Waltham Forest Liberal Democrats

Waltham Forest’s Liberal Democrat councillors will fight to retain ticket office staff at local tube stations.

Last week Transport for London, which is controlled by the Mayor of London, announced cost cutting proposals to axe 450 ticket office staff and reduce ticket office opening hours across the networks.

Local transport campaigner, Lib Dem councillor and parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead Farooq Qureshi said:

“Waltham Forest has some of the busiest tube stations in outer London. These proposals mean more inconvenience and hassle for tube users. Passengers need to be able to talk to a real person if they have queries or problems.This is especially important for those who are not regular travellers or find it difficult to use the machines.”

Liberal Democrat members of the London Assembly believe the cuts will make many passengers feel unsafe and could have a negative impact in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in and around tube stations.

Farooq Qureshi has a strong record of campaigning on local transport issues including the need to ease rush hour congestion at Leyton and Leytonstone underground stations by opening additional exits, the need for better connections from Leyton and Leytonstone High Roads to the rest of the borough and Stratford, improved accessibility for disabled passengers at Leyton and the refurbishment of Leyton Midland and Leytonstone High Road stations.

Passenger numbers per year for Waltham Forest tube stations are:

• Walthamstow –> 14.2 million passengers per year
• Leyton -> 12.7 million
• Leytonstone –> 9.9 million
• Blackhorse Road –> 6.1 million

Source: TfL website

During his election campaign Boris Johnson promised to retain staffed ticket offices. His transport manifesto Getting Londoners Moving committed the Conservative Mayor to: “halting the proposed Tube ticket office closures, and ensuring there is always a manned ticket office at every station” (page 2) and claimed “I will also defend local ticket offices” (page 9).

Walthamstow faces a massive shortfall in school places which will get much worse by 2013 if urgent action is not taken, according to answers obtained by local Liberal Democrat councillors at a meeting of the Walthamstow West Community Council on Monday (1 March).

Council officers told the meeting that if nothing is done 162 reception-age children due to start school in the Walthamstow area will have no school place in September; equivalent to five-and-a-half classes. Currently local schools have capacity for 3090 reception-aged pupils but the projected intake is 3252 pupils.

By 2013 over 500 pupils will not have a school place to go to.

Reasons for the shortfall include increasing birth rates and the number of families with young children moving into the borough. This means many children face being educated in temporary classrooms.

Worryingly the portfolio holder in charge of schools, Cllr Liaquat Ali (Labour, High Street) was at the meeting but was unable to provide any details about how he proposed to deal with the problem.

Liberal Democrat councillors are demanding that the council gets a grip on the situation and produces a credible long-term plan to deliver the school places that local families need.

Liberal Democrat councillor James O Rourke, who chairs the Children and Young Peoples Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said:

“Cllr Ali couldn’t point to a single action he or his predecessor, the Council leader, had taken to ensure local people have somewhere to send their children. It’s time someone got a grip on the situation.”

Cllr Patrick Smith, Liberal Democrat councillor chair of the community council, said:

“The Liberal Democrats have been worried for some time about the increasing strain placed on local primary schools by the growing population. More and more children are being crammed into temporary classrooms. We know that teachers will do their best to deliver high quality teaching but it isn’t fair that children should be expected to learn in these conditions.

“Pressure for school places comes from numerous new developments in the Walthamstow area including an expected 1,000 new families in the Blackhorse Lane regeneration area.”

Waltham Forest Liberal Democrats say the confusion around the reported submission of a planning application for nearly 500 flats on the Walthamstow Stadium site has renewed their determination to fight for a better solution. Despite reports, London and Quadrant have not submitted a planning application for the high profile site.

Liberal Democrat Leader John Macklin has held discussions with the Save Our Stow campaigners, businessman Nick Budimir who is interested in buying the site for leisure use and London and Quadrant. He said:

“We must not have a future where Waltham Forest is full of houses and flats but without the leisure and community facilities that residents need. For many years people flocked to the Stow to enjoy themselves and take a break from everyday life. It’s important that future residents also have the opportunity to enjoy their leisure time locally.

“The end of the relationship between London and Quadrant and Yoo Capital illustrates how dysfunctional and confused the whole process has become. Nick Budimir’s proposal currently looks like the most credible and attractive option on the table. We want to maintain the stadium’s long tradition as a place where local people can take pleasure and enjoy their leisure. I urge London and Quadrant to open their mind to the leisure option.

“I would like to see all the interested parties sit down around a table and talk through the options. I will do anything I can to help.”

Waltham Forest Liberal Democrat councillors tonight (Thursday 25 February) voted to freeze council tax and invest in priority services.

Liberal Democrat Leader John Macklin, who is also Cabinet member for Finance, told councillors:

“This is a budget that responds to the real needs of Waltham Forest residents. A council tax rise would have imposed a further and unwelcome burden on local taxpayers. So I am delighted that we have agreed a council tax freeze.

“This year residents will not need to worry about finding extra money to pay for council tax increases.”

The budget also invests additional funding into important priority services:

• Protecting vulnerable children - £250,000 extra
• Tackling the menace of dangerous dogs - £200,000 extra
• Additional street cleaning for the busiest areas: town centres and around schools - £500,000 extra
• Reduction in the cost of parking permits - £100,000

“These are all areas where extra funds will make a real difference,” said Cllr Macklin.

Commenting on the Conservative amendment, which sought to reduce enforcement activity, Cllr Bob Belam said:

“The responsible and law-abiding majority of residents want to enjoy clean and safe streets. They expect us to take tough action against hose who flout the rules without thinking of others. The Conservative attempt to cut funding for enforcement is a charter for those who litter our street and fly-tip in our open spaces.”

Waltham Forest Council have announced it is introducing pilot a scheme in schools in which students will be taught how to ‘spot’ extremists and report them to the appropriate authorities.

Local Lib Dem Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr John Macklin said:

“I’m deeply disappointed that Labour have not consulted fellow Councillors about this pilot before blindly following Gordon Brown’s policies.

“I am also extremely uncomfortable with the notion of Labour implementing Orwellian policies in our schools potentially setting pupil against pupil.” 

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Walthamstow, Farid Ahmed said:

“Once again it seems that the Government is obsessed with setting up wacky and expensive schemes rather then deal with the issues at hand.

“It is vital that extremism is dealt with at the grass roots, though it is no surprise that the Government has cherry picked Walthamstow – an area with a very multicultural community - to launch this scheme.

“The sole purpose of this scheme seems to marginalise whole communities and is evidence once again of Labour’s failure to come up with realistic plans.

“In comparison, we will pump £2.5bn into schools so that students are equipped to join an increasingly tough jobs market.”

With the recession hitting the youngest the hardest Waltham Forest Liberal Democrats have implemented proposals announced by national Lib Dem Leader, Nick Clegg, to prevent people leaving school, college and university being condemned to long-term unemployment.

Waltham Forest Council has implemented the Lib Dem policy by encouraging 16 to 18-year-olds to apply for a place on its apprenticeship scheme.

Local Lib Dem Leader and cabinet member for finance and resources, Cllr John Macklin, said:

“Making sure our residents are equipped with the skills they need to compete in the workplace and driving down unemployment are two big priorities for the council and taking on apprenticeships shows that we’re putting our money where our mouth is as an organisation. 

“Research has shown that taking on apprentices can be a real boost to the organisation by increasing productivity, increasing competitiveness and providing a committed and well-skilled workforce which makes it a win-win situation for everyone involved.”

High Street Lib Dem Councillor and Chair of the Children & Young People Scrutiny committee, James O’Rourke, said:

“The Labour Government has let down school-leavers and older teenagers as, despite their big promise, they have not provided the apprenticeships to make sure that every school-leaver who wanted to learn a trade can do.

“In Waltham Forest Lib Dems have acted to help young people gain the skills they need for employment.”

Javell Holden, one of the council’s apprentices, said: “I’ve been working at the WFD call centre while doing a Business and Administration NVQ course since last April.

“I’ve found the course very beneficial and have just been offered a permanent job. I’ve learned many skills and would recommend this to anyone.”

Anyone aged 16-18 and interested in the scheme should email wbl@walthamforest.gov.uk or call 020 8520 9430.

Click here for further details of the Lib Dem policy to tackle youth unemployment.