Liberal Democrats Tackle Youth Unemployment

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.

Local Lib Dems attend opening of John Beanse Centre

Local Liberal Democrat councillors and supporters have attended the official opening of a new ‘green’ education centre named after a former Lib Dem councillor.

‘The John Beanse Centre’, named after the former Hale End and Highams Park councillor, is located at Pimp Hall nature reserve near the Kings Road Recycling Centre, and will provide information and exhibits for young people about waste management and services featuring exciting interactive displays, interesting artefacts and videos about recycling and waste issues.

John Beanse, who was elected to the Council after years of community service in| Chingford and the Hale and Higham Ward, passed away last year. The death of his Liberal Democrat ward colleague, Noel Penstone, forced a double by-election in which Liberal Democrats Nick Bason and Jane Morgan (pictured) were elected.

Lib Dem Leader Criticises Ministerial Visit as “Inappropriate”

Waltham Forest Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr John Macklin has explained his decision not to attend a high profile Government event in Waltham Forest, claiming the visit was “completely inappropriate”.

Government schools minister Ed Balls’ visit to Kelmscott School in Walthamstow came just a week after he caused anger by placing two other local schools — George Mitchell in Leyton and the new Walthamstow Academy — on a ‘hit list’ of “underperforming” schools that could face closure. The move has been greeted with anger from both head teachers and parents.

Cllr Macklin, the Deputy Leader of Waltham Forest Council, chose not to attend the event, which he called “enormously ill-timed.”

Cllr Macklin, who is also a senior university lecturer in education, continued:

“Whilst it is welcome that the excellent progress being made at Kelsmcott is being recognised, it almost defies belief that the Minister feels it is appropriate to put the boot into local schools one week and then, days later, turn up in Waltham Forest to use the borough for a government press launch.

“His hit list has caused a lot of anger locally and has apparently been based on completely arbitrary targets that take no account of any of the highly individual circumstances that schools such as George Mitchell work under.

“When the Lib Dem education spokesman David Laws MP visited Walthamstow Academy earlier this year he was hugely impressed by the hard work being put in by the head, Fiona Cordeaux, and her staff.

“How on earth can threatening these schools with closure under such apparently random criteria help in their future development?

“Ed Balls’ announcement has unsettled teachers, staff and pupils who I’m sure will see the Minister’s decision to go ahead with this visit in the wake of such an announcement as entirely lacking in tact.”

The Ministerial visit came on the same day that Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg set out plans to give schools greater freedoms, promising to strip Ministers of their power to “meddle and micro-manage”.

Senior Lib Dems Visit Walthamstow Academy

Liberal Democrat Education Spokesman David Laws MP was in Waltham Forest on Monday morning to pay a visit to the Walthamstow Academy.

Mr Laws, the Shadow Secretary for the Department of Children, Schools and Families, was joined by Lib Dem parliamentary colleague Annette Brooke MP in a tour of the school which saw them chat with pupils and view the new buildings that students are soon to move into.

Lib Dem Councillors for Higham Hill, Cllr Sean Meiszner and Cllr Peter Woollcott, the Chair of Waltham Forest Council’s Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, Cllr James O’Rourke, and the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Walthamstow, Farid Ahmed, also took part in the visit.

Mr Laws took the opportunity to talk with Principal Fiona Cordeaux about Academy schools across the UK, education in the Waltham Forest area and the progression of the school since its establishment in 2006.

Fiona Cordeaux said:

“It is a privilege to have the Shadow Secretary of State come to Walthamstow Academy to view our new facilities and hear about some of our successes.”

Councillor Sean Meiszner used the visit by the Shadow Secretary of State to raise issues affecting educational attainment in the borough.

Cllr Meiszner commented:

“I really enjoyed being able to tour the Academy and speak to pupils and staff. This was an excellent opportunity to discuss challenges facing schools in the area and how the Academy will fit into the borough’s overall educational provision in the future”.