WALTHAM FOREST - ONE COMMUNITY This Blog provides information about our Community in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. Please send your contributions to wfoc10@gmail.com
Friday, 27 February 2015
Mini Holland Update 27-2-15
Mini Holland
Cycle Shelters
Hoe Street Cycle Lane
This must be a death trap just waiting for its first victim
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Cycle Shelters
Hoe Street Cycle Lane
This must be a death trap just waiting for its first victim
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VHM Exhibition
To: <Adrian.C.Stannard@btinternet.
Cc:
Cc:
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Asbestos at the Town Hall
Dear Mr. Esom,
Dear Mr. Esom,
Thank you for your e-mail.
We are not interested in a reply from Mr. Fenwick, because we have raised no question that has anything to do with him.
Our e-mail concerns you.
In particular, it concerns your decision, while both Chief Executive of the Council and director of NPS Ltd, to set up a system of reporting between the two organisations that was not committed to paper; that, as the evidence shows, caused considerable confusion about responsibilities; and that, as a consequence may well be held to be a one of the prime factors that precipitated LBWF being found guilty of four serious breaches of the health and safety legislation, with all the financial and human costs which are implied.
We believe that in making such a decision, which was clearly conscious and deliberate (you stated as such), your judgement significantly erred, and you should resign.
If you believe differently, please will you explain why and - given that we raised this matter with you a month ago - do so by return?
Yours sincerely,
Trevor Calver and Nick Tiratsoo
On 27 Feb 2015, at 13:48, Martin Esom <Martin.Esom@walthamforest.
Dear Mr TiratsooThank you for your email.Apologies for the delay, our reply will come from Daniel Fenwick our Director of Governance who has corporate responsibility for health and safety.Yours sincerelyMartin EsomChief Executive
Dear Mr. Esom,
We wrote you the e-mail attached exactly one month ago.
So far, you have not even acknowledged it, let alone answered.
The issues that we raise are serious ones, and relate to your suitability to remain Chief Executive in the context of the Town Hall asbestos court decision.
By ignoring these issues, you give the impression that you are beyond questioning, hardly compatible with either the seven principles of public life that you are supposed to uphold, or
indeed the general tenets of our democratic system.
Of course, you are also bound by the Council's Residents First Charter ('We will provide a full response to all e-mails or web requests within 5 working days'), though as we know from
past experience, you appear to believe the conceit that this applies to your staff but not yourself.
We hope that you will now respond forthwith, but we also give you warning that should you continue with your current stance, we will vigorously take up the issues elsewhere, and in
doing so seek maximum publicity for your own documented disdain.
Yours sincerely,
Trevor Calver and Nick Tiratsoo
Begin forwarded message:
From: Nicholas Tiratsoo <ntiratsoo@btinternet.com>Subject: LBWF's convictions re asbestos, NPS, and your position as Chief ExecutiveDate: 27 January 2015 14:37:50 GMTTo: Martin Esom <Martin.Esom@walthamforest.gov.uk> Cc: Councillor Chris Robbins <leader@walthamforest.gov.uk>, Matt Davis <matt@mattdavis.eu>, stella creasy <stella@workingforwalthamstow.org.uk>, john.cryer.mp@parliament.uk, "NASH, Josephine" <nashj@parliament.uk>
181 Odessa RdLondon E79DX0208555662327 January 2015Dear Mr. Esom,In November 2012, we wrote to you about the potential conflict of interest inherent in concurrently you being chief executive of LBWF and board member of NPS London Ltd..You told us that you understood the risks, and had taken steps to mitigate them, explaining: ‘I fully recognise my role as board director, and also Chief Executive of the authority and ensure that the two roles are not blurred. My deputy, Shifa Mustafa, acts as the lead client and she has a free reign to fulfil that task in the best interests of the local authority. She reports to a variety of Cabinet Members directly on the performance of NPS’.Subsequently, in January 2013, we asked to see copies of the reports regarding LBWF-NPS London Ltd working arrangements that Ms. Mustafa had – as you indicated - produced for Cabinet members in 2011 and 2012, and were told that they were ‘verbal and therefore no formal paper reports exist’ (FIA, 2012/0874).In relation to this admission, we note that:(a) the Independent Panel report of 2009, which the Council accepted in its entirety, found that ‘Informal briefings appear to have replaced reports to Cabinet’, and warned that this practice was unacceptable and must cease forthwith;(b) each year for sometime, LBWF has done millions of pounds of business with NPS London Ltd.;(c) in 2012, you regarded NPS London Ltd as ‘our advisors on asbestos matters’;(d) during its voluminous correspondence with us in 2012, LBWF showed marked confusion about highly important issues, and, for example, was unable to date when it had received the key GBNS reports on asbestos in the Town Hall;(e) on 19th January 2015, LBWF was found guilty on four counts concerning asbestos in the Town Hall under health and safety legislation, with the judge referring sentencing to a higher court in recognition of the severity of the offenses; and(f) according to the Waltham Forest Guardian, NPS London Ltd. now claims it has had ‘“nothing to do”’ with the asbestos issue in the Town Hall, thus explicitly contradicting your own earlier claim.Against this background, the system of verbal reporting that you instituted seems to us to have been a significant misjudgment, which very likely will impose serious financial and human costs for years to come.Taking these various facts together, we believe that you have failed in your fundamental duty of care to staff, their families, and members of the public, and accordingly should resign as chief executive of LBWF forthwith.We look forward to your response.Yours sincerely,Trevor Calver and Nick TiratsooPS Please note that this is an open letter, and we are circulating it to interested parties
Granada Walthamstow
UPDATE ON THE GRANADA WALTHAMSTOW
Hi Katy
There is no planning or LB application as yet although we believe that Antic maybe undertaking initial work with a view to submitting applications later in the year and I will be the case officer as before if we receive applications.
We don’t deal with licensing here so you would have to contact that section directly.
We have no information as to whether Antic have bought the building although we understand that they are in negotiations with Antic.
I believe that English Heritage are continuing to monitor the condition of the building and do liaise with Ron and Jacinta here from time to time.
Regards
Jon
Jon Price
Development Management
Waltham Forest Council
Heathcote re-opens
Good news that flies in the face of pub closures!
The Heathcote is due to reopen on Saturday 28th to be run by a lady called Cerise. She will be providing free food and music on opening day.
Please spread the word; we must do some earnest drinking to keep it open this time.
Cheers!
Bill Measure
English Heritage Angel Awards
Subject: English Heritage Angel Awards 2015 - Open for Applications
As someone with an interest in and/or experience of protecting our historic environment, we are hoping you may know of a heritage site that’s been rescued from ruin and would benefit from wider recognition. If you do, then Andrew Lloyd Webber, the Telegraph and English Heritage invite you to enter for the English Heritage Angel Awards 2015. The competition is open for entry from now until 26th April.
Entries for the English Heritage Angel Awards will be evaluated by a panel of experts from the heritage sector who will determine a shortlist of 16 sites to put before the judges. Chaired by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the judges will include historian Bettany Hughes and TV’s “Restoration Man” George Clarke.
We welcome applications from anyone involved in a heritage rescue, for example, private owners who have turned neglected buildings into treasured homes, commercial organisations and companies which have restored historic industrial buildings, volunteers who have saved a local landmark for the community, and groups including trainees or apprentices who have employed exceptional skills on a rescue. You can apply on your own behalf for a project you are involved with, or nominate a group or individual whose efforts you feel deserve acknowledgement.
By applying, you’ll be in with the chance of having a short film specially made about your heritage project. Previous winners have found that being an Angel has given a massive boost to their fundraising and publicity drives.
Award Categories
The English Heritage Angel Awards are for:
the best rescue or repair of a historic place of worship;
the best rescue of a historic industrial building or site;
best craftsmanship employed on a heritage rescue by an individual or group of trainees, apprentices, experienced craftspeople or a company; and
the best rescue of any other heritage site.
How to Apply
To be eligible for the Awards, the heritage site must be designated as nationally significant, and be, or have been, at risk from neglect or decay. Your rescue project must have been completed since 2008 or currently be well underway.
For full details on how to enter for an English Heritage Angel Award visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/
If you’re not sure if your heritage rescue is eligible or if you have any other questions, we’ll be pleased to help at angels@english-heritage.org.uk
Best wishes,
The Angels team, English Heritage
Follow English Heritage on:
Friday, 20 February 2015
Green Open Homes 2015
Karen Fermor <karen@hornbeam.org.uk>
Dear all
Dear all
I hope this finds you well and keeping warm and toasty!
I'm writing with exciting news about this year's Green Open Homes weekend and very much hope that you would like to take part again.
As you know last year's event was a huge success with many more visits that anticipated and overwhelmingly positive feedback. As a result of this and of all your and Sue's hard work we have been awarded a small grant from CSE to run the event again this year. Unfortunately Sue is unable to co-ordinate things this time as she is busy with other projects including becoming a carpenter - although I hope you will open your house again Sue! My colleague Ingrid Abreu-Scherer will be your main point of contact, with another colleague Grace Williams working on a Low Cost Green Homes strand as part of the Low Cost Living project. I will also be on hand and of course we have all of last year's experience and paperwork to draw upon!
We are looking at the weekend of 16 - 17th May so before half term and between Bank Holidays. I very much hope to work with you all again so please check your diaries and let me know asap whether you would be willing to open your home again. We hope to have up to 20 homes open this year so if you know somebody who might be interested and interesting to have involved then please forward this email and encourage them to get in touch. If you have any questions at this stage please don't hesitate to ask.
In the meantime, we have also received a small contribution from Smart Homes towards the event, I think most of you are familiar with the scheme but I will email you their info separately, please forward widely.
I Look forward to hearing from you,
Karen Fermor
Art Miles
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Boris's road proposals
FROM THE MAYOR
The news comes as the Mayor visited the Central Artery-Tunnel Project, also known as the Big Dig, which is recognised as the largest and most complex highway project undertaken in the US. It replaced Boston's deteriorating six-lane elevated Central Artery with an eight lane state-of-the-art underground highway. This resulted in significantly reduced traffic congestion and led to substantial regeneration on the surface and surrounding areas.
The Mayor and TfL have considered more than 70 locations across the capital where the introduction of tunnels, fly-unders and decking could deliver benefits that are in line with the Mayor’s 2050 Infrastructure Plan and the recommendations of the Roads Task Force.
The Mayor and TfL have considered more than 70 locations across the capital where the introduction of tunnels, fly-unders and decking could deliver benefits that are in line with the Mayor’s 2050 Infrastructure Plan and the recommendations of the Roads Task Force.
Today the Mayor unveiled five locations which have subsequently been identified as being suitable for further feasibility work by TfL:
• A mini tunnel at the A13 in Barking Riverside – By creating a new tunnel for the A13, a huge amount of land could potentially be opened up for future development whilst reconnecting the Borough of Barking with the new Barking Riverside development, which is the location for just under 11,000 new homes
• Decking of the A3 in Tolworth - By decking over the A3, severance would be reduced and the area adjacent to the proposed Crossrail 2 station would be connected with the rest of the Borough, providing additional land for new homes
• A fly-under at the A316 at Chalkers Corner - A small flyunder would reduce severance and radically improve facilities for cyclists and pedestrians and remove a major pinch point for traffic along the A316
• A fly-under at the A4 in Hammersmith - By replacing the existing viaduct with a new tunnel, the town centre would be reconnected with the River Thames, creating new opportunities for development and open space
• Decking or a mini-tunnel at the A406 in New Southgate - By building over this junction on the North Circular, land would be unlocked for new homes and connect the area around the proposed Crossrail 2 station
• A mini tunnel at the A13 in Barking Riverside – By creating a new tunnel for the A13, a huge amount of land could potentially be opened up for future development whilst reconnecting the Borough of Barking with the new Barking Riverside development, which is the location for just under 11,000 new homes
• Decking of the A3 in Tolworth - By decking over the A3, severance would be reduced and the area adjacent to the proposed Crossrail 2 station would be connected with the rest of the Borough, providing additional land for new homes
• A fly-under at the A316 at Chalkers Corner - A small flyunder would reduce severance and radically improve facilities for cyclists and pedestrians and remove a major pinch point for traffic along the A316
• A fly-under at the A4 in Hammersmith - By replacing the existing viaduct with a new tunnel, the town centre would be reconnected with the River Thames, creating new opportunities for development and open space
• Decking or a mini-tunnel at the A406 in New Southgate - By building over this junction on the North Circular, land would be unlocked for new homes and connect the area around the proposed Crossrail 2 station
London’s current Inner Ring Road is facing increasing pressure for change. As he previously set out in the 2050 Infrastructure Plan, the Mayor believes that a replacement ring road, in the form of an inner orbital tunnel or two cross city tunnels, could enable more efficient and reliable vehicle movement. It would also reduce congestion in central London by up to 20 per cent and free up space on the surface which could support the creation of 170,000 additional jobs.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Rebuilding some of our complex and aging road network underneath our city would not only provide additional capacity for traffic, but it would also unlock surface space and reduce the impact of noise and pollution. I am inspired by what the ambitious people of Boston have achieved here at the Big Dig, both in terms of reducing congestion and how they have dramatically improved the quality of life on the surface. In London we face similar challenges on our roads, but this could also be a fantastic opportunity to better shape our city and support economic growth.”
London is a rapidly growing city with a population expected to reach 10 million by the early 2030s and nearly 11.5 million by 2050. With 24 million journeys already being made by people and freight on the capital’s roads every day, radical steps are going to be needed to tackle growing congestion in the future.
Funding for such schemes would require new and innovative approaches that enable the positive benefits of each scheme to be captured, including the value generated from new development sites in these areas.
TfL will now work with local boroughs to progress these proposals further, including working up more detailed costs and possible funding options and an indicative programme of delivery if funding can be secured. This further analysis will be presented to the Mayor in May.
Today [8th February] the Mayor met with Frank DePaola, Highway Administrator and Chief Operating Officer at Massachusetts Department of Transportation and was given a tour of the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a mile-and-a-half of contemporary parks in the heart of Boston which was made possible after the elevated highway was relocated underground. This enabled some of Boston’s oldest neighbourhoods to be reconnected by parkland.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Rebuilding some of our complex and aging road network underneath our city would not only provide additional capacity for traffic, but it would also unlock surface space and reduce the impact of noise and pollution. I am inspired by what the ambitious people of Boston have achieved here at the Big Dig, both in terms of reducing congestion and how they have dramatically improved the quality of life on the surface. In London we face similar challenges on our roads, but this could also be a fantastic opportunity to better shape our city and support economic growth.”
London is a rapidly growing city with a population expected to reach 10 million by the early 2030s and nearly 11.5 million by 2050. With 24 million journeys already being made by people and freight on the capital’s roads every day, radical steps are going to be needed to tackle growing congestion in the future.
Funding for such schemes would require new and innovative approaches that enable the positive benefits of each scheme to be captured, including the value generated from new development sites in these areas.
TfL will now work with local boroughs to progress these proposals further, including working up more detailed costs and possible funding options and an indicative programme of delivery if funding can be secured. This further analysis will be presented to the Mayor in May.
Today [8th February] the Mayor met with Frank DePaola, Highway Administrator and Chief Operating Officer at Massachusetts Department of Transportation and was given a tour of the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a mile-and-a-half of contemporary parks in the heart of Boston which was made possible after the elevated highway was relocated underground. This enabled some of Boston’s oldest neighbourhoods to be reconnected by parkland.
Mini Holland Update 20-2-15
Mini Holland Developments
You will find this on the dedicated Mini Holland web site:
You will find this on the dedicated Mini Holland web site:
AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT
The Mini Holland Programme will improve our cycling infrastructure to increase the number of local people choosing to travel by bike and on foot.
The programme will make improvements to the borough through the following schemes:
- Walthamstow town centre and villages
The main town centre will consist of a joined up network of cycle and pedestrian friendly zones with greener streets and new public spaces. - Lea Bridge Road superhighway
The road will have segregated cycle tracks, with improved pedestrian crossing facilities and high quality street improvements with a new cycle friendly junction at Whipps Cross. - Other town centres and network of cycle routes
Schemes will be implemented in the town centres of Leyton, Leytonstone, Highams Park and Chingford, with each of these connected to the main Walthamstow scheme by two spine cycle routes: Chingford to Leyton and Blackhorse Road to Leyton. - Complementary initiatives
There will be more cycle parking in residential areas, stations and shopping areas. Residents will be encouraged to try cycling and take part in activities to increase their confidence when cycling.
Before any work begins the Council will engage with residents and businesses in the scheme areas to gather thoughts on the proposed improvements.
We are engaging with residents around plans and designs for these schemes and more information on each scheme will be released over the coming months.
Pool and Track Planning Decision
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Solar Panels for Stoneydown
From Stella Creasy MP's Newsletter
Stoneydown Goes Solar: Thank You To those who Voted!
I would like to offer my congratulations to Stoneydown Park primary School for winning the Friends of The Earth nationwide competition to secure free solar panels worth £15,000. Their designs, which were produced in their science lessons by children in year 3 and 6, received over 7,500 votes. Thank you to all who voted for them, and especially to the Walthamstow parents involved in organising this incredible victory!
No Victoria Line
From Stella Creasy MP's Newsletter:
No Victoria Line Most of August 2015: Advance Notice
This week I received advance notice that from 8th to 30th August there will be no Victoria Line trains between Seven Sisters and Walthamstow central due to engineering work to increase train service. To reduce disruption, I have been informed that there will be rail replacement bus services between Seven Sisters and Walthamstow Central. I recognise that this news will be a source of much frustration to local residents. As soon as I have more information about these proposals I will share them with local residents via this e-newsletter.
Victoria Line
Victoria Line
Online Planning broken
The online planning system seems to have collapsed - it has been weezing and gasping for years but now it is unusable. I have not bothered with it for sometime so I have no idea how long this message has been displayed
Weekly planning application lists
We apologise for problems viewing documents on our planning system. Our engineers are aware and currently working to fix it. If you urgently need to view a planning document please email Stanley.lau@walthamforest.gov.uk.
Please see the latest weekly planning application and decision lists. These lists are updated as planning cases are registered and do not show applications by ward.
Friday, 13 February 2015
St James Street Big Local
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