The BBC is reporting on plans by Waltham Forest Council, in north east London, to tighten its planning rules to limit the number of fast food outlets near schools or places heavily frequented by children.
The report proves again that tougher planning rules to protect town centres are entirely achievable and desperately needed in Putney High Street.
In Waltham Forest the problem appears to be too many fast food "restaurants"; in Putney its coffee shops, mobile phone shops, gambling premises and what the Americans call "Dime Stores".
A cohesive plan for Putney is what the Putney Society has been calling for and it is one of the essentials of my SOS plan to Save Our High Street.
It goes hand-in-hand with ideas like shop-front improvements, to introduce a cohesive character to the town centre and longer term suggestions like relocating the Chelverton Road bus garage away from the High Street and replacing the ugly concrete building that currently houses Woolworths, Halfords and Superdrug.
The Council's Local Development Plan is currently being reviewed and this is an ideal opportunity to draw a line under past disagreements and work together to draw up a strong, clear and radical plan that safeguards local shops, improves the environment for shoppers and other pedestrians and makes the High Street the attractive heart of Putney it should be.
You can read more about my ideas for Putney High Street and give me your own views here.
You can download my Roehampton report using the link opposite, and read the latest edition (and earlier versions) of The Putney Paper online here.
Fancy paying more tax on petrol?
Back i n July, when oil prices - and therefore the price at the pumps - reached record levels, David Cameron and George Osborne came up with a short-term wheeze to score political points.
They announced that there should be a variable tax rate on petrol so that when oil prices were high tax would fall and when petrol was cheap taxes would rise.
Today, oil prices have almost halved from their Summer high. Under the Tories, that means we would now be paying much more tax on our petrol. Just as the price fall is beginning to put a little money back in our pockets - some of which we might save for Winter fuel bills - the Conservatives would take it away from us.
Once again David Cameron and George Osborne demonstrate that now is no time for novices to be given the keys to the Treasury.
Shubh Diwali
Stuart's message for the Festival of Lights Click here
What's the value of bad debt?
Getting value for money from our banking bailout
Click here
RAF Bomber memorial
Stuart backs the campaign for a statue to commemorate this vital part of our war effort
Click here
Let's scrap billboard advertising
Wasting less on national election campaign is the way to avoid party funding embarrassments
Click here
Local democracy
Why has the council blocked my report on Danebury Avenue redevelopment? Click here
More help for homeowners
Making reposession a last resort is one way to get value for money from the banking bailout
Click here
Roehampton report-back
Stuart reports on last Monday's meeting with residents Click here
Waste of money
Council spends thousands renting back homes it used to own Click here
No time for a novice
Why experience matters Click here
Johnny Haynes
Fulham FC player gets a suitable memorial
Click here
Landmark buildings
How the developers believe Putney Place will look! Click here
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Published and promoted by Adam Gray on behalf of Stuart King, both of 35 Felsham Road, Putney, London SW15 1AY
