Since the Council blocked of Buckingham Road, Windsor Road became the only direct road between Oliver Road and the High Road.  The parked cars each side of the road will not allow vehicles to pass each other so vehicles coming from both the High Road and Oliver meet in the middle.  This has caused angry words, congestion and speeding vehicles which try to make it to the other end of the road before other vehicles come into the road.  

To find out residents views The Focus Team did a traffic survey in Windsor Road.  The response was overwhelming, most people felt that there was a traffic problem and agreed that a one-way system in the road would help to reduce the log jams that arise when vehicles are unable to pass each other.  Residents views were split on what way the one way system they would like.

Having collated the responses from the survey replies the results were as follows:   
Is there a traffic problem in the road – YES 83.33%   NO 16.66%
Those that agreed also said that a one way system should be put in the road.
37.5% said the one way should be from the High Road to Oliver Road.
39.5% said it should be from Oliver Road to the High Road.
2 people did not choose, and 1 had an alternative of making Windsor Road one way both from Oliver Road and the High Road meeting at Brisbane Road.

These results have been sent to the Council’s Traffic Engineers with the hope that something can be done to help out the resident’s of Windsor Road.

Leyton Orient FC backed by Waltham Forest Council approached The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) who own the Eton Manor site which is in Leyton and in Waltham Forest, with a bid to take over the planned hockey stadium and turn it into a football and rugby stadium after the Olympics.  The Orient bid would in the words of Barry Hearn, make the post Olympic Eton Manor area more sustainable and enable the football club to remain in Leyton and in Waltham Forest.  He said that if he could not move to Eton Manor then the club was likely to move out of the area or fade away.  A detailed financial appraisal was presented to LVRP executive committee in November.  The executive referred its decision to a Special Authority meeting on the  15th December.

The LVRP authority meeting on the 15th considered a report from the LVRP Chief Executive outlining the reasons why it could not agree to Leyton Orient’s plans and to refuse Orient’s request.  As the Waltham Forest member on the LVRP authority I enthused the sustainability of the Orients bid and said that I and Waltham Forest residents would not like to see the football club move from Waltham Forest.  Unfortunately, apart from myself, all other members voted against Orient’s proposals. 

I am not sure what Barry Hearn and Leyton Orient FC will now do.  I hope that their forecast of the future can be resolved and the club can stay at Brisbane Road.

The only Police station open 24 hours in Waltham Forest is Chingford.  The others are closed most of the early hours.  The following are the opening times of Waltham Forest Police stations Monday to Sunday:

Chingford – 24 hours
Leyton – 0700 – 0300
Walthamstow – 0700 – 0300
Town Centre office – Tuesday – Saturday 1000-1800
Waltham House (Leytonstone) – 0700 – 1900

Remember – In an emergency you need to phone 999

Last night I had the pleasure of welcoming the new Vicar for St Mary’s church, the Reverend Christine Rablen.  The Induction service was lead by the Bishop of Chelmsford the Right Reverend Steven Cottrell. 

St Mary’s in Church Road is the Parish church of Leyton and has been without a vicar for some time.  The church was packed with not only local people but from her previous church in Harrow and there were people from Yorkshire which I assumed was where she was born.  The congregation were all together in warmly welcoming the new vicar Christine and her husband Tony.

They will not have much time to settle in as the new Vicar will be leading the Remembrance Service in Coronation Gardens on Sunday at 9.30am followed at 10.30am by a Church service at St Mary’s Church.

One of Waltham Forests ‘Big Six’ events to celebrate the Olympics is the ‘Winter Wonderland’ event at Coronation Gardens on Saturday and Sunday December 10th and 11th.  From 10am till 5.00pm.  This is a free event for all the family.  It will have an Ice Rink, Carousel, Santa’s Grotto, Street Performers, Reindeer and an Animal Zone.

It is an event not to be missed for all the family – so put it in your diary. Hope to see you there.

The next Leyton Residents Forum will be held at the Seddon Centre, Clyde Place, off Capworth Street on Thursday 8th December from 7.00pm till about 9.00pm.

Your local Leyton Ward Liberal Democrat councillors Bob Sullivan, Naheed Qureshi and Winnie Smith have been overwhelmed by the amount of people who attend our Residents Forum meetings.  The last one was at the Cricket Ground.  The next meeting on Thursday 8th December will continue the format of reporting back on what is going on in the area.  The draft agenda for the meeting will include the final list of projects submitted for the spending of the £10,000 budget, a presentation by the Deputy Director about the new Council contract (which seems to be causing some problems) for collecting our rubbish, a report back from our local Police and the very popular open forum where residents can ask any question of our Councillors, Police and attending Council officers. 

We had a lot of questions at the last meeting on the Cricket Ground committee, the Councils Libraries Review and of Police matters, which were answered by our local safer neighbourhood police.   Everyone seemed satisfied with the meeting. You are able to read the minutes that Naheed took from the last meeting by visiting the following link:-

http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/council/community-ward-forums/cwf-leyton.htm

Along with many people I have received the email below outlining a potted history of what has been going on with the defunct Walthamstow Greyhound track.  As you can see there is a lot of alleged communication with London and Quadrant and Council officers and Councillors.  I have asked the Councils Chief Executive to investigate the implications of the Councils officers and Cabinet members in this affair.  He has replied that ha has put this into the hands of the Councils Monitoring Officer to investigate.

Email received – ‘Walthamstow Stadium’s ‘Shocking Story’ to date!

1.   The previous owners (Chandler Family) were nearing retirement age and deliberately run down the stadium in order to obtain change of use from leisure to housing as they know that’s how they can obtain optimum selling price. They filter their profits in to their own personal pension funds and do not offer the stadium for sale to the greyhound racing industry. This is part of a calculated plan to make it look as though the business is not viable when the truth is the complete opposite. Commercial builders decline to buy as they know they could not make money on the site.  

2.   L&Q offered encouragement by Waltham Forest Council to buy Walthamstow Stadium (confirmed by Mike Johnson, L&Q Director) presumably on the understanding that the planning application will be dealt with sympathetically (L&Q huge contractors at Waltham Forest). This in itself is completely inappropriate.  

3.   L&Q buy the site, not undertaking correct due diligence and paying multi millions too much of part public money for the site (£18.1M for a viable greyhound stadium). 

4.   L&Q in pre planning discussions with LBWF planning department as far back as May 2007 and acquire an option to buy the site in July 2007. Five months later, Chandler family publicly state that no intention to sell resulting in trainers taking out mortgages for training premises etc. Spring 2008 announcement of sale, track closes August 2008, making 500 people unemployed.  

5.   L&Q embark on a series of lies and deception, suggesting that a planning application will be submitted to LBWF as early as Autumn 2008 and later calling local MPs Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith and Stella Creasy bullies (later withdrawn with apology). These are mere examples and show the unfit behaviour of the RSL.  

6.   L&Q realise they’ve paid too much for the site but still quite happy because they know they have LBWF on side. Examples below from our FOI request which clearly demonstrates an inappropriate relationship :  

>>> Simon Baxter <SBaxter@lqgroup.org.uk> 14/07/2011 09:31 >>>
David
Have you gleaned any more intelligence in respect of this situation?
Regards
Simon Baxter 

(e mail from Simon Baxter L&Q to David Scourfield- Head of Development Management and Building Control LBWF regarding another local site).  

From: Simon Baxter
Sent: 08 July 2011 17:32
To: ‘David Scourfield’
Subject: RE: Walton House – Meeting with Cllr Jemma Hemsted – 01/07/2011
David
Thanks for getting back to me.
I do think that a protracted delay could actually create more unwarranted attention than the scheme being heard at committee sooner, ie in August, for the reasons set out in my earlier note.  

(e mail from Simon Baxter L&Q to David Scourfield- Head of Development Management and Building Control LBWF regarding another local site).  

E mail chain-Bob Morton to Mike Johnson (L&Q) to Fred Keegan (L&Q) to Steve Yianni (L&Q) to Councillor Marie Pye (Housing LBWF)-Bob Morton’s financial costs sent to L&Q then forwarded to Councillor Pye without Mr Mortons knowledge or agreement.  

Email from Councillor M Pye to Steve Yianni L&Q 12/6/11: ˜Checking if we got anything or any approach from Bob. If not we will issue a statement. Have you asked to meet Boris yet? M. (shows non-neutrality)

E mail from Councillor M Pye to David Scourfield, Shifa Mustafa (LBWF) 12/6/11:

˜Has Bob entered into pre app discussions? Has he even approached us? If not we need a short statement making this clear to go to cllrs, lq and wfguardian and the yellow. David can you please work with Alex to draft something for me to agree by the end of Tues M (shows non-neutrality)  

E mail from  Councillor Terry Wheeler to Council Leader Chris Robbins, Cllr Pye, Stuart Emmerson 7/1/2010:

…˜Whilst it is not a planning matter they (L&Q) should for reputational reasons respond explain why they cannot respond to proposals to preserve the Greyhound Stadium’ (shows non-neutrality).  

E mail from Steve Yianni to Councillor Pye 19/11/2010:

˜ Also we were approached by 2 of the ward councillors about our plans…However I think we just about managed to convince them that it was not viable… (shows non-neutrality).  

7.   SOS announce that L&Qs scheme will make huge losses (£27m plus). LBWF agree with L&Q that this fact can remain hidden in the planning application (first time in history) that is eventually submitted (Autumn 2011). Boris Johnson makes clear that this must be disclosed but, as of now, this has not happened.  

8.   An agreement has seemingly been reached for L&Q to compensate the LPA for the loss of leisure facilities at Walthamstow Stadium by a £1.75m contribution to be used at a nearby Pool and Track facility. Firstly this is an admission that there is insufficient leisure being offered at the Walthamstow Stadium site which should be considered on its own merits. In any event £1.75m is completely inadequate and inappropriate in terms of quantum and function. The pool and track facility is a completely different form of leisure and in no way replaces the Stadium which brought hundreds of thousands of visitors each year from both the Borough and indeed from all round the world. 

9.   GLA and English Heritage criticise L&Qs plans and their hastily withdrawn for revision. The land-banking of the site which is now over 3 years continues with no end in sight.  

10. Council want the Stow site removed from the local heritage site list to make it easier for L&Q to obtain planning permission. When found out this idea is abandoned.    

11. What is known for sure is that the local people simply do not want what L&Q are offering and it is morally corrupt to waste £27m plus of part public money to bail out L&Q when Bob Morton is ready and willing to invest his own private money in this Borough to create the jobs and entertainment venue that this Borough deserves. It is currently a farce with L&Q and LBWF working together to hide the economic reality and to push through L&Qs deeply unpopular plans. 

13. Throughout this tale of public disgrace the two local MPs Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith and Stella Creasy have shone as individuals of courage and integrity. SOS and our resident association partners applaud both individuals and only wish others would match their high standards.  

14.We await the next chapter……