A key Council committee has urged Haringey Council to proceed with caution over the Labour Council’sattempts to sell off the Coldfall Lodge site to the highest bidder. Lib Dem councillors had triggered Haringey Council’s new ‘call in procedure,’ which was used for the first time at a meeting on the issue.

Though the committee did not stop the sale going ahead in principle, it accepted the need for safeguards, and made three recommendations to the Council:

1. Issue a clear brief with the sale, including restrictive clauses to ensure that the adjoining historic woodland is protected.
2. Payments to Church Commissioners regarding the sale to be made only if it is proved beyond doubt that these are necessary.
3. Unambiguous new guidelines on the Council’s obligation to consult on such matters

Lib Dem councillor for Fortis Green, Steve Gilbert, comments:

“I am pleased that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee has made these sensible recommendations. However, it remains to be seen if they will be followed by the Labour Executive, who seemed sceptical over the need for some of them.

“We will be watching this issue closely, and will continue to press for safeguards as this matter moves forward.And local residents who were not consulted on this sale, must have their say on such matters in future.”