DURING MY 30 year career in the Metropolitan Police I was fortunate to be appointed the Community Liaison Officer for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham in the early 1990 s. I spent five very happy years in the Borough in the days of Jo Richardson

DURING MY 30 year career in the Metropolitan Police I was fortunate to be appointed the Community Liaison Officer for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham in the early 1990's.

I spent five very happy years in the Borough in the days of Jo Richardson MP and a Council whose members knew what Barking & Dagenham wanted and all strived together to achieve their objects. Many Councillors were born, educated, and worked all their lives in the Borough and understood its needs and its residents.

I retired in 1995 and have always had a 'soft spot' for Barking & Dagenham and thanks to the internet I have been able to keep up with news from the Borough. I am however saddened and horrified to read about what is happening, particularly the de-selection of certain councillors and to my dismay, one of them happens to be Councillor Fred Barns.

I worked very closely with Councillor Barns in my time in the Borough as he was the Principal Youth Officer and his knowledge was second to none. I was particularly pleased that on his retirement he became a Councillor as I felt he still had a lot more to give to the Borough, and I knew that as far as he was concerned Barking & Dagenham was always, and having spoken to him recently, still is, the 'Premier Borough'.

2007 was a very special year as within the space of a week my wife and I were awarded MBE's for the Charity we founded in 1989, and Councillor Fred Barns became Mayor for Barking & Dagenham and adopted us as his Mayoral Charity for the year. I was very pleased to refresh my links with the Borough and particularly to work alongside Fred Barns once more.

As Founder of the National Holiday Fund for Sick and Disabled Children I am pleased to say that in his year as Mayor, Fred and his wife Phyl worked tirelessly to promote the Charity at the 400+ events he attended, and he succeeded in raising for us the magnificent sum of �38,562.00 This was done whilst still performing his duties as a Councillor and I am sure that the members of his ward did not feel neglected during his year and subsequently his year as Deputy Mayor.

Although I now live in Spalding I would like to add my voice to the support of Councillor Fred Barns, who was born, educated, married, lived and worked in the Borough, and eventually becoming a devoted Councillor whom the residents can relate to. I feel that the residents of Barking & Dagenham will lose a valuable member of their Council should Fred Barns not be selected once again to serve the good people of the Borough.

Malcolm Haddow MBE

Founder & Director

National Holiday Fund for Sick and Disabled Childre