Here are some recent issues affecting Waltham Forest, especially High Street ward and Leyton. Let me know your views so that they can be heard when decisions are being made. Older news stories from 2004 can be read here and from 2005 here.

Tories help LibDems to cover their tracks (23 March 2006)
Last night the LibDems joined forces with the Tories (yet again) in order to cover their tracks on their dishonesty about Leyton Library. By doing so, they have now endangered the whole library programme for Waltham Forest. Speaker after speaker pointed out that LibDem Cabinet Members, including Barry Smith, had supported plans to sell off Leyton Library many times when they proposed by their LibDem leader. Last night, they were left making desperate hair-splitting arguments about what exactly is a policy proposal. They then voted together with the Tories against Labour that saying that next Cabinet should review all the investment in libraries. If it is a joint Tory and Liberal cabinet....well, we can just imagine what that "review" will mean. Can't imagine a Tory-Liberal administration? You don't have to...look at Lambeth where their joint administration is a very public disaster.

New Central Station frontage (18 March 2006)
The beautiful new frontage to Walthamstow Central Station is now finished and it looks wonderful. At night it has backlighting. This was organised and installed by Waltham Forest Council. Whilst we have been lobbying fir Transport for London and ONE Railways to renovate the station (which is badly needed), as a Council we were able to get money directly from central Government. Facing the bus station, the new Tower Mews development and the Town Square and Gardens, we decided that the appearance of the station was spoiling the appearance of Walthamstow. Now, it is an asset. I asked many people today about their view of it - all were extremely pleased with it. No mention of it in the local paper, of course, but that's because it's more good news from the Council.

LibDem lies exposed in Leyton (15 March 2006)
Liberal Democratic Party councillors are being told to apologise for dishonest leaflets in Leyton. LibDem leader Cllr Keith Rayner proposed selling off Leyton Library in 2004. He took the policy through Waltham Forest’s joint Cabinet. However, now the election is two months away, LibDems have suddenly delivered leaflets in Leyton with a fake petition pretending to oppose the Library sell-off (in reality to collect names and addresses for the election). Liberal Dem councillors should apologise. They are famous for dirty tricks - their election handbook tells them to "Be wicked, act shamelessly, stir endlessly" - but this takes the biscuit. Promoting one policy in the Town Hall but pretending to oppose it in local leaflets to residents is unforgivable.

Beatsweep cleans up Leyton (22 February 2006)
Labour is determined to clean up this borough and the Beatsweep programme is a massive clean up of a ward. They are hugely popular and sees abandoned cars removed, graffiti cleaned up, rubbish taken from residents front gardens. On the same day, the local police target drivers without insurance and tax, there are often drugs and knives searches at stations. It is a great example of services working together to improve Leyton - the exact principle behind Team Leyton, the Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder which is chair. It has government money which the council leadership fought for to improve Leyton. Needless to say, the Liberal Democrat Party councillors for Leyton just moan about it.

Tessa Jowell commits to Leyton for the Olympics (26 February 2006)
I chaired a meeting recently for local residents to discuss the Olympics with Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary who played a huge part in winning the Olympics for East London. There is a simple reason why the Labour government, the Labour mayor of London and your Waltham Forest Labour councillors fought to get the Olympics here. And it was not to watch sport. It is because we have the best opportunity for jobs and investment in this area that we will have for 100 years. Personally, I hate watching sports but I am very excited by the opportunities for the Olympics. Only the Liberal Democratic Party councillors seem to want Leyton to stay the same. Labour, and all the residents I talk to, want it to change and improve.

Labour's Action Team for Leyton (26 February 2006)
In this photo you can see Labour's designated Action Team for Leyton. Miranda Grell abd Nicholas Russell work hard for this area. Unfortunately, Leyton has has LibDem councillors for a very long time. Their leaflets are full of moans and obstructions to any change and improvement. Miranda however has lived in Leyton all her life and they are both passionate about the changes that Labour has already brought. The SCORE centre on Oliver Road and the rebuilding of the Beaumont Estate (with the tower blocks coming down this year) are the highlights. But there is also the street wardens, funded originally by Labour government money but now Clyde Loakes the Labour leader has insisted that the Council pick up the bill. And the extra police team for Leyton. Only Labour wants the best for Leyton. If Miranda and Nicholas were Labour councillors for Leyton, they could fight for real long-term improvement and we would have constructive councillors who can see the bigger picture.