PROMISES 

2004 - State of the art Library

2006 - Cinema, Retail & residential

2008 - Cinema, Hotel, Swimming Pool & residential?

After six years of inactivity and missing the property boom, it looks like residents and ward councillors will still be unclear as to what will happen with this key site and any development will not be completed before 2012.

In a recent council meeting it was announced that discussions with the Arcade developer would begin to ‘explore’ providing leisure facilities, including a swimming pool, on the derelict site.

High Street ward councillor Johar Khan said: “What does this say about the political management of this landmark at the heart of our borough? A landmark site, which has lain empty for the last six years following empty promises.” 

Ward colleague, Cllr James O’Rourke continued:

“Opportunities have been missed long before the recession came along.

Every time a resident or a visitor gets off a bus or train at Walthamstow Central, one of the first things they see is an enormous patch of empty land at the heart of our borough. This simply isn’t good enough.

The vacant Arcade site is a reminder of the ongoing failure to deliver these promises.

The message from residents – quite rightly – is that enough is enough.”

Not long ago we informed you of the Liberal Democrat initiative to set up a ‘Task group’ to tackle the myriad of issues faced by Walthamstow Town Centre from Anti Social Behaviour to Waste Management.

Two months on and we are delighted to announce the ‘Task group’ is having a positive effect upon the environment of Walthamstow Town Centre. In Storey Road, opposite the Chequers Pub, is a piece of land which, for the last two years, Liberal Democrat Councillors James O’Rourke and Johar Khan have campaigned to be cleared of rubbish and fly tipping and made safe.

Storey Road before                         Storey Road after

After extensive searches the land was found not to be registered. Last Friday (21st November) the land was completely cleaned up and made safe with new fencing erected.

“This is a triumph for the ‘Task Group’ which we set up. Such initiatives show that only with Liberal Democrat Councillors will such action be taken, particularly in High Street ward.” said Cllrs O’Rourke and Khan.

Another issue highlighted by the ‘Task Group’ was waste disposal from flats above shops in the High Street as residents do not have black bins and are having to store their waste in their homes. Residents in flats from Westbury Road up to Hoe Street will shortly be part of a pilot scheme where their waste will be collected daily, from a designated collection point, as part of the High Street clean up operation. If successful the pilot will be rolled out throughout the borough.

Cllrs O’Rourke and Khan concluded “Storey Road and the flat pilot is only the start of the work. We will continue to ensure that the unique nature of High Street ward is served with Liberal Democrat initiatives and policies. “

The Council has agreed to introduce an Alcohol Restriction Zone (ARZ) as from the 10th November 2008. The ARZ is in response to public concern about anti-social  behaviour associated with street drinking in Walthamstow Town Centre and in particular in and around the Town Square.

The ARZ will provide a more consistent and longer-term solution to improve the quality for those who use the area, by giving the police powers to deal with anti-social drinking.

Welcoming the introduction of the ARZ Cllrs James O’Rourke and Johar Khan said: “The ARZ will benefit our local community, businesses and visitors to Walthamstow by providing Police powers that they currently do not have, to tackle alcohol related crime and disorder and allow us to reclaim Walthamstow Town Centre. Children and families will be more inclined to use local facilities, such as the Town Centre Park and open space and it will undoubtedly improve the image of one of the gateways to Waltham Forest.”

Click on map to see larger version.

Our plans for water: new consultation opens today 

Today marks the launch of our draft business plan for 2010 to 2015, and the publication of a summary of our proposals: ‘Our plans for water - what will you get and how much will it cost?’

What will you get?

We plan to:·    

v    Continue our Victorian Mains Replacement project to greatly reduce leakage

v    Introduce a programme of metering in areas where water supplies are under greatest pressure
  

v     Provide more advice and assistance to help customers use water wisely

v       Develop plans for and, if approved, start work to construct a new reservoir to safeguard water supplies

v     Greatly reduce sewage overflows into the Rivers Thames and Lee

v    Make sure our sewers and sewage works can serve our growing population

v    Greatly reduce the number of our customers’ homes threatened by sewer flooding

v    Improve 250km of rivers to meet new water quality standards

v    Cut our carbon emissions by 20%, and implement projects needed to meet the requirements of legislation

v    Provide more financial assistance to customers who have difficulty paying their bills to ensure our services are affordable

What will it cost?

Our  £6.5bn investment programme will lead to an average annual increase in our bills for water and wastewater services of 3%.  The total increase from 2010 to 2015 will be 16.2%.  This is an increase in real terms from £283 to £329.*

Let us know your views

Our proposals have  been  informed  by  our  biggest  ever  programme  of consultation,  and  I  am  confident  that we have put our customers at the heart  of  our  plans.   We are launching a 12-week online consultation to continue this dialogue, and I hope you will take this opportunity to let us
know your views.We  will  use  the results of the consultation to modify our plan before we submit  the  final  version  to  our  regulator Ofwat in April 2009.  Their review of our proposals will set price limits for 2010 to 2015.We look forward to receiving your comments.

Peter Antolik
Regulation and Strategy Director

v    Bill impacts are quoted at average 2007-2008 price levels.

 Please  click  http://www.thameswaterconsult.co.uk/  to  register  for  our consultation   or http://www.thameswater.co.uk/fiveyearplan  to  view  our
plans.

Waltham Forest Council is declaring war on dog owners who persistently let their pets foul the borough and don’t bother cleaning up after them.

Street Wardens, Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams and enforcement officers will be patrolling the areas most affected by the issue, at the times most often visited by dog owners.

Anyone who is spotted failing to clean up after their animal will be asked to do so, and issued with a fixed penalty notice if they refuse.

Bags for dog owners will also be available at the Council’s Waltham Forest Direct shops.

 Waltham Forest Council’s spokesperson for Community Safety, Enforcement and Protection, said:

“Dogowners who refuse to clean up after their pets are exhibiting disgusting, anti social and hazardous behaviour towards other residents. “If you own a pet you need to take responsibility for its welfare and for cleaning up after it. People who are unwilling to do that, will be targeted and they will be punished.

It’s as simple as that. “We are sick of some dog owners using this borough as a toilet. We want to make Waltham Forest a place where people aspire to live and we won’t do that if people can’t be bothered to clean up after their pets.” 

To report dog fouling, contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 84896 3000.

Residents can collect dog bags from WFD Shops in the following locations:

Leyton, 774-776 High Road; Walthamstow, 137 Hoe Street; Leytonstone, 819 High Road. 

Hard working schools in partnership with the Council have implemented plans to reduce congestion, improve road safety and encourage walking to school.

All 88 schools in Waltham Forest successfully introduced their travel plans, one year ahead of the government targets.Waltham Forest Council’s School Travel Planning Team hosted a celebration event at the SCORE centre to mark the achievement and identify and reward schools with particularly good plans.The event was attended by schools’ representatives, senior councillors and council officers. 

 Performers ranging from clowns to jugglers and trick cyclists kept everyone entertained.

Over the past 20 years the number of children travelling to school by car has almost doubled and account for at least one in five cars on London’s roads between 8-9am and 3-4pm during term time.The Council also wants to encourage young people to socialise with their friends and get some exercise on the way to school as well as cut congestion and car use.In the last year there has been a 4.9 per cent drop in the number of pupils who travel to school by car.

The aims of the school’s travelplans are to:

•  Reduce traffic congestionaround schools and encourage people not to use cars on the school run
•  Increase the number of children walking, cycling andusing public transport while travelling to and from school
• Raise awareness of road safety and the health and environmental benefits of using alternative transport for the journey to and from school

Conservative and Labour MPs are working together to STOP attempts to strengthen the Climate Change Bill.

They want to stop emission targets on shipping and aviation being included in the bill. But scientists and leading environmental organisations believe that such targets are vital to make the bill effective.

Liberal Democrat MPs have been working hard to make sure such targets are included. Their efforts have been praised by the Chief Executive of World Wildlife Fund UK David Nussbaum.

High Street Cllr Johar Khan said, “Other parties may talk green, but they fail to deliver when it really matters. I am proud that Lib Dem MPs are leading the charge to tackle climate change in Parliament.”

`GAS PRICES UP 35%-ELECTRIC PRICES UP 30%’

When Lloyd George brought in the first Old Age Pension for over 70`s, in 1908, at five shillings a week, drunks and those with a prison record were not allowed a pension.

Only 1 in 4 people were able to claim a pension in 1908. In 2008, pensions should be an absolute human right for all.

Now in 2008 growing older into senior years should be something people look forward to, as a `golden time’.  But now in `Brown’s Britain’ there is a real prospect of `Fuel Poverty’ next winter, for many pensioners, unless they take action on the:

Ten Ways to Save Energy in the Home.

1.Turn the thermostat down to reduce room temperature by 1C that could cut the heating bill by 10% or £50 per year.

10.Do a Home Energy Check. This can save up to £270 a year on your household energy bills.