Wansteadium live-tweeted the first Redbridge Local Forum to be held in Wanstead. It was certainly a different affair than the old area committees, which it replaces. Some will feel that it is more meaningful since it has the leader and deputy leader of the council, plus a senior officer and leader of the opposition present. On the other hand, it’s a borough-wide meeting, which means there is not the focus on hyperlocal (ie Wanstead, Snaresbrook and Aldersbrook) that there was previously.
There were certainly more residents present than at most area committees of the past – one of the key goals of the changes introduced by Redbridge’s new Labour administration – but judging by the number of council staff present, the running costs of the new arrangement will not be negligible.
Here is the meeting, as it happened.
Lots of people for the first Local Forum in Wanstead #wansteadLF pic.twitter.com/Kdm1mitK1F
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
(Though quite a number present are councillors, council staff or volunteers) #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Question Time at the Local Forum will be starting shortly. Lots of residents have come along today pic.twitter.com/pz1VylNG6p
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) February 18, 2015
It's the perfect way to spend half term. True. #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
@Wansteadium Hello from the back
— Barkingside 21 (@Barkingside21) February 18, 2015
Forum gets under way. Cllr Jas Athwal, leader of council, thanks Cherry Tree Cafe for providing cakes #wansteadLF pic.twitter.com/DXK2PjyoFc
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
When scrapping area meetings Cllr Wes Streeting said an average of 24 people came. Certainly more than twice that here today. #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
So… The first q is about street furniture. In Ilford. Oh yes – this meeting isn't about Wanstead, it's about all of Redbridge #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Q about Nightingale Lane. It's a lane, says resident and should be one way or even restricted to residents only #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Simon Barry, one of the council officers, says an adult conversation is needed about traffic and parking in Wanstead #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Though he does say he doesn't want to respond settled issues (ie parking in central Wanstead) #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
@Wansteadium We've been here before. The council wanted to impose a blanket parking scheme when the present scheme was fine. We won.
— terence bly (@mrcurryaholic) February 18, 2015
Aldersbrook mum asks what can be done to provide play facilities there #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Cllr Athwal says he needs to have a look at it as some communities have very few facilities. Maybe GLA funding #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Cllr Streeting says council needs to talk to Corp of London for land #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Cllr Mrs Dunn says it's a long story. Cllr Streeting says where there's a will there's a way #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Cllr Athwal says there are loads of unused sites around London owned by various public bodies. #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
These are opportunities we need to grasp, says Cllr Athwal #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Impassioned praise for Redbridge Music Service from parents for helping children develop regardless of academic skills #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Council has reversed plans to cut funding for it #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
After listening to residents the Council has dropped its plans on savings to the Borough’s music service http://t.co/APVV4WGcST
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) February 18, 2015
https://twitter.com/RedbridgeTories/status/568074456423378944
Cllr Athwal says Mayor of London's plan will need Redbridge to build 17,000 new homes. There are 200 brownfield sites in RB #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
@Wansteadium not till @RedbridgeRAG is sorted please
— Hinoo (@hinoo_) February 18, 2015
@Wansteadium But NOT the Evergreen site, add it to the park.
— terence bly (@mrcurryaholic) February 18, 2015
@Wansteadium surely a couple of brownfield sites could be allocated for schools rather than MORE new residents!! Or swimming pool!!
— annie zanetti (@anniezanetti1) February 18, 2015
Long discussion about standards of private rented sector. #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Q: Does Council hold statistics for how many people are being placed in Redbridge from other Boroughs?
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) February 18, 2015
A; No figure at the moment but there will be more people coming into Redbridge from other Boroughs.
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) February 18, 2015
@Wansteadium Your tweets show this is no substitute for area committees
— Paul Nettleton (@PaulANettleton) February 18, 2015
Cllr Streeting says need new homes for people who need them, not just for targets #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Resident says ok to have more homes but what about more schools and Doctors. Good point says Cllr Athwal #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Cllrs Canal and Streeting have knuckles rapped by Cllr Athwal for squabbling.'Sorry boss,' says Cllr Streeting. #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Sorry for lack of twetiquette. Should have said @Jas_Athwal @RedbridgeBlue and @wesstreeting #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
No discussion yet of the Nutter Lane bench. Don't think it's going to make it this time #wansteadLF
— Wansteadium (@Wansteadium) February 18, 2015
Look out for the Q&As from todays meeting which will be published on our Redbridge i website soon.
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) February 18, 2015
https://twitter.com/carolinemilroy/status/568141799967105024
Most Local Forum meetings take place in the evenings. There will a Local Forum evening meeting in Wanstead sometime later in the year.
— Redbridge Council (@RedbridgeLive) February 18, 2015
Looks like @RedbridgeLive will need a bigger venue for the promised evening Local Forum in Wanstead pic.twitter.com/0UmmA5lH8N
— Barkingside 21 (@Barkingside21) February 18, 2015
That concluded the coverage of the meeting. A strange way to spend a Wednesday afternoon perhaps, but all in the course of hyperlocal public service journalism. Wanstead, you’re welcome.
And since we’re here, let’s cast our mind back to that bench on Nutter Field. Much discussion at various committees, including petitions and reports, took place to determine the best way to spend some money which was available from the council. The conclusion was a bench on the field. For sake of completeness we should publicise this tweet from September which somehow we overlooked at the time.
Have you seen the new bench on Nutter Lane rec ground @Wansteadium? There was £5000 to spend. Is this it?! pic.twitter.com/aC5QiP7mxY
— Muddy Sheep (@muddysheepHQ) September 1, 2014
A few thoughts,
I spied the nutter bench the other day; max £600; trees no more than £400. Where is the rest? I’d like to see the Council account for how this money was spent.
Really handy time to hold this meeting, Wednesday afternoon???
It is unfortunate that local democracy has been monetised by our latest Ilford ‘masters’; I can’t help thinking that 20 people attending and making local decisions, as was the case, is rather better(value) than 60 people coming to what is just a gassing shop.