Five years ago I launched a Raglan School road safety campaign with three key aims;
Pedestrian Crossing – Delivered! Extended zig zag lines – Delivered!
20mph zone – plan being consulted on.
Firstly congratulations to Enfield Chace and Enfield Grammer School for amazing mural artwork at the Skatepark. As background, back in October I flagged with the Council that the skatepark was very grey and needed brightening up. From this the Council commissioned a local artist who has consulted with skatepark users.
Still more work to be done at the Skatepark and spotted a few issues that will take up with the Council.
It is now looking much better. Improvements secured:
Area torn up during cemetery expansion (pictured right) now resurfaced as above.
New bins installed and regular litter picking of the site.
Potholes near ramps repaired.
Maintenance works on the trees/bushes/grass. New fencing barrier installed.
Planting area created.
Graffiti continues to be removed from old toilet building / ramps. Some had swear words.
It is welcome that the Conservative Government’s extended Cost of Living Payments worth £900 for vulnerable families in Enfield Borough.
That is why eight million eligible people in receipt of means-tested benefits will receive a Cost of Living Payment worth £301 from 25 April 2023 followed by two further payments so vulnerable families will receive payments worth £900 this year.
This means almost one in four families across the UK will receive £301 from the Conservative Government as the latest Cost of Living Payments begin to be sent out, including 55,200 families in Enfield Borough.
28,500 eligible individuals in Enfield Borough will also receive the Conservative Government’s Disability Cost of Living Payment worth £150 again this year.
Over eight million households across the UK who claimed qualifying means-tested benefits during the eligibility period will be automatically paid £301 in their first payment this year. This direct support is part of the Conservative Government’s £94 billion package of cost of living support worth £900 this year for vulnerable households receiving means-tested benefits.
The payments are made directly with no need to apply or do anything to receive it.
In addition to means-tested cost of living support, the Energy Price Guarantee is continuing to help keep household energy bills as low as possible – ensuring the typical family pays no more that £2,500 for their energy bills until the end of June this year.
This support will be delivered alongside the Prime Minister’s five-point plan to halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists and stop the boats.
Households are facing rising living costs in the wake of Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine and the Conservative Government is rightly protecting the most vulnerable people in Enfield Borough.
Did you know?
Enfield Labour run Council has carried through with reducing Council Tax Support to 6,500 low income households. The majority of which are households and families in the east of the Borough. Households will lose support of anything between £142 – £1,455.
At anytime this would be wrong – let alone during the cost of living crisis.
We campaigned against the change and Conservatives voted against. Labour Councillors backed the change.
The number one Ward that is impacted is Edmonton Green with 520 households seeing a cut in support.
Labour is no longer the party of the working class.
https://enfielddispatch.co.uk/tories-slam-attack-on-low-income-families-amid-tax-support-review/
Pleased to report extra benches have now been installed and with new lidded bins going in. We now have a total of seven benches – rather than just one!
The park opposite Ridge Avenue Library has gone through a raft of improvements since Cllr Fallart, Gregory and myself started pressing the Council for improvements.
This has taken a lot of work; but we are getting there.
Replacement noticeboards are on order and hoping that the water feature can be brought back into use.
For many years with the Friends of Bury Lodge Park I have pressed the Council to repair the pavements around the playing field (beyond the pergolas). These have been in a worsening state for a very long time.
Last year the Council agreed to a £30k fund to address this with works in November – this did not happen – and I have been chasing ever since.
Delighted to say the contractors were booked and the works have now commenced.
Labour Council has surged spending on lavish furniture.
• Driven by the Labour Councils multi-million £ makeover ‘Build to Change’ project. Conservatives have called for a halt on spending and reinvest into frontline services.
• £250,000 was spent on furniture at the Housing Hub in a £3.78 million pound refurbishment – the building will be demolished in the Edmonton Green redevelopment.
• Council cannot provide breakdown of individual furniture item spend on the Housing Hub works.
• £415,000 Civic Centre spend includes £1,100 chairs, £2,200 sofas and £15,000 boardroom table.
Shadow Finance Councillor James Hockney said: “When the Labour Council keeps saying it has no money – but spends money like this, it is quite incredible. This money could and 
should have been invested into frontline services.
Such spending on lavish furniture on the taxpayer’s money would be an insult and wrong at any time; let alone during cost of living when many residents would want to be able to buy new furniture – but are not in a position to.”
Conservatives say; halt this spending and invest in the residents priorities
Across Bush Hill Park Ward we received overall 128 trees (up from 14 last year) on following road;
Abbey Road, Amberley Gardens, Amberley Road Ash Grove, Borden Road, Brendon Road, Bury Street West, Church Street, Colne Road, Countisbury Avenue, Crawley Road, Delhi Road, Edenbridge Road, Elsiedene Road, Firs Lane, Firs Park Avenue, Halstead Gardens, Halstead Road, Hydefield Close, Hyde Park Avenue, Kent Road, Longleat Road, Lynmouth Avenue, Lynton Gardens, Park Avenue, Percy Road, Porlock Road, Queen Anne’s Grove, Queen Anne’s Place, Ridge Road, Sennan Road, Solna Road, Sittingbourne Avenue, Teynham Avenue, Village Road, Wellington Road, York Road
We launched the campaign after only 14 trees were planted last year – that resulted in a net loss of street trees.
This year the planting season includes some roads that had few / no trees.
Since March 2021 I have been raising the neglected condition of the skatepark with Enfield Council. This has involved a lot of time and effort including many site visits – but we have now seen significant progress made. It is now looking much better.
If anyone has ideas of how we can improve the site further please let me know.
As previously posted, I have been pressing the Council on the unacceptable net loss of street trees across Bush Hill Park Ward.
