• Redbridge Life, the hitherto monthly council-run newspaper, is to be published quarterly following budget cuts, saving £90,000 a year. Also on the money-saving agenda is one or both of the borough’s mayoral Jags.
• Ownership of Redbridge parks, libraries and museums, among other things, could be transferred to a trust, Vision-Redbridge Culture & Leisure, which has been running Wanstead Leisure Centre since 2007. The council says says it would give residents more chance to get involved. Oh and it would reduce their tax bill too.
• The Woodford Baptist Church in George Lane is offering financial advice to anyone who needs it, a free, three-part course in setting budgets and managing money.
• Wanstead’s Smarter High Street campaign – which is trying to persuade shopkeepers of the enlightened self-interest possibilities of making their shopfront look classy rather than garish – seems to have had one success. It reports that the new beauty salon in the former Cuckfield Garage has taken its advice on how to avoid spoiling the front of what is now a very smart-looking building. (No news yet on an earlier application – highlighted by the campaign – for a 10.5m illuminated sign outside the refurbished Majestic Wine. The case is still being considered.)
• Vajazzles have reached Wanstead.
• And finally. Welcome to Wansteadium’s 300th follower on Twitter, and 100th subscriber to e-mail newsletters. If you’re interested, in the past 30 days, according to Google Analytics, there have been just under 4,500 visits to this blog.
I was at a function recently with the mayor and his entourage. I was frankly shocked at the level of conspicuous waste. Was there a need for 2 jags with drivers to wait 6 hours to take the mayoral party home after an event? Especially when the mayor lived les that half a mile from the function?