Councillor Liz Phillips with the vanishing sign
Some time ago Councillor Liz Phillips alerted the council to the dangerous footpaths in Matcham Road. The damage being caused by the roots of street trees.
A sign was put up advising that the work would be starting on 2nd July. Then the sign disappeared and work did not start.
The M&S/BP Service Station near Leyton Midland Road Overground Station
Pupils, parents, teachers and governors at The Jenny Hammond Primary School in Leytonstone have been celebrating the result of the school’s Ofsted inspection in March. The school was rated ‘good’ overall with behaviour and safeguarding rated ‘outstanding’.
Deborah Gibbon, the Head Teacher, said
“Although the inspection over two days was rigorous and challenging I am delighted the inspectors quickly recognised the creative atmosphere we all work so hard to develop and the published judgement ‘This is a good school. The strong leadership team together with the governing body has developed a vibrant and harmonious community, with a focus on learning’ reflects well on our collective efforts for all the children.”
Neal Chubb, Chair of Governors, was particularly pleased as this was an improvement on the last inspection and said
“This very satisfying report indicates that this level of success only comes from, and is a tribute to, the close cooperation between the energetic leadership of Deborah, the Head Teacher, the work of the staff, the children, parents and the governing body. I believe that if we continue with that cooperation and hard work in the future we can continue to improve and to do even better for all our pupils.”
The Cann Hall Focus Team sends congratulations to all concerned. Well Done.
Along with Lib Dem Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, Caroline Pidgeon AM, he joined morning commuters from Barking on Friday 23rd March to see how a recently added relief train had eased the overcrowding for part of the morning rush.
At Woodgrange Park, while waiting for the relief train Brian spoke with a member of the station staff and saw that the line through the station was already electrified, BGOLUG members explaining that the line was already electrified at both ends and in the middle, at South Tottenham, but needed around £30m to “fill in the gaps” and electrify it throughout.
Freedom of Information requests and answers to questions by Caroline Pidgeon show that following a break down in negotiations with the then Secretary of State, Labour’s Lord Adonis, soon after taking office, Mayor Boris Johnson has personally done nothing further to advance the case for electrification and has twice declined to travel on the line see the problems for himself.
Transport for London (TfL) have included the line’s electrification with 4-coach trains in recommendations to the Government for the next 5-year rail investment period which is to be announced by Secretary of State Justine Greening in around three months time.
The new London Gateway Port at Thameshaven will soon start to come on stream and is expected to generate 30 trains a day, most of which will use the Barking – Gospel Oak Line.
On Board the 07:59 Woodgrange Park to Hampstead Heath relief train, Brian and Caroline noted how the train, running 9 minutes behind the one they had left Barking on was soon standing room only.
Richard Pout, Secretary of the User Group explained
“Because London Overground has only 8 of these 2-coach diesel units, there are no more trains available to further boost peak services. Evening peak trains are now every bit as overcrowded as in the morning.”
At Blackhorse Road, BGOLUG’s Assistant Secretary, Glenn Wallis explained how the busy interchange with the Underground’s Victoria Line was about to get a ’make over’ from TfL. However, original proposals which included new shelters had now been scaled back to consist of new seating, new signs and a repaint. The existing, open shelters will remain and bicycle ramps, paid for by Waltham Forest Council are being removed from the station footbridge.
“This is the busiest intermediate station on the line,” said Glenn Wallis. “The many passengers waiting here deserve better, larger waiting shelters.”
At Harringay Green Lanes Caroline Pidgeon commented, “While there have been clear improvements in the service since I last travelled the line with User Group members in 2009 further improvements are still needed. Above all we must keep up the pressure to ensure that the line is finally electrified. This would deliver better services for passengers as well as making a useful contribution to reducing air pollution.”
Brian Paddick said,
“The Barking to Gospel Oak Line User Group has done a great job in campaigning for improvements in train services. This is an increasingly popular line and that must mean improvements to it have to continue.”
Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that Waltham Forest Council have failed to meet their own targets for paying local businesses within 10 days for 7 out of the last 8 months. And they have only once met their targets for paying small businesses on time since last April 2011.
According to the Federation of Small Businesses the Government estimates that in 2008, 4,000 businesses failed as a direct result of late payment and it costs UK businesses £180 million in debt interest charges. The problem of late payment is not just a commercial one, but it is also ethically wrong. When large businesses or the public sector pay late, it can put small firms out of business.
Liberal Democrat Leader and Finance Spokesperson, Councillor Bob Sullivan said:
“This is a tough time for small businesses and these targets were set to try and help cash flow for local businesses in Waltham Forest.
“For some small businesses, being paid promptly can mean the difference between growing or standing still; between creating jobs or cutting them; between keeping the doors open or closing them for good.”
“It is unacceptable that the council is failing local businesses in this way. Officers and Cabinet members should use the new year to turn over a new leaf and pay local businesses on time in 2012.”
Residents in Waltham Forest will be put at risk if the Mayor’s plans to privatise Fire Brigade 999 call handling go ahead, warn the borough’s Liberal Democrat Councillors.
Conservatives on the London Fire Authority backed by Mayor Boris Johnson propose to contract out the Fire Brigade Control Room that handles over 200,000 emergency 999 calls a year. They intend to push their controversial plan through before voters get a say in next May’s Mayoral and London Assembly elections, when controversial Conservative LFEPA boss Cllr Brian Coleman risks being ousted.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Farooq Qureshi said:
“I was shocked to hear of this plan. It makes no sense to separate the people answering 999 calls from the rest of the Fire Brigade. There are no private companies with a decent track record in this highly specialised fire safety work. It will just end up costing more money as the Fire Brigade will need an army of staff to check the private call handlers are getting it right. This is all about Conservative dogma rather than what is best for local residents’ safety.”
The Fire Brigade’s Union is also strongly opposed to the privatisation plan.
Commenting on the sell off Liberal Democrat Candidate for Mayor of London, Brian Paddick said:
“As a former police chief I recognise that control rooms are an essential part of the emergency response. Privatising the fire brigade control room runs the risk of providing a second class service at a higher cost to the public.”
The only Police station open 24 hours in Waltham Forest is Chingford. The others are closed most of the early hours.
Cann Hall’s Safer Neighbourhood Police Team is putting leaflets on cars in areas in our ward that have been targeted by criminals stealing from motor vehicles.
Councillor Liz Phillips has received numerous complaints about large trees in their streets causing problems to residents homes.
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”.