Steve is the Labour Party candidate for the Royal Docks by-election in Newham. I have posted previously on it. This is a picture from his campaign website here with his pets!He is a local resident and teaches in Newham College. He helped set up the area Neighbourhood watch, he chairs the Ward Police Panel, is a primary school governor and a trustee of a local charity.
You can email Steve at votesteve@btinternet.com or text him on 07772 723 765.
Check out Steve’s “fresh look” at Royal Docks here.
Contact him also if you want to help out with the by-election. There are all sorts of daily campaigning activities you can take part in.
20 comments:
Surely if those are King Charles spaniels it should be 'Working For Royal Dogs'?
Not that I know anything about dogs...
Aren't they bassett hounds?
One os the dogs is peeing down his leg.
I like the pic on Steve's website. Since when is Chicago Royal Docks?
Now, now - I really don’t mind what breed the dogs are – it is after all the “Royal Docks” ward not the “Isle of Dogs” (woof, woof etc. etc)
It's good to know that Steve is a dog lover. Is there any chance that he'll do something about the fact that Newham's animal wardens carry police extending batons - claiming they are used as bite-sticks.
The RSPCA do not recommend the use of batons as there are far better alternatives. They will advise local authorities on this issue but ONLY IF the authority requests such assistance.
Hi Mike
It would be helpful if you referenced stuff? I haven’t got a clue whether such “bite sticks” (which sounds like a good idea) are really “Police batons” (which doesn’t). But nearly every day now you hear the most horrendous stories about fighting dogs mauling children and adults. I would want to make sure that animal wardens have the best protection possible. At the end of the day the warden risk assessment should be able to objectively justify (or not) the use of any PPE.
Via FOIA requests the Council first stated they were dedicated bite sticks... on pressing (because I had seen a warden carrying one) they admitted that they were manufactured by an American company and they are the same as police batons. I got in touch with the company and was told that they are manufactured as police batons and NOT designed to be used as bite sticks - that's it!
There are other items on the market that are dedicated bite sticks and they do not look like police batons.
You are right in as much as wardens should be protected so I wonder why they are not issued with forearm guards.
Incidentally, I was informed by the RSPCA that they prefer the use of restraining nooses to anything that can be used to beat a dog with.
No doubt you will interpret the above as more Tory lies.
Hi Mike
I think we can both admit to not being experts in this field. However, I have worked with RSPCA and animal welfare teams in East London for some 20 years (not the Newham Council team). I have always found them to be dedicated professions doing a difficult and sometimes dangerous job for not huge rewards.
A resident in one of the estates I use to work at did assault an animal warden for using a “restraining noose” on a stray which he thought was cruel since it "strangled" the dog (and for which he was later convicted for assault).
Maybe the last word on this should be taken from the Newham recorder 11.02.09 page 3 where I find that the Newham Council Animal Welfare team has “received a top accolade for its work”. The award for this team which you appear to suggest carry batons unnecessary which could be used to beat dogs was apparently awarded by....the RSPCA.
Tory lies - no, Tory slurs -yes, on hard working, dedicated public servants, serving the people of Newham. You have the absolute right to bring such issues up but you should not make such serious allegations or inferences without any evidence. It is just so unfair and wrong.
Oh come on John,
First, I've not stated anything that questions the professionalism of Newham's animal wardens; I think they do a really good job. I'm just questioning one of the tools they use in my capacity as a dog lover - it has nothing to do with politics.
The fact that they carry batons was first brought to my attention by a parks constabulary officer because he felt he should have one!!
The RSPCA award has no bearing on the fact that the RSPCA don't advise the use of batons as bite sticks!
The resident you mention was talking nonsense (you could argue that a collar and lead strangle a dog) and I'm pleased he was prosecuted for attacking the animal welfare officer.
On my level of expertise, I've owned dogs all my life and when I worked in the security industry I was a dog handler.
"...you should not make such serious allegations or inferences without any evidence" What on Earth are you on about?
Hi Mike
You are at it again – you post comments without seeming to understand what you are implying. There can be no other plausible explanation for you to be concerned that the wardens have “batons” (or bite sticks) except that you think they will be used to abuse animals. If you don’t think this then what is the point of complaining about it? If I was a warden this is what I would think you were suggesting.
This is a staff health & safety matter. With respect - being a security guard dog handler is very different from controlling dangerous dogs. It is perfectly reasonable for different organisations to come up with different control measures to minimise risk.
If you are still convinced that something is wrong then FOI the PPE risk assessment.
Steve Brayshaw
2 faces of Royal Docks, do some good, Join Labour and to get ahead follow Weasel Wales and mess up the area.
If the Royal Docks have any sense he will be the last vote they go for as he will bring nothing to the area except what Weasel Wales wants.
God help the area.
John,
You're a little bit cheeky telling me that I don't understand what I'm saying... my concern about the use of batons as bite sticks is that they can be used to beat a dog.
I'm not saying that any current members of staff would do that but when confronted with a snarling, angry dog the temptation is there.
As I pointed out, there are alternatives.
For your info, I've dealt with a good number of "dangerous" dogs and have confronted several that have been trained to attack. I don't see where you get the idea that it is okay for you to assume that my experience with dogs is not as valid as a local authority animal welfare officer.
There is no blanket risk assessment that can be made for such instances - but what am I saying, you seem to be an expert on everything.
I find it amusing that you see a slight in everything I post on your blog... you should get out more.
Hi Mike
You do have more experience of dog handling than me certainly but I do think that experienced full time trained animal wardens have far more experience than you and are therefore entitled to be taken more seriously than you. I’m surprised you do not seem to understand this. It does not mean you cannot have an informed opinion but this does not make you right.
True I’m not an expert on everything but I have some experience in risk assessments and your comments on this are meaningless and suggest a basic and fundamental misunderstanding.
"With respect - being a security guard dog handler is very different from controlling dangerous dogs" - who said anything about being a security guard? I used the term "security industry".
"I do think that experienced full time trained animal wardens have far more experience than you and are therefore entitled to be taken more seriously than you" - you think? Obviously, you don't, as you have no idea with regards to what experience I have in this field. So how can you say that another person should be taken more seriously than I should?
Regarding risk assessment, each situation relating to a "dangerous" dog needs individual assessment. However, there are blanket precautions that can be taken i.e. the provision of forearm guards and some body armour. Furthermore, to my knowledge, most police forces instruct officer to call for the assistance of the RSPCA when dealing with dangerous dog and, returning to my original point, the RSPCA do not recommend the use of expandable batons (known as ASPs) as bite sticks.
Hi Mike
I can only go on what you say about your experiences. If you now think you have as much training and experience as Newham animal wardens then please say so and demonstrate it. It would be relevant and you should have pointed this out beforehand. I don’t think you are the sort of person to hide behind a bushel.
I think you will find that the Police now do not have primary responsible for dogs since this is now a local authority duty. But in my experience when dealing with a dangerous dog threatening their officers they will call upon their own specialist dog handlers and if necessary armed response units to shoot it.
There is in my view no such thing as a “blanket” risk assessment. This is an inherently unsafe and dangerous view. There have quite rightly been a number of criminal prosecutions and prohibition notices upon organisations who have similar views. Don’t confuse legally binding written risk assessments with dynamic assessments of emergency situations.
You do make me laugh John!
You don't back up any of your own assertions with any proof yet you demand that others do - although I guess in my case is it because I am an evil Tory!
I understand that this is your blog and that your opinion is (and should be) paramount - I also acknowledge the fact that you do post alternative views to those you hold.
But I do find it amusing that you rarely respond to direct questions about the current "Labour" regime in Newham Town Hall.
I have no idea with regard to how well trained Newham's animal wardens are - nor do I really care; bringing you back to my original point, I question their use of ASPs as bite sticks.
However, when I was an elected member, I (along with my council colleagues) was assured that that the parks constabulary were highly trained (we were also told that they were police officers will all the powers of such office). That turned out to be total bullshit. Ask John Saunders or John Whitworth. So I'll not expect too much with regard to the training of Newham's animal wardens.
Hi Mike
No you are not an “evil Tory”. You have actually I think not espoused a single Tory policy in all your comments. You are acting like a complete dipstick at times.
The animal wardens are not the Park Constabulary. It is utterly unfair of you to compare them in this way over what is essentially a technical dispute over risk assessments. This is a slur on dedicated and professional Newham public servants.
And again... you cannot respond to a point made so you resort to abuse.
What on Earth is there in this thread that requires that I put forward Tory policies?
I am just making the point that the Animal Wardens could use an alternative to ASPs for bite sticks.
And, using your logic, why should I take it as read that you actually know what you are going on about with regard to risk assessments?
You are a very, very funny guy.
Hi Mike
I don't think you actually understand what risk assessments are all about? You belong to a large club I am afraid.
You could be right. As an expert, why don't you explain risk assessments and put me out of my misery.
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