CHINGFORD – ANNE CROOK’S MESSAGE TO VOTERS

Anne Crook – Parliamentary candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green

Here the Liberal Democrat candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green, Anne Crook, explains why you should vote for her.

  1. I have lived in the constituency of Chingford & Woodford Green for over 30 years and I know the issues which most concern the local residents: the NHS, housing, education and transport.

The Lib Dems would increase funding for the NHS by 8bn a year in real terms by 2020 making it easier for residents to get appointments. In housing, we would help first time buyers who cannot afford a deposit by introducing a Rent to Own scheme where buyers steadily build up a share in their home.

  1. I am a local activist and campaigner for my local party, Chingford & Woodford Green Liberal Democrats. I listen to residents and take up their concerns, speaking up for them at area committees, now local forums and at planning committees and licensing hearings.
  2. I studied Law at City University, successfully completing my law degree in 2005 and I think that a sound knowledge of the Law is essential for an MP, both to understand the passing of legislation and to assist constituents with legal issues.
  3. I am passionate about the preservation of public services e.g. the NHS, police stations & public libraries. I am fully committed to an NHS which is free at the point of use.  I have campaigned to save local hospital services, the local police station and the local library.
  4. I would be a full time MP devoting all my time and energy to the job and I think that all MPs should be full time.

GENERAL ELECTION – LEYTON AND WANSTEAD FOCUS SPECIAL

A Leyton and Wanstead constituency-wide, General Election special edition of the FOCUS newsletter has just gone to press, and will be delivered by our team of volunteers.

Please contact Carl Quilliam, our Parliamentary candidate, if you would like to  help his campaign.

His email address is: leytonandwansteadcarl@gmail.com.

You can also contact him via his agent, Clyde Kitson, on (010)  8534 2947 or Bob Sullivan on (020) 8556 8335.

You can access an advance copy here: General Election Special

LOCAL TUBE STATION TICKET OFFICE CLOSURES TO BEGIN

Leyton Station Ticket Office first for the chop!

Waltham Forest E-Guardian 8:01am Friday 27th March 2015

Ticket offices at Tube stations across Waltham Forest will begin to close in the coming weeks.

The office at Leyton Station, scheduled to close in April, will be the first to go, followed by Blackhorse Road, Leytonstone and Walthamstow Central.

Closure works take around a month, except Walthamstow Central which could take up to three.

Labour London Assembly Member Jennette Arnold has condemned the move, claiming the move will leave passengers with less staff support.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s plan to close all the capital’s tube ticket offices will cost taxpayers almost £134million, Ms Arnold said.

She described the cost as “staggering”.

The £134million will fund additional ticket machines in 27 London stations, four new customer receptions and the conversion of 181 ticket offices for other uses.

Jennette Arnold said:

This argument isn’t about whether staff are based in ticket offices or not.

It is about whether there are enough staff in stations to provide the good service people in Waltham Forest have come to expect, particularly the elderly and disabled who often rely more on station staff for assistance.

The closures in Waltham Forest are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

 

‘MY YOUTH BUS’ FACING FUNDING AXE

Bus ‘keeping kids off streets’ facing funding axe

Waltham Forest E-Guardian – 12:05pm Thursday 26th March 2015

A bus which visits deprived estates to help children learn, play and relax could be taken off the road due to council cuts.

The My Youth Bus is kitted out with game stations, cooking facilities and a sound system and used by dozens of young people every night.

The My Youth Bus project, run by charity Worth Unlimited, has been operating in Walthamstow, Leytonstone and Chingford since December 2007.

Funding of £33,000 is provided through the council’s Youth Activities Fund.

However, the cash is due to be cut from September this year.

Amber Bowden, 11, and Alex Brown, 14, from Buxton School in Leytonstone, raised the issue with Mayor of Waltham Forest Terry Wheeler.

They use the bus on the Cathall Estate in Leytonstone, an area well known for crime and deprivation.

Alex said:

This bus means a lot to both of us.

It is like a family on here. It is amazing and it means the world to us to be able to come here every week.

They are taking away money because they don’t actually understand what it is like for kids growing up – they think it is just a bus for a small group of kids and they are wrong.

There is always someone you can talk to on this bus – adults we know and trust.

Amber Bowden added:

We wouldn’t be allowed out if the bus wasn’t here.

The bus is as important to our parents as it is us because it gets us out.

The youth workers who come every week are amazing. There is nothing else like this around here.

Thomas Fether, 15, and Jahmal Burgess, 13, have been using the bus since it started operating.

Jahmal said:

This is something we really enjoy.

It is the only thing for us to do, we need that money.

Makiya Jacobs, 13, said:

It is fun so we keep coming.

When we come here we can have our own space – we always have fun.

It keeps kids off the streets. If I wasn’t here I would just stay indoors on my own.

Carl Clarke has been a youth worker on the bus for 20 months said:

The most important thing for us is that they have somewhere to go that isn’t the street, where they can get an education outside of the classroom,

We don’t want children on the streets or spending all their time at home on the internet.

It is about getting these kids to get the best out of themselves and some just don’t do that in traditional settings.

The bus is another opportunity for them to learn and excel.

Worth Unlimited said it would like to hear from any businesses interested in sponsoring the bus.

The council has been approached for comment.

PLANNING NEWS – LEYTONSTONE UNDERGROUND STATION

A second mini cab office

An application has been lodged at the Town Hall to use the small kiosk, inside the station concourse as a minicab office.

Local traders in Church Lane are already concerned about the number of Gold Line cars waiting for passengers, and feel strongly that there is no justication in increasing the problem by granting permission for a second mini cab operator.

If you wish to express your view you may write to:

Building Control

Environment & Regeneration

Waltham Forest Council

Sycamore House

Forest Road

Walthamstow, London, E17 4SU

Telephone: 020 8496 3000

Email: building.control@walthamforest.gov

quoting planning application number: 150598

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS SELECT CANDIDATES TO CONTEST THE GENERAL ELECTION

Liberal Democrats are taking the fight to the Tories and Labour across Waltham Forest.  The Liberal Democrat candidates in the General Election are below.  If you would like to help the Lib Dems in the General Election then please contact any of the candidates.

CHINGFORD AND WOODFORD GREEN

Anne Crook

mobile: 079847 771 487 – email: amc59@gmail.com

LEYTON AND WANSTEAD

Carl Quilliam

email: leytonandwansteadcarl@gmail.com

WALTHAMSTOW

Steven Cheung

mobile: 07872 427 778 – email: steven@stevencheung.co.uk

web: www.stevencheung.co.uk – twitter: twitter@stevencheung

 

 

POOL AND TRACK PLANS VOTED THROUGH DESPITE STRONG OPPOSITION

Controversial sports centre plan approved over loss of funding fear

8:18am Wednesday 11th March 2015 – Waltham Forest E Guardian

Plans for new £23million sports facilities in Walthamstow were controversially approved last night after thousands called for further public consultation.

Campaigners packed into council chamber last night heard as the planning committee heard impassioned speeches pleading for further dialogue over plans for the Pool and Track site in Chingford Road.

The proposal from council contractor Greenwich Leisure Limited would see the loss of a 5m diving board, a dedicated diving pool and other facilities for athletes, prompting a campaign backed by coaches, parents and young people.

Veteran diver Jonathon Fox, who travels to the borough from Stansted every week, said the plans have been put forward on a “like it or lump it” basis.

Many of us hoped this council would enter into a meaningful dialogue with the users of the Pool and Track,” he said.

Instead, it’s like going into a restaurant, being given a menu and being told you will have something completely different.

Diver and coach Michael Allen questioned the council’s commitment to the Olympic legacy.
He said:

Last year, I had to console young divers who have had to give up the sport because of lack of transport and additional costs for their parents.

I find it amazing that anybody could argue this is not a loss of amenity.

Mr Allen told the committee a lack of a dedicated diving area would mean swimmers and divers could not train at the same time, which would restrict hours.

Manager of the Waltham Forest Disability Resource Centre, Peri Stanley, said no disability groups were contacted over the project and said the plans undermined access.

She said:

Sport England says portable steps can be used, but this isn’t an existing pool, it is a brand new development and I can see no reason for such a makeshift compromise.

People have to wait and ask for steps is an unnecessary barrier to inclusion.

At the very least disabled users should have been consulted.

Head coach of the Orion Harriers Juniors athletics team, Jane Farrier, who carried the Olympic torch into the borough, said athletes would lose a “vital” stretch room under the plans.

She said:

For months council officers claimed no such stretch room existed. We have pictures of it being used by (Olympic gold medallist) Sally Gunnell.

I urge this committee to reject these plans so that proper and full consultation and designs can be accommodated.

Alistair Gibb, a BMX enthusiast, spoke in favour of the plans.

Chris Simons from Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) told the committee an extra 400,000 people are expected to use the new facility, but drew criticism when he dismissed the 5m diving board as ‘unnecessary’ when a 3m board would be in place.

He said:

This is about creating a five star facility for an affordable price.

We are trying to make this the best facility in London.

I don’t believe the 5m board is an issue.

Having had a 5m diving platform previously hasn’t actually produced any 5m divers at competition standard.

Chapel End ward councillor Steve Terry said it is with a “heavy heart” that he and his colleagues approved the plans, through fear of losing funding.

The plans were voted through by three to one.

Chingford councillor Alan Siggers ensured conditions were imposed to give the Harriers use of a room for stretching and ensure the re-location of toilets to eliminate safeguarding concerns.

£150M INVESTMENT TO TRANSFORM TREATMENT FOR EATING DISORDERS

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg has announced a £150m investment to transform the treatment of children and young people with eating disorders.

Nick has secured the fund in this year’s Autumn Statement and forms part of the Liberal Democrats ongoing campaign to bring mental health services on a par with physical health care.

PLEASE CLICK TO SIGN OUR PETITION:

The Liberal Democrats are determined to change this and to end the stigma around mental health. We want mental health issues to be treated just as seriously as physical health issues.

The fund will be rolled-out over the next five years and paves the way for the introduction of new waiting standards.

Research shows an increasing number of young people, some as young as five are being admitted to hospital for treatment of eating disorders at a cost to the NHS of around £200m a year.

The new funding will focus on channelling money from expensive institutional care to local provision through:

– pilot schemes to get young people with eating disorders early access to services in their communities, with properly trained teams, making hospital admission a last resort.

– extending access to talking therapies so that children and young people have choice of evidence based therapies.

Nick said:

“Too often children with mental health problems are being completely let down by the current system, with many suffering from eating disorders going unreported and untreated.

“We know that if an eating disorder goes untreated for more than 3 to 5 years the chances of recovery are greatly reduced, while incidents of self harm increase.

“That’s why we need to act now to transform the current system, intervening earlier with dedicated and targeted community-based services to ensure that we don’t fail this generation or the ones that follow.”

POOL AND TRACK PLANNING FARCE!

Re-submitted Pool & Track plan ‘would be missed opportunity’

12:33pm Wednesday 4th March 2015 – Waltham Forest E-Guardian

Re-submitted plans for a multi-million pound investment in new sporting facilities will be a ‘wasted’ opportunity, according to campaigners.

Athletes, parents, children, teachers and councillors gathered last night to urge the council to reconsider a proposal for Walthamstow Pool and Track.

The authority and contractors Greenwich Leisure Limited were criticised for deciding not to replace a 5m diving board as part of the £25million scheme in Chingford Road.

In September plans to knock down the existing building and replace it were rejected by the council’s planning committee due to loss of amenity as the diving board, which is said to be vital for training youngsters, would be replaced by a spa and an ‘extreme sports’ arena.

But an application for the same proposal has been made, with the diving board not included.

Campaigners and other clubs say young athletes will also be disadvantaged if the proposal is approved.

A petition calling for further public consultation has been signed by 2,500 people.

Speaking at the Pool & Track last night, Orion Harriers club manager, Jane Farrier, said the planned facility would kill athletics.

A ‘well-used’ strength and conditioning room will be taken away under the new plans.

We were not consulted from day one

They are not integrating this track with the new centre and there are a number of big concerns with the new proposals.

For a start we will now have a safeguarding issue with children having to go right out of our sight to use the toilets and changing rooms.

There will be no track-side first aid.

We have no trust in them whatsoever. 

We do not dispute the centre needed to be developed,  but the emphasis has been placed on making money not improving what we already have.

We have 400 junior and 350 senior members. None of them were asked. 

Is consultation asking people what they want or telling them what they are getting?

Lesley Pearce, the teacher in charge of PE at Parkside School in Chingford, said

There is a desperate need for a large sporting venue for pupils to use.

If the council had consulted primary schools they would know we spend a huge amount of money transporting children to facilities in other boroughs.

With this amount of money they are spending – they have the chance build a major sporting hub and meet the needs of thousands of children. 

These plans are not suitable.

Walthamstow resident Amanda Connolly criticised the lack of consultation.

There is no transparency in this project. It should be about investing in the future.

Nobody has a problem with development or enterprise, but we haven’t even been asked what we need.

Green Party candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green, Rebecca Tully, said the council should not expect children to travel to other boroughs for facilities.

There are children having to travel to outside boroughs and are getting home at ten o’clock on a school night. That is not what we want.

Many members of the community in Waltham Forest feel as though they have been ignored.

Jack Byrne, 11, is a member of the diving club. He said:

It’s not just about divers, it’s about swimmers too. 

With these plans we can’t use the pool at the same time.

Before I learned to dive I would try the 5m board and it was such a thrill.

I just wanted to do more. If they take it away other children won’t get to experience that.

We don’t need a spa here.

A dedicated planning meeting will be held at Walthamstow Town Hall on Tuesday (March 10).

GLL has not responded to repeated requests for interview from The Guardian.

Please sign the on-line petition below.

View the petition here. 

‘MINI-HOLLAND’ CYCLE SCHEME GOES TO CABINET ON 10 FEBRUARY

Mini-Holland cycling scheme in the Walthamstow Village area will go to Cabinet next week

First published Thursday 5 February 2015 in Waltham Forest E Guardian
Last updated 13:33 Thursday 5 February

 
The final plans for a controversial multi-million pound ‘mini-Holland’ cycling scheme have been revealed, ahead of cabinet decision next week.

Last year the community was at loggerheads during a trial run of a proposal to improve road safety in the Walthamstow Village area.

The original plans included a stretch of Orford Road being blocked-off to vehicles, while others converted from two-way to one-way and vice versa. Supporters claimed it was necessary to improve safety, while some businesses and residents claimed it would hit trade, cause congestion in nearby roads and had not been properly consulted on.

Further council consultation followed, with more than 1,200 people responding.

A report, which will be considered by the cabinet on February 10, outlines the trial results.

Council surveys showed rat runs were quickly created by the road changes, with drivers finding alternative routes to avoid queues.

Traffic in Beulah Road increased by 158 per cent and 127 per cent in Eden Road during the trial in September and October.

Increases were also experienced in Livingstone Road, Clarendon Road, Granville Road, Fraser Road and Merton Road.

But, the report states there was a decrease in overall traffic from 25,000 to 20,000 vehicles per day in the area.

On average, traffic speed reduced from 22.3mph to 21mph during the trial.

Changes made following public consultation include a no entry sign at Wingfield Road and closures to two stretches of Eden Road.

Beulah Road would also be made one-way northbound, from Grosvenor Rise East to Addison Road.

Copeland Road will be closed at the junction with Lea Bridge Road.

The closure on Grove Road has been moved to a position outside the Registry Office to allow better access to businesses.

Waltham Forest council was one of only three London councils to win the £30m funding from Transport for London and the Mayor’s Office for the scheme.

The final plans

– Orford Road will be closed to vehicles between Wingfield Road and Eden Road (except buses)

– Close Eden Road junction with Orford Road

– Close Eden Road just south of its junction with Grosvenor Rise East

– Close Grosvenor Rise East, east of Eden Road

– No entry to southbound vehicles on Wingfield Road south of Arden Mews

– Second Avenue – one-way westbound and Third Avenue – one-way eastbound

– Close East Avenue and West Avenue bridges at the junction with St Mary’s Road

– Introduction of a right turn ban from Shernhall Street into Church Lane between 8am to 9:30am

– Introduction of further traffic calming on Vestry Road and improvements to its junction with East Avenue

Changes to traffic direction

– Orford Road – one-way eastbound between Wingfield Road and Eden Road

– Beulah Road – one-way northbound between Grosvenor Rise East and Addison Road and two-way between Addison Road and Orford Road

– Addison Road – two-way between Comely Bank Road and Beulah Road

– Eden Road – two-way for its entire length

– Grosvenor Rise East – two-way between Eden Road and Beulah Road

The cabinet will discuss the findings at Walthamstow Town Hall on February 10 at 2pm.