Lib Dem councillor Susan Oatway has said that last night’s meeting (Thursday, 5 December) designed to sort out traffic problems in the Alexandra area was a “complete and utter shambles” following the last minute takeover of the chair by a Labour councillor who knows little about the local traffic issues.

The development followed Labour’s last minute removal of popular local councillor Susan Oatway from the chair of the meeting, breaking previously agreed policy that the meeting would be chaired by an Alexandra councillor

The proceedings were criticised by leaders of local residents’ associations, as the new chair imposed by Labour was completely unprepared. Participants sat for two hours, and could only reach agreement on the need to meet again and to set up a smaller working party to look at the traffic issues.

The meeting also failed to sort out what to do with ‘safer routes to school’ money that is already available for Haringey to spend in the coming financial year.

Susan Oatway comments:

“Haringey’s handling of the matter has been a disgrace. They had an opportunity to sit down and agree how to spend significant amounts of money that have been earmarked for the area, and they seem determined to blow it.

“All they want to do is score cheap political points which is slowing up the whole process. The chair simply had no idea what the issues were, and the meeting was a shambles. I will be having discussions with local residents groups to find a way forward out of this mess.”