A note for readers…
This is a personal blog, which aims to scrutinise the powers that be in Waltham Forest, from the Council (hereafter London Borough of Waltham Forest or LBWF), both elected members and staff; to our MP... »
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LBWF moves closer to completing its long overdue 2018-19 accounts, but in the process, receives a strong warning about the governance of its commercial ventures, both old and new UPDATED
As previous posts have reported (see links below), like all other local authorities, LBWF was due to complete its 2018-19 accounts by the last day of July 2019, but missed both this deadline and ... »
LBWF’s plan for a mural in Cann Hall ward threatens to descend into farce – for the second time running UPDATED
In late 2017, Cann Hall Labour councillor Sally Littlejohn led a LBWF initiative to install a £40,000 ‘artwork’ on the dilapidated side-wall of a shop in the centre of the ward – a shop that coinciden... »
Fire safety scandal (3) is LBWF making it up as it goes along?
I have just sent the e-mail pasted below to LBWF Chief Executive Martin Esom. It examines LBWF’s 2017-18 installation of 217 flat entrance doors (FEDs) at Northwood Tower and four sheltered housing bl... »
LBWF old boys and girls in the news: Daniel Fenwick and Shifa Mustafa
It is always thought-provoking to learn about how LBWF old boys and girls are getting on, and so here’s an update on two who currently are in the news, Daniel Fenwick and Shifa Mustafa. As those with ... »
An interview with Waltham Forest Streets For All
1. To start with, can you say a bit about yourselves? What brought you together? What kind of organisation are you? Where do you draw support from? And how do you finance your activities? Waltham Fore... »
The Labour Left in Waltham Forest: neither use nor ornament (2)
A previous post looked at the antics of the Waltham Forest Labour Left (see link below) and predictably prompted an abusive tirade from the Corbynistas and Toytown Trots who control parts of the local... »
Private Eye reports the Waltham Forest fire safety scandal
From Private Eye, No. 1539, 22 January 2021 »
Fire safety scandal (2): Cllr. Louise Mitchell responds to my statement at the December 2020 full Council about flat entrance doors, admits fraud may have occurred, but otherwise again fails to impress
Pasted below is a letter to me from LBWF Housing Portfolio Holder, Cllr. Louise Mitchell, responding to my statement about fire safety which was read out at the full Council meeting on 3 December 2020... »
Fire safety scandal (1): recently disclosed e-mail reveals industry expert’s warning that the LBWF specification for flat entrance doors on its estates prioritised ‘design’ over ‘compliance’, thus potentially ‘endangering lives’.
For ordinary Waltham Forest residents, how LBWF tenders and completes fire safety contracts is typically opaque, because so much is shielded from scrutiny by commercial confidentiality clauses and arm... »
Solidarity with the Sandwell Skidder!
From today’s Daily Mail: ‘”Labour council with £2.8m hole in its finances ‘found £300,000 to silence blogger” Published: 02:15, 21 December 2020 | A penniless Labour coun... »