Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that Waltham Forest Council have failed to meet their own targets for paying local businesses within 10 days for 7 out of the last 8 months. And they have only once met their targets for paying small businesses on time since last April 2011.

According to the Federation of Small Businesses the Government estimates that in 2008, 4,000 businesses failed as a direct result of late payment and it costs UK businesses £180 million in debt interest charges. The problem of late payment is not just a commercial one, but it is also ethically wrong. When large businesses or the public sector pay late, it can put small firms out of business.

Liberal Democrat Leader and Finance Spokesperson, Councillor Bob Sullivan said:

“This is a tough time for small businesses and these targets were set to try and help cash flow for local businesses in Waltham Forest.

“For some small businesses, being paid promptly can mean the difference between growing or standing still; between creating jobs or cutting them; between keeping the doors open or closing them for good.”

“It is unacceptable that the council is failing local businesses in this way. Officers and Cabinet members should use the new year to turn over a new leaf and pay local businesses on time in 2012.”

Former Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick has been reselected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London. The election is due to be held on 3rd May 2012, when Londoners will also be voting for the Greater London Assembly.

The Liberal Democrats believe that Brian’s experience is exactly what London needs right now, whether dealing with the aftermath of the riots or corruption in the Police, transport and housing.

Brian will be a credible alternative to Boris Johnson and the faded Ken Livingstone.

Leyton Orient FC backed by Waltham Forest Council approached The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) who own the Eton Manor site which is in Leyton, with a bid to take over the planned hockey stadium and turn it into a football and rugby stadium after the Olympics. The Orient bid would in the words of Barry Hearn, Orient’s Chair, make the post Olympic Eton Manor area more sustainable and enable the football club to remain in Leyton and in Waltham Forest. He said that if he could not move to Eton Manor then the club was likely to move out of the area or fade away. A detailed financial appraisal was presented to LVRP executive committee in November. The executive referred its decision to a Special Authority meeting on the 15th December.

Since the Council blocked of Buckingham Road, Windsor Road became the only direct road between Oliver Road and the High Road. The parked cars each side of the road will not allow vehicles to pass each other so vehicles coming from both the High Road and Oliver meet in the middle. This has caused angry words, congestion and speeding vehicles which try to make it to the other end of the road before other vehicles come into the road.

To find out residents views The Focus Team did a traffic survey in Windsor Road. The response was overwhelming, most people felt that there was a traffic problem and agreed that a one-way system in the road would help to reduce the log jams that arise when vehicles are unable to pass each other. Residents views were split on what way the one way system they would like.

Having collated the responses from the survey replies the results were as follows:

• Is there a traffic problem in the road – YES 83.33% NO 16.66%
• Those that agreed also said that a one way system should be put in the road.
• 37.5% said the one way should be from the High Road to Oliver Road.
• 39.5% said it should be from Oliver Road to the High Road.
• 2 people did not choose, and 1 had an alternative of making Windsor Road one way both from Oliver Road and the High Road meeting at Brisbane Road.

These results have been sent to the Council’s Traffic Engineers with the hope that something can be done to help out the resident’s of Windsor Road.