Call for Safety Improvements!

Gainsborough Road footbridge in the background taken from the road bridge

At a recent visit by Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on the London Assembly, the FOCUS Team took up concerns expressed following the tragic recent event on the Gainsborough Road footbridge, urging her to press Transport for London (TfL) for urgent action to make the bridge safer.

FOCUS also proposed that the height of the sides of the road bridge should be increased.

It is understood that Liberal Democrat councillors in Redbridge have also raised similar concerns about other bridges spanning the A12 as it runs through their area.

To date, TfL, responsible for the A12, has agreed to look at what measures may be possible on the bridges.

FOCUS will keep you in touch with developments.

LABOUR COUNCIL INCOMPETENCE!

Serious questions must again be asked regarding the competence of the Labour-run Council after it emerged that, at a recent Cabinet meeting, leading Councillors approved the 2012-13 Budget Review of ‘Fees and Charges’ without realising it was in places identical to that of the previous fiscal year. The mistake was only identified and rectified when pointed out by shocked Liberal Democrat councillors several days after the meeting had taken place.

It has taken months for the real figures to be released to the Liberal Democrats and now will not be approved by the Council until March, 5 months late.

This follows on from reports earlier this month, raised by Lib Dem Group Leader Councillor Bob Sullivan, that the Labour administration had failed to honour their pledge to ensure local businesses were receiving payment within 10 days: money that could make the difference between a company staying afloat or going under in these difficult economic times.

Commenting, Councillor Sullivan said:

“I am appalled that something like this has been approved by the Labour Cabinet without even the slightest glance at the figures.

“If Liberal Democrats hadn’t noticed this and chased it up with officers, residents in Leyton and elsewhere would have been faced with confusion over services, or even worse another large hike in fees.

“Labour councillors from top to bottom aren’t putting in the hours and doing due diligence in important areas. It’s now only a matter of weeks until we set the council’s budget for next year and Labour need to end this appalling complacency before then. The residents of Waltham Forest should not have to suffer the consequences of Labour’s incompetence.”

COUNCILLOR OUTRAGED AT NEW PARKING CHARGES FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS

 Councillor Mahmood Hussain outraged at parking fees  

New parking charges have been introduced at Waltham Forest Town Hall for local residents after 6pm.

 Until recently it was free to park for residents who wanted to attend meetings or events at the Town Hall in the evenings and experience local democracy in action.

 But new charges will affect community groups, as well as charities and local residents, who often attend council meetings in the evenings to input into consultations or be updated on the council’s work.

 Lib Dem Councillor Mahmood Hussain said:

 “As a local Liberal Democrat I believe that Labour have once again got their priorities wrong and are penalising local residents before finding savings elsewhere.

 “The Labour administration could reverse these charges for less than half the cost of their subsidies to the trade unions.

 “This makes our council meetings less transparent, less accessible and more expensive for local residents. Labour should think again.”

LIB DEMS’ AMBITIOUS 2012 BUDGET IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED

This year has again seen cuts to the council budget as a result of the government’s important deficit reduction programme.

In administration in 2009/10 the Lib Dems laid the foundations for the difficult decisions that have been made over the last two years to balance the Town Hall’s books.

The success of the cuts to back office functions alongside extra money from the government for the council tax freeze has created unexpected flexibility in the budget to soften the impact on local residents and invest in jobs and growth.

This year the Lib Dems have identified over £6 million in additional savings and reserves that could be used to help residents now, invest in local jobs and ease the cuts on Labour’s failing Children’s Services.

Lib Dem Leader Cllr Bob Sullivan said:

“As a Liberal Democrat I am appalled to see that Labour are still subsidising their trade union paymasters, they are still spending half a million pounds on a wasteful council newspaper and they are still spending a million pounds a year on press officers and PR.

“And not only that but they’re hoarding money for a pre-election spending spree in 2014, when they could be helping residents now.

“Waltham Forest Labour have spent millions of pounds of tax payers money on consultants but they’re not investing enough in local jobs, they’ve spent £3 million earmarked for the Olympics on fireworks and parties whilst increasing fees for local sports and youth services, and next year they’re spending £3 million in their ‘priorities fund’ but barely 4% of it is to tackle unemployment.

“Lib Dems have identified over £6 million in extra savings and hidden reserves that could be spent now on helping local residents: Investing up to £4 million in jobs and growth, softening the blow of cuts to our struggling Children’s Services, and investing in local services by reversing the cut to Chingford South and Harrow Green libraries.”

 

“Waltham Forest Labour are out of touch, out of steam and out of ideas. They should get their priorities right for residents, stop wasting money on vanity projects and PR and be ambitious for Waltham Forest by accepting the Lib Dem’s budget amendment next week.”

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.”

The Council’s New Year Resolution should be to pay local businesses on time!

Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that Waltham Forest Council have failed to meet their own targets for paying local businesses within 10 days for 7 out of the last 8 months. And they have only once met their targets for paying small businesses on time since last April 2011.

According to the Federation of Small Businesses the Government estimates that in 2008, 4,000 businesses failed as a direct result of late payment and it costs UK businesses £180 million in debt interest charges. The problem of late payment is not just a commercial one, but it is also ethically wrong. When large businesses or the public sector pay late, it can put small firms out of business.

Liberal Democrat Leader and Finance Spokesperson, Councillor Bob Sullivan said:

“This is a tough time for small businesses and these targets were set to try and help cash flow for local businesses in Waltham Forest.

“For some small businesses, being paid promptly can mean the difference between growing or standing still; between creating jobs or cutting them; between keeping the doors open or closing them for good.”

“It is unacceptable that the council is failing local businesses in this way. Officers and Cabinet members should use the new year to turn over a new leaf and pay local businesses on time in 2012.”

Leyton Orient bid to move to Eton Manor refused

Leyton Orient FC, backed by Waltham Forest Council, approached The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) who own the Eton Manor site which is in Leyton ward, with a bid to take over the planned hockey stadium and turn it into a football and rugby stadium after the Olympics. The Orient bid would in the words of Barry Hearn, Orient’s Chairman, make the post Olympic Eton Manor area more sustainable and enable the football club to remain in Waltham Forest. He said that if he could not move to Eton Manor then the club was likely to move out of the area or fade away. A detailed financial appraisal was presented to LVRP Executive committee in November. The Executive referred its decision to a Special Authority meeting on the 15th December.

The LVRP authority meeting on the 15th considered a report from the LVRP Chief Executive outlining the reasons why it could not agree to Leyton Orient’s plans and to refuse Orient’s request.

Leyton Ward Councillor Bob Sullivan says that as the Waltham Forest member on the LVRP authority he enthused the sustainability of the Orient’s bid and said that he and Waltham Forest residents would not like to see the football club move from Waltham Forest. Unfortunately, all other members voted against Orient’s proposals.

Bob is not sure what Barry Hearn and Leyton Orient FC will do now. He hopes that their forecast of the future can be resolved and the club can stay at Brisbane Road.

Liberal Democrat candidate for next Mayor of London

Brian Paddick campaigning for London

Former Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick has been reselected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London. The election is due to be held on 3rd May 2012, when Londoners will also be voting for the Greater London Assembly.

The Liberal Democrats believe that Brian’s experience is exactly what London needs right now, whether dealing with the aftermath of the riots or corruption in the Police, transport and housing.

Brian will be a credible alternative to Boris Johnson and the faded Ken Livingstone.

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

Council Officers and Councillors investigated in dog track involvement!

Along with many people Councillor Bob Sullivan received the email below outlining a potted history of what has been going on with the defunct Walthamstow Greyhound track. As you can see there is a lot of alleged communication with London and Quadrant and Council officers and Councillors. Councillor Sullivan has asked the Council’s Chief Executive to investigate the implications of the Councils officers and Cabinet members in this affair. He has replied that he has put this into the hands of the Council’s Monitoring Officer to investigate.

Email received – ‘Walthamstow Stadium’s ‘Shocking Story’ to date!

1. The previous owners (Chandler Family) were nearing retirement age and deliberately run down the stadium in order to obtain change of use from leisure to housing as they know that’s how they can obtain optimum selling price. They filter their profits in to their own personal pension funds and do not offer the stadium for sale to the greyhound racing industry. This is part of a calculated plan to make it look as though the business is not viable when the truth is the complete opposite. Commercial builders decline to buy as they know they could not make money on the site.

2. L&Q offered encouragement by Waltham Forest Council to buy Walthamstow Stadium (confirmed by Mike Johnson, L&Q Director) presumably on the understanding that the planning application will be dealt with sympathetically (L&Q huge contractors at Waltham Forest). This in itself is completely inappropriate.

3. L&Q buy the site, not undertaking correct due diligence and paying multi millions too much of part public money for the site (£18.1M for a viable greyhound stadium).

4. L&Q in pre planning discussions with LBWF planning department as far back as May 2007 and acquire an option to buy the site in July 2007. Five months later, Chandler family publicly state that no intention to sell resulting in trainers taking out mortgages for training premises etc. Spring 2008 announcement of sale, track closes August 2008, making 500 people unemployed.

5. L&Q embark on a series of lies and deception, suggesting that a planning application will be submitted to LBWF as early as Autumn 2008 and later calling local MPs Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith and Stella Creasy bullies (later withdrawn with apology). These are mere examples and show the unfit behaviour of the RSL.

6. L&Q realise they’ve paid too much for the site but still quite happy because they know they have LBWF on side. Examples below from our FOI request which clearly demonstrates an inappropriate relationship :

>>> Simon Baxter <SBaxter@lqgroup.org.uk> 14/07/2011 09:31 >>>
David
Have you gleaned any more intelligence in respect of this situation?
Regards
Simon Baxter

(e mail from Simon Baxter L&Q to David Scourfield- Head of Development Management and Building Control LBWF regarding another local site).

From: Simon Baxter
Sent: 08 July 2011 17:32
To: ‘David Scourfield’
Subject: RE: Walton House – Meeting with Cllr Jemma Hemsted – 01/07/2011
David
Thanks for getting back to me.
I do think that a protracted delay could actually create more unwarranted attention than the scheme being heard at committee sooner, ie in August, for the reasons set out in my earlier note.

(e mail from Simon Baxter L&Q to David Scourfield- Head of Development Management and Building Control LBWF regarding another local site).

E mail chain-Bob Morton to Mike Johnson (L&Q) to Fred Keegan (L&Q) to Steve Yianni (L&Q) to Councillor Marie Pye (Housing LBWF)-Bob Morton’s financial costs sent to L&Q then forwarded to Councillor Pye without Mr Morton’s knowledge or agreement.

Email from Councillor M Pye to Steve Yianni L&Q 12/6/11: ˜Checking if we got anything or any approach from Bob. If not we will issue a statement. Have you asked to meet Boris yet? M. (shows non-neutrality)

E mail from Councillor M Pye to David Scourfield, Shifa Mustafa (LBWF) 12/6/11:

˜Has Bob entered into pre app discussions? Has he even approached us? If not we need a short statement making this clear to go to cllrs, lq and wfguardian and the yellow. David can you please work with Alex to draft something for me to agree by the end of Tues M (shows non-neutrality)

E mail from Councillor Terry Wheeler to Council Leader Chris Robbins, Cllr Pye, Stuart Emmerson 7/1/2010:

…˜Whilst it is not a planning matter they (L&Q) should for reputational reasons respond explain why they cannot respond to proposals to preserve the Greyhound Stadium (shows non-neutrality).

E mail from Steve Yianni to Councillor Pye 19/11/2010:

˜ Also we were approached by 2 of the ward councillors about our plans…However I think we just about managed to convince them that it was not viable… (shows non-neutrality).

7. SOS announce that L&Q’s scheme will make huge losses (£27m plus). LBWF agree with L&Q that this fact can remain hidden in the planning application (first time in history) that is eventually submitted (Autumn 2011). Boris Johnson makes clear that this must be disclosed but, as of now, this has not happened.

8. An agreement has seemingly been reached for L&Q to compensate the LPA for the loss of leisure facilities at Walthamstow Stadium by a £1.75m contribution to be used at a nearby Pool and Track facility. Firstly this is an admission that there is insufficient leisure being offered at the Walthamstow Stadium site which should be considered on its own merits. In any event £1.75m is completely inadequate and inappropriate in terms of quantum and function. The pool and track facility is a completely different form of leisure and in no way replaces the Stadium which brought hundreds of thousands of visitors each year from both the Borough and indeed from all round the world.

9. GLA and English Heritage criticise L&Q’s plans and their hastily withdrawn for revision. The land-banking of the site which is now over 3 years continues with no end in sight.

10. Council want the Stow site removed from the local heritage site list to make it easier for L&Q to obtain planning permission. When found out this idea is abandoned.

11. What is known for sure is that the local people simply do not want what L&Q are offering and it is morally corrupt to waste £27m plus of part public money to bail out L&Q when Bob Morton is ready and willing to invest his own private money in this Borough to create the jobs and entertainment venue that this Borough deserves. It is currently a farce with L&Q and LBWF working together to hide the economic reality and to push through L&Q’s deeply unpopular plans.

13. Throughout this tale of public disgrace the two local MPs Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith and Stella Creasy have shone as individuals of courage and integrity. SOS and our resident association partners applaud both individuals and only wish others would match their high standards.

14.We await the next chapter……