Thorpe, Pevensey and Vansittart bridges

As many residents will know the railway bridges in Thorpe, Pevensey and Vansittart roads are being repaired and strengthened. This has caused concern amongst local residents due to noise and inconvenience.

Focus Team member Adrian Trett has taken up complaints with Council officers on behalf of local residents. The response was that they agreed Networkk Rail’s plans as the work is essential.

Unfortunately, Network Rail failed to communicate with local residents until very late in the day.  If you have any further concerns, please contact Nick Gray, Community Relations Manager on 08457 114141, or write to him at: Network Rail, King’s Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG

Action on Betting Shops

The Thatched House

Many residents have been up in arms over the increasing number of betting shops in Leytonstone.

While a recent application to turn The Thatched House into a betting shop was turned downm Focus was told that there was little the Council could do, owing to planning regulations.

Well, not now!

At the last Council meeting, Liberal Democrat councillors got the Council to agree a list of measures that will allow more planning control of betting shops. we may now, if the Council acts promptly, stop the spread of betting shops in our borough.

Could you be a ‘SNOW ANGEL’?

Waltham Forest, like many other Councils is planning for the coming winter and want residents to play a vital role in making sure that the borough can cope in the event of severe weather conditions.

Suitable precautions to deal with snow and ice are being put into place, but the Council is hoping that residents will agree to become “Snow Angels” and help clear their vulnerable neighbours’ drives and pathways of snow and ice.

The Snow Angel scheme was piloted last year amongst Council staff who live in the borough and who volunteered to grit and shovel snow from drives, pathways and pavements to keep the borough moving. This proved to be a huge success so now the Council has decided to roll the scheme out to the residents of Waltham Forest.

Volunteers will be provided with the following free equipment:

1 x 20kg bag of grit

Hi-visibility jacket

Protective gloves

Snow scoop and shovel

 

If you are interested in becoming a “Snow Angel” please contact Amanda Karrinton on 0208 496 1296 or email on amanda.karrinton@walthamforest.gov.uk by 31st August 2011 and you will be provided with further information.

Lib Dem councillors reaction to violence following Town Hall briefing

Liberal Democrat councillors this afternoon attended a briefing by the police and council officers at Waltham Forest Town Hall about the recent disturbances.

Speaking after the briefing at Waltham Forest Town Hall –

Liberal Democrat councillor for High Street ward Mahmood Hussain said:

“I have spent much of the last two days talking to local shopkeepers and residents affected by the violence. Over 50 businesses have been affected in central Walthamstow. It is shocking to see so many people’s hard work destroyed. I have been impressed with how people are working together to put things right.”

Cllr Winnie Smith (Leyton ward) has also been talking to and visiting businesses and residents in Leyton.

Cllr Farooq Qureshi (Forest ward) added:

“These people don’t have a political message. Looting a Lidl and smashing restaurant windows is not going to sort out any of the problems that residents face. At the end of the day it is local people who will lose jobs and income as a result of this criminal behaviour.”

Cllr Liz Phillips (Cann Hall) said:

“The police have assured us that there will be more officers on duty tonight. The council has been working to remove debris and potential weapons from the street. It is important that parents know where their children are and that everyone take responsibility for calming the situation.”

Drapers Field – The Decision!

Drapers Field - closed for 2 years!

At the Planning Committee meeting this week approval was granted to the ODA to use Drapers Field for 16 months from this September. In January 2013 Drapers Field will return to the Council.

The application included compensation which will be used under a Section 106 agreement to re-provide an upgraded full-size all weather pitch, plus a turfed junior football pitch. There will also be improvements to the Sport England pavilion.

Since the Council has decided to carry out the restoration of Drapers Field themselves, it is reported that the Field should be reopened by September 2013.

A Section 111 agreement covers off-site improvements at Marsh Lane and Abbotts Park.

CHURCH LANE CAR PARK

Also, at the last minute, the multi-utility games area (MUGA) in the Church Lane car park was included. The Liberal Democrats believe that this facility should not be unsupervised in the middle of the Shopping Centre, and would be better situated on the field next to the Pastures Centre in Davies Lane, which is a much more central location for residents in 3 wards, Cann Hall, Cathall and Leytonstone.

What do you think?

We would like to hear from you.

Drapers Field – further update!

Council's proposal for Drapers Field

We have manged to get a look at what has been planned for Drapers Field.

The Masterplan (above) shows that the all weather pitch will be re-sited and there is inclusion of some beach volleyball play areas. Maybe the Council is thinking of re-applying for the £100,000 lottery money that it had to return last year when they made arrangements to give the site to the Olympic Authority for warehousing space for the Olympics.

Below is a closer look at the planned beach volleyball area:

The beach volleyball area

For a closer look at the Masterplan click on this link:

Drapers Field – masterplan

Drapers Field – update!

Drapers Field - lost to the community for at least 16 months

The planning application by the Olympic Development Authority (ODA) to use Drapers Fieldis is still to be submitted to Waltham Forest Council’s Planning Committee. News is that it will go to the Planning Committee in August. The information regarding how much compensation that the Council will get, through what is known as section 106 and section 111, has still to be finalised.

The money received will be used to improve Abbotts Park, Marsh Lane and of course Drapers Field.

The good news is that the money allocated to Drapers Field will be to re-instate the all-weather pitch and introduce new landscaping, access, and community sports facilities. This is good news, as previously there was no mention of the all-weather pitch, or sports facilities being replaced, only that Drapers would be turned into a ‘special park’.

Leyton Ward Councillor Bob Sullivan reports that other not so good news is that the ODA want to chop down two mature trees so that they can get access to the field by their lorries. He has followed this up and it is being challenged by council officers in the tree department who feel that access can be achieved without chopping down the trees. Councillor Sullivan will update again when he receives any further news on this.

Acacia Children Centre

Acacia Children Centre in Cecil Road

The Head of the Acacia Children Centre, in Cecil Road, has advised the FOCUS Team that she still has vacant places for 3 year olds starting in September.

Rosemary Buckland, the Head of Acacia Children Centre said: ‘If you are interested in one of these places, parents and children are invited to visit any Friday, between 9.30 and 11.30am, or between 1.30 and 3.30pm, to stay for a session and find out more about the service.