Posts

Save Highams Park’s Library campaign – resident groups demolish LBWF’s business case

July 12, 2016 Waltham Forest Labour Party

Oliver Shykles writes as follows: ‘I chair the Highams Park Forum which is working together with the Highams Park Planning Group and The Highams Park Society to protest against LBWF proposals which could drastically affect library provision in Highams Park. At the time of writing, 3,956 people involved with Highams Park have signed a detailed petition against the Council’s scheme, while 1,117 people involved with Highams Park have joined a Save Highams Park’s Library Facebook Group. Over 200 residents attended a spring clean and protest outside their library last Saturday (im... »

More on Selwyn Primary School in Highams Park

July 8, 2016 Selwyn Primary School, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Waltham Forest Schools

A local resident writes: ‘As your blog has previously noted, LBWF plans to demolish our impressive Edwardian Primary School and replace it with a new “modular” prefab alternative, which has been described on the BBC website as an “Austerity school”.  It is confirmed that this proposal will go to the council’s Planning Committee on 12 July. As you have reported, too, SAVE Britain’s Heritage argues persuasively for keeping the present structure. But it is also worth underlining that the Victorian Society and other local groups are equally concerned by the plans. LBWF has ... »

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George Tomlinson Primary School, Leytonstone, again

July 7, 2016 Academies, George Tomlinson, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Waltham Forest Schools

A previous post (see link below) looked briefly at George Tomlinson primary school in Leytonstone, and the fears of some that it was surreptitiously being prepared for academisation. Since then, much has changed. The school has new governors, and a new management team, the latter led by Executive Head Lynne Harrowell. However, the sense of general unease seems if anything to have increased. Various alterations to the school’s everyday life have proved unsettling. Some teachers have left, apparently because they feared redundancy. A union representative has publicly complained of bullying. That... »

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Cllr. Liaquat Ali boobs again

July 4, 2016 Cllr. Liaquat Ali, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Uncategorized, Waltham Forest Labour Party

The Waltham Forest Guardian today quotes Cllr. Liaquat Ali pontificating about community safety: ‘“Our sense of community and of belonging, and the need to always treat others with respect, helps to make Waltham Forest such a great place to call home. We’ve been shocked and saddened to see the various news reports that have emerged in the aftermath of the EU Referendum result, indicating a rise in incidents of hate crime in some areas.This is not a trend we’ve experienced in Waltham Forest. But, we remain vigilant and continue to actively promote community cohesion, signpost support serv... »

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Selwyn Primary School in Highams Park: now heritage experts SAVE makes the case for a re-think

July 1, 2016 Uncategorized

A previous post (see link below) raises concerns about LBWF’s plans to rebuild Selwyn Primary School in Highams Park. Now SAVE Britain’s Heritage (‘a group of architectural historians, writers, journalists and planners’ which aims to provide ‘a strong, independent voice in conservation, free to respond rapidly to emergencies and to speak out loud for the historic built environment’) has entered the fray, and written to LBWF with a forceful and considered case for a re-think. The accompanying press release is as follows: ‘SAVE…[objects] to the dem... »

The Evening Standard publishes new revelations about the Cllr. Ahsan Khan affair UPDATED

July 1, 2016 Cllr. Ahsan Khan, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Uncategorized

The Evening Standard yesterday rendered a public service by publishing further information about Cllr. Ahsan Khan’s proclivity for surepticiously handing out community ‘awards’ (as he describes them), using the Mayor’s Parlour, with the Mayor of course present. The full story is here: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/east-london-council-gives-award-to-leader-of-extreme-islamist-party-a3284671.html The headline and first paragraph give a flavour: So the full truth is gradually beginning to emerge. Cllr. Khan’s beneficiaries included the repulsive, the undeserv... »

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Waltham Forest Labour and democratic debate in the neighbourhoods

June 20, 2016 the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Waltham Forest Labour Party

Some years ago, the average resident of Cann Hall (where I live) who aspired to have a say in how the neighbourhood developed could do so via the local ward forum, and also the Leytonstone Community Council (which embraced Cathall and Leytonstone wards, as well). Both bodies had official status, were serviced by LBWF officers, and received finance from the Town Hall to support modest measures of amelioration. But, crucially, they were also independently chaired, and not in thrall to councillors; had agendas which were determined bi-laterally (i.e. fashioned by the chair, vice-chair, and office... »

Cllr. Tim Bennett-Goodman resigns the Labour Whip

June 15, 2016 Cllr. Tim Bennett-Goodman, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Waltham Forest Labour Party

Word reaches me that Cllr. Tim Bennett-Goodman has resigned the Labour Whip, for reasons spelt out in his letter, below. It is a sad day for the Labour Party. Prior to becoming a councillor, Tim Bennett-Goodman had a long history of community-based activity in Waltham Forest, and was widely recognised for both his integrity and his commitment to improving the area. It says much about the current state of the Labour Party that he no longer feels comfortable in its ranks. ’14 June 2016 Dear Paul Resignation of Party Whip Thank you for acknowledging and accepting my resignation. It as with ... »

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STOP PRESS: the E11 BID Co. heads towards being struck off

June 10, 2016 E11 BID Co., Fawaad Sheikh, Waltham Forest Business Board

According to a document made public at Companies House, reproduced below, the E11 BID Co. is now threatened with being compulsorily struck off and dissolved. This blog has covered the troubled and troubling E11 BID Co. before (see links below). The issue now seems to be that the company missed the deadline for filing its 2014-15 accounts, which was 31 March 2016. It really does seem extraordinary that directors who are entirely dependent on other people’s money cannot manage the elementary step of filing properly. Little wonder that those traders in Leytonstone who are forced to financed... »

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Cllr. Ahsan Khan and a Mayoral reception to honour ‘a friend of mine’ UPDATED

June 6, 2016 Cllr. Ahsan Khan, Cllr. Saima Mahmud, Cllr. Terry Wheeler, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

Browsing YouTube at the weekend, I was amused to come across this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9fLay0VLbE It is a short film shot in the Town Hall, at which Waltham Forest’s Mayor honours a guest. One interesting thing is that the Mayor in question is not Cllr. Saima Mahmud, bur Cllr. Terry Wheeler, her predecessor – suggesting that the practice of Mayoral honouring which has recently caused such controversy is nothing new. In addition, the first few seconds of the film are very illuminating. Cllr. Khan introduces the event, and states that it is being held to honour ‘th... »

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