Harrow Green Library – latest news
Can you help this community project?
Local campaigners fought hard to save Harrow Green Library as it is, with paid staff and current opening hours. Regrettably the council refused to change their plans.
The residents therefore intend to run it themselves. A lot of volunteers will be needed.
Would you like to help? Even a couple of hours a week would be invaluable. You don’t need experience. Training will be arranged.
If you would like to volunteer, please write to: 15 Matcham Road, E11 3LE. You can also contact the group at helpharrowgreen@hotmail.co.uk or telephone 07930 634210. Please give the following details:
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Your name
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Postal address, including postcode
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Email (if any)
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Land-line phone (if any)
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Mobile phone (if any)
Local Police Stations not open 24 hours
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
New plans for Marsh Lane Playing Field
Plans have been received by the Council to redevelop the Marsh Lane playing fields.
The development proposals are:
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To construct a new pavilion building, comprising new changing rooms and community facilities following the demolition of the existing pavilion.
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The football pitches will be relaid and marked out.
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The existing basketball court will be resurfaced and flood lighting will be installed.
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There will be relocation and remodelling of existing play space and the introduction of an additional play area.
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There will be a new car park accessed from Seymour Road and the footpaths will be resurfaced and extra lighting erected.
The funding for this will come from the money given by the Olympic Delivery Authority for the use of Drapers Field till 2013 for a warehousing facility. This, along with other funds, will go someway to alleviate the loss by residents, clubs and schools of Drapers Field.
Labour Council ignores residents and closes Harrow Green Library
Last Thursday the Labour Council voted to close down Harrow Green Library. Residents had raised a petition of over 5,000 signatures and local Lib Dems had also raised a petition of over 1,1000 signatures to save the library.
Despite these petitions, fierce local residents’ opposition to the proposal and impassioned speeches, Labour Councillors voted to close the Library. The Tories abstained and the Liberal Democrats were the only party to vote against the closure. Even local Labour Councillors, whose residents had campaigned to stop the closure, voted to shut down Harrow Green Library.
Local Lib Dem Cann Hall Ward Councillor Liz Phillips, who has been leading the campaign in the council said:
“Local residents worked hard on this issue and took time out of their day to come and speak in the debate in good faith, only to find that the Labour Party had stitched up the result in advance.
“I’m not surprised that some residents walked out in disgust. Labour has refused to listen to local residents all along and this council meeting was no different.
“The Labour councillors can’t use a cut in the budget to hide the fact that it is them who are closing down our local library.”
The closure was based on the widely criticised libraries’ review and despite the consultation process, two petitions and recommendations from the council’s own scrutiny panel that no libraries needed to close, the Labour leadership refused to change course.
Lib Dem Leader Councillor Bob Sullivan said:
“The Libraries’ Review has been widely criticised and appears to have been a foregone conclusion from the start.
“The questions asked in the consultation were clearly misleading. For example, residents were asked if they would like their library to start opening on Sundays, but weren’t asked if they minded other libraries closing for this to be achieved.
“Of course residents suggest improved services, but if they knew that the council were robbing Harrow Green to pay for those services I believe they would think again.
Ive Farm Playing Field left derelict!
The playing field at Ive Farm was managed by the SCORE complex in Oliver Road. They went bust and the field is now in the hands of the Council, but they continue to lie derelict. Leyton Ward Councillor Bob Sullivan has tried to get the Council to allow the local running club to use the field, but the Council says it does not have any money to make the site safe for use. He will continue to push for the field to be made available to local sports clubs.
Interestingly while there is £5.5 million due from the Olympic Authority for closing down Drapers Field not a penny will go on refurbishing this playing field.
Council puts children at risk!
A significant number of vulnerable children in Waltham Forest have not been adequately protected and were put at risk of harm due to the Council’s failures. This was revealed after an unannounced inspection by the Government’s Ofsted inspectors.
The report said ‘plans were inadequate, leaving them (the children) at risk of harm’. Warnings were not acted upon and management’s oversight of the problems was poor.
Given the terrible case of ‘Baby P’ in Haringey, the councillor cabinet member for Children’s Services should have been more aware of the deficiencies of the department.
Councillor responsible for Childrens Services is still in the Cabinet!
Lib Dem Cllr.Naheed Qureshi says: The Director and deputy for Children’s Services have left the Council for various reasons. Why is the councillor responsible for Children’s Services still in the Cabinet? Transferring her to Housing does not cover up the fact that her Cabinet position, with pay of £31,000 was to oversee Children’s Services and be responsible for children’s safety. To put children at risk of harm cannot be hidden by putting her in charge of Housing.
Glyn Hopkin development goes to Planning Committee tonight!
The controversial plans to develop the Glyn Hopkin Nissan showroom site at the junction of Ruckholt Road and Oliver Road is to be decided at the Planning Committee this Tuesday 4th October.
The original plans were previously thrown out by the Committee but as expected they have come back with some small amendments which have been accepted by the Planners as they are recommending to the Committee to accept.
Problems with money? – Need advice?
The Government has set up a new advice service for people having problems in making ends meet and need financial advice. The service is simply called ’Money Advice Service’ It is independent of the Financial Services Authority. They provide unbiased money advice, information and resources to people across the UK. The Regional Manager for Waltham Forest is Mike Bailey.
If you want to take advantage of this service, then log onto this link which is specifically for Waltham Forest residents:
Bus and Tube Fares Hike in January!
From January, prices are set to go up sharply, well above inflation. In fact, on current inflation forecasts our fares will be going up by over a third more than inflation. This is a very unwelcome New Year present waiting for us!
Yet, at the same time, Mayor Johnson has failed to tackle fraud and waste – the sort of waste that led Transport for London to spend £39 million on two lift shafts at Shepherds Bush Station, which have now been abandoned. Two expensive holes in the ground which will now be left unused permanently.
One-Hour Bus Ticket Campaign Relaunched
Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly said:
“What the Mayor should be doing is to take real action to stop Londoners being ripped off in Oyster overcharging and give bus users a fair deal by introducing a one-hour bus ticket. That way people could swap between buses for short journeys without being hit for an extra charge. It’s the sensible way to encourage people to use buses without having to pay the earth.”