July 20th, 2011 by Mark Rusling
The Conservative-Lib Dem government is planning to allow councils to keep all the business rates they currently collect within their areas. At the moment, business rates are set centrally, collected locally, and then redistributed from richer areas to poorer areas. Areas of greatest need get the most money.
Although there are potential gains from the government’s plan, we have serious concerns that an area like Waltham Forest will lose out – just as we did from the local government finance settlement. At the moment, we receive £58 million more funding from government than we collect in local business rates. We are the 7th poorest authority in England and Wales. Under the government’s current plans, we would lose this funding, which would hit the services we provide even more than has already happened. Every school, library, children’s centre and service for vulnerable people would be hit by this.
The government has promised that no council will lose out in the first year, but what about after then? Waltham Forest stands to be punished through no fault of our own – and all residents will pay the price. We want to know how the government will make sure that areas like ours don’t lose out. At the moment, we will all potentially pay the price for another government decision which benefits richer areas at the expense of poorer ones.
April 7th, 2011 by Mark Rusling
Two of our well-known businesses have been presented with coveted awards. The Rose and Crown pub on Hoe Street has just been named CAMRA’s East London Pub of the Year, after two years of making the shortlist.
The Spar in Walthamstow Village has also been named as the best convenience store in the country at the 2011 Convenience Retail Awards. The judges described the Spar as “a convenience store with a difference” and “completely deserving of this major national accolade”.
Congratulations to both businesses, which offer excellent service to the people of Walthamstow, producing a mean pizza and a superb pint!
April 1st, 2010 by Mark Rusling
The Green Party have leafleted some streets in Hoe Street saying that they are ‘supporting local businesses’. This is strange as, in a letter to the Waltham Forest Guardian on 28 January, the same Green Party called for the Walthamstow Dog Track to remain closed.
Not only was the Stow a great family night out, but it also supported around 500 jobs for local people. Surely everybody should be behind the campaign to re-open this local business?
Labour councillors and the Labour parliamentary candidate, Stella Creasy, have been working with the Save Our Stow campaign to re-open the stadium and bring local jobs and business back to Walthamstow. We are proud of the Stow and will work with any group or individual with a credible plan for bringing dog racing and jobs back to the borough.
