Lib Dems on show at Leyton fair

Councillors Farooq Qureshi, Winnie Smith and Bob Sullivan at the leyton fair.Leyton and Wanstead Liberal Democrats held a stall at the Noor ul Islam`s annual summer fair at the Leyton Youth Centre, which was attended by thousands of people from all over the Borough.  Food, clothes and other goods were on sale and children took part in races and enjoyed the fun fair rides.

Safer Neighbourhood Teams, Whipps Cross Hospital`s Big Push appeal and other voluntary organisations were also there to offer help and advice.

Liberal Democrats Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Leyton and Wanstead Cllr Farooq Qureshi, Cllr Bob Sullivan, Cllr Naheed Qureshi, Cllr Winnie Smith and Mahmood Faiz managed the Lib Dem stall. Hundreds of people signed our petition calling on the Government to hold the Iraq war inquiry in public and not behind closed doors.

Residents rally around Lib Dems in Leyton and Wanstead

Chris Huhne MP joins Farooq Qureshi and local Leyton residents.Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne MP was the chief guest at a rally called by the Liberal Democrats of Leyton and Wanstead to introduce Forest ward councillor Farooq Qureshi as the Liberal democrat parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead.

The rally came on the same day as sitting Labour MP Harry Cohen finally announced his resignation after months of controversy over his expenses claims. 

Speaking at the rally, Chris Huhne MP told the audience that some of the Labour Government’s foreign policies had dented the British reputation across the globe.  He claimed that there was now an urgent  need to review those policies to restore trust and learn from the mistakes such of the Iraq war.   He reminded audience membners that it had been the Liberal Democrats that had repeatedly called on the Government to hold the Iraq war inquiry in public and not behind closed doors.

Speaking about the next general election the shadow Home Secretary said that Cllr Farooq Qureshi would make an “excellent MP for Leyton and Wanstead.”

Cllr Farooq Qureshi said:

“As a councillor and a former Mayor, I have served this area well and if elected as an MP, I shall do my utmost to serve this constituency to the best of my ability.”

Chapel End councillors respond to concerns over Town hall development

(L-R) John Macklin, Bob Belam and Bob Carey recieve the Liberal Democrat Council Group of the Year certificate earlier this year.The Liberal Democrat Chapel End council team have published an open letter to residents in response to concern at proposals for development of the green spacee area behind the Town Hall.

In the letter, local councillors Bob Belam, Bob Carey and John Macklin express their concern at any development of the Chestnut Fields site, before setting out their firm opposition to any development of the allotment sites.

Noting their meetings with residents and local groups, the letter highlights concerns about the increased traffic development would bring to the area before suggesting that much better resident consultation and information is needed from the responsible portfolio holder.

The full text of the letter follows:

* * * * *

As the Liberal Democrat councillors for Chapel End, we want to respond to those residents who have expressed their concern regarding proposed development plans for the area behind the Town Hall in our ward. There has been a lot of activity recently regarding proposals for large-scale redevelopment of the area, with the inclusion of housing and a new school being mooted.  The site is also earmarked for a ‘Healthy Living Hub’ – a very worthy proposal, no doubt, but one so vague in its title that it is always likely to arouse huge concern.

We want residents to know that we share their enormous concern regarding any loss of green space in our local area.  We have already made sure senior Council officers are aware of our feelings on this and have also met with allotment holders, both to try to keep them informed and to assure them that we are completely opposed to any development of the allotment site.

We also believe that current transport infrastructure, including the Billet roundabout, would be unable to cope with the obvious increase in traffic that such proposed development would bring to the area. This issue needs much greater consideration.

What fuels our concern is the lack of clarity in these wide-ranging plans.  Part of the Lib Dems opposition to the most recent Arcade site plans is rooted in the fact that the report seems to be approving development in our ward by stealth, with a particularly big impact on the future of the Pool and Track.

Chapel End residents quite rightly want much clearer information on any redevelopment plans in order to ensure that these important decisions are not simply made behind closed doors as part of a larger development plan for Walthamstow.

Cllr Bob Belam, Cllr Bob Carey and Cllr John Macklin
Liberal Democrat councillors for Chapel End ward

* * * * *

Local Lib Dems back Iraq inquiry call ahead of local resident meeting

Nick Clegg: “Liberal Democrats have called for an inquiry into the build-up and conduct of the Iraq war for many yearsLeyton and Wanstead Liberal Democrats are throwing their weight behind party leader Nick Clegg’s calls for the inquiry into the Iraq war to be held in public.

Responding to the announcement that an inquiry into the build up to the war will finally be held, Clegg said:

“Liberal Democrats have called for an inquiry into the build-up and conduct of the Iraq war for many years, and we can be grateful that finally, the Prime Minister has acceded to that demand. But, as so often, he has taken a step in the right direction but missed the fundamental point.

“A secret inquiry will not deliver what Britain needs. The purpose of an inquiry is not just to produce a set of dry conclusions, but to allow the people of Britain to come to terms with a mistake made in our name.

“Nothing short of a fully public inquiry – held in the open – will satisfy them.”

The subject may well be on the agenda at the Liberal Democrat rally this Sunday (28th June) in Leytonstone, when Chris Huhne MP — the Lib Dems Home Affairs spokesman in parliament — will speak to residents alongside local parliamentary candidate and councillor Farooq Qureshi.

Come along to the Indian Muslim Federation Hall at 2.30pm and hear what we have to say!

Click here for map and further details.

Lib Dems respond to latest cinema claims

Cllr John Macklin: Local Liberal Democrat councillors have met for a second time with the UK’s largest independent cinema operators to discuss the historic former EMD building in Walthamstow  – on the same day that the Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration appeared to dash resident’s hopes that the venue would ever be restored as a cinema.

Lyn Goleby, Managing Director of City Screen – the owner of Stratford’s popular Picture House cinema – met at Waltham Forest Town Hall with the borough’s Chief Executive Andrew Kilburn, Liberal Democrat group Leader John Macklin and High St councillor James O’Rourke to discuss previous Council-commissioned reports which made the business case for a 5-screen cinema on the EMD site.

The building is owned by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG), but recent comments from the UCKG have seemed to suggest that the Church would consider moving if an offer was made for the building. 

Cllr O’Rourke said that the meeting with City Screen had been organised in order to ensure all parties could “hear another perspective” on claims that the site was not viable as a cinema.

However, just hours later Council portfolio holder Terry Wheeler appeared to strongly rule out any future for the building as a cinema.  (Click here to read the Waltham Forest Guardian’s report on Cllr Wheeler’s comments)

Local Lib Dem leader Cllr John Macklin, who was in attendance at the meeting with City Screen, said:

“I have met with UCKG representatives and very much welcome the efforts they have made to begin engaging with residents and councillors. Of course I recognise the legal restrictions which are associated with planning law and respect the UCKG’s position as owners of the site.

“Yet it is completely wrong for the Council – which is led on this issue by Cllr Wheeler – to be seen to be so completely dismissive of the apparent strength of public opinion on this matter. It is the misinformation and manoeuvring that has taken place over a number of years that has fed such confusion and dismay amongst residents.

“Conflicting reports over the viability of the site as a cinema, false promises of Council action and meetings held behind closed doors have all led to an environment of distrust and anger.

“As I have said before, it is simply not good enough to appear to just tell Walthamstow residents what they want in their area.”

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With apologies for the shocking headline pun, if you would like to be notified of updates to our website – and be the first to hear about our latest work within the borough and news updates from the Council group – then you can now sign up to our Twitter feed.

Moving slowly into the 21st Century, we will now send subscribers a link to new stories appearing on our website so you can read about the latest Lib Dem news in our borough alongside the latest twitterings of Stephen Fry, Ashton Kutchner and other fascinating ‘new media’-savvy celebrities…

So if you have a Twitter account, sign up to our Twitter feed  for the latest news!

New approach needed to upgrade local tube services – Lib Dems

London Liberal Democrats have spoken out after reports of cuts in spending on upgrading local tube lines.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport spokesperson (pictured), believes that the announcement serves as further evidence that it is time to “bite the bullet and seriously look at new ways of upgrading the tube.”

She added:

“We need to ensure tube upgrades are completed rapidly, but at far less cost. The continual closure of small sections of a tube line could deliver change in weeks as opposed to months.

“This new approach would also allow for far more work to be completed, including step free access at tube stations, which are now being dropped by the Mayor.

Waltham Forest residents have been hit by long term servce reductions on the Victoria Line from Walthamstow and weekend closures on Central line services from Leyton and Leytonstone into central London.

Caroline Pidgeon continued:

“At present Londoners face months and months of disruption while at great cost little work is actually completed during each weekend and evening closure of a line. There must be a better way forward to deliver the much needed upgrades to the tube.”

You can read more about the Liberal Democrats plans for London transport by heading over tp the London Assembly Lib Dem website.

More and more residents logging onto local Lib Dems…

Our stats this month show that more and more visitors are heading to walthamforestlibdems.org.uk to hear about what their local Liberal Democrats are up to in our borough.

If you are one of our new readers, then welcome!

Amongst other things, you can look at your most recent local Focus leaflet in our Focus file, find contact details for your local ward Liberal Democrat team, or get in touch using the contact details on the right to pass on your thoughts or let us know how we can help.

Many of our local councillors use ‘blogs’ and online videos to keep you up to date with local developments, so check out the links in the left hand bar to head over and see what they are up to…

Tell your friends and neighbours!

Local Lib Dem Rally – Sunday 28th June 2009

Chris Huhne with Chapel End Lib Dem councillor Bob BelamLocal residents are invited to come and join local Liberal Democrat councillors, parliamentary candidates and MPs in Leytonstone on Sunday 28th June 2009 to celebrate our local successes  – and hear what we have planned for the future.

Chris Huhne MP (pictured above with Chapel End councillor and Environment spokesman Bob Belam), the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman in parliament, will be speaking at the event alongside Farooq Qureshi, the Forest ward councillor and Liberal Democrat candidate for the parliamentary seat of Leyton and Wanstaed. 

Councillors will be available informally to listen to your views and talk about their work for the future of our borough.

If you would like to attend, please see the event details below:

Date:  Sunday 28th June 2009

Time: 2.30pm for 3pm start.

Venue:  Indian Mulsim Federation Hall, Trinity Close, Leytonstone E11 4RP (see map below).

Refreshments will be provided.  For more information or to confirm your attendance, please contact Farooq Qureshi at cllr.farooq.qureshi@walthamforest.gov.uk

Directions to the Indian Muslim Federation Hall, E11 4RP

Latest Hale and Higham video update now online

Following on from their recent online video Focus update, Cllr Nick Bason of the Hale End and Highams Park Lib Dem council team is now asking residents to get him touch and let him know what they want to see in the way of cultural provision in our borough.

Cllr Bason and Cllr Jane Morgan, who were both elected in Hale and Higham in December’s by-election victory for the Lib Dems, are members of the Council Cultural Strategy panel, and they want to make sure they can best represent to Council what it is you want to see in the way of activities such as music and theatre for your borough.

So head over to www.youtube.com/nickbason to see their latest video update and to find out how to get in touch.