The M&S/BP Service Station near Leyton Midland Road Overground Station
New Councillor Surgery – M&S/BP Service Station – Leyton High Road
Lincolns – The end of the road!
Lincolns public house in High Road Leytonstone is finally coming to the end of its long life.
It was built in 1870, when it was known as The Elms. After several incidents in recent years its licence was withdrawn and it has been closed since 2008.
A demolition firm has moved on to the site, and the FOCUS Team understands that it is destined to become yet another block of flats.
Barking – Gospel Oak Users: Friday 15 June – Have your say!
Harrow Road Car Wash
This business does not have planning permission and so must not operate.
When Liberal Democrat Councillor Liz Phillips made enquiries the operators were made to remove their advertising.
If an application is made local residents will be consulted.
Ramsay/Odessa Post Box
The Victorian post box at the junction of Ramsay and Odessa Roads has had longstanding graffiti daubed on it. Focus Team member Rupert Alexander reported it to the Council’s website, and is pleased to confirm that it has been removed.
Rupert urges residents to use either the Council’s website – www.walthamforest.gov.uk – or telephone 8496 3000 to report graffiti in our community. We need to work together to stop people spoiling our environment.
Free Parking Permits for the Olympic CPZ
In early June we will all receive information packs. Vehicles registered to an address (in the Olympic CPZ) will be automatically registered for a free permit. This will be checked on a given website or phone number. Once registered, we will be able to apply for Visitor permits. However visitor permits will be restricted. During both Olympics we will only be able to have four half day visitor permits per week. Between the Olympics this will increase to eight half day visitor permits a week.
Remember – if you are not a vehicle owner, but have visitors who do, you will have to apply for visitor permits.
Enjoy Greater Freedom!
Under the previous Labour Government many draconian measures were introduced to restrict our freedoms.
Under the new Freedoms Act, Liberal Democrats, the party of civil liberties, introduced many measures to bring in a free, fair and open society. Included in the Act are:-
-
No storage of DNA for people found not guilty
-
The need for parental consent for fingerprinting of children
-
Restricting stop and search
-
Reduced pre-charge detention from 28 to 14 days
-
Deleting convictions for men who have had consensual sex with someone over 16
-
Protecting trial by jury
-
Stalking becomes a criminal offence
-
Ending wheel clamping on private land
-
Restricting the power of bailiffs to enter homes
-
Stopping town halls snooping on people
SUCCESSFUL INSPECTION AT JENNY HAMMOND SCHOOL
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.
Brian Paddick expresses support for the Gospel Oak – Barking Line
Brian Paddick, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London gave his whole hearted support to efforts to secure much needed investment by members of the Barking – Gospel Oak Line User Group (BGOLUG) when he travelled on the line recently.
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.”
Tasckling Youth Unemployment in Waltham Forest
On Monday 2 April 2012, the £1bn Youth Contract will start. The Youth Contract was announced last year by Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg to tackle youth unemployment.
The Youth Contract aims to ensure that all jobless young people are earning or learning again before long-term damage is done.
In Waltham Forest, 2,570 18 to 24-year olds are currently in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance and would stand to benefit from the Youth Contract.
The Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new work places for 18 to 24-year olds over the next three years. This includes 160,000 wage subsidies and 250,000 new work experience placements.
A new programme will help 16 and 17-year olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs).
This will help the most disengaged of the 8,000 in London get back to school or college, onto an apprenticeship or into a job with training.
In addition, there will be at least 20,000 more incentive payments to encourage employers to take on young apprentices in England.
Commenting, Cllr Winnie Smith, Lib Dem Deputy Leader said:
“In these tough times Liberal Democrats are doing the right thing and fighting to ensure we help those who need it most.
“Waltham Forest has had a problem with youth unemployment for a long time and it only got worse under the last Labour government. We have to make sure that the today’s young people don’t have a false start to their careers.
“In Waltham Forest we tried to get Labour to take the issue of jobs and youth unemployment seriously in our amendment to the council’s budget in March but they ignored it.”
“The Youth Contract will help those who need it most through advice, support, training and by giving people in Waltham Forest the experience they need to be successful in the work place.
“As a Liberal Democrat, I am proud that the Coalition Government is doing the right thing and working to prevent another lost generation.”
Commenting further, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:
“Youth unemployment is a slow-burn social disaster and an economic waste.
“We can’t lose the skills and talent of our young people – right when we need them most. We need the next generation to help us build a new economy.
“The aim of the Youth Contract is to get every unemployed young person earning or learning again before long-term damage is done, giving them the skills for a lifetime of work.
“This is a £1bn package and it will get young people into proper, lasting jobs.”