0
Pause for thoughts about the NHS?
15 May, 2011
We hear the Waltham Forest Tory and Lib-dem Councillors were reluctant to debate their views on the NHS Reform Bill Pause last Thursday at a specially convened Council meeting. The Tory-led coalition government has belatedly awoken to the high level of anxiety amongst the medical professional bodies to their reforms. The Health Minister has had a vote [...]
Musings on the Elections 5th May and after!
10 May, 2011
First of all, the Tories, whilst increasing the no of councillors failed to increase their share of the voted – 36% – note that London didn’t go to the polls. Labour, polling 39%, have recovered well from their low point in 2010. Harriet Harman reports that Labour gained 350 seats from the Tories and 450 [...]
Your chance to get involved locally
10 May, 2011
The first Community Ward Forum for Hale End and Highams Park ward + Hatch Lane ward will take place: Tuesday 24th May 2011, 7pm – 9pm Highams Park School, Handsworth Avenue, Highams Park, E4 9PJ Here is the opportunity to meet with local Councillors and find out what they are doing for the local Community. [...]
AV Referendum Results
7 May, 2011
There are no separate results for Chingford and Woodford Green. Here are the figures for Waltham Forest: YES: 22,140 votes NO: 31,118 votes Turnout Number of registered electors is 157,904 Turnout for Waltham Forest was 53,420 (33.8%) (source: http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/council/elections/referendum2011.htm ) Here are the results for Redbridge: YES: 20,524 votes NO: 42,717 votes The Borough had [...]
Allotments to go?
1 May, 2011
Eric Pickles’ plans to scrap historic right to Council land’ says the Independent on Sunday (1 May 2011). This will give local councils the right to sell the land for social housing or to private industry. It looks like another of the Tory plans that fly in the face of their Big Society idea, and [...]
Will we be in a Pickle?
22 April, 2011
We hear, Eric Pickles is currently consulting on the proposition that local councils will receive the total of their local business rates instead of formula funding. The principle behind this is to encourage Boroughs to improve business in their areas thus increasing their income. However our local area (Waltham Forest ) has one of the [...]
Mayor Boris keeps quiet!
21 April, 2011
You may have seen Mayor Boris’ local newsletter dropping through your letter box over the past few days. There didn’t appear to be anything about providing homes! There are 15,600 households on the housing waiting list in Waltham Forest. So it’s really important that the Mayor delivers on his targets for new affordable homes. In [...]
What the local Guardian says about the cuts
16 April, 2011
Our local newspaper (14th April) reports that Waltham Forest Council is likely to lose another 128 posts, half of which will be from the department supporting children and young people, which has a budget cut of about £3m. The Tory-led government settlement for local services means the Council is having to attempt to save £65 [...]
What could AV mean for Chingford & Woodford Green?
12 April, 2011
It is difficult to predict exactly what AV would mean locally. For example, we do not know that people would vote the same way under AV as they do with the current system. But to try and give some idea, here is a look at how AV might have changed recent Chingford and Woodford Green [...]
NHS reforms or rethink?
7 April, 2011
It is good to see the Tory-led government ‘pausing’ to think about their NHS Reform Bill. Given Health Minister Andrew Lansley has been thinking about them for years, this suggests that others in his Party have only recently started to see the political implications. Simply put, the changes are too many, too fast and against [...]