The Heathcote Arms
A petition has been launched to save the historic Heathcote Arms public house in Grove Green Road, at the junction with Richmond Road, from the developers.
It was sold in September to Equity Estates, however, no planning application has as yet been received by Waltham Forest Council’s Planning Department.
The petition has already gained over 880 signatures.
You can add your support here
The recently closed Police Station in Kirkdale Road
With the closure of Leytonstone Police Station there is now no police station in the south of the borough.
Following the closure the Police are providing a contact point at Tescos in Gainsborough Road. Officers are present every Wednesday and Thursday from 6 – 8pm. and on Saturday from 2 – 4pm.
The only other local contact point is The Police Base, 593 Lea Bridge Road, E10 6AF. It is open every Wednesday and Thursday from 7 – 8pm, and on Saturday from 2 – 3pm.
The Grove Green Neighbourhood Policing Team telephone number is (020) 8721 2640.
For non-emergency calls the Police ask you to dial 101. However, for emergencies call 999.
Waltham Forest Council is one of the few Councils, successful in their bid to Transport for London for ‘Mini Holland’ funds to radically improve cycling in the borough. One of the areas for improvement is Ruckholt Road.
At a consultation meeting in Leyton Library, Lib Dem Focus Team member, Bob Sullivan had a chance to discuss the plans with officers and residents. Overall the scheme looks innovative and will assist safer cycling in the area. Bob outlined many small changes that would improve the scheme for cyclists and residents. The main one was allowing a left turn from Oliver Road into Ruckholt Road. Blocking the left turn would only encourage vehicle rat running.
He also said that the present bus stop in Ruckholt Road by the library should not be moved to Warren Road. The area in Warren Road is constantly used by motorists to park and shop locally in the High Road.
He also felt that the two current CPZs need to be combined and the times of operation extended.
Bob says: My full list of comments and suggestions has been sent to the Council. This website will keep you informed of developments.
Focus has had a massive response to our petition to get all our elected councillors to have a CRB check (now called a Disclosure and Barring Service – DBS).
Councillors are Corporate Parents to all our children in care and DBS checks should be for all not just a few.
The FOCUS Team says: If you want to click here to sign the petition. You may also see the team in the High Street collecting more signatures.
Leyton Cricket Ground – new entrance
Thousands of pounds were spent on making a new entrance to the cricket ground off Leyton High Road well before the Olympics.
The Council made a big fuss about the improvements in the High Road, but three years on and the entrance has never been opened.
Lib Dems say: It is a scandal that having spent thousands in relocating the post-box, taking away the wall and spending thousands on a new smart entrance, it remains locked. The Lib Dems are determined to get it opened.
The damaged pavement in Hainault Road
On a recent walkabout the FOCUS Team noted that the roots of three street trees were damaging the footpath in Hainault Road between Norlington Road and the railway bridge.
They have alerted the Council and have asked for the cracks to be repaired and made safe.
Leytonstone’s Fire Station
The Fire Station in Leytonstone High Road has been closed, and the FOCUS Team understands that demolition is due to commence in December, with the new station scheduled for completion by the end of 2015.
The Fire Engine and crews are stationed temporarily at Leyton Fire Station.
Facade of the planned new building
Grove Green FOCUS 264 featuring the petition
Following parking petitions and concerns raised by local residents the Lib Dem Grove Green Focus Team carried out a series of street surveys to find out the views of all households in Grove Green Ward.
The responses revealed a dramatic increase in on-street parking in the roads near to the roads that had a Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ). Previously residents of these roads had voted against a CPZ in their road. But the increased parking problem in their road has forced them to rethink their decision.
The results of these surveys including a petition were collated and presented to the Councils traffic engineers. Following these meetings the Lib Dem Focus Team and residents were pleased to learn that the Council has started a full public consultation with residents of the roads they feel are most affected. This is a large group of roads bordered by Leyton High Road to Francis Road and Hainault Road to St Georges Road.
The full consultation letter has been delivered to every address in this area. This should be completed and returned in the enclosed freepost envelope before the deadline on Monday 1st December.
The Focus Team urges everyone not to miss this opportunity of making your views known.
Letter sent to all residents who signed the petition
Waltham Forest’s Labour run Council has voted to give the Chief Executive of the Council a whopping inflation busting pay rise of £15,000 – an 8% increase.
This makes his salary £195,000! Even the Prime Minister only gets £142,000. Labour councillors said it was reward for overseeing council cuts.
Given that the cuts were a loss of 1,000 jobs plus salary cuts to the rest of the council staff should this have been rewarded?
On top of that, Labour councillors voted to give the redundant deputy chief executive a massive £140,000 pay off.
You can be assured that the staff who lost their jobs did not receive any golden pay offs.
Can you believe the way this Labour Council spends your money. Last year they increased the Deputy leader’s pay by 25%.
Your money down the drain
Focus will keep on reporting the arrogant and wasteful ways that this Council spends your money.
Waltham Forest Councillors will no longer be the subject of checks to protect our vulnerable children and adults unless they meet them once a week or more than 3 days per month or between the hours of 2am and 6am.
All councillors are Corporate Parents to all of the children in Council care, so they should actively safeguard and protect those who are looked after. Abuse of children has now been shown to have taken place for many years in and out of Council homes across the country. It is important therefore that residents are confident that all of our all Councillors should have a criminal records check even if they never work with children or only do so rarely.
Councillors are people who can be trusted with our children.
Former Liberal Democrat Group Leader Bob Sullivan says, ‘All councillors therefore should be checked.’