Published January 18th, 2012
Fire Brigade 999 service for sale!
Residents in Waltham Forest will be put at risk if the Mayor’s plans to privatise Fire Brigade 999 call handling go ahead, warn the borough’s Liberal Democrat Councillors.
Conservatives on the London Fire Authority backed by Mayor Boris Johnson propose to contract out the Fire Brigade Control Room that handles over 200,000 emergency 999 calls a year. They intend to push their controversial plan through before voters get a say in next May’s Mayoral and London Assembly elections, when controversial Conservative LFEPA boss Cllr Brian Coleman risks being ousted.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Farooq Qureshi said:
“I was shocked to hear of this plan. It makes no sense to separate the people answering 999 calls from the rest of the Fire Brigade. There are no private companies with a decent track record in this highly specialised fire safety work. It will just end up costing more money as the Fire Brigade will need an army of staff to check the private call handlers are getting it right. This is all about Conservative dogma rather than what is best for local residents’ safety.”
The Fire Brigade’s Union is also strongly opposed to the privatisation plan.
Commenting on the sell off Liberal Democrat Candidate for Mayor of London, Brian Paddick said:
“As a former police chief I recognise that control rooms are an essential part of the emergency response. Privatising the fire brigade control room runs the risk of providing a second class service at a higher cost to the public.”
Published November 29th, 2011
Local Police Stations not open 24 hours
The only Police station open 24 hours in Waltham Forest is Chingford. The others are closed most of the early hours.
The following are the opening times of Waltham Forest Police stations Monday to Sunday:
Chingford – 24 hours
Leyton – 0700 – 0300
Walthamstow – 0700 – 0300
Town Centre office – Tuesday – Saturday 1000-1800
Waltham House (Leytonstone) – 0700 – 1900
Remember – In an emergency you need to phone 999
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 October 21st, 2011
LABOUR COUNCILLORS VOTE TO CLOSE HARROW GREEN LIBRARY
Last night, at the full council meeting, all Labour councillors voted in favour of closing down Harrow Green Library. Liberal Democrat councillors voted against the closure whilst the conservatives abstained. Labour councillors brought in the motion to the full council for the closure. There was a lengthy debate, in which Labour councillors yet once again played the blame game and kept blaming the coalition Government for the cuts.
Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Sullivan reminded the meeting that Labour have a history of closing libraries in Waltham Forest. With the closure of St James street library, and the attempted closures of Lea Bridge and Leyton libraries, to name but a few.
ANOTHER FREE PUBLIC SERVICE FALLS VICTIM OF THIS LABOUR ADMINSTRATION
Published October 15th, 2011
Peterborough Road Area CPZ Cosultation
Waltham Forest council has sent out consultation documents for Peterborough Road area Control Parking Zone Scheme(CPZ). This consultation is based on parking demand surveys carried out by the council, which showed that there is parking congestion in the area. The aim of this consultation is to determine wheather there is adequate support for the area to be included in the 2011/12 controlled parking scheme implementation programme.
The deadline for the response of this consultation is 21st October 2011. Please do not forget to register your views.
Cllr Farooq Qureshi and the Forest Ward Focus Team are also sending out a Focus Street survey to determine the views of residents of effected roads. Please fill in the survey and return it to your Focus Team ASAP.
The roads covered by this scheme are:
Forest View Ave, Fulready Road, Eatington Road, Halford Road, West End Ave, Peterborough Road, Carnarvon Road, Liverpool Road, Matlock Road(part), Nottingham Road(part), Canterbury Road(part), Colchester Road(part)Sandringham Road, James Lane and Essex Road.
THE MAIN QUESTION IS: DO YOU WANT A CPZ IN YOUR ROAD OR NOT??
Please let us know
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 June 19th, 2011
Libraries under threat!
The Liberal Democrats were shocked to see that a report on the Library Service was agreed by the Cabinet on 14 June, includes the proposal to close both Harrow Green and South Chingford Libraries.
The report recommended that Leytonstone, Leyton, Walthamstow and North Chingford be designated Library Plus branches – open 7 days a week and offering some additional services that were previously available in the Waltham Forest Direct shops.
While Hale End, Higham Hill, Wood Street and Lea Bridge will become Library Local branches, open for only 30 hours a week.
There will be a 12-week consultation period between June and September. There will be a further report to the cabinet in October, taking into account the consultation results.
Whatever your views we urge you to respond to the consultation so that the Council has the fullest possible picture of the feelings of local residents.
The Council’s consultation can be accessed by loggin on to: http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/leisure/libraries/library-review.htm
Published November 9th, 2010
Knotts Green Road – one way
Following residents’ calls for a one-way system and a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) for Knotts Green Road, Liberal Democrat councillor Farooq Qureshi and the Focus Team carried out a number of surveys which they sent to the Council, showing residents support for a one-way system and a CPZ.
Focus is pleased to see that work has started on the one-way system. This will mean that traffic will enter Knotts Green Road from Lea Bridge Road and exit onto Leyton Green Road.
The Focus Team has been promised that the Council will carry out a consultation on a CPZ by the end of the year.
Published March 23rd, 2010
Farooq steps up campaign against tube ticket office closures
Liberal Democrat transport campaigner Farooq Qureshi has stepped up his campaign against Boris Johnson’s ticket office closures following confirmation that all four tube stations in the borough will be affected – including Leyton and Leytonstone.
Sign his petition at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/ticketoffices.
In total Waltham Forest will lose nearly 60 hours of cover a week. The Mayor’s plan will hit late evening cover especially hard.
- Leyton ticket office will shut at 9.30 pm instead of 10.30 pm on weekdays
- Leytonstone will close at 8.45 pm instead of 11 pm on Sundays.
- Walthamstow Central will close at 9.30pm instead of 11.30pm on weekdays
- Blackhorse Road ticket office will shut at 6pm instead of 10pm on Saturdays
Cllr Qureshi, who is parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead, said:
“Waltham Forest has been hit hard by the Conservative Mayor’s broken promise. He said he would keep ticket offices open – but now travellers will face deserted ticket offices in the evenings just when demand for security is greatest. That’s why I’ve launched a petition and am asking for people’s experiences. I want as many people s possible to show their concern.”
Farooq Qureshi, Farid Ahmed and the Liberal Democrat team have launched a petition against the closures. Passengers can sign online at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/ticketoffices or call 020 8556 8335 for a petition form.
Full details of the proposed changes are:
LEYTON
- Weekdays – will open from 0600-2130 instead of 0530-2300
- Saturdays – will open from 0645-2200 instead of 0530-2230
- Sundays – will open from 0715-2100 instead of 0700-2300
This is 13 hours 30 mins a week less than currently.
LEYTONSTONE
- Weekdays – will open from 0545-2015 instead of 0530-2200
- Saturdays – will open from 0645-2045 instead of 0600-2200
- Sundays – will open from 0730-2045 instead of 0700-2300
This is 11 hours 15 mins a week less than currently.
BLACKHORSE ROAD
- Weekdays – will open from 0600-1945 instead of 0530-2100
- Saturdays – will open from 0645-1800 instead of 0630-2200
- Sundays – will open from 0945-1645 instead of 0800-2000
This means the ticket office will be closed for 18 hours a week less than currently.
WALTHAMSTOW
- Weekdays – will open from 0545-2130 instead of 0530-2330
- Saturdays – will open from 0645-2145 instead of 0600-0000
- Sundays – will open from 0900-1900 instead of 0900-1100 and 12.30-23.00
This means the ticket office will be closed for 17 hours 45 mins a week less than currently.
In total Waltham Forest is losing nearly 60 hours of ticket office cover.
