Latest news with #WalthamForestCouncil
The Independent
04-07-2025
- The Independent
Council pays domestic abuse victim £1,600 after leaving him homeless for weeks
Waltham Forest Council has agreed to pay £1,600 to a domestic abuse victim after a watchdog found he had been left homeless for five weeks. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said the man first asked the council for help in January, saying he could no longer live with relatives who were abusing him, and for a second time in February. The council only acted in mid-March after legal action was threatened, offering hotel accommodation but no further action when the man said his abuser knew where he was staying. Ms Amerdeep Somal, of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: 'Waltham Forest Council let this man down when he approached it for help. 'This should not have happened, and I am pleased the council has acknowledged the gravity of its errors and accepted the recommendations I have made. I hope other survivors of domestic abuse will be treated better in future.' Councillor Ahsan Khan apologised, telling the BBC that the council took on board the report's findings, and would "ensure we use these to improve the service we provide for residents in the future". The council has not yet responded to The Independent 's request for comment. During his stay at the hotel, the council also failed to confirm a booking which again left him homeless for three nights, the report said. The man said he was assaulted during these three days. The man also lost his possessions because the council refused to store his belongings without a payment of £500 up front, which he could not afford, the investigation found. The investigation criticised the council for the three-month delay in accepting that it had a duty to support him with housing, as well as finding that the council failed to consider the man's vulnerability and the suitability of the hotel accommodation. The council agreed to apologise and pay the £1,600 to the man, the report said. It has also agreed to review its housing policies and improve how it handles cases involving vulnerable people.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Food bank facing eviction searches for new site
One of the biggest food banks in east London is appealing for help to find new premises after being served an eviction notice. Pl84U Al Suffa in Leytonstone, which supports about 500 people a week, has been ordered to vacate its home by 8 June. The landlord of the building plans to refurbish the premises. Waltham Forest Council said it was doing all it could to try to find a suitable alternative for the food bank. Saira Begum Mir, founder of Pl84U Al Suffa, said the facility was "the only way that people can survive". "They've still got to pay their electric and utility bills - they're not going down, they're just going high," she said. "The needy are being more deprived of things. "It is very important that we can provide food on the table for themselves and their children. "Food is the only option they can get free - where there's a bit of support." The food bank, which has been in operation since 2020, is open on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday each week. One visitor told BBC London: "Supermarket prices went very high, I don't even use supermarkets anymore because they are just too expensive. "My main supply is this food bank." He added: "I'm coming here because to be able to pay for the bills, I need to cut down on the food supplies. The food bank is the only option." Another food bank user said: "I am a full time carer to my husband and I'm disabled. "It's a great way to add on to the food that I get from the supermarket, because everything's so expensive now." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Half of low-paid Londoners use a food bank - survey Food bank supply hub to close in 'devastating blow' William and Kate donate funds to burgled food bank Waltham Forest Council
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Food bank facing eviction searches for new site
One of the biggest food banks in east London is appealing for help to find new premises after being served an eviction notice. Pl84U Al Suffa in Leytonstone, which supports about 500 people a week, has been ordered to vacate its home by 8 June. The landlord of the building plans to refurbish the premises. Waltham Forest Council said it was doing all it could to try to find a suitable alternative for the food bank. Saira Begum Mir, founder of Pl84U Al Suffa, said the facility was "the only way that people can survive". "They've still got to pay their electric and utility bills - they're not going down, they're just going high," she said. "The needy are being more deprived of things. "It is very important that we can provide food on the table for themselves and their children. "Food is the only option they can get free - where there's a bit of support." The food bank, which has been in operation since 2020, is open on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday each week. One visitor told BBC London: "Supermarket prices went very high, I don't even use supermarkets anymore because they are just too expensive. "My main supply is this food bank." He added: "I'm coming here because to be able to pay for the bills, I need to cut down on the food supplies. The food bank is the only option." Another food bank user said: "I am a full time carer to my husband and I'm disabled. "It's a great way to add on to the food that I get from the supermarket, because everything's so expensive now." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Half of low-paid Londoners use a food bank - survey Food bank supply hub to close in 'devastating blow' William and Kate donate funds to burgled food bank Waltham Forest Council
ITV News
24-04-2025
- Business
- ITV News
London's homelessness crisis poses ‘single biggest risk' to councils, warn leaders
London's homelessness crisis is now the single biggest financial risk facing local authorities, according to a new warning from London Councils. The cross-party group, which represents the capital's 32 boroughs and the City of London, says spiraling temporary accommodation costs have forced councils to overspend by at least £330 million this year, an increase of 60% when compared to original homelessness budgets. Councils are legally required to house eligible homeless residents, making it essentially impossible for councils to place strict limits on their expenditure. The number of Londoners in temporary accommodation is now at a record high, with 183,000 people, around one in every 50 residents, needing shelter. London Councils said the capital's boroughs are collectively spending £4 million a day on temporary housing, often relying on costly hotel placements due to a shortage of affordable homes. Over recent years, 45,000 properties have disappeared from the lower end of London's private rental sector. Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council and Housing Lead for London Councils, said: "London councils are facing risk of bankruptcy and homelessness is becoming the biggest risk. "They're spending £330 million overspend on homelessness on top of their housing budget. "It's becoming a real risk of borrowers becoming bankruptcy and therefore having to get into debt to pay for local services for Londoners.' Asked why the situation has become so bad, she said: 'London is like the epicentre of the housing crisis. "56% of all homeless people nationally live in reason homelessness is so bad is a really bad combination of things like massive reductions in the number of landlords that are in London, the fact that housing costs are so high and the lack of home building over a long period..." Cllr Williams told ITV News of the implications of this in her borough. She said: 'In Waltham Forest, we spend 60% of our budget on adult and children's social care and homelessness. That leaves less for all the other services our residents rely on. "If councils go bankrupt, they'll have to borrow more, increasing debt over time.' London Councils is calling for urgent action in the upcoming government Spending Review. Its demands include ending the 14-year freeze on how much councils can claim back for temporary accommodation, making the recent uplift in Local Housing Allowance permanent, and boosting long-term investment in affordable housing. The group is also urging the government to prioritise the cross-departmental strategy on homelessness and ensure councils play a central role. A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: 'We inherited a serious housing crisis which is why we are taking urgent and decisive action to end homelessness, fix the foundations of local government and drive forward our Plan for Change. 'This government is providing £1 billion for crucial homelessness services and tackling the root causes of homelessness by building 1.5 million new homes, boosting social and affordable housing and abolishing section 21 no fault evictions.'
BBC News
08-04-2025
- BBC News
Drugs were found at Dreamland gig before teen died
More than 80 people were found with drugs at an amusement park event where a teenager was believed to have overdosed, an inquest Stokes, who was 17, died in hospital in June after attending a gig at Dreamland in Margate, Kent. She was thought to have taken Guy, the operations director at Dreamland, said the 82 drug seizures were "the sort of numbers we expect to find" at an event of that size and staff were not overwhelmed at any point.A full risk assessment had been carried out ahead of the gig, which was considered to be high risk, Mr Guy said. The operations director said a review of CCTV after the event showed Emily entering the site at about 13:30 BST on 29 June. She had been searched and no drugs were found on her. Mr Guy said pictures showed Emily enjoying herself, and she was later seen coming out of a toilet and putting something into her mouth and drinking water. She was subsequently found slumped on the ground and was given medical treatment before being transferred to hospital, the Maidstone inquest heard. A major incident was declared following Emily's death, but the event, attended by about 7,000 people, was allowed to continue. Mr Guy said: "If you continued the event, the risk was far less than if you turf them out. "You don't want 7,000 unhappy people on the streets of Margate."The inquest also heard from Kay Mockford, Emily's former social worker at Waltham Forest Council, which was caring for the teenager. 'Remarkable young lady' She said she had told Emily she could not attend the event because she did not want her to stay the night with a friend. Emily had previous issues with drinking too much and smoking cannabis, the inquest Mockford said she had a good relationship with Emily, who she described as a "very funny", "very clever" and "very quirky young lady"."She had a great friendship group who loved her. She just loved life. She was a remarkable young lady and is sorely missed," Ms Mockford added. The inquest in Maidstone continues.
