Having visited a few Christmas markets in Vienna last year, I was kind of (unrealistically) expecting the outside of St. John’s Church to look something like this today…

Christmas Market

But not a stall in sight, seems it was all happening inside the church. So, as I was a bit short for time (and wheeling a toddler along), I missed out. Anyone venture inside? How was it?

Andy McQueen from Leyton, has been named Waltham Forest Photographer of the Year after scooping the top gong in the Love your borough photographic competition.

Andy’s picture was selected from nearly 200 received, and will receive £300 in vouchers as his prize.

I knew the re-opening of the Blackwall Tunnel ahead of schedule after Sunday’s fire was too good to be true, some loon has decided to park himself on the roof of the 491 Gallery in Leytonstone, prompting the police to close Grove Green Road and the northbound carriageway of the A12!!!

Quite why they needed to close the A12 is unclear – presumably they reckon he could leap onto the road from the roof. Unless he’s a combination of spiderman and Carl Lewis, it seems a bit unlikely. Better safe than sorry I guess

491 Gallery from the A12

The independent report into Waltham Forest Council’s failure to deliver government funded projects has been published…

The report points to failures in the Council’s ability to procure and manage contracts and finds “systemic and cultural issues” have led to repeated failures in the way in which the Council procured and managed community projects.

Further details are on Waltham Forest Council’s website.

To be honest, I started losing the will to live on my first attempt to read it – couldn’t they publish a concise summary of the findings, maybe a couple of pages? Why the hell is it spread over numerous reports containing what just read like snippets from some hideous HR Management training manual.

Maybe its just me

If anyone has the will power to decipher the thing and work out what actually went on, please feel free to post a comment!