On 3rd May 2012 we go to vote for the Greater London Assembly and the London Mayor.Bin Swap
In a recent survey in Cann Hall many local residents with large refuse and recycling bins said they wanted small bins – and vice versa – some with small bins wanted large.
Unfortunately Waltham Forest has run out of bins and so can’t provide them.
The Focus Team has decided to set up a bin swap scheme for both types of bin. You can telephone, write or email Clyde Kitson (contact details on the Focus Team page) and let him know which type of bin you want to swap and he will try to fix you up with a swap partner. Clyde has already swapped his large recycling bin for a small one. He now wants to swap his large refuse bin.
Can we suggest that you make sure that your bin is clean when you swap it?
Shame on You!
Labour run Waltham Forest Council voted to close down Harrow Green Library on 2nd December 2011.
All the Labour councillors voted, en masse, for the closure. This i9ncluded Cann Hall’s two Labour councillors. They did this despite the fact that well over 5,000 local residents signed petitions, one carried out by the local Liberal Democrats, to keep it open.
It is quite clear that our two Labour councillors obey Labour Party diktat rather than the views of the people they represent, Shame on them!
Liberal Democrat Focus Team member Clyde Kitson said: “The statistic that struck me most was that 50% of the library users are local children. My main reason for doing the petition was for them and their future”.
Labour Council ignores residents and closes Harrow Green Library
Last Thursday the Labour Council voted to close down Harrow Green Library. Residents had raised a petition of over 5,000 signatures and local Lib Dems had also raised a petition of over 1,1000 signatures to save the library.
Despite these petitions, fierce local residents’ opposition to the proposal and impassioned speeches, Labour Councillors voted to close the Library. The Tories abstained and the Liberal Democrats were the only party to vote against the closure. Even local Labour Councillors, whose residents had campaigned to stop the closure, voted to shut down Harrow Green Library.
Local Lib Dem Cann Hall Ward Councillor Liz Phillips, who has been leading the campaign in the council said:
“Local residents worked hard on this issue and took time out of their day to come and speak in the debate in good faith, only to find that the Labour Party had stitched up the result in advance.
“I’m not surprised that some residents walked out in disgust. Labour has refused to listen to local residents all along and this council meeting was no different.
“The Labour councillors can’t use a cut in the budget to hide the fact that it is them who are closing down our local library.”
The closure was based on the widely criticised libraries’ review and despite the consultation process, two petitions and recommendations from the council’s own scrutiny panel that no libraries needed to close, the Labour leadership refused to change course.
Lib Dem Leader Councillor Bob Sullivan said:
“The Libraries’ Review has been widely criticised and appears to have been a foregone conclusion from the start.
“The questions asked in the consultation were clearly misleading. For example, residents were asked if they would like their library to start opening on Sundays, but weren’t asked if they minded other libraries closing for this to be achieved.
“Of course residents suggest improved services, but if they knew that the council were robbing Harrow Green to pay for those services I believe they would think again.
Save Harrow Green Library petition – update!
The Liberal Democrat petition to ‘Save Harrow Green Library’ of over 1000 signatures, has been handed to the Council. Along with another residents petition, the total signatures comes to over 4000.
These petitions indicate the overwhelming support by residents that they want to keep the Library open.
The Council’s consultation on the review of libraries has come to an end and will be reported to the Cabinet on the 11th of October.
Lib Dem councillors Liz Phillips and Bob Sullivan were members of a Scrutiny Panel that scrutinised the original Cabinet report.
The Panel noted that the Cabinet report left many questions unanswered and while it contained a great deal of information, it was not always the right information. They felt the report did not do a complete job.
The Panel identified 19 recomendations which will be given to the Cabinet in October. If implemented would support the expansive Library and Information Service, whilst negating the closure of any library.
Among the 19 panel recommendations to enable libraries to afford keeping open were:
- Shelving Sunday opening and all libraries should be closed on Mondays.
- Opening hours should be reviewed.
- The charges for the use of libraries to be reviewed.
- Consider locating staff from rental premises to space currently available in Harrow Green Library.
- Review salaries and grading of staff and review library contracts e.g. cleaning services.
There were many other recommendations, which hopefully, will give the Cabinet reasons to save the libraries from closure.
Howard Road – Damaged Street Light
A member of the Focus Team noticed that lamp column number 3 in Howard Road appeared to have been knocked by a vehicle and the concrete at the base was broken.The Council was alerted immediately, and the Focus Team is pleased to report that swift action followed to rectify the damage.
Remember, you can let us know about any similar street problems through the ‘Report A Problem’ page on this website.
Alternatively, you may report problems direct to the Council by ringing Waltham Forest Direct on 8496 3000.
Last Chance to sign Save Harrow Green Library Petition
Councillor Liz Phillips and the Cann Hall Focus Team are delighted to report a massive response to the petition to save Harrow Green Library from closure. So far they have in excess of a thousand signatures and the number is growing daily. Others too have been collecting signatures.
Petition Closing Soon
If you have not signed already they urge you to sign up on line now. There are only days left before the petition is due to be presented to the Mayor.
The petition is at: http://ourcampaign.org.uk.HarrowGreenLibrary
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
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.