March 24th, 2012 by Mark Rusling

Today, Hoe Street led the way in the annual Waltham Forest Spring Clean. We joined over 50 residents for the Walthamstow Village Residents Association clean up around the Village. We then joined around 20 residents in cleaning up Wingfield Park and planting the large planters which we funded through our Community Ward Forum (see the beautiful photos on our website!). Finally, we joined the Friends of The Drive and Attlee Terrace in picking up litter on The Drive.

The ward now looks spotless. Thanks to everyone who helped – it really shows what a warm, helpful and friendly community we live in. It makes you proud to be Walthamstow!

February 28th, 2012 by Mark Rusling

The local police are holding two crime prevention stalls this Sunday – from 11am until 12.30pm on Church Hill Road and from 1pm until 2.30pm on Eden Road. Do join them for crime prevention advice.

The local Safer Neighbourhoods Team have been undertaking increased patrols recently to detect and deter burglars. This has had an excellent effect. In December 2011, there were 25 burglaries reported. Last month, this had reduced to 7.

The new security doors installed at Attlee Terrace have also reduced the problems that residents experienced with youths causing anti-social behaviour in the estate.

If you would like to speak to the Safer Neighbourhoods Team, call 020 8721 2642.

January 11th, 2012 by Mark Rusling

Around a fifth of the borough’s Decent Homes work to raise all social housing to a decent level in 2010/11 took place in Hoe Street ward. This included kitchen or bathroom renewal, electrical upgrades, works to heating systems, external redecoration, new front doors and cavity wall insulation.

Works at the following properties are all complete: West Avenue Road, Wingfield Road, Park Court, Gower House, Maple House, Cedars House, Latham House, Grosvenor Park Road, Albert Whicher House, Batten House, Trinity House, Walton House, Powell Court, Prospect House, Nash House, St Stephens Close and Boyden House. Other remaining works are being completed now.

In 2011/12, the following improvements will take place in Hoe Street ward:

• 10 front doors
• 56 kitchens and bathrooms
• Electrical works to 104 properties
• Fire protection works to 248 blocks
• Video door entry systems and external gates at Attlee Terrace
• 300 complete central heating systems
• 100 boiler replacements

All of this should increase the comfort of the social housing residents in our ward and bring their homes to a decent standard.

November 22nd, 2011 by Mark Rusling

Yesterday we held the third Hoe Street Community Ward Forum, and agreed our ward spending for the next year. A good turnout of around 60 people discussed a number of matters concerning the ward, and agreed the organisations to benefit from funding. Notes from the meeting are below. Congratulations to all the groups that were successful!

Notes from Hoe Street Community Ward Forum – 21 November 2011
1. Welcome and introductions
Cllr Ahsan Khan introduced speakers and Cllr Saima Mahmud and Cllr Mark Rusling.

2. EMD Cinema
Neil Gerrard of the Waltham Forest Cinema Trust spoke about plans for the EMD Cinema building. He spoke about the history of the building. The council refused the UCKG’s planning application in May 2011 and the deadline for the UCKG to appeal that decision passed on 18 November. As far as the Trust knew, no appeal had been lodged.

The Trust received £15,000 from Waltham Forest Council and £15,000 from Arts Council England to bring forward architects’ and business plans for the venue. Curzon Cinemas are interested in operating the cinema, alongside a restaurant, bar and community use. The Trust believed that the proposals would work alongside a multiplex cinema in the Arcade site. Residents were positive about the proposals.

3. Walthamstow Town Centre Regeneration
Sam Neal and Steven Boyes of LBWF spoke about plans for South Grove, the Arcade site, renovating shop fronts at the top of the High Street, re-vamping Walthamstow Market, and the Travelodge to be built in the car park of Walthamstow Central Station.

Residents mentioned the need for school places to match the new accommodation on the Arcade site. Councillors agreed.

Residents were concerned about the potential height of the Arcade development. Officers confirmed that, in the current plans, the highest part of the building will be six stories.

A resident complained about the timing of consultation events on the Central Station development – these were arranged during the day. Steven Boyes agreed to investigate this and arrange for events to be held during the evening.

4.  Attlee Terrace
Alan Bardsell of Ascham Homes spoke about plans for Attlee Terrace. Pram sheds are to be removed and video access security doors installed. Railings around the side and back of the estate will replace walls and more provision for parking will be made.

5. Ward Fund 2011/12
Cllr Khan explained the change from Community Councils to Community Ward Forums. Councillors recommended the following allocation of funding, which the meeting agreed.

Deaf Club - £1530 - Club for deaf and deafened people in the borough working out of Orford Social Club
Friends of Wingfield Park - £2080 - For play equipment in Wingfield Park
Drawing Shed - £1920 - Young women’s theatre group, based out of Walthamstow School for Girls
Ask Freda - £700 - Community notice boards by Batten House, The Drive
Senior Citizens Asian Group - £1000 - Coffee mornings, health services, trips
Asian Centre - £1900 - Youth club for local young people of all backgrounds
Hornbeam Centre - £600 - Cookery classes for local young people

6. General discussion
Residents raised the following questions:
(a) Many street signs are painted over in white and are unreadable. Action: this has been reported.
(b) Residents want the council to publicise the offer to swap large bins for smaller ones. Residents questioned whether this could be advertised in Waltham Forest News and whether the offer applied to residents living outside the conservation zone. Action: councillors will find out and feed back.
(c) CPZ signs on Fraser Road have been defaced. Action: this has been reported.
(d) Can residents clean defaced CPZ signs themselves? Action: councillors will find out and feed back.
(e) Residents asked about progress on improvement notices served on landlords of two properties in Woodbury Road. Action: councillors will find out and feed back.
(f) Gullies are being cleaned across the ward.
(g) A resident raised a question about enforcement action on Second Avenue. Notices have been served this week and Cllr Khan has fed back to the resident.
(h) Can all planning applications be reported in Waltham Forest News? Action: councillors will find out and feed back.
(i) A resident raised concerns about the property wall on the corner of Church Hill and Howard Road, which is falling down. Action: councillors will feed back.
(j) Can Hoe Street by hosed down, especially areas around rubbish bins and metal shutters belonging to shopkeepers? Action: councillors will find out and feed back.

January 12th, 2011 by Mark Rusling

Hoe Street ward is bidding for money under Project Transform, which is working to get Waltham Forest ready for the Olympics. The funding will be used to make the corner of The Drive and Church Hill a more attractive location for residents.

The work will be carried out with volunteers from the area, so let us know if you would like to be involved. When the funding is announced, we hope to be involved with the works ourselves!

February 18th, 2010 by Mark Rusling

We’re working with the residents of The Drive and Attlee Terrace to set up a new residents’ association. Setting up the association will help residents to liaise with Ascham Homes, the council and the police to solve issues such as the disused garages, service charges, anti-social behaviour and crime.

We’ve had a good response from residents and will be taking part in a walkabout on Attlee Terrace in March with the new Chief Executive of Ascham Homes and representatives of the council and police. We’ll be meeting residents and discussing the issues on the estate. We will write to everybody on Attlee Terrace to let them know when this will happen – do come along. We want to listen and we’ll be working hard to make things better in the area.