About Barking & Dagenham
The London Borough of Barking & Dagenham is first and foremost a centre for enterprise and opportunity.
The borough is at the centre of the Thames Gateway, the biggest regeneration project in Europe. Over the next 15 years or so, up to 25,000 new homes are to be built and 15,000 new jobs are to be created in the borough.
Barking & Dagenham is one of the five Thameside ‘Gateway to London 2012 Olympics’ boroughs of east London. It is also home to a growing and ethnically diverse population of 160,000 that is expected to rise by more than a fifth (30,000) over the next ten years.
This is a fast-changing place. Within less than a century, Barking & Dagenham was home first to England’s biggest fishing fleet and then to the country’s biggest car assembly plant.
Still the biggest manufacturing centre in London, Barking & Dagenham is the obvious destination for many of the businesses displaced by the 2012 Olympics. The community’s future lies in a rich mixture of manufacturing, retail, creative and cultural businesses.
Over 50 local authorities applied for LEGI funds, and the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham’s bid was one of only ten accepted, and the sole Thames Gateway winner.
Under its LEGI programme, BDE supports and encourages local enterprise in partnership with other community organisations that include:
Barking and Dagenham Chamber of Commerce
BDCC is both the networking hub for the growing Barking & Dagenham business community and houses a Resource Centre. Many of the Centre’s services are available to non-members, making BDCC a must for anyone trading in or interested in trading in the borough.
BDCC sees itself at the heart of East London Regeneration, and helps members to build on their success, to open their minds to new business ideas and to get actively involved through events and alerts to business opportunities.
Tel: 020 8591 6966
Email: info@bdchamber.co.uk
Website: www.bdchamber.co.uk
London Thames Gateway Development Corporation
LTGDC is the government agency tasked with bringing about the social and economic growth needed to transform the prospects of people who live and work in the five east London boroughs that make up London’s Thames Gateway.
The Gateway, which includes Barking & Dagenham, is Europe’s largest regeneration project. LTGDC works to secure government and other funding to generate 150,000 jobs and 200,000 homes in the next ten years, together with the necessary services and environmental improvements.
LTGDC is responsible for all planning matters south of the A13 from Beam Reach in the East to Beckton in the West, including Dagenham Dock and Barking Riverside, as well as parts of Barking Town Centre.
Tel: 020 7517 4730
Fax: 020 7517 4778
Website: www.ltgdc.org.uk
Barking & Dagenham Small Business Centre
The Centre is a division of the East London Small Business Centre. BDSBC provides free business counselling, business training, and supports business start-ups and the expansion of micro- and small businesses. A wide range of attractive business loans is also available.
Tel: 020 8911 3737
Email: bdsbc@bdsbc.org
Website: www.bdsbc.org
Barking & Dagenham Partnership
The Partnership shapes community strategy and brings together the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (LBBD), police, the NHS and other local bodies in further education, voluntary service and business.
BDP’s job is to make Barking & Dagenham even more of a place where people feel proud to live, work and play by providing:
- Easy access to excellent services
- Wide range of living accommodation
- First-class cultural, leisure and entertainment activities
- A community spirit where everyone can help to improve opportunities for living, working and playing
It was BDP’s Development and Enterprise Group that oversaw LBBD’s successful application for government funding to launch Barking & Dagenham Enterprise.
Tel: Carol Morgan 020 8227 2463
Email: carol.morgan@lbbd.gov.uk
Website: www.barkingdagenhampartnership.org.uk
London Development Agency
The Mayor of London has a duty to provide for the economic well-being of Londoners and does so through the London Development Agency. LDA funds programmes that benefit both residents and businesses.
In Barking & Dagenham, the agency funds the Riverside Programme, which in turn funds training, business and infrastructure, for example, Dagenham Dock.
Tel: 020 7593 8000
Email: info@lda.gov.uk
Website: www.lda.gov.uk
Barking College of Further and Higher Education
Barking College enables students to achieve individual success through study, whether by day, in the evenings or at weekends. The College is also committed to promoting industrial competitiveness through relevant, high quality education and training for people at work.
Tel: 01708 770 000
Email: admissions@barkingcollege.ac.uk
Website: www.barkingcollege.ac.uk
Robert Clack School
Funding is available for Year 12 students, who are offered a bursary programme including a work experience placement in Business, Science or Sport.
Help is also available to develop community enterprise projects.
Gary Jarrett
Tel: 020 8724 1113
Email: gjarrett@robert-clack.bardaglea.org.uk
Website: www.robert-clack.bardaglea.org.uk
Tenants and Residents Federation of Barking and Dagenham
The Tenant Participation Team of LBBD promotes the involvement of residents in the planning, monitoring and improvement of housing services. The team provides support to existing tenants’ and residents’ groups, other tenants’ representatives and also helps encourage new groups by working with residents on selected estates. Team responsibilities include:
- Helping tenants to gain skills and confidence
- Supporting meetings to ensure they are well-run and effective
- Administering start-up and continuation grants
Tel: 020 8227 5597
Email: participation@lbbd.gov.uk
Website: www.lbbd.gov.uk
Barking and Dagenham Council for Voluntary Service
Voluntary community work in providing services, regenerating neighbourhoods and increasing volunteering
Tel: 020 8227 5426
Email: info@bdcvs.org.uk
Website: www.navcs.org.uk
Ethnic Minority Partnership Agency
EMPA is a forum for the black and ethnic minority communities to evaluate, advise on and influence culturally – sensitive planning and delivery of health and social services.
Tel: 020 8507 3477
Website: www.csvcommunitypartners.org.uk