Parking nightmare for Waltham Forest residents

Liberal Democrat Leyton Ward Councillor Bob Sullivan reports that parking in Leyton has reached a point where residents’ are continually unable to park in their road or in some cases near their road.

Meanwhile the Labour Council continues to agree plans for multi flats that have little or no parking facilities and seem reluctant to consult with residents about a residents’ parking scheme.

Supposedly the Council has a policy of encouraging family housing, but the Council seems obsessed in agreeing to developers building more and more flats – what hypocrisy!

Residents of Leyton and Waltham Forest do not want more flats – they need family housing with adequate parking included in developments.

It is about time the Council listened to them!

Leyton Mills Safer Business Panel meeting

Recently the Leyton Ward Liberal Democrat councillors, Naheed Qureshi, Winnie Smith and Bob Sullivan attended the Leyton Mills Safer Business Panel. It was held at ASDA in Leyton Mills, and was chaired by Police Sergeant Sarah Brewer of the Safer Neighbourhood Team, along with representatives of the shops and businesses in Leyton Mills.

It was noted that the problems with the DVD sellers and the gambling had virtually disappeared now that the Police are there every day. There were presentations about preventing crime in the area and discussion about the effects that the Olympic Park would make on the shopping area. It was agreed that it was important that all the shops and police shared information.

Bob Sullivanasked about why the boarded up shops that were next to ASDA and opposite TKMaxx had not been let or opened up. Apparently when they were built there was no space planned for air conditioning in the units and a total lack of a delivery area for the shops. Unless someone can come up with an innovative plan, then they will remain boarded up. What a waste!

Anyone who currently visits Leyton Mills shopping area now will notice that they will not be harassed by illegal DVD sellers. Although they occasionally are seen popping back to check if the police are still there. The Eastern European card trick people have also gone away. Hopefully never to return.

There is another meeting scheduled for the autumn. If there are any issues that you would like to bring to our attention about the Leyton Mills shopping area – don’t wait for the autumn, please get in touch with Councillor Bob Sullivan or Councillor Naheed Qureshi or Councillor Winnie Smith.

The Plaza/Church Lane – revised plans

The above link shows the revised proposals

Following concerns raised by Leytonstone FOCUS Team member John Howard and London Buses the Council has revised their proposals.

THE PLAZA – The road layout has reverted the existing design. It was agreed that the proposals did not allow sufficient space, and access to the public car park and the LT vehicle entrance has been reinstated.

CHURCH LANE – Church Lane now divides into two spurs. One terminates at the emergency barrier while the other leads directly into the car park.

Planning News – Vacant plot next to Primark in Leytonstone

A planning application has been lodged with the Council for the vacant plot in High Road Leytonstone, next to Primark.

Application Number: 2011/0148

Address: 654-656 High Road Leytonstone

Proposal: construction of a four storey building with mansard roof, comprising two retail units at ground floor level with basement level and four self contained flats on upper floors ( 3 x 1 bed, 1 x 2 bed)

Any comments should be made either by the Council’s website or by mail to The Planning Officer at Waltham Forest Town Hall.

Do we really need 7 betting offices at Bakers Arms?

The Council has recently received a planning application for a betting office at 857 Leyton High Road (formally part of Woolworths).

If this is granted there would be at least seven betting offices around the Bakers Arms area. Residents were angry that a betting office was recently allowed on the Bakers Arms pub site.

Under new regulations, councillors are now allowed to make objections to planning applications. So Liberal Democrat Councillor Bob Sullivan has made an official objection to this new betting office application.

His objections are:-

  • There are already too many betting offices in the area. Leyton is not an affluent area and betting offices are there to make money.
  • Gambling can be an addiction and more betting offices can only encourage this. This could increase crime in the area, as those who lose out may resort to crime to feed their addiction.
  • Children and vulnerable adults will also be affected if one or both parents use family funds to pay for betting, so depriving them of a proper income from which to live.

Bob will keep you informed of the outcome.

Deja Vu!

Funny old world!

 Our last Labour MP, Harry Cohen, was always one of the top expense spending MPs in the country. Well – here we go again!

Our local paper the Waltham Forest Guardian has highlighted that our current Labour MP, John Cryer, is also one of those MPs claiming the most in expenses.

Leyton must be a very expensive area to live in!

Waltham Forest Direct Shops AXED!

Leytonstone's Waltham Forest Direct shop - due to close

The Council has decided that the two Waltham Forest Direct (WFD) shops in Leyton and Leytonstone are to be axed.

A Liberal Democrat amendment at the budget setting meeting to retain the WFD shops was defeated by Labour councillors who decided to close the Waltham Forest Direct Shops in Leyton, Leytonstone and Chingford.

It was noted that the branch in Walthamstow is staying open!

This will be a big blow to Leyton residents who use it to sort out Council queries and benefit problems. Liberal Democrat Councillor Bob Sullivan has heard that a limited WFD service may become available at the new re-furbished Leyton Library. Possibly something similar is envisaged for Leytonstone?

We shall see!

Drapers Field update

All-weather pitch scheduled to be ripped out and area covered with hard standingA planning application was anticipated to be presented to the Council’s Planning Committee in January, regarding the Labour Cabinet’s desire to lease Drapers Field to the Olympic Delivery Authority for a period of 16 months.

During this time the all-weather pitch and the grass football pitches would be ripped out, hard standing installed to allow Drapers Field to be used as a storage centre and laundry for the Olympic Village.

So far, there is no sign of this application!

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Bob Sullivan has raised this question at the Town Hall, as the Lib Dems are anxious that residents’ views should not be ignored.

We will let you know about any developments.

Thousands of Waltham Forest residents to get income tax cut

These are difficult times for people across Britain and particularly in Waltham Forest, which is not an affluent borough, but last week’s budget has shown that this can also be an opportunity to reshape Britain into a fairer, more equal and greener country.

Labour’s financial legacy has left Britain needing to borrow an extra £400million, every single day, just to get by.

Labour also left us paying £120million in interest on our debt each and every day – for that we could build a new primary school every hour.

In all this debt there is Good News for Waltham Forest as 88,o00 residents will be getting a £200 income tax cut and 3,700 will be lifted out of paying income tax altogether.

If you are a pensioner then you will receive an extra £4.50 a week – and those retiring now will be on average £15,000 better off over their retirement.

The Liberal Democrats in Government are making sure that eventually personal allowances will rise to £10,000. This will mean more Waltham Forest residents receiving a tax cut and even more low paid workers paying no tax at all.

Leytonstone High Road traffic scheme

The Plaza showing area between the sculpture and the flowerbed where it was planned the road should run

Liberal Democrat campaigner John Howard raised concerns about the plans compiled by the Council to ‘improve’ Leytonstone High Road, and the environs of Leytonstone Underground Station in advance of the Olympic Games.

At the time he was advised that London Buses had also raised similar points. A site meeting was said to be taking place early in the New Year, after which revisions would be made.

He has contacted the Council to ascertain what progress may have been made. Watch the website for further news.