Future of Walthamstow Greyhound Track

The Racing Post report on the Lib Dems meeting with SOSThe Waltham Forest Guardian is this week reporting the latest developments in the efforts of the Save Our Stow (SOS) campaign group to keep a greyhound racing and leisure facility on the site of ‘The Stow’.

The Waltham Forest Liberal Democrats met with SOS to hear their plans and offer any support to their campaign.

Local Lib Dem leader Cllr John Macklin said:

“We are, of course, fully in support of their efforts to keep the Stadium as both a greyhound racing track and a sport and leisure venue.

“The success of our leisure venues is an integral part of building a sustainable community in Waltham Forest and ensuring that we are attractive to both our residents and visitors. There is no long-term sustainability in forcing residents out of the borough to spend their leisure time.”

To read the Group statement on the campaign to save the track, which was published in the Racing Post (‘Local Councillors in Support of SOS Bid’, 26/9/2008), follow the link to ‘The Stow’ in the left hand panel of the screen.

Cllr O’Rourke Highlights High St ‘Booze Ban’

Cllr O'Rourke backs the ban in this week's Yellow AdvertiserCllr James O’Rourke of High St ward appears in this week’s media to highlight the local Alchohol Restriction Zone (ARZ), which has been implemented in the ward to try and tackle anti-social behaviour.

The ARZ has been set up after complaints from residents about drink-related crime and behaviour in the High St area.  Police will now be able to order drinkers to throw away their cans, fine them £50, or in the most serious cases use powers of arrest.

Cllr James O’Rourke told this week’s Yellow Advertiser:

“The zone will help us reclaim Walthamstow Town Centre”

“Children and families will be more inclined to use local facilities, such as the town centre park and open space and it will undoubtedly improve the image of one of the gateways to Waltham Forest”.

“We must, though, monitor the situation to and ensure that the problem is not just dispersed to a nearby area”.

Waltham Forest Crime Figures Available Online

Crime stats are now onlineDid you know that the Metropolitan Police provide a website where you can check the latest crime levels thorughout the borough.

The site even breaks down offences by crime, so you can see that, whilst total crimes in he borough are down – along with a major fall in motorvehicle crime – instances of burglary have been on the rise.

Go and check out the figures for yourself at the Metropolitan Police Website.

PS: We will provide a permanent link to the Met Crime Mapping site in the sidebar on the left of the screen, so you can continue to monitor the statistics.

Lib Dems Publish Plans to Tackle Local Knife Crime

Lib Dems launch knife crime proposalsThe Liberal Democrats have published plans to tackle the growing problem of knife crime in London and Waltham Forest.

The document highlights several key proposals for reducing knife crime, including:

  • Putting 10,000 extra police on the streets, around 2,000 of which would be in London, paid for by scrapping ID cards
  • Ensuring each Safer Neighbourhood Team includes a trained, dedicated community support officer to identify and work with the young people who are most at risk through schools, youth groups and outreach work
  • Creating a Greater London Youth Volunteer Force to make it easier for young disadvantaged people to volunteer. Activities would be relevant to young people but also teach them important skills

High St councillor James O’Rourke recently chaired a Council Scrutiny event in order to take evidence on how knife crime was being tackled in our borough.

Sixty people attended representing a myriad of internal and external key partners involved in tackling knife crime in Waltham Forest. A number of interested residents also attended.

Evidence was taken from a wide range of witnesses including the Police, Crown Prosecution Service, Job Centre Plus, schools & colleges and trading standards. Vital evidence was supplied by three representatives of the Youth Independent Advisory Group who gave Councillors of the committees and other attendees an enthralling account from young people’s perspective.

Cllr O’Rourke said:

“We managed to start the debate on how to eradicate this serious problem.

“The issue of knife/youth crime cannot be allowed to disappear into the ether to await another tragedy.”

For a full copy of the Lib Dems proposals, please visit the Liberal Democrat Website.

Lib Dems Not Going ‘To Let’ Signs Clutter Streets…

Bob Belam (left) and the Chapel End teamThe Council’s reinforcement team have recently been out in the borough identifying estate agents whose boards were not compliant to regulations.

Now enforcement officers from both planning and street services have seized a number of estate agent’s board in a joint project to clampdown on clutter in Walthamstow. Estate agents are required by law to remove most boards within 14 days of a property being sold or let (if completion has taken place). 12 boards which broke the rules were removed in Chingford Road and Brettenham Road after the deadline for taking them down had expired.

The companies in question have also been issued a £100 fixed penalty notice for each offending board.  Should the companies elect to go to court the maximum penalty on conviction rises to £1,000.

Cllr Bob Belam said that Walthamstow residents had complained that their streets were being swamped by out of date signs.

He added:

“If estate agents don’t take their responsibilities seriously and remove their boards promptly, we will make sure the enforcement team do.”

New Fire Station Plans Unveiled

Cann Hall councillor Keith Rayner was on hand to hear about the plansA new Fire Station is being proposed for Leytonstone.

Cann Hall councillors Liz Phillips and Keith Rayner found out about the plans recently when they visited an open evening at the Fire Station in High Road Leytonstone. The London Fire Brigade were starting their consultation and discussion process with local people and interested groups, along with local ward councillors Liz and Keith.

The basic proposals are for a whole new fire station, including a third attendance pump, better public facilities, and accommodation for personnel working out of the fire station. It would also enable improved response to providing community advice on fire safety and many other areas of helpful information, without expanding its patrol area.

Leyton and Wanstead Liberal Democrats says:

“This is great news for both Cann Hall Ward and the Leytonstone area. As the plans progress, we will keep you informed of developments. You can also contact Richard Mills, Station Manager, on (020) 8555 1200 for more information.”

Borough Must Protect Rights of Leaseholders – Cllr Patrick Smith

Higham Hill councillor Patrick Smith has defended the rights of leaseholders in a letter to this week’s Waltham Forest Guardian:

“The legal rights and entitlements of leaseholders must be at the heart of all project works on their homes which are carried out on behalf of the Council.

Leaseholders should also be free to state when and how the project is done.

We must avoid residents being billed high amounts in one go and introduce an upper monthly limit charging structure.  This policy would respect individuals and the more vulnerable leaseholders, whom do not deserve the shock of a sudden debt in this current financial crisis.

In Higham Hill our leaseholders have told us in Carlton Road and Garnett Road that they would like their views to be fully understood in the public consultation process and to remain fully informed and updated throughout.

I advocate an explanatory booklet be issued to each leaseholder setting out their rights and entitlements and the duty of social landlords. 

The borough must aim for best practice to create a close watch on leaseholder rights in future, especially where our elderly and vulnerable families in Higham Hill are concerned”. 

Public Want Positive Action on Crime – Cllr O’Rourke

Cllr James O'Rourke (right) with Farid Ahmed (centre) and fellow councillor Johar Khan (left)Lib Dem High St councillor James O’Rourke has moved to reassure residents that local Lib Dem members are leading the fight against local crime.

In a letter to the Waltham Forest Guardian, Cllr O’Rourke reacted to claims that politicians who has attended local resident-led crime meetings were“as powerless as the non-elected”.

Cllr O’Rourke noted that the Lib Dem High St team have acted positively in setting up a task group to deal with the issues of antisocial behaviour in the area.

He continued:

“High St ward has the highest crime and antisocial behaviour figures in Waltham Forest, yet has the same number of Safer Neighbourhood Police Offices as the other 19 wards. 

“It is a unique and significant area to manage and represent.

 “The public want to see positive action from their elected representatives.  Only Liberal Democrat councillors can offer such leadership.”