Published October 30th, 2011
Schools In Waltham Forest Will Receive £4.8 Million In Pupil Premium
Following an announcement made by the Minister of Education Sarah Teather MP, schools in Waltham Forest and across the country are set to receive 331 Million Pounds through pupil premium, to help around 140,000 of the most disadvantaged 2 year olds with free child care.
This means that, across Waltham Forest, schools will receive an extra 4.8 million pounds through pupil premium, to help the most vulnerable. That is £488 for each child on free school meals list.
The pupil premium is a policy, the Liberal Democrats devised and campaigned for, and put at the heart of coalition negotiations. Now it is more then just a good policy, it is a reality, making a difference to the schools down our road. It goes directly in to the classrooms and will benefit all pupils.
It is also a milestone in breaking the link between poverty and achievement, tackling Labour’s shocking legacy where the richest 16-year olds are three times as likely to get five good GCSEs as the poorest.
Published October 27th, 2011
Labour Council ignores residents and closes Harrow Green Library
Last Thursday the Labour Council voted to close down Harrow Green Library. Residents had raised a petition of over 5,000 signatures and local Lib Dems had also raised a petition of over 1,1000 signatures to save the library.
Despite these petitions, fierce local residents’ opposition to the proposal and impassioned speeches, Labour Councillors voted to close the Library. The Tories abstained and the Liberal Democrats were the only party to vote against the closure. Even local Labour Councillors, whose residents had campaigned to stop the closure, voted to shut down Harrow Green Library.
Local Lib Dem Cann Hall Ward Councillor Liz Phillips, who has been leading the campaign in the council said:
“Local residents worked hard on this issue and took time out of their day to come and speak in the debate in good faith, only to find that the Labour Party had stitched up the result in advance.
“I’m not surprised that some residents walked out in disgust. Labour has refused to listen to local residents all along and this council meeting was no different.
“The Labour councillors can’t use a cut in the budget to hide the fact that it is them who are closing down our local library.”
The closure was based on the widely criticised libraries’ review and despite the consultation process, two petitions and recommendations from the council’s own scrutiny panel that no libraries needed to close, the Labour leadership refused to change course.
Lib Dem Leader Councillor Bob Sullivan said:
“The Libraries’ Review has been widely criticised and appears to have been a foregone conclusion from the start.
“The questions asked in the consultation were clearly misleading. For example, residents were asked if they would like their library to start opening on Sundays, but weren’t asked if they minded other libraries closing for this to be achieved.
“Of course residents suggest improved services, but if they knew that the council were robbing Harrow Green to pay for those services I believe they would think again.
Published September 16th, 2011
Save Harrow Green Library
The Liberal Democrat petition to ‘Save Harrow Green Library’ of over 1000 signatures, has been handed to the Council. Along with another residents petition, the total signatures comes to over 4000.
These petitions indicate the overwhelming support by residents that they want to keep the Library open.
The Council’s consultation on the review of libraries has come to an end and will be reported to the Cabinet on the 11th of October.
Lib Dem councillors Liz Phillips and Bob Sullivan were members of a Scrutiny Panel that scrutinised the original Cabinet report.
The Panel noted that the Cabinet report left many questions unanswered and while it contained a great deal of information, it was not always the right information. They felt the report did not do a complete job.
The Panel identified 19 recomendations which will be given to the Cabinet in October. If implemented would support the expansive Library and Information Service, whilst negating the closure of any library.
Among the 19 panel recommendations to enable libraries to afford keeping open were:
- Shelving Sunday opening and all libraries should be closed on Mondays.
- Opening hours should be reviewed.
- The charges for the use of libraries to be reviewed.
- Consider locating staff from rental premises to space currently available in Harrow Green Library.
- Review salaries and grading of staff and review library contracts e.g. cleaning services.
There were many other recommendations, which hopefully, will give the Cabinet reasons to save the libraries from closure.
Published July 9th, 2011
SAVE HARROW GREEN LIBRARY
In order to save money, our Labour run Waltham Forest Council is making changes to the library system. Some years ago it was looking to close Leyton Library, but that was saved. Now they are looking to close another one of our local libraries – Harrow Green!
The council admits that, ‘here in the south of the borough, where deprivation is most concentrated, health, education attainment and housing standards are lower, libraries are a focus for communities that enhance people’s quality of life.’ Libraries alleviate the effects of deprivation.
The Harrow Green Library building is home to many local groups and activities, as well as the borrowing of books, access to the Internet and for study and homework. 50% of the borrowers are children.
The Council has set up a 12 week consultation period ending on Friday 9 September.
The Council’s consultation documentation can be accessed by log in on to:
http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/leisure/libraries/library-review.htm
You can also get a copy of the consultation document at any library or contact me and I will send you one.
Please help us to Save Harrow Green Library by signing the petition at:
http://ourcampaign.org.uk/HarrowGreenLibrary
You can also write to Councillor Geraldine Reardon (responsible for libraries) at The Town Hall, Walthamstow E17 6JF
Published February 9th, 2010
Members And Helpers
Cllr Farooq Qureshi and myself are holding a meeting at :
The Corner Stone
Essex Road
On
Wednesday 10th February 2010
At
6:30pm
This meeting is to call all of you who can help the Liberal Democrats win the Election in 2010, 
All of you who can help and support in any way,
Any great ideas are welcomed.
Please do attend!!!!
Lib Dems working hard for you the community!!!!
Published February 9th, 2010
Computer Club
FORA has been awarded a £5000 grant such that Leytonstone School’s Computers may be used on a Saturday morning by local residents. Tuition will be supplied through the School and will be of the 
user-friendly kind whereby individuals will be able to work at their own pace learning how to access the internet, send emails and generally use a computer for all those activities which save money and enable individuals to communicate and follow their interests. No previous experience or knowledge is required and the format will be of the walk-in type for the duration of three school terms. The only qualification is that of living in Forest Ward.
Published February 9th, 2010
Litter Bins
Litter bins are placed in our ward to keep it clean,
They are there for us to put our hand rubbish in as we walk past
Rather then having to hold it all the way home.
So why do the streets of Forest ward end up like this,
This is not walking by hand rubbish, this is disgusting.
Our ward does not have to look like this these bins have not been placed to attract all sorts of house hold rubbish, due to several complaints we may lose these litter bins spotted around our ward so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be more considerate.
Published February 9th, 2010
Anti Social Behaviour in Bakers Arms
You may remember back in September Cllr Qureshi and my self approached the council for Bakers Arms to become a dispersal zone for anti social behavior.
A dispersal order will provide the police with additional powers to disperse groups of two or more people where the officer has reasonable grounds for believing that their presence or behaviour has resulted, or is likely to result, in a member of the public from being harassed, intimidated, alarmed or distressed. Once asked to disperse it will be a criminal offence for that person to return to the dispersal area for a 24-hour period.
If a young person under the age of sixteen is stopped in the area after 9pm and is not accompanied by an adult the police can escort them to their home address, if they are either: 
- At risk or vulnerable from anti-social behaviour, crime etc
- Causing, or at risk of causing, anti-social behaviour
Well a dispersal order has been put in place and commenced from 12noon on 23 November 2009 and will end at 11.59am on 22 May 2010 after which the council will review this again.
Lib Dems working hard for the community!!!!!!
Published February 9th, 2010
Dealing with Dog Fighting
Our Safer Neighbourhood Team are currently arranging more dates for Operation BARK.
Operation BARK involves The Safer Neighbourhood Team and the RSPCA attending problem addresses in relation to dangerous dogs and owners causing anti-social behaviour involving their pets. 
There is also a chance for dog walkers to have their dogs micro chipped for
free and free neutering vouchers for owners.
Published February 9th, 2010
Whipps Cross Hospital begins reopening
Following guidance from the Health Protection Agency, Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust has remained closed from most activity to enable the norovirus to clear, but will now begin the process of reopening parts of the hospital.
The A&E department reopened to ambulances on Friday 30 January 2010 and 10 wards are now back working normally.
The Maternity, Paediatrics and the Outpatients departments continue to operate as usual, as does the Emergency and Urgent Care Centre.
Elective surgery, where patients would require an in-patient stay after a procedure, remains closed at this stage.
There continues to be no visitor access to any of the wards at Whipps Cross due to heightened infection control precautions and these will remain until further notice.
For the Maternity Department only, one birth partner will be permitted onto a ward during this time – no children will be allowed.
For Children’s services only one parent per child will be allowed.
Individual patient’s needs can be discussed with the ward Sister, who can grant permission to access in exceptional circumstances.
Security are present at entrances and their role is to question the need for access to the site.
Strict infection control safety measures remain in place and have been taken in closing the shops, restaurant and Jobs Junctions to the general public.
Norovirus is a common winter ailment, which can be highly contagious and causes symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea.
