We will listen and we will learn
On Monday (6 March), I went to Chingford Mount to hear residents' concerns around community safety and anti social behaviour, as we began our neighbourhood approach to safer streets, working alongside the police.
At the same time, my colleague Khevyn Limbajee, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, was in South Leytonstone, speaking to residents there about their concerns. Both areas have been chosen as pilots for a new, localised way of combatting the things that negatively affect how people feel about where they live. This can include anything from housing, street drinking, littering and graffiti, to nuisance mopeds parked on pavements outside takeaways.
In Chingford, I heard about the issues that affect residents and explained our plans to tackle them. One issue our Safe Streets Team has been working with the police on is serious concern about distraction thefts at ATMs, mostly targeting the elderly and vulnerable. We've been working with banks and businesses to create privacy boxes and designated space for those next in the queue.
The pilots in Chingford Mount and South Leytonstone will run for four months, so please do stop and talk to the Safe Streets team when you see them. As the pilots progress, we will share with you the actions we are taking to tackle the issues you have raised.
We will listen, and we will learn. We will then use this knowledge in the pilot areas, and out into the wider borough to improve the lives of residents.
We know that crime and anti social behaviour can have a huge impact on us all, which is why I’ve organised a live webinar so that residents can get answers to their concerns.
Please join me and the borough commander, Superintendent Simon Crick, for a live online session where we will answer questions from residents and hear an update on what the police are doing to tackle the violence we’ve seen in Waltham Forest in recent weeks.
Send us your questions beforehand and then join us on Facebook on Monday 20 March. You can find more details below.
Grace
Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council
People living in Waltham Forest will see more action to tackle anti-social behaviour in their local area.
Monday 6 March saw the launch of a Day of Action in two pilot locations in the borough, Chingford Mount and South Leytonstone. The Leader of the Council, Cllr Grace Williams, and Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, joined council staff and local police officers to speak to residents and find out how the project will work.
The Safe Streets programme will see a resident-focused approach toward tackling the problems that really matter to residents on a day-to-day basis including graffiti, fly-tipping, and street drinking. There will be a particular focus on ensuring that people, particularly women and girls, feel safe when they are out in their local neighbourhoods.
Both councillors spoke to residents to learn about problem areas in their neighbourhoods. The information will help develop a better understanding of where resources can be focused to improve people’s lives. Issues raised by residents included anti-social behaviour outside licensed premises, drug-dealing, congregations of mopeds outside takeaways, and street drinking.
This is your opportunity to ask us your questions about community safety in your area at the Let's Talk Waltham Forest online Q&A event, taking place on Monday 20 March, from 5pm to 6pm, 2023, on Facebook Live.
Join Waltham Forest Council Leader Cllr Grace Williams, Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Chief Superintendent Simon Crick, Borough Commander at North East Borough Command Unit covering Waltham Forest, and local experts from Project Zero on community safety.
At the start of the session, Chief Superintendent Simon Crick will be updating on plans to tackle crime and violence across the borough.
- Want to find out how you can report crime, anti-social behaviour, violence against women and girls or vandalism in your area? We’ll advise you on the quickest and easiest way to register your concerns.
- Do you need crime prevention and safeguarding advice? We’ll have advice from local experts and community organisations, including those working with young people at risk of gang recruitment.
- Want to find out more about the how we can work together to improve safety in Waltham Forest’s communities? We’ll discuss plans to achieve a safer borough by working closely with the police and service partners.
Send in your questions and we’ll answer as many of them as we can in the hour-long session. Don't worry if you can't watch live, we’ll record it so you can view it in your own time on our Facebook page after the event.
We want your views to help shape the future of Leytonstone Town Centre. Based on your feedback from last year, we’ve suggested projects that could improve the area.
Your thoughts will shape a new Area Framework, a live document to help prioritise investment in Leytonstone.
Have your say by filling in the survey online or stop by our pop-up sessions. The first takes place on Thursday 9 March, from 5pm to 8pm at Stone Mini Market. There’ll be food, drink, and live music from local musicians to enjoy! The survey is open until 31 March.
Sign up to our Bystander Intervention training to become one of our No Space for Hate ambassadors. You will gain all the tools to safely intervene when an incident is taking place in the borough. Sessions take place over Zoom on Monday 13 March, Monday 20 March and Wednesday 22 March from 6pm to 8:30pm.
Let’s make Waltham Forest a safer place for everyone.
Repair Week comes to Waltham Forest later this month, beginning Monday 20 March through to Sunday 26 March. We've got lots of events lined up, including sewing and knitting sessions, together with a 3d printer demonstration, Forest Fixers’ repair café for poorly electrical equipment and devices, and Dr Bike for some TLC for cycles.
Our waste team is running stalls around the borough, with some tips for common niggling repair issues to save you money and help the planet:
Find information on repairing things on our website, and check out all our events at the button below. More are being added every day.
Waltham Forest Town Hall illuminated in the colours of the flag of Ukraine
We're looking for sponsors to host people escaping from the conflict in Ukraine.
We recently saw the first anniversary of the war. Many have had to flee for a safer life and this is your chance to support someone in need by opening up your heart and your home.
Find out more about the scheme and express an interest in helping someone on the government's website. They will then share your details with us and we will work towards matching successful applicants with people who've been forced to escape Ukraine.
We're expecting very low temperatures in the next few days. If you can, make sure you keep yourself and your home warm, wear lots of layers rather than one big coat or jumper, and have plenty of hot food and drinks.
If you see someone sleeping rough, you can let Streetlink know. They will look at the information you provide and can alert local street outreach teams to look for the individual and connect them to support if they think it appropriate. If the person you are concerned about is under 18, please do not contact StreetLink but instead call the police.
Over three-quarters of children in Waltham Forest moving from primary to secondary school in September 2023 have been offered their first choice school. The figure of 75.9 per cent is the fifth highest in London, and well above the city average of 69.8 per cent.
The Council’s Admissions team processed 3,004 on-time applications for secondary school places this year, and 100 per cent of these received an offer, with 94.2 per cent of children set to start one of their preferred schools. Good luck to everyone for September!
School admissions info.
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Do you struggle with maths? Improve your skill for free!
Multiply is a free numeracy programme that offers training to Waltham Forest residents and businesses. It aims to help individuals who struggle with maths in their daily lives, such as managing bills or using nunmbers at work. The programme is open to Waltham Forest residents aged 19 or older who do not have a GCSE math grade C or equivalent. Expert tutors from Waltham Forest Adult Learning Service offer courses, workshops, and events, whether you're a complete beginning or confident learner. Learn more about Multiply.
A rewarding career in social work
The Step Up to Social Work programme is an opportunity to receive support while training for a new career in social work. On the 15-month programme, you will receive hands-on experience of working in real-life social work teams through placements in local authority settings while earning your qualification. Once you’ve successfully completed the course, you’ll be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work, allowing you to apply to register and practise as a social worker. The Department for Education will cover the full cost of your university tuition fees on the programme, plus you will receive a tax-free bursary of £19,833 to support you during your training. Find full details and entry criteria here and scroll down to the bottom of the page to apply.
Current council vacancies and other local jobs
We regularly update the vacancies and local jobs listing on our Waltham Forest Jobs website. Explore available job opportunities and apply for roles that suit you.
And you can find the latest Waltham Forest Council jobs online on our website or LinkedIn.
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