It was all change at the Bexley Community Policing Engagement Group (BCPEG) Group Annual General Meeting on June 16 2009.

The AGM, which was held at Bexleyheath School, saw the election of a new Chair and Vice-Chair. The new Chair of the Group is Joyce Sutherland, a retired venture capitalist and the new Vice-Chair is Richard Mann, who is a worker in the national newspaper medium. 

Both Joyce and Richard are Chairs of local Safer Neighbourhood Panels that work with the Metropolitan Police’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams, of which there are 21 in Bexley, to ensure that the local police teams are tasked to respond to the policing priorities of their local community.

 The concept of Community Police Engagement Groups arose from the Lord Scarman Report commissioned following the riots in Brixton and other areas in 1981. An Engagement Group was thus established in each London borough thereby ensuring that the local community is able to have input into all aspects of local policing through the establishment and maintenance of an open dialogue with the Police Borough Commander and his team of officers.  Engagement Groups act as a critical friend to the police.

The next open public meeting of the BCPEG will be on Tuesday 8th September 2009.

To demonstrate the Group’s commitment to embrace diversity within the local community and be able to represent the views of all the September meeting will be held in one of the downstairs halls at the Guru Nanak Dunbar Sikh Temple, 31 Mitchell Close, Belvedere. The meeting will start at 7.30p.m and finish at 9-30pm. 

Those people wishing to attend are advised that their heads must be covered whilst in the Temple; additionally ladies must dress conservatively, either wearing long skirts (to the ankle) or full length trousers. Tobacco and alcohol are strictly forbidden whilst on the premises. By way of refreshment vegetarian food will be provided.

For further information about the September meeting, or indeed any aspect of the work of the Group, please contact the Group Administrator at 53 High Street, Welling, Kent, DA16 1TU Tel/Fax: (020) 8304-2300 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Website: bexleycpeg.org.uk