SLM Digest 23-7-15

Sent: Thursday, 23 July 2015, 15:47
Subject: KEEP OUR MARSHES OPEN AND GREEN

SLM Weekly Digest Keep Our Marshes Open and Green! Here's where the text of the digest goes... Keep it simple! Save Lea Marshes is an open group of  local people concerned to keep the marshes and green spaces of the Lea Valley open and green for wildlife and local people.  For further information go to www.saveleamarshes.org.uk Hi - firstly, apologies to all who did not receive the digest correctly last week.  If you did receive it, you would have known that I was making my virgin journey on to Mail Chimp.  Having negotiated the system, I then managed not to send it to myself first and did not want to forward it on from someone-else's address.  Please bear with me, as I'm learning.  At the moment I appear to have two heron symbols instead of one.  If I don't manage to eradicate the second, just think of it as successful breeding! This week I wanted to start off with an update on some of the things that SLM are working on post the exhaustive process of the Planning Inquiry on the Hackney Marshes Sports Pavilion plus car parks (no news yet!).  Apart from keeping a weather eye on developments such as the plans for the Ice Rink and re-opening of the Lea Bridge station (and subsequent likelihood of development), we are monitoring such issues as local glyphosate use (e.g. particularly its use in areas such as the Middlesex Filter Beds nature reserve), and looking at doing more campaign work in cooperation with others on this.  We are also monitoring grass cutting regimes and whether gates on Hackney Marshes are being left open, when they should be shut.  We are also getting towards increasing our marketing materials and planning an event in September in memory of Katy Andrews (date to be confirmed).  Please let us know if there is anything that concerns you about the marshes. FRIENDS BRIDGE - those of you who have been out walking, running, jogging, cycling on Hackney Marshes recently, would have come across a barrier across the bridge (it is the red one), as it had been damaged by fire.  We know that people were still accessing the bridge despite its condition, as the barriers put there were insubstantial and there was only a notice at the bridge itself of a long detour to Cow Bridge.  We can now report that the bridge has been patched up. A GOOD EXAMPLE - whilst Hackney Council and the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority are still using Glyphosate despite the latest World Health Organisation's warnings - we hear that Waltham Forest Council has at least agreed to stop using it see https://wfrb.greenparty.org.uk/news/2015/07/21/council-agrees-not-to-spray-in-nature-reserve/  IN THE NEWS - distressing attacks on women on the marshes last Wednesday (certainly there were more police than usual in the area over the weekend).  Coverage in last week's Waltham Forest Guardian http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/wfnews/13439911 and in today's (23 July), Hackney Gazette p.8 which reports that two men have been arrested in connection with the incidents. Not by any means the most important thing to say about this story, but just to note that the photo used to accompany the article is rather an old one and some distance from the area in question.  In its continued coverage of air quality, the Evening Standard on 21 July p.6, has an article headed "Jowell:  We should monitor pollution at buggy level to show risk to babies" www.eveningstandard.co.uk   In this week's Private Eye, Waltham Forest appears again in the "Rotten Boroughs" column concerning £82k + a legal bill of £50k to cover costs the council incurred by failing to protect staff and public from asbestos p.16, 24 July, www.private-eye.co.uk  The poor citizens of Waltham Forest are also facing huge expenditure cuts with more likely see http://guardian-series.co.uk/news   Also featured on line is news of a proposed plant for construction waste at Hasling Wood near the M11, which would pollute the green belt, local homes and a nearby hospice, as well as increase traffic.  Essex Council is carrying out a public consultation. CONSULTATIONS - other consultations underway in Waltham Forest are the plans for the St. James Street area, which includes a plan for a women's centre.  The deadline to respond is end of July via http://walthamforest-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal or email planningpolicy@walthamforest.gov.uk Waltham Forest are also seeking views to inform a future Youth Policy (closing August) see http://ow.ly/OnaUZ EVENTS The Mill are organising a bring-your-own-breakfast community get-together on Sunday 26 July.  Coffee, tea & milk available with a small donation, from 11.30 to 13.00., 7-11 Coppermill Lane E17 7HA Last chance to book an Urban Ecology Tour at Mabley Green, Community Garden, Lee Conservancy Road E9 5N also on Sunday 26th from 2-4 p.m. to book email gabrielle.boraston@groundwork.org.uk Open City (formerly Open House), is organising the Archikids event with art, play activities and exploration of some of the City's architecture this weekend 26-27th.  For further information and an interactive venue tour http://www.archkids.org.uk/map.html Next SLM meeting:  3 August at 7.30, Princess of Wales, Lea Bridge Road E5.  All welcome.   View this email in your browser