Posts

Rebuked by the Information Commissioner’s Office, and revealed to have misunderstood the law, LBWF sails on regardless

October 16, 2019 Freedom of Information Act, Mark Hynes

As past posts demonstrate, LBWF has a poor record when it comes to issues around transparency, regularly failing even in terms of its statutory responsibilities. A recent case reinforces the cause for concern. In April 2019, the Waltham Forest Echo journalist Michelle Edwards sent LBWF a Subject Access Request (SAR), that is, a request to see what information the local authority at that point held about her in relation to certain stated topics. It should be emphasised that, first, SARs are by now a very routine part of everyday life, fully sanctioned by the data protection legislation; and second, on its website, LBWF recognises this reality, and in fact provides a good deal of practical gui... »

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The East London Credit Union crashes into administration, leaving several important questions unanswered

October 8, 2019 Cllr. Paul Douglas, East London Credit Union, Past failures: O-Regen, Stella Creasy MP, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

On 11 September 2019, the East London Credit Union (ELCU), trading as the Waltham Forest Community Credit Union, collapsed into administration. Simultaneously, the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme announced that it was stepping in to safeguard ELCU’s 5,500 members’ deposits, valued at £2.25m, and most could expect like-for-like payment within a week. The administrator, LBWF, and the East London and West Essex Guardian posted similar reassurance. In some ways, this upshot was surprising. Credit union failures are not unknown – on average, about seven go bust every year. And although UK credit union membership has increased significantly, the number of UK credit unions has declined, a... »

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LBWF and fire hazards in its housing stock: residents in Cann Hall’s John Walsh and Fred Wigg towers left in danger, as Labour averts its eyes

October 1, 2019 Cllr. Keith Rayner, Cllr.Patrick Edwards, Cllr.Sally Littlejohn, fire safety, Fred Wigg and John Walsh Towers

John Walsh and Fred Wigg tower blocks in Cann Hall are 15 storey identical twins, built in the 1960s, and each containing 117 flats. It would be nice to state definitively how many people have lived there at any one time over the past decade, but nobody really seems to know, with (surprisingly) official estimates ranging from 230-ish to 700. In 2011, Fred Wigg residents suffered a terrible fire, which saw two dozen people trapped as firefighters fought the flames. Subsequently the whole block was evacuated to temporary accomodation so that repairs could occur. Given such a dismal history, and of course the June 2017 tragedy on the other side London at Grenfell Tower, it might be expected tha... »

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A new outbreak of sectarianism in the Town Hall?

September 20, 2019 Cllr. Liaquat Ali, Masood Ahmad, Prevent, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

As this blog has reported previously, some councillors in Waltham Forest seem to find avoiding sectarianism, whether national or religious, rather difficult. Now news emerges of what appears to be a further example of this unpleasant phenomenon. Annually, LBWF celebrates a variety of nation days, normally with a reception and flag raising ceremony. The 14 August is Pakistan day, and this year, it was marked in the normal way. However, during the reception (which was chaired by Cllr. Liaquat Ali and attended by the Mayor), events took a somewhat unusual turn. For, at the instigation of the experienced and senior Labour Councillor, Masood Ahmad, it is reported, the proceedings were interrupted... »

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Love amongst the Leaders: Councillors Clare Coghill and Simon Blackburn

September 17, 2019 Cllr. Clare Coghill, Uncategorized

For the past few months, Labour members in Waltham Forest have been agog about the evolving private life of their supremo, Cllr. Clare Coghill. Now Cllr. Coghill has set the record straight, posting that she is happily embarked upon a relationship with the Leader of Blackpool Council, Simon Blackburn. People of goodwill from across the political spectrum will no doubt join this blog in wishing the couple well. Nevertheless, the story is not without its entertainments. Three pieces of background information are essential. Cllr. Blackburn, most appropriately, is an ardent fan of Blackburn Rovers football club. Near neighbours Blackpool and Blackburn football clubs are bitter rivals. And one de... »

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