ALONG with my relatives, friends and neighbours, we have just heard on the news…that Barking and Dagenham have just got the Green light to build a prison! Along with Chelmsford, who already have one. 60 years ago we become the borough for London s oversp

ALONG with my relatives, friends and neighbours, we have just heard on the news...that Barking and Dagenham have just got the Green light to build a prison! Along with Chelmsford, who already have one.

60 years ago we become the borough for London's overspill to ease over crowding after the war.

Now we are the borough for London's undesirables!

If London doesn't want them, we get lumbered as London's dumping ground.

Our councillors and MPs have kept quiet over this issue.

Probably because Rainham successfully protested against a prison and a large church being built there.

It was people power that won the day, now it's our turn to protest, or show how we feel at the next elections and tell our councillors and MPs now!

Where are they going to build it - where new housing estates are going to be, on the Riverside? That's the only place I can think it could possibly go!

Do you want to live near a prison? Then why should we!

Mrs Swinburn - Dagenham