Save Harrow Green Library

Harrow Green Library to be axed by Labour Council

In order to save money our Labour run Waltham Forest Council is making changes to the library system.

This includes the closure of our local Harrow Green Library.

The council admits that, ‘here in the south of the borough, where deprivation is most concentrated, health, education attainment and housing standards are lower, libraries are a focus for communities that enhance people’s quality of life.’

Libraries alleviate the effects of deprivation.

The Library building is home to many local groups and activities, as well as the borrowing of books, access to the internet and for study and homework. 50% of the borrowers are children.

The council now has a 12 week consultation period ending on Friday 9 September.

Please help us to Save Harrow Green Library by signing the petition at:

http://ourcampaign.org.uk/HarrowGreenLibrary

You can also write to Councillor Geraldine Reardon (responsible for libraries) at The Town Hall, Walthamstow E17 6JF

Church Lane Car Park

A report into car park provision across the borough is to be considered by the Cabinet.

The Church Lane car park is said to be only 43% used, but since there is no suitable on street parking in the Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), the report recommends that the hours of operation and maximum stay times should be reviewed to encourage maximum usage. It is likely that charges will be reduced.

Games Area in the car park!!

Strangely, the report also recommends that a ‘multi utility’ area be included in the car park. FOCUS was shocked to discover that this is an area for basket ball, football etc. The FOCUS Team believes that such a move would not encourage more drivers to use the car park. In fact, it might have the opposite effect!

Additionally, a similar scheme has already been rejected when it was proposed at the Leytonstone Community Council.

Surely, it would be far better to locate this facility at the Pastures Youth Centre in Davies Lane.

Please let the FOCUS Team know your views.

You can also contact us via this website.

Harrow Green Library closure planned

The Cann Hall Focus Team was shocked to see that a report on the Library Service, due to be presented to the Cabinet on 14 June, includes the proposal to close both Harrow Green and South Chingford Libraries.

The report recommends that Leytonstone, Leyton, Walthamstow and North Chingford be designated Library Plus branches – open 7 days a week and offering some additional services that were previously available in the Waltham Forest Direct shops.

While Hale End, Higham Hill, Wood Street and Lea Bridge will become Library Local branches, open for 30 hours a week.

Providing that this report is agreed by the Cabinet there is expected to be a 12-week consultation period between June and September.

Whatever your views the Focus Team urges you to respond to the consultation to make sure that the Council has the fullest possible picture of the feelings of local residents.

It is understood that a further report, taking into account the consultation, will be submitted to the Cabinet in October.

Make your voice heard!

LABOUR COUNCIL’S DECEPTION!

The local Guardian newspaper has highlighted the amount of taxpayers’ money that the Labour Council is spending on campaign propaganda. Is this a smoke screen to hide their cuts to services?

In a poll by one national newspaper Waltham Forest was judged the highest spender on propaganda in the country.

The budget Councillor Bob Sullivan put forward on behalf of the Liberal Democrat Group in opposition to the Labour budget showed many areas of savings including the saving of £250,000 by getting rid of the political campaigning and putting that money into respite care for children and families.

The reduction in respite care will cause much anxiety to the families who desperately need respite care for them and their children.

The Liberal Democrats were the only party to oppose the Labour budget – the Conservatives did not put forward any alternative budget, but spent time praising the Labour leader of the Council! So much for Tory opposition!

Millions Not Claiming Tube Refund

Most passengers are unaware that they are entitled to a refund for a delay of more than 15 minutes on the Tube. Figures have been uncovered which show that out of a potential 11 million Tube passengers only 330,000 claimed compensation for delays in 2010.

No one should have to wait more than 15 minutes for a tube train, yet 14 million people had to last year. Every tube traveller needs to be aware that they are entitled to compensation when such delays take place.

Lib Dems Help Lowest Paid Workers

Liberal Democrats in Government have delivered a £326 tax cut which will benefit our lowest paid workers.

No one will pay any income tax on the first £8,100 they earn, and this is to rise to £10,000 in the coming years.

This will help hundreds of thousands of families across London, and it is a major step towards a fairer tax system.

Trumpington Road Respite Care Centre

Focus Team campaigner Adrian Trett outside the Respite Care Centre The council has decided to upgrade this centre and remodel it to provide both residential and short breaks residential care.

In future it will provide long term accommodation for 6 people in three self-contained units, and 4 respite beds in a fourth unit.

As MENCAP has pointed out this represents loss of nine places for overnight respite. Being as 76 families in Waltham Forest rely on this type of care, they claim it is a step too far.

If you are one of the families affected by this decision Focus would like to hear your views on this.

Once the works are completed the service will be ‘outsourced’ to a provider who has ‘an excellent track record’ in this field.

Focus Team

The Focus Team is diappointed to report that Keith Rayner, who lost his Council seat last May, has decided to defect to the Labour Party.

He is being replaced on the Focus Team by the original founder of the Cann Hall Focus Team, Clyde Kitson.

The ‘YES’ Campaign

During the Referendum Campaign members of the Focus Team received an enthusiastic response on the doorstep with the majority of you saying that you would be voting ‘YES’.

On the day of the election the turnout of voters was good and much better than had been predicted.

To those of you that voted ‘YES’, we say a big thank you.

Across the whole of Waltham Forest 23,140 voted ‘YES’ and 31,118 voted ‘NO’.

Although the ‘NO’ vote won this result was much better than most areas across the U.K.

Cann Hall Road

Lib Dem campaigner Adrian Trett in Cann Hall Road - where the footpath has been narrowed

Over recent months Cann Hall Road has been resurfaced, parking has been taken off the road, new street lighting and trees added. For many this has been a great improvement to the road and the local environment.

However, the ‘off-road’ parking has meant that pavements have been reduced and some people have complained about difficulties for pushchairs and wheelchair users because there is insufficient space.

Focus Team member, Adrian Trett welcomes your comments as previously local councillors had discussed this with the local Authority to ensure that path widths were not reduced in the process of creating ‘off-road’ parking.

Cann Hall Liberal Democrats

Cann Hall FOCUS Team