The Betrayal of Waltham Forest

Councillors Y and Z – and their “coalition” colleagues past and present – have some very serious explaining to do.

Read the Waltham Forest Guardian’s take on Waltham Forest Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF)/ Better Neighbourhoods Initiative (BNI) scandal HERE and the BBC’s report HERE.

Download and read the independent report (which only scratches the surface) HERE.

THURSDAY 3RD DECEMBER 2009 UPDATE – HERE and HERE.

FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER 2009 UPDATE – HERE.

MONDAY 11TH JANUARY 2010 UPDATE – HERE.

FRIDAY 15TH JANUARY 2010 UPDATE – HERE.

THURSDAY 21ST JANUARY 2010 UPDATE – PRIVATE EYE (22 January – 4 Feb. 2010 (No.1254), Pg 13, Rotten Boroughs section – reproduced below)

‘Munificent Seven

Question: WHEN millions of pounds of public money go missing, what does any self-respecting council do? Answer: Hold an inquiry. Unless the council is Waltham Forest, where so much dosh has gone astray it has held seven.

The most recent, headed by Sir Peter Rogers, chief executive of the London Development Agency, has concluded that money is still going awol due to poor procedures, lack of accountability and fraud. It remains a mystery where millions of pounds – no one is sure how much – of government money handed out under the Better Neighbourhoods Initiative (BNI) to help children in deprived wards ended up.

When auditors investigated allegations that several millions has been diverted from its intended purpose and spent on the Olympics instead, they found files that had been doctored and were “incomplete”.

Another inquiry conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers found that of 105 contracts awarded under the BNI, only three were done by the book. For example, a one-day event for teachers, organised by “community cohesion adviser” Munir Zamir, cost £26,000. Guest speakers were paid £6,000; “marketing”, “refreshments”, and a “Q&A session” all cost £3,000 each. Which makes a grand total of £15,000. Where the other £11,000 went has not been explained.

So far Waltham Forest’s hunt-the-money game has itself cost at least £100,000.

Kerrrching!’

THURSDAY 28TH JANUARY 2010 UPDATE – HERE.

SUNDAY 31ST JANUARY 2010 UPDATE – HERE.

TUESDAY 2ND FEBRUARY 2010 UPDATE – HERE.

WEDNESDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2010 UPDATE – HERE.

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Darin and Miranda at the theatre Dec 2009

A marvellous trip “up west” earlier this week, with my cousin Darin (over from Dominica visiting Europe on a work trip) to see ‘Cat On A Hot Tin Roof‘ at London’s Novello Theatre.

The play was just superb. The audience was so mesmerised you could have heard a pin drop throughout.

I had been really excited about seeing James Earl Jones in person but the whole cast was just excellent – especially, star of the play, our own home grown Adrian Lester of ‘Hustle‘ fame.

Alongside a lovely “flight” on the London Eye and an excellent private tour of Parliament, courtesy of Harry Cohen MP’s wonderful staff (well done, Andy Burham, who was on fire in the Commons chamber socking it to the Tories on disability benefits) , I think Darin really enjoyed herself.

Thank you again, dear, for a lovely few days.

I hope you can persuade Uncle S to come and visit me BEFORE any weddings!!! 😉

xxx

In Praise of Leyton’s Safer Neighbourhoods Team

Met Witness Appeal

I have always rated the work done in Leyton ward by the superb Leyton Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team but I was even more impressed when over the weekend four out of the six members of the team were down my street gathering mine and my neighbours’ views, about the worrying new trend in anti-social behaviour that’s flared up in Coronation Gardens opposite my house.

On Saturday, PCSOs Azhar and Emma diligently went from door-to-door with a survey to find out how my neighbours were feeling about it all, then on Sunday night the hard-working duo were back again leafletting every house (in the rain) with the witness appeal you can see above.

Also on Sunday, I spent a really productive couple of hours helping PC Shane and PCSO Anabell with more detailed evidence they’re gathering about everything that’s been going on. I was impressed by their professional yet friendly manner and the fact that they really seem to care. Shane and Anabell told me that they’re forging some good links with the kids who hang out in the park and are slowly gaining their trust. As Shane said, “you have to give respect to get respect”.

My faith in the police declined drastically after the senseless trauma I was put through politically and personally two years ago but I am finally and slowly starting to regain confidence in some members of the police force. I am proud that Leyton ward’s safer neighbourhoods team is so fantastic.

Well done to Jonathan, Azhar, Shane, Anabell, Mark and Emma.

Leyton ward is lucky to have you.