Wansteadium

The controversial but little debated plan to introduce pay and display parking to Wanstead High Street will, Wansteadium understands, cost council tax payers £93k in ticket machines and signage, despite officially being an experiment.

The scheme which extends residents parking and introduces fees to several streets, as well as bringing pay-and-display machines to the high street area for the first time is to be introduced in the New Year despite deeply divided opinions on the matter in Wanstead and no chance for public debate.

Earlier proposals by the council were discussed at open public meetings, but this scheme is being introduced as an ‘experiment’ and is permitted to sidestep requirements for public consultation. After 18 months the council will be able to decide if it has been a success, though it has not disclosed what its measures for success will be.

Drop-in sessions for residents who wanted further information were held last week, and were reportedly very busy. But the council is not responding to demands on social media and elswhere that the senior councillors and officers take part in public meetings to present their proposals and take questions.

Cllr Sue Nolan, a Snaresbrook councillor and member of the opposition Conservative group on Redbridge Council, has called an unofficial public meeting on Friday 13 January at 7.30 at the Scout Hall on Hollybush Hill.

An online petition started last week demanding public consultation over the proposals has now been signed by more than 500 people.

Wansteadium reader Pete Daly, a keen backgammon player, is interested in forming a Wanstead backgammon club. Anyone interested in joining him is invited to get in touch via pete.daly@ntlworld.com or on 07939 070 027.

Farewell to estate agent Felicity Lord whose Wanstead branch now seems to be very much a former branch. There are rumours of another agent moving into central Wanstead but this could be a siren warning…

(And as pictured in August thanks to Google Streetview.)

What a great thing this is… community organisation Wanstead Rocks (with ace mover Suzi Harnett behind it) is organising another Cakes and Carols event on Saturday for Wanstead’s over-65s at the URC on Nightingale Lane.

But to make it a real success the event needs helpers and bakers – if you can help bring some Christmas cheer please do get in touch with Suzi at wansteadrocks@outlook.co.uk

A petition demanding Redbridge council consult with Wanstead residents and businesses before it introduces a dramatic new parking scheme has been launched.

The council announced plans which will take effect in February in a leaflet distributed earlier this month, but has not held public meetings in advance of the announcement, even though previous schemes were very widely discussed. The first of two drop-in sessions is being held at Wanstead Library today, Wednesday, but residents are not being given the chance to question officials or council leaders about the plan.

The petition has been launched by Art Trail founder and community activist Donna Mizzi and can be found at Change.org or below.

It looks like Starbucks is quitting Wanstead. The premises it has occupied for the past few years is being marketed by estate agents Kemsley. It’s a bit of a shocker – it is always busy, and coffee shops seem to be the one things which thrives on Wanstead High Street. Can anyone make sense of it?
(HT Trevor)