Haringey’s ruling Labour group have been accused of shoddy attempts to play politics with efforts to solve traffic problems in the Muswell Hill area. The Lib Dem complaint follows Labour’s bid to remove Cllr Susan Oatway, a popular local councillor and chair of the local neighbourhood assembly, from the chair of the focus group looking into traffic problems, due to meet on Thursday.

Ms Oatway, a councillor for Alexandra ward, has been leading efforts to solve traffic problems in the area, and has been attempting to knock heads together between Haringey Council and Transport for London over TfL’s offer to provide £100,000 for traffic calming in the area.

The chair of the group had always previously been an Alexandra Ward councillor. Having been involved in the arrangements for the meeting, Ms Oatway has at the last minute been told that it will be chaired by a Labour councillor from another ward – who is not even a member of the Labour Executive.

This is not the first time Labour has interfered or dragged its feet on the issue. Previously, Labour tried to sabotage an earlier consultation by ordering council officers to arrange a conflicting consultation meeting for the same day and time but at a different location, and have consistently dragged their feet since May over implementing the generous funding suggestions from TfL.

The Lib Dems say that Labour is putting petty politics before making vital progress for residents.

Cllr Susan Oatway comments:

“I am appalled that political point scoring has been allowed into this arena. The focus group has always been chaired by an Alexandra ward councillor, and I know the issues, having worked closely with local residents’ groups.

“The Labour member chosen is not even a member of the Executive, and I have already been involved in the arrangements for the meeting. It is disgraceful behaviour by Labour, and it clearly shows they have little interest in solving the traffic problems in the area.”