My colleague, Lib Dem Councillor Winnie Smith, has welcomed the news that the government has given the go-ahead for Leytonstone fire station to be rebuilt and improved.

Winnie says: “Local people would be shocked to see the state of the buildings where many of out fire-fighters have to work.  I am really pleased that the Lib Dems in Government have ensured that the money is there to rebuild Leytonstone fire station.  I am still pressing to get our fire engine back in Leyton.  That will be even better news”.

The funding that has been approved will see the existing buildings demolished, and replaced by a modern facility as part of a £60 million scheme to rebuild fire stations under a private finance initiative. The scheme is due to start late next year, with Leytonstone being part of the second phase.  See plan of new fire station above.The fire engines and staff will be relocated to other local stations while the work takes place. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson is reported to have said, “Temporarily transferring fire engines to different stations during construction will not lead to a reduction in our service and allow us to maintain good attendance times.”

New plans have been received by the Council to build part 5, part 4 and part 2 storey buildings on the site 590 to 602 High Road and 1 Hainault Road.  The buildings will comprise ground floor retail space and 24 residential units – 7×1 bed, 11x 2 bed and 2×3 bed duplex flats and 4×3 bed houses.

A previous application to build six storeys with 27 residential units with retail units was withdrawn. 

The Lib Dem Focus Team will be investigating these new plans.

The Leyton Supermarket shop at 375 Leyton High Road had their sale of alcohol licence request to extend it from 11.00pm to 3.30am refused by the Councils Licensing Committee.

Councillor Bob Sullivan made representation to the committee to oppose the sale of alcohol at 3.30am in the morning on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance and public safety.

I hope I spoke for most residents, as I cannot see that selling of alcohol in the middle of the night would benefit local people and could cause problems. 

What do you think?

On the 5th May this year everyone will get an opportunity to make Britain a fairer place.

There will be a referendum in changing our voting system from a ‘First Past the Post’.  Fairer votes will make MPs work harder to earn and keep your support.

That’s because every MP will need to win more than half of the votes to get elected.

Bob Sullivan and the Focus Team say, “This is a small change that will make a big difference.  People are fed up with MPs who think they entitled to a job for life no matter what they do”.

A YES vote on 5th May will change that once and for all.

People from all parties and from all walks of life are backing the campaign to change the voting system.

To add your support, visit www.YesToFairerVotes.org.uk or www.LibDems.org.uk today.

You can also show your support by clicking on the ‘YES to Fairer Votes’ button in the right hand column.

I have found out how to get Olympic tickets. You need register to get tickets for the Olympics. You can register for tickets on:

http://www.tickets.london2012.com/

by registering then you will be able to purchase tickets when they become available in 2011

We have had a lot of snow and a lot more is forecast over the Christmas period. 

I hope that you have got all your presents and looking forward to the 25th.  The New Year brings hope as well as hardship to most people as we battle with paying off the massive debts that have been left to us by the last Government and the bankers. 

We will continue to deliver our regular Focus newsletter to keep in touch and update you on what is going on in our area. 

We will also keep running our councillor surgeries at Leyton Library, corner of Leyton High Road and Ruckholt Road, every Saturday 10 till 12.  The new refurbished library is due to open in January.  The first floor can now be accessed by a lift. 

The new Olympic stadium is also due to open next year.  I believe that Olympic tickets can now be purchased online.  I will check this out as I am determined to get to see the Olympics live as I am in walking distance of the Games.

Anyway I hope that you have a great Christmas – my colleagues, Councillors Winnie Smith and Naheed Qureshi and I, wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you feel we can help in any way.

The Oliver Twist pub on the corner of Church Road and Oliver Road and opposite the Leyton Fire Station is to be turned into flats.  The pub made famous by being used in the television programme ‘Londons Burning’ has been closed and derelict for some years.  Many of our local pubs have closed and this will be another one.

The plans (ref 2010/1529) are to turn the pub into 9 self contained flats.  4 x1 bed flats and 5×2 bed flats with provision for 5 car parking spaces.  

Unfortunately like all planning applications there are not parking spaces for all the flats.  This is a concern as local residents will know that parking in the area is a major problem.

I will be checking the design of this new development as we do not want a large square box of flats built on the site.  It needs to have a bit of character. 

Some may say its too little too late – however the Construction Skills Training Centre by the Cathall Road bridge Leytonstone has recently been completed. The centre is open to local residents (applicants will live in Waltham Forest and be workless) who wish to take part in courses, which will include the following:- 

Steel fixing
Introduction to General Construction
Kerblaying
Drain laying
Paving
Flooring
Work at heights
Introduction to roofing
Roofing
Railtrack safety or Tunnellskills passport

DONT MISS OUT – YOUR CHANCE TO LEARN NEW SKILLS – GET ALONG TO THE OPEN DAY OR GIVE THEM A RING

There will be an OPEN DAY on THURSDAY 2nd DECEMBER 2010 from 10am to 4pm at Worknet Cathall Road Training Centre 2-4 Cathall Road Leytonstone E11 4LF

For further information call Waltham Forest Worknet on: 020 8558 1558

Since Labour was elected to run the Council only 6 months ago, it has spent over £7 million hiring consultants and £15 million on agency staff.

At this rate the Council will spend nearly £50 million in four years.

Waltham Forest Council’s Cabinet is looking to save £65 million over 4 years – maybe they need to get on with running the Council themselves and stop using consultants to do it for them!

The latest edition of the FOCUS is now available to download Here

The Liberal Democrat FOCUS newsletter is delivered free to all residents of Leyton Ward.  The FOCUS was started in the late seventies to inform residents what is going on in their area and how they could contact their local Liberal Democrats for information or where they had a problem and needed help.  Since the seventies over one and a half million Focuses have been delivered free.

IN FOCUS 323 – Read about:-

Community Councils being abolished

Prince William supports Drapers Field

Problem Lighting on Ruckholt / Alexandra Rd

Leyton Fire Services – threat

Vandals in Coronation Gardens

Beaumont wheelie bins

If you need any information or help , then check out our Councillors SURGERY and CONTACT DETAILS