 10 months to the end of January, 2001 - an almost three-fold increase.
In Merseyside there were 57 shootings during the 12 months to last December compared with 15 in the same period the year before. Greater Manchester also recorded a 23 per cent increase in gun crime and there have been rises in Nottinghamshire, Avon and Somerset, West Yorkshire and the Northumbria Police area which covers Newcastle.
Gun crimes during the first 10 months of the annual period have trebled in most of the urban areas which have so far submitted statistics to the Home Office. Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said gun gangs were spreading across the country whereas, until recently, they were confined to a handful of London boroughs.
Sir John said: "We have to stem the large number of guns coming in. We know you can buy a gun in London for £200 to £300, and that's frightening. The price of hiring or buying a gun has come down because there are more guns circulating."
The new gun crime figures also show that handgun crime has soared past levels last seen before the Dunblane massacre of 1996 and the ban on the weapons that followed. The ban on ownership of handguns was introduced in 1997, the year after Thomas Hamilton, an amateur shooting enthusiast, shot dead 16 schoolchildren, their teacher and himself in Dunblane, Perthshire.
Dec 16th 2003, 8:05 am
#102
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Nevada b4 California b4 Colorado b4 Valley of plastic and sand, b4 London
Posts: 2,025
Originally posted by ontheball
Gun crime trebles as weapons and drugs flood British cities
Gun crime has almost trebled in London during the past year and is soaring in other British cities, according to Home Office figures obtained by The Telegraph.
Police chiefs fear that Britain is witnessing the kind of cocaine-fuelled violence that burst upon American cities in the 1980s. Cocaine, particularly from Jamaica, now floods into Britain, while the availability of weapons - many of them from eastern Europe - is also increasing.
Detectives in London say that the illegal importation of guns started after the end of the Bosnia conflict and that they are changing hands for as little as £200. During the 10 months to January 31, there were 939 crimes involving firearms in the Metropolitan Police area compared with 322 in the 10 months to the end of January, 2001 - an almost three-fold increase.
In Merseyside there were 57 shootings during the 12 months to last December compared with 15 in the same period the year before. Greater Manchester also recorded a 23 per cent increase in gun crime and there have been rises in Nottinghamshire, Avon and Somerset, West Yorkshire and the Northumbria Police area which covers Newcastle.
Gun crimes during the first 10 months of the annual period have trebled in most of the urban areas which have so far submitted statistics to the Home Office. Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said gun gangs were spreading across the country whereas, until recently, they were confined to a handful of London boroughs.
Sir John said: "We have to stem the large number of guns coming in. We know you can buy a gun in London for £200 to £300, and that's frightening. The price of hiring or buying a gun has come down because there are more guns circulating."
The new gun crime figures also show that handgun crime has soared past levels last seen before the Dunblane massacre of 1996 and the ban on the weapons that followed. The ban on ownership of handguns was introduced in 1997, the year after Thomas Hamilton, an amateur shooting enthusiast, shot dead 16 schoolchildren, their teacher and himself in Dunblane, Perthshire.
Gun crime trebles as weapons and drugs flood British cities
Gun crime has almost trebled in London during the past year and is soaring in other British cities, according to Home Office figures obtained by The Telegraph.
Police chiefs fear that Britain is witnessing the kind of cocaine-fuelled violence that burst upon American cities in the 1980s. Cocaine, particularly from Jamaica, now floods into Britain, while the availability of weapons - many of them from eastern Europe - is also increasing.
Detectives in London say that the illegal importation of guns started after the end of the Bosnia conflict and that they are changing hands for as little as £200. During the 10 months to January 31, there were 939 crimes involving firearms in the Metropolitan Police area compared with 322 in the 10 months to the end of January, 2001 - an almost three-fold increase.
In Merseyside there were 57 shootings during the 12 months to last December compared with 15 in the same period the year before. Greater Manchester also recorded a 23 per cent increase in gun crime and there have been rises in Nottinghamshire, Avon and Somerset, West Yorkshire and the Northumbria Police area which covers Newcastle.
Gun crimes during the first 10 months of the annual period have trebled in most of the urban areas which have so far submitted statistics to the Home Office. Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said gun gangs were spreading across the country whereas, until recently, they were confined to a handful of London boroughs.
Sir John said: "We have to stem the large number of guns coming in. We know you can buy a gun in London for £200 to £300, and that's frightening. The price of hiring or buying a gun has come down because there are more guns circulating."
The new gun crime figures also show that handgun crime has soared past levels last seen before the Dunblane massacre of 1996 and the ban on the weapons that followed. The ban on ownership of handguns was introduced in 1997, the year after Thomas Hamilton, an amateur shooting enthusiast, shot dead 16 schoolchildren, their teacher and himself in Dunblane, Perthshire.
That is a lie, the other day a barber told me that one guy came in to his store and wanted to sell him several guns for £5 each.
Dec 16th 2003, 8:18 am
#103
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally posted by veryfunny
"Sir John said: "We have to stem the large number of guns coming in. We know you can buy a gun in London for £200 to £300, and that's frightening. The price of hiring or buying a gun has come down because there are more guns circulating."
That is a lie, the other day a barber told me that one guy came in to his store and wanted to sell him several guns for £5 each.
"Sir John said: "We have to stem the large number of guns coming in. We know you can buy a gun in London for £200 to £300, and that's frightening. The price of hiring or buying a gun has come down because there are more guns circulating."
That is a lie, the other day a barber told me that one guy came in to his store and wanted to sell him several guns for £5 each.
5 pounds is pretty cheap for a good gun. Probably just a sawn off with stiff action. This would be OK to hold up say a taxi but for banks you need something better.
For banks I recommend an Oozi with a spare clip. Set to "spray' and use 38 hollow shells with a dum dum every 5th round. Also it is worth carrying some Rhino's - these rip through bullet proof glass with a bang!
PS
I wouldn't trust your Barber - he was probably just trying to scare you because you didn't swallow in trepidation when he brandished his razor near to your throat!
Dec 16th 2003, 8:23 am
#104
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Nevada b4 California b4 Colorado b4 Valley of plastic and sand, b4 London
Posts: 2,025
Originally posted by Goodpubmisser
5 pounds is pretty cheap for a good gun. Probably just a sawn off with stiff action. This would be OK to hold up say a taxi but for banks you need something better.
For banks I recommend an Oozi with a spare clip. Set to "spray' and use 38 hollow shells with a dum dum every 5th round. Also it is worth carrying some Rhino's - these rip through bullet proof glass with a bang!
PS
I wouldn't trust your Barber - he was probably just trying to scare you because you didn't swallow in trepidation when he brandished his razor near to your throat!
5 pounds is pretty cheap for a good gun. Probably just a sawn off with stiff action. This would be OK to hold up say a taxi but for banks you need something better.
For banks I recommend an Oozi with a spare clip. Set to "spray' and use 38 hollow shells with a dum dum every 5th round. Also it is worth carrying some Rhino's - these rip through bullet proof glass with a bang!
PS
I wouldn't trust your Barber - he was probably just trying to scare you because you didn't swallow in trepidation when he brandished his razor near to your throat!
In addition, the person who tried to sell this guns was really desparate for money.
Finally, London is still a safe place you just have to be careful who you associate with bottom line it is the weak people who try to act tough that get involved with these crimes.
Dec 16th 2003, 6:49 pm
#105
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Banks Peninsula, SI, NZ
Posts: 373
Ask your barber what he would use if he were 'packin' and what to do if the hoes step outa-line...