Sebastian Mann

London

Local Democracy Reporter at Waltham Forest Echo

Local democracy reporter for Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Havering @WFEcho @BBC. Ex-@LincsLive. "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.”

Articles

NHS trust pays out £68k over wrongly prescribed medication

22 hours ago | yellowad.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

A north-east London NHS trust has paid out almost £70,000 in five years over wrongly prescribed medication. Barking, Havering and Redbridge University NHS Trust (BHRUT) paid £68,625 to five claimants. It was among the top ten highest paying trusts in England, out of 236. No other trusts in the capital made the list. A BHRUT spokesperson said it would be introducing electronic prescriptions in September, which would “significantly reduce” the risk.
Redbridge in £2.2m SEND investment

1 day ago | yellowad.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

Redbridge Council will spend more than £2million upgrading a school to meet a “pressing need” from special needs pupils. Proposals have been put forward for five modular classrooms to be built at Little Heath School in Ilford, at a cost of £2.18m. The new rooms will accommodate autistic children and those with other speech and language needs.
'It's a scandal for bridge's urgent repair not to be in roads investment budget'

1 day ago | guardian-series.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

Broadmead Road Bridge in South Woodford closed after “extensive structural defects” were uncovered in 2023. Labour officials have said it will cost £50m to fix the busy bridge, which is a bill the council cannot afford. In the meantime, motorists and residents are forced to follow lengthy diversions around the borough. But it was not included in the council's highways capital investment programme, which does include £4.2m in the next year for resurfacing roads and pavements across the borough.
Waltham Forest Council approves Chingford homes plan

1 day ago | guardian-series.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

Plans to knock down two houses and build three new ones in their place were green-lit by Waltham Forest Council’s planning committee on May 6. The three-bedroom homes would be designed for six people, replacing a 1930s-style bungalow and two-storey home in the old Larkswood Road. The new houses would also sit behind a newly installed gate. The plans also include new bin areas and parking spaces.
Flats in Barkingside approved despite 130 objections

1 day ago | yellowad.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

Controversial plans for more than 100 new homes in Redbridge were narrowly approved by Redbridge Council despite more than 130 objections. A total of 59 flats and 55 one-storey homes will be built on a private sports field by Greenleafe Drive, in Barkingside. The land has gone unused for ten years, the council says, and the “harm” of losing open space will be outweighed by the construction of much needed housing.
Wes Streeting urges 'wiser' NHS spending on east London hospital visit

3 days ago | romfordrecorder.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

In late April, chief executive Matthew Trainer said Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Trust (BHRUT) had been instructed to make the cuts after already saving £30m two years in a row. He warned it would be a “very, very hard year” and the cuts would take the trust – which oversees Queen’s Hospital in Romford and King George Hospital in Goodmayes – into “radically new territory”.
Dorrington Gardens, Hornchurch car park homes plan approved

3 days ago | romfordrecorder.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

Dorrington Gardens was one of four car parks earmarked by Havering Council for new homes by last year amid a borough-wide housing shortage. The new estate would be made up of one- and two-bedroom flats, and three-bedroom family homes. Twenty-two apartments would be spread over two three-storey blocks. Mercury Land Holdings, a homebuilder wholly owned by Havering Council, argued housing would be a better use of the land and the 188-space car park was “surplus” to motorists’ needs.
More children's homes needed in Havering to meet demand

6 days ago | yellowad.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

Havering Council will need to open more children’s homes and recruit more foster carers to meet growing demand and save money. Social care is one of the biggest strains on Havering’s coffers, and councillors are keen to save where they can after accepting an £88m bailout in February. At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday May 7, top councillors agreed an overarching strategy to look after both vulnerable children and local finances.
Crackdown on rogue landlords and 'dangerous' properties

1 week ago | romfordrecorder.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

Havering Council wants to crackdown on rogue landlords (Image: Pixabay) Havering Council hopes two new licensing schemes will crack down on rogue landlords. Private rented properties now make up 19 per cent of the borough’s housing sector, while the borough’s population is also increasing.
Waltham Forest to cut extra financial help for residents receiving home care

1 week ago | yellowad.co.uk | Sebastian Mann

Waltham Forest Council will look to cut extra help for people receiving home care as it struggles with its finances. Over the next two years, the council will reduce a discretionary boost it offers to residents receiving the minimum income guarantee (MIG). The guarantee is offered to all people receiving home care and with savings below £14,250 to ensure they can afford food, utilities and personal costs. People aged between 18 and 24 receive a weekly £89, while adults between 25 and 64 get £112.