Council’s Legal Eagle flys away

Waltham Forest Council’s Director of Governance and Law, Terry Osborne, is leaving to take another job after a mere eighteen months in post.

It seems Ms Osborne will not be missed as it is rumoured she was not well liked because of her over zealous behaviour.

We are led to believe an example of such behaviour was when Ms Osbourne threatened former councillor, James O’Rourke, with the Standards Board after he wrote an article on his blog entitled  ‘Council Cowardice’ just before the 2010 local elections. The on-line Waltham Forest Guardian picked the story up but then quickly dropped it before Mr O’Rourke’s article was also removed. Thankfully Mr O’Rourke’s article was copied by a regular contributer to this site, Nick Tiratsoo – click here to read it.

We understand that a comprehensive multi-agency enforcement operation,  relating to thirty flats built without planning permission in Walthamstow was called off at very short notice before the 2010 elections, apparently because Ms Osbourne thought it might be overly political –  ‘purdah’.

Disgracefully, sixteen months after Ms Osbornes ‘political concerns’ there has still been no action against those who built and currently rent out the thirty illegal flats. Interestingly, there has been no official comments from two High Street Councillors who are prominent in the housing market in the area

Inside ilegal flats

Cllr Liaquat Ali who is reputed to have a significant portfolio of ‘legitimate’ property in High Street ward and whose business premises, in St James Street, backs on to the illegal flats.

Cllr Mahmood Hussain whose business is in Hoe Street and has a significant rental portfolio in High Street ward

We sincerely hope that the ‘political concerns’ did not relate to rumours circulating that one or both of the above councillors have a connection to these illegal and unsafe buildings. We agree with Nick Tiratsoo’s comments, on one of our previous articles, that this matter “surely needs investigation.”

Ms Osbourne is not unfamiliar with controversy so we wish her future employers the best of luck.

Labour lemmings

Vulnerable children in Waltham Forest have been put at risk due to council failures, a damning Ofsted report has found following an unannounced inspection of its children and young people’s services department in June.

A result of this failure is the department’s deputy director, Linda Cointepas, has left the authority by “mutual agreement” and executive director, Chris Kiernan (allegedly a card carrying Labour supporter), is to ‘retire’ at the end of this month. Both, no doubt, with largess ‘golden handshakes’.

But what of the politicians responsible for this service?

The Labour Party have been responsible for this critical area of the councils services for well over a decade yet the current Portfolio Lead for Children and Young People, Cllr Saima Mahmud, has left commenting to a ‘spokesperson’.

We don’t expect the chair of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee, Cllr Ebony Vincent, to give this serious matter full and proper attention as we understand she is more interested in reporting to the Scrutiny Management Committee her activities with Walthamstow MP, Stella Creasy, and Cllr Mahmud!

Ironically, Leyton & Wanstead Labour MP, John Cryer, has an article on his website accusing Boris Johnson and the Government of “…shredding our services and putting our children’s futures at risk!”

Previous Councillors responsible for Children and Young People services are the councils ‘strong leader’, Chris Robbins (allegedly close friend of Chris Kiernan) and Liaquat Ali. Enough said!!!

Sham…bolic Consultation

A twelve week ‘consultation‘ in regards the future of Waltham Forest Library and Information Service may be proved to be a sham following rumours received by the Truth Will Out team.

Just six weeks ago Cabinet member for Leisure, Arts and Culture, Cllr Geraldine Reardon, said of the consultation  “First and foremost we must stress that no decision has yet been made and that these are still proposals” and the Councils consultation page states “The results of this consultation will be taken into account when a final decision is made.”

Whilst Labour politicians (fighting against low pay, workplace injustice and unemployment!!) are saying one thing in public we have been led to believe that  staff at South Chingford Library were told, in a recent meeting, it closes on 23rd December 2011. So what of Cllr Reardon’s assertion that “we will, of course, encourage as many residents and employees as possible to take part” if the decision has already been made?

If true, ‘Strong Leader’, Cllr Chris Robbins, champion of the working class, should advise Cllr Reardon that her position is untenable for presiding over a sham consultation and remove her from cabinet.

If you wish to contribute to the ‘consultation’ click here to fill in the online form by no later than 9th September 2011.

Note: The Labour Party are not novices at closing libraries in Waltham Forest – Friday Hill and St James Street libraries are just two examples.

Perception of Waltham Forest

The adage of “Any press is good press” sadly does not reflect how Waltham Forest is being perceived by the rest of the United Kingdom at the moment.

A woman is refused entry to a ‘Community Summer fete’ as she was inappropriately dressed.

Could this be the thin end of a wedge where one group of Muslims enforce their view of Islamic rules/rituals/laws on Muslims and non-Muslims alike?

• Was this a Community or private event?
• Did the Council agree to Noor Ul Islam’s ‘dress code’ on public land?
• How much did  Noor Ul Islam pay to hire this public area?
• Did the Council contribute to the cost of the event?

Insurers are forcing Walthamstow residents to pay a premium on their home insurance due to a perceived threat of terrorism.                           

Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy is absolutely right to say “To exploit the sensitive and serious issue of terrorism in this way is insulting to our community and an inadequate reason for adding an extra £68 on to their (insurers) fees.”

• However, what is she, and her Labour Councillor colleagues, doing to counteract this perception of our borough?

Both of these issues raise serious questions about community cohesion in Waltham Forest. So what has the Labour Councillor, Cllr Liaquat Ali – Portfolio Lead for Community Safety and Cohesion, said or done? To date nothing. It seems he is more interested in collecting titles and getting easy money from council tax payers.

Cllr Ali must be challenged to do the job he is paid for both from within his Party and externally.

We won’t expect Cllr Chris ‘Strong Leader’ Robbins to do anything as it is strongly rumoured his leadership depends on Cllr Ali’s support. Simples!

Free radicals prescriptive laws

Later this month Waltham Forest will witness the juxtaposition of different cultures according to a national newspaper.

Protected by national and international laws ‘hardcore Islamists’ are to set up Sharia law enforcement zones within which gambling, smoking, alcohol and free mixing between the sexes (“…the fruits of Western civilisation”) would be strictly prohibited. These areas would then be policed by “Sharia cops”.

According to The Daily Star, the move will see specific areas, including Walthamstow and Leyton, flooded with thousands of posters & stickers saying, “no gambling”, “no music or concerts”, “no porn or prostitution” and “no drugs or smoking” as an alternative to government attempts to combat violent extremism under the Prevent strategy.

We await to hear what plans Cllr Liaquat Ali, Labour Cabinet member whose responsibilities include implementation of the Councils Prevent Strategy, has to ensure members of the public rights are not infringed by this proposed action.

Lib Dem Farid Ahmed, well known for having a sneaky fag and pint in the Nags Head in Walthamstow village, may wish to stay in his home borough of Redbridge to avoid falling foul of having his collar felt by the “Sharia cops”.

MA becomes MBE

A Waltham Forest Councillor has been included on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Cllr Liaquat Ali, affectionately linked to the Meerkat television advert, has  been made a member of the British Empire (MBE) for services to local government.

According to a government website “Anyone can be nominated, but only exceptional people are honoured.”

So what’s so exceptional about Cllr Ali?

Well, Cllr Ali  is exceptional in his his ability to rack up allowances from public bodies, avoid legal action and wheedle himself into positions of power without any demonstrable abilities.

It seems to receive an honor from the Queen now only requires the personal attribution of being….simples!!!

Another Lib Dem defects to Labour?

Cllr Mahmood Hussain

The Councils ‘Pravda’, Waltham Forest News, seems to have confirmed the rumours we recently published that two Liberal Democrat Councillors are in defection talks with the Labour Party.

On page 10 of the latest Waltham Forest News are pictures of all of Waltham Forest’s Councillors by ward and political party. The red line around High Street Councillor, Mahmood Hussain, seems to suggest he has defected from the Liberal Democrats to the Labour Party.