Lib Dems have condemned controversial moves by Haringey Labour’s new administration to abolish a key watchdog committee which looks at policing issues in the borough.

The Lib Dems say that Labour intends to abolish the much-respected Crime and Community Safety Scrutiny Panel at the Council AGM without any consultation with the police or other local groups.

The party says that the move will remove a forum for discussing policing in the borough and shows yet again that the Labour Council holds the scrutiny process in contempt. Lib Dem councillors were only informed of the planned change, plotted by Labour for weeks, when a ‘pro-forma’ was circulated asking for details of committee members for next year.

Cllr Lynne Featherstone, along with Highgate councillor Melanie Simpson, had been nominated as the Lib Dem representatives on the committee – but neither was informed of the plans.

Ms Featherstone, who has been particularly prominent on policing issues in the borough with her high profile campaign to reopen the police station front counter at Muswell Hill, says that the Labour proposals are completely unacceptable.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“The Crime and Community Safety Panel, has done a lot of good work on policing issues in Haringey over the past two years. To attempt to shut it down without any discussion is totally unacceptable. What are Labour afraid of?”

Lib Dem Leader Neil Williams adds:

“This is the worst possible start for the new Labour administration. Haringey’s scrutiny service has already received the thumbs down from the independent Audit Commission in recent weeks. This will only add to the sense that all constructive criticism and scrutiny is treated with contempt in Labour Haringey.

“We will be fighting Labour’s cynical plans to shut down a watchdog committee that has been doing a good job on policing issues in the borough.”