Published August 28th, 2011
Could you be a ‘SNOW ANGEL’?
Waltham Forest, like many other Councils is planning for the coming winter and want residents to play a vital role in making sure that the borough can cope in the event of severe weather conditions.
Suitable precautions to deal with snow and ice are being put into place, but the Council is hoping that residents will agree to become “Snow Angels” and help clear their vulnerable neighbours’ drives and pathways of snow and ice.The Snow Angel scheme was piloted last year amongst Council staff who live in the borough and who volunteered to grit and shovel snow from drives, pathways and pavements to keep the borough moving. This proved to be a huge success so now the Council has decided to roll the scheme out to the residents of Waltham Forest.Volunteers will be provided with the following free equipment:
1 x 20kg bag of grit
Hi-visibility jacket
Protective gloves
Snow scoop and shovel
If you are interested in becoming a “Snow Angel” please contact Amanda Karrinton on 0208 496 1296 or email on amanda.karrinton@walthamforest.gov.uk by 31st August 2011 and you will be provided with further information.
Published August 9th, 2011
Lib Dem councillors reaction to violence following Town Hall briefing
Liberal Democrat councillors this afternoon attended a briefing by the police and council officers at Waltham Forest Town Hall about the recent disturbances.Speaking after the briefing at Waltham Forest Town Hall -
Liberal Democrat councillor for High Street ward Mahmood Hussain said:
“I have spent much of the last two days talking to local shopkeepers and residents affected by the violence. Over 50 businesses have been affected in central Walthamstow. It is shocking to see so many people’s hard work destroyed. I have been impressed with how people are working together to put things right.”
Cllr Winnie Smith (Leyton ward) has also been talking to and visiting businesses and residents in Leyton.
Cllr Farooq Qureshi (Forest ward) added:
“These people don’t have a political message. Looting a Lidl and smashing restaurant windows is not going to sort out any of the problems that residents face. At the end of the day it is local people who will lose jobs and income as a result of this criminal behaviour.”
Cllr Liz Phillips (Cann Hall) said:
“The police have assured us that there will be more officers on duty tonight. The council has been working to remove debris and potential weapons from the street. It is important that parents know where their children are and that everyone take responsibility for calming the situation.”
Published July 31st, 2011
Liberal Democrat Councillor Surgery is moving
Following upon the closure of the Waltham Forest Direct shop at Leyton Green Lib Dem Councillor Farooq Qureshi is moving his surgery to:
The Cornerstone
corner of Essex Road and Canterbury Road
Every Saturday from 10am until 12 noon
No appintments are necessary
All consultations are confidential
The next surgery will at The Cornerstone on 4th September.
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 June 3rd, 2011
Abbotts Park – Consultation
The Council has commissioned Kinnear Landscape Architects to develop improvements for Abbotts Park.
There is to be a public consultation in the park on Saturday 25th June between 2 and 5pm.
Council officers and the design team will be there to hear your views on the proposals, which as usual are subject to planning consent and funding.
If you cannot make this meeting, the plans will also be on display in Leyton Library, Leyton High Road, corner of Ruckholt Road on Monday 27th June. A representative from the designers will be present between 4 and 6pm.
This is your opportunity to express your views on this scheme.
Published May 26th, 2011
LIB DEM CLLR MAHMOOD HUSSAIN URGES REJECTION OF CINEMA PLAN AND WELCOMES DECISION
Liberal Democrat councillor Mahmood Hussain on Wednnesday 18 May told Waltham Forest’s Planning Committee that the council should refuse the planning application submitted by UKCG to turn the EMD Cinema into a religious assembly hall.
Councillor Hussain, who represents High Street ward which includes the EMD Cinema site, said:
“The key questions can be summarised very simply. Does the proposed development respect the building’s heritage and listed building status? Is the impact on the area and particularly on nearby residents acceptable? Does the proposed development contribute satisfactorily to the regeneration of Walthamstow Town Centre? On all three counts I believe the answer is no.
“This view is shared by an enormous number of local residents. Our borough has hundreds of places of worship of all types and sizes. But it does not have a single cinema. We have clear evidence that the building is potentially viable as a cinema, arts and entertainment venue.
“This would bring new life to the area and stimulate the local economy – unlike the proposal before you. The proposed changes to the building would destroy much of what is special about this unique building, which is one of the oldest, largest and best preserved cinema buildings in the country.
“Residents would suffer from the absence of a proper noise management scheme and from parking problems generated by cars descending on the area from miles away.
“For the sake of Walthamstow please listen to local people, weigh up the planning merits of the case and refuse the application.”
Speaking after the decision to refuse the planning application Councillor Hussain said he was delighted that the Planning Committee had listened to the arguments put forward by objectors.
“This is good and important news for Walthamstow Town Centre but it is only one step forward. Following two planning refusals and endless discussion I hope UKCG will now abandon their plan. We must allow those who are able to bring the cinema back into use the chance to realise the cinema’s true potential.”
Published May 26th, 2011
LABOUR COUNCIL’S DECEPTION!
The local Guardian newspaper has highlighted the amount of taxpayers’ money that the Labour Council is spending on campaign propaganda. Is this a smoke screen to hide their cuts to services?
In a poll by one national newspaper Waltham Forest was judged the highest spender on propaganda in the country.
The budget Councillor Bob Sullivan put forward on behalf of the Liberal Democrat Group in opposition to the Labour budget showed many areas of savings including the saving of £250,000 by getting rid of the political campaigning and putting that money into respite care for children and families.
The reduction in respite care will cause much anxiety to the families who desperately need respite care for them and their children.
The Liberal Democrats were the only party to oppose the Labour budget – the Conservatives did not put forward any alternative budget, but spent time praising the Labour leader of the Council! So much for Tory opposition.
Published May 18th, 2011
COUNCIL BACKS LIB DEM CALL TO SAVE THE CHEQUE
Waltham Forest Council has backed a Liberal Democrat campaign to ‘Save the Cheque’.
At Thursday’s (12 May) council meeting councillors voted for a motion which called on the banking industry’s Payments Council to halt its plans to abolish cheques.
Liberal Democrat Cann Hall councillor Liz Phillips, who proposed the motion said:
“Hundreds of thousands of people write cheques every day. Over a billion cheques are chased every year. Small businesses, charities and many residents – especially older people – rely on cheques to conduct their day-to-day transactions. It is wrong that the banks plan to abolish cheques when it is clear that people want to use them for years to come. I have had a massive response from Leytonstone residents who will be affected if cheques are abolished.”
The Liberal Democrats are particularly concerned about the effect on older people and the housebound. One local resident wrote to Liz Phillips:
“I write as a full time carer. My husband is very disabled and I can only get out four hours a week for shopping and all other things. How can I pay the bills without cheques?”
Internet payments are not an alternative for the nine million people in Britain who have never used the internet or for those who are concerned about internet fraud. The abolition of the cheque will lead to more people carrying and storing large quantities of cash, rendering them more vulnerable to theft.
Charities will also suffer. Lib Dem High Street councillor Mahmood Hussain, who seconded the motion, told councillors:
“As a trustee of a small local charity, 80% of the donations we receive during our fundraising come in by cheque. If cheques are abolished many small charities like mine will struggle.”
Published May 11th, 2011
Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) consultation
Knotts Green Road, Belmont Park Road, William Street and St. Heliers Road
After years of campaigning by residents and your local Liberal Democrat Focus Team about the problems of parking in these roads, the Council has finally got down to consult with residents about a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in these roads.
The following link directs you to a copy of the plan showing the full area of the CPZ: http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/shernhall_baker_plan.pdf
All residents should have received the consultation document, and sent in their views by now.
If you have not filled it in and returned it you only have until Monday 16th May to send it in.
It is important that you make your views known.
If you have any queries or questions please do not hesitate to contact your Liberal Democrat Ward Councillor Farooq Qureshi, tel 07956 290240. You can also contact him via this website.
