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: 

  • To construct a new pavilion building, comprising new changing rooms and community facilities following the demolition of the existing pavilion.

  • The football pitches will be relaid and marked out.

  • The existing basketball court will be resurfaced and flood lighting will be installed.

  • There will be relocation and remodelling of existing play space and the introduction of an additional play area.

  • 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

Harrow Green Library axed by Labour CouncilLast 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!

Ive Farm Playing Field - a forgotten oasis!  

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.

 

Save Harrow Green Library – update!

Harrow Green Library to be axed by Labour Council

The Liberal Democrat petition to ‘Save Harrow Green Library’ of over 1000 signatures, has been handed to the Council. Along with another residents petition, the total signatures comes to over 4000.

These petitions indicate the overwhelming support by residents that they want to keep the Library open.

The Council’s consultation on the review of libraries has come to an end and will be reported to the Cabinet on the 11th of October.

Lib Dem councillors Liz Phillips and Bob Sullivan were members of a Scrutiny Panel that scrutinised the original Cabinet report.

The Panel noted that the Cabinet report left many questions unanswered and while it contained a great deal of information, it was not always the right information. They felt the report did not do a complete job.

The Panel identified 19 recomendations which will be given to the Cabinet in October. If implemented would support the expansive Library and Information Service, whilst negating the closure of any library.

Among the 19 panel recommendations to enable libraries to afford keeping open were:

  • Shelving Sunday opening and all libraries should be closed on Mondays.
  • Opening hours should be reviewed.
  • The charges for the use of libraries to be reviewed.
  • Consider locating staff from rental premises to space currently available in Harrow Green Library.
  • Review salaries and grading of staff and review library contracts e.g. cleaning services.

There were many other recommendations, which hopefully, will give the Cabinet reasons to save the libraries from closure.

Update – Glynn Hopkin Nissan site plans – Ruckholt Road

The Council’s Planning Committee on the 8th October is due to make a decision on the new plans to develop the Glynn Hopkin Nissan car site on the corner of Ruckholt Road and Oliver Road Leyton.

The plans are to erect a 3 to 6 storey development of 1000 square metres of artist studio space, 116 residential units (31 x 1 bed, 54 x 2 bed, 21 x 3 bed and 10 x x4 bed). There will be semi-basement parking for 53 cars.

The original plans for this site were refused by the Council. It will be interesting, if these new plans which have been slightly altered, will be accepted by the Committee.

Save Harrow Green Library – update!

Harrow Green Library - facing the axe!

Thanks to everyone whom has supported the petition to ‘Save Harrow Green Library’. So far, there are over 1,000 signatures with more being received daily. Others too having been collecting signatures.

Petition Closing Soon

The petition is due to be presented to the Mayor in a matter of days. If you would like to show your support please sign our on line petition now at:

http://ourcampaign.org.uk/HarrowGreenLibrary

Thank you

Flats for the Olympics?

A planning application lasting only for three years, has been submitted to the Council. It is a temporary conversion of the Technical Institute, part of the old Leyton Town Hall, entrance in Adelaide Road.

The plan is to convert the inside of the building into 32 residential units:

15 studio flats, 11 x 1 bed flats, 2 x 2 bed flats and 4 x 3 bed flats.

There is obviously going to be a demand for accommodation in Leyton that is near the Olympic Park. Councillor Bob Sullivan said that he would not be surprised if these flats were not snapped up soon after they are built. This is probably what the developers are also thinking.

What they are going to turn them into after three years is anyones guess?

But one thing whatever they do, there is no parking provision. Local residents already have a major problem in parking in the road and more flats without parking spaces, will only add to the problem.

Primrose Road site – derelict for years!

Local residents have been concerned about the unfinished building in Primrose Road, just off of Grange Park Road, that has been left half built for years. Apparently plans were agreed in 2004 but were amended in 2009 for 10 one bed flats. The amended plans were refused in 2009. So it has been left.

The two agents for the scheme are no longer involved and the Council is trying to find out who owns the land. The Council say, that as the Local Planning Authority, there is little that the Council can do.

Councillor Bob Sullivan assumes that when the owner is found the Council could come to some agreement, but another block of 10 one bed flats is not what this area really needs.