While the new Work and Pensions secretary Amber Rudd defends the UK against a UN report on child poverty, figures have been published on a ward-by-ward basis setting out child poverty levels throughout England.
The figures for Wanstead and Snaresbrook are below a ward breakdown for Redbridge, using the boundaries before the reorganisation. The figures show that in Wanstead, after housing costs are taken into account, there were 420 children in poverty and in Snaresbrook ward, 298.
Redbridge Council has removed a plaque which had been fixed to a bench outside Oxfam on Wanstead High Street.
A spokesperson for the council told Wansteadium: “We didn’t give permission for this to be put up and it has been removed.”
There is still no obvious explanation as to where the plaque came from (though an unscientific poll on Wansteadium favours the option that it was simply someone being mischievous).
Mystery surrounds a plaque on a bench outside Oxfam on Wanstead High Street which apparently has been put there in memory of Saddam Hussein.
The plaque appears to be a fake, rather than commemorating someone who happened to have the same name, as it appears to be new. The dates are correct for the former Iraqi dictator.
Discussions on Wanstead Community Hub about the sign got heated, with some people saying it was deeply offensive. Others simply took it as a joke. Some noticed that the screws holding the plaque to the bench are anti-theft screws which cannot be removed without a special tool.
Wansteadium has contacted Redbridge council to ask them to check if the plaque is in fact genuine.
A new local attraction in #Wanstead? I can also confirm the debate on the local community hub was heated. Made a change to the usual arguments about shop openings and parking permits. https://t.co/VpvAspAHym
— Mark Samuels (@mark_samuels) November 19, 2018
Update 12.45: Now the Independent (yes, the Independent) is on the case too.
Congratulations to Mick Terry, stalwart of local music scene, whose new album Days Go By has just been released. Below is the single Emily Come Back.
The LP is released as a limited-edition vinyl, CD & digital download on Emptyhead Recordings and is available now from www.mickterry.co.uk.
That thing could take an eye out.
