News, comment and features

The text of the byelaw banning spitting in the LBE is as follows: The London Borough of Enfield Byelaws made under section 235 of the Local Government Act 1972 by Council of the London Borough of Enfield for the good rule and government of the London Borough of Enfield and for the prevention and suppression of nuisances. Application 1.   This byelaw applies throughout the London Borough of Enfield. 2.   No person shall spit in, into or from any relevant place without.......

Enfield Council is consulting residents about options for changing traffic behaviour in the area to the south of the North Circular Road and east of Green Lanes. This has been prompted by complaints from residents of Grenoble Gardens about the volume of traffic using their road and the queues that build up at the junction with Green Lanes. These problems have arisen as the result of earlier changes - the introduction of one-way streets to the east of Green Lanes and the blocking of the left.......

Woodcroft Wildspace volunteer teams are continuing work to improve the former sports ground in Winchmore Hill which they have been converting into an area where people can take pleasure in nature, as well as learning about insects, birds, small mammals, pond life, plants and trees. The Friends of Woodcroft Wildspace have been in existence since 2003 and now number 1000 members. Since 2004 they have been gradually working towards the plan shown on the map. Last year the future continuation of.......

Enfield Council's Youth Support Service is seeking volunteers to act as group facilitators for an innovative project designed to help young people make positive choices. The facilitators will be required for sessions on one afternoon a week for 13 weeks beginning on 12 March 2014. The project is designed to help young people whose circumstances put them at risk of negative outcomes, for example, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, criminal activity, exclusion and categorisation as "NEETs" (Not in.......

A ban on spitting in the street throughout the London Borough of Enfield came into effect this week, following more than two years of campaigning, a petition and a public consultation exercise. The by-law was approved by central government earlier this year and came into effect on Sunday. Offenders can be fined up to £500. Until 1990 spitting in the street was an offence throughout the UK, punishable by a fine a £5 - a figure which these days appears ridiculously low, but as late as the 1960s.......

A ceramics class at the Millfields Arts Centre, designed for people with varying levels of experience in working with clay, will run from 6th January to 31st March (no class on 17th February). The class is taught by Deborah Broomfield, who can be contacted at debartclay@gmail.com. Fees of £120 are payable in advance in two instalments or can be paid each week at £11. Fees include clay, firing and glazes........

Palmers Green's own community cinema, Talkies, is now in its second year. The enterprising venture was launched by David Williamson in October 2012 with a screening of A Man of No Ambition, a film about notable Palmers Green resident Ralph Hutchings. Fourteen months and 21 events later, Talkies will end its 2013 season with a Palmers Green double bill at the Fox on 11th December. The evening begins with an introduction to Palmers Green Tales, a new website which is about to be launched by Jenny.......

In August we carried a report about a meeting between local groups and the Council aimed at clarifying issues regarding the future of Palmers Green Triangle. At the meeting assurances were given about consultation prior to any changes. However, in late October, and without the promised consultation, the Council carried out works on the Triangle, covering over the underground toilets and removing the railings around them, and replacing concrete planters with hanging baskets. Last week a.......

Ashmole Academy in Southgate is considering opening a two-form entry primary school, which it hopes would open in 2015. Pupils from the primary school would have priority for admission to the secondary school. Whether or not the scheme goes ahead will depend on the school's obtain the money required to build it and there being sufficient interest from local parents. Ashmole's proposal would help ease the shortage of primary school places in parts of Palmers Green and Southgate, which has.......

Enfield’s Health and Wellbeing Board is holding two special events to gauge public opinion on the Enfield Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2014-2019. The consultation is open until the 22nd December 2013, and the Board want to know what you think about the community’s health and wellbeing needs and where you think they should be focusing their attention in the years ahead. The responses received will help to inform the priorities in the strategy to ensure we continue to improve the.......

Two months ago campaigners against the North London Waste Authority's plans for a very long term and extremely expensive procurement contract for waste processing services were celebrating the cancellation of the procurement (see this earlier report). Although the Authority has denied it, it is almost certain that this major volte face was in large part due to the effectiveness of the campaign run by the Pinkham Way Alliance. However, the Alliance is not resting on its laurels. It has now.......

The sale of the former Southgate Town Hall is proceeding. Contracts have now been exchanged for the transfer of the building in Green Lanes, Palmers Green, to the property developer Hollybrook Homes. Hollybrook are planning to build between 30 and 40 one-, two- and three-bedroom flats within the shell of the Town Hall and in a new-build block to the rear. At least some of the flats will be "affordable". The exterior of the building will not be altered, but the interior will be completely.......