Cllr. Grace Williams

‘How others see us’, an occasional series, No.2: The Londoner’s Andrew Kersley revisits the tragic death of Waltham Forest resident Tracey Turnell and eviscerates LBWF

June 1, 2026 Safeguarding 0

The Londoner has just published Andrew Kersley’s forensic investigation of the tragic death of Waltham Forest resident Tracey Turnell, the so called ‘body in the wheelchair’ case, here: https://www.the-londoner.co.uk/tracey-turnell-death-wheelchair-walthamstow/ It is well worth reading in full, particularly for those who still believe LBWF’s much repeated claim that it puts residents first in... »

LBWF’s promise to put ‘residents at the heart of everything we do’ yet again revealed to be a sham

March 17, 2026 Cllr. Grace Williams, Linzi Roberts-Egan 0

Renowned Waltham Forest campaigner James O’Rourke has appeared in posts on this blog before. He is a highly qualified expert, a Family and Friend Representative, Learning Disability England; an Independent Panellist for NHS England’s Care, Education and Treatment Review programme; and a Member of the Adult Social Care All Party Parliamentary Group. In addition, he spends a good deal... »

LBWF’s commitment to being transparent again in question as campaigner finds c.£500,000 unaccounted for in audit documents signed off by the council’s senior leadership

February 5, 2026 Cllr. Grace Williams, Freedom of Information Act, LBWF spin, Linzi Roberts-Egan, Local Government Transparency Code, Ombudsman 0

In recent years LBWF has repeatedly failed to uphold its responsibility to be open and transparent, even where this is required by the law. A few examples are illustrative (for further details see the links below). In 2020, the Information Commissioner’s Office took the almost unprecedented step of issuing LBWF with a Practice Recommendation because of its widespread non-compliance with the Freedo... »

LBWF’s new back office Oracle Fusion networking platform: management miracle or cash drain?

January 20, 2026 Cllr. Grace Williams, Cllr. Paul Douglas, LBWF spin, Linzi Roberts-Egan 0

In December 2021 LBWF decided to modernise its back office by installing a cloud based networking platform made by the leading American company Oracle (‘Big Red’). Subsequently, this innovation has been described as a management triumph, responsible for integrating ways of working across the Town Hall. However, as is often the case with LBWF, careful research reveals a more complicated picture, wi... »

The Iranian government’s brutal repression, and the tremors being felt (or not) in Waltham Forest

January 14, 2026 Cllr. Grace Williams, faith groups, Stella Creasy MP 0

In October 2024, I posted on the close relationship between Waltham Forest’s Great and Good and the local Faizan e Islam Educational and Cultural Trust (see link below). I noted that only a brief scrutiny of social media revealed that Walthamstow MP Dr. Stella Creasy, LBWF Leader Cllr. Grace Williams, and Leyton and Wanstead MP Calvin ‘I carried a knife when I was young’ Bailey had all visite... »

STOP PRESS The police confirm their investigation of the Whitefield School child abuse scandal continues, which seemingly contradicts what Council Leader Grace Williams has told residents

June 27, 2025 child safeguarding, Whitefield

The Metropolitan Police Service [MPS] has just confirmed its investigation of the Whitefield School child abuse scandal is continuing. The facts are that in April 2024, the MPS was told that previously unknown offences of ‘perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office’ were alleged to have occurred in relation to Whitefield; and as a consequence, in November of the same year, it... »

More on the Whitefield School child abuse scandal: two inquiries raise plenty of questions, but provide far fewer answers

April 15, 2025 child safeguarding, Whitefield

The Whitefield School scandal is without doubt the most shocking of any in Waltham Forest’s post-war history, involving as it does historic allegations that staff had subjected tens of children with learning difficulties and severe mental disorders to violent abuse (see links below). Thanks to three detailed reports by Noel Titheradge for the BBC, the first on 14 October 2021, the second two on 30... »

Private Eye covers the latest LBWF safeguarding scandal

February 19, 2025 Safeguarding

From Private Eye No.1643 21 February-6 March 2025. It’s good that PE highlights the witless response of Cllr. Mitchell. In another, more honourable time, many would have expected her to resign. »

The local Senior Coroner points the finger at LBWF as details emerge about yet another safeguarding scandal

February 7, 2025 Safeguarding

The tragic death of Tracey Turnell has been much covered in the media, and last week Senior East London Coroner Graeme Irving held an inquest to review the surrounding circumstances, which the Investigations Reporter of the East London and West Essex Guardian Series, Charles Thompson, diligently covered here https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/24904405.tracey-turnell-death-coroner-suggests... »

The Whitefield School child abuse scandal: an update

December 20, 2024 child safeguarding, Whitefield

On 27 November 2024, the LBWF Leader Cllr. Grace Williams released a statement on Whitefield School which included the following: ‘We have worked closely with the academy trust, Ofsted, Department for Education, and NHS to support the police investigation. Now that the criminal investigation into staff at Whitefield has concluded, safeguarding partners will commission an independent expert to carr... »

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