RECKLESS..with YOUR money!

Labour councillors have forced through a proposal to build a swimming pool and leisure centre on the Walthamstow Arcade site by borrowing £35 million and selling off the Pool Money Down the Drainand Track site in Walthamstow.

Labour councillors ignored the recommendation from the all party Scrutiny committee which said that, before any decisions were made, the Council should obtain a financial appraisal to see if the proposal was affordable and a study as to whether the High Street was the right place for a swimming pool.

Lib Dem Cllr James O’Rourke, who sits on the Scrutiny committee, said:

“I’m amazed that anyone could make a decision costing residents millions without any financial appraisal. I agree totally with my Lib dem colleague and chair of the scrutiny commitee, Cllr Bob Sullivan, when he says that anyone doing this is “Damn reckless” with ratepayers’ money.”

High Street Focus Team says:

· Why does Labour refuse to allow a proper financial check of the plans to borrow £35 million to fund the proposal?

· Why haven’t local people been asked whether they want a swimming pool on the Arcade site?

· What does this plan mean for the future of our competition pool and the Borough’s only athletic track in the run-up to the Olympics?

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

Planned Town Hall reforms the “least worst option”, say Lib Dems.

Waltham Forest councillors have recommended that a new model of governance for the borough be adopted called the ‘Strong Leader model, despite the Government proposal being described as “the least worst option” by Liberal Democrat leader Cllr John Macklin.

Councillors have been told that they have to choose between a ‘Strong Leader’ model, or a directly elected mayor, such as that seen in neighbouring Newham.  Lib Dem councillors hit out at both proposals in a heated debate at the latest Full Council meeting, claiming that neither option was good for local decision making as they both concentrated power in the hands of fewer and fewer individuals.

Cllr Macklin commented in the meeting that the Lib Dems would reluctantly support the ‘Strong Leader’ model, as it was the one that allowed a Council leader to most easily share power and give responsibility for the future of the borough to all councillors and residents.

Hale End and Highams Park councillor Jane Morgan has led Lib Dem opposition to the Government proposals, claiming that the plan represented “another example of the way in which local democracy is being centralised and local power being shrunk”.  Read her full statement on the reforms here.

Lib Dems ensure Council action over flights nuisance

Cllr Farooq Qureshi with Leyton councillors Winnie smith and Bob SullivanA full investigation into what action the Council took to prevent increased flights over the borough will take place — thanks to ongoing pressure from your local Liberal Democrats.

A motion moved by Forest ward councillor (and Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead) Farooq Qureshi means that the Chief executive of Waltham Forest Council will now investigate the expansion of neighbouring London City Airport and ask what consultation exercises took place regarding the impact on local residents. 

Read the full report on the Council motion from the Waltham Forest Guardian here.

The local Guardian has praised the Liberal Democrat campaign, commenting that the “Lib Dem move should ensure answers” over the expansion of City Airport and increased flights over the borough.  Liberal Democrat councillors have been working with ‘Fight the Flights’ campaigners to raise the profile of the issue.

Local Lib Dems continue to lead the way on climate change

Action taken by your local Liberal Democrats to combat climate change continues to be felt — both in Waltham Forest and across the country.

Waltham Forest Council are launching a two-week amnesty against plastic bags in the borough that aims to reduce the number in circulation by providing cotton bags for local shoppers use.  You can read more about the initiative here.

The action is being taken because of a motion to Council put forward by Liberal Democrat members Cllr Bob Belam and Cllr John Macklin in December 2007 which ensured that Council would:

“work in partnership with local businesses on proposals to introduce a ‘bag for life’ scheme for shoppers in Waltham Forest, and…launch a borough-wide campaign to gain voluntary agreement to end the practice of providing free plastic bags within the borough”

The recommendation was part of a raft of ‘green’ actions, which have also ensured that Cabinet members have to include a ‘Climate Change Impact Assessment’ in all their reports, ensuring that they pay attention to the local environment.

All this comes as the local Labour party faced more embarrassment from Leyton MP Harry Cohen who helped the Government vote down a Liberal Democrat motion in Westminster that would have seen Members of Parliament sign up to the 10:10 campaign which calls for 10% greenhouse gas emission reductions by the end of 2010.  Campaigners have called the decision “disappointing”. 

Click here for more information on the campaign.

Lib Dems want smarter action to tackle fly tipping

Cllr John Macklin: “I’ll be speaking to the Labour members who are responsible for fly tipping and enforcement, the cleanliness of our parks and Ascham Homes to see how all of these portfolio areas can better tackle the problem.Leading Liberal Democrat councillors are in discussions with Council officers over whether charges for the collection of bulky waste can be relaxed or even cut in order to fight fly-tipping in the borough.

The move is one of several initiatives that Liberal Democrat members are looking to bring forward in order to combat the dumping of waste in Waltham Forest.  Other measures currently being investigated include pre-advertised local skip placements for those struggling to dispose of waste items and further work with letting agents to inform tenants of waste collection services.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr John Macklin said:

“I’ll be speaking to the Labour members who are responsible for fly tipping and enforcement, the cleanliness of our parks and Ascham Homes to see how all of these portfolio areas can better tackle the problem.

“Our street cleaning is provided on a much smaller budget than some neighbouring London boroughs so we can’t afford to waste money collecting fly tipping.

“The Council’s current rates for catching flytippers are not nearly enough to put off those determined to dump rubbish, so we think that it makes sense to actually take some action now and be a bit more imaginative in how we use our resources.

“I believe that the Council needs to divert more funds to this service.  But it makes sense for all areas of the Council to work harder to ensure that the money we do currently have can be spent efficiently”.

Current Council policy offers each household three bulky waste collections a year, where commonly dumped items such as mattresses and washing machines are collected free of charge.  However a fee is charged for the collection of other items such as dismantled baths. 

Cllr Macklin continued:

“A resident who wanted to dispose of an item not on the ‘free’ list pointed out that the charge could be seen as encouraging people to fly tip in order to avoid paying the fee – and with the Council picking up the tab to clear the item up.

“Budgets are tight in this area, and that’s why I’m asking officers to look at ways to divert more funding to keeping our streets clean. 

Labour ‘trying to rush through St James St library sale’

The local Waltham Forest Guardian is reporting that Labour councillors tried unsuccessfully “to force the sale of the fomer St James St library building on to a Cabinet agenda”.

The Guardian reports that the attempt to push through the sale of the former St James St library building was stopped when Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr John Macklin refused the request and withdrew the report from the agenda.  The move came at the same Cabinet meeting as the controversial decision to go ahead with plans for an Arcade site development which raises doubts over the future of the Pool and Track facility.

Click here to see what the local press are reporting.

What now for our local sports facilities?

Orion Harriers’ junior secretary Steve Timpson. Thanks to Roy Tillett of the Yellow Advertiser for the picture.The local press are reporting resident reaction to Liberal Democrat opposition to Labour plans that cast doubt over the future of the Walthamstow Pool and athletics track.  Click here to see the full coverage!

The plans being pushed through by Labour councillors will see millions of pounds borrowed to fund a leisure pool on the Arcade site in Walthamstow.  £10 million will be raised through the sale of land at the Pool and Track site or another site that has not been named. 

Local users of sports facilities are already voicing their own opposition to the proposals.

Your local Lib Dems want to know:
· What do the plans mean for the future of our competition pool and the borough’s only athletics track in the run-up to the Olympics?
· Why do Labour refuse to allow a full financial check of the plans to borrow millions of pounds to fund their plan?
· Why haven’t local people been asked whether they want a leisure pool at the Arcade site?

Explaining the opposition to Labour’s plans, local Liberal Democrat leader John Macklin said:

“These latest plans will have a serious impact right across the area, affecting the future of our sports facilities and maybe even the planning application for the former EMD cinema.

“Creating such uncertainty for local sports users is completely unacceptable for an Olympic borough”.

Hale and Higham team: What the Tesco decision really means…

Liberal Democrat Hale End and Highams Park councillors have moved to set the record straight after the defferal of Tesco’s planning application to build in the area.

And despite claims of a ‘victory’ for residents, the local Lib Dem team fear that the decision may actually lead to councillors – and residents – losing control over the outcome of the Tesco proposal.

The application was deferred after committee members voted by 5-4 to ask for more information on the proposal.  No councillor voted outright for or against the plans.

In their latest Focus leaflet, the Hale and Higham team – Jane Morgan, Sheila Smith-Pryor and Nick Bason – say:

“This deferral actually means that the decision on the planning application may be taken away from Waltham Forest Planning Committee. Tesco have the right to appeal on the grounds of ‘non-determination’, which means the council have not made a decision on the application in a timely fashion. The application could now be decided by another body unconnected with Waltham Forest.

“The Planning Committee did not get a chance to discuss resident concerns on the impact of the Tesco application on traffic congestion in Highams Park and access to education and healthcare in the area.

“We are also very concerned that the decision may now be taken out of the local council’s hands.”

See the latest issue of Focus (below) for the full story:


 

Concerns as controversial Arcade site plans pushed through

Liberal Democrat councillors have voted against controversial plans that local sports groups fear could spell the beginning of the end for the Pool and Track facility in Walthamstow.

And despite reccomendations from the Council’s own Scrutiny committee that the plans should be delayed whilst a financial appraisal of the proposals be carried out, Labour councillors voted to ignore the reccomendations and approve the Cabinet Report.

Local Lib Dem Leader Cllr John Macklin led the opposition at the meeting, calling the proposals “an inappropriate report brought forward at an inappropriate time”. 

The report voted through by Labour councillors last night outlines plans to fund part of a proposed leisure pool on the Arcade site through the “disposal of either land at the Pool and Track site or alternative assets to the same value that have not yet been identified”.  The sentence replaced an earlier proposal, which was removed, which clearly reccomended that the planned pool at the Arcade would replace the indoor facilities at the Pool and Track.  The lack of clarity over the future of the track is compounded by the fact that proposals for its surrounding land – behind the Town Hall – are not due to be presented until early next year.

User groups of the Pool and Track – who were present at the meeting – joined the Liberal Democrats in expressing concern about the future of the facility. 

Click here to read the Waltham Forest Guardian’s report on the controversy at the Cabinet meeting.

Decision on Hale and Higham Park Tesco deferred

Cllr Jane Morgan and Cllr Nick BasonCouncillors last night voted to delay their decision on whether to allow a major new development in the Hale End and Highams Park ward.

The planning application by Tesco includes a supermarket, housing and car parking.  With all three Liberal Democrat ward councillors in attendance at a packed Town Hall meeting, Cllr Jane Morgan (pictured left with Nick Bason) spoke on behalf of local residents, detailing the many letters and emails the local Lib Dem team had recieved on the issue and detailing resident concerns about the development.

Adressing the planning committee, Cllr Morgan said:

“We’ve had many communciations from those who do not neccesarily object to the idea of a Tesco, but who have expressed concerns about the scale of this particular application.

“Any scheme of this nature will produce costs as well as benefits.  The proposal aims to create houses and jobs, and they are needed in our area.  Investment in the Highams Park economy is also needed.

“But do these possible benefits outweight the costs of the current scheme?  many of our residents our concerned that the current scale of the development means they do not.”

The planning application will now come back before councillors at a later date. 

See the full text of Cllr Morgan’s speech to the committee below: