Lib Dem Environment Spokesperson, Cllr Bob Hare (Highgate) has criticisedHaringey’s Environment Scrutiny Panel for not inviting local tree experts tolast week’s panel meeting – despite the fact that trees and parksmaintenance were on its agenda.

Lib Dem Councillor Hare, who helped found the Tree Trust in Haringey and whoattends meetings of the Friends of Parks Forum, invited all of these groupshimself, but by then it was too late for most of them to attend, and in anycase none would have had time to discuss the issues with their members andcommittees.

A key committee, Haringey Council’s ‘Environmental Scrutiny’ Panel meets 4 timesa year. Its purpose is for the public to ask questions about the Council’senvironmental performance and policies.

Cllr Bob Hare comments:

“The whole point of scrutiny is to ask questionsand to improve performance. Unfortunately, as the Audit Commission haspointed out, Haringey’s scrutiny committees are not run in an effectivemanner. Failing to notifying these key groups who know all about our localparks is a good way of avoiding criticism, but it completely misses thepoint. It is excluding a huge amount of expertise on the ground.

“I have asked that this agenda item be repeated at the next meeting of thepanel, so that all the Friends groups can be invited to have their say withplenty of notice. This mustn’t happen again.”