Autumn 2026
Keeping Bexley one of London’s safest Boroughs is not the work of a single organisation. It is the result of strong partnership working between agencies that share a common goal: reducing crime and disorder while helping residents feel safe in their communities.
The Bexley Community Safety Partnership brings together key statutory partners, including the London Borough of Bexley, the Metropolitan Police Service, London Fire Brigade, health services and Probation. Through collaboration, information sharing and coordinated action, these organisations work every day to address the issues that matter most to local people.
Partnership working can take many forms. It includes joint enforcement operations, weapon sweeps, community engagement events, educational campaigns and specialist training. By combining knowledge, resources and expertise, partners can respond more effectively to emerging issues and deliver a stronger service for residents.
A recent example took place on Friday 31 July, when Councillor David Leaf, Leader of the Council and Councillor Brian Bishop, Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing joined the Metropolitan Police to observe an operation focused on Bexley’s night-time economy. Officers targeted illegal minicab activity and vehicles displaying ghost number plates on routes into London. These proactive measures help ensure residents and visitors can travel home safely while protecting legitimate businesses operating within the Borough.
Alongside enforcement activity, police officers and local authority staff engaged with people enjoying a night out and local businesses. These conversations provided reassurance and raised awareness of available support, should they ever need help.
Residents may also have noticed several partnership-led campaigns during the spring, including Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, Knife Crime Awareness Week and Anti-Spiking Day. While partners tackle these issues throughout the year, awareness campaigns provide an opportunity to educate communities, encourage reporting and highlight the positive steps everyone can take to improve safety.
The success of these initiatives relies not only on partner organisations but also on the involvement of residents. From attending training sessions, Walks and Talks and Parkrun initiatives, to helping develop awareness materials and youth-led campaigns, local people play a vital role in creating safer neighbourhoods.
We know it is important to continue doing what we can to prevent and proactively identify concerns, as well as to respond effectively when they have already occurred. This is how we make a lasting difference.
Bexley’s position as one of London’s top five safest Boroughs is something to be proud of. Through continued partnership working and community reporting and involvement, we can build on that success and keep Bexley a safe place to live, work and visit.
Take part in the Community Safety Survey
Abbey Wood has a distinctive character shaped by its green spaces and closeness to the river. The opening of the Elizabeth line has made it quicker and easier to travel to central London and beyond.
This improved accessibility brings new opportunities for investment, jobs and services that can benefit the local community.
We are working with local people and partners to develop a plan for Abbey Wood’s regeneration that builds a vibrant, safe and sustainable community.
Over the summer, exhibitions and events were held in Abbey Wood and at The Nest in Thamesmead, giving residents the opportunity to review emerging ideas. This feedback will help shape a shared vision for future growth, investment and regeneration over the next 10 years.
Final recommendations for the long-term plan to revitalise Abbey Wood will be based on feedback from the community and will be available later this year.
Slade Green has been awarded £20 million in Pride in Place funding, which will be invested over the next 10 years to make a lasting and positive difference to the area.
We are working with local people, businesses and key partners to decide how the funding should be spent and what changes will make the biggest difference to the community.
To help shape these plans, we are asking local people and businesses to share their views on what they would like to see change in Slade Green through our online survey, closing on 17 October.
We have also established a Slade Green Neighbourhood Board to help oversee the Pride in Place funding and ensure local voices are at the heart of decisions.
The Board brings together community leaders, local businesses, social enterprises and cultural, arts, heritage and sporting organisations, alongside Leader of the Council, Councillor David Leaf, Slade Green and Northend Ward Councillors, Stefano Borella and Donna Briant and Bexleyheath and Crayford MP, Daniel Francis.
The Board will be chaired by local pastor Kevin McLaren, who has lived and worked in the area for more than 30 years.
Did you know Erith Leisure Centre is home to a thousand-seater stadium used by Bexley Athletic Club and local football teams throughout the year?
The stadium features a full-size, floodlit natural grass football pitch, an athletics track, covered spectator seating and on-site changing facilities. The venue hosts a range of grassroots football, youth fixtures, training sessions and community events, supporting local clubs and helping people of all ages take part in sport and physical activity.
The stadium is managed by Erith Leisure Centre, which also offers gym, swimming, soft play, sports hall and padel tennis facilities.
For more information, call 01322 350271 or visit the Erith Leisure centre website.
As the dark nights creep in and Halloween and Bonfire Night draw closer, this time of year can cause concern for some. Please consider your neighbours and these tips for celebrating safely:
If you are concerned about a crime or anti-social behaviour, call 101 or visit the Metropolitan Police website or in emergencies, always call 999.
In 2026, our Borough’s library service reaches a significant milestone, marking ten years of successful partnership with three dedicated community organisations: Bostall Library Community Group (Bostall Library), Eco Communities (Slade Green Library) and New Generation Community Trust (Blackfen Library).
These valued partners have played an integral role in sustaining and enhancing library provision across the Borough.
They have expanded the reach and impact of library services, supporting a wide range of initiatives, including literacy programmes, digital inclusion support, community events, environmental projects and opportunities for volunteering and skills development.
Councillor Brian Bishop, Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said:
This ten-year milestone is a testament to what can be achieved when Councils and communities work hand in hand. Our library partners have shown extraordinary commitment, creativity and resilience in supporting these much-loved local spaces.
As the Borough looks forward to the future, the Council remains committed to strengthening these partnerships and continuing to invest in a library service that reflects the values and aspirations of its communities."