The latest issue of the Leyton FOCUS number 338 has just gone to press, and will be distributed across the ward by volunteers.
You can access an advance copy here: Leyton 338
Coronation Gardens annexe – consultation
Leyton Conservation Area
The Council is proposing to designate part of Leyton Town Centre as a Conservation Area. The area stretches from Buckingham Road (Coronation Gardens) along the High Road as far as Leyton Underground Station
What is a Conservation Area?
It is an area of special architectural or historic interest. The special character can include buildings, parks and open spaces, trees and landscaping, paving and street furniture etc.
This part of Leyton is of particular historical interest and includes two grade 2 statutorily listed buildings (Leyton Library and the old Leyton Torn Hall), the locally listed building at 267 High Road (formerly Barclays Bank) and the Victorian Coronation Gardens.
Extra Planning Protection
Conservation area designation gives broad protection to an area, and all features within the area are recognised as part of its character. The Council, as the local planning authority, would have extra powers to control works to protect, or improve, the character or appearance of the area.
Exhibition at Leyton Library
There will be a public exhibition in the foyer of Leyton Library from 18 February until 18 March. Council officers will be present on the following days to answer any questions:
Tuesday 19 February – between 4 and 7pm
Wednesday 28 February – between 11am and 2pm
Comments
Any comments should be received by Friday 15 March, and should be sent to:
MAIL: Jacinta Fisher, Conservation Officer, London Borough of Waltham Forest, Room GO8, Sycamore House, Town Hall, Walthamstow, E17 4JF
E-MAIL: urbandesign@walthamforest.gov.uk
TELEPHONE: for any questions call Jacinta Fisher on 020 8496 6737
PRESS RELEASE: Lib Dem councillors campaign against Fire Service cuts
LOCAL COUNCILLORS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN AGAINST CUTS TO FIRE SERVICES
Local Lib Dem councillors are backing their Lib Dem colleagues Terry Stacy and Stephen Knight on the North London fire authority and are launching a campaign against cuts to local fire services. Waltham Forest could lose 2 fire engines under Mayor Boris Johnson’s plans and services across London will be cut back.
Local residents are also worried about the closure and demolition of Leytonstone Fire Station amidst this on-going uncertainty. Residents are worried that because the proposals for cuts are yet to be finalised the new station could be axed following the consultation.
Residents now want assurances that the station will reopen as planned. Local Lib Dems are asking residents to sign a petition against the cuts and for assurances about the future of Leytonstone Fire Station.
Lib Dem Councillor Mahmood Hussain said:
“These fire engines are a vital part of our local fire services. Fewer engines will mean there are fewer and less mobile fire fighters protecting or Borough.“These cuts are short-sighted. The number of fire engine mobilisations in the Borough increased from 5,449 in 2005/06 to 5,607 between 2011 and 2012. The population of the Borough is still growing, which means more people and more houses to protect.”“I hope that local Labour and Conservative councillors will join us in opposing these cuts.”
Leytonstone resident Mahmood Faiz said:
“Of course we’re worried. There are big changes going on in the fire service and local people want assurances that the new fire station will go ahead. This consultation is already causing worries for local people and it shouldn’t be used as a way of sneaking in even more of Boris’ cuts to our fire services.”
Please sign our petition here: http://eepurl.com/uZtFb
PRESS RELEASE: Labour cut free rat catching service
This year the Labour council will bring an end to their free rat catching service by introducing a new charge of £25.
They are also increasing the cost of pest control in other areas, putting up the cost of dealing with mice for those on council tax benefit from £60 to £75, a 22% increase.
Lib Dems have criticised the move saying it will cause more problems than it solves.
Lib Dem Environment spokesperson Councillor Mahmood Hussain said:
“This is a false economy. A growing rat population affects everyone. For every person that is put off reporting rats by this new charge, rats will spread further and faster across the Borough.
“Mice are a growing problem for residents too and it can often take two or three visits before they are cleared from your home, landing you with a bill of hundreds of pounds.”
“Just like their u-turns over parking charges and the living wage last year, it wouldn’t cost Labour much to reverse these bad decisions and back the priorities of residents.”
Lib Dem Leader Councillor Bob Sullivan said:
“Lib Dems will be finding money in our alternative budget to show that the Labour council could cut charges for mice and keep the rat service free if they wanted to.”
PRESS RELEASE: Labour Council is letting our children down
TWO DAMNING REPORTS ON WALTHAM FOREST PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Figures released at the end of 2012 show Key Stage 2 results for Waltham Forest primary schools have been below the national average for the past two years. Whilst our results did improve in 2012, most other areas improved even more and have left us lagging behind.
According to the most recent Ofsted report, Waltham Forest and Hackney children are now the least likely in London to be able to attend to a good or outstanding primary school. With only 11 authorities out of over 150 in England performing worse, Waltham Forest is in the bottom 8% of authorities nationwide.
Across England, 2012 saw a welcome increase in the percentage of Key Stage 2 pupils receiving a Level 4 or above in English and Maths, helped by extra money delivered through the Lib Dem Pupil premium, which targets funds at the poorest pupils.
But despite extra investment delivered by Liberal Democrats in government through the pupil premium, which will deliver over £12.5 million additional money for Waltham Forest schools in 2013-14, we are still lagging behind the national average in these key indicators.
Lib Dems believe Labour should be doing more to drive up standards in our schools and making more of this new money to drive up standards for the poorest. Splashing out money on more fireworks and other events can’t hide the fact that this Labour Council is letting our children down.
Cllr Bob Sullivan said:
“Every parent in Waltham Forest should be able to say that their child attends a good or outstanding primary school. There are great schools and great teachers in our Borough but many schools do not get the help they need from this Labour Council to overcome the difficulties they face.
“Waltham Forest Labour have now had 4 different cabinet members in charge of schools in just two and a half years and we’ve lost managers and directors too.
“When we left the joint administration in 2010 our Key Stage 2 results were above the national average but two years of Labour mismanagement have meant the rest of the country has overtaken us.
“Waltham Forest Lib Dems don’t believe more academies are the answer but we do need better local leadership to deliver a better education for our Borough’s children. It can’t be right that our children are the least likely in London to be able to attend a good or outstanding primary school.”
Waste & Recycling Collections over Christmas & New Year
The Council has announced that normal collection services will operate until Christmas Eve
Christmas Day and Boxing Day – no collections
After Boxing Day – collections will be two days later than normal
New Year’s Day – no collections
From Monday 7 January – normal service resumes
Christmas Tree Recycling
Real Christmas Trees should be left out for collection on your normal brown bin day
LIB DEM LEADER TO INVESTIGATE QUESTIONS OVER LABOUR’S JOBS PROGRAMME
Waltham Forest Lib Dem Leader Councillor Bob Sullivan has been appointed to a new panel set up to examine the questions surrounding the council’s £9 million Worknet programme.
Councillor Sullivan requested the enquiry in September and the panel has now been established by the council’s Overview and Scrutiny management committee. The panel will investigate claims that millions of pounds went unspent or were put away in the council’s balances.
Also on the panel will be Conservative Cllr John Moss and Labour Cllr Saima Mahmood.
Councillor Sullivan said:
“I’m pleased to have the opportunity to raise the difficult questions needed about the council’s Worknet programme.
“All of this £9 million should have been used to put our residents back to work but so far we don’t know how much of this money actually made it into these back to work schemes or if any of them were successful.
“The council, the contractors and cabinet members all have tough questions to answer. We need to know if these contracts were successfully delivered, if they weren’t delivered then what went wrong, and why residents didn’t know about it sooner?”
WHAT LOCAL BUSINESSES WANT FOR CHRISTMAS!
LIB DEMS CALL FOR COUNCIL RETHINK OVER PARKING IN THE BOROUGHWith problems over the CPZ consultation and plans by Waltham Forest Council to sell off the Stanley Road Car Park in Bakers Arms shopping area, parking is fast becoming a big issue in the Borough.
Lib Dems are opposing plans by the council to sell off the car park at Bakers Arms. And have gone further by asking the council to extend free parking times over the Christmas period to help local businesses.
Cllr Mahmood Hussain, Lib Dem Environment spokesperson said:
“With Christmas coming up, now would be the perfect time to help local businesses by extending the 15 minutes free parking time up to 30 minutes for the remaining few weeks. This would help our local shops compete with supermarkets and the big shopping centres nearby.
“And selling off the Bakers’ Arms car park is clearly the wrong decision. The car park is badly signposted at the moment but if we could bring it back into proper use it could be a great asset for local businesses.
“Cabinet members need to rethink parking in the Borough and focus on how it can help local businesses.”
Chair of the Bakers’ Arms Business Forum, Suleman Ahmed said:
“We should be taking advantage of the resource that we have in this car park at Bakers’ Arms. If the car park was better managed and better signposted by the council then it would not need to be sold off.
“Extending free parking would also be a great boost to local businesses in the run up to the Christmas period.”
Leyton Police Station shutting down
The Police have announced that Leyton Police Station in Francis Road will be shut down from next Monday 10th December.
The front counter services are being transferred to the Custody Centre, in Boreham Close, off Hainault Road.
The front counter will be manned from 7am until 3am daily. The same hours as currently offered at Francis Road.
Boreham Close is a cul-de-sac situated opposite Norlington Road.